History BearsAreBadNews / TabletopGames

** What's the biggest, strongest werecreature? That's right -- the werebear. In defiance of the "bad news" aspect, however, werebears are the only good-aligned lycanthrope (besides were-ravens, but they seemed to not fit in with the others, being divine creatures in at least a sense), being ChaoticGood prior to D&D 3.5 and LawfulGood after. This was probably thanks to [[Literature/TheHobbit Beorn]].%%In-universe alignments.
** Werebear-ians: Barbarian Werebears. Ouch.
** There's a RunningGag about ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' druids: no matter how good their stats, they will invariably reach level 5 as a human/elf/whatever, then spend the rest of their lives as a bear because [[MinmaxersDelight the Natural Spell]] feat lets them still cast spells while in that form. To take this [[ExaggeratedTrope even further]], they have animal companions as well. So this means that they can transform into a bear (Wild Shape) and ride a bear (Animal Companion) while summoning bears (spontaneously cast summon spells). OhCrap.

** In 4th edition, the Druid class gains at 1st level the ability to change into animal form (which doesn't technically change your stats, it just makes you look different and gives you different attacks) at will for as long as you want. So, technically, you could play a Druid who spends their entire life as a bear.
** Plus, there's a spell in 3.5 edition called "Bite of the Werebear", which grants +16 strength, +8 CON, three natural attacks, and the Power Attack feat to the target. It has a range of self, but can be cast on familiars for... interesting results.
** There are also the extremely popular owlbears, which are ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, and come in normal, polar, and Pelor save us all, winged. Notably, owlbears take the "bad news" part further than most, as they're noted to be ''incredibly'' violent and savage, due in large part to their anguish at being a blend of bear and owl.
** This is definitely the case for the enemies of [[TabletopGame/{{Eberron}} Breland]], considering the Brelish field elite ''bear cavalry'' (as befits Breland's coat of arms). Obviously, the Brelish themselves would tend to disagree.
** 5th Edition allows certain druids to take on much more dangerous forms at lower levels, allowing a druid to turn into a grizzly bear at level ''2'' and an even scarier polar bear at level 6.
** "Bad news" depends on who you are. Just to [[GoodIsNotNice remind the forces of evil that good is not just feathery-winged angels]], there are the bear-like LawfulGood Warden Archons. For extra fun, there are also the NeutralGood Ursinal Guardinals, who are not only celestial super-bears, but are also ''wizards'' as well! To spread the fun around, the ''Book of Exalted Deeds'' introduces the prestige class the "Sentinel of Bharrai" for Ursinal-revering mages who want to escape the problem of SquishyWizard syndrome. Among other things this class allows them to turn into bears, and eventually into dire bears, at will!%%In-universe alignments.

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[[quoteright:350: [[TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering

** "Bad news" depends on who you are. Just to [[GoodIsNotNice remind the forces of evil that good is not just feathery-winged angels]], there are the bear-like LawfulGood Warden Archons. For extra fun, there are also the NeutralGood Ursinal Guardinals, who are not only celestial super-bears, but are also ''wizards'' as well! To spread the fun around, the ''Book of Exalted Deeds'' introduces the prestige class the "Sentinel of Bharrai" for Ursinal-revering mages who want to escape the problem of SquishyWizard syndrome. Among other things this class allows them to turn into bears, and eventually into dire bears, at will!

** The kokogiak is a titanic -- around elephant-sized -- ten-legged polar bear originally from Myth/InuitMythology. They're intelligent enough to understand morality and thus have an alignment beyond TrueNeutral, and of course, they're NeutralEvil as a rule. They are monstrously aggressive and openly sadistic and are massive and powerful enough to be as cruel as they please towards whoever short of a dragon or a tribe of giants has the misfortune of crossing their path without having to worry about their victims being able to fight back. Luckily for everyone else, they're fairly uncommon and only found in isolated areas of the GrimUpNorth.

* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' features Clan Ghost Bear, one of the strongest Clans in the Inner Sphere. The Clan deploys huge bear themed [=BattleMechs=] such as the [[http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Kodiak Kodiak]] and the [[http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Grizzly Grizzly]]. They have a well-deserved reputation as TheBerserker, too. They're considered slow to anger, but once someone succeeds in pissing them off they have a tendency of going into an UnstoppableRage and tearing through whatever has gotten them mad. Even more alarming is their habit of blasting their way through everything that happens to be between them and their target, even if it's a neutral party or even an ally.

** Werebear-ians: Barbarian Were Bears. Ouch.

** Sadly, Pathfinder hits bears with the nerf-bat as far as druid's Wild Shape goes. While shaping into a bear grants stat benefits on a par with other animals of the same size category, the bear chassis doesn't come with any special attack forms or defences that can't be improved on by other forms such as great cats.

** [[GloriousMotherRussia Not-Russian]] Imperial Guard regiments like the Valhallans and Vostroyans sometimes utilize bears as mounts for their Rough Rider cavalry.
* ''TabletopGame/WarriorsAdventureGame'': In the campaign ''Mission of Mercy'', the cats protect a young girl who gets attacked by a bear. Notable for being the only time bears appear in the series.
* ''TabletopGame/TheWitcherGameOfImagination'': You can take down small armies of humans (or humanoids), fight off some lesser or even epic monsters and stop powerful magicians on a daily basis. Yet a single bear can tear [[PlayerParty Player Parties]] composed entirely of grizzled veterans apart, one character per turn. It says something that short of [[OurDragonsAreDifferent flying dragons]] and [[OurVampiresAreDifferent high vampires]], bears are ''the'' toughest creatures you'll face. And they are [[OhCrap much, much more common]].
* ''TabletopGame/WorldOfSynnibarr'' takes things a step further, not only having a handful of bear subtypes with an assortment of powers (mostly-psychic based), but also a set of "Grizzlies". While they were equally dangerous, the cake goes to the Giant Flying Grizzly; eye-lasers that would instantly kill you from 200 feet, the ability to fly 100 miles per hour, and the tenacity to stalk their prey "vast distances".
* ''TabletopGame/WorldTreeRPG'': Gormoror, bear people, downplay this -- they're aggressive and barbaric, but easily enough reasoned with. Churshash, however, play this entirely straight -- they're very aggressive, bear-like animals driven into constant pain and rage by [[WoundThatWillNotHeal Wounds That Will Not Heal]], their blood induces mindless fury in anyone it touches, and are generally a fair match for four well-armed and prepared warriors.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Risk}}: Legacy'', the Enclave of the Bear faction has bear cavalry as its 3-troop "vehicle" unit.
%%* ''TabletopGame/SmashUp'': One of the factions in the "Awesome Level 9000" expansion is Bear Cavalry.

** There's a RunningGag about ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' druids: no matter how good their stats, they will invariably reach level 5 as a human/elf/whatever, then spend the rest of their lives as a bear because [[MinmaxersDelight the Natural Spell]] feat lets them still cast spells while in that form.
*** And to take this [[ExaggeratedTrope even further]], they have animal companions as well. So this means that they can transform into a bear (Wild Shape) and ride a bear (Animal Companion) while summoning bears (spontaneously cast summon spells). OhCrap.

** Also, [[http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Bear_Lore they're very mysterious.]]

** What's the biggest, strongest werecreature? That's right -- the werebear. In defiance of the "bad news" aspect, however, werebears are the only good-aligned lycanthrope (besides were-ravens, but they seemed to not fit in with the others, being divine creatures in at least a sense), being ChaoticGood prior to D&D 3.5 and LawfulGood after. This was probably thanks to [[Literature/TheHobbit Beorn]].

** [[http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG63.jpg OH KORD IT'S A DIRE BEAR GET IN THE CART]].
*** The dire bear made a pants-wettingly terrifying appearance in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'', just so you could get a sense of scale: it is ''bigger than a friggin' garbage truck'', and covered with [[SpikesOfVillainy bony spikes]].