In one of my D&D campaigns (mostly through emergent play) bugbears were called "Boogie-ber'n" and - as it turned out - were not natural creatures but were summoned by Goblins as a mythical hero "Sez Da Boog'n" to defend helpless li'l goblins from rampaging big folk
Cool idea! I love world-specific homebrew origins for D&D creatures. 🙂 In my main campaign, bugbears originated when a bunch of refugee goblins got trapped in a coexistent plane called Stalkbriar, a realm that brings forth the savage and menacing in those who linger there. A handful managed to get out alive before their minds could be extinguished, but not before they were physically transformed to be larger, more bestial, and filled with a toying predator's drive to stalk, menace, and intimidate. Now, most of their descendants live and operate like leopards - quiet, cunning hunters who pick off the weak and vulnerable by night, with stealth enough to slip undetected into settlements whenever the urge to terrorize strikes them - and even other goblinoids find them creepy. Many wear bestial masks of fierce beasts or monstrosities whose ferocity they emulate. They'll gather in a gang/pack when there's ample prey available to go around, but will only cooperate with non-bugbears if the others are too strong to take on physically. Even then, they'll be trying all along to maneuver their "partners" into a vulnerable position, whether with actual intent to betray or as a purely mental exercise in out-thinking a quarry.
@@sharondornhoff7563 "Stalkbriar", most cool. Sounds like it could be connected with my world's Keening Woodsnarl (a huge nasty thicket bordering The Kapreseon, a place where portals to Feywild & Shadowfell overlap). Would it be okay if I borrowed the idea? Here's why I'm asking. And this is so cool; I saw that my post got another Like today, right after we'd finished a quickie session where the Boogie-ber'n drove a lot of the night's plot. And now it's got me thinking {scheming, actually} . . . There's a conspiracy afoot (by the Dirtyfoots goblin band, no less) to basically rewrite the "mistake" that resulted in bugbears, to make something more akin to the original "Sez Da Boog'n" concept, a hulking brute that DEMANDS! respect. So a cabal of goblin shamans and alchemists are working towards empowering the Boog'n concept enough that it becomes a persistent and sapient individual, an Ideal made Flesh! And I love your motif of savagery - and especially the masks - to really push the threat as it grows in the weeks/months ahead. That's why I'd like your blessing - and any input that might help me ramp things up even more - so I can run with this idea [edited due to power interruption - PNG winter weather!]
@@JamesJoy-yc8vs Feel free! And since you've shared a little more world-trivia just now, here's another detail about my bugbears: in the Goblin language IMC, the word for "bugbear" is the same as the word for "claw". This follows on the pattern of the Goblin word for "goblin" being the same as "hand", and for "hobgoblin" being the same as "fist". Their respective names for themselves say a lot about their kinds' respective roles in goblinoid culture. 🙂
I like the Pathfinder depiction from the older Revisited series. It characterizes them as stalking hunters who relish the smell of fear and collect the skulls of their victims. They behave much like The Predator and can have various extra abilities to aid them not only in their hunt, but also to terrify their prey before they close in for the kill.
There have been further permutations of BOOGEYMAN in North America, In the south Boogeyman transformed into BOOGER, and one of the local names for Bigfoot there is a "WOODBOOGER". Androphagi look like the mythological Blemmyes. You're welcome.
Correct on the Blemmyes. That is what originally inspired me. However that race is based in Libya (at least according to herodatus) And they are more friendly than my version.
Wow. What a cool monster. Love the historic build up to the ENOSS version, Androphagi. I’m definitely going to use a pack of Androphagi in my game. Let’s see how my players who mysteriously roll ‘crit’ hits react! Great video.
I saw a similair article talking about Bugbears, and they mentioned Bugaboo from Scary Godmother and Sulley from Monster Inc. as fitting the description.
I’m thinking of adding Bugbearers for my campaign I’m running currently, as a weird, experimentation between goblins and other species and it’ll be a decently large fight.
Lots of monsters had that issue. Even when they made new things like the Gnoll, it was just a goblin monster between hobgoblin and orc until they added the hyena aspect later.
Your homebrew beastie at the end is an excellent combination of the previous Bugbear lore and horror elements. I’m gonna try to slip them into my games so I can terrify my players. 😁🤣
07:03 · Goblinoids Thank you for referencing the Goblinoid classification. It is too often forgotten. These creatures were less genetic related as they were known to cooperate with each other. The counter to those which worked with humanity, demihumans. 13:57 · Relations Hobgoblins, goblins and Bugbears should be seen as connected as humans, halflings and hill giants.
Yes Goblinoid has seemingly been lost lately. Or at least it's been muddled to the point where instead of a faction it's biological. That's why orcs and giants are not related to them anymore.
Bugbears are one of my favorite monsters to use. Their stealth skills are put to good use in my games. several occasions they have come close to taking out several party members. My players now fear bugbears more than ogres.
The gnomes being goblin/elf hybrids is fascinating. In my homebrew setting which is just earth tens of thousand of years in the future, after an advanced technological society collapses because of the discovery of magic and creation of dragons as bio weapons, the Hobgoblin race is just humans twisted by magic. The gnomes were created before the collapse as a servant race, and goblins are gnomes corrupted by the same magics. (and Bugbears were super soldier version twisted by the same energies)
In my *_True Accounts of the Cosmic Rangers_* game/setting, I'm doing a lot of the folklore stuff you described with my bugbears. Big, scary predators with adaptive camouflage fur (all goblins have weird stealth powers), the ability to smell fear, and the ability to fit into/squeeze through spaces that are much, much smaller than they are.
Wasn't expecting this so soon after the bar was set so high in the hobgoblin video. I'd agree DnD bugbears aren't all that inspiring. I did decide to include them in the folklore grab-bag that I made goblins into in one of my settings though. Taking inspiration from creatures like bugbears, bogey, buggane, boggarts, and bogles being frightening and very varied in appearance; bug/bog- is the prefix commonly used by goblin types that are best described as one part ninja and one part fox in the henhouse. They are typically less civilized than other goblins, rarely produce anything of their own, and support themselves largely through foraging or theft. The latter of which they excel at thanks to a natural tendency towards stealth and misdirection. Bugbears stand out in this crowd by being so good at creating distractions that very few of their victims ever realize the vicious monster that tore screaming through the village square in the middle of the night was in fact the quiet goblins that walked through it the day before. Though enough have been caught in the act that their distractions are known in universe as a "bugbear's performance". Their opposite is the Bogle whose idea of a distraction is having one of their number running about in broad daylight screaming or laughing his head off while the rest grab anything they can carry. They're easily recognized on sight and considered a nuisance rather than the nightmarish terror bugbears tend to pull off.
In my world, Bugbears are born with Werebear lycanthropy. Seeing it as a boon, they embrace the beast and use their power as guardians of the wilderness.
I am a fan of bugbears, am even playing one, paladin barbarian. And being the very embodiment of That Which Hides Under Your Bed has been the centrepiece of my love for long XD That said, your reimagining makes me think of a hybrid with a rakshasa, and that's really cool. It's nice to see the past for creatures like this.
The "Bonhomme Sept Heures" (7 o'clock man, derived from mistranslated 'bone setter') is a possible Quebec equivalent. He takes away children outside after their bedtimes, which was 7 pm.
The bugbear from MLP is definitely a D&D reference as the showrunner played in her youth and also included a pony version of the game called Ogres & Oubliettes.
Even though worldbuilding was never the focus of the show, MLP gen4's setting is more or less a loose blend of Greco-Roman and Arthurian legends that sometimes looms just behind more wacky hijinks. Like the Discord character you mentioned! He was voiced by John DeLance, who was essentially directed to reprise his role as Q on Star Trek because the characters were so similar. Point being, there's lots of little things to notice if you're a nerd for it. @@kid9893
One of my friends made me watch mlp. There's a shocking amount of rando original fantasy races. One of the main characters flutter shy, doesn't like people, but loves animals. So shes normally the main character that deal with them. So that's the main reason why. Like one was a giant bear with a galaxy sky as its skin. And is transparent. Its a animal that is magic, and is almost completely immune to magic. But there indefrent and dont like people. As a adult there extremely dangerous, but as a kid there very small and cant do a lot psychical damage yet. Doing this however doing this angers the mother. This monster is used to show how strong a wizard is.
in Portuguese from Portugal El Coco is Coca or even Cuca and it can mean head but it can also be referred to as a dragon/crocodile like creature and I think our neighbours have something like that too
I didn’t know they had a background I thought it was something they just pulled out their ass in the 70’s after seeing Chewbacca or something for the first time.
There are also vrukodlak and grundy lough, both boogeyman type creatures. The vrukodlack are hairy and can shapeshift into wolves or bats their cousins the strigoi are so hated by god that he tries to drive them away with halestorms they're also a precursor to bramstokers Dracula. And the grundy lough are gangly aquatic creatures that like to drown children or the weak when they get to close to the water. They can also be seen skulking around on battlefields where they feist on the dead and are referred to as shadow walkers in the tale of beowulf. And Grendel may be an atypicaly large one of them. Trolls/ogers aren't typically imbeded within a military higharchy so they aren't narrativlely primed for all the same roles and the hob goblins are far more ambitious whereas the bugbear is lazier. So its almost like Michaelangelo the ninja turtle as a race just the if there was a meatcanyon version
So I liked your video very informative, but the creature you came up with the androphagi leaves me a bit confuse , now I haven't played dnd in years but I could have sworn blemmeys were part of the game already.
Next, the history of pineapple on pizza in fantasy. PS. Your baking sounds, intermittently has something that sounds like a woman crying out in, um, pleasure. I'm sure I'm mishearing it, it's very quiet and not very frequent. e.g. 10:24. I think you can blame it on my mind 😂
Good move leaving the Herotatus reference until the end. That guy is about as credible as modern media. If you put him at the beginning then this whole essay on Fantasy would have lost credibility. Somehow.
Man added Slavs to his setting and acting like they’re big bears
Look, all I'm saying is Basil the bugbear Slayer can be canon.
@@kid9893 please make a video for the history of Giants in fantasy please
I love these monsters in fantasy videos, I don't know what's next on your list, but I am keen for it!
Androphage, the man eater. What a monster.
Thank you. I've been cooking them for a while and never got a chance to use them yet so I'm hoping someone else does and has fun.
I appreciate your sacrifice, making this video, even though you dont like bugbears
Same. Genuinely surprised!Thank you
You are very welcome my friend. If there's a lot of interest in something I will gladly make it for you guys.
In one of my D&D campaigns (mostly through emergent play) bugbears were called "Boogie-ber'n" and - as it turned out - were not natural creatures but were summoned by Goblins as a mythical hero "Sez Da Boog'n" to defend helpless li'l goblins from rampaging big folk
Cool idea! I love world-specific homebrew origins for D&D creatures. 🙂
In my main campaign, bugbears originated when a bunch of refugee goblins got trapped in a coexistent plane called Stalkbriar, a realm that brings forth the savage and menacing in those who linger there. A handful managed to get out alive before their minds could be extinguished, but not before they were physically transformed to be larger, more bestial, and filled with a toying predator's drive to stalk, menace, and intimidate.
Now, most of their descendants live and operate like leopards - quiet, cunning hunters who pick off the weak and vulnerable by night, with stealth enough to slip undetected into settlements whenever the urge to terrorize strikes them - and even other goblinoids find them creepy. Many wear bestial masks of fierce beasts or monstrosities whose ferocity they emulate. They'll gather in a gang/pack when there's ample prey available to go around, but will only cooperate with non-bugbears if the others are too strong to take on physically. Even then, they'll be trying all along to maneuver their "partners" into a vulnerable position, whether with actual intent to betray or as a purely mental exercise in out-thinking a quarry.
@@sharondornhoff7563 "Stalkbriar", most cool. Sounds like it could be connected with my world's Keening Woodsnarl (a huge nasty thicket bordering The Kapreseon, a place where portals to Feywild & Shadowfell overlap). Would it be okay if I borrowed the idea?
Here's why I'm asking. And this is so cool; I saw that my post got another Like today, right after we'd finished a quickie session where the Boogie-ber'n drove a lot of the night's plot. And now it's got me thinking {scheming, actually} . . .
There's a conspiracy afoot (by the Dirtyfoots goblin band, no less) to basically rewrite the "mistake" that resulted in bugbears, to make something more akin to the original "Sez Da Boog'n" concept, a hulking brute that DEMANDS! respect. So a cabal of goblin shamans and alchemists are working towards empowering the Boog'n concept enough that it becomes a persistent and sapient individual, an Ideal made Flesh!
And I love your motif of savagery - and especially the masks - to really push the threat as it grows in the weeks/months ahead.
That's why I'd like your blessing - and any input that might help me ramp things up even more - so I can run with this idea
[edited due to power interruption - PNG winter weather!]
@@JamesJoy-yc8vs Feel free! And since you've shared a little more world-trivia just now, here's another detail about my bugbears: in the Goblin language IMC, the word for "bugbear" is the same as the word for "claw". This follows on the pattern of the Goblin word for "goblin" being the same as "hand", and for "hobgoblin" being the same as "fist". Their respective names for themselves say a lot about their kinds' respective roles in goblinoid culture. 🙂
Cool, I once used Bugbears in a Ravenloft adventure, but gave them the boon of Werebear Lycanthropy.
I FREAKING LOVE THIS SERIES
I like the Pathfinder depiction from the older Revisited series. It characterizes them as stalking hunters who relish the smell of fear and collect the skulls of their victims. They behave much like The Predator and can have various extra abilities to aid them not only in their hunt, but also to terrify their prey before they close in for the kill.
Good stuff man, the boogie joke made me laugh and you got my silly little dm head thinking. I’m gonna look through more of your videos.
Thank you my friend and I hope you enjoy what you find!
There have been further permutations of BOOGEYMAN in North America, In the south Boogeyman transformed into BOOGER, and one of the local names for Bigfoot there is a "WOODBOOGER". Androphagi look like the mythological Blemmyes. You're welcome.
Correct on the Blemmyes. That is what originally inspired me. However that race is based in Libya (at least according to herodatus) And they are more friendly than my version.
Neat! Turns out bugbears have way more interesting backstory then they do modern day lore.
I know right? Makes me sad how little they have left.
Wow. What a cool monster. Love the historic build up to the ENOSS version, Androphagi. I’m definitely going to use a pack of Androphagi in my game. Let’s see how my players who mysteriously roll ‘crit’ hits react! Great video.
Thank you the comment. And yes I also think it's going to be a lot of fun to use your table.
I saw a similair article talking about Bugbears, and they mentioned Bugaboo from Scary Godmother and Sulley from Monster Inc. as fitting the description.
Yeah they both fit very well.
I’m thinking of adding Bugbearers for my campaign I’m running currently, as a weird, experimentation between goblins and other species and it’ll be a decently large fight.
This was a great treatment of a classic - well done. More like this, please!
3:23 This is my favorite Bug Bear design & love how they look much more bear 🐻 like. Wish DnD Bug Bears looked like this.
I agree, I like the fuzzy fluffy version.
DnD changing bugbears from essentially goblin dogs to just an alternate type of orc is one of the lamest things DnD did.
Lots of monsters had that issue. Even when they made new things like the Gnoll, it was just a goblin monster between hobgoblin and orc until they added the hyena aspect later.
Wizards should never have been given control over DnD
Mechanically speaking, Rogue characters benefit greatly from this race, plus stealth-based characters.
not boogie catching strays even in unrelated DnD videos 😭 ☠️
Hey man, I strive for completeness.
So essentially bug bear is the same as when I call something a fussy bunny.
Yes exactly.
Your homebrew beastie at the end is an excellent combination of the previous Bugbear lore and horror elements.
I’m gonna try to slip them into my games so I can terrify my players. 😁🤣
07:03 · Goblinoids
Thank you for referencing the Goblinoid classification. It is too often forgotten. These creatures were less genetic related as they were known to cooperate with each other. The counter to those which worked with humanity, demihumans.
13:57 · Relations
Hobgoblins, goblins and Bugbears should be seen as connected as humans, halflings and hill giants.
Yes Goblinoid has seemingly been lost lately. Or at least it's been muddled to the point where instead of a faction it's biological. That's why orcs and giants are not related to them anymore.
Torbek is my favorite Bugbear, he's a sad but jolly fellow, can't wait to see more of your content, keep it up
Thank you sir. I hope to see more of your content as well.
Bugbears are one of my favorite monsters to use. Their stealth skills are put to good use in my games. several occasions they have come close to taking out several party members. My players now fear bugbears more than ogres.
From a mechanical perspective I think they are really cool. They fulfill a great niche in the game part of the RPG
True, Rogues can definitely benefit from the Bugbears’ stealth abilities.
The gnomes being goblin/elf hybrids is fascinating. In my homebrew setting which is just earth tens of thousand of years in the future, after an advanced technological society collapses because of the discovery of magic and creation of dragons as bio weapons, the Hobgoblin race is just humans twisted by magic. The gnomes were created before the collapse as a servant race, and goblins are gnomes corrupted by the same magics. (and Bugbears were super soldier version twisted by the same energies)
In my *_True Accounts of the Cosmic Rangers_* game/setting, I'm doing a lot of the folklore stuff you described with my bugbears. Big, scary predators with adaptive camouflage fur (all goblins have weird stealth powers), the ability to smell fear, and the ability to fit into/squeeze through spaces that are much, much smaller than they are.
Great job. Keep on keeping on 😎🍻🤘
The fantasy history videos are what draw me in
Seems like a common sentiment. I shall definitely keep making them.
Wasn't expecting this so soon after the bar was set so high in the hobgoblin video. I'd agree DnD bugbears aren't all that inspiring. I did decide to include them in the folklore grab-bag that I made goblins into in one of my settings though. Taking inspiration from creatures like bugbears, bogey, buggane, boggarts, and bogles being frightening and very varied in appearance; bug/bog- is the prefix commonly used by goblin types that are best described as one part ninja and one part fox in the henhouse. They are typically less civilized than other goblins, rarely produce anything of their own, and support themselves largely through foraging or theft. The latter of which they excel at thanks to a natural tendency towards stealth and misdirection.
Bugbears stand out in this crowd by being so good at creating distractions that very few of their victims ever realize the vicious monster that tore screaming through the village square in the middle of the night was in fact the quiet goblins that walked through it the day before. Though enough have been caught in the act that their distractions are known in universe as a "bugbear's performance". Their opposite is the Bogle whose idea of a distraction is having one of their number running about in broad daylight screaming or laughing his head off while the rest grab anything they can carry. They're easily recognized on sight and considered a nuisance rather than the nightmarish terror bugbears tend to pull off.
That's a really neat interpretation. I like how it harkens back to the original stories.
Would enjoy hearing your count of d&d versions.
I shall add your vote to the list. I'm sure eventually I will cover it even if it loses.
In my world, Bugbears are born with Werebear lycanthropy. Seeing it as a boon, they embrace the beast and use their power as guardians of the wilderness.
Bugbear is probably my fav D&D race, I've played 'em in more than one campaign.
I have the original White box and I could have sworn Gnolls were originally a horrifying cross between a troll and gnome. 😅
Yes you are correct I misspoke in the video. My next video will be fixing that don't worry.
No worries, it’s all good. 😁👍
Keep up the monsters, love it
I am a fan of bugbears, am even playing one, paladin barbarian. And being the very embodiment of That Which Hides Under Your Bed has been the centrepiece of my love for long XD
That said, your reimagining makes me think of a hybrid with a rakshasa, and that's really cool.
It's nice to see the past for creatures like this.
Oh I love rakshasas. They were one of my first videos.
Please do a history of Dnd vid. The early history of chain mail and blackmoor would be particularly interesting
The "Bonhomme Sept Heures" (7 o'clock man, derived from mistranslated 'bone setter') is a possible Quebec equivalent. He takes away children outside after their bedtimes, which was 7 pm.
That sounds spooky as heck. But yes that is definitely related.
Androphagi is symilar to the mapinguari from brasilian mythology
10:07 Yeahhhhh Edition 3.5 Love for the win!!!
The bugbear from MLP is definitely a D&D reference as the showrunner played in her youth and also included a pony version of the game called Ogres & Oubliettes.
That makes a lot of sense. Maybe I'll have to give that aspect a deep dive and see all the other near references
Even though worldbuilding was never the focus of the show, MLP gen4's setting is more or less a loose blend of Greco-Roman and Arthurian legends that sometimes looms just behind more wacky hijinks. Like the Discord character you mentioned! He was voiced by John DeLance, who was essentially directed to reprise his role as Q on Star Trek because the characters were so similar.
Point being, there's lots of little things to notice if you're a nerd for it. @@kid9893
I'll watch a vid about all the D&D editions
I shall add your vote to the tally.
One of my friends made me watch mlp. There's a shocking amount of rando original fantasy races.
One of the main characters flutter shy, doesn't like people, but loves animals. So shes normally the main character that deal with them. So that's the main reason why.
Like one was a giant bear with a galaxy sky as its skin. And is transparent. Its a animal that is magic, and is almost completely immune to magic. But there indefrent and dont like people.
As a adult there extremely dangerous, but as a kid there very small and cant do a lot psychical damage yet.
Doing this however doing this angers the mother.
This monster is used to show how strong a wizard is.
Unngggguuh, Torbek doesn’t think you should be taaaalking about this so much, Torbek knows how much other bugbears like their priiiiivaccyyyy…
in Portuguese from Portugal El Coco is Coca or even Cuca and it can mean head but it can also be referred to as a dragon/crocodile like creature and I think our neighbours have something like that too
👑
🙏
Please make a video for the history of Giants in fantasy please
More history of videos please.
Thank you.
Do a video on Gnomes.
Gnomes might be a fun one.
@@kid9893 Gnomes are my number 1 favorite DnD & Baldur's Gate 3 race, especially the Forest Gnome since they can talk to animals.
You’d have to go in depth about the six types of gnomes, it would be a challenge but it’s one we’d all appreciate
Just don't ignore the influence of the Harry Potter series.
I think that is a highly underrating feature for sure.
OD&D, 1st edition, 2nd Advanced, 2nd Basic, 3e, 3.5, 4e, 5e...I only count 8, where are the other five?
OD&D, 1ST AD&D, 1ST Basic D&D, BXD&D, BECMI, 2ND AD&D, D&D rules cyclopedia, 2ND AD&D revised, 3e, 3.5e, 4e, Dungeons and Dragons essentials (4e compatible), 5th edition, DND 2024 edition core rule book (5e compatible)
make a video about D&D , I play that game too!
Excellent I shall mark that down as a vote.
More fantasy history, please.
I didn’t know they had a background I thought it was something they just pulled out their ass in the 70’s after seeing Chewbacca or something for the first time.
in Portugal we have the word bicho it can be used for insects, any animal or for Bicho Papão our own version of the boogeyman
I mean, bugbears could make a comeback thanks to Torbek from Legends of Avantris
It's funny, one of my players at my table was just telling me about how good he is.
There are also vrukodlak and grundy lough, both boogeyman type creatures.
The vrukodlack are hairy and can shapeshift into wolves or bats their cousins the strigoi are so hated by god that he tries to drive them away with halestorms they're also a precursor to bramstokers Dracula.
And the grundy lough are gangly aquatic creatures that like to drown children or the weak when they get to close to the water. They can also be seen skulking around on battlefields where they feist on the dead and are referred to as shadow walkers in the tale of beowulf. And Grendel may be an atypicaly large one of them.
Trolls/ogers aren't typically imbeded within a military higharchy so they aren't narrativlely primed for all the same roles and the hob goblins are far more ambitious whereas the bugbear is lazier. So its almost like Michaelangelo the ninja turtle as a race just the if there was a meatcanyon version
Someone pls give me a timestamp for the MLP part
The entire thing.
Don't Google images Buggeman 😱
😲
@@kid9893 , I told you NOT to 🤣
early version of bugbear overlapped with runequest jack 'o bears - articles on this around
So I liked your video very informative, but the creature you came up with the androphagi leaves me a bit confuse , now I haven't played dnd in years but I could have sworn blemmeys were part of the game already.
That fem bugbear was thicc
You should've seen the ones that weren't safe for yt
Hi Im struggling to join your discord.
discord.gg/ebQTzxGE
Try this link.
Next, the history of pineapple on pizza in fantasy.
PS. Your baking sounds, intermittently has something that sounds like a woman crying out in, um, pleasure. I'm sure I'm mishearing it, it's very quiet and not very frequent. e.g. 10:24. I think you can blame it on my mind 😂
Do the show on D&D versions! It's confused numbering...
Of course the Germans taking something the Italians did and making it better
One day the Germans will learn how to cook and us poor Italians will be destitute.
Good move leaving the Herotatus reference until the end. That guy is about as credible as modern media. If you put him at the beginning then this whole essay on Fantasy would have lost credibility. Somehow.