Orc

Orc is a creature type used for cards that depict a fierce and combative, red and/or black-aligned humanoid race with brutish features and often greenish skin. They are found on Dominaria, Tarkir, and on other planes. Orcs are stronger than Goblins, but generally more cowardly.

The first cards to bear the type were Ironclaw Orcs and Orcish Artillery in Alpha. More recently, orcs have resurfaced as a modern valid creature type in Khans of Tarkir.

Dominaria

Aerona

Ironclaw Orcs

The Ironclaw tribe of orcs are known throughout Dominaria for their exemplary combat skills and the Ironclaw Curse. They carve fearsome designs into their skulls.

Sarpadia

The Iron Claw and their veterans were a group of orcs that were extremely cowardly when it came to fighting their enemies, Icatia and the Order of Leitbur. However they were not dumb, often using goblins as kamikazes and genetic mutations to fight the Icatian Empire. They created the orgg.

Another, more numerous, yet less powerful clan called the Brassclaw was involved with much of the fighting. Their large brass claws were some of the least feared weapons ever known. A third clan were the Iceclaw.

Ixalan

Orcs are known to exist on the plane of Ixalan, and are one of the races that inhabit the continent of Torrezon. Orcs have been enemies of the Legion of Dusk since it was originally formed. After centuries of fighting the Legion their numbers have dwindled to only a few hundred. Many of them are members of the pirate organization known as the Brazen Coalition.

Tarkir

In the original timeline, Tarkir orcs were affiliated with the Mardu Horde, the Abzan Houses, and the Temur Frontier. Abzan orcs are generally the result of the Abzan's policy in taking orphans from the peoples they conquer, treating them as their own; these orphans are known as krumar. Occasionally, some krumar are disowned, and with little interest in joining the Mardu they instead resort to the Temur, whose family clan structures are very similar to those of the Abzan.

In the new timeline, orcs are solely part of the Kolaghan, with the Dromoka abandoning the practice of taking krumar.

Ulgrotha

Somewhere in Dominia, probably on Dominaria itself, a planeswalker found a spell-scroll and a battleground complete with over two hundred orc skeletons and the remains of four Craw Wurms, one Craw Giant Chieftain, and a thigh bone of an Elder Land Dragon – possibly the site of the last great Ironclaw orc battle. Some of these orcs were summoned to Ulgrotha during the Great War, and survived the ringing of the Apocalypse Chime. They continued to live on Ulgrotha until a planeswalker used them as soldiers; they are now believed extinct on this plane.

Notable Orcs

• Gvar Barzeel, commander of the krumar of the Abzan Houses of Tarkir.
• Khurzog
• Malga Phlegmtooth
• Sek'Kuar
• Toothlicker Harj
• Zurgo Helmsmasher, khan of the Mardu Horde.

Trivia

• The Orc subtype incorporates the former subtype General (Orc General).