Orcs Were Terrifying… Here’s Why..
Look, I am sure we all see Orcs as low-level cannon fodder, but it’s not really the case, and especially not in old-school D&D like AD&D. Orcs aren’t exactly pushovers if controlled correctly by the DM. They travel in groups, they hit hard, and often have strong allies to help back them up. If you see a small group of them, be certain to know there is normally a lot more from where they came from.
In this episode of The Black Notebook Podcast, I take a look at why orcs were genuinely feared in early AD&D, how they were presented in the rulebooks, and what made them such a serious threat to player characters. If you’ve ever wondered why old school players didn’t charge blindly into every fight, the answer may be waiting in an orc lair.
What are your memories of facing orcs in AD&D? Let me know in the comments.
Video:
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As a player I remember really pissing off a friend when I used their unconscious wizard as a shield by draping them over my back as I ran away from orc archers… my argument that I’d avoided a TPK was NOT appreciated.
As a GM I routinely used orcs to harass and bedevil parties and as quest openers. Even at mid levels orcs pair well with a variety of other humanoids, ogres, hobgoblins, and giants for instance. They really are one of the more versatile creatures out there.
Orcs, as with all humanoid/goblinoid groups, can be very dangerous because they use ranged weapons, and in most cases even low intelligence means they'll use them tactically, i.e. targeting spell asters.
On the plus side, out in the open light orcs might be more mobile but are subject to -1 penalty, also their morale is weak and exploitable if the party targets the leader, I think in AD&D it's 80% morale failure if the leader is killed.