Awakened Bear (5e Race)

Awakened Brown Bear

Awakened bears are simply bears who have awakened to gain consciousness and a higher intelligence.

Physical Description

Awakened bears are the same physically as a normal bears. Adult brown bears (often called grizzly bears)can be between 6 to 7 feet from nose to tail standing upright, and are about 4.5 feet high when on all fours. Males are larger than females. Brown Bears have a rounded face with small eyes, rounded ears, and a long snout. They also have large non-retractable claws, a large body, a short tail, and shaggy hair. There fur colour is usually a shade of brown. It can go all the way from dark brown almost black to blonde.

History

The only difference between a normal bears and awakened bears is a greatly increased intelligence. How this has come to be is still a mystery, but most people posit that these bears have been blessed by nature or by the gods themselves. Due to their higher intelligence, awakened bears can learn a language although if you come across one living in the wild or in an awakened animal society it is unlikely it will speak a language. Bears are wild beasts that traditionally live in the wilderness and stay to themselves within a den. Awakened bears may live just like normal bears or often join a society of awakened animals. Occasionally they would enter humanoid society, usually out of curiosity of the world around them, while some sadly are caught as a trophy and curiosity to be paraded. Many awakened bears have become a sensation for performing parlor tricks whilst being ogled at within cages at circuses and by curious children. Some bears do get treated better in societies where they aren't seen as simple primitives and are allowed to express themselves better, thus allowing them to become adventurers and such. They often are up for hire as fishermen or hunters due to their ability to use their natural instincts and navigate terrains like forests and even mountains.

Society

Most awakened bears are usually found in their natural habitats, often time being labelled as spiritual beings blessed by the gods of nature themselves by the people who have come to find them. While most usually settle for a life similar to those found in their unawakened brethren, some would go out and venture to places of society. For those few, they would often choose places near or similar to their natural habitats and even fewer choose to go by choice to urban towns or cities. If able, they would mostly associate with other awakened animals or beastlike races, finding them more to their liking, but some can be found associating themselves with humanoids as well.

Awakened Bear Names

Bears do not name themselves or each other but will accept being named by friendly humanoids, their names varying greatly due to different bears encountering different cultures. Most come to accept a warlike name while others seem to find joy in brutalizing people with cute names most likely given to them by children.

War Names: Slasher, Crusher, Ajax, Wojtek, El Oso, Yao-Guai

Pet Names: Fuzzy-Wuzzy, Slobbers, Sir Bearington, Paddington, Pooh, Stitches

Awakened Bear Traits

Pretty much just a bear
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. The average life span of an awakened bear is about 40 to 60 years. Bears reach maturity at age 2.
Alignment. Awakened bears tend to be uninterested in the politics of the other races. Therefore they are usually of neutral alignment, but can be found adopting the alignment of the races or society around them.
Size. a brown bear is 4.5 feet tall on all fours and 6-7 feet tall on its hind legs. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You also have a swim speed of 20 feet.
Bear Body. As a bear, your creature type is beast. Additionally, you cannot don traditional armor and must use barding and you have disadvantage on attack rolls using weapons not designed for bears. But thanks to your strong body, you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Bear Weapons. Your claws and teeth are natural weapons with which you make unarmed strikes. Your claws and teeth deal 1d4 + Strength slashing damage. This increases to 1d6 at 5th level and to 1d8 at 10th level. Due to your clumsy paws, you can’t use any artisan's tools, musical instruments, or weapons not designed for bears.
Keen Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Bear Resilience. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and you can communicate with other bear like creatures using a complex combination of grunts, scents, and gestures.

Brown Bear

Brown bears are known for their mostly brown coat and can be found mostly in the woodlands, but they've been found in the fringes of deserts to high mountain forests and ice fields.
Climbers. You gain a climbing speed of 20 feet.
Hunters. You gain advantage in checks determining or finding a source of food.
Bear Hug. Using your great strength and build, you can crush your foes simply with just a hug. You have advantage in in Strength (Athletics) checks involving grappling and whenever you grapple someone, you can automatically deal bludgeoning damage equal to your Strength modifier as part of your attack action.

Black Bear

Black bears are known for their black coat and territorial nature. They can be found in woodlands or forests, but have been found in open plains with rivers.
Excellent Climbers. You gain a climbing speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Territorial. Black bears have always known to be territorial and this trait is also found in awakened black bears, albeit in a different form. You gain advantage in Wisdom (Perception) checks in detecting creatures within 100 feet of you.

Polar Bear

Polar bears are known for their white coat and resistance to the cold. They can be found in extremely cold areas, hunting fish or any creature they deem can be a meal.
Arctic Home. You gain resistance to cold damage and you no longer suffer extreme weather effects from the cold.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Arctic Swimmers. You gain an additional amount of swim speed equal to your movement speed.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
6′ 0''	+3d12"	300 lb.	× (6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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