I've played tons of orcs, and they're not newbie-friendly in the sense of you'll die a lot, but they are in that if you can get over showing up at your pit a time or two each login, lots of your gear is cheap, orc-only stuff, and you're back on your feet before ghost time wears out.

Equipment-wise, you've got a decent amount of basic, orc-only equipment, but otherwise you're generally gearing like a warrior. As for adaptations, it really is somewhere between specs and legacies for orcs. Each one does impact your gameplay and style. Skrugga helps cover your survivability. Dirty fighting and improved flee are amazing for getting the F outta dodge. Mundungu's first ability removes your only vuln, and then you've got a bit more utility skills. Shig-ru gives you a base damredux, and is great for constant brawling. Lots of damage around, lots of healing ability. Mamlauk is definitely an all or nothing tactic. Lots of BIG damage, BIG lag moves. If it hits, it can be crippling for them in massive ways. If not, well...you might be dead before you unlag.