Any ideas for a bear race?


Advice


As you can tell by my avatar, I think bears are cool. A long time ago I half-jokingly asked James Jacobs if they were ever going to introduce a bear-race in a future supplement. His response was basically "Never". I back-pedaled, admitting I was joking, but I still felt a little disappointed. But, like I said then, you can't have a full race for each animal under the sun. So recently, I thought I'd put a bear race down in my version of Golarion, probably in Iobaria. I have the ARG so I can make my own, but how do I keep it balanced against the core races? Are there any bear-races that someone else has made that I could use?


What about Skinwalker? You can go Coldborn or vanilla.


I think you should take a look at the werebear and go from there. Its not a perfect fit but it feel its a good starting point for what your looking for. Hope that helps you out some.

Sovereign Court

Well it depends really what you want to do a village/clan of werebear is good enough but now imagine, if it is in a high level world, a clan full of Bear animal lords could be terrifying.

Shadow Lodge

If you want to stay balanced with core stay around 10 RP. Maybe +s to Str and Wis, - Dex. You see bears lumber a lot. Claw or bite attack. Bonus to speed on a charge attack. As a drawback maybe double the effect of sleep spells and SA on them.

Shadow Lodge

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Then the Blood of Ursine book could have alternates for Polar bears, Kodiak, Black, and so on. Then you could have a section on "false" bears for Pandas, and a small race of Koalas.


Maybe you get lazy in the winter?


Resistance to cold(fur protects you) Weakness: Fire(fur tends to burn). Speak with animals(Bears and ursine creatures).


Some special ability for charging. I always see bear charging or hear of them charging people or each other. Make it so you get a +2 to attack when you charge that stacks with charges +2 for a total of +4.


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the Queen's Raven wrote:
If you want to stay balanced with core stay around 10 RP. Maybe +s to Str and Wis, - Dex. You see bears lumber a lot. Claw or bite attack. Bonus to speed on a charge attack. As a drawback maybe double the effect of sleep spells and SA on them.

Here you go:

+2 CON, +2 WIS, -2 INT (0RP)
Thick Skin: +1 natural armor (2RP)
Savage Claws: Two 1d4 secondary claw attacks (6ish RP)
Keeper of the Wilds: +2 to Survival and Intimidate (10 RP)
Ravenous: Must consume twice as much food per day. (9 RP)
Sound Sleeper: Can sleep in medium and heavy armor. (10 RP)

Alternate traits
Bear's Heart: +2 racial bonus to Fortitude (replaces Thick Skin)
Forager: You get Scent and +2 to Perception (replaces Savage Claws)
Large Frame: You gain +2 CMB to Grapple attempts (replaces Thick Skin)
Polar: +1 to caster level when casting spells with the Cold descriptor and 5 cold resistance (replaces Keeper of the Wilds)
Wayward: You gain Endurance as a bonus feat (replaces Ravenous and Sound Sleeper).


Secret Wizard wrote:
the Queen's Raven wrote:
If you want to stay balanced with core stay around 10 RP. Maybe +s to Str and Wis, - Dex. You see bears lumber a lot. Claw or bite attack. Bonus to speed on a charge attack. As a drawback maybe double the effect of sleep spells and SA on them.

Here you go:

+2 CON, +2 WIS, -2 INT (0RP)
Thick Skin: +1 natural armor (2RP)
Savage Claws: Two 1d4 secondary claw attacks (6ish RP)
Keeper of the Wilds: +2 to Survival and Intimidate (10 RP)
Ravenous: Must consume twice as much food per day. (9 RP)
Sound Sleeper: Can sleep in medium and heavy armor. (10 RP)

Alternate traits
Bear's Heart: +2 racial bonus to Fortitude (replaces Thick Skin)
Forager: You get Scent and +2 to Perception (replaces Savage Claws)
Large Frame: You gain +2 CMB to Grapple attempts (replaces Thick Skin)
Polar: +1 to caster level when casting spells with the Cold descriptor and 5 cold resistance (replaces Keeper of the Wilds)
Wayward: You gain Endurance as a bonus feat (replaces Ravenous and Sound Sleeper).

Wow! This is ten times better then what I had come up with! I would like to exchange the +2 CON for +2 STR though as I imagine bears being really strong. And where did you get those alternate traits?

Shadow Lodge

Hat's off to Secret Wizard, well done.


the Queen's Raven wrote:
Then the Blood of Ursine book could have alternates for Polar bears, Kodiak, Black, and so on. Then you could have a section on "false" bears for Pandas, and a small race of Koalas.

What is this Blood of Ursine book? I looked in the products section but nothing turned up.

Shadow Lodge

It, ah, was a hypothetical joke Barong. Sorry to get your hopes up there buddy.


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i came out with this stuff off the top of my head broseph.

Also i came up with a trait that gives you a rage that gives you +1 to natural armor, +2 to STR, +2 to all saves, but you count as an animal during the duration of the rage. lasts for CON bonus rounds +3. Replaces Savage Claws and Thick Skin.


Secret Wizard wrote:

i came out with this stuff off the top of my head broseph.

Also i came up with a trait that gives you a rage that gives you +1 to natural armor, +2 to STR, +2 to all saves, but you count as an animal during the duration of the rage. lasts for CON bonus rounds +3. Replaces Savage Claws and Thick Skin.

Broseph...I haven't been called that in a long time :) .

Thank you very much for this! And for all you others for your suggestions! I didn't really consider were-bears because they were too high in CR to be playable I thought.

Shadow Lodge

Happy mauling Barong!


Indeed, may your enemies ever cower before your bear visage.

Shadow Lodge

Thought of this today. We need a chain of feats similar to the dragonmark feats from Eberron for these bear races. The kicker, they only appear on the belly. :)


the Queen's Raven wrote:
Thought of this today. We need a chain of feats similar to the dragonmark feats from Eberron for these bear races. The kicker, they only appear on the belly. :)

Hah, that sounds cute and cool at the same time :)!

Dark Archive

the Queen's Raven wrote:
Thought of this today. We need a chain of feats similar to the dragonmark feats from Eberron for these bear races. The kicker, they only appear on the belly. :)

NO! We are NOT being CareBears!!!


Cr500cricket wrote:
the Queen's Raven wrote:
Thought of this today. We need a chain of feats similar to the dragonmark feats from Eberron for these bear races. The kicker, they only appear on the belly. :)
NO! We are NOT being CareBears!!!

Oh, damn, I didn't even get the reference :(. No, Care Bears are a bit too cutesy for my tastes.


They get an impressive gaze attack though!


Make the symbol something terrifying! Like a basilisk head, turns everyone who stares at it it stone!

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