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Werebear 5e: The Good-Aligned Lycanthrope That Hits Like a Truck
A werebear is a CR 5 lycanthrope with 135 hit points, +7 attacks and three forms: a human, a Large bear and a Large bear-humanoid hybrid. Both editions make it neutral good, which makes it the one SRD lycanthrope that works as well as an ally as it does as a boss. The 2014 werebear has AC 10 or 11 and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons. The 2024 werebear trades that immunity for AC 15, darkvision, throwing handaxes and a curse that turns a bitten character into a werebear the moment they drop to 0 hit points.
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Werebear Stat Block (2014)
SRD 5.1 gives one werebear in three forms. The hybrid is the fighting form.
Werebear, Hybrid Form
Large humanoid (human), neutral good
Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 135 (18d8+54)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR
19 (+4)
DEX
10 (+0)
CON
17 (+3)
INT
11 (+0)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
12 (+1)
Skills Perception +7
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
Senses passive Perception 17
Languages Common
Challenge 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)
Traits
Shapechanger.The werebear can use its action to polymorph into a Large bear-humanoid hybrid or into a Large bear, or back into its true form, which is humanoid. Its statistics, other than its size and AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Keen Smell.The werebear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack.In bear form, the werebear makes two claw attacks. In humanoid form, it makes two greataxe attacks. In hybrid form, it can attack like a bear or a humanoid.
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werebear lycanthropy.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Greataxe.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage.
Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
Werebear, Bear Form
Large humanoid (human), neutral good
Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 135 (18d8+54)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR
19 (+4)
DEX
10 (+0)
CON
17 (+3)
INT
11 (+0)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
12 (+1)
Skills Perception +7
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
Senses passive Perception 17
Languages —
Challenge 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)
Traits
Shapechanger.The werebear can use its action to polymorph into a Large bear-humanoid hybrid or into a Large bear, or back into its true form, which is humanoid. Its statistics, other than its size and AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Keen Smell.The werebear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack.In bear form, the werebear makes two claw attacks. In humanoid form, it makes two greataxe attacks. In hybrid form, it can attack like a bear or a humanoid.
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werebear lycanthropy.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
Werebear, Human Form
Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 135 (18d8+54)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
19 (+4)
DEX
10 (+0)
CON
17 (+3)
INT
11 (+0)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
12 (+1)
Skills Perception +7
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
Senses passive Perception 17
Languages Common
Challenge 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)
Traits
Shapechanger.The werebear can use its action to polymorph into a Large bear-humanoid hybrid or into a Large bear, or back into its true form, which is humanoid. Its statistics, other than its size and AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Keen Smell.The werebear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack.In bear form, the werebear makes two claw attacks. In humanoid form, it makes two greataxe attacks. In hybrid form, it can attack like a bear or a humanoid.
Greataxe.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage.
Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
Form (2014)
Size
AC
Speed
Multiattack
Human (true form)
Medium
10
30 ft.
Two greataxe attacks
Bear
Large
11 (natural)
40 ft., climb 30 ft.
Two claw attacks
Hybrid
Large
11 (natural)
40 ft., climb 30 ft.
Like a bear or like a human
Changing form costs the werebear its action. Its hit points, ability scores and immunity stay the same in every form. Gear doesn't change with it, so a werebear that fights as a bear leaves its greataxe on the ground.
Read the Multiattack closely. It lists claws and greataxes. It never mentions the bite. In 2014 the bite, which carries the curse, is a separate action: one attack for 15 (2d10 + 4). Bite is also marked bear or hybrid form only. A werebear that bites gives up two claws worth 26 damage to make one attack worth 15, so in 2014 spreading the curse always costs it damage.
Perception +7 (passive 17) with Keen Smell is the best sense of any SRD lycanthrope. It has no darkvision in 2014, so at night it hunts by smell.
The Werebear in the 2024 Rules
The 2024 werebear (SRD 5.2.1) keeps CR 5 (1,800 XP), 135 hit points and the same ability scores. Almost everything else moved.
Werebear, Hybrid Form
Medium or Small Monstrosity (Lycanthrope), Neutral Good
Armor Class 15
Initiative +3 (13)
Hit Points 135 (18d8 + 54)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
19 (+4)save +4
DEX
10 (+0)save +0
CON
17 (+3)save +3
INT
11 (+0)save +0
WIS
12 (+1)save +1
CHA
12 (+1)save +1
Skills Perception +7
Gear Handaxes (4)
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 17
Languages Common (can’t speak in bear form)
Challenge 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)
Actions
Multiattack.The werebear makes two attacks, using Handaxe or Rend in any combination. It can replace one attack with a Bite attack.
Bite.Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) Piercing damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it is subjected to the following effect. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 14. Failure: The target is cursed. If the cursed target drops to 0 Hit Points, it instead becomes a Werebear under the GM’s control and has 10 Hit Points. Success: The target is immune to this werebear’s curse for 24 hours.
Handaxe.Melee or Ranged Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) Slashing damage.
Shape-Shift.The werebear shape-shifts into a Large bear-humanoid hybrid form or a Large bear, or it returns to its true humanoid form. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
Werebear, Bear Form
Medium or Small Monstrosity (Lycanthrope), Neutral Good
Armor Class 15
Initiative +3 (13)
Hit Points 135 (18d8 + 54)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR
19 (+4)save +4
DEX
10 (+0)save +0
CON
17 (+3)save +3
INT
11 (+0)save +0
WIS
12 (+1)save +1
CHA
12 (+1)save +1
Skills Perception +7
Gear Handaxes (4)
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 17
Languages Common (can’t speak in bear form)
Challenge 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)
Actions
Multiattack.The werebear makes two attacks, using Handaxe or Rend in any combination. It can replace one attack with a Bite attack.
Bite.Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) Piercing damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it is subjected to the following effect. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 14. Failure: The target is cursed. If the cursed target drops to 0 Hit Points, it instead becomes a Werebear under the GM’s control and has 10 Hit Points. Success: The target is immune to this werebear’s curse for 24 hours.
Shape-Shift.The werebear shape-shifts into a Large bear-humanoid hybrid form or a Large bear, or it returns to its true humanoid form. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
Werebear, Human Form
Medium or Small Monstrosity (Lycanthrope), Neutral Good
Armor Class 15
Initiative +3 (13)
Hit Points 135 (18d8 + 54)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
19 (+4)save +4
DEX
10 (+0)save +0
CON
17 (+3)save +3
INT
11 (+0)save +0
WIS
12 (+1)save +1
CHA
12 (+1)save +1
Skills Perception +7
Gear Handaxes (4)
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 17
Languages Common (can’t speak in bear form)
Challenge 5 (XP 1,800; PB +3)
Actions
Multiattack.The werebear makes two attacks, using Handaxe or Rend in any combination. It can replace one attack with a Bite attack.
Handaxe.Melee or Ranged Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) Slashing damage.
Bonus Actions
Shape-Shift.The werebear shape-shifts into a Large bear-humanoid hybrid form or a Large bear, or it returns to its true humanoid form. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
2014 Werebear
2024 Werebear
Creature type
Humanoid (human, shapechanger)
Monstrosity (Lycanthrope)
Human (true) form size
Medium
Medium or Small
AC
10 human / 11 bear and hybrid
15 in every form
Damage immunities
B/P/S from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
None
Senses
Passive Perception 17, Keen Smell
Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Speed
40 ft. and climb 30 ft. as bear or hybrid
40 ft. and climb 30 ft. as bear only; hybrid walks 30 ft.
Weapons
Greataxe (10)
Four handaxes (14), melee or thrown 20/60 ft.
Bite
15 (2d10 + 4), its own action
17 (2d12 + 4), can replace one of its two attacks
Shape change
Action
Bonus Action
Two changes matter most. The bite now fits inside the Multiattack. A 2024 werebear can hit with a handaxe and a bite in one turn, so it can curse without losing damage. It isn't a Humanoid anymore.Hold Person works on the 2014 werebear in any form and can't target the 2024 one.
The 2024 hybrid also lost the climb speed and the 40-foot walk. The bear form is now the only one that can go up a tree or a cliff.
How Werebears Fight
A werebear isn't subtle. It has 135 hit points, two attacks a round at +7 and no ranged option in 2014. It walks to the front and stays there.
Damage per round against AC 16 (+7 hits on 9 or higher, 60%):
Werebear turn
Damage if all hit
Average vs AC 16
2014 hybrid: two claws
26
15.6
2014: bite as its whole action
15
9
2024 hybrid: handaxe + bite
31
18.6
2024 bear: rend + bite
30
18
2024 human: two thrown handaxes
28
16.8
2014: claws, not teeth. A hostile 2014 werebear should claw. It only bites when the curse is the point, for example to recruit someone or to punish a hunter.
2024: open at range, then close. In human form it throws two handaxes at 20/60 feet. It carries only four, so that's two turns of throwing. Then it uses its Bonus Action to shape-shift and charges in, all in one turn.
The 2024 curse, by the numbers. A bite hits AC 16 60% of the time. A character with Constitution +2 fails the DC 14 save on 11 or lower, 55%. That's about a 33% chance per round to curse whoever it bites. A cursed character who later drops to 0 hit points doesn't fall unconscious. They become a werebear under the GM's control with 10 hit points.
Use the climb. A werebear in bear form climbs 30 feet. In a forest, it can go up a trunk and come down behind the party's archer, or wait in the branches over a trail.
Good creatures retreat. A neutral good werebear has no reason to fight to the death against people who aren't evil. Have it break off at half hit points, shift to bear form and leave at 40 feet a turn. It may come back as the hermit who offers the party a bed.
Running a Werebear Encounter
A werebear is worth 1,800 XP. For four characters under the 2024 SRD 5.2.1 budget:
The 2014 column uses the 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide thresholds and group multiplier, which our encounter difficulty calculator applies. Three creatures double the effective XP, so the werebear with two bears jumps to Deadly for level 5 characters.
Check the party's weapons first (2014). CR 5 assumes the party can hurt it. Against a level 5 party whose only damage is from mundane swords and arrows, 135 hit points and full immunity is a fight the party can't win. Silver costs 100 gp per weapon or ten pieces of ammunition in SRD 5.1, so plant a silversmith or a magic weapon before the fight.
Compare the pack. The werewolf (CR 3) is a pack hunter, the wererat (CR 2) is a city sneak, the wereboar (CR 4) charges, and the weretiger (CR 4) stalks. The werebear has the most hit points and is the only good-aligned one of the five.
How Players Beat Werebears
•Talk first. It's neutral good, speaks Common in human and hybrid form, and has Intelligence 11. A party that explains itself may not have to fight at all.
•2014: bring magic or silver. Spells ignore its immunity. Magic Missile and Guiding Bolt both work. Against AC 11, almost any attack roll lands.
•2014: Hold Person.Hold Person works on the 2014 Humanoid (Wisdom save +1), and a paralyzed werebear takes a critical hit from every melee hit within 5 feet.
•Pin it in human form with Moonbeam. In 2014 a shapechanger saves with Disadvantage and, if it fails, reverts to its true form and can't change while in the light. In 2024 any shape-shifted creature that fails reverts and can't shape-shift until it leaves the cylinder. A human-form werebear has no bite.
•Aim at Dexterity and Intelligence. Both are +0 with no save proficiencies. Against a DC 14 Dexterity save it fails 65% of the time.
•Fight it in tunnels. The bear and hybrid forms are Large in both editions. In a 5-foot corridor it must squeeze or stay in human form, where it has no bite.
Werebear Encounter Ideas
The hermit's long night. The party shelters with an old woodcutter during a storm. Near midnight, a wereboar gang hits the cabin, and the woodcutter turns into a bear and fights them at the door. The party has to choose a side in a fight it didn't start, and at dawn the woodcutter asks them to keep her secret from the village that hired them to "find the bear."
The bite he regrets (2024). A young squire joins the party as a hireling. Two weeks ago a werebear bit him while breaking up a fight. In the 2024 rules he's cursed, and the next time he drops to 0 hit points he becomes a werebear under the GM's control. The werebear who bit him wants to help find Remove Curse before that happens.
The bounty on the pass. A mountain town has posted 500 gp for the "giant bear" that killed a trapper. The party tracks it with silvered arrows (2014) and finds a werebear guarding the trapper's real killer: a wounded owlbear it has been driving away from town for a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What CR is a werebear in 5e?
A werebear is CR 5 (1,800 XP) in both the 2014 and 2024 rules. It has 135 hit points in both. Its AC is 10 or 11 by form in 2014 and 15 in every form in 2024.
Is a werebear good or evil?
Both SRD stat blocks list the werebear as neutral good. It's the only SRD lycanthrope with a good alignment, which makes it easy to use as an ally, a quest giver or a misunderstood "monster."
What is a werebear immune to?
The 2014 werebear is immune to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons. The 2024 werebear has no damage immunities.
How do you get werebear lycanthropy?
A Humanoid bitten by a werebear in bear or hybrid form makes a DC 14 Constitution save and is cursed on a failure. In the 2024 rules, a cursed creature that drops to 0 hit points becomes a werebear under the GM's control with 10 hit points, and a successful save makes it immune to that werebear's curse for 24 hours.
How big is a werebear?
Its true human form is Medium in 2014 and Medium or Small in 2024. Its bear and hybrid forms are Large in both editions, so they take up a 10-by-10-foot space.
Stat blocks: System Reference Document 5.1 (2014) and 5.2.1 (2024), Wizards of the Coast, CC-BY-4.0. Tactics, encounter math and ideas are Loreify's own.
This page includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Loreify is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.