Those who take the mantle of Beast Master have an unbreakable bond with their animal companion. Together, they protect both civilization and the wilds alike from threats wherever it may arrive.

Creator's Note: The intention of this homebrew is to improve the shortcomings of the official "Beast Master" subclass for the Ranger class. In the books after the PHB, WotC have changed their philosophy on how they make the ranger subclasses without making updates to the original two. Plus, with the addition of the artificer class, specifically the battlesmith subclass and how they control their companions, just added to how bad this subclass had really was. WotC did return and try to fix a few of beast master's short comings in the class feature variant UA, but I still felt that even after those changes the beast master still lagged behind. So here's my attempt in fixing the beast master without making an entirely new beast master archetype from the ground up.

Beast Master Magic

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

Beast Master Spells

Animal Friend

At 3rd level, you've learned how to communicate with beasts in a limited manner. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.

In addition, you gain proficiency in the Animal Handling skill if you don’t already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with this skill.

Ranger’s Companion

At 3rd level, you gain an animal companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is no larger than Medium and that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower. (Your GM might allow other creatures to be your animal companion.) Add your proficiency bonus to the animal companion’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals the maximum hit point number in its stat block or five times your ranger level + your Wisdom modifier + the Constitution modifier of its stat block, whichever is higher. The animal companion has a number of hit dice (d8s) equal to your ranger level which it can spend during a short rest, all other rules apply for spending Hit Dice to regain hit points.

The animal companion obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you) and you can use your bonus action to command it to take one of the actions in its stat block, or the Dash, Disengage, Help, Hide, or Search action. If the animal companion has multi attack, you can only choose one of the attacks from the stat block. If you do not issue a command, the animal companion takes the Dodge action. When you take the Attack action and your animal companion hasn't made an attack this turn, you can substitute one of your attacks so your animal companion can attack instead. Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can forgo your Attack action to allow your animal companion to make two attacks, or it can take the Multiattack action if it has that action. If you choose to have your animal companion to make an attack as part of your action, your animal companion cannot make an attack as your bonus action.

If your animal companion has an ability or attack that imposes a saving throw, the DC equals either the DC on in its stat block or your spellcasting DC, whichever is higher. Your animal companion also benefits from the following ranger features, when you reach their respective levels: Favored Enemies, Natural Explorer, Land's Strike, Hide in Plain Sight, Feral Senses and Foe Slayer.

If you are unable to issue a command, the animal companion acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The animal companion never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.

If your animal companion dies, you can obtain a new companion by spending 8 hours magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements.

Never Alone

Beginning at 7th level, with your companion at your side, neither of you have to fear about facing hardships alone. While you are within 60 feet of you animal companion, you both gain advantage against the frightened condition and your animal companion gains advantage on saving throws.

In addition, the animal companion's attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Pact Mentality

Starting at 11th level, you and your animal companion fight best when you're fighting together. Whenever you or your animal companion makes an attack against any creature within 5 feet of the other and they aren't incapacitated, the attack roll is made with advantage.

Joined Spirits

Beginning at 15th level, your animal companion is always under the effects of the beast bond spell even if their Intelligence score is 4 or higher. Also, when a spell is cast on you or your animal companion, you can choose to have the spell affect both you and your animal companion if you are within 30 feet of each other.