Just getting into D&D with the family as a DM and those types of descriptions would TOTALLY help with immersion

Totally agree these are really great add-on details  - what disappointing if you click the link for bugbare you get just the basic rules description no highlight of the additional content in Volos guide to monsters for example. The hyperlinking between content is really a missed feature... 

That would be very helpful Hsan.

So... 2d8+2 damage for the Morningstar? A regular morningstar does 1d8 damage.

I'm guessing this is not an error (it'd have come up a long time ago) but... How do I explain to a fighter who just looted this morningstar that it's only going to do half the damage in his capable hands?

The Bugbear's ability allows him to do the extra 1d8 damage. It's the bad guy's skill not the weapon. 

I agree.  Also, given all the great content in Volo's, I'm disappointed that there seems to be no stat blocks for the Bugbear Special Forces mentioned in the Goblinoid Lore.  They sound really cool.

I agree, I just read a little bit about Bugbear's and the two brother gods they follow.  There is so much more to a Bugbear.

Thanks for the extra immersion RickAJr! For me the Bugbear is one of THE CLASSIC monsters. Ive been using Bugbears in campaigns forever.

Thought these guys had reach ?

I know this is late, but you don’t have to explain anything. A weapon is a tool, its damage is indicative of the wielder. The extra damage from the bugbear could just be its brute strength—your fighter doesn’t know one way or another.

To expand on that, the statblock includes the ability Brute, which gives it an additional die of damage on melee attacks.

BOB BEAR!!!

DMing this guy is a pain in the ass

Quote from Manic2K >>

Thought these guys had reach ?

 Apparently only as Playable Race

i think that extra d8 is actually because of the bug bears brute ability

would this be a good boss for lvl. 1 adventurers? I'm a new DM, and none of the people I'm playing with have played before. 

Quote from Dm_mon >>

would this be a good boss for lvl. 1 adventurers? I'm a new DM, and none of the people I'm playing with have played before. 

 Yes, it works well as the leader of a den of goblins, and a perfect boss for a 1st or 2nd level party.  Just be careful with how drained your party is when they meet it, because it is tough.

If you’re not sure, use an Orc‘s stats instead.

To break it down further:  Level 1 players have about 10 HP on average, about the same amount of damage it deals with the Brutal trait.  The damage from a critical hit, or a high roll along with that “surprise attack”, could not only down, but kill a full hp PC, outright.

That being said, despite the high AC, it only has a modest number of Hit Points, so the fight is definitely winnable.  In fact, i might throw in a couple minions to split the player’s attention.

1 (Bugbear CR 1) + 2 (Goblins or wolves CR 1/4) = 600 XP

A Deadly encounter for Level 1 players, and “very hard” for Level 2 players.

It’s definitely a dangerous encounter, but that is often what you want for a “boss fight.”  If you’re really worried, about your first level players, consider dropping the extra damage traits before you drop the minions.  Unlucky rolls can make a lone monster an anticlimactic flop.

It's the boss of Cragmaw Cave in Lost Mine of Phandelver, which is a level 1-2 quest.  It also has a wolf and goblins with it, so I would hope that they designed it to be a level 1-2 boss.  My party of 4 level 2 crushed it. 

Thank you so much! This information has proved immensely useful in my campaign encounter!