Monstrous Player Characters

This page contains the rules to turn various creatures from the Monstrous Manual into player characters.

Bugbears

Immensely strong and standing fully seven feet tall, bugbears are Large-sized creatures known for their savagery and love of ambush tactics. They receive a +2 bonus to Strength, but a -1 penalty to both Intelligence and Charisma. Furthermore, when dealing with members of "civilised" races, they receive a -4 penalty to encounter reaction rolls.

In addition to their strength and size, bugbears have a number of other advantages - and disadvantages. Their bulk and fortitude gives them a bonus of +3 hit points at first level, and their natural infravision extends to 60 feet. Like orcs, their bulk and stature gives them a movement speed of only 9. However, they have a natural knack for stealth and ambush: if alone or with other bugbears, they impose a -3 penalty to enemy surprise rolls.