Archives of Nethys
Source Cheliax, Infernal Inheritence pg. 26
Bugbears are single-minded individuals. They choose a cause, a calling, or sometimes a person or item and go to great lengths to achieve that goal or to elicit a particular emotion in that person.
Bugbears call this “hunting,” and find the pursuit more satiating than any food, more pleasurable than any drug, and more personal than any true relationship. This obsession might be a hunt for ancient treasure, a vendetta against an organization that wronged them, or the quest to craft the perfect piece of furniture. Many bugbears take their fixation to an unhealthy extreme by terrorizing and even killing anyone who gets in their way. Some bugbears even make it their goal to be feared by all others. Because of this, bugbears have become ingrained in other cultures as symbols for why it's unwise to stray too far from safety... and that's exactly how those bugbears prefer to be seen.
Bugbears are spread across the entirety of Golarion. Many are wanderers, prowling the wilds from town to town on their never-ending hunts until they find what they are looking for or are chased away. Their reputation often puts them at odds with civilization, and when they are threatened with overwhelming force, they don't heedlessly throw their lives away. As a result, they remain at the outskirts and in shadows. Bugbears are so far-reaching, groups of them have adapted or evolved to better survive in certain environments or conditions, even being capable of manifesting innate magic to aid their hunt.
Bugbears go to great lengths to plan their hunts, like a chef preparing a five-course meal, but they are just as capable of improvising if things turn out differently. They do this for their own enjoyment, but also to ensure that should their obsession bear fruit, their name might live on in the minds of others.
If you want to play a character who has a singular passion, and possibly struggles to manage grim cravings, you should play a bugbear.
You Might...
- Constantly be on the lookout for the subject of your fixation.
- Take your time with things that matter.
- Maintain a menacing posture and demeanor.
Others Probably...
- Admire your fearless attitude and thirst for combat.
- Have a hard time trusting you and worry you might turn against them.
- Are disturbed by the lengths you go to satiate your yearning.
Physical Description
Bugbears are 7 feet tall and completely covered in fur, with the color varying depending on their heritage. Their wide heads have oversized eyes and huge pointy ears jutting to the sides, traits they share with their goblinoid cousins, but unique to them is their deeper set eye sockets, extra-bushy eyebrows, jutting tusk-like teeth, and usually a full head of hair that they braid and decorate with jewelry taken from their prey.Even though bugbears can be heavy, they move with an incredibly light foot, making as little noise as someone half their size. Bugbears have the same wideflared noses as goblins and hobgoblins, and some possess an incredibly keen sense of smell.
Bugbears scar themselves through cutting or branding as record-keeping for their hunts and deeds, and such scarring aids them should they be interested in seeking companionship from another bugbear; they can read the scars and judge if their accomplishments are worthy. Bugbears learn to walk moments after birth and age very rapidly, being able to fend for themselves at age 2, and reaching adulthood at age 5. Such a fast life cycle means few live past 35 years.
Society
Bugbears espouse no definitive concepts regarding ethics or morals and have no interest in bonds of family or tradition. They simply do what they must to achieve the object of their fixation. However, they can be civil out of selfinterest, as long as it doesn't get in the way of their hunt.Bugbear settlements are extremely fragile and short-lived. When they are attempted, members might clash over their personal fascinations within a few months, which then causes infighting, and everything falls apart. This is why bugbears are nomadic, and usually solitary. They travel through the wilderness, setting up temporary shelters as they go, but they can also infiltrate settlements by taking over abandoned buildings, or killing particularly isolated residents to take over their property and transform it into a lair from which to plan hunts.
Bugbear adults do not coddle their young, even orphans, as they are left to trail behind their band, watching silently until they find their own passions. As they grow, fights among siblings are common, and in rare situations where food is limited, sibling rivalries can turn deadly.
Recently, in places like the Chitterwood (now called Scorchhome) and the hobgoblin nation of Oprak, pockets of bugbears have been influenced by the idea that killing is often counter-productive to their objectives. These individuals have begun moderating their ways, stopping short of murder if they are stymied or blocked from their goals. Peoples of all nations have been surprised lately to find the odd bugbear working peacefully with non-goblinoids, as sanctioned bounty hunters or adventurers tasked with dealing with unwanted monsters, where they are free to apply their single-minded methods in more socially acceptable, or at least legal, ways. Few bugbears eschew their fixations, and when they do, it is generally because they find the preoccupation overwhelms other aspects of their lives they care about.
Beliefs
Bugbears are pragmatic in their beliefs; whatever aids or reassures them in their hunt is welcome, and whatever interferes is rejected. Many have urges to collect mementos of their endeavors, often taking items off the bodies of those that stood in their way. These accessories are not for vanity or pride but belief. During times when these bugbears have difficulty achieving their fixations, they hold their mementos close and try their best to remember the joy of reaching their goals.Yet for some bugbears this is not enough, and they engage with archfiends in search of more esoteric goals. Common deities they might worship include Lamashtu, Shax, and Andirifkhu, but they are even more likely to worship fiends who already have local influence. Fiend-worshipping bugbears might come to see themselves as prophets for their lords, and their unholy blessings as a sign to terrorize the world on a much larger scale. Each cultist venerates in a personal and unique way, with beliefs as diverse as the fiends they worship, and they can often convince other bugbears to follow them with displays of power.
Still, there are some few bugbears who pray to less malevolent deities for aid in eliminating their singular urges or at least gaining better control over them. Such bugbears might worship Irori for self-discipline, Calistria for freedom and thrills without being consumed by them, or Arazni for self determination and survival at all costs while acting with dignity.
Popular Edicts refine and improve your hunting methods, stay aware of and hidden from those who wish you harm
Popular Anathema compromise your personal desires to satisfy others
Names
Bugbear names are often simple and descriptive, using alarming words in human languages attached to one or two syllables in Goblin.Sample Names
Bastalk, Bershank, Creepru, Darblood, Flensem, Gurglesh, Haunta, Paindel, Shadowek, Vardeath, WilhorrorOther Information
Bugbear Adventurers
Due to their unique desires, bugbears might get into trouble with authorities or come under the influence of unscrupulous leaders very early in life. The bandit, bounty hunter, criminal, gladiator, prisoner, and warrior backgrounds can represent such histories. Those who keep to their traditional agendas are better represented by the hunter, nomad, or scout backgrounds. Fiend-worshippers and other highly devout bugbears are best represented by the raised by belief background. Most bugbears will prefer a straight-forward and handson approach as a barbarian, fighter, ranger, or rogue, but those that more fully embrace their magical powers could be a sorcerer or summoner. If they truly want to explore the supernatural power of fear, bard and champion are great options. A thaumaturge whose collection of esoterica grows with each adventure is a flavorful exploration of bugbear's predilection for fixation.Bugbear Exclaves and Syndicates
When bugbears live with other ancestries, this takes one of two forms: exclaves or syndicates.Exclaves describe when bugbears live under a powerful ruler like a giant or dragon, but sometimes hobgoblins can keep them in line by employing them in ways that let them satiate their desire for terror. Ironically, such bugbears are often more brutal and angrier than their freer counterparts, and are barely worth the trouble they cause for whomever they work with.
Syndicates are formed when bugbears coerce other humanoids, often goblins, orcs, or kobolds, into doing their bidding. These bugbears do this not because they require help or have grand goals, but because they enjoy terrorizing their followers in between hunts. The tasks they assign are often pointless, for their amusement, and followed with random displays of force and violence.
Bugbear Mechanics
Hit Points
10Size
MediumSpeed
25 feetAttribute Boosts
StrengthCharisma
Free
Attribute Flaw
IntelligenceLanguages
CommonGoblin
Additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it's positive). Choose from Chthonian, Draconic, Elven, Jotun, Kholo, Orcish, and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent in your region).
Darkvision
You can see in darkness and dim light just as well as you can see in bright light, though your vision in darkness is in black and white.Shelyn's Corner
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