Protector of the Small

"We are thieves, but we think of the animals." ~ Selena

Protectors of the Small have sworn to protect small critters wherever they go. Whatever their exploits may be, they must always do so without harming the smallest folk. In return, the small creatures recognise them as an ally and protector.

Protector of the Small Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Protector of the Small Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

 

Ranger Level	Spell
3rd	find familiar
5th	warding bond
9th	beacon of hope
13th	faithful hound
17th	Insect Plague

Friend of the Small

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you dedicate your life to protecting the small. You gain proficiency in Animal Handling if you don't already have this proficiency.

Additionally, any beast of a size category smaller than you recognises you as a friendly creature. You are unable to harm this beast and must actively try to prevent harm to it. This effect immediately ends if you harm the creature, and you cannot gain the effect again on any creature of the same category until you successfully aid one of them again.

When you are within 30ft of a beast with a size category smaller than you, you both gain +1 AC.

Enemy of the Powerful

Additionally at 3rd level, you not only protect, but also attack. You gain your Favored Enemy boni on all creatures a size category larger than you. If a creature is your chosen Favored Enemy and a size category larger than you, you gain +2 on attack rolls and advantage on all CHA-based skill checks on it.

Whispers of the Weak

At 7th level, you have gained a deep insight into beasts. You can naturally comprehend and verbally communicate with beasts smaller than you.

Call the Wild

When you reach 11th level, you can beckon creatures to help you. Once per long rest, you can focus your energy and cause [roll]1d4[/roll] + WIS beasts of a size category smaller than yours within 100ft of you to appear. These beasts understand a single word command and will act to fulfill the command to their best ability. If the command would directly harm the beast, you lose the ability to use this feature until you successfully aid the same kind of creature.

Legendary Defender of the Small

At 15th level, word of your exploits spread. When you aid a beast of a size category smaller than you, creatures of the same type but a different size category also recognise you as a friendly creature.

For example, aiding a weasel will also cause giant weasels to be friendly to you. The DM may interpret this as strictly or as leniently as they with (for example, aiding a lizard may cause crocodiles to be friendly towards you, or it may not).