Dire bears were enormous and formidable versions of ordinary Bears, roaming forests, mountains, and untamed wilderness. They measured up to 3.7 m (12 ft) in length and were reported as weighing up to 3,600 kg (8,000 lb). Their bodies resembled those of normal bears but were more massive, with pronounced bony brow ridges, extra-long claws, and cold, piercing eyes that gave them a feral and threatening aspect.
Dire bears were omnivorous, consuming plants, small animals, and carrion, but they would tear apart almost anything that seemed to contain food, using their immense strength to grab and maul prey. Their claws could rend wood and bone alike, and their jaws delivered crushing bites. When attacking, a dire bear relied on sheer power to subdue its target, often dragging or pinning it with its massive limbs. Typically, dire bears were solitary, though small groups or pairs could occasionally be found. They did not attack creatures that did not threaten them, but they became fiercely aggressive when defending kills or food sources.
Dire bears were known to interact with other intelligent creatures in rare circumstances. Some Giants were said to train them as guards or companions, though such partnerships were perilous and often short-lived. In the wild, dire bears were apex predators, shaping the ecosystems they inhabited through their hunting, scavenging, and territorial behaviors.