Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orc can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Actions
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
How orcs fight
An orc hits hard and closes fast. Its greataxe deals 1d12 + 3 (9 on average), enough to drop a 1st-level wizard in one hit, and its Aggressive trait lets it move up to its speed toward an enemy as a bonus action. In practice that means an orc can cover 60 feet and still attack in the same turn.
With 15 hit points and AC 13 it’s tougher than a goblin, but it doesn’t have tricks. Orcs throw a javelin if they can’t reach you, and otherwise charge straight in.
Running orcs at the table
Charge. Use Aggressive on the first turn to close the gap and swing. Archers and casters in the back row are rarely safe.
Mob the weakest. Orcs want a kill. Two orcs on the same squishy target can end them quickly.
Mix in leaders. An orc war band with an ogre or a few worgs makes a varied fight.
Avoid all-out slaughter. Three or more orcs against 1st-level characters is Deadly by the numbers, so start with two.
Common questions
How many orcs for a party of four 1st-level characters?
An orc is CR 1/2, worth 100 XP. By the Dungeon Master’s Guide’s encounter math, one orc is Easy, two are Hard and three are Deadly. For four 2nd-level characters, three is Hard and four is Deadly.
How does the orc’s Aggressive trait work?
As a bonus action, the orc can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature it can see. Combined with its normal move, it can cover 60 feet and still attack.
Can orcs see in the dark?
Yes, they have darkvision to 60 feet.
Can I play an orc?
Yes. The builder includes the orc race from several books, including Volo’s Guide to Monsters, Eberron and Monsters of the Multiverse, as well as the half-orc from the Player’s Handbook.
Is a greataxe crit dangerous?
Yes. A critical hit rolls 2d12 + 3, up to 27 damage, which can take a low-level character from full health to dying.
CR 2. The big bruiser that often marches with orc war bands.
How many orcs for a fight?
An orc is worth 100 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many orcs fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
1st
2
3
4
2nd
4
6
8
3rd
6
9
12+
4th
10
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the orc compares at CR 1/2
Against the 32 other challenge 1/2 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the orc has more hit points than 3 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 1/2 monster.
