Gummi Bears - Bouncing Here and There and Everywhere

I don't care what anyone says, Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears was a damn great fantasy cartoon back in the day, and it deserves a D&D treatment.

If you've never heard of it, here it is on YouTube for free, or you can watch it in a less clumsy format on Disney+
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcdHhJ83WveO5S9AeAeDKD-qQrsfB4dpw

Also, the theme song is one of the catchiest cartoon themes ever.

Okay, so...

 

Source: https://www.deviantart.com/tomarmstrong20/art/Adventures-of-the-Gummi-Bears-1985-1991-566374688


GUMMI BEARS

(Stats for Original, Basic, Advanced and most OSR games)

No. Appearing: 1-8

Hit Dice: 1-5

Armor Class: 7 (2 with gummi berry juice) / 13/18 high AC

Attack: By weapon or bounce slam (1d6)

Special: Gummi Berry Juice, Stealth

Move: 12 (18 with gummi berry juice) / 30ft/45ft Modern games

Size: Small

% in Lair: 60%

Alignment: Lawful

Treasure: C

XP: Varies by hit dice

Primes (for Castles & Crusades): P,M

Description

Gummi Bears are joyous woodland creatures that resemble small anthropomorphic bears. Most people consider them to be nothing more than myth and legend. They hide deep in the forests and are highly adept at remaining unseen, and until detected are treated as though wearing an elven cloak and boots.

 It's also important to note that Zummi Gummi has the ability to cast spells, though his spellcasting is extremely limited, often backfires, and is largely restricted to the use of scrolls. He doesn't seem to be restricted by spell level, though the more complex the spell the more likely it is to backfire. He has a 60% chance to use any scroll, reduced by 5% per level of the spell he's trying to cast. He can cast spells from memory, but can only memorize 4 spells per day, third level maximum, and has a 35% chance of any spell he attempts from memory failing and backfiring in some way.

Known Gummis

Gummi-Glen

The Gummi-Glen Gummis are a group of Gummis who live in a hollow tree known as Gummi Glen that is the base for a vast complex of tunnels and rooms. They harvest the Gummiberries that grow wild around them in the forest, and produce a powerful juice known as Gummiberry Juice. They hide from humans, with the exception of friends Cavin, a page, and Princess Calla. It is never explained how they are related to each other, although the episode "Up, Up, and Away" suggests that they are the last remaining ones in Gummi-Glen, and at risk of extinction.

·         Zummi Gummi (voiced by Paul Winchell in Seasons 1–5, Jim Cummings in Season 6) - Zummi is an aged bear who is the Gummi-Glen Gummis' leader, although he often defers to the more practical Grammi and Gruffi. He is the "Keeper of Gummi Wisdom" and later the holder of the Gummi-Medallion which he uses to read his magic book to become the group's magician. He is forgetful (he is nearly always shown reciting spells from notes instead of from memory) and clumsy, mis-speaking often with spoonerisms, and his spells tend to back-fire. He also has a fear of heights.

·         Gruffi Gummi (voiced by Bill Scott in Season 1, Corey Burton in Seasons 2–6) - Gruffi is an old-fashioned bear who prefers to do things "the Gummi way." An extremely skilled craftsman and mechanic, he fixes the old Gummi technology and trap doors, as well as building traps around the Glen to deal with humans and ogres. Gruffi is a perfectionist, which can be his undoing at times. However, at other times, he is respected as the voice of stability and practical solutions when the other Gummis fall into despair.

·         Grammi Gummi (voiced by June Foray) - Grammi is another old bear who is the matriarch of Gummi-Glen. She acts as the group's mother, who cooks, cleans, and is the Gummi who prepares the Gummiberry Juice. She holds the secret recipe. She has an intense rivalry with Gruffi Gummi, and tends to bicker with him. Her cooking is disliked by most of the others, especially Gruffi.

·         Tummi Gummi (voiced by Lorenzo Music) - Tummi is an overweight Gummi, stated to be a little younger than Gusto, who enjoys a good meal, and would much rather be eating the Gummiberries than picking them. Of all the Gummi cubs in Gummi Glen, Tummi is the oldest. He has a rather relaxed and easygoing personality, which often gets him caught up in Cubbi's schemes. However and in dangerous situations, Tummi has shown exceptional bravery, and throughout the series, he demonstrates a natural talent as a sailor, gardener, artist and craftsman.

·         Sunni Gummi (voiced by Katie Leigh) - Sunni is a preteen Gummi, who dreams about becoming a princess just like her best friend, the human Princess Calla. Sunni is the most curious about human culture and human fashion, and least concerned with Gummi history. She is the second oldest of the kid Gummis, behind only Tummi Gummi. Later in the series, she is shown to have a crush on Gusto, and becomes close friends with Buddy.

·         Cubbi Gummi (voiced by Noelle North) - Cubbi is the youngest Gummi-Glen Gummi (according to the official series' bible around the equivalent of an 8-year-old), and dreams of becoming a great Gummi knight. He is impetuous and gets distracted by anything mysterious or exciting, but his open-mindedness oftentimes enables him to find simple solutions to sticky problems. He sometimes dons a mask and becomes a vigilante known as the Crimson Avenger. He is best friends with the human Cavin, and he was the first Gummi that Cavin encountered.

·         Augustus "Gusto" Gummi (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - Gusto is an artistic, individualist Gummi who was stranded on a deserted island for twelve years with his best friend Artie Deco, a wise-talking toucan. Tummi and Gruffi were shipwrecked on Gusto's island, just as a volcano was due to erupt and cause the island to sink into the sea. The three bears worked together and brought Gusto home with them to Gummi Glen during season 2. Gruffi tends to argue with Gusto for his outside-the-box thinking, and how much influence he is on Cubbi and Sunni. Gusto lives by himself in a makeshift apartment behind a waterfall, but lives in Gummi Glen when the weather is too harsh.

·         Chummi Gummi (voiced by Jim Cummings) - Chummi is an adventurous Gummi who was the youngest member of his group and therefore last surviving Gummi at Gummerset. Cubbi and Cavin stumbled across an unconscious Chummi and his airship (literally a small wooden ship attached to a hot air blimp) which had been brought down by Duke Igthorn's ogres after he saw it fly over his castle in his latest idea to use the airship to capture Dunwyn castle. Chummi was initially excited when he regained consciousness in Gummi Glen as he was under the impression that it housed hundreds of other Gummis. After repairing his airship, he offered to take the Gummi Glen Gummis with him when he left to continue his search for the Great Gummis. Although initially ecstatic and eager to set off, after some thought, the Gummi Glen Gummis decided that they could not abandon their duty to look after Gummi Glen until it was safe for the return of the Great Gummis. After thwarting Igthorn's plot, Cubbi was the last to change his mind and actually set off with Chummi before asking to be let off at the last moment.

Ursalia

Later in the series, the Gummi-Glen Gummis discover the Great Gummies' abandoned city of Ursalia, largely unoccupied until the Barbics, a tribe of rough-and-tough Gummis from Barbic Woods, move there after their home has been destroyed by hostile humans.

·         Sir Thornberry (voiced by Walker Edmiston) Sir Thornberry is an old Gummi bear knight. He has been the caretaker for Ursalia for 50 years when we meet him. He is brave and honorable, but also somewhat forgetful and clumsy.

·         Ursa (voiced by Pat Musick) - Ursa is the female leader of the Barbic Gummis. She leads the Barbics to Ursalia in search of an "Ultimate Weapon" that will let the Barbics wipe out the human race, but are eventually convinced to live peacefully in Ursalia. She harbors the most animosity towards humans, but does learn to accept Cavin after he and Buddi save her, Gruffi and Sir Thornberry in the Test of Bearhood.

·         Gritty (voiced by Peter Cullen) - Gritty is Ursa's lieutenant and famous as the Barbics' toughest warrior. Cubbi idolizes him at first, but has to work hard to overcome the latter's antipathy toward humans.

·         Buddy (voiced by Dana Hill) - Buddy is a teenaged member of the Barbics, about Sunni's age; more gentle and artistic than the rest of his tribe, he enjoys playing the flute.

·         Grubbi (voiced by Brian Cummings) - Grubbi is the head chef of the Barbics. He bonds with Grammi after she compliments his cooking.

Monsters & Treasure

Gummi Bears campaigns would be more dangerous, ironically, than a normal game because OGRES are the default humanoid nemeses; there aren't goblins or orcs. So your basic humanoid dangers have several more hit dice than your basic D&D adversaries.

Monsters in a Gummi Bears campaign should include:

  • Dragons
  • Ogres
  • Gnolls (called "Troggies" in the series)
  • Trolls
  • Harpies (called "Carpies" in the series, and they do have males as well as females)
  • Giant rats
  • Giants
  • Lizard Men
  • Dire beasts (at the very least a dire boar was seen)
  • Djinni
  • Sprites, Pixies, and other Fey
  • Sabre-toothed rabbits (use dire rat stats)

 Gummi Berry Juice: While under the effects of Gummi Berry Juice, a special concoction that only they know how to make, and which requires special water from a specific magical lake high in the mountains, Gummi Bears become elastic and can "bounce" up to 18" high and 18" long. In addition, while under the effects of gummi berry juice, they may bounce into things as an attack, and they become very difficult to hit. In addition, when they are struck in combat, they suffer only half damage from nonmagical attacks.

A single dose of Gummi Berry Juice lasts for 1d10 rounds, and Gummi Bears normally carry 1d6 doses with them at any given time. After a dose wears off, the Gummi Bear may not take another for at least 1 turn or it will have no effect.

When a human drinks Gummi Berry Juice, it acts as a potion of giant strength for 1-6 turns, but no human can benefit from Gummi Berry Juice more than once per day.

Gummi Bears as a Player Character Race

Gummi bears can advance as fighters, magic users/wizards, or thieves/rogues. As fighters they have a level limit of 5, and as magic users/wizards they have a level limit of 7 (in games with level limits); as thieves/rogues they are unlimited. In games that don't restrict character classes, they are unrestricted in any way just like any other race.

They gain +2 to dexterity and +1 to charisma, but -2 to wisdom and -1 to strength

Gummi Berry Juice: once per day, a gummi bear can use a potion of gummi berry juice. This as the effects detailed above. They can also give their juice to a human, but that uses their daily dose. At fourth level, they may use juice twice per day, at eighth three times per day, and at twelfth, four times per day. 

Scroll Magic: Gummi bears who choose magic user/wizard as their class may use any magic scroll they come across regardless of level, but when trying to cast a scroll of a level higher than they can normally cast, they have a 60% chance to use the scroll, modified downward by 5% per level of the spell being read. A failed roll means the spell backfires in some way at the GM's discretion. 

Enhanced Thief Skills: Gummi Bear thieves/rogues are able to hide and move silently as a thief/rogue of four levels higher than their current level. Gummi bears who are not theives may hide and move silently as a fifth level thief/rogue. 

Recipe for Gummi Berry Juice

Because you need Gummi Berry Juice at the table to enjoy while you play!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups red berries (Nanking or tart cherries, or red raspberries)
  • 1 1/3 cups orange berries (cloudberries)
  • 1 cup purple berries (blueberries, black raspberries or elderberries)
  • 1 cup yellow berries (cape gooseberry)
  • 1/2 cup Monkfruit sweetener
  • 1/2 gal. Spring water

Crush the berries together thoroughly.

Heat water to just below boiling. Dissolve monkfruit sweetener in hot water. Add berries. Stir gently, first to the left, then to the right, until the berries and water are thoroughly combined and lumps are few to none. Strain as needed until the resulting liquid is delicious and a deep berry color. 

Bang the kettle on the side with a wooden spoon while yelling, "BAM!" This is part of the magic. Without it, the potion won't work (but it'll still be delicious!). 

Finally, strain the mixture to remove any pulp. A berry strainer is best for this, though cheesecloth and a mesh pasta strainer will work just fine. It can be consumed right away, but will be much better if cooled. 

if you drink it and don't get super strength, you probably missed a detail somewhere. Don't fret about it; you'll probably never figure out what you did wrong. 


Comments

  1. I have to agree, for something that started as a half-hour long commercial for sweets that cartoon was shockingly good. Well-written and coherent setting, solid voice acting, actual plots, the usual decent animation you could expect from any Disney work in the era. Stood out from the crowd back in the day, which is saying something considering all the other A-list animation Disney was doing then. So...when you doing TaleSpin? I'm thinking maybe Mercenaries, Spies, and Private Eyes for a rule system? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hah. There's a big difference between statting up gummi bears for D&D and creating an entire RPG system based around a property for which I don't have the license. That's not likely to happen ;)

      Delete
    2. Finally, I have found my people! It was shockingly good and it was the first thing I looked for on Disney+.

      Delete

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