Orc tribes

[Osric]

Being able to identify an orc adversary's 'Special Abilities' could sometimes be extremely valuable. The one that most comes to mind is Craven, which means that Intimidate Foe can remove opponents from combat as effectively as attacking them with your weapon, and from range to boot.

Knowing when a leader has Commmanding Voice or whatever could similarly offer tactical insights into how best to target your foes, instead of having to see them use their Special Abilities to good effect and then react after the fact to stop them doing it a second or third time...

Cheers,
--Os.

[poosticks7]

Perhaps we could come up with some tribe specific special abilities.

Kind of like how they have different hatred of different cultures.

Something like:

Orcs of Dol Guldur could have: Forest Stalker - Add +2 to parry when in forested areas.

I'll give it a think see if I can come up with something.

[SirKicley]

Perhaps we could come up with some tribe specific special abilities.

Kind of like how they have different hatred of different cultures.

Something like:

Orcs of Dol Guldur could have: Forest Stalker - Add +2 to parry when in forested areas.

I'll give it a think see if I can come up with something.

I think this is a great idea - if done for "roleplaying" flavor and not just a statistical improvement if you will. Based on what I've seen you do for the Dol Guldur orcs, I'd say you've got the right idea.

[Mim]

Ditto. I'm looking forward to what you develop - I had fun writing up the different Orc tribes from a role-playing perspective, but I hesitate to tweak their skills in game terms

[DavetheLost]

Tolkien often describes different groups of orcs as quarreling with each other. Not only Isengard vs Lugburz, but also Lugburz vs Minas Morgul and Moria vs Isengard.

Knowledge of these factions and others might prove useful in guessing their likely tactics, rivalries or where they would flee to.

[Garn!]

Just wanted to point out that if this quote is accurate (I'm not questioning it, I just don't remember it and didn't look it up)

a Moon disfigured with a ghastly face of death

Then this is likely the motif for the Orcs of Minas Morgul formerly Minas Ithil, the Tower of the Moon, or that vicinity (Imlad Morgul?). The death-face probably represents the Nazgul. The city's original heraldry was probably the Moon. So basically this device is the Nazgul tainting/taking-over the Tower, symbolically. This motif should be offensive to any Gondorian, particularly those whose ancestors survived the sacking of the city.

I agree with the sentiment to "embroider" on the existing material to expand the resources available to TOR players. This applies to Middle-earth in general, not just orcs. I realize that this can quickly get out of hand, but I think every Middle-earth RPG licensee eventually finds the dearth of other cultures and opponents too limiting.

[Mim]

The quote is from when Sam enters Cirith Ungol & glances over at the two liveries

[tkdco2]

I guess the name of this tribe would be Uruk-Enroll?

[Mim]

@Garn! I've also struggled a great deal with providing viable challenges for player-heroes without boring them with repetitive attacks by Orcs. It's tricky & you're right about the apparent dearth of foes in Middle-earth. I wish ToR would provide additional hazards, mundane beasts, unique horrors that have survived the First Age, & so on.

One alternative is for LMs to make greater use of Men as servants of the Enemy - the Dominion of Man is just around the corner. Valter the Bloody from TfW is a great example of how a thug gathers his fellows to threaten your heroes & their friends. There are renegades from the Free-peoples, as well as Easterlings, Variags of Khand, Dunlendings, Southrons, Corsairs, & you name it. Dare I say it, you can even add the rare Black Númenórean or two

[Francesco]

One alternative is for LMs to make greater use of Men as servants of the Enemy - the Dominion of Man is just around the corner.

This.

At the end of my last game I realised how little my players are being exposed to non-human enemies in our current campaign. It really makes the presence/rumour/occasional confrontation with Orcs/Goblins/etc. much more meaningful.

Francesco