Bugbear
Oct 23, 2018 21:52:23 GMT -6
Post by Xornik on Oct 23, 2018 21:52:23 GMT -6
Homebrew Race: Bugbear
”The easiest way to find a bugbear, is to let it find you.”
Background
Out of all of the goblin-kin, bugbears are usually thought to be the least civilized. These massive, hulking yet incredibly stealthy brutes prowl the countryside on the borders of civilization, mercilessly killing and eating anyone weaker than themselves. Despite their brutal nature, however, bugbears are quite intelligent and cunning. Completely carnivorous and borderline cannibalistic, bugbears are feared even among the other goblin species, as they have no qualms with brutally butchering and eating their smaller cousins. They care not for open battle and conquest, bugbears concern themselves primarily with their own survival, and rarely wage open war against other creatures, preferring to ambush travelers or raid defenseless farms, disappearing as quickly and silently as they came. Bugbears are egoistic creatures and are as often encountered alone as in company of other goblinoids.
Physical Characteristics
Average Height: 1.8 - 2.4m
Average Weight: 120-240kg
Languages: Trade, Goblin
Common Personality Traits: Savage, abrasive, cunning, cruel, duplicitous, imposing, wild.
Common Physical Traits: Large, very hairy, wedge-shaped ears, bearish nose, heightened sense of smell, tough hide, claws, strong but nimble.
Example Names: Ronek, Gaargik, Kloberund, Luurgrukek ,Treguk
Characteristic Bonus: +1 to Dexterity or Strength
Skill Bonus: +1 to Stealth and Perception
Power: Master Ambusher: A Bugbear adds rolled dice equal to it's level on attack rolls and damage rolls against surprised and unaware enemies.
Size: 5
Racial Feats
Cub Scout [Bugbear]
Most Bugbears learn to track, hunt and scout from a very early age and have heightened senses . They gain a bonus +1k1 to any perception checks that involve hearing and smell, this bonus is doubled when tracking or hunting.
Scarebear [Bugbear, Paragon]
Being ambushed by a Bugbear is scary enough, you are terrifying. If you successfully deal damage to a surprised enemy you gain a Fear Rating equal to 1/2 your level rounded up for the duration of combat.
Night-crawlers [Bugbear]
Bug bears thrive in darkness, being able to see perfectly in the dark and moving silently through the shadows. You gain Dark Sight and gain +1k1 to any Stealth rolls in the dark.
Bug out [Bugbear]
Not every ambush is a successful as it should be and knowing this, Bugbears aren't afraid to turn tail when things go south. You can make a Withdraw move as a Half action.
Right to Bear arms [Bugbear]
Bugbear's arms are powerful and hold potent reserves of energy for brutal attacks. Once per scene, a Bugbear can use this brutal force when making a melee attack and add +1k1 to the damage roll.
Physical Qualities
Bugbears resemble hairy, feral goblins are almost universally incredibly tall and muscular, the smallest of them being the size of an tall human, and the largest being around 8 feet tall. They take their name from their noses and claws, which are similar to those of bears. Their claws are not long and sharp enough to be used as weapons, so bugbears often armor and arm themselves with a variety of purloined gear. Most often, this gear is second-rate and in poor repair. They stand upright, they have sharp, triangular ears, and have rather big teeth as well, often protruding from their mouths. They have a coat of shaggy fur covering most of the body with the fur is thickest and darkest around the face. The color of the fur usually matches the creatures’ skin color, ranging from pale yellow (for bugbears living underground or in cold regions) to dark orange (For those living in warmer, more sunny climates) and some bugbears have very little fur at all to cope with the extremely hot arid climates. Despite their rather large size, bugbears are very agile and above all, incredibly stealthy. The perfect combination of brawn and subtlety, bugbears are capable of one moment sneaking silently up on an unsuspecting foe, and crushing them to pulp in the next. Unsurprisingly, bugbears are incredibly talented hunters and trackers.
Wild Bugbears typically wear sparse (or no) clothing stolen from other humanoids, which they do not tend to wash. They do, however, make sure to keep their fur relatively clean by bathing in rivers or lakes occasionally, but not more than practically necessary. A Bugbears tend to care little for looks and appearance, but some of them do occasionally groom the mane of fur surrounding their faces, giving the illusion of bugbears having hair and beards - when in reality, the two are one big mane. Both genders have the same amount of facial hair, and there is little difference between male and female bugbears, though the females tend to be slightly larger.
Playing a Bugbear
Bugbears are born for fighting and mayhem. Surviving by raiding and hunting, they bully the weak and despise being bossed around, but their love of carnage means they will fight for powerful masters if bloodshed and treasure are assured. Bugbears that find themselves in parties or groups of adventurers will often attempt to challenge for leadership if they believe the leader is weaker than them and this may lead to a physical challenge being demanded. Bugbears will excel in situations where sneaking, tracking and hunting are involved and may lose their temper if any of their accomplices give away their position or ruin the ambush. Though an adventuring Bugbear may be more civilized well behaved than it's wild and tribal cousins, they still feel the call of the hunt and feel no qualms about taking what they think should be theirs and devouring and skinning the dead, regardless of they were allies or foes before their demise.
Some take offense to being called a Bugbear as they don't have a word for their own race, referring to themselves as 'Us' and using brief descriptive terms for others, though some have grown to like the term and find it amusing, though make it clear that they could kill any bug or bear. Bugbears will often bully and harass smaller races and boss them around if they think they can get away with it, they have little respect for the races with lesser physicality than themselves and if they have to work with them - they will make a point to assert dominance. A bugbear will judge larger comrades carefully, and respect those with great physical prowess, but only in the same way as the lion respects the tiger.
Bugbear Heroes:
Logun had walked a solitary road after discovering he was a perpetual and couldn't be killed. He'd outlived several tribes, been captured, experimented on, brainwashed, had Darksteel retractable claws implanted and more Darksteel grafted to his bones.With little memory left of who he originally was, all that's left is what he's best at doing, and what he does isn't very nice.
Rekksarr had tried to adapt to goblin-kin society and been rejected again and again. Turning to the wilds, he found that he shared more in common with the wild bears, bugs and animals than his former comrades. He now prowls the wilds with his animal companions, choosing to test his impressive combat skills against those who would hunt animals, ambushing them and sharing the victory meal with his pets.
Did you hear that? I suppose it's probably nothing... But why are the hairs on the back of your neck standing up? Is someone watching you through the gap in the curtains? Or was that sound coming from inside the house? Maybe you should look behind you? Though, chances are even if you did you still wouldn't see Graltar in the shadows. Besides, it'll hurt less if you don't know it's coming...
Inspirations:
- DnD/PF Bugbears
- MtG Moggs/Orggs
- Warhammer's Savage Orcs + Black Orcs
- Warcraft's Mok'Nathal