Oh, I really think not. Not casting spells is a huge gimp. Gathering 75% resist magic is not that easy and you may very well want to run with less than 100% resist magic.

Have you thought about a ranged attack? No spells sort of means bow or nothing. No bow adds to the challenge and your Orc needs to learn how to make his body a missile - one trick to help with this is learning how to make potions of invisibility. When attacked from afar, take a sip and disappear. Then race to your foe and strike. By balancing how much resist magic gear you wear and how you deal with ranged attacks, you can tweak your challenge quite a bit, I should think.

I've often thought about a full warrior, melee Orc.

But this (lack of ranged attacks) is the part that always hangs me up. I play with OOO and MMM which adds a lot of really tough enemies. And I'm not sure if running in face to face with a bunch of high end enemies is viable. I could maybe see a character without stealth, but with out a ranged attack is tough. Orcs really shouldn't use a bow, since they are not agile, and of course destruction would be out. At best I considered allowing my Orc to conjurer supports that have ranged attacks, but that seems a bit out of character too.

Still struggling with that.

I was just going to use a bow and try to do sneak melee attacks. To me Orc Warriors are kinda like Army Rangers. Yes they are heavily armed and wear heavy duty body armor, but that doesn't stop them from traveling long distances by foot, doing recon missions and at times sniping. Sort of like the Uruk-hai in Lord of the Rings... elite Orc warriors.

btw I have finally settled on my Non-spellcasting Orc Warrior (once again thanks Mentor Acadian )

Warg gro-Lok
Birthsign: The Lord (I love this heal. It really feels more like regeneration than a heal. I've been clicking before fights to see if I can end the battle with full health for extra fun.)
Class: Warrior (It's a custom Warrior class, but the name fits my character)
Favored Attributes: Strength, Endurance
Specialty: Combat
Majors: Blunt, Armorer, Block, Heavy Armor, Light Armor, Conjuration, Destruction
* I will be efficiently leveling (easy to do with a the right Majors and a spreadsheet)
* I will be maxing Strength, Endurance, Speed and Agility
* I plan on having Intelligence, Personality, Willpower and Luck all get up to, or stay at, 50. I believe this will give me enough Magicka, and Magicka regeneration, to click the Blood of the North Heal as often as it is available.
* I plan on maxing the following Skills: Blade, Blunt, HtoH, Armorer, Block, Heavy Armor, Athletics, Acrobatics, Light Armor, Security, Sneak, Marksman, Mercantile, Speechcraft, and most especially Alchemy.
* I will never use (not even once) Illusion, Conjuration, Mysticism, Alteration, Destruction or Restoration.
* The combo of the Orc Skill bonuses, the Combat Specialization, the Majors I chose and the fact that I will never touch two of those Majors (ie Conjuration and Destruction) should cap me exactly at level 30.

I've noticed a lot of people on these forums have a problem with the idea of sneaking in Heavy Armor. I don't Sure if it were knightly armor used for jousting, but the Heavy Armor in Oblivion looks like much lighter stuff. Again I can picture the Heavy Armor Uruk-hai sneaking up and hacking someone in the back of the head with a sword, or hiking cross country at high speed to go to war, or sneaking through the woods and sniping with their bow.

[img] http://chubbyphil.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/uruk-hai-21.jpg[/img]


I also think of the Vikings in the 13th Warrior, sneaking through the caves of the Eaters of the Dead, even sneaking through the water wearing heavy, or heavyish armor.

[img]http://www.masculinity-movies.com/wp-content/gallery/13th-warrior/the_13th_warrior-3.jpg[/img]

To me Orcs were born to live in Heavy Armor. An Orc Warrior's Heavy Armor should become an extension of the Orc's body. To me an Orc should have no problem sneaking around, or running around in Heavy Armor. Warg actually won't use horses. Riding horses makes you weak

Another thing I like about this character is the idea that eating alchemy ingredients to figure out what they do seems... Orc like. Warg eats everything that looks edible. After all you need a lot of energy if you are going to run cross country in Heavy Armor.

Anyway, sorry for the overload of info on my character, but thanks to the OP, Acadian and the rest of the great posters here, I was finally able to settle on my non-spellcasting Orc Warrior! Many thanks all!

I like it! I think using a bow is an excellent choice for him to address the ranged challenge. Lum gro-Baroth at the Chorrol FG is a fine example of an orc who is proficient with both warhammer and bow. Warg doesn't have to be super deadly with a bow, just accurate enough to apply poison and perhaps cause a foe to charge him.

I see with two 'never use' skills, you will cap him around level 30. I think that's wise.

Although some might argue that using both heavy and light armor is less 'efficient', I think it is a great idea! Who cares if it takes a little longer to max both skills? With both as majors, it lets you control your speed of leveling a bit better. I love the idea of being able to comfortably wear and use whatever bits of armor you think look good. I mean, I know Warg is an ocr, but fashion still counts! :foodndrink:

Exactly! Besides I see Warg as a use the best item available type of Orc. Chainmail greaves, leather boots, steel cuirass and a green hood... you bet. 10 weapons in the inventory... use whatever one cracks skulls the best. Not so great with a bow yet? No problem, Warg will shoot them with a poisoned arrow to soften the enemy up before he gives them a beat down with a spiked mace. If it works, use it.

I never saw them as that. I saw Orc Warriors as pretty much brute force. Posts above indicate a disdain for stealth by many Orcs.

Since you brought up Army Rangers, I did have a Redguard/Atronach that I viewed as kind of a Special Forces type. It was a lot of fun. That character is actually in my current avatar.

But a Ranger or SEAL or British SAS, etc, would probably not run in with a big warhammer and bash away. That's what I figure an Orc would do.

I'll go back to the Uruh-kai in the Lord of the Rings. Sure they ran charging in with blood curdling roars, swinging huge weapons... when they were in a full scale battle. They also ran cross country, in a small and well organized platoon as an elite special missions force. The Uruh-kai both tracked their targets and used tactics to avoid being followed. They employed both swords and bows to do their dirty work. Of course, they were eventually slaughtered by the Riders of Rohan, but that's beside the point

My point is that Orc Warriors do what they have to to win the battle, just like the Army Rangers, they adapt to the situation. They are not just a bunch of savages who charge into battle like mindless pawns.

For ranged attacks, you could get a staff with offensive firepower. Or use scrolls.

Just an idea...

From the desk of Aralin Hlerayn, Mouth of Master Aryon, Sadrith Mora.

Masters and Mistresses, many points have been made in this debate, and I realise I join the fray rather late. However, I could not still my quill-hand any longer.
Warriors are always quick to point out the fragility of mages such as myself. But what happens when you're charging headlong at a mage, and when you arrive you find not a tiny fragile Dunmer, but a hulking brute of a Daedroth? What then? A mage can keep hidden and constantly replenish their summon's health. There is always a way for a competant mage to get out of a situation.
What will you do when you're no longer in control of your own actions? Compelled to fight for me, even if it means cleaving your brother in half?

I think you'll find you would lose the fight, even with someone as inexperienced as myself. Against a true master of the Arcane Arts, a warrior stands no chance.

Signed,
Mouth Aralin Hlerayn

I think that is an excelent consideration! Since the orc in question would not be casting spells, a staff (perhaps looted from some goblins) would be a fine alternative to a bow, since I don't imagine he would be using it except to primarily pull individuals from a crowd, start fights from a distance or plink away at foes separated from him by a chasm or such.

Heddvild speaks:

To Mister Mouth of Mora whats-yer-name...
Your daedroth will not last long in Mundus, and you'll try to call another. I'll hear you then, and I'll find you, and I'll skewer you like a rat on a spit.

Sera, I think you will find that I am a woman, and take great offence to the manner of your address.
Would you still be skewering me like a rat on a spit if I had, say, planted a dagger in your back whilst invisible? Or better yet, imobilized you by stripping you of your strength?

Mouth Aralin Hlerayn



(This thread is brilliant!)

Heddvild replies:

"So sorry, Ma'am. Couldn't see you, given that you were invisible and hiding behind a daedroth."


:wink_smile:

Magic is very powerful,
but it seems some of the warriors here are forgetting how strong it is if used correctly.
Unfortunately, the NPC casters never get as good as an actual player.....
Now if they did cast as well as players most of us would be in alot of trouble. :wink_smile:

Of course, we also have to hope that an Orc using a staff doesn't look at while activating it and accidently blow his/her head off...

Which end is which? I dis-remember.

Heh. That's a good point too. Buffy is a University trained mystic archer, but she didn't pay attention in staff class. The only staff she knew how to use was a bow staff. Well, sure enough, there came a time when she had to teach a farmer how to use a fire staff and it took her quite a bit of fumbling to be able to figure it out herself, much less teach the farmer. They almost set the straw roof of his house aflame! Surely an orc couldn't do any worse than. . . um, oh well, nevermind. :rolleyes:

An old friend (well, he was a friend until the unfortunate Deadroth Incident) once told me that in the old days in Vvardenfell, you could actually hit things with a staff! Imagine the confusion that could cause among orcs...

That's the nice thing about Warhammers. It's pretty easy to keep track of which end is which. Unless the Orc is really drunk.

I'm currently traveling down the exact center of this road. My latest character is an Orc, but Blossom has obviously read the same books as Lady Rogbut and her father. She does carry an axe instead of using offensive spells, but thinks that clunky armor is not lady-like, so she has her nice velvet outfit enchanted with elemental shield, upgrading it on a fresh set whenever the better Sigil Stones are available. I'm now trying to collect some amulets and rings to complete her spell absorption (Atronach gets her half-way) and she should be able to go toe-to-toe with a Daedric-armored marauder without disturbing her coiffure. As an Orc, she doesn't use Sneak at all, but I'm going against the stereotype by attempting to max out her Mercantile, Speechcraft and Personality. I have allowed her to use a bow from time to time, as no ranged spells leaves her needing some way to deliver pain at a distance, but she'll always prefer to be up close with her war axe when she gets the choice - it's the personal touch that counts.

Her outfit is custom (I adapted http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/images/26346-1-1266681730.jpg). I split a retextured upperclass velvet dress into two, added more cleavage (Orcs never say "my eyes are up here" because their teeth are, too), and so she has separate clothing in each slot for maximum enchanting options. She'll likely use an enchanted Tiara (tail slot) when she runs out, or maybe mage gloves, if I find or make a set that looks elegant enough.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a313/dragatus/Oblivion/Oblivion2009-11-2614-02-36-34.jpg chuckles to himself.

"You ask what the mages shall do if they lose their magic, but have you ever considered what you would do if you lost your armor, your weapon, and your potions? Could you kill a Daedroth without them? Could you walk into an Oblivion gate completly unarmed and unarmored, without any magical items and close it? In the end the one thing one can truly rely on are one's fists, feet, and cunning. But if I must choose between weapon or spell, I will choose the spell. Because once learned a spell can be temporarily silenced but it can't be taken away. It can't be stolen, it can't be destroyed, it's part of you.

And not everybody who uses magic is weak and frail. I use Restoration magic to heal myself, do I look weak to you?"

From the desk of Sir Rugrat gro-Shurgak, son of Lord Rugdumph and Knight of the White Stallion:

To the base associate Aradroth,

From time in memoriam it has been well known that the velocity of the Orc is not something to be traveled with. You sir would do well to dismember that fact when you seek to anthologize one. In my younger days, before betrayal to the fair Mazoga seethed my violet nature, I would have thought nothing of permutating up to Bravil to meet your words with my axe.

There is nothing purerile or unflogged in my statement. Your displeasurement is of no recount in this instance. You sir, and those of your elk, are base associates and without honor. I respite the many years that you have spent in perforating your art, but that time has also corrugated your soul. ‘Getting the job done’ is not the soul detriment of a good warrior or a good mage. How you get the job done also serves to defile you. To attack an individuary unawashed from the shadows is the method employed by a cohort, and is beneath one who would defile himself as a profiterole!

I abhor you, good Aradroth, repeat your foul acts! Demean yourself by doing good deeds for your fellow denigrates. Only then can you consign yourself worthy of disperse with knights and mages of good standing.

-R

P.S. I have reworded your name and elocution to the autocracy in Bravil. Let us see how remorseful you can be when the blight of justice is turned toward your erection!

Angel's Mage Journal
entry # 10273

Brekfast - Skingrad cheese, Apple-Berry juice, fResh baked bread, sweetroll - note - refreshed - light headed
Dinner - Roast Boar in Bergamot suace, spiced potatoes, mead - note - slight ill - may be nightshade

May Dibella bless all the WaRRiors and Mages and curse all the briba brigands but I swear the next time an Orc is rude to me I am going to light up his trousers and see if he still thinks magic is for the weak.

potions - Comfort, Feet of Notorgo, Buzz, Snot, Apple-Berry juice
SpeLLS - Poof

Sarevok rolls his eyes.

"Bah! Honor was invented by the various nobilities as a mechanism to keep the peasants in check. It's "honourable" to confront an opponent directly because in a direct confrontation the heavily armored knight always defeats the peasant armed with nothing but a dagger. And it's "dishonourable" to stab people in the back only because that gives the peasant a chance to actually kill the noble for once. I spit on your worthless honor."