I’m a new DM/player and I’m running Lost Mine of Phandelver for my family. They’re in the Tresendar Manor now and I’m wanting to make some magical weapons for my two players. I’ve modified Black Hawk’s Talon for one player’s Dragonborn Barbarian, but the other player I want to give a homebrewed orc battleaxe. I’ve been brushing up on lore in between sessions and found out that Orcs usual hate using magic due to their culture and hatred of elves. So would they even use a magical weapon that’d give them a magical advantage in battle?
Yes, I think they would. Even if strict orc society looks down on traditional magic, they still practice to some degree. There are Orc shamans and such. So while an Orc might be hesitant to wield a wand or something, but a battleaxe that does cool magic things would likely be embraced.
You misunderstood. I asked if they’d use magical weapons due to their cultural and hatred of elves. From what I heard, orcs value strength and the strong are dominant. The use of magic (except for Grey Orcs) is considered weak as it does not display strength in the traditional sense. Now I could be mistaken, hence my post. I didn’t ask, however, if they’d use them because elves use them.
I’m a new DM/player and I’m running Lost Mine of Phandelver for my family. They’re in the Tresendar Manor now and I’m wanting to make some magical weapons for my two players. I’ve modified Black Hawk’s Talon for one player’s Dragonborn Barbarian, but the other player I want to give a homebrewed orc battleaxe. I’ve been brushing up on lore in between sessions and found out that Orcs usual hate using magic due to their culture and hatred of elves. So would they even use a magical weapon that’d give them a magical advantage in battle?
okay well
If an item makes them stronger, then the more clever orcs (such as oroks) might take advantage of that and use it, perhaps even secretly, to gain dominance.
From what I’ve heard, Grey Orcs are what you see in the 5e monster manual, but they are rare near the Sword Coast. Grey Orcs are from a different dimension and arrival in the world through a portal that also brought their orc god. They are intelligent and do value shamans within their ranks. They maintain their appearance and generally stay clean. If an elf is killed and it’s body is offered to their god in a ritual, the god asks for one of their eyes as well. Gouging our an eye earns them a boon that makes them considerably stronger.
A typical orc, however, are generally unintelligent and a shade of greenish-grey. They are most identifiable for their pig noses. They do not use magic within their ranks, if any were to be intelligent to learn it as they are illiterate.
From what I’ve heard, Grey Orcs are what you see in the 5e monster manual, but they are rare near the Sword Coast. Grey Orcs are from a different dimension and arrival in the world through a portal that also brought their orc god. They are intelligent and do value shamans within their ranks. They maintain their appearance and generally stay clean. If an elf is killed and it’s body is offered to their god in a ritual, the god asks for one of their eyes as well. Gouging our an eye earns them a boon that makes them considerably stronger.
A typical orc, however, are generally unintelligent and a shade of greenish-grey. They are most identifiable for their pig noses. They do not use magic within their ranks, if any were to be intelligent to learn it as they are illiterate.
I'm not familiar with this backstory of orcs... it sounds like a mix of D&D lore and the Warcraft story.
Iz da speshul blue axe wit’ da shiny gems choppier dan a normal axe?!? Well den if youse gits don’ wanna use da suppah choppy choppa den you give to me and I have da choopiest choppa. And when all da uvers see how extra killy I iz wiv dat extra choppy choppa, den I be chief of all da clans and Gruumsh like me bestest! WAAAGH!
I’m a new DM/player and I’m running Lost Mine of Phandelver for my family. They’re in the Tresendar Manor now and I’m wanting to make some magical weapons for my two players. I’ve modified Black Hawk’s Talon for one player’s Dragonborn Barbarian, but the other player I want to give a homebrewed orc battleaxe. I’ve been brushing up on lore in between sessions and found out that Orcs usual hate using magic due to their culture and hatred of elves. So would they even use a magical weapon that’d give them a magical advantage in battle?
Depends on your PC's home culture, so it's a mix of their backstory and your GM rulings on your orcish culture. We can't know either of those.
I can tell you I can't remember the last time I've ever heard of an orcish culture banning all classes except Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue, and Monk, though. Orc stories I've read are usually rife with at least one of druids, clerics of Gruumsh or a local orc deity, or warlocks of some stripe.
You misunderstood. I asked if they’d use magical weapons due to their cultural and hatred of elves. From what I heard, orcs value strength and the strong are dominant. The use of magic (except for Grey Orcs) is considered weak as it does not display strength in the traditional sense. Now I could be mistaken, hence my post. I didn’t ask, however, if they’d use them because elves use them.
With due respect, you seem to have misunderstood my post.
If Orcs avoid magic because they associate it with Elves, why do they not avoid other things also associated with Elves, such as those I listed?
If they consider it weak to use magic, then wouldn't they also consider it weak to use weapons, which as also force multipliers? 'Real' strength is ripping someone's limbs off literally, not taking the weaklings approach of relying on some sword or club.....
I expect this lore is setting-specific, it's not an absolute trait of (half-)orc society. Insofar as it applies though, there's very likely a difference between being a warrior, a fighter using martial prowess, who's using a powerful item while wading in battle to face their enemies head-on and a bookish wizard using mind tricks who summons creatures to do their fighting for them and tries to stay out of the fight like an elven coward. I'm offering a subjective perspective of course, but the point should be clear enough.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
I should add in the obligatory: If you're the DM, they use magic if you like, and don't if you don't like. It's your world, and your lore, and no one will come from WotC to tell you different. Even if you're playing in FR, feel free to make it your FR. Just stay consistent across the campaign, and you're good. Heck, you don't even have to be all that consistent. Maybe just this one orc is some kind of unusual iconoclast who is willing to use things the rest of the orcs won't use.
As others have said, do what you want. This campaign is YOUR campaign, so you can make whatever adjustments you feel is necessary.
However, if you are trying to stick with official lore, I have not found any lore in 5e that says orcs hate using magic. MM, VGTM, and SCAG makes no mention of orcs hate using magic, and actually implies that a significant portion of the orc population practice some form of magic. I also do not think "grey orcs" are a thing since I do not see it mentioned anywhere. In Faerûn, orcs are just orcs, and there are no further distinctions made unless the orc is an orog (basically the same as orcs, just smarter and stronger) or is crossbred with something else.
From what I heard, orcs value strength and the strong are dominant. The use of magic (except for Grey Orcs) is considered weak as it does not display strength in the traditional sense.
Seems to me that owning a magical weapon that you won in battle by defeating a strong magic-using foe would be a great testament to one's strength. Cultures who value power tend to find ways to justify things that grant power even if those things might not quite sit right with the rest of the culture.
Orcs are very unpredictable creatures. If you were to ask if whether or not orcs use magic, I would say that it can go either way. For one side, orcs are creatures that could be said brutal, so even if they can use magic, they wouldn't need to. From my imagination, orcs, are like The Abomination type creatures, a huge creature with brawns and a brain. But there's no right answer. The possibilities are endless. If you consider an orc to be elf-like, it may be possible. Or perhaps, your orc wants to become a wizard's apprentice. An orc is usually defined as a less-minded strongman that are usually misunderstood, but that's only in my D&D group's opinion. Not all rules are the same. You could have an orc with magical spellbooks, or pehaps he is actually a orc turned hag who is cursed by The Gods!
So, to summarize, there is no direct correct answer. It is only based on your version of the campaign. Lost Mine of Phandelver is indeed a perfect campaign for starters, but you don't need to follow the rules exactly. You can change the campaign up a bit to make it yours. Your only limit is your imagination!
Orcs are smart enough to want the most effective weapons. Magical or not. They raid others for such items all the time. Magical and made by the Elves? All the better. The gods of the Orcs hate Elves. Using their own stuff against them is the best kind of revenge.
As others have said, do what you want. This campaign is YOUR campaign, so you can make whatever adjustments you feel is necessary.
However, if you are trying to stick with official lore, I have not found any lore in 5e that says orcs hate using magic. MM, VGTM, and SCAG makes no mention of orcs hate using magic, and actually implies that a significant portion of the orc population practice some form of magic. I also do not think "grey orcs" are a thing since I do not see it mentioned anywhere. In Faerûn, orcs are just orcs, and there are no further distinctions made unless the orc is an orog (basically the same as orcs, just smarter and stronger) or is crossbred with something else.
I'm confused about Grey Orcs as well... if I recall correctly, within actual 5e Canon, all orcs are grey-skinned. The abundance of green-skinned orcs is mostly from stuff like Warhammer and Warcraft, which popularized Orcs as having green skin. I"m not sure if WotC eventually started releasing content with green-skinned orcs, but every illustration of an Orc or Half-Orc from official material that I can recall depicts them with grey skin.
As others have said, do what you want. This campaign is YOUR campaign, so you can make whatever adjustments you feel is necessary.
However, if you are trying to stick with official lore, I have not found any lore in 5e that says orcs hate using magic. MM, VGTM, and SCAG makes no mention of orcs hate using magic, and actually implies that a significant portion of the orc population practice some form of magic. I also do not think "grey orcs" are a thing since I do not see it mentioned anywhere. In Faerûn, orcs are just orcs, and there are no further distinctions made unless the orc is an orog (basically the same as orcs, just smarter and stronger) or is crossbred with something else.
I'm confused about Grey Orcs as well... if I recall correctly, within actual 5e Canon, all orcs are grey-skinned. The abundance of green-skinned orcs is mostly from stuff like Warhammer and Warcraft, which popularized Orcs as having green skin. I"m not sure if WotC eventually started releasing content with green-skinned orcs, but every illustration of an Orc or Half-Orc from official material that I can recall depicts them with grey skin.
5e doesn't really speak on the fact that Gray Orcs and Mountain Orcs(which have been depicted as green in older editions) were two different Sub-races of Orcs in previous editions. Mountain Orcs were the first and most common of the Orcs of Faerûn, living in large tribes and are known for being far more savage and war-like. Gray Orcs arrived on the Plane from elsewhere during the Orcgate Wars. They are typically depicted as more civilized and usually live the Moonsea and Hordelands as nomads.
However, most other races of Faerûn don't view Gray Orcs and Mountain Orcs as different species. They are all just Orcs to them. And honestly it only matters if you care to use Faerûn's extensive lore in your campaign setting as this distinction is only made in Forgotten Realms lore.
Regardless, Orcs have been known to use magic, so I don't see why an Orc would reject using a magic weapon unless it has a personal reason to dislike magic.
I’m a new DM/player and I’m running Lost Mine of Phandelver for my family. They’re in the Tresendar Manor now and I’m wanting to make some magical weapons for my two players. I’ve modified Black Hawk’s Talon for one player’s Dragonborn Barbarian, but the other player I want to give a homebrewed orc battleaxe. I’ve been brushing up on lore in between sessions and found out that Orcs usual hate using magic due to their culture and hatred of elves. So would they even use a magical weapon that’d give them a magical advantage in battle?
Yes, I think they would. Even if strict orc society looks down on traditional magic, they still practice to some degree. There are Orc shamans and such. So while an Orc might be hesitant to wield a wand or something, but a battleaxe that does cool magic things would likely be embraced.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Well, orcs actually do use magic, in the cases of the orc eye of gruumshs, the orc claw of luthics, and several others that I can't be bothered to type. The point is, they do use magic, and can therefore use magic items (just make sure not to use cloaks of elvenkind or boots of elvenkind).
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXVIII?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
The orc eye of Gruumsh applies to all Orcs and not just the Grey Orcs?
I don't know what Grey Orcs are, but yes.
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXVIII?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
You misunderstood. I asked if they’d use magical weapons due to their cultural and hatred of elves. From what I heard, orcs value strength and the strong are dominant. The use of magic (except for Grey Orcs) is considered weak as it does not display strength in the traditional sense. Now I could be mistaken, hence my post. I didn’t ask, however, if they’d use them because elves use them.
okay well
If an item makes them stronger, then the more clever orcs (such as oroks) might take advantage of that and use it, perhaps even secretly, to gain dominance.
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXVIII?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
From what I’ve heard, Grey Orcs are what you see in the 5e monster manual, but they are rare near the Sword Coast. Grey Orcs are from a different dimension and arrival in the world through a portal that also brought their orc god. They are intelligent and do value shamans within their ranks. They maintain their appearance and generally stay clean. If an elf is killed and it’s body is offered to their god in a ritual, the god asks for one of their eyes as well. Gouging our an eye earns them a boon that makes them considerably stronger.
A typical orc, however, are generally unintelligent and a shade of greenish-grey. They are most identifiable for their pig noses. They do not use magic within their ranks, if any were to be intelligent to learn it as they are illiterate.
That is a very good point!
I'm not familiar with this backstory of orcs... it sounds like a mix of D&D lore and the Warcraft story.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Iz da speshul blue axe wit’ da shiny gems choppier dan a normal axe?!? Well den if youse gits don’ wanna use da suppah choppy choppa den you give to me and I have da choopiest choppa. And when all da uvers see how extra killy I iz wiv dat extra choppy choppa, den I be chief of all da clans and Gruumsh like me bestest! WAAAGH!
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Depends on your PC's home culture, so it's a mix of their backstory and your GM rulings on your orcish culture. We can't know either of those.
I can tell you I can't remember the last time I've ever heard of an orcish culture banning all classes except Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue, and Monk, though. Orc stories I've read are usually rife with at least one of druids, clerics of Gruumsh or a local orc deity, or warlocks of some stripe.
I expect this lore is setting-specific, it's not an absolute trait of (half-)orc society. Insofar as it applies though, there's very likely a difference between being a warrior, a fighter using martial prowess, who's using a powerful item while wading in battle to face their enemies head-on and a bookish wizard using mind tricks who summons creatures to do their fighting for them and tries to stay out of the fight like an elven coward. I'm offering a subjective perspective of course, but the point should be clear enough.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
I should add in the obligatory: If you're the DM, they use magic if you like, and don't if you don't like. It's your world, and your lore, and no one will come from WotC to tell you different. Even if you're playing in FR, feel free to make it your FR. Just stay consistent across the campaign, and you're good. Heck, you don't even have to be all that consistent. Maybe just this one orc is some kind of unusual iconoclast who is willing to use things the rest of the orcs won't use.
As others have said, do what you want. This campaign is YOUR campaign, so you can make whatever adjustments you feel is necessary.
However, if you are trying to stick with official lore, I have not found any lore in 5e that says orcs hate using magic. MM, VGTM, and SCAG makes no mention of orcs hate using magic, and actually implies that a significant portion of the orc population practice some form of magic. I also do not think "grey orcs" are a thing since I do not see it mentioned anywhere. In Faerûn, orcs are just orcs, and there are no further distinctions made unless the orc is an orog (basically the same as orcs, just smarter and stronger) or is crossbred with something else.
Check Licenses and Resync Entitlements: < https://www.dndbeyond.com/account/licenses >
Running the Game by Matt Colville; Introduction: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8 >
D&D with High School Students by Bill Allen; Season 1 Episode 1: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52NJTUDokyk&t >
Seems to me that owning a magical weapon that you won in battle by defeating a strong magic-using foe would be a great testament to one's strength. Cultures who value power tend to find ways to justify things that grant power even if those things might not quite sit right with the rest of the culture.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
My answer: Yes and No.
Orcs are very unpredictable creatures. If you were to ask if whether or not orcs use magic, I would say that it can go either way. For one side, orcs are creatures that could be said brutal, so even if they can use magic, they wouldn't need to. From my imagination, orcs, are like The Abomination type creatures, a huge creature with brawns and a brain. But there's no right answer. The possibilities are endless. If you consider an orc to be elf-like, it may be possible. Or perhaps, your orc wants to become a wizard's apprentice. An orc is usually defined as a less-minded strongman that are usually misunderstood, but that's only in my D&D group's opinion. Not all rules are the same. You could have an orc with magical spellbooks, or pehaps he is actually a orc turned hag who is cursed by The Gods!
So, to summarize, there is no direct correct answer. It is only based on your version of the campaign. Lost Mine of Phandelver is indeed a perfect campaign for starters, but you don't need to follow the rules exactly. You can change the campaign up a bit to make it yours. Your only limit is your imagination!
Orcs are smart enough to want the most effective weapons. Magical or not. They raid others for such items all the time. Magical and made by the Elves? All the better. The gods of the Orcs hate Elves. Using their own stuff against them is the best kind of revenge.
<Insert clever signature here>
I'm confused about Grey Orcs as well... if I recall correctly, within actual 5e Canon, all orcs are grey-skinned. The abundance of green-skinned orcs is mostly from stuff like Warhammer and Warcraft, which popularized Orcs as having green skin. I"m not sure if WotC eventually started releasing content with green-skinned orcs, but every illustration of an Orc or Half-Orc from official material that I can recall depicts them with grey skin.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
5e doesn't really speak on the fact that Gray Orcs and Mountain Orcs(which have been depicted as green in older editions) were two different Sub-races of Orcs in previous editions. Mountain Orcs were the first and most common of the Orcs of Faerûn, living in large tribes and are known for being far more savage and war-like. Gray Orcs arrived on the Plane from elsewhere during the Orcgate Wars. They are typically depicted as more civilized and usually live the Moonsea and Hordelands as nomads.
However, most other races of Faerûn don't view Gray Orcs and Mountain Orcs as different species. They are all just Orcs to them. And honestly it only matters if you care to use Faerûn's extensive lore in your campaign setting as this distinction is only made in Forgotten Realms lore.
Regardless, Orcs have been known to use magic, so I don't see why an Orc would reject using a magic weapon unless it has a personal reason to dislike magic.
"Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
Characters for Tenebris Sine Fine
RoughCoronet's Greater Wills