Werebears are a subrace of humanoids that suffer from lycanthropy. These leather clad beasts are a subgroup of Were-folk, and are sometimes also referred to as Werewolves. Werebears are hulking beasts that are controlled by an insatiable animalistic lust. Identifiable from the usual Werewolf by their "unique" leather armor that is attached to their body, they are also especially skilled at grappling and restraining attacks.
Racial Traits
Creatures racial abilities who are afflicted with Werebearism remain the same. However, there are a few additions, some good some bad, that come from being a Werebear.
Pack Leader. As a reaction, when a creature within 5 ft. of you is hit by an attack, you may become the target of that attack instead.
Ferocious Nature. If you hit a target twice on the same turn you may attempt to grapple them as part of the same action.
Silver Aversion. Just like other Were-folk, you have developed a severe allergy to silver. You are Vulnerable to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from Silvered weapons.
Beast Within
When a Werebear is placed under stress, their transformation is triggered. Those triggers can be unique to each Werebear or more common ones (see below).
When transformed, your animal nature takes over, preventing you from casting or concentrating on spells, and you can't wield weapons due to your altered physiology. However, you become much stronger and fiercer in combat.
Ability Score Boost. While in your animal form, your Strength and Constitution scores increase by +2.
Thick Hide. While transformed, if you aren't wearing armor, your AC equals 15 + your Dexterity modifier.
Bite (Attack). You manifest a natural weapon that counts as a simple melee weapon for you. You add your Strength modifier to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with it, as normal. On a hit you deal 1d8 piercing damage, or 2d8 piercing damage if the target is grappled by you.
Beast Within: Triggers
You can either choose your trigger, or roll a d10 and select from the list below. When exposed to that particular stress you will be transformed, and remain in your beast form until either the cause of the stress has been removed or one hour has passed, whichever is longer.
This is an entirely optional rule. If you would prefer to control your Werebears' transformations more directly, or your find discussion of triggers to be uncomfortable, feel free to leave this out of your games.
1 - Hunger You feel the need to be constantly snacking. You can't go longer than an hour or two without eating.
2 - Pain A few cuts or bruises you can handle, but if you take one hit too many…
3 - Anxiety Whether it's crowds, small spaces or something more personal, there's something for you that's best avoided.
4 - Distress You can't stand to see someone you care about get hurt. It can make you quite… angry…
5 - Fear You've always been a little jumpy. When you're surprised or scared your natural instincts tend to kick in.
6 - Exhaustion Maintaining your composure, and your humanoid form with it, takes a lot of energy. If you exert yourself too much, you can easily lose control.
7 - Shame If social pressures become too great, you feel a compulsion to become someone else.
8 - Rage People wouldn't like you when you're angry.
9 - Loneliness When left alone for too long, your mind turns against itself.
10 - Jealousy You have a controlling nature; you will protect what you have at any cost.
Note: this feat is based on The Night of the Werebear, a one-shot adventure by Jack Dixon, published by The Pocket Workshop.
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