Orc Warlord

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Orc Warlord (CR 10, Heavy)

Orc Warlords aren't warlords in the sense that they are inspirational leaders who provide buffs to their fellow orcs through stirring speeches and encouraging battle cries. Orc Warlords are called warlords because they are lords of war. Orc Warlords are the mightiest of the orcs, who have fought among the ranks of the centurions and shown a heroic aptitude for butchery. They are fierce, nearly unkillable and impressively destructive.

Warlords typically aren't leaders of the tribe, as they aren't necessarily politically savvy. They rarely concern themselves with the logistics of how the legions will get enough food while on the march, or finding the best ground to camp without being exposed to enemy harassment. Instead, orc warlords are surrounded by servants, lovers, and other sycophants, and are pampered, dressed in the finest clothes, and given the finest armors and weapons. They are expected to live a life of debauchery and leisure, with no responsibilities except to fight when there is fighting to be done.

A single tribe rarely has more than a few warlords, and it is exceptionally rare for more than one warlord to be encountered at a time. Instead, orc centurions are common companions to warlords on the battlefield, as well as the occasional Orc Wardrummer.

General

CR 10 Hit Dice 15

XP 19,200 (includes Heavy role)

CE Medium Humanoid (Orc)

Init +5; Senses Low-Light 120 ft., Perception +15

Defense

AC 30, touch 19, flat-footed 25 (+6 armor, +5 dex, +5 natural, +4 deflection)

hp 350 (includes Heavy role)

Fort +13, Ref +10, Will +10

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses: -

Immunities: Immune to the first occurrence of any status condition applied during an encounter (Heavy role)

Weaknesses: -

Offense

Speed 35 ft.

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Imperial Axe +19 (2d8+11/19-20x2), see Hero's Charge

Full Melee 3x Imperial Axe +19 (2d8+11/19-20x2), see Hero's Charge

Ranged Orc Shotput +19 (2d8+10/x2)

Special Attacks Warlord's Surge, Hero's Charge, Massive Blow

Action Points 1

Statistics

Str 32, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 13

Base Atk +10; CMB +16; CMD 26

Feats

• Mobility (Feat) (EFFECT: +4 to AC (AC 34) versus attacks of opportunity caused by moving out of a threatened square)
• Feint, Improved (Feat) (EFFECT: Feint as a move action, with Bluff +21)

Skills Warfare +15, Bluff +21

Languages Giant

Special Abilities

Warlord's Surge (Ex)

Once per encounter as a free action, an Orc Warlord may choose to heal itself for 175 hit points. Using this ability also clears any and all status conditions the Orc Warlord is suffering from, such as Prone or Dazed. Using Warlord's Surge leaves the Warlord on his feet, ready to fight. The Orc Warlord may use this ability at the start of his turn even if he is dead, unconscious or is otherwise denied all actions by one or more status conditions. While this is technically a form of healing, Warlord's Surge represents the warlord's unfaltering courage in battle, and willingness to fight on.

Hero's Charge (Ex)

Once per round, the warlord may make a full attack at the end of a charge attack, instead of a single attack. Warlords do not suffer the normal -2 penalty to AC when charging.

Massive Blow (Ex)

If an orc warlord hits the same target at least twice in a single round, that target must make a Fortitude save, DC 19, or be knocked Prone. If the target makes the save, he is instead Flat-Footed until the start of that creature's next turn.

Treasure

sell value of approximately 10,000 gp (includes Heavy role)

Combat Tactics

Orc Warlords will charge every round, if they can, heedless of attacks of opportunity (they have Mobility). Combined with a faster-than-normal speed of 35 feet per round, Hero's Charge allows them to get a full attack off each round if there is an enemy in range.

They will use Massive Blow to soften up and debuff an opponent, frequently leaving them for nearby orc centurions to finish off.

If they encounter a target too tough to hurt with Hero's Charge, they will instead use five foot steps to set up flanks and use a move action to Feint, using their Improved Feint feat, to deny their victim their dexterity for armor class. This tactic is much slower damage, but it will allow a Warlord to defeat almost any foe, given time.

Warlord's Surge can be used even after death. Indeed, most Warlords feel that's the BEST time to use it.