Orog (Deep Orc) - CR?

[Shin Okada]

Races of Faerun has the stats for Orog as a PC race. But it does not show the CR for Orogs as monsters.

Comparing to the usual Orcs, Orogs have +2 higher Str but -2 lower Dex. Orogs have better mental stats but those are not so important in most cases, as they tend to be warriors than to be spellcasters. They have some other minor special qualities such as resit cold/fire 5.

In overall, Orogs are slightly stronger than Orcs. But their difference in power seem to be not as significant as the difference between normal Elf and Drow.

How much should be the CR of, say, an Orog Fighter 1 or Orog Barbarian 1?

Do you call it a CR 2 monster? or CR 1 monster?

 

[Drake M]

Is there an LA for orogs as PCs?

 

[Shin Okada]

Is there an LA for orogs as PCs?

Yes. LA is +2.
I think with this value most of the players will either choose a usual Orc (LA +0) or Half-Ogre (same LA +2, but Large sized), instead.

 

[Drake M]

IIRC the CR for a PC being used as an npc is equal to their CR. I.e. an average lv4 human fighter has a CR 4.

Id assume then that a lv4 orog fighter would be a 6 then. 4 fighter, 2 from orog

 

[Shin Okada]

Actually, CR modifier and LA are different beasts. Usually, CR modifier is 1-2 or even much lower than one's LA.

For example, Drow is LA +2 as a PC/NPC but CR is PC class level +1. Though, it is widely considered to be overestimated (a Drow NPC tend to be weak for it's CR or EL).

A Hound Archon's LA is +5 as a PC/NPC but CR is HD -2 (CR 4 at 6 HD).

 

[Cleon]

Races of Faerun has the stats for Orog as a PC race. But it does not show the CR for Orogs as monsters.

Hmm, that's a puzzler.

The only "monster" Orog that WotC appears to have official stats for is the Orog Warlord from the D&D Miniatures' Angelfire Set, which is 9th level and Challenge Rating 11.

Unfortunately, that's for the D&D Miniatures Rules rather than full 3rd edition. However, the CRs of the two systems generally match up (e.g. a Barbed Devil, Cloud Giant, Devourer, Hezrou and Stone Golem are CR 11 in both systems).

That suggests they used the Orog's +2 LA to figure out its CR, but frankly that's too high. A 1st level Orog Fighter or Barbarian is likely just a CR 1 opponent going by the Races of Faerûn information.