The right to arm bears

[ashern]

Hey all, I've been playing pathfinder for a while now and I was just wondering: are there any nice effective ways to turn into a giant bear and rip face? I know druids can do it, but some of the best characters both myself and some friends played (both most effective and most hilarious) were ones that turned into bears, either via bear warrior or other shenanigens.

I get that a lot of classes have access to the beast shape spells, but those seem to be the only way possible to transform anymore. Have I missed something? Also, is it still possible to turn into an animal and then benefit from the affects of animal growth? I get that the bonuses from beast shape are size bonuses, but since animal growth it a transmutation effect instead of a polymorph, it would seem like it still stacks.

[dpp84290]

You could always create a magic item that when you put it on or said a command word it activated one of the polymorph spells. To be honest, in any society with access to polymorphing I am shocked if such an item doesn't exist.

[Son of the Veterinarian]

You could just make your character a werebear.

[ashern]

Hmm, actually now that I'm looking at it, straight beastmorph alchemist seems like the best way to do it. They get their beastmorph mutagen, which should stack with the beast shape spells (since they are different types), and that way you can turn into a bear, have lots of natural armor, and still have some other class abilities. Sadly you'll be losing some BAB.

[ossian666]

Vivisectionist Beastmorph...its ridiculous and there is a reason you can't play one in PFS.

Just search Alchy Amy that Cheapy did and see what you can do.

[ashern]

Ossian, yes that's true, but I'm really not interested in vivisectionist for this concept. Though dragon style with multiple attacks in bear form could be quite nice.

[Cheapy]

This PDF has a wolf shifter class in it. You can easily modify it to be a bear shifter too.

[3.5 Loyalist]

Play a bear, no seriously. It could be great fun. I once played a talking wise snail. You detach yourself from being a humanoid and all that entails and be the bear that follows the party and rips the faces off their enemies--until they can bear it no longer!

A bear with an unusual level of intelligence, say a 4 could function as a part of the party.

Bear with me, this could be such a memorable character, one with an esteemed bearing.

[Kalridian]

Puns aside, you could just work with your gm and play an awakened bear. I guess there would be some level adjustment and you would definately need a permanent item with telepathy or speak with animals, so it's a difficult concept to pull of from level 1, but other than that...

[3.5 Loyalist]

Yep, awakened.

http://9gag.com/gag/5596177

[Joegoat]

Behold, bear pelt of the bonebreaker

[Some call me Tim]

3.5 Loyalist wrote:

Play a bear, no seriously. It could be great fun.

Played in a game where we had bear as a member the party. The bear had a druid companion that followed him and the rest of the party around.

[ashern]

Hmm.... So if you had that cloak, and were a barbarian, you could still rage, right? With dragon style bite attacks, and extra size bonuses to strength, a bear could be really nasty.

[blackbloodtroll]

Yep, Joegoat has it.

Go Barbarian, and nab a Bear Pelt of the Bonebreaker.

Follow up the Beast Totem Rage Power line, and nab Pounce.

Extreme Raging Bear in your face.

[FuelDrop]

hate to plug a non-paizo game, but check this out: Bear-who-walks-through-walls