Neutral Large Monster (avian) (8 ft.)
Surprise normal; Senses. good night vision; infravision 60 ft.
Armor Class 5
Hit Points 32 (HD 5+2; 5d8+10)
Move 12”
Poison 11, Petrify 12, Wand 13, Breath 13, Spell 14
Special Defenses none
Magic Resistance standard
To Hit AC 0: 15
Melee 2 claws (1d6), bite (2d6)
Special Attacks hug; Hits As +1
Morale 72%
Intelligence low (5-7)
Languages none
Level IV
Hug. (minor) If a claw attack roll is successful and scores a natural 18 or better, as a minor action, the defender is dragged into a hug and will take another 2d8 damage that round and every round thereafter until freed. A hug is a special form of grapple where the owlbear's to-hit roll (at least an 18) is used as the owlbear's grapple die adjusted by the owlbear's size if the owlbear is larger (+3 vs. Small, +2 vs. Man-sized, +1 vs. Large, but slightly smaller than the owlbear). Each round, use the grapple rules for the victim's attacks or attempts to break the hold (vs. the owlbear's original adjusted grapple die). Meanwhile, instead of grapple damage, the owlbear does a set 2d8 damage each round it hugs it's prey (with no additional attacks from claws or bite). As with grapple, the damage occurs on segment 3. Non-grapplers attacking an owlbear grappling a victim will have equal chances of hitting the victim (unless the victim is Smaller than Man-sized, in which case the chance of hitting the victim is 25%). (See also Melee, Special Attacks, Grapple.)
The horrible owlbear is probably the result of genetic experimentation by some insane wizard. These creatures inhabit the tangled forest regions of every temperate clime, as well as subterranean labyrinths. They are ravenous eaters, aggressive hunters, and evil tempered at all times. They attack prey on sight and will fight to the death.
Owlbears have brownish-black to yellow brown fur and feathers. The 1,300 to 1,500 pound males will be the darker colored. The beaks of these creatures are yellow to ivory. The eyes are red-rimmed and exceedingly terrible to behold.
The owlbear attacks with its great claws (two inches long on large males), its snapping beak, and then grasps a victim and squeezes and bites it to death.
Owlbears live in mated pairs; the male is slightly larger and heavier than the female.
Owlbears have a lifespan of 20 years. They are warmblooded mammals, but lay eggs. They prey on anything. from rabbits to bears, to trolls, to snakes and reptiles.
As a hybrid of two animals, one diurnal and the other nocturnal, they have an unusual active time, waking at noon, hunting animals active during the day, then hunting nocturnal creatures before going to sleep at midnight. Owlbears are active in the summer months and hibernate during the cold season.
Lair. If encountered in their lair there is a 25% chance that there will be 1-6 eggs (20%) or young (80%) in addition to the adults. Young owlbears will be 40% to 70% grown, and they will fight accordingly.
Owlbear Eggs. Eggs are worth 2,000 gold pieces, young under 50% grown are worth 5,000 g.p., on the open market. While they are impossible to domesticate, they make formidable guardians and those with power sometimes place them in locations of strategic importance (it has been said that an owlbear is a less subtle version of a "keep out" sign).
Level IV.
Frequency. Rare; In Lair 30%;
Number Appearing. 1d4+1 (Level IV. 1d2)
Environment. Temperate/sub-tropical, uninhabited/wilderness areas (forest, marsh)
Treasure Type. C
Experience. Owlbear. XP 288 (or 225+8 per h.p.)
