Are Orcs limited in their class selection? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Are Orcs limited in their class selection? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Darryl_Licke
08-07-07, 01:35 PM I'm being an overzealous player and trying to figure out what class/level this character we have to fight is based on spells he's casted and my adventuring party's EL/CL (still getting those confused). As an NPC villian he should be an adept...but that'd be no fun for the DM right? So can an orc NPC be one of the base classes? Like is it possible for an Orc to be a wizard or a druid? My campaign world is a home brew.
Genetic
08-07-07, 01:37 PM Any race can be any class that they want.

NPCs generally do not have PC class levels unless they are exceptional individuals. As the DM, you can make your enemies have any class they want.
Naderion
08-07-07, 01:38 PM Any creature, that is mentally capable of aquiring class levels, can be of any class in existance (if the requirements are met, but the core classes don't have any but aligment, wich is not restricted by race either).
IdleAltruism
08-07-07, 01:38 PM Sure a NPC can be a wizard or w/e other class the DM sees fit. The NPC classes are there for a simple class to give unimportant NPCs and followers, usually your more important NPCs and BBEGs have actual class levels not the NPC classes.
Naderion
08-07-07, 01:59 PM More than 5 NPC-level actually don't make sense, except for Experts or Adepts maybe. But any Commoner, Aristocrat and Warrior that reaches level 5 really is powerful enough to get access to true fighter or rogue training.
pres_man
08-07-07, 05:53 PM If an orc has an NPC class then:
-Usually uses the standard array: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8
-Has CR equal to their NPC classes -1.
If an orc has a PC class then:
-Usually uses the elite array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8
-Has CR equal to their PC classes.
Mr_Teapot
08-07-07, 05:57 PM Any creature, that is mentally capable of aquiring class levels, can be of any class in existance (if the requirements are met, but the core classes don't have any but aligment, wich is not restricted by race either).

Alignment can be restricted by race (mainly for things like outsiders, who are the physical embodiment of their alignment) but in the case of an orc, yeah, he could be any spellcaster type he wants.
TheAnthroDM
08-07-07, 06:28 PM Alignment can be restricted by race (mainly for things like outsiders, who are the physical embodiment of their alignment) but in the case of an orc, yeah, he could be any spellcaster type he wants.
Actually, you're wrong. Go and check the back of the MM and carefully read the description of "always [alignment]"
adamb0nd
08-07-07, 08:04 PM When 3rd edition came around, all race to class restrictions were dropped. A very few technically exist. If a race is "always chaotic evil", it is a contradition to the rules to allow him to become a paladin, who requires a lawful good alignment. However, as always, it is your game, and i've seen enough drow PC in my day to believe the majority of that race should be chaotic good.
pres_man
08-07-07, 08:14 PM When 3rd edition came around, all race to class restrictions were dropped. A very few technically exist. If a race is "always chaotic evil", it is a contradition to the rules to allow him to become a paladin, who requires a lawful good alignment. However, as always, it is your game, and i've seen enough drow PC in my day to believe the majority of that race should be chaotic good.
Well rare individuals of an always race can be of other alignments, though if they have the subtype(s) they will still detect as their racial alignments.
TheAnthroDM
08-07-07, 09:06 PM When 3rd edition came around, all race to class restrictions were dropped. A very few technically exist. If a race is "always chaotic evil", it is a contradition to the rules to allow him to become a paladin, who requires a lawful good alignment. However, as always, it is your game, and i've seen enough drow PC in my day to believe the majority of that race should be chaotic good. I can't believe you posted that directly after my post. It stuns me. For 1d4 rounds.
Salla
08-08-07, 01:51 PM Well rare individuals of an always race can be of other alignments, though if they have the subtype(s) they will still detect as their racial alignments.

Which means you can have a Paladin with the Chaotic and Evil subtypes, which will ping to every Detect (Alignment Component) spell at once. Hilarity, I believe, ensues thereafter. :)
Kobold_Avenger
08-08-07, 03:11 PM True, true. There are ways of replacling alignment subtypes. In savage species for example, although thats 3.0 material.
pres_man
08-08-07, 06:49 PM Which means you can have a Paladin with the Chaotic and Evil subtypes, which will ping to every Detect (Alignment Component) spell at once. Hilarity, I believe, ensues thereafter. :)
Not only that but also effected by anything that hits all alignments (protect from ..., magic circle against ..., smite ..., dispel ...,etc).
Salla
08-09-07, 11:25 AM Not only that but also effected by anything that hits all alignments (protect from ..., magic circle against ..., smite ..., dispel ...,etc).

Yup. Would make for an interesting, if likely short, life. :)
Mr_Teapot
08-09-07, 11:47 AM Which means you can have a Paladin with the Chaotic and Evil subtypes, which will ping to every Detect (Alignment Component) spell at once. Hilarity, I believe, ensues thereafter. :)

One of the characters I'm playing now was originally conceived of as a LN or LE warrior with some spellcasting ability and the Good subtype, who told everyone that he was a paladin. He detected as Lawful Good, so how would anyone know the difference?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Darryl_Licke 08-07-07, 01:35 PM	I'm being an overzealous player and trying to figure out what class/level this character we have to fight is based on spells he's casted and my adventuring party's EL/CL (still getting those confused). As an NPC villian he should be an adept...but that'd be no fun for the DM right? So can an orc NPC be one of the base classes? Like is it possible for an Orc to be a wizard or a druid? My campaign world is a home brew.
Genetic 08-07-07, 01:37 PM	Any race can be any class that they want. NPCs generally do not have PC class levels unless they are exceptional individuals. As the DM, you can make your enemies have any class they want.
Naderion 08-07-07, 01:38 PM	Any creature, that is mentally capable of aquiring class levels, can be of any class in existance (if the requirements are met, but the core classes don't have any but aligment, wich is not restricted by race either).
IdleAltruism 08-07-07, 01:38 PM	Sure a NPC can be a wizard or w/e other class the DM sees fit. The NPC classes are there for a simple class to give unimportant NPCs and followers, usually your more important NPCs and BBEGs have actual class levels not the NPC classes.
Naderion 08-07-07, 01:59 PM	More than 5 NPC-level actually don't make sense, except for Experts or Adepts maybe. But any Commoner, Aristocrat and Warrior that reaches level 5 really is powerful enough to get access to true fighter or rogue training.
pres_man 08-07-07, 05:53 PM	If an orc has an NPC class then: -Usually uses the standard array: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 -Has CR equal to their NPC classes -1. If an orc has a PC class then: -Usually uses the elite array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 -Has CR equal to their PC classes.
Mr_Teapot 08-07-07, 05:57 PM	Any creature, that is mentally capable of aquiring class levels, can be of any class in existance (if the requirements are met, but the core classes don't have any but aligment, wich is not restricted by race either). Alignment can be restricted by race (mainly for things like outsiders, who are the physical embodiment of their alignment) but in the case of an orc, yeah, he could be any spellcaster type he wants.
TheAnthroDM 08-07-07, 06:28 PM	Alignment can be restricted by race (mainly for things like outsiders, who are the physical embodiment of their alignment) but in the case of an orc, yeah, he could be any spellcaster type he wants. Actually, you're wrong. Go and check the back of the MM and carefully read the description of "always [alignment]"
adamb0nd 08-07-07, 08:04 PM	When 3rd edition came around, all race to class restrictions were dropped. A very few technically exist. If a race is "always chaotic evil", it is a contradition to the rules to allow him to become a paladin, who requires a lawful good alignment. However, as always, it is your game, and i've seen enough drow PC in my day to believe the majority of that race should be chaotic good.
pres_man 08-07-07, 08:14 PM	When 3rd edition came around, all race to class restrictions were dropped. A very few technically exist. If a race is "always chaotic evil", it is a contradition to the rules to allow him to become a paladin, who requires a lawful good alignment. However, as always, it is your game, and i've seen enough drow PC in my day to believe the majority of that race should be chaotic good. Well rare individuals of an always race can be of other alignments, though if they have the subtype(s) they will still detect as their racial alignments.
TheAnthroDM 08-07-07, 09:06 PM	When 3rd edition came around, all race to class restrictions were dropped. A very few technically exist. If a race is "always chaotic evil", it is a contradition to the rules to allow him to become a paladin, who requires a lawful good alignment. However, as always, it is your game, and i've seen enough drow PC in my day to believe the majority of that race should be chaotic good. I can't believe you posted that directly after my post. It stuns me. For 1d4 rounds.
Salla 08-08-07, 01:51 PM	Well rare individuals of an always race can be of other alignments, though if they have the subtype(s) they will still detect as their racial alignments. Which means you can have a Paladin with the Chaotic and Evil subtypes, which will ping to every Detect (Alignment Component) spell at once. Hilarity, I believe, ensues thereafter. :)
Kobold_Avenger 08-08-07, 03:11 PM	True, true. There are ways of replacling alignment subtypes. In savage species for example, although thats 3.0 material.
pres_man 08-08-07, 06:49 PM	Which means you can have a Paladin with the Chaotic and Evil subtypes, which will ping to every Detect (Alignment Component) spell at once. Hilarity, I believe, ensues thereafter. :) Not only that but also effected by anything that hits all alignments (protect from ..., magic circle against ..., smite ..., dispel ...,etc).
Salla 08-09-07, 11:25 AM	Not only that but also effected by anything that hits all alignments (protect from ..., magic circle against ..., smite ..., dispel ...,etc). Yup. Would make for an interesting, if likely short, life. :)
Mr_Teapot 08-09-07, 11:47 AM	Which means you can have a Paladin with the Chaotic and Evil subtypes, which will ping to every Detect (Alignment Component) spell at once. Hilarity, I believe, ensues thereafter. :) One of the characters I'm playing now was originally conceived of as a LN or LE warrior with some spellcasting ability and the Good subtype, who told everyone that he was a paladin. He detected as Lawful Good, so how would anyone know the difference?