Pimp my Dire Half-Dragon Gnome Werebear

[ArcanistSupreme]

So, as the title suggests, I'm in the market for a rather ferocious critter. Looking at the MM, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the suggested feats in the Dire Bear entry, and I was hoping for some ideas on how to maximize our gnomish friend's combat potential.

Some notes:

As the DM, I've waived the requirement that the animal form has to be within one size category of the base creature, as a gnome turning into a giant bear is hilarious
The party consists of a VoP Druid, a Bardbarian (with a dash of Warblade), a Barbarian, and a TWF Rogue
The party is level 8
I want the encounter to be challenging but not lethal to the point of TPK
If there was a way to subdue the party without killing them, that would be nice, but if it doesn't work, it doesn't work


So Playground, what have you got?*

*Please note what book any feats/abilities/whatever are found in.

[Critical]

Why not do the Bear Warrior(Complete Warrior) instead? More fun and legal by the rules, also, allows you to do more stuff with what's left. :smalltongue:

[herrhauptmann]

The party is level 8
I want the encounter to be challenging but not lethal to the point of TPK
If there was a way to subdue the party without killing them, that would be nice, but if it doesn't work, it doesn't work

[/SIZE]

Give him a few minions or followers. Make them animals for flavor, and animals with strength/dex poison. Or bipedal minions with poisoned weapons.

[Greenish]

How to pimp up a half-dragon gnome werebear:
Step 1. Get rid of half-dragon.
Step 2. Get rid of werebear.
Step 3. Make it a druid and it can legally turn into a bear, have a bear companion and shoot bears.

Why not do the Bear Warrior(Complete Warrior) instead?That comes to play a bit late, but if it's a boss type, it can be a bit higher level than the party.

So, barbarian4/Fist of the Forest3/Bear WarriorX, where X is enough to challenge the party.

[Edit]: Have a whole tribe of gnome bear warriors. Grapple the PCs into submission.

[Flickerdart]

Why not do the Bear Warrior instead? More fun and legal by the rules, also, allows you to do more stuff with what's left. :smalltongue:
The OP is the DM, so there's no "what's left".

Your critter is CR7, technically. However, his +12 CON and 13d12 HD mean that your party will have to punch their way through 156 HP, with DR 10/silver on top, while it's hitting them for ludicrous damage.

Improved Natural Attack makes that damage even more ludicrous. A level in Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian (CChamp) for Pounce and Rage will increase the ridiculosity by a margin. Troll-Blooded (Dragon 319) will give your monster Regeneration (and Half-Dragon gives you immunity to either fire or acid, whichever they have handy).

[Runestar]

Lycantropes are quite worth it for their cr. You may want to scrap half-dragon and see if you can squeeze in the warshaper (complete warrior) class somehow.

Maybe gnome dire werebear barb1/warshaper4? Cr10.

[ArcanistSupreme]

See, the reason I like half-dragon is that if the creature is Large or larger (which a Dire Bear is), it gets wings. Can a bear shooting bear druid with bear companions fly? I also like the fact that the animal HD and the ridiculous Con boost give the breath weapon a decent DC (somewhere in the region of 22), which only the Rogue should have a decent chance of beating.

I like the idea of Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian and Improved Natural Attack, but unfortunately I don't have access to Dragon Magazine, so that puts a damper on the Troll blooded :smallfrown:.

Any thoughts on feats to replace such gems as Toughness and Run?

EDIT: Oh yeah, and animals have d8 HD, so the Half-Dragon bit only pushes it up to d10s. So with 1 level of barbarian, that's 12+12d10+78. Somehow I still get the 156 hp you got, though :smallconfused:.

[Greenish]

Can a bear shooting bear druid with bear companions fly?Yes. These aren't the ten characters you're looking for.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Yes.

*Opens mouth*...*Closes mouth*

I still like my idea...

[Runestar]

The gnome, being small, does not get wings, and I am not sure if it will suddenly sprout wings in werebear form. But hey, you are the DM. :smallcool:

[ArcanistSupreme]

The gnome, being small, does not get wings, and I am not sure if it will suddenly sprout wings in werebear form. But hey, you are the DM. :smallcool:

That's the general idea, and why I'm kinda keen on the concept. I mean, it's a friggin bear with wings!

[herrhauptmann]

That's the general idea, and why I'm kinda keen on the concept. I mean, it's a friggin bear with wings!

Bearington Bearman the Bearbearian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140757)
If you have questions specifically about bearman, please don't post on that thread, just start a new thread with a link. Otherwise it'll just get locked.
edit
Oh yeah, if you're a halfdragon X, then you wildshape into a bear of some sort. Why would you retain your dragonwings? You're now a bear.
A raptoran wildshaped into a bear doesn't keep his wings.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Bearington Bearman the Bearbearian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140757)

I'll consider this.


Oh yeah, if you're a halfdragon X, then you wildshape into a bear of some sort. Why would you retain your dragonwings? You're now a bear.
A raptoran wildshaped into a bear doesn't keep his wings.

See, but the bear is as much a part of him as the gnome is, so I feel that it's fitting for the half-dragon template to apply to both. Thus, the bear gets dragon wings as a half-dragon dire bear.

[Heliomance]

However, Half Dragon give you dragon type, thus making you ineligible for the Lycanthrope template. Just sayin'.

[Myth]

So long as you are doing whatever you want as a DM, slap on the Feral template from SS.

[AngelOmnipotent]

If he was infected with Lycanthropy before getting the Half-Dragon template, it would still work. However getting the template that way usually means Dragon Disciple levels, which make babies cry.

[Anxe]

Why couldn't a lycanthrope have a baby with a dragon? It makes perfect sense!

My suggestion would be to throw in Power Attack and maybe some feats from SS or the Draconomicon. Those feats are often good for big sized creatures like yours.

[taltamir]

were-bears are were-paladins... they turn lawful good. Is the party ok with fighting lawful good creatures?
or have you houseruled it away?

[Caliphbubba]

my brother is playing a gnomish druid that wildshapes into a bear or tiger and then uses the feat Eagle's Wings from Complete Divine to do what you are doing.

He ususally does Tiger for Pounce, I believe. Sounds like what you want mostly, without all the weird template stacking. Plus he's a full caster then too. Probably a good challenge just on his own.

[Seffbasilisk]

There's a feat, I believe in BoED which makes your attacks nonlethal, like putting the Merciful quality on all of your weapons (or at least some of them.)

You add in some extra, and just smack'm out. Healing does double against subdual, and you can fluff it as "He doesn't want to kill them" in one extreme or "He likes fresh meat" on the other.

[herrhauptmann]

were-bears are were-paladins... they turn lawful good. Is the party ok with fighting lawful good creatures?
or have you houseruled it away?

If it's an evil party, get 'touch of golden ice' . It gives someone a 'ravage' which is like the good version of poison. However, it affects creatures immune to poison (like most evil outsiders), and only affects evil creatures.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Just to clarify, it's a (supposedly) good party, and the gnome is a member of the local law-enforcement.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone! This is looking better and better.