Bugbear

* 5e
* 4e
* 3e
* 2e
* 1e

## Appearance

### Average height

6‒8 ft (**Expression error: Unexpected < operator.**‒**Expression error: Unexpected < operator.** m)

### Average weight

250‒350 lb (**Expression error: Unexpected < operator.**‒**Expression error: Unexpected < operator.** kg)

### Eye color(s)

Yellow, orange, red, brown, greenish white

### Distinctions

Large, hairy, wedge-shaped ears, heightened sense of smell, tough hide, claws, strong but nimble

## History

### Based on

Bugbear

A **bugbear** was a massive humanoid distantly related to, but larger and stronger than, goblins and hobgoblins. Like many goblinoids, bugbears spoke the Goblin language.

## Description

Bugbears resembled hairy, feral goblins standing 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall. They took their name from their noses and claws, which were similar to those of bears. Their claws were not long and sharp enough to be used as weapons, so bugbears often armored and armed themselves with a variety of purloined gear. Most often, this gear was second-rate and in poor repair. Many bugbears were chaotic evil in alignment, favoring stealth and surprising their opponents.

## Personality

Bugbears, like other goblinoids, had a reputation for being dim-witted and brutish. This claim was not unfounded and like their kin bugbears had easily provoked tempers and were prone to rages. Few bugbears overcame this flaw and their culture's brutal nature. Bugbear heroes, though rare, were heard of and could acquire significant renown if successful. Often the motivation for this change of heart came from the rewards earned from virtue, which in the long term were more pleasing than the short-lasting pleasures of evil.

## Combat

 File:Bugbear and giant rats-5e.jpg
Unlike most creatures, bugbears were particularly susceptible to the effects of *Bowen's flowers*, which would knock them out within minutes.

## Society

Bugbears were often found in the company of other goblinoids, particularly goblins, since tribes made up mostly of hobgoblins and bugbears tended to be wiped out quickly by other races as a precaution. Some bugbears also operated independently, though tribes ruled by hobgoblins were better organized and less savage. This was in part because bugbears had little patience for diplomacy or negotiation, preferring violent solutions to conflicts unless obviously overpowered.

### Religion

Bugbears had their own pantheon, led by Hruggek. Bugbears often decapitated their enemies as a way to honor Hruggek, who was said to do the same. Since the Spellplague of 1385 DR, the power of Hruggek was diminished and the god served as an exarch of Bane, the god of tyranny.

Other bugbear deities included Grankhul the bugbear deity of hunting, senses, stealth, and surprise; and Skiggaret. Local pantheons often included a god of earth, a god of fertility, and a god of death.

## History

Many scholars of the late 14th century DR believed that bugbears and goblins were both bred by the hobgoblins as slave races, with bugbears serving as elite soldiers.

Nine bugbears working for the Xanathar Thieves' Guild dwelt upon the Dungeon Level of Undermountain.

Four bugbears working for Yek dwelt in the Arcane Chambers Level of Undermountain, as well as twenty bugbears who served the Xanathar Thieves' Guild.

Eight bugbears dwelt in Azrok's Hold, on the Sargauth Level of Undermountain.

## Notable Bugbears

* Bolgus and Bulkar, two bugbears who acted as guards at the entrance of a Xanathar Guild level on the Arcane Chambers level of Undermountain.

## Appendix

“
One useful trick: if ye face bugbears who have severed heads on spikes as trophies, cast a spell to make the heads speak. After that, ye can cozen the bugbears into doing almost anything.
— Elminster
”

### Appearances

Adventures

*City of the Spider Queen* • *Defiance in Phlan* • *Expedition to Undermountain* • *Eye of the Tempest* • *Hordes of Dragonspear* • *Nymph's Reward* • *Reclaiming Blingdenstone* • *Storm King's Thunder* • *Tales from the Yawning Portal* • *The Accursed Tower* • *The Dungeon of Death* • *Waterdeep* • *Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage*
Comics
*Legends of Baldur's Gate 3* • *The Bounty Seekers Of Manshaka*
**Referenced only**

*Shackles of the Past* • *Shell Game*
Novels
*Canticle* • *Charon's Claw* • *Condemnation* • *Dissolution* • *Exile* • *Forsaken House* • *Homeland* • *In Sylvan Shadows* • *Neversfall* • *Realms of Shadow*: "The Fallen Lands" • *Sword Play* • *The Summoning* • *The Siege* • *The Sorcerer* • *War in Tethyr*
Video games
*Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance* • *Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear* • *Curse of the Azure Bonds* • *Dungeon Hack* • *Eye of the Beholder* • *Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone* • *Gateway to the Savage Frontier* • *Hillsfar* • *Icewind Dale* • *Icewind Dale II* • *Neverwinter Nights* • *Neverwinter Nights 2* • *Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate* • *Pool of Radiance* • *Secret of the Silver Blades* • *Sword Coast Legends*
### Gallery

DS - Creature - Bugbear.jpgA Bugbear attacking Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun's Tower in the game Demon StonePoR - Creature - Bugbear.jpgA bugbear as it appears before the part in the game Pool of RadianceDH - Creature - Bugbear.jpgA bugbear attacks the adventurer in the game Dungeon Hack.IDII - Creature - Bugbear.jpgA bugbear as they appear in Icewind Dale II.NwN Bugbear.jpgTwo difirent colored Bugbears from the game editor of Neverwinter NightsNeverwinter Nights 2 - Creatures - Bugbear.pngA Bugbear from NWN2 game editor.BGDA GB - Creatures - Monster (Bugbear).pngA bugbear from BGDA:GBA hunting the hero.158005 Cloudkill.jpgThe Cloudkill spell attacking bugbears.HauntedBridge-bugbear.pngA bugbear from the Haunted Bridge, by David Day.
### External Links

* Bugbear (Dungeons & Dragons) article at ***Wikipedia***, The Free Encyclopedia.
* File:Eberron logo.png Bugbear article at the ***Eberron Wiki***, a wiki for the *Eberron* campaign setting.

### References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Doug Stewart (June 1993). *Monstrous Manual*. (TSR, Inc), p. 32. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). *Monster Manual 5th edition*. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 33. ISBN 978-0786965614.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). *Monster Manual 4th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:135–136|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual 3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 29. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). *Races of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 136. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Gary Gygax (December 1977). *Monster Manual, 1st edition*. (TSR, Inc), p. 12. ISBN 0-9356-9600-8.
7. ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). *Faiths and Pantheons*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 221. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
8. ↑ Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). *Races of Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 137. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Mike Mearls, *et al*. (November 2016). *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:44–45|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 978-0786966011.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Mike Mearls, *et al*. (November 2016). *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 119. ISBN 978-0786966011.
11. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook *et al.* (1989). *Monstrous Compendium Volume One*. (TSR, Inc), p. 17. ISBN 0-8803-8738-6.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). *Forgotten Realms Player's Guide*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
13. ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “The Thunder Peaks and the Storm Horns”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. *Elminster's Ecologies* (TSR, Inc), p. 9. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
14. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide*. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 180. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
15. ↑ Carl Sargent (May 1992). *Monster Mythology*. (TSR, Inc), p. 53. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
16. ↑ Eric L. Boyd (1998). *Demihuman Deities*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
17. ↑ Carl Sargent (May 1992). *Monster Mythology*. (TSR, Inc), p. 44. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
18. ↑ Template:Cite book/Waterdeep:Dungeon of the Mad Mage
19. ↑ Template:Cite book/Waterdeep:Dungeon of the Mad Mage
20. ↑ Template:Cite book/Waterdeep:Dungeon of the Mad Mage
21. ↑ Template:Cite book/Waterdeep:Dungeon of the Mad Mage

### Connections

Goblinoids
**Goblins**
 Bakemono • Batiri • Grodd goblin • Nilbog
 **Miscellaneous Goblinoids**
 **Bugbear** • Dekanter goblin • Half-goblin • Hobgoblin • Koalinth • Verdan • Worghest