Bear on a bear with some bears

[Devronq]

Does anyone know of an optimized build for a druid that wildshapes into a bear and rides his animal companion that is a bear and he summons more bears when he fights. I though i remember reading a thread about it a while back they even has a sweet picture to represent it. Anywise any build ideas or advise on going about it?

[danzibr]

Another bear thread? Unbearable...

I did find some bear threads via google but not the one you're looking for.

[Fouredged Sword]

The build, if I remember right was anthropomorphic bear were-bear shifter druid/ bear totem barbarian 1 / bear warrior 1 / druid using wild cohort to get a bear companion.

You are a bear.
Riding a bear.
Who summons bears.
Who shifts into a bear.
Then gets so angry he turns into a bigger bear.
Then shifts to a half bear/half bear were beast.

You end up with strength in the mid 50's by level 20 and 9th level druid spellcasting.

[killem2]

The build, if I remember right was anthropomorphic bear were-bear shifter druid/ bear totem barbarian 1 / bear warrior 1 / druid using wild cohort to get a bear companion.

You are a bear.
Riding a bear.
Who summons bears.
Who shifts into a bear.
Then gets so angry he turns into a bigger bear.
Then shifts to a half bear/half bear were beast.

You end up with strength in the mid 50's by level 20 and 9th level druid spellcasting.

And with appropriate flaws, he could also go about feeling like he bears the weight of the world on his shoulders.

[Shining Wrath]

If magically flayed, resulting in grumpiness, you could have a bear of a bare werebear there.

[Deaxsa]

I'm barely able to keep up... this is unbearable quantities of punnery.

[PrismCat21]

This is the thread I like to look at when thinking of this build.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218074

This one works to. Sorry, no picture though.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11340636

But I found others...
http://www.modenstudios.com/random/infinite-bear-cavalry.jpg
http://www.hahastop.com/pictures/Bear_Cavalry.jpg

[Rubik]

The build, if I remember right was anthropomorphic bear were-bear shifter druid/ bear totem barbarian 1 / bear warrior 1 / druid using wild cohort to get a bear companion.

You are a bear.
Riding a bear.
Who summons bears.
Who shifts into a bear.
Then gets so angry he turns into a bigger bear.
Then shifts to a half bear/half bear were beast.

You end up with strength in the mid 50's by level 20 and 9th level druid spellcasting.Honestly, if you don't want to die, avoid were-bear. Go for the rest of it, though.

[PrismCat21]

http://www.micromix.fr/upload/laser-flying-bears.jpg
http://moviesmedia.ign.com/movies/image/article/833/833839/the-golden-compass-20071108025134285-002.jpg
http://entertainment.lilithezine.com/images/Golden-Compass-06.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pK4WOfo1_d4/TZt2R2VqyCI/AAAAAAAACKE/WxHCF6E3Rwg/s1600/golden-compass-bear-8.jpg
Bear-Druid... You're doing it right.

[Fouredged Sword]

The trick is to get to get infected after you already got to level 20 so the LA and RHD don't matter.

[Alleran]

And with appropriate flaws, he could also go about feeling like he bears the weight of the world on his shoulders.
I sometimes think there should be a claws in the GitP rules that forbids bear puns on the grounds that they do nothing but panda to the masses.

[Rubik]

The trick is to get to get infected after you already got to level 20 so the LA and RHD don't matter.It will if they continue into epic -- and if they don't, it won't matter anyway, since they won't play after that.

[Phelix-Mu]

I entirely approve of the premise and tenor of this thread. Pawesome work, guys, a real testament to the Playground.

As a side note, I have always enjoyed the urskan race from Frostburn. Far from optimal, but full of coolness. Plus, great d10 magical beast HD, huge Con. Not a bad tank setup, especially with those steelclaws. LA kind of sucks the life out of the concept (tank+LA doesn't mix particularly well).

[Frosty]

One of those pics reminds me of Volibear.

[Edenbeast]

Are you looking for Bearington Bearman the bearbearian:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140757

[The Glyphstone]

The build, if I remember right was anthropomorphic bear were-bear shifter druid/ bear totem barbarian 1 / bear warrior 1 / druid using wild cohort to get a bear companion.

You are a bear.
Riding a bear.
Who summons bears.
Who shifts into a bear.
Then gets so angry he turns into a bigger bear.
Then shifts to a half bear/half bear were beast.

You end up with strength in the mid 50's by level 20 and 9th level druid spellcasting.

There's also Bearington Bearman the Barbearian.

Anthropomorphic Black Bear Were-Black Bear Bear Totem Barbarian 1/Bear Warrior 1/Bear Lord 8/Druid 1, with Improved Unarmed Strike, Wild Cohort, and Vow of Poverty.

You're an anthropomorphic bear who turns into a bear, gets angry and also turns into a bear, rides a bear with another bear following behind, talks to bears, summons bears, worships bears, can fight with your bear hands, and carries only the bear essentials in equipment.

It's a very polarizing build, and many people find the bear-rage of bear puns to be rather grizzly, but the looks on their faces after they read it make for a great Kodiak moment.



There...are we done?

EDIT: Blast, ninja-beared.

[Woodzyowl]

Well, we could be done...

Then again, we've bearly gotten started. I feel like there is a severe lack of pandamonium thus far.

@OP: I believe you could easily achieve that with a standard druid who grabs a bear companion and takes natural spell so you can summon bears while wild-shaped (preferably into a bear). The people here just prefer having ubear-punny builds.
EDIT: Also take ranks in ride if you want to ride on the bear. I hear that that's the koala thing to do these days.

[Agent 451]

Best be careful. If this thread continues I foresee people exercising their right to bear arms...

Edit: Fails at posting ascii bear toting rifle... (http://www.heartnsoul.com/ascii_art/bears.txt) Success!



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[Rubik]

Best be careful. If this thread continues I foresee people exercising their right to bear arms...

Edit: Fails at posting ascii bear toting rifle... (http://www.heartnsoul.com/ascii_art/bears.txt) Success!



.-""-. _
/ _ \ _ /|)
.'---""-.| /|) /|/
.' `. /|/ /|/
__/_ \ . /|/ /|/
.' `-. .8-. \\-/|/ /|/
J .--. Y .o./ .o8\ |/\ `/_.-.
| ( \ 98P 888| /\ / ( ` |
| `-._/ | `"|/\ / \|\ F
`. . "-'|\ / \/\ J
|---' _/\ / \// ` |
J /// / / F
_\ .'`-._ ./// / /\\.'
/ `. / .-' `<-'/// / _/\ \\
F.--.\|| `.`/ /.-' )|\ \`.
\__.-/)' `.-' ')/\\ /
.-' .'/ \ ') `-'
( .'.' '`. .'
\'.' ' `. .-'
/ ' `.__.-'/|
J : `._/ |
| : |
J ;-"""-. F
\ / \ /
`.J L _.'
F |--' |
J | |__
L | `.
| |-. \|
| \ )_.'
VK F -.\ )-'
\ )_)
`"""""""'
And arm bears.

[StreamOfTheSky]

There was a Totem Druid variant in dragon mag. It could be found in crystalkeep and thus is also on kindred circle. Basically, you tie yourself to a specific animal and can only get a companion of that type, and can only wildshape into that sort of animal. In return you get to count as 2 levels higher for the companion, and get some additional buffs to your totem shape, including the celestial template and ability to speak...and the ability to use it right from level 1! ...If you can find a 1 HD bear...

I suggest using that for your druid.

[eggynack]

Well, the real question is whether you want to optimize the beariness of your build, or the power level of it. In the former case, you should take the above listed advice and become an unbearably recursive bear. If you merely want to be a bear riding a bear shooting bears though, then you're already basically optimized. A druid 20 with a bear animal companion who usually summons bears is about as good as that build gets, and any additional power should be put into directly improving those aspects of it. Thus, I'd advise doing as druids usually do and put power into the usual things, i.e wildshaping, summoning and animal companion feats and items. You'd already be pretty optimized if you just did regular standard druid stuff, but there's good stuff to improve the bear aspects of the build directly. Stuff like natural bond to make your bear friend more powerful, and augment, greenbound, ashbound and whatever other summoning feats you can find to make the bears you shoot tougher. When it comes to a druid taking either the most powerful options, or the most bear options, from a character build standpoint they're pretty similar.

[StreamOfTheSky]

I'd like to point out that Totem Shape still counts as wildshape, so you can *still* grab Exalted Wildshape, Abberant Wildshape, Dragon Wildshape (think that's the name), Frozen Wildshape, etc... to expand your options. That's exactly what my "cat lady" Tiger Totem Druid / Lion Tiger of Talisid did.

In any case, druid is a plenty powerful class already, even tossing away all the versatility of wildshape it's still a good class, so if you just really want a bear-focus, it will still be fun. Might even be a welcome self-nerf to keep you (slightly) closer in power to the mundanes.

[Venusaur]

We need more Sentinel of Bharrai in this thread. Calvary of Dire Bears is the perfect class feature for any bear-themed character.

[Rubik]

The Wild Cohort feat (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) for extra bears.