Homebrew Red Orc Species Details

Shrouded in mystery, folklore of Red Orcs typically consist of tales used to scare children before bed. However, to witness a Red Orc would be an omen of certain death.

Assassins and deceptive tricksters who use their knowledge of the arcane and hemocraft to hunt down targets til death.

Utilizing the arcane to instill fear into the prey is the lifeblood of a red orc warrior. As fear is as valuable of a weapon to the blade. 

Scarred by Sunlight

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 Long ago, the orcs who would become the red orcs were not much different looking from the green-skinned brothers. However, the differences did not lie in their appearance but instead in their ideals. Orcs of Tehiri are known for their unbridled rage and violence, thrusting themselves into battle shouting their war god’s name. However, a small group of orcs amongst the larger clan of Iron Fang Tribe would be more cunning and deceptive in their battle tactics. Using magic, striking from shadow, these orcs would return from battle scarless, soon becoming a disgrace to orc tradition.

These individual orcs would utilize any tactic necessary to achieve victory. Even if it meant instilling fear into the enemy rather than raw fore-front strength, it was worth it. Eventually stumbling across old forbidden magics such as Hemocraft, these orcs would study the less refined and macabre incantations and invoke Mogis’ name.

Upon using said blood magic in a compound assault, it would not go without consequences. To use magic that manipulated people from within would be a disgrace and an oath broken. Heliod, the God of the Sun, disgusted would take it upon himself to smite said orcs down, erasing them and their blasphemy away. However, after taking a liking to them, it’d be Phenax, the God of Deception intervening and delighting to interfere in his sworn rivals plans.

Regardless, the damage was still done. Their skins turned a bright pink and overtime progressing into a crimson red hue. Horns would protrude out their bodies to give them the devilish look Heliod had believed fit them. With the tribe of the Orcs suffering the wrath of the gods, these small dozens of individuals were exiled from their lands never to return.

Migrating to a foreign land far away, these Orcs would be forced to become nocturnal, shrouded by Phenax & protected from Heliod’s Light. This truth was many years ago.

Creating Your Character

At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation.

Ability Score Increases

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.

Creature Type

Every creature in D&D, including each player character, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature they are. Most player characters are of the Humanoid type. A race tells you what your character’s creature type is.

Here’s a list of the game’s creature types in alphabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways. For example, the cure wounds spell doesn’t work on a Construct or an Undead.

Life Span

The typical life span of a player character in the D&D multiverse is about a century, assuming the character doesn’t meet a violent end on an adventure. Members of some races, such as dwarves and elves, can live for centuries. If typical members of a race can live longer than a century, that fact is mentioned in the race’s description.

Size

Red Orcs stand easily 8 feet tall and corded with powerful muscles, weighing up to 280 pounds. Your size is your choice between Medium or Large. Here’s how to determine your height and weight randomly, starting with rolling a size modifier:

Size modifier = 2d8

Height = 5 feet + 4 inches + your size modifier in inches

Weight in pounds = 175 + (2d6 × your size modifier)

Red Orc Traits

As a Red Orc, you have the following traits.

Creature Type

You are a Humanoid but are also considered an Orc for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be an Orc.

Size

Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Creatures of Mystery

You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Insight, Stealth or Survival.

Dweller in Shadows

You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Additionally, you can manipulate shadows to snuff out nearby lights. As a bonus action you can cause any nonmagical light source within 30 feet of you to extinguish. Any magical light sources within range cease to function for 1 minute. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Light Sensitivity

You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when trying to perceive something that is more than 60 feet away from you and in an area of direct sunlight.

Orcish Cunning

You know the minor illusion cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the disguise self spell with this trait. Once you cast disguise self with this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.

Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). None of these spells require spell components when you cast them with this trait. Neither of these spells require spell components when you cast them with this trait.

Mark of the Demon

Starting at 3rd level you can choose to sear an infernal mark into a creature when you deal damage to them (no action required). You always know the direction to the marked creature as long as it's on the same plane as you, and you have advantage on attack rolls against them. Your mark lasts up to a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus, ending early if the marked creature dies or you apply a mark to another creature. Your mark can be dispelled with dispel magic, and is treated as a spell with a level equal to 1/3 your character level (maximum 6th level).  Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Languages

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