Loving the new TCoE content. Been trying to figure out how to make my Kobold Beastmaster Ranger work smoothly since my DM let me switch over. Given the Wisdom focus for the pet, I started looking at cantrips from Druidic Warrior and came up with a combat support build:
Small race for pet riding
Sentinel feat (maybe a custom lineage for this, if you're starting fresh)
DEX / WIS split focus, use leather armor with sword-and-board
With Create Bonfire, get a friend and flank a target across the diagonal: (E = enemy, F = friend, R = ranger on pet)
R X X X E X X X F
Bonus action pet attack(s), Create Bonfire under the enemy, then hold position. I used this with a Cavalier Fighter friend to lock down targets in the bonfire, since opportunity attacks from either of you can reduce enemy speed to 0 before they can leave the bonfire space. It's an easy formation to create and maintain using no resources, so we could easily chase down and retrap any targets that escaped.
With Thorn Whip, drag targets into the AoE effects of your allies. Bonus action dash for your pet gives you 80 feet of movement, so repositioning for this is easy.
Build seems pretty efficient: bonus action for pet attacks, standard action for cantrips or melee attacks, potential reactions (opportunity attacks or bonfire damage, sometimes both). A shield, d10 HD and a pet make for decent frontline survivability. Riding a pet grants fantastic mobility. The two cantrips provide a lot of options for team tactics. No resources used other than concentration, so you can save your spell slots for other things.
Figured I'd share it. What neat things have other players been discovering?
Haven't seen the TCoE Beastmaster options in play yet, but I'm interested to see how the new Primal Companions work out in the game. They seem like they do a lot to address previous concerns about the subclass (along with the additional Ranger options in Tasha's for the class overall). I'm interested to see how it works out for you.
The first thing that stands out to me is the Primal Companion uses the ranger's spell attack bonus for its own attacks. This means the ranger should prioritize Wisdom over Dexterity; possibly starting with scale mail instead of leather. This means you might be better off with Druidic Warrior being the Fighting Style adopted at 2nd-level. But none of those options are terribly appealing to me at the moment. For a melee attack, shillelagh competes with the beast for a 1st-round attack. And for a ranged attack, produce flame has a short reach. That said, you could always stick to bow attacks. Archery, as a Fighting Style, will help make up for an initially lower Dexterity modifier.
Custom lineage-small race: your w/e you want flavor wise.
pick darkvision, will help simplify things when you and your beast can see in similar situations when attacking.
15+2 wisdom. 8 intelligence and charisma. 15 constitution, resilient constitution later for more Hp and concentration proficiency. 14 dex. Good for medium armor and getting you past level 1 offensively. 10 strength, you’re probably gonna swim or climb eventually.
feat- fey touched. Free misty step once per day, most rangers do t have access to teleportation. 1st level enchantment spell, dissonant whispers.
level 2 pick up Druidic warrior. Primal savagery first pick for cantrip to have a decent and scaling wisdom based attack.
level 3 get your beast, choose land beast, enjoy riding up and snaking someone for possible 1d6+1d8+4 at this level, and a chance to prone the target to give your savagery advantage. Note that new favored foe does not specify weapon attacks, so your attack cantrip can enjoy the extra die.
level 4, get warcaster to improve your concentration saves. You may also now ride up to a creature, deal your beast damage as a bonus action. If the target is forced prone, cast dissonant whispers for the chance you AND your beast to make opportunity attacks at advantage as it crawls away at half speed. Your primal savagery may be used because of warcaster. Great damage, and scales decently for the rest of your ranger career.
You and the best share the same turn, so you get your reactions back at the same turn each round. This also scales well with rogues or Paladins allies, anyone with a great single damage spike really.
Loving the new TCoE content. Been trying to figure out how to make my Kobold Beastmaster Ranger work smoothly since my DM let me switch over. Given the Wisdom focus for the pet, I started looking at cantrips from Druidic Warrior and came up with a combat support build:
Small race for pet riding
Sentinel feat (maybe a custom lineage for this, if you're starting fresh)
DEX / WIS split focus, use leather armor with sword-and-board
Druidic Warrior fighting style: Create Bonfire, Thorn Whip
melee friends
With Create Bonfire, get a friend and flank a target across the diagonal: (E = enemy, F = friend, R = ranger on pet)
R X X
X E X
X X F
Bonus action pet attack(s), Create Bonfire under the enemy, then hold position. I used this with a Cavalier Fighter friend to lock down targets in the bonfire, since opportunity attacks from either of you can reduce enemy speed to 0 before they can leave the bonfire space. It's an easy formation to create and maintain using no resources, so we could easily chase down and retrap any targets that escaped.
With Thorn Whip, drag targets into the AoE effects of your allies. Bonus action dash for your pet gives you 80 feet of movement, so repositioning for this is easy.
Build seems pretty efficient: bonus action for pet attacks, standard action for cantrips or melee attacks, potential reactions (opportunity attacks or bonfire damage, sometimes both). A shield, d10 HD and a pet make for decent frontline survivability. Riding a pet grants fantastic mobility. The two cantrips provide a lot of options for team tactics. No resources used other than concentration, so you can save your spell slots for other things.
Figured I'd share it. What neat things have other players been discovering?
Haven't seen the TCoE Beastmaster options in play yet, but I'm interested to see how the new Primal Companions work out in the game. They seem like they do a lot to address previous concerns about the subclass (along with the additional Ranger options in Tasha's for the class overall). I'm interested to see how it works out for you.
The first thing that stands out to me is the Primal Companion uses the ranger's spell attack bonus for its own attacks. This means the ranger should prioritize Wisdom over Dexterity; possibly starting with scale mail instead of leather. This means you might be better off with Druidic Warrior being the Fighting Style adopted at 2nd-level. But none of those options are terribly appealing to me at the moment. For a melee attack, shillelagh competes with the beast for a 1st-round attack. And for a ranged attack, produce flame has a short reach. That said, you could always stick to bow attacks. Archery, as a Fighting Style, will help make up for an initially lower Dexterity modifier.
Custom lineage-small race: your w/e you want flavor wise.
pick darkvision, will help simplify things when you and your beast can see in similar situations when attacking.
15+2 wisdom.
8 intelligence and charisma.
15 constitution, resilient constitution later for more Hp and concentration proficiency.
14 dex. Good for medium armor and getting you past level 1 offensively.
10 strength, you’re probably gonna swim or climb eventually.
feat- fey touched. Free misty step once per day, most rangers do t have access to teleportation. 1st level enchantment spell, dissonant whispers.
level 2 pick up Druidic warrior. Primal savagery first pick for cantrip to have a decent and scaling wisdom based attack.
level 3 get your beast, choose land beast, enjoy riding up and snaking someone for possible 1d6+1d8+4 at this level, and a chance to prone the target to give your savagery advantage. Note that new favored foe does not specify weapon attacks, so your attack cantrip can enjoy the extra die.
level 4, get warcaster to improve your concentration saves. You may also now ride up to a creature, deal your beast damage as a bonus action. If the target is forced prone, cast dissonant whispers for the chance you AND your beast to make opportunity attacks at advantage as it crawls away at half speed. Your primal savagery may be used because of warcaster. Great damage, and scales decently for the rest of your ranger career.
You and the best share the same turn, so you get your reactions back at the same turn each round. This also scales well with rogues or Paladins allies, anyone with a great single damage spike really.