Bugbear Fighter 5e D&D Guide

Bugbears are not your ordinary adventurers. They possess the strength of giants and the cunning of seasoned tricksters. 

With fur as dark as the midnight sky and sharp fangs that gleam in the moonlight, they strike an intimidating figure on the battlefield.

Bugbears are not just brawn; they possess a wit as sharp as their weapons. As fighters, they excel in the art of close combat, brandishing massive weapons with grace and precision.

With a Bugbear Fighter by your side, battles become a spectacle of strength, agility, and a dash of humor. Bugbears possess an indomitable spirit – a fiery determination that propels them forward, even in the face of insurmountable odds. 

Creating a Bugbear Fighter

Bugbears

Bugbears rely largely on strength and stealth to attack their enemies, preferring to engage in combat at night. 

If Bugbears aren’t busy battling, they’ll spend most of their time sleeping or simply resting and occasionally bully weaker creatures into doing their bidding.

Many of the common races fear Bugbears due to their terrifying aggression and savage nature. Luckily Bugbears are exceptionally rare and often too lethargic to act if their life isn’t in danger.

Note: These features can be slightly changed or modified if some variations don’t fit your character.

Bugbear Subraces

Bugbears are some of the rarest creatures you’ll encounter, making it no surprise they don’t have any subraces. They don’t often mate as other Bugbears are so rare, yet when they do, they do it purely for survival, making them more primal creatures.

Fighter Class Features

Hit Points

Proficiencies

Fighter Archetypes

When you’ve reached level 3, you’ll get to choose from 10 different Fighter archetypes. All of them have different playstyles, so you’ll have to choose the most interesting one or the one that best fits your character.

Arcane Archer – Arcane Archers use an elven archery method, infusing magic into their attacks.

They are capable of great patience, using their magical arrows to destroy enemies before they have a chance to attack.

Banneret – Bannerets inspire greatness in other companions through their skillful fighting tactics and unmatched attacks.

They often lead attacks, urging all those who follow them to strike with conviction and be filled with his courage.

Battle Master – Battle Masters use martial techniques to win battles, seeing combat as an academic field and being experienced with weaponsmithing or calligraphy as well. They possess great knowledge and skills used to overcome any enemy.

Cavalier – Cavaliers are mounted warriors prone to leading cavalry charges. They have excellent guarding capabilities and serve as great protectors. Cavaliers often become adventurers to earn prestige and make their mark on the world.

Champion – Champions are focused on one thing, raw physical power honed to destructive perfection, training nonstop until they reach an unmatched physical strike.

Echo Knight – Echo Knights are feared for their deadly echo, using it to cut down enemies before they realize what’s happening. Facing an Echo Knight feels like you’re fighting a swarm of shadows.

Eldritch Knight – Eldritch Knights have mastered common fighting and combine it with magical techniques often used by wizards. 

These knights focus on the Abjuration and Evocation schools of magic, which provide them with unbreakable protection and insane damage capabilities.

Psi Warrior – Psi Warriors use psionic powers to strengthen themselves, infuse their weapons, and breach mental barriers.

You wield the power of magic and mind, dedicating yourself to learning its secrets and turning your body into both weapon and shield.

Rune Knight – Rune Knights use the powers of runes once used by giants to empower their equipment, giving them powerful benefits like improved magical skills, greater damage, or increased protection.

Samurai – Samurais are created through grudges, using their fighting spirit to overcome enemies and hardening their resolve to become unbreakable. Enemies facing a Samurai often only have two choices – yield or die in combat.

Combining Fighter With Bugbear

Determining Your Fighter Subclass

Choosing your ideal subclass is subjective, but if your objective is optimization, try understanding what your character wants to do and what stats fit best with their subclass.

Optimal Bugbear Subrace

Bugbears are known to not have any subraces, which is good for you as a player, since you won’t have to make any decisions.

Standard Bugbears have a bonus to Strength (2) and Dexterity (1), which is perfect for a Fighter as they need both these ability scores to work effectively.

Note: If you’re planning to play an Eldritch Knight, you’ll need Intelligence as well, but you’ll still benefit from having Strength and Dexterity.

Your Bugbear Fighter Background

Your Bugbear Fighter needs a unique background that will affect its choices, as well as the way it sees the world and what it wants to achieve.

Start by asking yourself some basic questions: Where were they born, and where did they come from? Do they have any goals, bonds, or ideals, and what are their flaws? Where do they belong in social circles and society as a whole? What inspires them?

Place of Birth

Think of the environment a Bugbear Fighter grew up in and how it affected them physically and emotionally and eventually shaped their view of the world.

Try to make their place of birth and upbringing correspond with their personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws – this will truly bring their character alive.

Note: The birthplaces of races are usually mentioned in the Player’s Handbook or some of its expansion books.

Characteristics and Personality Traits

Bugbear Fighters aren’t the largest or strongest, but boy, are they quick. Their speed makes them agile melee combatants, giving them massive bonuses as duelists and impressive AC.

Bugbear Fighter Examples:

• I leave the thinking up to those who do it better than I do.

• I’m always picking things up, absently fiddling with them, and sometimes accidentally breaking them.

Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws

Ideal – Express one ideal that is a driving force in a Bugbear Fighter’s life – their conviction, ethical principle, and moral standing (probably something about nature).

If we all do the work, we will share the rewards.

Bonds – Think of a single bond that your Bugbear Fighter has to an event, person, or place. Bonds will tie them to their background and can inspire bravery or stimulate memories driving them against their ideals.

My weapons are symbols of my past life, and I carry them so that I will never forget my roots.

Flaws – Choose a single flaw for a Bugbear Fighter – their unhealthy compulsion, greatest fear/weakness, or most vile vice.

Violence is often my answer to almost any challenge I face.

Inspiration

Inspiration is used by the DM to reward you for playing according to your bond, personality traits, ideals, and flaw.

I can’t help but target strong folk on my path and challenge them to duels.

Note: If you’re struggling to create your background or just don’t want to think, the Player’s Handbook has well-thought-through backgrounds that you can use for your character or use as a mold.

Supplies and Gear For Bugbear Fighters

Fighters start with the following equipment, together with the equipment from their background. Choosing equipment based on your situation and your character’s proficiencies is the easiest way to go about things.

• (a) Chain mail or (b) Leather, longbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) One martial weapon and a shield or (b) Two martial weapons
• (a) One light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) Two Handaxes
• (a) Dungeoneer’s pack or (b) Explorer’s pack

You can decide how your character came about these goods – whether they stole, inherited, or purchased them some time back – adding to your character’s background.

Note: By using your starting wealth, you can buy your own equipment (5d4 x 10 GP for Fighters).

Final Thoughts

Bugbears are some of the best melee combatants you can play, and it’s mainly because of their agile movements as well as their harsh nature.

I believe Bugbear Fighters have incredible potential, as they can become expert weapon handlers capable of using their agility to lash out devastating strikes.

If you ever encounter a Bugbear Fighter in the wild, know that they’ll stand out from the rest, so approach with caution, as you can’t be too cautious around them.

You might also be interested in:

• Bugbear Monk
• Leonin Barbarian
• Leonin Paladin