Help with a bear themed build

[Invader]

I need help making a bear themed build. I've seen sir bearington and that's not really what I'm going for (although bear puns are encouraged).

Basically I want to play an actual bear that focuses on str and my natural attacks. I'm not concerned about animal companions or cohorts either so those can be left out of the equation as well.

Not sure exactly what level we're starting at but most likely it'll be lower so I need to be effective from around 3rd level on and that's including any HD and LA from being a bear if that's possible and we won't be playing past 10th.

Is there a feasible build out there?

[SolioFebalas]

Take the Werebear Lycantrope Class (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20031114a).

[falloutimperial]

You could always be an anthromorphic bear, from savage species I think. Choose the bear totem barbarian. Eventually, you could enter the bear lord PrC.

[Alleran]

There was a Sir Bearington from that place which involved a player being an awakened bear who took levels in a knight class, maxed out his Bluff ranks (so he could bluff not being a bear, and nobody had the Sense Motive to beat his check) and took Leadership to get a butler as a "translator" for him.

I would imagine that the player got a few kodiak moments out of it. If it was true.

[Invader]

The problem is I don't see any good way of playing one at lower levels. A were bear is great but it's already ECL 9-10.

[Ansem]

Bearbarian, 'nuff said.
Bugbear barbarian was the most fun my friend ever had in our campaigns and was a great addition to our group being raw strength.
He was also nostalgic when we became professional bugbear slayers at some point because we killed so many and he kind of turned into a politician wanting to have them protected and given rights etc.

[Gemini476]

If you don't necessarily want to be an actual authentic bear, being a Druid would let you be a bear summoning bears while riding a bear. That's 'bout as beary as you can get.

[Ansem]

If you don't necessarily want to be an actual authentic bear, being a Druid would let you be a bear summoning bears while riding a bear. That's 'bout as beary as you can get.

Bearily comes close to being as beary as this:
http://www.wall321.com/thumbnails/detail/20120413/abraham%20lincoln%20funny%20flags%20monocle%20bear s%20american%20flag%201920x1080%20wallpaper_www.wa llpaperto.com_32.jpg

[Alleran]

Bearily comes close to being as beary as this:
<snip>
I certainly wasn't prebeared for that.

[Segev]

There is the Bear Warrior PrC in Complete Warrior. It won't get you "bear shapes" until later in your career (about 6th level at the earliest, I think?). But you start turning into a bear when you rage.

You could be a particularly hirsute half-orc or human going into it. Wear bear-skins and get enough Disguise to call yourself a "bear."

Alternatively, at Druid level 4, you can have a Black Bear animal companion. Play something forgettable (possibly build for being as much a "non-entity" as possible) and play as if you are the bear and the druid is your assistant or personal buff machine or something.

[dysprosium]

If you are open to third party material, you could play a Noble Bear from Noble Animals by Skirmisher Publishing.

You get to play an actual talking bear without the unsurity of awakening rules.

[Ansem]

If you are open to third party material, you could play a Noble Bear from Noble Animals by Skirmisher Publishing.

You get to play an actual talking bear without the unsurity of awakening rules.

Is it called Noble Wild perhaps?
I couldn't find a Noble Animal PDF or even on a Google search.

[Arc_knight25]

Also there is the Primeval. Lets you turn into any creature 8HD(So for a Bear that would be a Brown bear) You get to add its str -10 to your str score. Also as you progress in the class your mental stats take a hit, but your physical ones become better.

Had a player be a minotaur Primeval. Was great, he would turn into a sabertooth tiger and pounce away.

A great way to go Primeval is to go Wildshape Ranger. Full BAB and all of your Wildshape attempts count towards your Primeval shape/day.

[dysprosium]

Is it called Noble Wild perhaps?
I couldn't find a Noble Animal PDF or even on a Google search.

You're right. Noble Wild. That's what I get for going on memory.

[atomicwaffle]

be a monk and fight with your bear hands.

[Ansem]

You're right. Noble Wild. That's what I get for going on memory.
You won't happen to know where I can get the PDF?
Seem unable to find it :/ and it sound really awesome.

[dysprosium]

I got mine from rpgnow.com. I want to say there was a free preview of the entire book. I now there was a Christmas themed supplement for free that featured noble reindeer.

I'm pretty sure Skirmisher has their own website you could get it from too.

It is fun. I wish I had more of a chance to use it in my games.

Had a noble rabbit scout that was supposed to be the grandson of Fiver from Watership Down.

Also had a noble mountain lion rogue -- pounce and sneak attacks were deadly.

[Beleron]

You could just play a large, hairy, gay guy.

[Invader]

Also there is the Primeval. Lets you turn into any creature 8HD(So for a Bear that would be a Brown bear) You get to add its str -10 to your str score. Also as you progress in the class your mental stats take a hit, but your physical ones become better.

Had a player be a minotaur Primeval. Was great, he would turn into a sabertooth tiger and pounce away.

A great way to go Primeval is to go Wildshape Ranger. Full BAB and all of your Wildshape attempts count towards your Primeval shape/day.

This would be great if you could get into it before 9th level.

[Segev]

What is "Primeval" from? And is it a class? Or what?

[Fouredged Sword]

Shapeshifter variant druid turns into a bear from level 1. Take one level, then go Whirlpounce Barbarian 2 / Half orc Paragon 3 / Warshaper 1-5 / Bear Warrior X

You turn into a bear, rage, become a bigger angrier bear, then frenzy for more strength, then mutate into an even angrier bear.

And you get a pearl of speech and never shift out of bear form. Get all your equipment built for that shape.

[dysprosium]

Primeval is a prestige class from Frostburn.

The selling points of the class is the primeval form which gets to add the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores (-10 or -11 depending if the animal's score was even or off) of that animal to their base form. These scores are augmented as the class progresses.

The prerequisite feats (Endurance, Self Sufficient, Toughness) are gods awful though and has a BAB requirement of +8.

Some say it is barely worth it.

[Fouredged Sword]

Endurance can be gained from a ranger dip or from race. Self sufficient is a dud, and toughness is something you just eat.

Now, if you get a +2 con race and start with 20 con, you can use that toughness feat to start piling on roll with it for high DR.

[Segev]

I wouldn't call 3 levels of Ranger a "dip," not just for a feat. They are fairly lousy feat requirements.

[Fouredged Sword]

I was thinking of possibly getting that 8 BAB by going

Shapeshift Druid 1 / Barbarian 1 / Ranger 3 / warshaper 4.

It nets you what you need and gives you enough feats to get there without too much trouble.

[SowZ]

I was thinking of possibly getting that 8 BAB by going

Shapeshift Druid 1 / Barbarian 1 / Ranger 3 / warshaper 4.

It nets you what you need and gives you enough feats to get there without too much trouble.

Bear Totem barbarian, of course. That goes without saying.

[Urpriest]

The basics:

Being literally a bear, innately: Impossible, even awakened, with one exception: playing a character with an Animal Companion or Wild Cohort that is a bear, and then treating the bear as your character and the Druid or whatever as your cohort.

Bear by race: The wimpiest of werebears would be a were-black bear, for 3 RHD and 2 LA. The wimpiest of anthropomorphic bears would be an anthropomorphic black bear, for 2 RHD and 2 LA.

Bear by transformation: The best combination of strength and lowness of level would be Druid 5 or Wild Shape Ranger 5, for wild shape, which will pretty quickly let you be a bear all day and give you decent combat stats in the bargain. The lowest level possibility is, as mentioned, Shapeshift Druid (since there are no Bear Hengeyokai), which will make you look like a bear without giving you any especially bearish stats. If Pathfinder content is appropriate, Synthesis Summoner has similar potential and is arguably stronger.

[Tetsubo 57]

The Noble Wild is quite good and available for the OGL or Pathfinder.