In a homebrew I'm making, there is a continent constantly at war with 3 factions. The elves/gnomes, the dwarves/halflings and the orcs/goblins. It's mainly elf vs dwarf vs orcs however. With the war having lasted so g+! d*~ned long that even the elves forgot why it started, all parties are now using alternate means to fight one another.
The elves field various golems while the dwarves and halflings field clockwork beasts and alchemical monstrosities. However the orcs have nothing unique to them to bring to the playing field. In the game, the orcs have begun finding a more shamanistic way of life (having been influenced by Desna or whatever god I can think of). Usually always on the losing side of battles, they should have something of their own to build or use that can fight equally with powerful monsters like the end of the line clockwork monsters or the high CR golems, either with equal power, or quantity over quality.
Edit: Forgot to say what I wanted, any advice on what I could spring up for the orcs to use? If it helps, the elves life in forests, dwarves in the biggest mountain on the planet while orcs have swamps and badlands for territory. The continent is shaped kinda of like south-america, with the lands not occupied by the 3 factions being more moderate, plains, hills, etc.
I would think they'd be using summoned creatures and/or spirits.
Elementals, Demons (if the orcs are evil), undead, etc.
Are you looking for construct type creatures? The tome of horrors 3pp has elemental constructs while bestiary 4 has necrocrafts, though the latter is a crafted undead not a construct. Both have really cool flavor!
Plants/Elementals could work. The CR15 plant goat thing seems like a decent start, but I don't think it, or even a swarm of strong elementals could stand up to some adamantium golems.
Lantern archons beat adamantine golems easily.
Yes, but if that were to happen, the elves would use their actual magic to massacre the summoned archons. I'm more going for flavor then actual power trips. The players will see all 3 factions as they explore, try and join one, or do their own thing, I'm giving them options. I somewhat hope they investigate/infiltrate a dwarven facility so I can play the Magitek Factory music from FF6
Shamanist orcs should ride into battle on large wicker-man like constructs made from wood and hides.
I like the sound of plants, personally. Or maybe giant vermin? Purple Worms!
Just throwing some ideas out there.
I like the idea of the Shaman using shaping spells to create large constructs of still living wood/vines/stuff. Different shapes and different abilities:
- tendril arms, grab, engulf, crushing damage, etc
- poison (for non-construct encounters)
- regeneration effects, keyed to non-standard stuff (like purple vines that regenerate even stronger from heat damage, turns off with electrical damage)
- inconspicuous looking, but takes up a large area (say, 100'x100') vines or other plant-like substance... grabs, trips, crushes, etc
.
This would be totally homebrew though, as I don't think the game is very well fleshed out with "plant-creatures" to base these off of.
Well plants and elementals and things similar. I usually don't like making stuff up, I'm very by the book except for when it comes to lore/story (hence the homebrew world, and the macguffin, but it will never be used, as that will be the end of the campaign and the story).
Oh! If it's all natural, is there some form of animal in dire form or whatever that could be very strong?
+1 on the beasts suggestion. Even more than summoned I'd suggest trained ones/controlled ones. Think beast-man from he-man. Usually on the losing sideof things, yes, but always witha fresh supply of forces. At that point you have elves with golems, boh of which are rarer in th world, dwarves who can steadfastly keep producing quality at a reasonable pace, and orcs who breed like mad along with the exotic beasts they roam with.
The thing is orcs aren't evil in my setting, at least not these ones. The orcs used to be evil angry and warfaring, but after some unknown event, all the gods stopped answering people, they all went away. This event somehow quelled the orcs's fury as they finally saw everyone in the same despair as them for being godless.
The gods are actually all stuck in mortal form, their divine essence still working to give spells like an automated answering machine. One such goddess found the orcs and was pleased by how they seemed to be doing, having finally found some peace within themselves while the other races were freaking out. They become more in touch with nature and while still warlike, have grown as a people. Dinosaurs and animals would work, dire animals, buffed to hell, with some elemental summons backing them could work. Golems and Clockworks are still better, but I think even they can take a beating from a fully buffed up t-rex or dire tiger/bear/whatever
I like the vermin suggestion. Vermin comes in all sizes all the way up to things like purple worms. Orcs could herd vermin of small sizes or unleash swarms or even ride giant vermin.
I like beast riders for orcs.
Have orc cavalry riding dire rhino's into battle. A couple of charging attacks from dire rhino's will give even major golems something to worry about.
Or maybe since you said swamps some dinosaurs might be more fitting. A power attack, powerful charge, dire triceratops would certainly manage to pass some damage through DR.
