Anowlbear (alsoowl bear) is a fictional creature originally created for theDungeons & Dragonsfantasyrole-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 inHong Kong,[2]Gary Gygax created the owlbear and introduced the creature to the game in the 1975Greyhawk supplement;[3] the creature has since appeared in every subsequentedition of the game. Owlbears, or similar beasts, also appear in several other fantasy role-playing games, video games and other media.
In the early 1970s,Gary Gygax was playingChainmail, a wargame that also served as a precursor ofDungeons & Dragons. In order to give his players as many different challenges as possible, Gygax was always on the look-out for new monsters. Although he was able to draw onpulp fiction andsword and sorcery stories for many of them, he also looked throughdime stores for figurines that could be used in battle. On one of those occasions, he came across a bag of small plastic toys erroneously labeled "prehistoric animals". Made inHong Kong, the set included monsters fromJapanese "Kaiju" films such asUltraman and theGodzilla franchise. Several of these were odd enough to catch his eye, and he used them to represent several new monsters, including the owlbear, thebulette and therust monster.[4][5]
The owlbear is depicted as an eight-to-ten-foot-tall (2.5 to 3 m) cross between abear and anowl. According to descriptions inDungeons & Dragons source books, owlbears arecarnivorous creatures, famed for their aggression and ferocity;[6] they live in mated pairs incaves and hunt any creature bigger than amouse.[6] 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 variousMonster Manual editions indicate that it is probably the product of a wizard's experiments. Within the franchise's mythology, thelich Thessalar claims to have created them, but his insanity and egomania put the accuracy of this claim in doubt.[7] In the 5th edition, someelves claim that owlbears have existed for millennia and olderfey say that they have always existed in theFeywild.[8]
The owlbear is among the earliest monsters inDungeons & Dragons, and, like thebulette and therust monster, was inspired by aHong Kong–made plastic toy purchased byGary Gygax for use as a miniature in aChainmail game.[2]
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 inEldritch Wizardry, the third supplement.[9] The illustration shows a bear-like creature on all fours, and bears no resemblance to the plastic toy that had given Gygax his original inspiration.[10]: 66
The owlbear appears in the first editionMonster 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 theMonster Manual was done byDave Sutherland, and closely correlates to Gygax's original plastic toy.[10]: 66
The owlbear appeared in theDark Sun setting in the adventureBlack Spine (1994).[20]
The owlbear was detailed inDragon #214 (February 1995), in "The Ecology of the Owlbear", which also included thearctic owlbear and thewinged owlbear.[21] These variants were later reprinted in theMonstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three (1996).[22]
Thegreater owlbear appeared in an adventure inDungeon #63 (July 1997).[23]
The owlbear appears in theMonster Manual for this edition (2000).[24]
The owlbear appeared on the Wizards of the Coast website for theChainmail game, in 2000.[25]
The winged owlbear in adult and juvenile form appeared inDungeon #84 (January 2001).[26]
The supplemental bookUnapproachable 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.[27]
The owlbear appears in theMonster Manual for this edition (2008) along with thewinterclaw owlbear.[32] The flavor text mentions that owlbears can be tamed to serve as guards.
The owlbear as depicted in the 4th editionMonster Manual and theMonster Vault.
TheMonster Vault boxed set contains the owlbear as well as various subtypes like theyoung owlbear,trained owlbear,wind-claw owlbear and again thewinterclaw owlbear.[33] The cover of the monster book included in the box and the box itself feature an owlbear alongside other monsters.[34]
In May 2012, Wizards of the Coast employee Jon Schindehette announced that the inclusion and design of the owlbear for the upcoming fifth edition ofDungeons & Dragons was being discussed.[35]
The monster was included in the "bestiary" of theD&D Next Playtest Package,[36] a compilation of files available for gamers interested inplaytesting thisDungeons & Dragons version before its official release.
The owlbear is included in theMonster Manual of the full release of the game, published in 2014. The flavor text states that remote settlements have used owlbears for racing, and it also states the fact that owlbears are more likely to attack their tamer, than actually begin the race.[8]
The owlbear is an official monster in thePathfinder Roleplaying Game[37] that is based onDungeons and Dragons 3.5 edition. It is included in the game's first bestiary, and elaborated on inDungeon Denizens Revisited.Dungeon Denizens Revisited also includes a variant namedsiege owlbear.[38][39] Furthermore, Paizo released a part of the seriesBehind the Monsters[40] dedicated to the owlbear, which features thebearowl, the possibly "even stranger offspring" of an owlbear.[41] Additional officialPathfinder variants of the owlbear are thearctic owlbear,Darklands owlbear,fruss owlbear,great hook-clawed owlbear,screaming owlbear,sleeyk owlbear,[42]slime owlbear,sloth owlbear as well as thespectral owlbear.[43]
The adventure modulePathfinder #7 – Curse of the Crimson Throne Chapter 1: "Edge of Anarchy"[44] originally published byPaizo Publishing forDungeons and Dragons 3.5 edition under theOGL[45] contains ataxidermic owlbear. It is a regular owlbear with the skeleton template allowing thegame master to turn a regular monster into an undead one.[46] A skeletal owlbear illustration was also done byGoodman Games artist Nick Greenwood.[47]
As only the design of a role-playing game, not the rules are protected by U.S. copyright law,[48] it is possible for third-party publishers to release RPG systems based on the rules ofDungeons & Dragons without using the actual name or trademarks associated with the brand. These systems are referred to as "retro-clones" or "simulacra".[49] Games not directly using rules of aDungeons & Dragons edition but claiming to capture the style are often calledOld School Renaissance (OSR) games.[50]
The following retro-clones and OSR systems feature the owlbear as an opponent:
Swords & Wizardry, modelled after the originalDungeons & Dragons from 1974 and published by Mythmere Games.[51]
Dark Dungeons,Darker Dungeons andDarkest Dungeons (later renamedBlood, Guts and Glory) by Gratis Games all include the owlbear in their bestiary.[53][54][55]
OSRIC, a system emulatingAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons.[56]
Mazes & Perils, inspired by the 1977 Holmes version ofDungeons & Dragons.[57]
A male half-owlbear, half-blue dragon hybrid named Dragore is featured as an antagonist in theDungeons & Dragons 3.0 supplementFoul Locales: Beyond the Walls by Mystic Eye Games.[68]
TheManual of Monsters forWarcraft: The Roleplaying Game suggest to use the owlbear as an opponent.[69] AWarcraft-exclusive owlbear-like creature namedwildkin is included as well.
Later on,Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game was renamedWorld of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game. This edition'sMonster Guide, equivalent to theManual of Monsters, includes the owlbear-like "wildkin" described as a benign creature and associated with the game'sNight Elf faction. A larger and more ferocious subtype listed is the "owlbeast".[70]
A third-partyDungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition quick reference card for the owlbear has been published as part of a series ofMonster Knowledge Cards.[71]
The owlbears appears in theHackMaster 4th edition Hacklopedia of Beasts Volume VI[72] and theHackMaster 5th edition Hacklopedia of Beasts.[73] Variants included are thelesser owlbear,great horned owlbear and thespotted owlbear.
TheHackMaster adventure moduleLittle Keep on the Borderlands features owlbears as enemies and an owlbear on the cover.[74]
Blood & Treasure, modelled afterDungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition, features the owlbear as an opponent.[75][76]
TheMMORPGWorld of Warcraft contains a variety of owlbear-like creatures named "wildkin", mostly asNPCs. The alternative term "owlkin" is used of wildkin living in the fictional Ammen Vale. A variant is the mutated owlkin. A more powerful wildkin is the owlbeast, with deranged owlbeast and raging owlbeast being subtypes. Some wildkin are also called "moonkin", which is also a creature players of thedruid class can transform into.[82] Aquest for players with the druid class involves defeating a moonkin named Lunaclaw.
An enemy named "owl bear" appears early into theMaster System gamePhantasy Star. It resembles an eyeball with bat wings, however, and is called "devil bat" in the original Japanese version.[86]
Tales of Destiny II for thePlayStation 2 features owl bears (オウルベア in the Japanese original).[90]
There are also owlbears as enemies inFinal Fantasy XII. The Japanese original uses the term "owlbear", whereas the English localisation calls the creature "urstrix".[91]
Owlbears are the protagonists of the 2011 browser gameOwlbear Garden.[92]
The owlbear is featured on a "monster card", agameplay element in theMMOKingdom Conquest bySega.[93]
Another MMO,Lineage, includes owlbears with various levels of strength as well as a variant named "valley owlbear".[94]
TheHarbinger set, the first set of miniatures for theDungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game, a collectible miniatures game, has an owlbear miniature.[96] TheBlood War set has monster namedowlbear ranger. TheAgainst the Giants set includes afurious owlbear.[97]
In 2012, Wizards of the Coast released a new version of the 1975 adventure board gameDungeon![98] which features owlbears as opponents.[99]
Also released in 2012 by Wizards of the Coast, the board gameLords of Waterdeep features a quest card titled "Domesticate Owlbears".[100]
The owlbear was depicted in thewebcomicThe Order of the Stick, where it was presented as a pointless cross between an already dangerous creature (a bear) and a harmless animal (an owl).[101]
A creature called a "nightripper" appears inSagard the Barbarian #2: The Green Hydra game book by Gary Gygax. The nightripper is described and illustrated as a bear with an owl's head but with talons for forepaws. An illustration of it can be found prefacing section 12: The Kingdom Of Darkness.[102]
Chris Sims of the on-line magazineComicsAlliance referred to the owlbear as "the second-greatest monster in the history ofD&D".[108] Dave Chalker from Critical-Hits.com, a RPG blog which won the Ennie Gold 2011Ennie Award for Best Blog,[109] recommended the use of the owlbear as a monster.[110] Rob Bricken fromio9 named the owlbear as the sixth most memorable D&D monster,[111] while the game's chroniclers Witweret al. counted the owlbear among the "iconic D&D monsters".[112]: 5, 366–367
^abGreenwood, Ed, "Ecology of the Rust Monster."Dragon #88 (TSR, 1984). Account was later re-printed in theEcology of the Rust Monster article in issue #346.
^Gygax: "There was a set of plastic toys laughlingly labelled as dinosaurs [if I remember right]. I frequented the local dime stores back in the late 60s and early 70s searching for toys that would suit tabletop fantasy gaming. The said bag contained three we incorporated—the bulette, the owl bear, and the rust monster.""Gary Gygax: Q & A (Part I, Page 8)". EN World. 2002-09-06. Archived fromthe original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved2009-03-15.
^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 – APathfinder Chronicles Supplement (Paizo Publishing, 2009)
^Finch, Matthew J.Swords & Wizardry Monster Book (Self-published, 2008)
^Proctor, Daniel.Labyrinth Lords – Classic Fantasy Roleplaying Game of Labyrinths, Magic, and Monsters fourth revised edition (Goblinoid Games, 2009)
^Blacky the Blackball.Dark Dungeons (Gratis Games, 2010)
^Blacky the Blackball.Darker Dungeons (Gratis Games, 2011)
^Blacky the Blackball.Darkest Dungeons (Gratis Games, 2012)
^Marshall, Stuart.OSRIC – Old School Reference and Index Compilation v2.2 (Knights & Knaves, 2011)
^Florio, Vincent, Bryan Manahan, Mike Stewart and Michael Thomas.Mazes & Perisl (Wild Games Productions, 2012)
^Allison, Tavis, Alexander Macris, Greg Tito.Adventurer Conqueror King System (Autarch, 2012)
^Curtis, Michael,Joseph Goodman,Harley Stroh, Dieter Zimmerman.Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game (Autarch, 2012)
^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)
^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)
^Stukey, Randall S.Microlite74 Basic Version 3.0 (Self-published, 2011)
^Stukey, Randall S.Microlite74 Standard Version 3.0 (Self-published, 2011)
^Stukey, Randall S.Microlite74 Extended Version 3.0 (Self-published, 2011)
^Chenault, Stephen, Robert Doyel.Castles & Crusades Monsters & Treasure (Troll Lord Games, 2005)
^Crane, Luke, Thor Olavsu, Anthony Hersey and Peter Tierney.Burning THAC0 (Self-published, 2005)
^Boyd, Bret, Charles W. Plemons III, John White.Foul Locales: Beyond the Walls (Mystic Eye Games, 2002)
^Borgstrom, Rebecca, Eric Brennan, Genevieve Cogman, and Michael Goodwin.Manual of Monsters (Sword & Sorcery, 2003)
^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)
^Thomson, Connie J., Robert W. Thomson.GM's Aid IV: Monster Knowledge Cards Volume 2: Gargoyle to Owlbear (4 Winds Fantasy Gaming, 2009)
^Blackburn, Jolly R., Brian Jelke, Steve Johansson, and David S. Kenzer.Hacklopcedia of Beasts Volume VI (Kenzer & Company, 2001)
^Blackburn, Jolly R., Brian Jelke, Steve Johansson, and David S. Kenzer.Hacklopcedia of Beasts (Kenzer and Company, 2011)
^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)
^Stater, John.Blood & Treasure: Treasure Keeper's Tome (Self-published, 2012)
^Stater, John.Blood & Treasure: Complete Game (Self-published, 2012)
