Orc

Orc FemaleOrc Male
Orcs are a hardy seafaring folk who come from the icy lands in the Utter South. They drink honey mead in their great halls and recount tales of battle and valor from their combat with ice trolls, and their many raids on the fat, rich northern cities across the ocean. They are loyal to clan and kin, and seek to win great renown in battle, and also new lands to settle, since land is a most precious and scarce commodity in the permafrost tundra in which they carve their towns and graze their herds of goats and aurochs. It is difficult to impress an orc, far rarer to win their respect, but once won, they make the most steadfast comrades and allies. Orcs are battle hardened survivors, but value family above all things. It is not uncommon for there to be trysts between invading orcs and humans (nor is rape uncommon), and the resulting offspring is welcomed in orc society as an equal member in all things except the passing of inheritance.

Orc religion is different than most. They have gods, but to them, the gods are more brothers and sisters in arms than overlords who demand fealty. In addition to this, many orcs hold to the old ways of mysticism and runecraft and seek soothsaying and omens before major battles or risky ventures to divine the outcome before setting out.

## Orc PC Classes:

```
Fighter (Viking, 2-Weapon Warrior, Corsair, Cad or Brawler only), Barbarian, Bloodrager, Brawler, Antipaladin, Warpriest, Cleric, Oracle, Shaman, Hunter, Slayer, Bard, Skald, Sorcerer, Witch

```

Overall orc culture trends toward CN to N

Orc culture is loosely based on Viking and Celtic cultures

### Orc Settlements

Viking BoatsViking Village

* Type: Orcs are humanoids with the orc subtype.
* Size: Orcs are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Base Speed: Orcs have a base speed of 30 feet.
* Languages: Orcs begin play speaking Common and Orc. Orcs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Sylvan and Aquan. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

### Ferocity

Orcs possess the ferocity ability which allows them to remain conscious and continue fighting even if their hit point totals fall below 0. Orcs are still staggered at 0 hit points or lower and lose 1 hit point each round as normal.

### Darkvision

Orcs can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.

### Weapon Familiarity

Orcs are proficient with throwing axes, hand axes and battleaxes, and treat any weapon with the word “viking” in its name as a martial weapon. (viking weapons)

## Alternate Racial Traits:

* Acute Darkvision: Some orcs, having evolved to live within the polar circles where nighttime reigns for 6-9 months out of the year, have developed exceptionally keen night vision.  They gain darkvision 90 feet, extending to 120 feet when auroras are present. This racial trait replaces ferocity and darkvision.
* Auroral Attunement: Some Orcs draw power from the mana inherent in the aurora borealis. The DCs of any saving throws against spells with the pattern or emotion descriptor they cast increase by 1. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
* Frost Giant Blood: Orcs are accustomed to the extreme temperatures of the Utter South and arctic tundras and fiords they inhabit. Orcs with this racial trait automatically succeed on Fortitude saves to avoid cold dangers for conditions up to and including severe cold. Additionally, any time these Orc take cold damage, the first 3 points of cold damage is converted to nonlethal damage. These orcs have the blood of frost giants somewhere in their ancestry which gives them a more unsettling appearance and they start with a -4 penalty to Charisma.
* Frostwolf Blood: It is said that some Orc clans have been touched by the powerful wolf spirit/demigod known as Fenrir. The blood of these Orcs manifests in the form of increased body hair and feral features, but also keener senses. They gain a +4 racial bonus on Perception and Survival checks. They start with a -4 to Intelligence.
* Glacial Climber: Mountain-dwelling orcs thrive on taking insane risks to defeat foes and show up rivals. They gain a +4 racial bonus on Climb and Acrobatics checks. They start with a -4 to Wisdom.
* Hersir: Some orcs are raised with many harrowing opportunities to learn how to best lead on the battlefield. Such orcs gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy, Intimidate and Profession (soldier) checks as well as to their Leadership score (for the purpose of the Leadership feat).. This racial trait replaces darkvision and ferocity.
* Kindred: Some orcs hold a strong bond of kinship with others of the folk. Whenever an orc casts a beneficial spell that affects an allied orc or half-orc (including itself), its effects manifest at +2 caster level. This racial trait replaces ferocity.
* Mammoth Blood: Some Orcs' tusks are large and sharp, granting a bite attack. This is a primary natural attack that deals 1d4 points of piercing damage. This racial trait replaces ferocity.
* Muscle Memory: Some Orcs focus on perfecting methods of combat handed down through generations of great warriors.  They are able to react to threats without even thinking. Orcs with this racial trait are treated as having an Intelligence score of 13 for the purpose of qualifying for feats.  This racial trait replaces darkvision.
* Pillager: Many Orcs revel in acts of wanton destruction. Orcs with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Strength checks to break objects and on sunder combat maneuver checks. This racial trait replaces darkvision with low-light vision.
* Runic Protection: Many Orcs decorate themselves with protective runic diagrams in the form of tattoos  and ritual scarification. Orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws and an additional +1 racial bonus vs cold spells and effects. This racial trait replaces darkvision.
* Sea Legs: Some Orcs live their lives on the sea in their raiding ships. Orcs with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws made to resist nausea, the sickened condition, and disease. This racial trait replaces ferocity.
* Sea Raider: Orcs frequently take up sailing as pirates, raiders, and fishers, where they are known as tenacious fighters. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Profession (sailor), Profession (captain) and Craft (ship) checks, and a +1 racial bonus on knowledge (engineering) checks made to attack with naval siege weapons. This racial trait replaces darkvision.
* Survivalist: Some orcs live in the remote corners of the tundra, eeking out a living in the only free lands available to them in the harsh winter climate of their homes. Orcs with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on melee weapon attack and damage rolls when at negative hit points. This racial trait replaces the orc's weapon familiarity and automatic languages.

## Alternate Favored Class Bonuses

* **Fighter:** Add +2 to the fighter’s Constitution score for the purpose of determining when he dies from negative hit points.

* **Barbarian:** Add +1 to the barbarian’s total number of rage rounds per day.

* **Bloodrager:** Add +1 to the bloodrager’s total number of rage rounds per day.

* **Brawler:** Add +1/4 to attack rolls with the brawler’s bite attack (if any) as a secondary attack (maximum bonus +3).

* **Antipaladin:** Add +1 to the antipaladin’s cold resistance (to a maximum increase of 10).

* **Warpriest:** Add +2 to the warpriest’s Constitution score for the purpose of determining when he dies from negative hit points.

* **Cleric:** Add +1/2 to the cleric’s caster level for spells cast on orcs and half orcs

* **Oracle:** Reduce the penalty for not being proficient with one weapon by 1. When the non-proficiency penalty for a weapon becomes 0 because of this ability, the oracle is treated as having the appropriate Martial or Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat with that weapon.

* **Shaman:** Add +½ point of cold damage to shaman spells, hexes and spirit magic that deal cold damage.

* **Hunter:** Add 1 hit point to the hunter’s animal companion. If the hunter replaces his animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points.

* **Slayer:** Add +2 to the slayer’s Constitution score for the purpose of determining when he dies from negative hit points.

* **Bard:** Add one spell known from the wizard’s spell list with the cold descriptor. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the bard can cast.

* **Skald:** Add +½ point of cold damage to skald spells that deal cold damage.

* **Sorcerer:** Add +2 to the sorcerer’s Constitution score for the purpose of determining when he dies from negative hit points.

* **Witch:** Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.