Bugbear Custom Classes
These large, hairy beastmen were magically bred from hobgoblins and bears by the ancient Zaharans. They are quite strong and tough due to their bear lineage. Despite their bulk, they are deceptively stealthy.
Requirements
All bugbear classes require a minimum Strength 9 or better.
Class Category Values
Fighting: Bugbears with broad and narrow weapon selections are limited to choosing from the following weapons: battle axe, great axe, hand axe, javelin, morning star, short sword, spear, sword, two-handed sword, war hammer.
Divine: Bugbears may never allocate build points to the Divine category. See the Mystic Path custom power, however.
Arcane: Bugbears may never allocate build points to the Arcane category. See the Mystic Path custom power, however.
Bugbear Value
When building a bugbear custom class, assign between 0 and 4 build points to the class’s Bugbear Value. At Bugbear 0, all bugbears gain the following orc custom powers:
Value |
Bugbear |
XP Cost |
4 |
BB 4 |
11,000 |
3 |
BB 3 |
10,750 |
2 |
BB 2 |
10,500 |
1 |
BB 1 |
10,250 |
0 |
BB 0 |
10,000 |
· Bestial Tongues: All bugbears speak their native tongue and two bonus languages, selected from the following list based on their tribe’s proximity to other beastmen and monsters: Draconic, Gnoll, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold, Orc, Ogre, Troll.
· Battleborn: Bugbears begin play with 2d8+1 bonus hit dice (modified by CON). They deal +1 damage in combat due to their inherent strength. When calculating their attack throws on the Monster or Class Attack Throw tables, bugbears count as three levels greater than their actual level of experience. When calculating their saving throws, bugbears count as two levels greater than their actual level of experience.
· Fearsome Size: Bugbears get larger as they advance in experience, growing approximately ½ inch of height and 10 lbs of muscle per level. When they reach 2nd level, the bugbear gains a +1 bonus to damage rolls due to his size. At 3rd level, the damage bonus is increase to +2. At 5th level, the damage bonus is increased to +3 and the bugbear’s great size and strength grants a +1 morale bonus to bugbear henchmen, retainers, and followers. At 8th level, the damage bonus is increased to +4, and at 12th level it is increased to +5.
· Mystic Path: When a bugbear gains a level of experience, he may choose to gain one level of arcane or divine spellcasting in lieu of all other benefits he would normally accrue from leveling (e.g. hit points, attack throws, saving throws, proficiencies, etc.) A bugbear may acquire a maximum of 4 arcane casting levels and/or 6 divine casting levels in this manner.
· Naturally Stealthy: Opponents encountering bugbears suffer a -1 penalty to surprise rolls.
· Shaggy Hide: Bugbears’ base unarmored AC is 2 instead of 0. However, bugbears may not wear human-sized armor due to their hide. Custom-made bugbear armor has quadruple normal cost.
· Subterranean: Bugbears gains infravision to a range of 60’.
· Unempathic: Bugbears suffer a -2 penalty to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of humans and demi-humans.
Additional points allocated to the Bugbear Value stack with points allocated to the Fighting Value for purposes of calculating the rate of improvement for attack throws, to a maximum of 4.
EXAMPLE: The standard bugbear warrior is built with Hit Dice 2, Fighting Value 1, Bugbear Value 2. The bugbear warrior’s attack throws increase as if his Fighting Value were (Fighting Value 1 + Bugbear Value 2 =) 3.
Experience Point Progression After 8th level
Unlike the experience point progression for human and demi-human classes, the experience points progression required to advance in Bugbear classes always continues to double, even after 8th level.