D&D General How to build a bear?

Z

ZhakirSetie

First Post

• May 25, 2021

• #1

I’m currently in a campaign with some friends, and at the moment my character is a little too strong. We just started and I already managed to have a max ac of 22. There’s ways we’re working around it, but we may just kill off the character. My issue is the character I want to use to replace him. In brief, the story is a Half-Orc explorer that is permanently transformed into a bear well before the party happens upon him, and they just assume that he ate an explorer and took his things. I’m unsure the optimal way to build this character as an unarmed and unarmored tank,.

 

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Charlaquin

Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)

• May 25, 2021

• #2

At the Build A Bear Workshop, of course!

 

H

humble minion

Legend

• May 25, 2021

• #3

Well, your GM permitting you could use the Bearfolk race from Kobold Press - Bearfolk - KPOGL . Maybe a barbarian if you want to play unarmed/unarmoured? Monk could work too.

The half-orc origin of your PC could mostly be handled by roleplaying, perhaps just with your selection of languages, ideals, flaws etc.

 

N

Nitrosaur

Explorer

• May 25, 2021

• #4

You could play an awakened bear. ASI +2/+1 from the base beast's higher stats, bear speeds and senses, an play a path of the beast Barbarian for the unarmed and unarmored tank experience.

 

Paul Farquhar

Legend

• May 25, 2021

• #5

Or use the Tasha's sidekick rules, that specifically allow a CR 1/2 bear to take warrior sidekick levels.

NB, the black bear stat block is the best one to use as a basis, even if your PC bear is brown or polar.

 

S

Shiroiken

Legend

• May 25, 2021

• #6

Another option if the DM won't allow 3rd party Bearfolk (which would be best IMO) is the custom ancestry from Tasha's. Barbarian would be more thematic, but monk might be better mechanically (having better than 1+ Str for damage).

 

Oofta

Legend

• May 25, 2021

• #7

Personally I'd just go with a half-orc bear totem barbarian and give them proficiency in their natural weapons, maybe give them the two-weapon fighting style from fighters either using the fighting initiate feat.

Of course if you went half-orc monk, you could use this image.

 

N

NotAYakk

Legend

• May 25, 2021

• #8

So probably a T1 character, like up to level 5?

 

F

Flamestrike

Legend

• May 25, 2021

• #9

Just play a moon Druid.

 

Nefermandias

Hero

• May 25, 2021

• #10

I'm more concerned about how you got 22 AC right at the start of the game.
Also, how you guys reached the conclusion that killing the character off would be the only way to fix this.