Werebear (3.5e Class)

Author: Spanambula (talk) Date Created: 19 Jun 2015 Status: done Editing: Clarity edits only please

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A 9-level progression that makes you a werebear similar in abilities to the SRD werebear 9 1 Moderate Good Good Poor Other Minor

Werebear

Some warriors seek attunement with the primal powers of nature to give them strength to overcome in combat. Some achieve such a strong connection that they can actually alter their shape into that of a beast. Others may have lycanthropic blood in their veins from an ancestor or relative. Others may have been blessed (or cursed) by the gods of nature, or the fey. However the warrior came to this power, with practice and dedication they can become an undisputed master of their bear forms, wielding raw physical power few can match on the field of battle.

Unlike their lycanthropic cousins, werebears cannot spread the curse of lycanthropy (since they do not possess it), nor does the shapechange alter their alignment. In fact, all werebears become immune to lycanthropy the first time they shapechange into bear form.

Making a Werebear

Werebears make effective tanks and valuable front-line combatants, and so complement other classes as such. With their Partial Class Progression class feature, most werebears usually take a level or two in another melee-focused class such as barbarian before entering the werebear class. While powerful melee fighters, they tend to be ineffective at range, especially while in bear form.

Abilities: Strength and Constitution are the primary abilities for the werebear. Dexterity helps with the werebear's AC as it has trouble with wearing armor in it's animal and hybrid forms until the final level of the class. Wisdom helps with the werebear's low Will saves and makes them a better tracker. Intelligence and Charisma are usually not terribly valuable for your average werebear.

Races: Races with strong connections to the natural world make the most common werebears. Non-humanoid or non-giant race werebears are almost unheard of.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: As fighter.

Starting Age: "As fighter".

Table: The Werebear

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Ability Score Increase	Natural Armor Increase	Partial Class Progression
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+2	+2	+0	Alternate Form (Bear), Bear Empathy, Damage Reduction	—	+2	+1 class level
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+0	Scent, Track	Str +2	+1	+1 class level
3rd	+2	+3	+3	+1	Alternate Form (Hybrid)	Str +2, Con+2	+1	+1 class level
4th	+3	+4	+4	+1	Bear Movement, Bonus Feat	Str +2	+1	+1 class level
5th	+3	+4	+4	+1	Size Increase	Str +2, Con+2	—	+1 class level
6th	+4	+5	+5	+2	Improved Grab	Str+2	+1	+1 class level
7th	+5	+5	+5	+2	Unlimited Alternate Form (Bear and Hybrid), Bonus Feat	Str +2, Con +2	+1	+1 class level
8th	+6	+6	+6	+2	Healing Shapechange	Str +2, Dex +2	+1	+1 class level
9th	+6	+6	+6	+3	Armored Bear	Str +2, Con +2	+1	+1 class level
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Climb (Str), Handle Animal (Cha), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Werebear.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wearbears are proficient with all simple weapons and one martial weapon of their choosing, light and medium armor, and light shields. In hybrid or bear forms (see below), wearbears are proficient with their bite and claw natural weapons.

Alternate Form (Bear) (Su): As a standard action the werebear can change shape into a bear of the base creature's normal size. This functions similarly to the druid's wild shape ability, with the following exceptions: ability scores and natural armor are unchanged in bear and hybrid form, except as noted on the table above. In bear and hybrid form, werebears gain a primary claw attack, dealing 1d4 + Strength modifier in damage, and secondary bite attack dealing damage equal to 1d6 + ½ Str modifier (for a medium-sized creature). On a full attack action, werebears can make two claw attacks and a bite attack, following all normal rules for multiple natural attacks.

At 1st level, werebears can maintain this change for a number of rounds per day equal to their newly increased Constitution modifier +3. At second level and every level beyond, werebears can maintain their shapechange for an additional 2 rounds. The rounds do not have to be consecutive. The werebear gains the shapechanger subtype.

Bear Empathy (Ex): In all forms, werebears can communicate with bear and dire bears, and gain a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against bears or dire bears.

Ability Score Increase (Ex): In bear or hybrid form, werebears gain increases to their ability scores as shown on the table. These increases are cumulative.

Natural Armor Bonus (Ex): At 1st level, werebears gain natural armor in all forms, providing them with +2 natural armor bonus. At 2nd level and beyond this bonus increases as shown on the chart, but only in bear or hybrid form. These increases are cumulative.

Damage Reduction (Ex): At 1st level the werebear gains DR 1/silver while in bear or hybrid form. The damage reduction increases by +1 at 2nd through 8th level. At 9th level the damage reduction increases by +1, for a maximum of DR 10/silver.

Partial Class Advancement: At each level, the werebear may choose a base class they have at least 1 level in. The werebear gains advancement to pre-existing class features, such as sneak attack, bardic songs per day (but not bardic music known), caster level (but not spells known), and initiator level (but not new maneuvers). They do not gain new class features from the selected class, nor do they gain additional spells per day, spells known, or similar abilities.

Scent (Ex): At 2nd level the werebear gains the scent ability while in bear or hybrid form.

Track (Ex): The werebear gains the Track feat as a bonus feat at 2nd level.

Alternate Form (Hybrid) (Su): At 3rd level, werebears gain the ability to assume a humanoid hybrid form, allowing them to wield manufactured weapons and their natural weapons.

Bear Movement (Ex): At 4th level the werebear gains a +10 foot increase to their base land speed in bear and hybrid forms, and a Swim speed of 30 ft in bear and hybrid forms. Additionally, their powerful claws give them a +8 racial bonus to climb checks made while in bear or hybrid form.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level and again at 7th level, werebears receive a bonus feat of the [monstrous] type for which they meet the prerequisites.

Size Increase (Su): 5th level werebears can now assume the forms of a bear or hybrid one size larger than their base form (usually large). This size increase grants no additional ability score increases, but does bestow the usual -1 size penalty to AC, attack rolls and -4 penalty to hide checks. In hybrid form the werebear gains +5 feet of reach as normal. The werebear's natural weapons in both hybrid and bear forms gain one size increase to their damage die.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a 6th level werebear in bear form hits with a claw or bite attack, they deal normal damage and can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Unlimited Alternate Form (Su): At 7th level the werebear may use their alternate forms with an unlimited duration.

Healing Shapechange (Su): Once per hour, werebears of at least 8th level can change shape and regain lost hit points as though they had rested for a night.

Armored Bear (Su): At 9th level any magic armor worn by the werebear in humanoid form changes shape to fit in both hybrid and bear forms, providing the same armor bonus and any other benefits in all the werebear's forms.

Campaign Information

Playing a Wearbear

Religion: Religiously-minded werebears unsurprisingly often venerate gods of nature. More violent werebears may worship gods of war and battle.

Other Classes: Werebears rely on their massive size and power to overcome obstacles or defend weaker teammates, but only the foolish werebear believes that he can do it all on his own. Werebears welcome the help of a party healer, or any practitioner of beneficial magics. Many druid spells are especially potent when used on a werebear, with whom werebears almost always get along. As werebears tend to make suboptimal party faces, they often leave the smooth-talking to other classes, as well as tasks involving stealth, secrecy and guile. Werebears tend not to share the selfless devotion of paladins and crusaders.

Combat: As mentioned, werebears are usually uncomplicated fighters, and excel on the front lines, using their alternate forms to deal massive damage while their damage reduction keeps them alive.

Advancement: While werebears are strong and tough, strength and toughness aren't everything. Their partial class progression allows them to not fall too far behind in another class, usually ones that allow for a greater array of options in combat. Martial classes such as the Warblade offer maneuvers and stances even while in their bear forms, while barbarians provide even more bonuses to Strength and Constitution with their rage ability. Even the occasional Psychic Warrior may take up this class, since the werebear's alternate forms do not interfere with manifesting powers.

Werebears in the World

“	What? Oh, of course I do. I mean, so does everyone when they're in the woods for an extended period of time. Kind of a biological necessity. Why do you ask?	”
—Garth Oakhollow, human werebear barbarian

Werebears are not common in densely populated areas, and the roles they play depend greatly on the nature of the person they were before becoming a werebear. They are sometimes attacked by those who mistake them for lycanthropes

Daily Life: blah blah.

Notables: Beary bear-guy of Bearington or something.

Organizations: While most werebears are loners, there are rumors of an annual picnic deep in some forgotten forest.

NPC Reactions: OH GODS NO ITS A BEAR oh wait it's just Brian

Werebear Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) can research werebears to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowlege (nature)

DC	Result
5	Werebears are almost indistinguishable from lycanthropic werebears. If you get bitten by one and don't turn into a werebear later, it was one of these werebears.
10	Unlike lycanthropic werebears, these werebears grow into their power more slowly, gradually gaining greater familiarity with their bear forms, then a hybrid form.
15	Powerful werebears can shapechange not only themselves but their armor as well to better protect themselves in combat.
20	Werebears are always left-handed. No, seriously.

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