Owlbear

Owlbear (CR 5)

Neutral - Large - Magical Beast

Lore:	Know (Arcana)
10		25
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

9

Perception:
18	+8
Passive	Active

Ambush:

10+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses
• Keen Scent 30 ft.

Movement Types:

• Walk 30 ft.
• Greater Climb 30 ft.
• Brachiating 40 ft.

Defense

AC

21

Man Def

20

Monster Health
71	35	7
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+8
Refl:	+3
Will:	+3

• Maneuver Defense Notes: +4 vs. Grapples

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Large
10 ft.		5 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+8

Man Off

+8

Action

0

Points

• Maneuver Offense Notes: +4 to Grapple

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Beak Snap +8 (1d10+6/x2)
  as piercing (physical, common)

Full Attack (Melee):

• 1x Beak Snap +8 (1d10+6/x2)
  as piercing (physical, common)
• 2x Clawed Wings +8 (1d6+2/x2)
  as slashing (physical, common)
  plus Grab

Standard Attack (Ranged):

Full Attack (Ranged):

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

21

STR

12

DEX

21

CON

2

INT

12

WIS

16

CHA

Skills:

• Perception: 8
• Stealth: 8
• All other skills: 3 (no ranks)

Languages:

Feats:

Special Abilities

Feathery Rush (Su) Full Attack Action

As a full attack action, the owlbear may leap around the battlefield, beating its claw-wings furiously to hold itself somewhat above the ground for a second or two. As such, it can move over any creature of size medium or smaller as long as there is a ceiling no less than 15 feet in height. The owlbear may make a to-hit roll against each creature it moves directly over with this movement (+8 to-hit versus target's AC), and if it hits, it deals 1d8+4 points of buffeting (physical, uncommon) damage and the struck creature must make a Fortitude save versus a DC of 17 or it is Jostled until the start of the Owlbear's next turn. The movement of the feathery rush does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Grab (Ex) Free Action after successful attack

When an owlbear makes a full attack, and hits with a claw-wing strike, it deals normal damage and can make a Maneuver Offense check (1d20 + 11) vs. the target's Maneuver Defense as a free action. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If successful, the target is Grappled. While maintaining a grapple, owlbears suffer a -2 penalty to their AC versus all attacks. The owlbear also has the option to merely Grab the target, but doing so inflicts a -10 penalty to its future Maneuver Offense checks to maintain the Grab. While maintaining a Grab, owlbears suffer no penalty to armor class. Each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the claw-wing attack that established the hold (whether Grappling or Grabbing).

Owlbear

Owlbears are maddened creations of lunatic wizards and alchemists who have Gone Too Far. They escaped into the wild many millennia ago, and have prospered greatly, their supernatural strength serving them well against more modest natural predators.

The specimen described here is a 'common' or 'typical' owlbear, but they come in many, many other varieties, such as dire owlbears, cave owlbears, legendary and kodiak owlbears, snowy owlbears, raven owlbears, eagle owlbears, and more varieties besides, every one more terrible than the last. Of them all, the 'common' owlbear is the most widespread and most often seen.

An owlbear's coat ranges in color from brown-black to yellowish brown; its beak is a dull ivory color. Their plumage on their fore-wings is brown-mottled as well. A full-grown male can stand as tall as 8 feet and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. Adventurers who have survived encounters with the creature often speak of the bestial madness they glimpsed in its red-rimmed eyes, and many have noted that despite their brutish mien, owlbears have an indefinable majesty to them that makes them more striking to see than their drab coloration might suggest.

Combat Tactics

Owlbears are pugnacious and deadly attackers. Once combat begins, they will use Feathery Rush to move over as many foes as they reasonably can, so the gusts of wind they kick up jostle and slow their enemies. As soon as possible they will attempt full attacks so they can use the Grab ability tied to their claw-wings to tie up melee combatants. Owlbears will rarely contest a grapple, preferring to hold one or two foes while they snap viciously with their beaks at another.

Once wounded, an owlbear's madness will rarely allow it to retreat, and it will usually fight to the death. If it does attempt to retreat, it will use feathery rush again to jostle its foes some more, slowing and confusing them, to cover its escape.

Out of Combat

Owlbears are mentally unhinged, and this means that their behavior out of combat is...erratic, at best. Indeed, even despite their horrible nature and bloodthirstiness, sages and cyphers who have studied owlbears in the wild have noted that the noble bearing of the fiends is made poignant by the obvious deficiencies they suffer from. Owlbears have been seen getting stuck in behaviors, acting out in weird ways, and often seem to express frustration at their own inability to cope with simple things, such as finding a den to use more than a single time.

Aside from their sheer power and capabilities, Owlbears act in the wild as a predator, similar to wolf packs or bears. Of course, due to their magical nature, they can survive on far less food than would be possible for a natural beast, and so, a given range can support a LOT more owlbears than seems possible, and such large flocks of these huge monsters can become a major problem quickly.

Rewards

XP: 1,600

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 1,625 gp.

Weight: 50 lbs.     Volume: 2 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 10	Nothing Found
11 - 14	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
15 - 17	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
18 - 19	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
6 - 10	3 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
11 - 14	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
15 - 17	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
18 - 19	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
6 - 8	3 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
9 - 11	3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
12 - 14	3 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
15 - 17	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
18 - 19	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)