Orc champions are special members of orcish society that specialise in fighting and war-craft. They differ from "normal" orcs (RC/199) the same way that fighter-classed humans differ from "normal" men: they are simply exceptional humanoids capable of gaining experience levels like any other adventuring class.1
Within their tribe, orc champions occupy positions of status, typically as bodyguards to important tribal figures (e.g., chieftain, shaman, witch doctor, et. al.), actual champions for same, or as sub-chieftains and lieutenants. As such, they often have obligations to their parent tribe—support, protection, offence, and leadership—but tend have more adventuring opportunities as a result. Orc champions are rarely encountered alone, and are instead usually found leading war bands, skirmish patrols, as bodyguards within an orc lair, or as elite troops in humanoid armies. Unusually perceptive (INT 13+) champions may double as spies or scouts, but this is rare, given that orcs tend to disregard the possible benefits of intelligence in favour of the definite advantages of a strong club and a good armour.
In battle, orc champions may wear any armour or wield any weapon desired. More significant than this, however, is their overall combat ability, reflected in game terms as a THMod progression equal to that of normal monsters. While this places them, initially, on par with their lesser brethren, orc champions quickly prove their martial dominance after gaining a few experience levels. The knowledge gained in the process distinguishes orc champions in that they tend to be more cunning and tactically (not strategically) oriented than their lesser cousins, whom they wield like so much fodder against just about any foe.
Such martially-inclined and self-preserving attitudes would be out-of-place in most developed societies, but are well suited to orcish social hierarchy, wherein might makes right, and those who can achieve do so by force. Indeed, orc champions almost invariably make up the rungs on the ladder of any tribe's leadership, ultimately vying and, if successful, taking for themselves the top spot of chieftain.
Class Details
Primary Attribute: Strength.
Experience Bonus: 5% for Strength 13-15, 10% for Strength 16-18.
Hit Dice: 1d8 per level up to 9th level. Starting with 10th level, +2 hit points per level, and Constitution adjustments no longer apply.
Maximum Level: 36.
Armour: Any.
Weapons: Any; Weapon Mastery as demi-human (RC/75).
Combat: Attacks as monster of equal level.
Special Abilities: Fighter Combat Options and Set Spear vs. Charge manoeuvres (RC/Chapter 8), Infravision (30'), and Languages (Common, Orc); At 1st-level – General Skills of Blind Shooting or Military Tactics, Intimidation; at 4th-level – General Skill of Danger Sense; at 7th-level – General Skill of Galvanise*.
Special Abilities
The advanced techniques common to fighters (combat options and set spear vs. charge) are taught to promising orc warriors as soon as they are of fighting age. If a fighting whelp shows potential in these areas, he is indoctrinated as a tribal champion, and further taught the skill of Blind Shooting or Military Tactics, depending on where his aptitude seems to lie. The ability to intimidate (as the skill) comes as a natural consequence of a champion's harsh training, and it is assumed by outside scholars that this tendency marks champions as capable and aggressive enough not only to survive, but eventually dominate, within orc society.
Champions who last long enough develop a natural sense of impending danger, similar to the Danger Sense skill described on RC/83. This sense manifests at 4th-level and simulates a talent for anticipating trouble, both from the champion's harsh living environment and his violent humanoid kin. By 7th-level, an orc champion has honed his intimidation skills to the point of influencing not only individuals, but entire groups, as reflected through the acquisition of the Galvanise* skill.
Higher Experience Levels
At name level and higher, an orc champion may opt for one of two career paths. The first is to make an attempt at wresting control of the tribe from the current chieftain; the second is to disband from his parent tribe to found his own.
In orcish society, the laws of procession are dominated by violence, so it is rare that a chieftain ends his rule after a peaceful demise. Instead, an existing chieftain must constantly ward off attempts to usurp his authority, frequently liquidating pretenders in the process. Nevertheless, some coups, albeit bloody, do succeed, and such are invariably staged by orc champions of 9th-level or higher. Obviously, such ventures are risky: in addition to inviting harm (if not death), the champion must rely on the support of conspirators whose loyalty (as chaotic humanoids) is highly suspect, as well as plan the secret details of his seizure of authority within a society of constantly shifting and always overt power bases. Still, if he succeeds, the champion-turned-chieftain may establish himself as the undisputed ruler of his tribe (until another contender comes along). For those playing in high-level campaigns, such authority may serve as lordship over a dominion (RC/139).
A less-risky option is for an orc champion to assemble a band of compatriots and colonise another area. On the surface, this is certainly a less violent path than staging a coup, especially when the successful outcome of the endeavour ultimately serves to broaden humanoid geographical influence. However, the decision to pull up stakes and found a new enclave is more practically guided by the presence of a powerful chieftain whom the champion is unlikely to overthrow. If this option is elected, the champion gains a group of 50-100 (1d6+4) followers, comprised of 50% males (RC/199), 30% females, and 20% whelps of mixed sex (who will be of fighting age within 1-4 years). Of the fighting males, 1d4+1 will be orc champions themselves, of levels 3-6. In high-level campaigns, such colonisation is akin to starting a dominion (RC/139).
Experience Table
| Level | XP Req'd | Notes |
| 1 | 0 | General Skills: Blind Shooting and Intimidation |
| 2 | 2,400 | |
| 3 | 4,800 | |
| 4 | 9,600 | General Skill: Danger Sense |
| 5 | 19,200 | |
| 6 | 40,000 | |
| 7 | 80,000 | General Skill: Galvanise |
| 8 | 160,000 | |
| 9 | 320,000 | |
| 10 | 440,000 | |
| 11 | 560,000 | |
| 12 | 680,000 | |
| 13 | 800,000 | |
| 14 | 920,000 | |
| 15 | 1,040,000 | |
| 16 | 1,160,000 | |
| 17 | 1,280,000 | |
| 18 | 1,400,000 | |
| 19 | 1,520,000 | |
| 20 | 1,640,000 | |
| 21 | 1,760,000 | |
| 22 | 1,880,000 | |
| 23 | 2,000,000 | |
| 24 | 2,120,000 | |
| 25 | 2,240,000 | |
| 26 | 2,360,000 | |
| 27 | 2,480,000 | |
| 28 | 2,600,000 | |
| 29 | 2,720,000 | |
| 30 | 2,840,000 | |
| 31 | 2,960,000 | |
| 32 | 3,080,000 | |
| 33 | 3,200,000 | |
| 34 | 3,320,000 | |
| 35 | 3,440,000 | |
| 36 | 3,560,000 | |
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1. Amend the entry for Orc (RC/199) such that for every group of orcs encountered outside their lair, one is a champion of 1st- to 3rd-level. The leader of an orc tribe is considered an orc champion of at least 9th-level. At the DM's option, there may exist in the tribe several sub-chieftains of between 4th- and 7th-level (perhaps one sub-chieftain for every 20-25 adult male orcs). In total, orc champions of various levels should comprise no more than 5% of a tribe's population.