Monster Dossier

Owlbear

Owlbear VARIANT OWLBEARS Snowy owlbears trade their terrifying screech for amazing stealth and the learned ability to erupt from the snow to take prey b...

Level 4

Traits

nlargeanimal

Rules & statistics

Monster Profile

Perception

13

Senses

  • Name
    low-light vision
  • Type
    imprecise
    Name
    scent
    Range
    30

Skills

Acrobatics
7
Athletics
14
Intimidation
10

Ability Mods

Str
6
Dex
1
Con
5
Int
-4
Wis
3
Cha
0

Defenses

Ac
21
Saving Throws
Fort
13
Ref
7
Will
11
Hp
  • Hp
    70

Speed

Walk
25

Attacks

  • Range
    Melee
    Name
    talon
    Attack
    14
    Traits
    • agile
    Effects
    • Grab
    Damage
    1d10+6 piercing plus Grab
    Types
    • piercing
  • Range
    Melee
    Name
    beak
    Attack
    14
    Damage
    1d12+6 piercing
    Types
    • piercing

Abilities

  • Activity
    Number
    1
    Unit
    action
    Traits
    • auditory
    • emotion
    • fear
    • mental
    Entries
    • The owlbear unleashes a loud screech that terrifies its prey. Each creature in an 80-foot emanation must attempt a 20 Will save. Regardless of the result, creatures are temporarily immune for 1 minute.
    • Type
      successDegree
      Entries
      Critical Success
      The creature is unaffected.
      Success
      The creature is frightened 1.
      Failure
      The creature is frightened 2.
      Critical Failure
      The creature is fleeing for 1 round and frightened 3.
    Name
    Bloodcurdling Screech
  • Activity
    Number
    1
    Unit
    action
    Requirements
    The owlbear has a creature grabbed with its talons.
    Entries
    • The owlbear attempts to disembowel the creature with a beak Strike. If the Strike hits, the target must attempt a 22 Will save.
    • Type
      successDegree
      Entries
      Critical Success
      The target is unaffected.
      Success
      The target is sickened 1.
      Failure
      The target is sickened 1 and slowed 1 as long as it remains sickened.
    Name
    Gnaw
  • Activity
    Number
    2
    Unit
    action
    Traits
    • auditory
    • emotion
    • fear
    • mental
    Entries
    • The owlbear makes a Bloodcurdling Screech and Stride||Strides twice. All creatures within 80 feet of the owlbear at any point during this movement are subjected to the effects of Bloodcurdling Screech.
    Name
    Screeching Advance

Background

Lore

Owlbear

VARIANT OWLBEARS

Snowy owlbears trade their terrifying screech for amazing stealth and the learned ability to erupt from the snow to take prey by surprise. Although incredibly rare, some owlbears have retained a limited form of flight, allowing them to glide almost 20 feet for every foot of height descended. Terrifyingly, these gliding owlbears are entirely silent while descending on their prey.

With the body of a powerful brown bear and the keen senses of an owl, the owlbear is a dangerous territorial predator, fearlessly attacking any creature that strays into its domain. Those who run afoul of an owlbear hear its terrifying screech only seconds before the massive creature is upon them, ripping them apart with deadly talons and a powerful beak.

Although their origin is lost to time, owlbears are assumed to be the result of a magical experiment to make a more cunning predator. According to the legend, the wizard was too successful and ended up being the first victim of the beast. Today, owlbears can be found around the world, with a variety of features. While the most common subspecies looks like a brown bear with the features of a great horned owl, owlbears from the frozen north might resemble polar bears mixed with snowy owls, and in temperate rain forests they might resemble black bears with the heads of barn owls.

Most owlbears live solitary lives, gathering only to mate and raise cubs, which are hatched from eggs. An owlbear's territory usually extends to around 5 miles from its lair, with clear signs of its habitat appearing with 1 mile (clawed up trees, gigantic feathers, and shredded carcasses). The lair of an owlbear rarely holds anything of value, but some adventurers have found trinkets, coins, and even jewelry in the massive pellets of undigested bones these monsters leave behind.