Owlbear
Owlbear (CR 5)
Owlbears are maddened creations of lunatic wizards and alchemists who have Gone Too Far. They escaped into the wild many millenia 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.
GENERAL
CR 5 Hit Dice 7
XP 1,600
N Large Magical Beast
Init +3; Senses Scent, Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+4 armor, +3 dex, +3 natural, +1 deflection)
hp 65
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +4
Aura: -
SR: -
Special Defenses: -
Immunities: -
Weaknesses: -
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft. , also see Feathery Rush
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 5 ft.
Single Melee Beak Snap +10 (1d8+3/x2)
Full Melee Beak Snap +10 (1d8+3/x2), 2x Claw-Wings +10 (1d6/x2) + Grab
Ranged none, but see Feathery Rush
Special Attacks Grab, Feathery Rush
Action Points 0
STATISTICS
Str 21, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +5; CMB +9 (+13 for grapple); CMD 19
Feats -
Skills Stealth +3
Languages -
SPECIAL ABILITIES
- Feathery Rush
As a move action, the owlbear may leap around the battlefield, beating its claw-wings furiously to hold itself somewhat above the floor 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 fifteen feet in height or more. When it moves over any medium or smaller creature, that creature must make a Fortitude save versus a DC of 13 or it is jostled until the start of the Owlbear's next turn. Any attacks of opportunity provoked by this movement are resolved before the jostling effect is resolved, as the owlbear must move over the creature affected. As with all movement, the owlbear must end its move in open squares.
- Grab
When owlbears make full attacks, they may grab foes with their claw-wings. See: Grab monster ability
If an owlbear hits with claw-wing strike during a full attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Grab can only be used against targets sized large or smaller. The owlbear has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the claw-wing it used in the grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on its CMB check to make and maintain the grapple, but does not gain the grappled condition itself. A successful hold does not deal any extra damage. Each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the claw-wing attack that established the hold.
Owlbears receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple.
TREASURE
sell value of approximately 1,375 gp
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 owlbears madness will rarely allow them to retreat, and they usually fight to the death. if they do attempt to retreat, they will use feathery rush again to jostle their foes some more, slowing and confusing them, to cover their escape.