Bearkin (5e Race)

Uncertain Origin

While Bearkin have only been around for a few generations their origin is surround in mystery. Most believe that they are the result of malevolent druidic rituals; The bearkin, it is said, upon achieving true sentience did not obey, killed their masters and escaped.

In bearkin families gathered around campfires, they tell scary tales of evil druid pacts and monsters that will come to take children who do not perform simple chores or behave, though no bearkin truly knows where they came from.

Other theories of bearkin origins are less credible, such as their role as native guardians in the Feywilds escaped to the Material Plane after a war, or that they owe their creation to a pact made by an army of great warriors, given the bodies and strength of bears to dominate their enemies. Intelligent or scholarly bearkin often wish to discover this detail.

Blood Ties

A traditional bearkin tribe consists of one alpha male, the strongest, as a leader with several females. Young bearkin who wish to become alpha must battle in honorable unarmed combat to claim the throne - otherwise the youth of the clan usually show great respect to their elders.

Bearkin clans tend to have tough, intimidating names like First Tooth, Furious Swipes, and Bloody Roar, and often use simple symbols that they scratch into tree trunks to designate their territory. Veteran travelers who recognize these symbols when traveling know to deviate their course to avoid getting attacked by aggressive tribes.

Most often, a bearkin leaves as a result of disgracing their family in battle or breaking code, though many bearkin found in cities credit their abandonment to a family massacre, being lost, forest fires or other causes that physically ejected them from their home. Bearkin away from their homes are often drawn to a life of adventure as a result of their natural instinct and origin in the wilds.

Tradition and Honor

Traditionally, Bearkin tend not to be religious creatures, though all owe faith to Grizzus, their patron god of Bears. While clans differ vastly in beliefs and ideals, all owe allegiance to Grizzus and his ideals of clan law and leadership.

Tribes and families of bearkin are often found fighting and feuding, although complex politics and many of the concepts of ownership, such as money, are unfamiliar customs to them.

Grizzus, who Bearkin believes watches and guides them through play and battle, often contacts Elders or shaman within tribes as well as particularly righteous or powerful warriors. They claim to have seen visions of their god in their sleep designating them a specific task, and it is not uncommon for a member of the tribe to leave in pursuit of this mission, which is a sign of honor.

Bearkin Names

Bearkin names are derived from their grizzly origin, and therefore have strong sounds and syllables. Young bearkin also usually have a pet name that they are known as throughout their tribe, and are often referred to as such affectionately by their elders and spouses even as they reach adulthood. Others who refer to them in this way are sure to raise a bearkin's ire.

Childhood Nicknames: Butterball, Cub. Flatear, Fuzzy, Prickles, Roughnose, Scruffy, Southpaw, Tiny

Male Names: Argus, Brutin, Dale, Duggar, Gorf, Kidas, Mars, Orwin Pantg, Slark, Tusk, Zalk

Female Names: Alici, Brin, Connie, Flore, Mazie, Namina, Varen, Vixen, Tribbi, Willow

Clan Names: Bloody Roar, Cut Masters, Dust Burners, Final Bark, First Tooth, Furious Swipes, Proud Claw, Sharp Paw, Tough Hide, Warrior Clan, Wild Boar, Yellow Fur

Racial Traits

Your bearkin character has a number of traits as a part of their ursine heritage.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Age. Bearkin reach adolescence at about the same time as humans, but usually only live to about age 60.

Alignment. Bearkin naturally tend towards neutrality, though they tend to be more good than evil. They also tend to favour a balance between the law of their clan and the chaotic nature of their lifestyle.

Size. Bearkin tower over their companions at around 7 to 8 feet tall, and weigh anywhere from 300 to above 450 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Keen Smell. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Animal Instincts. You have proficiency in the Survival skill.

Claws. Using your bear claws to attack, your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 slashing damage.

Languages. You know Common and Bearic. Bearic is a primitive language of growls and barks most often used to quickly convey details while hunting and to intimidate. It has no written form.

Subrace. Differences in the backgrounds and the locations of their environment have resulted in three different subraces of bearkin: Black bears, Brown bears, and Polar bears. Choose one of these subraces.

Black Bear

The smallest and most timid of the bearkin varieties, Black Bears tend to be smarter and make up clans of single families in caves or other underground locations, occasionally including the Underdark. They mostly keep to themselves and protect their lairs and territories without moving about, but will happily interact with others of their kind.

Ability Score Improvement. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Darkvision. Familiar with the darkness, you have superior vision in dark or dim conditions. 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.

Stealthy. You gain proficiency in the Stealth skill.

Brown Bear

Fiercely protective, honorable and strong, and usually friendly to outsiders, the most common of the bearkin varieties have a strong protective instinct and make up large clans with a lax hierarchy." They often live nomadic lifestyles, moving from forest to forest to cycle their prey and avoid retaliation from nearby developed settlements.

Ability Score Improvement. Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Protector. When an ally within 10ft of you must make a Strength saving throw, you may choose to have the effect target you in their place. This feature can only be used twice every short rest.

Polar Bear

The rarest of the bearkin, polar bears have thick winter hides, tend to be very aggressive to outsiders and have very large territories. During harsh winters, Polar Bear tribes raid human settlements at their weakest for food and supplies when their natural prey runs low. For this reason, especially in colder regions, Polar Bears are usually regarded as hostile.

Ability Score Improvement. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Winter Hide. You have resistance to Cold damage. You are also able to weather much colder temperatures than most other races, such as snow and freezing weather.

Creatures of Instinct (barbearian)

Bearkin who have taken the Barbarian class may take a variant of this race that adds the following two options.

Ability Score Decrease. Your Intelligence score decreases by 1.

Raging Bear. While raging and wearing no armor, your unarmed strikes with claws deal 1d6 damage. When attacking in this way, you can also make another unarmed strike as a bonus action (does not stack with any monk abilities). Bearkin do not exist in every world in Dungeons and Dragons. Consult with your DM to see if you can play this race in your campaign.

Panda Bear

Found in the Far East, Panda Bear tribes and customs are largely unknown and foreign, partly as a result of their rarity. As spiritual as their notorious appetite, they have a long history and a keen sense of wisdom, preferring to keep out of the eyes of civilized society.

Ability Score Improvement. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Folk Healer You gain proficiency in the Medicine skill.

Spiritual Communication. You have the ability to cast the spell Speak With Plants using Wisdom as your spellcasting modifier. Using this feature, you are only able to communicate with the plants, not command, move or control them. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until the end of a long rest.

Natural Devolution

Some Bearkin who take the primal path of the Druid also gain a number of abilities that related directly to their background, reverting back into their ancestral state of raw power..

Bear Power. If you have taken the Circle of the Moon Druidic Circle, you gain the ability to tap into the savage strength of the gods. When using your Wild Shape ability to transform into a bear, you can increase the Challenge Rating of that creature. For each additional level, your Strength score increases by 2 and the Hit Dice, Armor Class, and Damage Dice for that creature are all increased by 1.

Primally Consumed. When using Bear Power to turn into a creature above its original challenge rating, you struggle internally with your instinct. When attempting to turn back into your regular form, you must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be temporarily unable to return. You can repeat this saving throw after every hour, ending the effect on a success.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
′ ''	+	lb.	× () lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Suggested Characteristics

When creating a <race name> character, you can use the following table of traits, ideals, bonds and flaws to help flesh out your character. Use these tables in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.

d8	Personality Trait
1
2
3
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5
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8

d6	Ideal
1
2
3
4
5
6

d6	Bond
1
2
3
4
5
6

d6	Flaw
1
2
3
4
5
6

5.00

(one vote)

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