Homebrew Warhammer 40k Ork Species Details

The Orks, also called Greenskins, are a savage, warlike, green-skinned species of bestial, asexual humanoids who are spread all across the galaxy. They are unique in that they possess the physiological features of both animals and fungi.

Orks are seen by their enemies as primitive, barbaric, hyper-violent, and crude, but they are the most successful and widepsread intelligent species in the whole galaxy, outnumbering possibly every other intelligent starfaring species, even Humanity.

Greenskins are one of the most dangerous alien races to plague the galaxy. Numerous beyond belief and driven always to fight and conquer, the Orks threaten every single intelligent species of the galaxy.

Orks generate a potent psychic gestalt field that allows them to accomplish many feats of technological engineering that might otherwise seem impossible. At the same time, the power of this psychic field is directly proportional to the number of Greenskins present in a given location.

The Orks' unquenchable thirst for battle has always proved their downfall: historically, the Ork tribes have spent much of their time fighting amongst themselves, waging brutal wars with only the strongest surviving.

-Taken from  h ttps://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Orks

Ork Anatomy and Physiology

Orks are massive, heavily-muscled, bestial humanoids, green-skinned and red-blooded, a side effect of their symbiotic physiological and genetic relationship with fungi. The Orkoid physique itself is so robust that it can withstand tremendous punishment. Orks feel surprisingly little pain, even from the most grievous of wounds, enabling them to fight on whilst horrifically injured and even for a short while after being technically dead.

It is most fortunate for the Orks that they can withstand such brutal physical punishment, since their Painboyz operate on a generally nineteenth-century A.D. (ca. 800-900.M2) level of surgical knowledge; unlike Humans, though, Orks are quite capable of being beheaded, having the head sewn onto a different body, and surviving the experience to fight again.

It is believed by some who study these brutes, albeit from afar, that this goes some way to explaining the Greenskins' ultra-violent sense of humour. As pain and fear mean little to them, they are highly curious and amused by the reactions of their weaker foes as they hack them apart, the screams of terror contrasting with a deep throaty rumbling that, on occasion, could be mistaken for laughter from the Orks and their snickering brethren.

The Greenskin regenerative process itself is so powerful that an Ork who has been hacked to bits can simply be stitched back together, bewildered but ready to fight once more. Nothing but the most grievous wounds will put an Ork down for long, and burning them to ash is reputed to be the only way to make absolutely sure that they are gone for good.

Orks beliefs shape reality

The Orks are an innately psychic species and they unconsciously generate a considerable amount of psychic "background noise," a psychic energy field known simply as "Da WAAAGH!". This field of gestalt psychic energy grows more potent and more intense when the Orks themselves are excited, particularly during battle, creating an almost palpable tension that accompanies Ork hordes.

Orks have a unique ability to warp reality around them to their beliefs which can be boiled down to the phrase -- If I believe it hard enough, it will happen. Orks have no control over this phenomenon and do not realize its existence. This is why vehicles are painted red to go faster because red is obviously the color of speed (imagine red flames painted on or racing stripes on a car). This is also why a crudely drawn engine can actually power a vehicle or how Orks can jam an incomplete prosthetics to a severed limb and have it work.

Ork Religion

Orks believe in the two belligerent gods known as Gork and Mork.

The Orks say that Gork is brutal but kunnin', and Mork is kunnin' but brutal. Gork and Mork are divine powerhouses, deities so strong they are never truly defeated. They simply shrug off the attacks of other gods with a raucous laugh.

Gork grins, bares his long teeth, and lands a mighty blow on his adversary's head with a spiked club the size of a comet. Mork, always the sneaky one, waits until his foe isn't looking before clobbering him with a low blow.

Orks generally tend to distinguish between Gork and Mork as one being mean, and the other being cunning. Some religious divisions lie in determining who is meaner; another factor preventing Orks from being united.

It is doubtful if the distinction between Gork and Mork means anything in Ork culture, as long as it allows them to bash something. Perhaps Gork and Mork are actually truly only one god with two guises, the twin halves of the Ork psyche.

Ork Currency

The currency of the Ork culture is teeth -- primarily their own teeth. The teeth must be big, sharp, ivory-like fangs to have any value -- those of other intelligent races such as Humans are just too fiddly and pathetic to have any real worth.

The Orks have always used teeth as money. It is a natural form of currency, which is particularly useful as Orks shed and replace their teeth every few years. Orks go through teeth in a similar manner to sharks, replacing them quite frequently, and Ork teeth do degrade over time, so it is impossible to hoard them.

This keeps prices constant, ensures all Orks have at least some access to money, and allows constant values to be placed on commodities. This means that the number of teeth in circulation in a greenskin economy never diminishes enough to create a shortage, and that no individual Ork can be reduced to dire poverty for too long.

Ork teeth generally regrow every 5 years or less but some Orks regrow teeth faster than others and are considered Bad Moons. Once removed, Ork teeth can last a few years before rotting and deteriorating.

The standard Ork prices are:

• 1 toof - a good meat pie and a tankard of beer.
• 2 teef - a decent weapon like a Shoota.
• 20 or more teef - a Warbuggy.

A big flashy Battlewagon could cost a Warboss hundreds of teeth.

Other uses for Ork teeth

Ork teeth also have many uses beyond their role as Ork currency. When carved properly they retain an edge without blunting for many weeks, and their molecular composition means they can cut through many substances, including even thin sheets of steel.

Ingesting certain compounds mixed with greenskin teeth can aid an Ork's already potent regenerative capabilities. Painboyz often use Ork teeth, crushed into a powder and mixed with various forms of fungi, as effective poultices intended to accelerate healing.

 

Ork Names

Orkish names usually consist of two parts: a prefix and a suffix (for example, Grim-Bog or Grimbog). Some Orks have two such names composed in the same manner (for example, Grimbog Nazbad). Orkish personal names, place names and tribal names follow the same pattern. In the end, particularly successful Ork's full name may be as long as Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka.

An Ork may have one of or a combination of these names:

Buzzgob, Dakkahorn, Gazmek, Gorsmak, Gorzod, Grimgutz, Grimtooth, Kog da Flymek, Nailbrain, Mogrok, Nazdakka Boomsnik, Orghamek, Orkimedes, Wazdakka Gutsmek, Badbreff, Fisk Skullsplitter, Grotsnik, Gutslash, Sniklaw, Zogwort, Zagdakka, Zoggit, Bigmaw, Dagskar Snotgob, Grodd, Zodgrod Wortsnagga, 'Eadcrumpa, Arbuttz, Arrgard, Badfang, Badfragg, Gigagob, Skorcha, Biglug, Blaktoof, or Blitzrippa.

Warhammer 40k Ork Traits

Orks share a number of traits in common with each other.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age

The Ork lifespan is unknown as they never stay away from fights long enough to find out what old age is. Orks reach adulthood after around a year growing underground; afterwards they emerge ready to fight.

Size

Orks are between 7 and 9 feet tall and weigh between 240 and 350 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Fearless

You are immune to being frightened.

Color Theory

Orks are very superstitious which causes certain colors to grant specific effects. You can only have one color active at a time by having a significant portion of your body painted that color but talk with your DM about the option of multi-color patterns.

**I couldn't figure out how to functionally add this so you'll have to remember what color is on you and how it affects you**

Red - Increases base speed by 5ft because RED WUNZ GO FASTA.
Yellow - Increases all ranged damage you deal by 2 because YELLOW MAKEZ YEW RICHA AND MORE DAKKIER.
Blue - Increases all skills and saving throws by 1 because BLUE IZ FOR LUCK.
White - Increases all damage you deal by 1 because WHITE IZ DA COLOUR OV DEFF.
Black - Increases AC by 1 because BLACK IZ DED ‘ARD.
Purple - Increases stealth by 3 becuase 'AVE YA EVAH SEEN A PURPLE ORK?
Green - ORKZ IZ GREEN AND IZ DA BEST COLOUR.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Orc.