Help me with Bugbears.

[ngilop]

Ok so, mostly due to the 'i hate X race' thread ive been readin gthe last couple of weeks I realized something.


Bugbears don't really have a niche of their own, especially in my own campaign world.

I am just wondeing what exactly ARE the bugbear's roles in standard D&D besides being bigger and tougher goblins?

I just want a little info on what place they hold in the basic D&D world so that I could better mold them to fit my world.

[AMFV]

Well my understanding is that they’re kind of the bully race, as far as goblins go. Regular goblins are cowardly nuisances, Hobgoblins are organized military folk. Bugbears are rogues and bullies, essentially their personality is that of “goblins made big”, it’s their turn to be on top, their turn to push others around. As a result that’s how they act. I would say that’s their niche as closely as I can model it.

[Psyren]

In Pathfinder, their role in goblinoid societies is twofold - as executioners or elite guards for the militaristic hobgoblins, and as bullies/slave-drivers for the goblins, as AMFV said. They are very much brawn over brains (though they aren't really stupid, just lazy) and while they are bigger than hobgoblins, they end up in a subservient role because they lack the former race's discipline and tactics. They rarely form societies of their own, preferring either smaller roving bands or incorporating themselves into goblinoid warrens/camps as above.

[blelliot]

In a game I'm playing on Friday nights, my dm uses them as mercenaries quite effectively. As long as there is coin, they are there to do the dirty work, but if the work gets too dirty (I.e. they start to get their butts kicked too often) they bug out quicker than cockroaches when you turn on the light.

[ngilop]

Well goblins are well.. typical cowardly lot that would be no more than a pest if not for the fact of their great numbers ability to be forced to work under others.

Hobgoblins in my world are not evil, but due to propaganda from the elves are looked at that way, think of the hobgoblins as Romans. super disciplined and pretty baddarse. that is actually where Lamellar armor orignaited in my own world. hobgoblins

I just wanted something besdies ' yeah we big goblins now we are giant bullies smash yo fase!'

Becuase there are a few races that are 'bully' races I am just hoping to get some cool ideas on how to work the bugbears.

[blelliot]

Well you could still go the mercenary route. Just instead make them the type that doesn't run when things go south. Make them the elite bounty hunter archetype of your game world. Once they accept a contract, they make sure the job gets done, no matter what.

[VariSami]

Well you could still go the mercenary route. Just instead make them the type that doesn't run when things go south. Make them the elite bounty hunter archetype of your game world. Once they accept a contract, they make sure the job gets done, no matter what.

This would also work quite well since they have scent. Plus, the skills for their racial HD support the theme well.

[Kane0]

Ive always seen them as an alternative to orcs

Goblins are the fast breeding, cowardly and cunning hordes
Hobgoblins are fierce and disciplined
Ogres are brutes and bullies
Orcs and bugbears are the mix of the three.

I also substitute kobolds for goblins and lizardfolk for hobgoblins as necessary.

[johnbragg]

There's also the option of treating goblinoids as a species with about as much diversity as humanity. "Goblins" "Hobgoblins" "Orcs" "Bugbears" are all human (or at least non-goblinoid) labels for the same beasties. Some goblinoids are at a very low cultural level, lurking in caves for lack of better options. Some are organized into well-drilled militaristic societies. Some indiividuals are big brutish monsters.

[inuyasha]

Ive always seen it this way

Goblins are the goblin young, larva almost, when they mature they become male (hobgoblin), or female (bugbear) randomly.

[blelliot]

Ive always seen it this way

Goblins are the goblin young, larva almost, when they mature they become male (hobgoblin), or female (bugbear) randomly.

Bugbears and hobgoblins mating = things that make you go *buuuuhhh*

[limejuicepowder]

Bugbears and hobgoblins mating = things that make you go *buuuuhhh*

A hobbear? Buggoblin? Ahaahah buggo-blin...

[ngilop]

I like idea of the mercenary. Bugbears being all about 'show me the money" of course their loyalties will lie only with themselves and who ever is paying them the most, so at any time you can be 'betrayed' by your bugbear mercenaries.

As bugbears are a bit more powerful than the rest of their goblin-kin they have to compete with such creatures as ogres, trolls, and other giant-kin. They of course are not powerful enough to win a toe-to-toe confrontation so they have resorted to being extremely skilled at stealth.

[hamishspence]

In 4E Dragon Annual, there's a bugbear crime ring.

I could see them being even more successful in the underworld than goblins.

[Eladrinblade]

In 3.5, bugbears are pretty similar to orcs in terms of what they do. Orcs tend to form tribes and settle down, building forts. They form armies/hordes and do stuff en masse, though they often war with each other.

Bugbears are more like bandits, in that they don't form large groups and often don't do any building. They just sorta roam around and take stuff from others. They tend to be focus more on stealth/ambushes and less on suicidal beserk rushes like orcs.

As others have said, they sometimes take positions of power or authority in goblin/hobgoblin tribes as well.

However, statistically, they're just the best of both orcs and hobgoblins smushed together and given a couple HD.

In my homebrew world, I got rid of them. Instead, I have a race of half-orcs/half-hobgoblins that live in areas between the territories of both races, often serving as mercenaries for one or the other, or otherwise living as little bandit tribes (who raid both races). Hobgoblins in my world are called "rhuuka", and these half-breeds are called "uruks". They don't have any racial HD, they tend to be NE, and they tend towards being rangers more than fighters or barbarians, though there are plenty of all three.

[angry_bear]

The game Hackmaster uses Bugbears very well. They're solitary, brutish creatures who give human babies to females as part of their mating ritual. They aren't conquerors or anything like that, they'll carve out a piece of territory for themselves, and occasionally rob people for supplies, or babies, but for the most part they keep to themselves... People in the area might know about them being around, but if they do, they'll be too terrified of them to deal with the problem.

[magwaaf]

i like bugbears out of races of faerun myself. i played one as a barbarian/tempest a few years back. loved to raid and keep melee'ers off his dread necro leaders back and was a devout worshiper of bhaal

racially as characters they get great stats
+4 str
+2 dex
+2 con
-2 cha

darkvision 60
+3 nat armor
+4 move silently

+1 level adjust

so making them into enemy bandits/raiders/goblin lords works fantastic

[Toy Killer]

Strange...

I've always used and seen Bugbears used as "Goblin's get serious" kinda vibe.

I've heard about people just using them as just bigger goblins, but figured it was the minority.

So, the way I see bugbears is pretty simple. Imagine all those weird bizarre schemes goblins are up to, but don't fully understand. The stuff they bumble around with and lose focus on, before losing to many numbers to animosity and roving adventurer bands to actually put a foot into action.

Bugbears are goblins, but they don't mess around. A Hobgoblin faction are more "human" in organization, and fiercely successful. A string of Goblins are almost sub-fey in organization and horrifically incompetent. Mix Bugbears in and everything smooths over. If you can't explain the plan to their intellect (or lack there of) they don't want to hear it. They want to feel successful and don't want to wait for the goblins to stop scurrying about like fleas, or hobgoblins to organize their new marching orders.

They get stuff done. And now. Not necessarily in a military fashion, but they will meet opposition with brute force and concentrate every last number they have to get it done quickly. Gloss over details and pepper "Lesser goblins" as nessicary if it means they can chill out and reap the benefits now.

But that's just my groups, apparently.