Owlbear
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dungeons & Dragons creature | |
|---|---|
| Owlbear | |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| Type | Magical beast |
| Source books | |
| First appearance | |
| Image | Wizards.com image |
| Stats | OGL stats |
The owlbear is a magical beast in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Owlbears, or distinctly similar beasts, also appear in several other fantasy role-playing games.
Contents |
[edit] Description
Owlbears are approximately eight to ten feet (2.5–3 meters) tall and resemble a cross between an owl and bear. Owlbears are carnivorous creatures famed for their aggression and ferocity[1]; they live in mated pairs in caves and hunt in packs[citation needed], attacking any creature bigger than a mouse[2]
The actual origin of the owlbear has never been definitively revealed, but the various Monster Manual editions indicate it is probably the product of a wizard's experiments. The lich Thessalar claims to have created them, but his insanity and egomania put the accuracy of this claim in doubt.
[edit] Creative origins
It is among the original monsters in Dungeons & Dragons and features in the earliest editions of Monster Manual, and, like the bulette and the rust monster, was inspired by a Hong Kong-made plastic toy purchased by Gary Gygax for use as miniature in a Chainmail game.[3]
[edit] Owlbears in other media
Various kinds of owlbears appear as mobs in the MMORPGs EverQuest, and EverQuest II.
Owlbears can be found in the roguelike computer games NetHack and ADOM.
[edit] Owlbears in the Warcraft Universe
Adaptations of the Owlbear appear in the Warcraft universe in two forms:
- As NPCs known as wildkin in Warcraft III[4]
- As both NPCs (known as owlbeast or wildkin) and players of the Druid class (known as moonkin[5]) in World of Warcraft
[edit] References
- ^ Owlbear in the d20 SRD
- ^ Owlbear in the d20 SRD
- ^ Greenwood, Ed. "Ecology of the Rust Monster." Dragon #88 (TSR, 1984). Later re-printed in the Ecology of the Rust Monster article in issue #346.
- ^ Wildkin. Mojo StormStout's Warcraft III Strategy Guide. Blizzard Entertainment. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
- ^ Balance talent tree of the Druid class in World of Warcraft. Blizzard Entertainment. Retrieved on 2008-06-04.
- Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume One (TSR, 1989).
- Jacobs, James. "Into the Wormcrawl Fissure." Dungeon #134 (Pazio Publishing, 2006).
- Gygax, Gary et al. Advanced D&D Monster Manual (TSR Games, 1977).
- Richards, Jonathan M. "The Ecology of the Owlbear." Dragon #214 (TSR, 1995).
- Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1994).
- Williams, Skip, ed. Monster Manual: Core Rulebook III v.3.5 (Wizards of the Coast, 2003).
