Monster I’d Like to Fight: Bearserker

When a warrior consumed by rage meets their demise on the battlefield, they are reborn on the plane of battle as a bearserker, their insatiable thirst for conflict and bloodshed persisting even in the afterlife. Encountering a bearserker not already immersed in combat is a rare occurrence, as they are quick to anger and nearly impossible to reason with. Once a battle ensues, a bearserker will fight relentlessly until the bitter end. When faced with a bearserker, it is advisable to avoid violence and instead attempt to flee or redirect their fury towards another skirmish.

A defeated bearserker is promptly transported back to the plane of battle, where they undergo eternal rebirth, each cycle fueling their rage and fury with the accumulated weight of past defeats. With each death, they shed a fragment of their former selves, ultimately transforming into an unstoppable tempest of anger.

Bearserker

Large Humanoid, Typically Chaotic

Armor Class 16 (breastplate)

Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30)

Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	15 (+2)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)

Damage Immunities fire

Condition Immunities frightened

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

Languages any two languages

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Proficiency Bonus +2

Blazing Recklessness. At the start of its turn, the bearserker can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that turn. Until the start of its next turn, attack rolls against the bearserker have advantage and if it is hit by a melee attack, the attacker takes 3 (1d6) fire damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The bearserker makes one Claw attack and one Flaming Sword attack. It can replace one attack with a use of Pinning Charge or Demoralizing Roar.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Flaming Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) fire damage.

Pinning Charge. The bearserker moves horizontally 10 feet straight toward a creature. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be grappled by the bearserker. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained.

Demoralizing Roar. Each creature of the bearserker’s choice within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be demoralized for 1 minute. Whenever a demoralized creature makes an attack roll or ability check, it must roll a d4 and subtract the total from the attack roll or ability check. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.