Creatures found alongside orcs

[Ronnocius]

Hey everyone. I have been running a campaign mainly about fighting orcs. The party is almost level 3. To make the orcs more interesting, I am trying to include other creatures in the fights as well. So far I have used dire wolves, half-ogres, ogres, giant bats, etc. Does anybody have any ideas for creatures that might be found fighting alongside orcs aside from the obvious troll, ogre, ettin, etc? I'm also looking for tactics that orcs could use aside from charging into battle blindly.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Have you got Volo's Guide? It has a section on orcs with some discussion of tactics and society. It mentions that orcs sometimes recruit wereboars, or fall under the sway of green dragons. They could be interesting 'surprises'. Other than that, you might find opportunistic monsters following in the path of an orc warband, seeking to take advantage of the destruction.

I could also see an orc chieftain gaining control over some powerful, neutral monster like an elemental or a golem that it then uses to enforce its will on multiple tribes.

[krugaan]

I didn't read Volo, but... The concept of a meatshield is very appealing to me.

Like a literal meatshield. They carry captives as cover against missle fire. If the meat dies, well... There's always more meat. And if it gets cut / cooked / tenderized a little, well, that's just more convenient.

[lunaticfringe]

Ettins. They work with Orcs according to their blurb.,

Nevermind...

[Afrodactyl]

I'm a big fan of an orc warchief using a wyvern as a mount.

And gratuitous use of the goblin huckers from storm kings thunder as well.

[Eradis]

Any goblinoids are fun to have along side orcs, including the classic worgs (or wargs?, you know, the goblin wolves). The war chief mounting a wyvern is a terrifying sight.

Otherwise, the cliché or orcs always charging head on isn't a necessity. Orcs love war and the color red ('cause it makes things go faster; in Warhammer at least haha). Sieges are good options to starve out fortified town or fortress. Ambushes, baiting their preys, it's all viable. They can also make alliances with other evil-ish races such as frost giant (e.i. Thousand orcs by R.A. Salvatore). Those alliances are mostly until certain goals are met.

I also think of orcs as viking-like sometimes. They acts primitive in the exterior eyes, but could easily cross a shallow lake with bamboo stick coming out of the water for a stealthy raid or send elites that strike from the shadows. Orcs aren't the most intelligent race, but they master the arts of war. It counts for something.

[Dappershire]

Orcish Knights with goblin squires.

[Unoriginal]

And gratuitous use of the goblin huckers from storm kings thunder as well.

Any goblinoids are fun to have along side orcs, including the classic worgs (or wargs?, you know, the goblin wolves).

Orcish Knights with goblin squires.

D&D orcs do not work with goblinoids, outside of exceptional circumstances. It's not like in Warhammer.

Orcs aren't the most intelligent race, but they master the arts of war. It counts for something.

Eh,not quite. Orcs aren't the masters of the arts of war. They're good at fighting, but their impulsive nature and lack of interest for complex logistic or long term planning means that they're the kind to win a battle but lose the war.

You got a point saying they're like vikings, though. Most orcs will go for simple raids against weak targets, rob them blind, and then leave them until they've re-build enough ressources to be worth another raid.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Also: orc adventurers.

[JellyPooga]

War pigs. Orcs should have war pigs. Orcs ride giant boars, because they're the only creature tough enough to handle them. That's just a fact [/notafact]

The problem with orcs, as I see them, is their arrogance (for want of a better word); they're so proud of their own competency and achievements that they don't bother recruiting assistance in the field of war and battle; after all, anyone else wold only muck things up or show them up. Besides, you don't want to have to share the spoils, right? That pretty much leaves non-sentient or other animalistic critters, unless it's someone using the orcs (rather than vice versa) as hired muscle...which in itself opens the possibilities of some kind of a puppet-master, but that may or may not be what you're looking for.

That said, there could be something said for a particularly smart Orc Warchief recruiting human or other demi-human bandits or mercenaries looking to get in on the action. Especially if they have some kind of speciality that the Orcs themselves don't have or find distasteful; stealth, scouting, war-machines, archery. This would open the possibility of the PC's taking advantage of any in-fighting or animosity within the hordes ranks. That would be my suggestion.

[Lord Haart]

In a campaign i'm DMing right now, the antagonistic (kinda; it's actually on governmental payroll, while the players are outlaws) orc horde has harnessed their innate musicality (yep, orcs are musical race. Drums, throat singing, innate sense of the rhytm necessary to do warchanting-and-stomping-on-the-ground well, and great lungs for bagpipes) to tame (or semi-tame, at any rate) destrachans, yrthaks, (giant) snakes and siege apes.

[War_lord]

Orcs ride aurochs, they're the sacred animal of Bahgtru. Warboars is a Warhammer Orc thing. Even if it is physically difficult not to turn all your Orcs into Warhammer Orcs.

[Ninja_Prawn]

War pigs. Orcs should have war pigs.

Ooh, I made stats for those recently!

[Eradis]

Eh,not quite. Orcs aren't the masters of the arts of war. They're good at fighting, but their impulsive nature and lack of interest for complex logistic or long term planning means that they're the kind to win a battle but lose the war.

Official literature about the world of Wizard of the Coast imply that they are more than just brute. They do act like most predators and target prey weaker than they are, but they are indeed capable of planning ahead. Again, Thousand Orcs by R.A. Salvatore is a clear example of this.

As for orcs not using goblinoids, I do know it is uncommon for them to partner up, but they are inclined to use slaves, depending on the tribe. Plus, when it comes down to personal settings, you can simply mix what you feel right to mix. Personally, I would easily see some goblins going in the front lines as meat shield and keeping it together by fear of getting killed and/or tortured by the orcs if they do not cooperate. Or even World War, Soviet style, by killing any that tries to retreat on the spot on the battlefield.

[Arkhios]

Ooh, I made stats for those recently!

The name of the beast made me smile out loud

Ps. What about Orog? They're orcs, sure, but still more than that.

[Unoriginal]

Official literature about the world of Wizard of the Coast imply that they are more than just brute. They do act like most predators and target prey weaker than they are, but they are indeed capable of planning ahead. Again, Thousand Orcs by R.A. Salvatore is a clear example of this.

I doubt it is 5e literature. The orcs described in the MM and the Volo's are certainly more than easily tricked brutes, and they are capable of some long-term planning, but they definitively lack the skills and mindset (notably on the discipline front) to be masters of war.

Again, not to say that they're bad at battles, because they can be devastating there, and anyone who think the orcs don't have any guile or trickery in them is in for a nasty surprise, but it's a fact that orcs are not good at logistics nor at technology nor at establishing a reliable system, which is what you need to master war. They're not using hide armors and javelins as main protection and ranged weapon for nothing.

As for orcs not using goblinoids, I do know it is uncommon for them to partner up, but they are inclined to use slaves, depending on the tribe. Plus, when it comes down to personal settings, you can simply mix what you feel right to mix. Personally, I would easily see some goblins going in the front lines as meat shield and keeping it together by fear of getting killed and/or tortured by the orcs if they do not cooperate. Or even World War, Soviet style, by killing any that tries to retreat on the spot on the battlefield.

Well if they're using slaves in battle, then it won't be only goblinoids. They would throw humans, dwarves, Minotaurs, etc.

[JellyPooga]

Ooh, I made stats for those recently!

Optional trait: "Gingerback"
- Speed: 40ft

"Red wunz go fasta"

[Naanomi]

Gruumsh maintains his realm on Acheron, so alliances from creatures from that plane are not unheard of... Devils, Rakshasa, Bladelings...

[Eradis]

Optional trait: "Gingerback"
- Speed: 40ft

"Red wunz go fasta"

Proved by many Orc Scientists. =P

[Throne12]

Have Calvary orcs called the death metal riders. They rider throught on the backs of bulettes Impaling enemy's with there lance. They then turn around to do another charge but when hey are 30ft out they leap off the mounts. Charging at the enemy on foot leap into the fray. As they are hacking and slashing at enemy's there mounts pop up from the ground attack the enemy. Then the orcs run back to there mounts and hop back on to do another charge.


These orcs were metal armor that marvel armor is made from fallen Bulette It to honor them.

[Tanarii]

War pigs. Orcs should have war pigs.

Flaming war pigs. Douse them in oil, point them at the enemy, set them on fire. Good for breaking those pesky formations more organized warriors like to use.

Plus it makes them red, so they go faster.

[the_brazenburn]

If you do introduce the War Pigs, have their leader be a bard by the name of O'zy.

[Spacehamster]

Hill giants sometimes travel with orc war bands as artillery, tossing boulders.

[Ninja_Prawn]

set them on fire... it makes them red

I thought pork went a lighter colour when it was cooked...?

[JackPhoenix]

I thought pork went a lighter colour when it was cooked...?

They go red and move faster for a while, then they change color again and eventually stop moving.

[Eradis]

Have Calvary orcs called the death metal riders. They rider throught on the backs of bulettes Impaling enemy's with there lance. They then turn around to do another charge but when hey are 30ft out they leap off the mounts. Charging at the enemy on foot leap into the fray. As they are hacking and slashing at enemy's there mounts pop up from the ground attack the enemy. Then the orcs run back to there mounts and hop back on to do another charge.


These orcs were metal armor that marvel armor is made from fallen Bulette It to honor them.

That would make a really nice encounter!

[The Shadowdove]

There's a forgotten realms trilogy where Orcs and their allies war against a dwarven kingdom/allies.

Count trolls, Giants, ogres, and other races among Orc potential allies.

[wilhelmdubdub]

Does 5th ed. have those demonic orcs, I think they were called Tanarukk

[Unoriginal]

Does 5th ed. have those demonic orcs, I think they were called Tanarukk

Yes, 5e has them.

[Armored Walrus]

As for tactics, I suggest themonstersknow.com. He does a piece on orcs, and then a piece called orcs revisited, where he comments on the war wagons introduced for orcs in Volo's guide.

Speaking of Volo's they do mention Orcs of Baghtru riding into combat on aurochs and the fact that orcs will not leave an elf alive if they fight any.