DCC Half-Orc Class

Next in my to-do list for the blog was share my Half-Orc class for DCC that I wrote up about a year ago.

There are a few class write ups out there for this race – but some have complex rage mechanics or just don’t compare to other classes for player options and usefulness.  Looking at the 3-4 articles out there, the closest thing I could find to what I wanted to use in my game was over at Half Orc DCCified – DIY RPG Productions (wordpress.com) by Mike Evans.

I kept mostly unchanged a couple ideas from Mike’s concept … natural weapons, a boost to using two-handed weapons … but it strikes me as not very different from the Warrior class – the thing about racial DCC classes is they tend to fill a unique niche, and they can lean in more than one direction – an Elf can lean into fighting or magic, and a Halfling can lean into fighting or sneaking – it’s got some range.  So, while a half-orc can be a raging hulk, it can also be a sneaky thug, an assassin, or a iron-willed fighter.

So, I kept the Mighty Deed die, but removed the fancy maneuvers – it still does raw bonuses to hit and damage, but with less finesse, and  renamed it the Feral Die.  I also allow the Feral Die to add to Strength checks, climbing, surviving in the wilderness, etc.

For most classes in the core rulebook, Luck modifiers are listed for small extra effects for most of the classes – I added the ability to use the Luck modifier for both Critical hit chart rolls and some of the effects on the critical hit chart.

And lastly, I added an ability called Fury that lets a half-orc burn Personality the same way a Thief can burn Luck, but specifically for hit rolls, damage rolls, and Will saves.

I think the class is a bit short on background options, and need a few level titles, so if you have any ideas, feel free to email me at archadethered@gmail.com.

Regardless, I present to you the half-orc for use in my campaign … enjoy!  

 

HALF-ORC

 

Half-orcs are the offspring of a human and orc, sometimes from an unwilling pairing, although the orcs of Threegate Hills have some villages that trade peacefully with human caravans.

     Half-orcs tend to have an olive cast to their skin, coarse hair, and occasionally fanged teeth, although some half-orcs have their ancestry less pronounced and can pass for human.

     If the orcish heritage is known, the half-orc child is often mistreated and shunned as a child – combined with an instinctive ferocity, many half-orcs have barely pent up anger and resentment, that they use to fuel their drive, their fights, and their perseverance.

     Hit Points: A half-orc gains 1d10 HP per level.

     Weapon Training: A half-orc is trained in the following weapons: battleaxe, club, flail, mace, shortbow, spear, staff, two-handed sword, and warhammer.  A half orc can wear any armor they choose.

     Alignment: Due to the ferocity of the orc blood that runs through their veins, half orcs usually gravitate towards chaotic alignment.  However there are some who walk the path of neutrality or law.

     Infravision: A half orc can see in the dark up to 30’.

     Feral Die: Half Orcs do not receive a fixed attack modifier at each level.  Instead they receive a feral die, similar to the Mighty Deed die of the Warrior.  The feral die is rolled each round to generate the attack modifier.  See the chart below to see the Feral Die advancement.  The bonus of the deed die is also a modifier for damage.  The Feral Die does not allow maneuvers or effects like the Warrior class, just additional raw damage.

     The Feral die can also be used as a bonus for any check involving Strength, Stamina, climbing, jumping, swimming, tracking, survival in the wild, and similar checks approved by the Judge.

     Natural Weapons: A half-orc either has toughened nails or sharp teeth, and is able to cause 1d4 damage even when unarmed.

     Two-handed Weapons: When a half orc wields a two handed weapon they may add double their Strength modifier in damage.

     Fury: Half orcs are brutal fighters that learn at an early age you have to be ferocious and attack with reckless abandon.  A half-orc can temporarily expend one point or more of their Personality to increase and attack roll or a damage roll from their attack, or of their Will save by the same amount.  Spent points of Personality return at a rate of one point per Half-Orc level per day.

     Mistrusted: Half orcs are considered unwanted half-breeds by most humans and orcs.  When making a Personality check involving a human or orc, half orc’s action die goes down one step on the die ladder. 

     Languages: A half orc begins play knowing how to speak Common.

     Luck: Half-orcs are inherently vicious and can add their Luck modifier to both critical hit chart rolls and any damage effects or DC of saves required by a critical hit effect.

 

Table H-1: Half-Orc

Level	Crit Die/Table	Action Dice	Feral Die	Fort	Ref	Will	Title
1	1d8/III	1d20	+1d3	+1	+1	+0	Outcast
2	1d10/III	1d20	+1d4	+1	+1	+0	Brute
3	1d12/III	1d20	+1d4	+2	+1	+1	Thug
4	1d14/III	1d20	+1d5	+2	+2	+1	Cutthroat
5	1d16/III	1d20+1d14	+1d5	+3	+2	+1	Slayer
6	1d20/III	1d20+1d16	+1d6	+3	+3	+2
7	1d24/III	1d20+1d20	+1d6	+4	+3	+2
8	1d30/IV	1d20+1d20	+1d8	+4	+4	+2
9	2d20/IV	1d20+1d20	+1d8	+5	+4	+3
10	2d20/IV	1d20+1d20+1d14	+1d10	+5	+5	+3

  

Table H-2: Zero-level occupations for half-orcs

Occupation	Weapon	Trade Good
Half-Orc Scavenger	Knife (as dagger)	Small sack with 1d3 days rations
Half-Orc Hunter	Shortbow	1d3 animal pelts
Half-Orc Bodyguard	Club	Pouch with 3d6 sp