I'm thinking of creating a Beastmaster Ranger (Level 10) for a campaign, but I have a few questions about the primal companion:
1. Can it communicate with you? I think I know the answer because the stats blocks specifically say it UNDERSTANDS the languages you speak but can it provide information back? Answer questions? What if you cast Speak with Animals? The reason I ask is because I would like to use it as a scout/spy but want to make sure that this is feasible.
2. The descriptions says you can take a bonus action "to command it to take an action in its stat block" and you can "sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Beast’s Strike action." So if I'm reading that correctly you can command it to use Beast's Strike (the only thing listed under "Actions" in the stat block) as a bonus action and then give it a 2nd Attack by sacrificing one of your own attacks - do I have that right?
Thanks!
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"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
1. You have it right, I think; you can talk to it, because it does say it understands the languages you know, but it can't communicate back to you without Speak with Animals or some similar effect. Unlike, say, a familiar summoned with Find Familiar, there's no special ability to telepathically communicate with it, or see through its eyes, etc.
2. This is worded in an annoyingly vague way, but I think that's the intent, yes. Since you'd be above level 7 you can also have it Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help in addition to those two attacks as well.
Thanks! The campaign is intended to be more RP/Political and Social Intrigue so really combat is less of a concern. I'm thinking of the character as a soldier who has advanced into more of a leadership role. Fey Wanderer's Otherworldly Glamor and Beguiling Twist would mesh well too, but thematically I think Beastmaster might fit better with the campaign. I'm still debating between the two.
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"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
2. The descriptions says you can take a bonus action "to command it to take an action in its stat block" and you can "sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Beast’s Strike action." So if I'm reading that correctly you can command it to use Beast's Strike (the only thing listed under "Actions" in the stat block) as a bonus action and then give it a 2nd Attack by sacrificing one of your own attacks - do I have that right?
No, it only has the one Action with which to Attack, no matter how many times you command it. It gains an Extra Attack when you hit Beast Master 11, though.
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Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
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I'm thinking of creating a Beastmaster Ranger (Level 10) for a campaign, but I have a few questions about the primal companion:
1. Can it communicate with you? I think I know the answer because the stats blocks specifically say it UNDERSTANDS the languages you speak but can it provide information back? Answer questions? What if you cast Speak with Animals? The reason I ask is because I would like to use it as a scout/spy but want to make sure that this is feasible.
2. The descriptions says you can take a bonus action "to command it to take an action in its stat block" and you can "sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Beast’s Strike action." So if I'm reading that correctly you can command it to use Beast's Strike (the only thing listed under "Actions" in the stat block) as a bonus action and then give it a 2nd Attack by sacrificing one of your own attacks - do I have that right?
Thanks!
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
1. You have it right, I think; you can talk to it, because it does say it understands the languages you know, but it can't communicate back to you without Speak with Animals or some similar effect. Unlike, say, a familiar summoned with Find Familiar, there's no special ability to telepathically communicate with it, or see through its eyes, etc.
2. This is worded in an annoyingly vague way, but I think that's the intent, yes. Since you'd be above level 7 you can also have it Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help in addition to those two attacks as well.
pronouns: he/she/they
Thanks! The campaign is intended to be more RP/Political and Social Intrigue so really combat is less of a concern. I'm thinking of the character as a soldier who has advanced into more of a leadership role. Fey Wanderer's Otherworldly Glamor and Beguiling Twist would mesh well too, but thematically I think Beastmaster might fit better with the campaign. I'm still debating between the two.
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
No, it only has the one Action with which to Attack, no matter how many times you command it. It gains an Extra Attack when you hit Beast Master 11, though.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!