Buy me a coffeeKoala, Drop Bear: The Mythical Menace of the Australian Outback
“Terrifying Aussie Predator: The Truth About Drop Bears Will Make You Think Twice Before Hiking Down Under!”
Drop Bears are described as a larger, more aggressive cousin of the common koala. These creatures boast sharp claws, powerful jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth, and thick, shaggy fur that ranges from dark gray to mottled brown, helping them blend seamlessly with the eucalyptus trees. Their muscular build and red, glowing eyes give them a menacing appearance, and they are often depicted with long, pointed ears that twitch at the slightest sound.
Behavior:
Drop Bears are known for their ambush hunting tactics. Unlike their docile koala relatives, Drop Bears are fiercely territorial and highly aggressive. They are primarily nocturnal, becoming most active during the twilight hours when their hunting skills are at their peak. They have a keen sense of hearing and smell, allowing them to detect the approach of unsuspecting prey from a distance.
Habitat:
These mythical creatures are said to inhabit the dense eucalyptus forests and remote woodlands of Australia. They prefer tall, mature trees with broad canopies that provide ample cover for their ambush tactics. Drop Bears are believed to build nests high up in the trees, camouflaged by the foliage, where they lie in wait for potential prey to pass underneath.
Modus Operandi:
The Drop Bear’s primary hunting strategy involves perching high in the treetops and silently observing the ground below. When an unsuspecting victim wanders into their territory, the Drop Bear drops down from the tree, using its weight and momentum to knock the target to the ground. They are known to aim for the head or shoulders, incapacitating their prey with a swift, brutal strike. After the initial drop, they use their powerful jaws and claws to finish off their prey, often dragging it back up into the tree to consume at their leisure.
Motivation:
Drop Bears are driven by a primal hunger and territorial instinct. They are said to be particularly attracted to tourists, possibly due to the unfamiliar scents they carry, making them easy targets. Some stories suggest that Drop Bears are remnants of a prehistoric predator lineage, whose aggression has been fueled by the encroachment of humans into their natural habitats. Their ferocity is often described as a means of protecting their territory from intruders and maintaining their dominance in the treetops.
Drop Bear
Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 45 (6d8 + 18)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 4 (-3) | 12 (+1) | 8 (-1) |
Skills:
- Stealth +6
- Perception +3
- Athletics +5
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13
Languages: —
Challenge: 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Traits
- Keen Senses. The Drop Bear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell.
- Ambusher. In the first round of combat, the Drop Bear has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that have not taken a turn yet.
- Tree Camouflage. The Drop Bear has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in forested terrain. Its fur blends in with the bark and leaves of eucalyptus trees.
- Gripping Claws. The Drop Bear’s sharp claws allow it to climb without needing to make an ability check.
Actions
- Multiattack. The Drop Bear makes two attacks: one with its Bite and one with its Claw.
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
- Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.
- Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
- Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
- Drop Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target directly below the Drop Bear.
- Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
- If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Reactions
- Branch Leap. When an enemy moves within 10 feet of the Drop Bear while it’s in a tree, it can use its reaction to leap to an adjacent tree within 15 feet, avoiding an opportunity attack. The Drop Bear must land in a tree that can support its weight.
Tactics
- Ambush from Above: The Drop Bear often begins encounters hidden among the branches of tall trees, using its Tree Camouflage trait to remain unseen. It waits for unsuspecting prey to pass beneath its perch before using its Drop Attack to surprise and incapacitate a target, ideally a smaller or lightly armored creature.
- Focus on Weaker Prey: Once it has dropped down, the Drop Bear will prioritize attacking the creature it knocked prone, using its Multiattack to bite and claw at the target to maximize damage.
- Hit and Run: If the Drop Bear feels outnumbered or threatened, it will use its Branch Leap reaction to quickly move to another tree, evading melee combatants and attempting to re-establish a position of advantage.
- Persistent Predator: The Drop Bear prefers to fight in dense forested areas, where it can use the trees to its advantage. If forced to fight in open terrain, it will still try to climb any available structures, using them to launch its ambushes.
- Territorial Defense: The Drop Bear is highly territorial and will aggressively defend its area from intruders, especially humanoids, whom it perceives as threats to its domain. It will use its Keen Senses to track intruders over long distances.
Environment:
Drop Bears are primarily found in dense eucalyptus forests, where their natural camouflage and climbing ability give them a significant advantage. They are nocturnal hunters, and their presence is often signaled by the sudden silencing of birds and small animals in the area. If a Drop Bear has made its territory known, locals will warn travelers to avoid walking under tall trees without making noise to scare off potential predators.
Treasure:
Drop Bears have no interest in material wealth, but their lairs may occasionally contain items dropped by previous victims. A search of a Drop Bear’s territory might uncover torn clothing, scattered trinkets, or simple tools and weapons.
Adventure Hook:
Rumors have spread through the local village of a “killer koala” that has been attacking travelers at night, dragging them off into the forest. The village council offers a bounty for any adventurer brave enough to hunt down the creature, unaware that it’s not just a wild animal, but a cunning and deadly Drop Bear with a taste for human prey.
Epic Monsters: Drop Bears (5E)
Epic Monsters: Drop Bears (5E) | EN World | Dungeons & Dragons | Tabletop Roleplaying Games
If you have somehow not yet heard of Thylarctos plummetus you are in for a treat. I first learned about Drop Bears in August of 2013 via the (excellent) webcomic Penny Arcade but they were already something of an in-joke between Australians–if any of you Aussies can speak up with more information please do so! That PA comic came a few months after the Australian Geographic did a spoof article in conjunction with the Australian Museum which has a proper entry for them just like any other species.
Drop Bear
Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural)
Hit Points 42 (5d8+20)
Speed 40 ft., climb 35 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 17 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 19 (+4) | 5 (-3) | 13 (+1) | 10 (+0) |
Skills Athletics +7, Perception +3, Stealth +8, Survival +3
Damage Resistances poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the drop bear can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Drop Bear Weaknesses. The drop bear has the following flaws:
- Fork Aversion. The drop bear has disadvantage on attack rolls made against creatures with two or more forks worked into their hair or fur.
- Spread Revulsion. The drop bear cannot stand Vegemite or toothpaste. When a creature that spreads either substance behind its ears or armpits gets within 30 feet of a drop bear, the drop bear growls uncontrollably and has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks while doing so.
- Urine Disgust. The drop bear does not like the taste or smell of urine. When the drop bear is presented with one or more creatures soiled with urine, it becomes agitated and attacks wildly, charging at the nearest non-urinated target (or the target with the least urine if all targets have soiled themselves).
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The drop bear deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the drop bear that isn’t incapacitated and the drop bear doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The drop bear attacks once with its bite and once with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage.
REACTIONS
Vicious Rend. When the drop bear hits the same target with its bite and claw attacks on its turn, it can use its reaction to deal an extra 10 (4d4) slashing damage.
This pudgy bear-like creature clings to a tree branch. As it drops towards you, you notice its razor-sharp teeth and long claws
Taken from the Creature Codex
Dangerous relatives of the harmless koalas, drop bears are flesh eating marsupials. They look almost identical to their herbivorous kin, which drop bears often use to their advantage. The two creatures sometimes live together in mixed communities, allowing the drop bears opportunities for camouflage. The strong grips that allow koalas to effortlessly climb trees are used by drop bears to grasp and tear their prey. Drop bears will cooperate in taking down especially large and tempting prey items, raining from the trees en masse. It is rumored that drop bears and koalas are inter-fertile, with the offspring of such unions having a mix of their parents’ dietary habits.
Drop Bear CR 2
XP 600
N Small animal
Init +7; Senses low-light vision, Perception +5, scent
Defense
AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 19 (3d8+6)
Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4
Defensive Abilities drop-proof
Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d4+2), 2 claws +5 (1d3+2 plus grab)
Special Attacks grab (Medium creatures),pounce, rake (2 claws +5, 1d3+2), vertical charge
Statistics
Str 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB +3 (+7 grapple); CMD 15 (19 against trip)
Feats Improved Initiative,Iron Will
Skills Acrobatics +10,Climb +19, Perception +5, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Climb
SQ innocent guise
Ecology
Environment warm and temperate forests
Organization solitary, pair, pack (3-8) or mixed pack (3-8 plus 4-12 koalas)
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities
- Drop-Proof (Ex) A drop bear ignores falling damage from any fall of 30 feet or less.
- Innocent Guise (Ex) A drop bear looks so much like an ordinary koala that a DC 20 Knowledge (nature) or Perception check is required to notice it before it attacks for the first time.
- Vertical Charge (Ex) As long as a drop bear begins a charge 10 feet or more above an opponent, it does not take a penalty to Armor Class when charging.
Drop Bears as Animal Companions
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft..; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 claws (1d3); Ability Scores Str 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 11; Special Attacks rake (1d3); Special Qualities drop-proof,low-light vision, scent
4th-Level Advancement: Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.; Ability Scores Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2; Special Attacks grab (Medium creatures),pounce, vertical charge