Base Class: Ranger
Many rangers are more at home in the wilds than in civilization, to the point where animals consider them kin. Rangers of the Beast Conclave develop a close bond with a beast, then further strengthen that bond through the use of magic.
The Beast should allow for the following archetypes:
- Tiny, like a squirrel, bird or tiny tortoise:
- A pocket beast, functioning as a living weapon on a person giving additional attacks or Help actions, or skirmishing between your allies, attacking creatures within its range of movement.
- A swarm, relying on its number and resistances to survive.
- Both can be excellent spies and scouts, having additional means of perception, hiding and moving.
- Small, like a big squirrel, cat, dog, tortoise, monkey or big bird like an owl
- Have it become either a flying mount for you by level 3 or 11, that supports you, while you takes out enemies from afar.
- Or a little more durable spy than the tiny version. Having not as many and reliable means of protecting itself, it gains access to more minor traits and skills.
- Medium, like a giant squirrel, the small version of any ridable like a big cat, big canine, big reptile (yes, ofc dinosaurs), big bird, big tortoise, horse, anything in between...
- You can use it as a substitute tank, making it more durable with larger size and higher con or dex mod.
- Increase its damage to a point, where it deals more damage than you.
- Make it a mount for you and your companions and let it swallow opponents to completely remove them from the fight.
- All archetypes can be supplemented with the magic traits. Like a magic squirrel… or bird… or tortoise.
- Make your companion a magical beast that can breath fire or ice for limited damage bursts, like the Winter Wolf monster
- Give its defence magical properties with the Blur or Mirror Image spell like the Displacer Beast monster
- Make your companion a remote casting supplement similar to a familiar.
- Make it a magical, teleporting mount with Misty Step.
- Double the effect of your summoning spells to make your companion the leader of a pack (and drive your GM and other players into madness, as you suddenly control more monsters than the GM.)
This subclass is NOT for beginners. I tried to make it as accessible as possible, adding quick build advice and example animal companions. But the process of creating an animal companion is still almost as much work as for the ranger pc itself. Furthermore, from all the subclasses I created, this one has the least (basically none) automation through the character builder. Both because it is not possible and because I was lazy.
Any feedback in terms of fun or balancing issues are welcome.
Animal Companion
At 3rd level, you learn to use your magic to create a powerful bond with a creature of the natural world.
Your natural magic will call into the wild and summon a beast befitting your ranger by mundane or magical means within the next 8 hours. Customize your animal companion in the next section “Creating an Animal Companion”. The “Iconic Beast Companions” section offers some examples for such a companion. For inspiration, the GM can also give you a list of creatures in the area or might create the animal companion for you. If the GM allows it, you might instead bond to an animal that is already in your party and friendly towards you.
To complete the bond, a beast must consume 50 gp worth of herbs and food from your hand. The beast will know of the consequences, but most beasts are willing to accept the offer of a beast master as is the nature of this ritual.
You can only be bound to one beast at a time, and repeating the ritual willingly with a willing beast will break the bound to the first one, possibly leading it to abandon you, depending on the situation.
Should your companion die, you can repeat the ritual to bond to another beast.
If a creature is transformed into the form of your animal companion by magical means like the Polymorph spell or the druids Wild Shape ability, it uses the companions basic form statistic as it was created in the “Creating an Animal Companion” section. It does not gain any benefits from traits gained afterwards from class features.
Commanding your companion
The companion obeys your commands as best it can. You determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. In combat, the companion acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. It cannot take bonus actions when it didn’t get a command this turn unless it is allowed by a trait.
You can also sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Attack action.
If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own.
Soul Bound
You and your companion are soul bound, making it harder to kill while you are alive.
It gains the Soul Bound trait. While its ranger is not incapacitated, it can treat any roll of 9 or lower on its death saving throw as a 10 and it does not die outright if it takes massive damage at 0 hit points.
Additionally, while you are within 30ft of your companion, you can use your bonus action and spend a spell slot, to heal your animal companion. The healing equals 2 rolls of its hit dice (hit die size + CON) for a 1-level spell slot, plus 1 roll for each spell level higher than 1. Your companions hit dice are not consumed by this feature.
Minor Beast Traits
Choose 2 minor beast traits at 3 level after creating your companion. Minor traits add utility, character or small improvements to your companions abilities without major changes to the way it is played and its power in battle. Your animal companion can gain the same minor trait several times.
Whenever you can choose a minor beast trait, you can also opt to replace it with any skill of your choice. Your companion gains proficiency in that skill instead. If it already has proficiency, it gains expertise.
You can choose 2 additional minor traits at 7 and 15 level.
Major Beast Traits
Choose 1 major beast trait at 3 level after creating your animal companion. Major traits signify the growth in your companions battles prowess and improve with your ranger level as you and your companion get stronger. Unless otherwise specified, your companion can’t take the same major trait more than once.
You can choose 1 additional major trait at 11 and 15 level.
Ability Score Improvement
Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature at 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.
As normal, changes in modifiers will be reflected in the armor class, hit point maximum and boni for attack, damage, skill checks and trait saving throw DCs.
Exceptional Training
Beginning at 7th level, your animal companion can take the Dash, Disengage, or Help action on its turn without being commanded. In addition, the beast's attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Major Beast Trait
Choose an additional major trait.
Eternal Bond
At 15 level, the bond between you and your companion reaches its peak. Having a close connection to nature and a duty to protect harmony, you must decide, if your continued path will follow your animal companion back into the wild and protect the balance from within, or if you will keep standing at the edge of civilisation, guarding both from threats both natural and unnatural.
Choose one of the following options.
Guardian Beast
Bound by the primal magic, that brought you together, even when separated, you can still count for your companion to be by your side when needed.
As an action, you can call your animal companion to you. It instantly disappears in a swirl of silver mist and reappears in an unoccupied space of you choice within 15 feet of you. Alternatively, you can choose to teleport to your companion, appearing in an unoccupied space you can see within 15 feet of it.
You can do so for free once per long rest or by spending a spell slot of 4 level or higher.
Skin Walker
You choose the path of the beast, allowing you to take on the form of the companion, that you raised and nurtured.
You can cast Polymorph targeting only yourself and the new form must be that of your animal companion. You use your companions current statistics instead of its basic form. While transformed, you can command your animal companion verbally instead of spending your bonus action. The spell doesn’t need concentration when cast this way and can be dropped as a bonus action.
Once you cast Polymorph this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest or by spending a spell slot of 4-level or higher.
The duration of the spell in its description changes to permanent when you reach level 20 in this class, allowing you to stay in your beast form indefinitely, unless it is ended by other means like the Dispel Magic spell or falling to 0 hit points or ending it as a bonus action.
Major Beast Trait
Choose an additional major trait.
Creating an Animal Companion
Follow the following steps to create an animal companion when you first get the feature on level 3. Note that the minor and major beast traits you also gain on level 3 are not included yet.
Basic Form
Choose one basic form out of Tiny, Small and Medium. Your choice will determine your companions size, hit points, hit dice and ability attributes as shown in the Final Stat Block section at the end of this chapter.
The hit points of your animal companion increase every level and it has a number of hit dice equal to your ranger level. On higher levels, the calculation can change depending on the constitution modifier of your animal companion. Only the bonus from your ranger level are affected by these changes. The traits Growth Spurt and Overgrown can also increase its hit point maximum and change the hit die size.
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Size |
Hit point maximum |
Hit die size |
Hit point increase by level |
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Medium |
5 + (5) times your ranger level. |
Its hit dice are d8. |
5 (3 + constitution modifier) |
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Small |
4 + (4) times your ranger level. |
Its hit dice are d6. |
3 (2 + constitution modifier) |
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Tiny |
1 + (1) time your ranger level. |
Its hit dice are d4. |
1 (1 + constitution modifier) |
Generally speaking, medium animal companions are the most fit for fighting, having more hit points and dealing more damage, small animal companions can still deal a moderate amount of damage and can fly, burrow and have additional utility, while the tiny companions are mostly used for utility, being able to scout unnoticed and hide in the spaces of your allies to give support, or turn into swarms of tiny creatures to bolster their hit points and damage.
Depending on your choice, continue with the next section.
Tiny
Increase your companions walking speed 3 times as shown in the Increase Speed chapter. You should have a combined speed of 60 feet at the end of it.
For a quick build, choose 30 feet walking speed and 30 feet flying, swimming or climbing speed. If your companion has a swimming speed, choose the Amphibious trait, so it can breath both air and water.
Choose 1 saving throw. You animal companion gains proficiency in it.
Choose 2 skills. Your animal companion gains proficiency in them. Alternatively, you can replace any of them for a Keen Senses minor trait instead.
Choose one of the following for senses. See chapter Senses for general rules on perception methods.
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Darkvision. Your animal companion gains 60 ft. darkvision.
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Echolocation. Your animal companion gains 30 ft. blindsight. It cannot use its blindsight, while it’s deafened.
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Blindsight. Your animal companion gains 10 ft. blindsight.
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Tremor Sense. Your animal companion gains 30 ft. tremorsense.
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Choose 1 skill. You animal companion gains proficiency in it. If it already is proficient with it, it gains expertise instead.
Choose one of the following unique tiny beast traits:
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Pocket Beast. While occupying the same space as a friendly creature, that is not incapacitated, the companion counts as the same creature until it leaves its space using its movement. For the duration it cannot be targeted for single target attacks or spells and has total cover against areas of effects. It also gains the benefits of spells, like Water Breathing, that are cast on that creature, but cannot use any actions or bonus actions granted by such spells. If the covering creature takes damage or is subjected to an effect, that would force it to make a saving throw to maintain concentration, like falling down a hill, the companion must also make the same saving throw to maintain concentration.
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Swarm. During a long rest, your companion can use its connection to you to call into the wild for other of its kind. At the end of the rest, they appear by mundane or magical means and your companion becomes a swarm of beasts.
Your companion stops being a swarm, if it does not repeat the call during its next long rest or falls unconscious.
While being a swarm, its size becomes Medium swarm of tiny beasts. That does not make it a Medium creature in regards to beast traits. It hit dice become d8 and its hit point maximum and hit points are increased by twice your ranger level. Its natural weapons also change to its swarm version. It gains resistance to bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage.
The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny beast. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points, other than spending hit dice or taking a long resting to replenish its numbers.
Small
Increase your companions walking speed 3 times as shown in the Increase Speed chapter. You should have a combined speed of 60 feet at the end of it.
For a quick build, choose 30 feet walking speed and 30 feet flying, swimming or climbing speed. If your companion has a swimming speed, choose the Amphibious trait, so it can breath both air and water.
Choose 1 saving throw. You animal companion gains proficiency in it.
Choose 2 skills. Your animal companion gains proficiency in them. Alternatively, you can replace any of them for a Keen Senses minor trait instead.
Choose one of the following for senses. See chapter Senses for general rules on perception methods.
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Darkvision. Your animal companion gains 60 ft. darkvision.
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Echolocation. Your animal companion gains 30 ft. blindsight. It cannot use its blindsight, while it’s deafened.
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Tremor Sense. Your animal companion gains 30 ft. tremorsense.
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Choose 1 skill. You animal companion gains proficiency in it. If it already is proficient with it, it gains expertise instead.
Choose 2 additional minor traits.
Medium
Increase your companions walking speed 3 times as shown in the chapter. You should have a combined speed of 60 feet at the end of it.
For a quick build, choose 30 feet walking speed and 30 feet flying, swimming or climbing speed. If your companion has a swimming speed, choose the Amphibious trait, so it can breath both air and water.
Choose 1 saving throw. You animal companion gains proficiency in it.
Choose 2 skills. You animal companion gains proficiency in them. You can exchange one skill proficiency to gain a Keen Senses minor trait instead.
Choose one of the following for senses. See chapter Senses for general rules on perception methods.
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Darkvision. Your animal companion gains 60 ft. darkvision.
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Echolocation. Your animal companion gains 30 ft. blindsight. It cannot use its blindsight, while it’s deafened.
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Choose 1 skill. You animal companion gains proficiency in it. If it already is proficient with it, it gains expertise instead.
Increase Speed
Whenever you can increase an animal companions speed, either during creation or by choosing the Increase Speed trait, your companion increases one speed of you choice from climbing, walking or swimming by 20 feet, or 2 of them by 10 feet, up to a maximum of 60 feet.
Small or Tiny basic form only. Alternatively, it can also choose its burrowing or flying speed. The increase and maximum are halved for the burrowing speed.
If it didn’t have a speed before, it gains it.
Additionally, if you pick the swimming speed, you can choose one of the following 4 traits. If your companion already had one of these traits, your choice replaces it. You companion can only have one of these at the same time and any effect ends, when it loses the trait.
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Amphibious: The companion can breathe air and water.
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Hold Breath: The companion can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 30 times its Constitution modifier (minimum of 10 minutes).
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Hold Breath (Water): The companion can hold its breath while out of water, but can otherwise only breath water. Add 5 feet to its swimming speed for every 10 feet it has without this trait.
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Water Breathing: Your companion can breathe only underwater. Double its swimming speed.
Senses
Your animal companion has different means to perceive the world around it. If not otherwise specified, it uses its eyes and is reliant on light and field of vision to perceive a target clearly.
Special senses are described below.
Blindsight
A monster with blindsight can perceive its surroundings without relying on sight, within a specific radius. Creatures without eyes typically have this special sense, as do creatures with echolocation or heightened senses, such as bats and true dragons.
If a creature is naturally blind, it has a parenthetical note to this effect, indicating that the radius of its blindsight defines the maximum range of its perception.
Darkvision
A creature with darkvision can see in the dark within a specific radius. The creature can see in dim light within the radius as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. The creature can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Many creatures that live underground have this special sense.
Echolocation
A creature with echolocation has blindsight, but must rely on its hearing to use it. Therefore it can’t use its blindsight while it is deafened.
Tremorsense
A creature with tremorsense can detect and pinpoint the origin of vibrations within a specific radius, provided that the creature and the source of the vibrations are in contact with the same ground or substance. Tremorsense can't be used to detect flying or incorporeal creatures. Many burrowing creatures, such as ankhegs and umber hulks, have this special sense.
Improve Senses
If you pick the Improve Senses beast trait, you can improve one of the senses available for your beast. If it didn’t have the sense before, it gains the minimum sense radius. Otherwise, its radius increases, up to its maximum. The maximum only counts for the amount before changes by an item or other trait. See the table below for the specific values.
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Sense |
Minimum sense radius |
Increase |
Maximum sense radius |
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Blindsight |
10 feet |
20 feet |
30 feet |
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Darkvision |
60 feet |
60 feet |
120 feet |
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Echolocation |
30 feet |
30 feet |
120 feet |
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Tremorsense |
30 feet |
30 feet |
60 feet |
Appearance
Your companion can take the form of any beast in the Monster Manual or supplements, but you can also adjust it to fit your vision.
You can add chimeric features, making it a unique beast or of a race that only exists in your world. You can add defining features like fur patterns, manes or marks on your companion that possible link to an origin just as unique as yours, destining it to become a hero of its kind. Scars from a tragic past or your past adventures are also a possibility.
You only restriction is to conform to its size and offer a viable explanation for current and future beast traits, that you choose.
Personality
The ritual is supposed to summon a beast fitting to your rangers personality. When creating an animal companion, choose its alignment and attitude to you and people in general. You can determine its personality by giving it a trait and/or a flaw like you would with a normal character. The following tables give some examples to choose from or roll for.
You can also give the GM permission to determine this for you, if you want a less predictable or harmonic relationship with your companion.
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d6 |
Trait |
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1 |
I’m dauntless in the face of adversity. |
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2 |
Threaten my friends, threaten me. |
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3 |
I stay on alert so others can rest. |
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4 |
People see an animal and underestimate me. I use that to my advantage. |
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5 |
I have a knack for showing up in the nick of time. |
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6 |
I put my friends’ needs before my own in all things. |
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d6 |
Flaw |
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1 |
If there’s food left unattended, I’ll eat it. |
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2 |
I growl at strangers, and all people except my ranger are strangers to me. |
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3 |
Any time is a good time for a belly rub. |
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4 |
I’m deathly afraid of water. |
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5 |
My idea of hello is a flurry of licks to the face. |
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6 |
I jump on creatures to tell them how much I love them. |
Final Stat Block
After making all your choices, you would have a stat block for your animal companion similar to those below. In the next step you can now choose 1 major and 2 minor traits for your level 3 features.
At higher levels, you can choose additional traits for your animal companion and its AC and hit points will increase with higher modifiers in dexterity and constitution. Its AC increases by 1 for every dexterity modifier bonus above the original and its hit point maximum will increase by your ranger level for every constitution modifier bonus above the original.
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Medium Animal Companion |
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Medium beast, unaligned |
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Armor Class 10 +2 + PB (natural armor) |
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Hit Points 5 + 5 times ranger level (the beast has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your ranger level) |
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Speed 30 ft. (changed by choice) |
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STR |
DEX |
CON |
INT |
WIS |
CHA |
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14 (+2) |
14 (+2) |
15 (+2) |
8 (-1) |
14 (+2) |
11 (0) |
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Saving Throws 1 of your choice Skills 2 of your choice Senses passive perception 12 Languages understands one language you speak Challenge Equals your proficiency bonus |
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Traits. -
Soul Bound. While its ranger is not incapacitated, the companion can treat a roll of 9 or lower on its death saving throws as a 10. |
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Actions The companion can take the Dodge action as an action on its turn.
Natural weapons. See below. |
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Natural Weapons
Your animal companion wields a number of natural weapons. Each is categorized into being either a viscous attack, like clawing or shredding, or a brutal attack, like stomping, mauling or ripping apart. When creating your companion, choose a damage type for each attack option from piercing, slashing or bludgeoning. The following weapon template shows how the attack would appear in a monster stat block.
Weapon Template
Melee Weapon Attack: [To Hit], reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: [Damage dice by size] + [Damage bonus] [Damage type].
Natural Weapons
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To Hit |
Damage bonus |
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Viscous attack |
Dex/Str mod + PB |
Dex/Str mod |
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Brutal attack |
Str mod + PB |
Str mod |
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Damage dice by Size |
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Size |
Tiny |
Small |
Medium |
Huge |
Large |
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Viscous attack |
1d4 |
1d6 |
1d8 |
1d10 |
2d6 |
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Brutal attack |
1d6 |
1d8 |
1d10 |
2d6 |
2d8 |
If your animal companion is a swarm by using the Swarm beast trait, its damage dice change as shown in the table below. The swarm does not get a bonus to its damage by its ability scores, and it loses 1 damage die when its hit points are half depleted.
Swarm Natural Weapons
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To Hit |
Damage |
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Viscous attack |
Dex/Str mod + PB |
2d4 or 1d4, if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. |
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Brutal attack |
PB |
2d6 or 1d6, if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. |
Some natural weapons are unique to the physic of certain animals. The animal companion can only use them, if he has the required beast trait.
Special Weapons
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Name |
Requirement |
Attack |
Effect |
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Web (Recharge 5-6) |
Webbing Beast |
Ranged Weapon Attack: Dex/Str mod + PB to hit, |
The target is restrained by webbing, if it is the same size or smaller than the animal companions. As an action, the restrained target can make a Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The DC equals 8 + Con mod + PB. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage). |
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Constrict |
Constrictor |
Make a Brutal attack. |
When hitting a target with a Brutal attack, it suffers the attacks normal effects, and the target is grappled. If the target is the same or a smaller size, it is restrained until this grapple ends. The companion cannot use its Brutal attack attack on another target while grappling a creature. |
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Swallow |
Hungry Maw |
Make a Brutal attack. |
If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by your companion. |
Beast Traits
Some traits have requirements; you cannot take the same major trait more than once, unless specified.
Major
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Name |
Prerequisites |
Effect |
Recommended Monsters |
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Beast Magic |
Innate Spellcasting |
Your animal companion has a pool of primal energy equal to your highest spell slots level. When you cast a spell, your companion can spend energy equal to the spells level to use its reaction to cast the same spell without any components. It must use its own spellcasting ability. When casting a spell targeting only itself with its Innate Spellcasting ability, it can also spend 2 energy to also target 1 ally within 5 feet of it. The ally is also affected by the spell while it stays within 5 ft of your companion. |
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Blood Frenzy |
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The companion has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. |
giant shark, hunter shark, quipper, swarm of quippers |
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Brute |
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The companion adds an additional damage die to its Brutal attack. Add an additional damage die if its size is Large or larger. |
Wolf, Dire Wolf, Tyrannosaurus Rex, boar, elk, giant elk, giant goat, giant sea horse, goat, rhinoceros |
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Constrictor |
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Your animal companion gains the Constrict attack option when making a Brutal attack. |
Giant Toad, Giant Constrictor Snake |
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Defender |
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An allied creature of the same size or smaller than your companion can gain three-quarter cover from your animal companion instead of half cover. If a creature within 5 feet of your companion makes a melee attack against a creature other than the companion, it can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. |
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Growth Spurt |
Small or Medium basic form, less than Huge size |
This trait can be chosen several times. Your companion grows one size. Its hit die size increase by one size as shown in the table, and its attack damage dice change as shown in the Natural Weapons table. Your companion gains a permanent bonus to its hit point maximum equal to your ranger level.
As an action, it can decrease its size to its rangers size. While shrunken, it cannot use its action for anything but Wisdom and Dexterity checks or to return to its original size. Its size also reverts, if it dies or Dispel Magic is cast on it. |
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Helpful |
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You companion can take the Help action as a bonus action. |
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Hungry Maw |
Growth Spurt twice |
Your animal companion gains the Swallow attack option when making a Brutal attack. |
Giant Toad |
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Innate Spellcasting |
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Your animal companion becomes a magical beast, that has the innate ability to create spell-like effects. Choose the nature of your companions magic from Alpha, Arcane or Mystic. Your choice determines its spellcasting ability and the spell list from which you must choose the spell.
The uses per short rest increase to two times at 11 level. |
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Multiattack |
Ranger level 11 or higher |
When taking the attack action, your animal companion can make an additional Viscous attack. |
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Pack Tactics |
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The companion has advantage on attack rolls against creatures if at least one of the companion’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. |
baboon, blood hawk, dire wolf, giant rat, giant vulture, hyena, jackal, lion, reef shark, vulture, wolf |
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Predator |
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Once per turn, your animal companion can deal an extra 1d6 damage to a creature it hits with its Viscous attack, if it has advantage on the Attack roll or if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and the companion does not have disadvantage on the Attack roll. |
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Powerful |
Medium or larger size |
After hitting a creature with an attack, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The DC equals 8 + the companions Strength modifier + PB. |
allosaurus, lion, panther, saber-toothed tiger, tiger elephant, triceratops, mammoth, warhorse, wolf, dire wolf |
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Rampage |
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When your companion scores a critical hit or reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, it can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a Brutal attack. |
giant hyena |
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Savage |
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After taking the attack action, if a target is prone, your companion can make one Brutal attack against it as a bonus action. |
allosaurus, lion, panther, saber-toothed tiger, tiger elephant, triceratops, mammoth, warhorse |
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Skirmisher |
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The companion can take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on each of its turns without being commanded. Small or Tiny basic form only. It can also take the Hide action instead. |
Hare, warhorse, boar, elk, giant elk, giant goat, giant sea horse, goat, rhinoceros, allosaurus, lion, panther, saber-toothed tiger, tiger pteranodon, flying snake, giant owl, owl |
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Venomous |
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After dealing piercing damage to a creature with a Viscous attack, the target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. |
Flying Snake, Giant Centipede, Giant Poisonous Snake, Giant Scorpion, Giant Spider, Giant Toad, Giant Wasp, Giant Wolf Spider, Poisonous Snake, Scorpion, Spider |
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Webbing Beast |
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Once per long Rest, as part of a 10 minute prolonged action, your companion can cover an area with 5-foot-cube webs similar to the Web spell. The DC equals 8 + the companions Constitution modifier + PB. |
giant spider, giant wolf spider, spider, swarm of spiders |
Minor
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Name |
Prerequisites |
Effect |
Recommended Monsters |
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Awakened |
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The Intelligence score of the animal companion increases by 2. It gains proficiency in one language of your choice. |
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Blind |
Blindsight, does not have this trait yet |
Your companion has no eyes or cannot use them. Double the radius of its blindsight and tremorsense. It is blind beyond that radius. |
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Beast of Burden |
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The companion is considered to be one size larger for the purpose of determining its carrying capacity, including changes to its push, drag, and lift limit. |
mule |
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Camouflage |
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Your companion’s hide changes color to fit its natural environment. |
giant octopus, octopus, chimeric fox |
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Gliding |
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While conscious, your animal companion does not take fall damage and can land on its feet and its rate of descent slows to 60 feet per round.
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Illumination |
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As a bonus action, the companion sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 ft.. It can stop shedding light as a bonus action. |
giant fire beetle |
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Improved Senses |
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Increase one sense of your animal companion as shown in the Improve Senses chapter. |
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Increase Speed |
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Increase your companions speed once as shown in the increase Speed chapter |
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Keen Senses |
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Choose one of hearing, sight or smell. Your companion has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on that sense. |
Badger, Bat, Bear, Blood Hawk, Cat, Eagle, Hawk, Jackal, Killer Whale, Lion, Mastiff, Owl, Panther, Polar Bear, Rat, Swarm of Bats, Swarm of Rats, Tiger, Vulture, Weasel, Wolf |
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Limited Telepathy |
Ranger level 15 or Beast Magic |
You gain limited telepathy with your animal companion, allowing your to communicate simple ideas, emotions, and images with each other while you are on the same plane of existence. |
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Magic Mount |
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You cannot be unwillingly dismounted from your companion even if the companion is forcefully moved or teleported. |
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Magical Conduit |
Beast Magic |
When you cast a spell, your animal companion can use its reaction to deliver the spell as if you cast it from its position. Your companion must provide the material components for the spell, if you decide to cast it this way. |
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Mimicry |
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The companion can mimic simple sounds it has heard, such as a person whispering, a baby crying, or an animal chattering. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check against your companions passive Deception. |
raven |
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Natural Hardiness |
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Your companion can use its constitution modifier instead of its dexterity modifier to calculate its Armor Class. |
wolf, dire wolf |
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Poison Sense |
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The animal companion can detect whether a substance is poisonous by taste, touch, or smell. |
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Quickness |
Skirmisher |
Recharging at a 5-6, the companion can also take the Dodge action as a bonus action without being commanded. |
Fastieth |
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Reach |
Growth Spurt No flying speed |
All melee attacks made by your animal companion have a range of 10 ft. instead of 5 ft. |
Ankylosaurus, Giant Ape, Giant Constrictor Snake, Giant Crocodile, Giant Elk, Giant Octopus, Giant Poisonous Snake, Mammoth, Plesiosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex |
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Relentless |
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Once per short rest, if the companion takes damage that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead, if the damage is equal to or less than your ranger level plus the companions constitution modifier. |
boar |
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Resilient |
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Your animal companion gains proficiency in a saving throw of your choice. |
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Running Leap |
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The companion can add 10 feet to its long jump distance and 3 feet to its high jump distance. |
lion |
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Siege Monster |
No flying speed Large or larger size |
Your companions Brutal Attack deals double damage against structures, buildings and constructs. |
Ankylosaurus, elephant, triceratops, mammoth, rhinoceros |
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Spider Climb |
Climbing speed |
The companion can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. |
giant lizard, giant spider, giant wolf spider, spider, swarm of spiders |
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Standing Leap |
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The companion’s long jump and high jump distance is doubled, and it does not need a running start. |
frog, giant frog, giant toad |
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Sun Sensitive Eyes |
Darkvision, does not have this trait yet |
Your companion has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks while in sunlight. Double the radius of their darkvision. |
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Sure-footed |
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The companion has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone. |
giant goat, goat, mule |
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Web Sense |
Webbing Beast |
While in contact with a web, the companion knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web. |
giant spider, giant wolf spider, spider, swarm of spiders |
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Web Walker |
Webbing Beast |
The companion ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing. |
giant spider, giant wolf spider, spider, swarm of spiders |
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Weakening poison |
Venomous |
When a creature fails its saving throw against the companions Venomous trait, you can decide to subtract 2 damage die from the poison damage and apply the poisoned condition to the creature for 1 minute instead. The creature can repeat its saving throw at the end of its turn to end the condition. |
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Note: Recharge or recharging at 5-6 means that you roll a d6 at the start of each of your animal companions turns to determine, if the animal regains the ability to use this option after it has used it previously. It automatically regains its use when it finishes a rest.
Iconic Beast Companions
The following beast master companion builds give examples on how a beast companion is composed and how flavor can supplement the individual style of your animal companion. It also showcases the intended archetypes of the animal companions, but you are free to combine traits however you like to build your own companion.
Each entry consists of the chosen basic form, movement type and speed division, saving throw, skills and senses and a list of major beast traits and minor beast traits or skills to pick, which would strengthen the archetype.
The Bear
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Basic Form: |
Medium |
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Movement: |
40 ft., climbing 20 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Constitution |
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Skills: |
Perception, Keen Smell |
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Senses: |
Darkvision 60 ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Powerful, Growth Spurt, Defender |
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Minor: |
Increased Speed and Climbing, Relentless, Natural Hardiness, Perception |
The Wolf
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Basic Form: |
Medium |
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Movement: |
50 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Stealth |
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Senses: |
Darkvision 60 ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Pack Tactics, Powerful, Growth Spurt |
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Minor: |
Keen Hearing and Smell, Natural Hardiness, Perception, Stealth, Increased Speed |
The Tyrannosaurus
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Basic Form: |
Medium |
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Movement: |
50 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Stealth, Athletics |
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Senses: |
Perception |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Growth Spurt x2, Multiattack |
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Minor: |
Resilient, Reach, Natural Hardiness, Improved Senses (Tremorsense), Increased Speed (Walking) |
The Panther
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Basic Form: |
Medium |
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Movement: |
50 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Keen Smell |
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Senses: |
Darkvision 60 ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Powerful, Predator, Savage |
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Minor: |
Stealth, Increased Speed (Walking and Climbing), Quickness, Perception |
The Pteranodon
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Basic Form: |
Small |
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Movement: |
10 ft., flying 50 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Keen Sight |
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Senses: |
Darkvision 60 ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Growth Spurt x2, Powerful |
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Minor: |
Flying, Reach, Expertise: Perception, Quickness, Keen Hearing, Fast |
The Hawk
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Basic Form: |
Small |
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Movement: |
20 ft., flying 40 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Keen Sight |
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Senses: |
Darkvision 60 ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Pack Tactics, Skirmisher, Predator |
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Minor: |
Flying, Stealth, Quickness, Perception, Gliding, Standing Leap |
The Owl
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Basic Form: |
Small |
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Movement: |
10 ft., flying 50 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Keen Sight |
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Senses: |
Darkvision 120 ft. (by Beast Trait) |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Skirmisher, Helpful, Mystic Innate Spellcasting (Guidance, Sanctuary) |
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Minor: |
Flying, Stealth, Keen Hearing, Improved Darkvision, Insight, Perception |
The Dog
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Basic Form: |
Small |
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Movement: |
50 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Intimidation, Keen Smell |
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Senses: |
Perception |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Pack Tactics, Predator, Helpful |
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Minor: |
Stealth, Keen Hearing, Survival, Persuasion, Awakened, Investigation |
The Swarm of Ravens
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Basic Form: |
Tiny |
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Movement: |
10 ft., flying 50 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Deception |
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Senses: |
Darkvision 60 ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Swarm, Blood Frenzy, Alpha Innate Spellcasting (Vicious Mockery, Wrathful Smite), Predator |
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Minor: |
Mimicry, Perception, Deception |
The Flying Snake
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Basic Form: |
Tiny |
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Movement: |
30 ft., flying 30 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Stealth |
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Senses: |
Blindsight 10 ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Pocket Beast, Venomous, Skirmisher, Predator |
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Minor: |
Insight, Improved Blindsight, Stealth, Increased Burrowing, Swimming and Flying |
The Fire Beetle
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Basic Form: |
Tiny |
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Movement: |
30 ft., burrow 10 ft., flying 30 ft. (by Beast Trait) |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Stealth |
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Senses: |
Blindsight 10ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Pocket Beast, Mystic Innate Spellcasting (Fire Bolt, Faerie Fire), Skirmisher, Defender |
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Minor: |
Illumination, Increased Flying and Walking, Improved Darkvision and Blindsight, Perception |
The Weasel
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Basic Form: |
Tiny |
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Movement: |
30 ft., climbing 30 ft. |
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Saving throw: |
Dexterity |
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Skills: |
Perception, Keen Smell |
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Senses: |
Darkvision 60 ft. |
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Beast Traits |
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Major: |
Pocket Beast, Helpful, Skirmisher, Defender |
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Minor: |
Camouflage, Keen Hearing, Stealth, Slight of Hands |
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Posted Jun 29, 2024Because it's really big (not what she said). You could fit at least three normal subclasses in this one. xD It's supposed to cover several animal companion archetypes.
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Posted Jun 12, 2024why is it so god dam long (not what she said)