Orcs have long been seen as one-note villains in a lot of fantasy media, but ’ latest revision is attempting to change this long-standing trope.
As any fantasy fan knows, the genre can suffer from a (somewhat ironic) lack of creativity at times. Even today, many fantasy creators cling tightly to genre conventions established by the likes of J.R.R.
Tolkien, which makes any changes, like ’s new orcs, feel threatening or unprecedented to some. That said, is far from the first fantasy property to challenge genre conventions surrounding a traditionally villainous race.
Terry Pratchett's novel,, for instance, challenges readers to reconsider the mistreatment of goblins. With the growing popularity of in the last decade, it’s understandable that Wizards of the Coast would want to modernize some of the game’s elements, like the way orcs are depicted. ’ new 2024 manuals have presented orcs less like the traditional one-dimensional villains of traditional fantasy, and more like a fully-realized race of sentient beings.
The 2024 , for instance, has depictions of orc families and re-frames their strength as a means to help them keep themselves safe while traveling.