Hey ACKSers - Two recent threads, the first asking for the details of unarmed combat by monsters, and the second asking about the details of 0th level demi-humans, caught my eye. These threads made me realize that ACKS had not fully rationalized the humanoid monsters (such as orcs) with the class-and-level system that was employed by demi-humans.
In particular, when you try to integrate the monster characteristics from ACKS with the custom class rules from Player's Companion, annoying questions arise. The big three that I felt were unanswered were:
1. If the Monster fighting value is better than the Fighter fighting value, why don't monsters such as orcs or goblins get the fighter damage bonus?
2. If higher HD beastmen get a damage bonus from high strength, why aren't they getting an attack throw bonus to hit from high strength, too?
3. How can beastmen shamans and witch doctors have such a widely varying range of caster ability at the same flat HD value?
4. Why does it cost 3,000 xp to get to level 2 as an orc?
On one hand, questions like this are no big deal; monsters are monsters, and it's a virtue of the system that you don't need to design monsters tediously the way you do in D&D 3.5. On the other hand, I know that many of you really enjoy "peeking under the hood" and seeing a well-oiled machine that's tightly integrated. I certainly do. Here's an effort at offering that to you.
I can't pretend that the Orc Custom Class rules I'm about to share have always existed. The development of the Custom Class rules came way after the characteristics of humanoid monsters were first determined. I was, however, able to"reverse engineer" a an Orc racial value that rully rationalizes the system.
The Orc Custom Class rules here should be fully compatible with the Player's Companion and also be capable of producing all of the orc types (standard orc, orc champion, orc sub-chieftian, orc chieftain, orc shaman, and orc witch doctor). (Note that an orc champion is actually a level 2 orc with a bad hit point roll!)
Let me know what you think! If anyone wants to take a crack at the other humanoid races, feel free to do so in this thread.