Swamp Orc
Swamp Orc, 1st-Level Warrior
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Size/Type | Medium Humanoid (Orc) |
| Hit Dice | 1d8+1 (5 hp) |
| Initiative | +0 |
| Speed | 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft. |
| Armor Class | 13 (+2 leather, +1 small wooden shield), touch 10, flat-footed 13 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +1/+3 |
| Attack | Morningstar +3 melee (1d8+2); or flensing scourge +3 melee (1d3+2 non-lethal plus 1 lethal plus swamp fever) |
| Full Attack | Morningstar +3 melee (1d8+2); or flensing scourge +3 melee (1d3+2 non-lethal plus 1 lethal plus swamp fever) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. (15 ft. with flensing scourge) |
| Special Attacks | Swamp fever |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., marsh mobility, light sensitivity |
| Saves | Fort +3 (+7 versus disease), Ref +0, Will +0 |
| Abilities | Str 14, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 6 |
| Skills | Hide +1*, Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +5 |
| Feats | Alertness |
| Environment | Temperate marshes |
| Organization | Gang (2–4), squad (10–20 plus 2 3rd-level poxes and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level), or band (25–50 plus 150% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level poxes per 10 adults, 2 5th-level rots, and 1 7th-level plague bearers) |
| Challenge Rating | 1 |
| Treasure | 50% standard |
| Alignment | Usually neutral evil |
| Advancement | By character class |
| Level Adjustment | ― |
Description
A creature resembling a savage human is covered in dripping ooze. It has olive flesh, heavy tangled hair, a wide mouth with a pair of prominent, tusk-like fangs, and stands with a stooped posture.
This offshoot of the orc race is normally found among marshy wetlands, particularly in swampy areas with a heavy overgrowth of trees. They are similar in appearance to other orcs, but have dark green flesh and heavy, tangled hair. The unusual feet of the swamp orc are splayed somewhat like that of a frog, with heavy webbing between the long toes. This provides them excellent footing in muddy swamps, and makes them good swimmers.
Combat
As moving through marshes is difficult when heavily burdened, swamp orcs prefer to wear light armor and wield weapons and shields that are easy to carry. Swamp orcs rely their ability to blend into the swamp terrain in order to surprise their foes, and prefer to fight in large groups.
The swamp orc tribes will attempt to take live prisoners for later sacrifice. For this reason they hunt enemies with nets and the flensing scourge, employing their morningstars only when they can’t avoid melee. They will often ambush creatures and quickly attack with their flensing whips, before retreating deeper into the swamps. After the disease has had time to take hold, the victims are then ruthlessly hunted down by packs of swamp orcs.
Flensing Scourge: All swamp orc warriors carry this exotic weapon. The flensing scourge is a heavy whip with a flayed, barbed tip made of bone. It inflicts the non-lethal damage dealt by a whip, plus 1 point of lethal damage. (The Strength modifier, if any, is applied to the non-lethal damage.) The lethal damage is inflicted regardless of the opponent's armor bonus or natural armor bonus.
When properly soiled by suitable swamp filth, these barbs can also inflict an unpleasant wasting disease known as swamp fever. In all other respects the flensing scourge functions as a normal whip.
Swamp Fever (Ex): Natural disease ― injury, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1d2 days; damage 1d3 Str and 1d4 Int.
Marsh Mobility (Ex): Swamp orcs traverse a soft, marshy or muddy surface at normal movement rate without sinking if they are carrying a light load.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Swamp orcs are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Skills: A swamp orc has a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks. *In areas of swamp or marsh, they have +2 racial bonus to Hide checks.
Swamp Orc Characters
Swamp orc leaders tend to be barbarians. A swamp orc cleric has access to two of the following domains: Death, Destruction, Evil. Most swamp orc spell-casters are adepts. Swamp orcs favor spells that weaken foes or deal damage.
Swamp orcs possess the following traits.
- +4 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
- A swamp orc's base land speed is 30 feet. It also has a swim speed of 20 feet.
- Darkvision out to 60 feet.
- Weapon Familiarity: Swamp orcs treat flensing scourges as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
- Special Attacks (see above): Swamp fever
- Special Qualities (see above): Marsh mobility, light sensitivity.
- +4 racial bonus to Fort saves against disease.
- +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.
- *+2 racial bonus to Hide checks while in a swamp or marsh.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Orc. Bonus Languages: Goblin, Lizardman.
- Favored Class: Barbarian.
The swamp orc warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 10, Dex 11, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 8.
Swamp Orc Society
The life of the swamp orcs is centered on the worship of the orcish deity of death and disease. The clergy of the tribe attempts to serve and placate their god through live sacrifices on a low mound located in the vicinity their villages. If insufficient sacrifices can be found among their slaves or captives, the swamp orcs will raid nearby settlements on the outskirts of the swamp. Sacrifices will only be made once the victim is suffering from a disease, usually inflicted by lashings of the flensing scourge.
The communal homes of swamp orcs are build like a beaver den, with a large, heavy pile of logs and branches hiding a dry interior. Normally the entrance to these dens is located underwater, and must be accessed by swimming. The orcs will typically rest in their den during the daylight hours and emerge to hunt during the night.
Swamp orcs will often enslave other intelligent humanoids that dwell in marshlands. They are cruel and sadistic masters who enjoy torment slaves, so the life expectancy of their captives is quite low. The adepts of these tribes may also have bred a race of dire toads. Swamp orcs are bitter enemies of greater lizardfolk, who often occupy the same territory.