Posted August 28th, 2006 by Brokain
Official Information from EA Mythic
“Now den, some times what da boyz need is a lad what can take a beating, and beat back! Dey need a lad wif a serious pair of tusks! Dem needs a Black Orc!”
"Da bigger da Orc, da stronger da Orc. Da stronger da Orc, da more dat's Orc's da boss. No wonder da Black Orcs is always da bosses!"
- Splinta, a Goblin in the Bloody Sun Boyz tribe
Armed and armored to fight in the thick of melee as a warrior and tanker, the Black Orc matches physical hardiness with a down and dirty brawler’s fighting style to make himself the heart of any war band. With choppa and shield in hand, he can face down any foe unshaken, and his unique approach to fighting makes him as deadly with his fists as with either of those tools. He’ll knock you down so you can’t fight back, and then kick you while you’re down, because there’s no honor among Greenskins, and there’s no such thing as a fair fight – and that’s the way he likes it!
The Black Orc Specialty
The Black Orc’s fighting style might best be described as brawling. He attacks with all the tools available – fists, feet, elbows, shoulders, and assorted other spiky bits, notably including weapons. His various attacks are designed to jar, disorient, or otherwise disable his enemy, and each of these conditions makes the enemy vulnerable to yet more punishment, in the form of other attacks which deliver additional effects based on the target’s condition. The Black Orc’s use of these tools revolves around the philosophy that the best defense is indeed a good offense.
Playing as a Black Orc
Combat for a Black Orc revolves around engaging and defeating enemies one at a time, while weathering the fire of their allies. As a front line fighter, the Black Orc is well equipped to withstand the attacks of his enemies, protected by shield and armor, and possessing a hearty constitution, but his greatest strength lies in his ability to disable his primary opponent with jarring blows and unexpected attacks, and then exploit the openings that creates to reduce the enemy’s ability to fight back.
Fighting Black Orcs
When you fight a Black Orc it’s most important to know your enemy and his abilities, so that you can counter them and keep him from reaching the potential of his deadly power. He will always have the tools to engage you, so there’s little sense in trying to get around him, but if you’re aware of his abilities – especially the multiple attacks he can chain off of one another – you can maneuver and use your own abilities to break up his chains, denying him maximum performance. Maneuver, selective engagement, and knowledge of the enemy are key.
The Black Orc Look
The Ten Ton Thought:
If you’ve seen the introduction cinematic to Warhammer Online you’ll know that the Black Orc is a melee monster. As the most armored of the Greenskin classes, the Black Orc is based around making sure to immobilize your opponent when he gets engaged with you, so you can keep him in combat. If you like being a big green killing machine who can only be really hurt by the most damaging classes, the Black Orc should be right up your alley.