Owlbear

Owlbear

An owlbear, pictured in the original Monster Manual (1977).[1]
Characteristics
Alignment Neutral
Type Magical beast
Image Wizards.com image
Stats Open Game License stats

An owlbear (also owl bear) is a fictional creature originally created for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. An owlbear is depicted as a cross between a bear and an owl, which "hugs" like a bear and attacks with its beak. Inspired by a plastic toy made in Hong Kong,[2] Gary Gygax created the owlbear and introduced the creature to the game in the 1975 Greyhawk supplement;[3] the creature has since appeared in every subsequent edition of the game. Owlbears, or similar beasts, also appear in several other fantasy role-playing games, video games and other media.

Concept

The owlbear is depicted as an eight to ten foot (2.5–3 meter) tall cross between a bear and an owl. According to descriptions in Dungeons & Dragons source books, owlbears are carnivorous creatures, famed for their aggression and ferocity;[4] they live in mated pairs in caves and hunt any creature bigger than a mouse.[4] They use a "hug" and their beak to attack. In the game's third edition, it was categorized as a "magical beast".

The actual in-game origin of the owlbear has never been definitively revealed, but the various Monster Manual editions indicate that it is probably the product of a wizard's experiments. Within the franchise's mythology, the lich Thessalar claims to have created them, but his insanity and egomania put the accuracy of this claim in doubt.[5] In the 5th edition, some elves claim that owlbears have existed for millennia and older fey say that they have always existed in the Feywild.[6]

Within the Dungeons & Dragons system and in other role-playing games, the owlbear usually serves as a "monster". Within the context of RPGs, "monster" is a generic term to describe potentially hostile beings and obstacles for the players to overcome.[7] This role is also the one the owlbear was originally designed for.[1][3]

Publication history

The owlbear is among the earliest monsters in Dungeons & Dragons, and, like the bulette and the rust monster, was inspired by a Hong Kong-made plastic toy purchased by Gary Gygax for use as a miniature in a Chainmail game.[2]

Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)

The owl bear was introduced to the game in its first supplement, Greyhawk (1975).[3] It is described as a "horrid creature" which "hugs" like a bear, and deals damage with its beak. The owlbear is also listed on random encounter tables in Eldritch Wizardry, the third supplement.[8]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

The owlbear appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977),[1] where it is described as a "horrible creature that inhabits tangled forest regions, and attacks with its great claws and snapping beak". The illustration of the owlbear shown in the Monster Manual was done by David C. Sutherland III.

Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)

This edition of the D&D game included its own owl bear, in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1981 and 1983).[9][10][11] The owl bear was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1991),[12] the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991),[13] the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994),[14] and the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game set (1999).[15]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

The owlbear appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989),[16] and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).[17]

The owlbear appeared in the Dark Sun setting in the adventure Black Spine (1994).[18]

The owlbear was detailed in Dragon #214 (February 1995), in "The Ecology of the Owlbear", which also included the arctic owlbear and the winged owlbear.[19] These variants were later reprinted in the Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996).[20]

The greater owlbear appeared in an adventure in Dungeon #63 (July 1997).[21]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

The owlbear appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).[22]

The owlbear appeared on the Wizards of the Coast website for the Chainmail game, in 2000.[23]

The winged owlbear in adult and juvenile form appeared in Dungeon #84 (January 2001).[24]

The supplemental book Unapproachable East features a feat, an ability that player characters can obtain, named "owlbear berserker" that allows a player character to use a ferocious owlbear-like fighting style.[25]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)

The owlbear appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003) as well as the owlbear skeleton under the skeleton entry.[26]

The ancient owlbear appeared in Dungeon #107 (February 2004).[27]

The Ankholian owlbear appeared in the Dragonlance, Bestiary of Krynn[28] (2004) and the Revised Bestiary of Krynn (2007).[29]

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-2014)

The owlbear appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008) along with the winterclaw owlbear.[30] The flavor text mentions that owlbears can be tamed to serve as guards.

Dungeons & Dragons Essentials (2010-)

The owlbear as depicted in the 4th edition Monster Manual and the Monster Vault.

The Monster Vault boxed set contains the owlbear as well as various subtypes like the young owlbear, trained owlbear, wind-claw owlbear and again the winterclaw owlbear.[31] The cover of the monster book included in the box and the box itself feature an owlbear alongside other monsters.[32]

Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition (2014-)

In January 2012, Wizards of the Coast announced that the fifth major edition of the game, unofficially referred to as D&D Next, was under development.[33] In May 2012, Wizards of the Coast employee Jon Schindehette announced that the design of the owlbear for this edition of Dungeons & Dragons was being discussed.[34]

The owlbear is listed in the "bestiary" of the D&D Next Playtest Package,[35] a compilation of files available for gamers interested in playtesting this Dungeons & Dragons version before its official release.

Inside the edition's Monster Manual (2014), the owlbear is included. The flavor text states that remote settlements have used owlbears for racing, but it also states the fact that owlbears are more likely to attack their tamer, than actually begin the race.[6]

In other role-playing games

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game

The owlbear is an official monster in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game,[36] based on Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 edition. It is included in the game's first bestiary, and elaborated on in Dungeon Denizens Revisited. Dungeon Denizens Revisited also includes a variant named siege owlbear.[37][38] Furthermore, Paizo released a part of the series Behind the Monsters[39] dedicated to the owlbear, which features the bearowl, the possibly "even stranger offspring" of an owlbear.[40] Additional official Pathfinder variants of the owlbear are the arctic owlbear, Darklands owlbear, fruss owlbear, great hook-clawed owlbear, screaming owlbear, sleeyk owlbear,[41] slime owlbear, sloth owlbear as well as the spectral owlbear.[42]

The adventure module Pathfinder #7 - Curse of the Crimson Throne Chapter 1: "Edge of Anarchy"[43] originally published by Paizo Publishing for Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 edition under the OGL[44] contains a taxidermic owlbear. It is a regular owlbear with the skeleton template allowing the game master to turn a regular monster into an undead one.[45] A skeletal owlbear illustration was also done by Goodman Games artist Nick Greenwood.[46]

Retro-clones and OSR RPGs

As only the design of a role-playing game, not the rules are protected by U.S. copyright law,[47] it is possible for third-party publishers to release RPG systems based on the rules of Dungeons & Dragons without using the actual name or trademarks associated with the brand. These systems are referred to as "retro-clones" or "simulacra".[48] Games not directly using rules of a Dungeons & Dragons edition but claiming to capture the style are often called Old School Renaissance (OSR) games.[49]

The following retro-clones and OSR systems feature the owlbear as an opponent:

Other systems

A male half-owlbear, half-blue dragon hybrid named Dragore is featured as an antagonist in the Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 supplement Foul Locales: Beyond the Walls by Mystic Eye Games.[67]

The Manual of Monsters for Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game suggest to use the owlbear as an opponent.[68] A Warcraft-exclusive owlbear-like creature named wildkin is included as well.

Later on, Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game was renamed World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game. This edition's Monster Guide, equivalent to the Manual of Monsters, includes the owlbear-like "wildkin" described as a benign creature and associated with the game's Night Elf faction. A larger and more ferocious subtype listed is the "owlbeast".[69]

A third-party Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition quick reference card for the owlbear has been published as part of a series of Monster Knowledge Cards.[70]

The owlbears appears in the HackMaster 4th edition Hacklopedia of Beasts Volume VI[71] and the HackMaster 5th edition Hacklopedia of Beasts.[72] Variants included are the lesser owlbear, great horned owlbear and the spotted owlbear.

The HackMaster adventure module Little Keep on the Borderlands features owlbears as enemies and an owlbear on the cover.[73]

Blood & Treasure, modelled after Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition, features the owlbear as an opponent.[74][75]

In video games

Dungeons & Dragons-licensed games

The owlbear as an opponent in Tower of Doom.

Several video games based on Dungeons & Dragons feature the owlbear:

Warcraft franchise

Adaptations of the owlbear appear in the Warcraft universe in several forms:

Other games

In other media

Reception

The on-line magazine Comics Alliance referred to the owlbear as "the second-greatest monster in the history of D&D".[104] Dave Chalker from Critical-Hits.com, a RPG blog which won the Ennie Gold 2011 Ennie Award for Best Blog,[105] recommended the use of the owlbear as a monster.[106] Rob Bricken from io9 named the owlbear as the sixth most memorable D&D monster.[107]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977)
  2. 1 2 Greenwood, Ed, "Ecology of the Rust Monster." Dragon #88 (TSR, 1984). Account was later re-printed in the Ecology of the Rust Monster article in issue #346.
  3. 1 2 3 Gygax, Gary and Robert Kuntz. Supplement I: Greyhawk (TSR, 1975)
  4. 1 2 Owlbear in the d20 SRD
  5. ↑ Jacobs, James. "Into the Wormcrawl Fissure." Dungeon #134 (Pazio Publishing, 2006)
  6. 1 2 Dungeons and Dragons 5E Monster Manual. 2014. p. 249.
  7. ↑ Slavicsek, Bill and Richard Baker. Dungeons & Dragons for Dummies (Wiley Publishing, 2005)
  8. ↑ Gygax, Gary and Brian Blume. Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry (TSR, 1976)
  9. ↑ Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by Tom Moldvay. Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (TSR, 1981)
  10. ↑ Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by Frank Mentzer. Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules (TSR, 1983)
  11. ↑ Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. pp. 130–131. ISBN 0-87975-653-5.
  12. ↑ Brown, Timothy B., Troy Denning The New Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons Game (TSR, 1991)
  13. ↑ Allston, Aaron, Steven E. Schend, Jon Pickens, and Dori Watry. Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (TSR, 1991)
  14. ↑ Brown, Timothy B., Troy Denning The Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game (TSR, 1994)
  15. ↑ Slavicsek, Bill. Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game (TSR, 1999)
  16. ↑ Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume One (TSR, 1989)
  17. ↑ Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1994)
  18. ↑ Baas, Walter, Dustin Browder, Tom Prusa, Jonathan Tweet. Black Spine (TSR, 1994)
  19. ↑ Richards, Jonathan M. "The Ecology of the Owlbear." Dragon #214 (TSR, 1995)
  20. ↑ Pickens, Jon, ed. Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (TSR, 1996)
  21. ↑ Doyle, Chris. "Hunt for a Hierophant" Dungeon #63 (TSR, 1997)
  22. ↑ Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams. Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)
  23. ↑ Battle Sheets!
  24. ↑ Doyle, Chris. "The Dying of the Light" Dungeon #84 (Wizards of the Coast, 2001)
  25. ↑ Baker, Richard, Matt Forbeck, and Sean K. Reynolds. Unapproachable East (Wizards of the Coast, 2003)
  26. ↑ Williams, Skip, ed. Monster Manual: Core Rulebook III v.3.5 (Wizards of the Coast, 2003)
  27. ↑ Brown, Rusell. "Mellorn Hospitality" Dungeon #107 (Wizards of the Coast, 2004)
  28. ↑ Banks, Cam, André La Roche. Bestiary of Krynn (Sovereign Press, 2004)
  29. ↑ Banks, Cam, André La Roche. Bestiary of Krynn Revised (Sovereign Press, 2007)
  30. ↑ Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt. Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2008)
  31. ↑ Thompson, Rodney, Logan Bonner, and Matthew Sernett. Monster Vault (Wizards of the Coast, 2010)
  32. ↑ Monster Vault - An Essential D&D Game Supplement at the Wizards of the Coast official website
  33. ↑ Harnish, MJ (January 9, 2012). "5th Edition D&D Is in Development — Should We Care?". Wired. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  34. ↑ Schindehette, Jon (May 16, 2012). "The Making of an Owlbear". Dragon’s-Eye View. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  35. ↑ Official D&D Next Playtest Package Bestiary, version from January 28, 2013
  36. ↑ Bestiary on the Pathfinder RPG Official Homepage
  37. ↑ Boomer, Clinton, Jason Bulmahn, Joshua J. Frost, Nicolas Logue, Robert McCreary, Jason Nelson, Richard Pett, Sean K Reynolds, James L. Sutter, and Greg A. Vaughan. Dungeon Denizens Revisited - A Pathfinder Chronicles Supplement (Paizo Publishing, 2009)
  38. ↑ Official Siege Owlbear entry on Pathfinder SRD
  39. ↑ Behind the Monsters at Paizo.com
  40. ↑ Boyd, Bret. Behind the Monsters: Owlbear (Paizo Publishing, 2007)
  41. ↑ Official Sleeyk Owlbear entry on Pathfinder SRD
  42. ↑ Official Owlbear entry on Pathfinder SRD
  43. ↑ Logue, Nicolas. Pathfinder #7 - Curse of the Crimson Throne Chapter 1: "Edge of Anarchy" (Paizo Publishing, 2008)
  44. ↑ Pathfinder #7 - Curse of the Crimson Throne Chapter 1: "Edge of Anarchy" at Paizo.com
  45. ↑ Official Owlbear Skeleton entry on Pathfinder SRD
  46. ↑ Skeletal owlbear illustration by Nick Greenwood
  47. ↑ "US Copyright Office". Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  48. ↑ Varney, Allen. "Retro-clones". The Escapist. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  49. ↑ Maliszewski, James. "Full Circle: A History of the Old School Revival". The Escapist. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  50. ↑ Finch, Matthew J. Swords & Wizardry Monster Book (Self-published, 2008)
  51. ↑ Proctor, Daniel. Labyrinth Lords - Classic Fantasy Roleplaying Game of Labyrinths, Magic, and Monsters fourth revised edition (Goblinoid Games, 2009)
  52. ↑ Blacky the Blackball. Dark Dungeons (Gratis Games, 2010)
  53. ↑ Blacky the Blackball. Darker Dungeons (Gratis Games, 2011)
  54. ↑ Blacky the Blackball. Darkest Dungeons (Gratis Games, 2012)
  55. ↑ Marshall, Stuart. OSRIC - Old School Reference and Index Compilation v2.2 (Knights & Knaves, 2011)
  56. ↑ Florio, Vincent, Bryan Manahan, Mike Stewart and Michael Thomas. Mazes & Perisl (Wild Games Productions, 2012)
  57. ↑ Allison, Tavis, Alexander Macris, Greg Tito. Adventurer Conqueror King System (Autarch, 2012)
  58. ↑ Curtis, Michael, Joseph Goodman, Harley Stroh, Dieter Zimmerman. Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game (Autarch, 2012)
  59. ↑ Gonnerman, Chris, Ray Allen, William D. Smith, Jr., Nick Bogan, Evan Moore, Stuart Marshall, Emiliano Marchetti, Antonio Eleuteri, Luigi Castellani, Michael Hensley, Nazim N. Karaca, Arthur Reyes, Todd Roe, and Jim Bobb. Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game 2nd Edition (Release 75, 2008)
  60. ↑ Gonnerman, Chris, Ray Allen, Ola Berg, James D. Jarvis, R. Kevin Smoot, Omer Golan-Joel, D. Bamberger, MtBlack, Maliki, Bill Beatty, Sidney Parham, and J. D. Neal. The Basic Fantasy Field Guide of Creatures Malevolent and Benign (Release 2, 2010)
  61. ↑ Stukey, Randall S. Microlite74 Basic Version 3.0 (Self-published, 2011)
  62. ↑ Stukey, Randall S. Microlite74 Standard Version 3.0 (Self-published, 2011)
  63. ↑ Stukey, Randall S. Microlite74 Extended Version 3.0 (Self-published, 2011)
  64. ↑ Brown, Justen. For Gold & Glory (Self-published, 2011)
  65. ↑ Chenault, Stephen, Robert Doyel. Castles & Crusades Monsters & Treasure (Troll Lord Games, 2005)
  66. ↑ Crane, Luke, Thor Olavsu, Anthony Hersey and Peter Tierney. Burning THAC0 (Self-published, 2005)
  67. ↑ Boyd, Bret, Charles W. Plemons III, John White. Foul Locales: Beyond the Walls (Mystic Eye Games, 2002)
  68. ↑ Borgstrom, Rebecca, Eric Brennan, Genevieve Cogman, and Michael Goodwin. Manual of Monsters (Sword & Sorcery, 2003)
  69. ↑ Cassada, Jackie, Brandon Crowley, Richard Farrese, Bob Fitch, Bruce Graw, Luke Johnson, Adam Loyd, Andrew Rowe, and Amber E. Scott. Manual Guide (Sword & Sorcery, 2007)
  70. ↑ Thomson, Connie J., Robert W. Thomson. GM's Aid IV: Monster Knowledge Cards Volume 2: Gargoyle to Owlbear (4 Winds Fantasy Gaming, 2009)
  71. ↑ Blackburn, Jolly R., Brian Jelke, Steve Johansson, and David S. Kenzer. Hacklopcedia of Beasts Volume VI (Kenzer & Company, 2001)
  72. ↑ Blackburn, Jolly R., Brian Jelke, Steve Johansson, and David S. Kenzer. Hacklopcedia of Beasts (Kenzer and Company, 2011)
  73. ↑ Blackburn, Jolly R., Brian Jelke, Steve Johansson, David S. Kenzer, Noah Kolman, Jamie LaFountain, and Don Morgan. B2: Little Keep on the Borderlands (Kenzer and Company, 2002)
  74. ↑ Stater, John. Blood & Treasure: Treasure Keeper's Tome (Self-published, 2012)
  75. ↑ Stater, John. Blood & Treasure: Complete Game (Self-published, 2012)
  76. ↑ Tower of Doom list of enemies at Arcade Quartermaster
  77. ↑ Shadow over Mystara list of enemies at Arcade Quartermaster
  78. ↑ Dungeons & Dragons Collection at MobyGames
  79. ↑ Barton, Matt (2007-02-23). "Unforgettable Realms: SSI's "Gold Box" Games". The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 2: The Golden Age (1985-1993). Gamasutra. p. 4. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  80. ↑ Rausch, Allen (2004-08-16). "SSI's "Gold Box" Series". Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  81. ↑ "Wildkin". Mojo StormStout's Warcraft III Strategy Guide. Blizzard Entertainment. Retrieved 2006-12-09.
  82. ↑ Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos User Manual (Blizzard Entertainment, 2002)
  83. ↑ "Balance talent tree of the Druid class in World of Warcraft". Blizzard Entertainment. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  84. ↑ EverQuest Bestiary at EverQuest Allakhazam
  85. ↑ EverQuest II Bestiary at MMO Database
  86. ↑ [ht tp://legendsofnorrath.station.sony.com/community.vm?Id=605 Hunt for Foulfeather Once Again in the Legends of Norrath February Retro-Replay Scenario! at the Legends of Norrath official website]
  87. ↑ "Anthony" (July 21, 2009). "Phantasy Star Game Blog Part II: Owl Bears Make Me Cry". Gamer Sushi. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  88. ↑ Dragon Quest V (SNES) Bestiary at Dragon's Den
  89. ↑ Dragon Quest V (PS2) Bestiary at Dragon's Den
  90. ↑ Dragon Quest V (Nintendo DS) Bestiary at Dragon's Den
  91. ↑ Tales of Destiny II Guide at AbyssalChronicles.com
  92. ↑ Sage Knowledge 30 of 78 (Urstrix Bestiary entry). Square Enix (2006-10-31). Final Fantasy XII. PlayStation 2.
  93. ↑ "Owlbear Garden review at Gamezebo.com". 2011-11-28. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  94. ↑ Kingdom Conquest Official Homepage
  95. ↑ Lineage Library Monster Index
  96. ↑ Mini Galleries Archive: Harbinger at the Wizards of the Coast official website
  97. ↑ Mini Galleries Archive: Against the Giants at the Wizards of the Coast official website
  98. ↑ "Dungeon! Board Game". Wizards of the Coast. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  99. ↑ "Dungeon! Board Game". The Gaming Gang. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  100. ↑ The Order of the Stick #322 by Rich Burlew
  101. ↑ Nightripper in Sagard the Barbarian
  102. ↑ Tricky Owlbear Publishing Inc. at DriveThruRPG.com
  103. ↑ Manticores and Owlbears by Dan Marcotte at AllMusic
  104. ↑ Sims, Chris (October 19, 2012). "Ask Chris #125: The Greatest Monsters in 'Dungeons & Dragons'". Comics Alliance. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  105. ↑ 2011 Noms and Winners of the Ennie Awards
  106. ↑ Chalker, Dave (February 26, 2009). "10 Monsters I Use in Every D&D Campaign (And 5 I Don't)". Critical-Hits.com. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  107. ↑ Bricken, Rob (September 16, 2013). "The 10 Most Memorable Dungeons & Dragons Monsters". io9. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
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