Is OWLBEAR a BEAR?


Rules Questions

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...for purposes of Totemic Summons ability of Bear Shaman? :)


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Lord Lupus the Grey wrote:
...for purposes of Totemic Summons ability of Bear Shaman? :)

Nope.

Bear-Animal
Owlbear-Magical Beast

Not even same type.


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No, not even a little.


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Is it an OWLbear an OWL?
Is an owlbEAR an EAR?


Actually, even ef it is not the same type and it is not an animal, it has a place in "Summon Nature's Ally" list (level 4). Near a Grizzly Bear. So I was just thinking about summoning with totemic summon.


The origin of the owlbear is a subject of great debate among scholars of the monstrous creatures of the world. However, most concur that at some point in the distant past, a deranged wizard created the original specimens by crossing an owl with a bear—perhaps as proof of some insane concept about the nature of life, but possibly out of sheer lunacy. Whatever the original purpose of such a freakish creation as the owlbear, the creature bred true and has become quite well-established in woodlands across the world, where it plays a key role in a region's ecosystem as an apex predator.


You asked if an Owlbear counts as a Bear.

It does not.

That is the answer.

Kinda like how a Giant Scorpion isn't a Giant.

Goblins aren't Titans.

Iron Golems aren't Ropers.


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Agreed with the majority.

Just because a sword is long, it's not necessarily a long sword.

A dragonne is not a dragon.

Secure shelter is not a spell with "cure" in the name.


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Ok, Ok! :) I'm asking not beacuse "Owlbear" has a "bear" in it's name -_- Totemic summons says, that you can summon "bears". "Bears" must be a group of creatures for me (in fantasy setting - larger), not only one single species. And I just wanted to know, can we add an owlbear, like a "fantasy bear-like creature" to this list.

No "secure shelter" and "cure" or "torch" with the word "orc" stuff :)


Lord Lupus the Grey wrote:

Ok, Ok! :) I'm asking not beacuse "Owlbear" has a "bear" in it's name -_- Totemic summons says, that you can summon "bears". "Bears" must be a group of creatures for me (in fantasy setting - larger), not only one single species. And I just wanted to know, can we add an owlbear, like a "fantasy bear-like creature" to this list.

No "secure shelter" and "cure" or "torch" with the word "orc" stuff :)

Again, the answer is no.

Bears are animals.

Owlbears are not. They might as well be called Clawmonsters.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Chemlak wrote:
Secure shelter is not a spell with "cure" in the name.

Hmmm. :)


Chemlak wrote:

Agreed with the majority.

Just because a sword is long, it's not necessarily a long sword.

A dragonne is not a dragon.

Secure shelter is not a spell with "cure" in the name.

Technically your last point isn't correct.

No GM in their right mind would allow Secure Shelter to be cast spontaneously by a cleric, but... Cure is in the name. :D


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Well it's not even a cleric spell, to the issue is moot, I guess. :)

Scarab Sages

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Zaister wrote:
Well it's not even a cleric spell, to the issue is moot, I guess. :)

Way to cast obscureing mist on the question. :)


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I would totally let you use the owlbear once so everyone would go "hmm that was weird". And then never let you use it again. Or maybe one more time for old time's sake.

Liberty's Edge

alexd1976 wrote:
Chemlak wrote:

Agreed with the majority.

Just because a sword is long, it's not necessarily a long sword.

A dragonne is not a dragon.

Secure shelter is not a spell with "cure" in the name.

Technically your last point isn't correct.

No GM in their right mind would allow Secure Shelter to be cast spontaneously by a cleric, but... Cure is in the name. :D

That would be funny to find all the spells with letters c-u-r-e in a row somewhere in the name


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Almost. Obscure object might work, though.


I was being facetious.

It's irrelevant, as they only spontaneously cast 'Cure' spells, not spells with Cure in the name...

My failed attempt at humor.


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Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

However:

PRD wrote:
a cure spell is any spell with “cure” in its name


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Zaister wrote:

However:

PRD wrote:
a cure spell is any spell with “cure” in its name

Interesting.

Obviously not what they intended, but you could argue that spontaneous casting of 'cure' spells just got a lot better.

;)

Obviously not RAI, but apparently RAW.


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Matthew Downie wrote:

Is it an OWLbear an OWL?

Is an owlbEAR an EAR?

A tORCh is an ORC weapon...


Thornborn wrote:
Matthew Downie wrote:

Is it an OWLbear an OWL?

Is an owlbEAR an EAR?
A tORCh is an ORC weapon...

I need to make a sunder-oriented ranger with favored enemy (orc)...


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I've been using the Secure Shelter gag (I believe obscure object is the only other candidate) for a few years now when arguing that you not only have to look past the strict letter of the rules and consider the whole rule in question when determining what the rules actually are (basically RAW vs RAI, but also with a holistic approach to the entire rules text in question, so you can't isolate a single fragment of rules and claim that's how it works).

It's pretty clear to me that the ability in question is meant to apply to ursine animals (bears) and not other creatures that may share traits with bears (owlbears) or that have bear in the name (koala bear).

A lenient GM might allow it, but it'd fall under house rules.


Shar Tahl wrote:
alexd1976 wrote:
Chemlak wrote:

Agreed with the majority.

Just because a sword is long, it's not necessarily a long sword.

A dragonne is not a dragon.

Secure shelter is not a spell with "cure" in the name.

Technically your last point isn't correct.

No GM in their right mind would allow Secure Shelter to be cast spontaneously by a cleric, but... Cure is in the name. :D

That would be funny to find all the spells with letters c-u-r-e in a row somewhere in the name

Someone needs to make this guide!

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

I have a lot of trouble answering this as a serious question.

If the question is actually serious, then as others have said:

No, it is not an animal nor a bear.

Scarab Sages

I don't know but I do know they're both Catholic.

edit: Looking at the SRD it seems the only other non "Cure" Cleric spell with "cure" in the name is Obscure Object. There is an arcane spell Secure Shelter. But that's it, short list :(

Obscuring Mist doesn't have the word in the name, technically. But it does have "cur", but you'd need to be a Wolf Shaman to use it.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

OK NOW SRSLY IZ RED PANDA BEAR A BEAR?

Shadow Lodge

Gorbacz wrote:
OK NOW SRSLY IZ RED PANDA BEAR A BEAR?

Only if you dye the fur of a giant panda.


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I would totally allow it.

Then again, In my home game I apply subtype descriptors to almost all critters, specifically to adjudicate stuff like this. A werebear can use lycanthropic empathy with anything with the [ursine] subtype, and a bear shaman can summon things likewise.


alexd1976 wrote:
Zaister wrote:

However:

PRD wrote:
a cure spell is any spell with “cure” in its name

Interesting.

Obviously not what they intended, but you could argue that spontaneous casting of 'cure' spells just got a lot better.

;)

Obviously not RAI, but apparently RAW.

Since we're going down this tangent - I'd argue that the rules say that it must have the word "cure" in its name as opposed to simply the letters c, u, r, and e in that order somewhere in its name.


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I think they are honorary bears but the magic only identifies them as a bear if the happen to be carrying the special certificate of ursine authenticity. Most owlbears don't happen to carry it on their person. Er, ... on their bear. Wait, I mean on their owlbear.

Alternatively there could be a Starship Magicscan that has a bridge full of being who dish out magical energy every time someone casts an arcane spell. There is probably one of them called Info who loves scanning for life forms (pretty little life forms). Info is highly intelligent and knows how to tell the genetic differences between bears and the similar yet still genetically different owlbears.

There was actually a symposium on the topic at the interdimensional senate and it was voted on and decided that henceforth that the owlbear is not to be considered a bear for any magical purpose. Only owlbears who happen to have their certificate of bearthenticity on them AT THE TIME can be considered a bear for any other legal or rights based decision. Requiring the paperwork to be on paw/talon really helps to cut down on enforceability.

This is, of course, an entirely rules based answer. Its all right there in the books. I can't call out page numbers right now because I don't have my books on me right now. Sorry. I hope this was helpful.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

No it doesn't actually. See my rule quote in post #19.


FYI - The same rules I listed above applies to Bugbears.

Scarab Sages

What about particularly hirsute gentlemen?


I say anything with Bear in its name is a bear.
This includes all NPCs named Bear.


Starbuck_II wrote:

I say anything with Bear in its name is a bear.

This includes all NPCs named Bear.

Summon Giant Advanced BEARnard (4th level expert) like a Nature's Ally? Why not.

Scarab Sages

So Beast Shape will let me take the form of Bear Grylls? cool.

Shadow Lodge

I become a colossal water bear! Take that, extreme environment!


Imbicatus wrote:
What about particularly hirsute gentlemen?

Argh! Ninja'd on my beard joke! (Or close enough, anyway).

On the plus side, I'm inspired to develop a druid archetype called an "Owlbeard." Think bees, but with owls...


Can you summon pall BEARers or torch BEARers or flag BEARers or ?

More seriously, can you summon a were BEAR?

If you can summon a were BEAR, then you most certainly can summon a Care BEAR, right?.

What about a BEARded Devil?

What about a load BEARing wall?

Can I summon ball BEARings?

I'm sorry if this seems unBEARably overBEARing, but I lack the forBEARance to abstain, I guess that's my cross to BEAR...


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Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

This discussion is really hard to bear.


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Bear.


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I have been summoned.

Hello.


I'd allow it only if you were playing a Bear Shaman and had the Owl Bear Companion boon.


Matthew Downie wrote:

Is it an OWLbear an OWL?

Is an owlbEAR an EAR?

owLBear- does it weigh a pound?

OWlbear- does it hurt...ok, I have to admit that one...


Party-Laying Bear wrote:

I have been summoned.

Hello.

Attack the OP! Be aware that you may have to deal with owlbear reinforcements.


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This thread, quite unlike the owl, is entirely unbearable.


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Lune wrote:
Bear.

Chicken.


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Don't think the OP expected such a punstorm.

I mean, most of them are bearly funny at all.


I'm now picturing an owlbear male stripper, wearing nothing but a giant stuffed bear's head.

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