The rules vary from class to class, but for a brief summary:
Familiars, as commonly used by Wizards and Warlocks, operate via the rules for the spell Find Familiar: Tiny fragile creature that is good for scouting and can deliver touch spells. (Warlocks gain access to more powerful options.)
Animal Companions, as used by Beastmaster Ranger, are treated as a class feature and grow in power and durability with the player.
Pets, as in literal pets, aren't an actual mechanic, and are typically treated as cosmetic items.
Sidekicks, are a mechanic for adding NPC support characters. Any creature below a certain CR, including beasts, can gain class levels and accompany the party akin to a PC.
Summons. Some classes can summon temporary allies via spells like Summon Beast, that conjure a friendly creature for about an hour.
Undead Servants can be created via spells such as Animate Dead, and create minions that remain under control, so long as the player continues to use magic to dominate them.
etc...
Basically, "Pets" can range from an extension of the player to controllable pawns to completely independent NPCs. Are you looking for anything in particular?
It's not simply that some classes automatically get a pet, it's that they have a mechanic that allows them to get one while others don't. If you want a pet, beyond a merely aesthetical one, you need an ability that provides one. Some are baked into certain (sub)classes like Beastmaster Rangers, Battlesmith Artificers or Pact of the Chain Warlocks, others just need you to pick up an appropriate mechanic that might be available to multiple classes or even just a feat - usually spells, like Find Familiar.
Sidekicks can circumvent this need for a specific ability, but not being an ability usually means more DM scrutiny. Sidekicks being a lot like NPCs it's not unlikely the DM may prefer to control them rather than letting a PC treat them as a pet they can command.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Thanks for such a detailed response! I think I am aiming for something like an extension of the player but a controllable pawn would probably work too.
The character I was thinking of is a Kobold Bard. I wanted to give him a large fox as a companion. I just wasn’t sure how that would work during combat and/or when we have to navigate through traps.
I forgot one option - mounts. Anyone can buy a mount (like anyone can buy a pet lapdog or lucky cricket), but mounts do have practical use while adventuring.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Thanks for such a detailed response! I think I am aiming for something like an extension of the player but a controllable pawn would probably work too.
The character I was thinking of is a Kobold Bard. I wanted to give him a large fox as a companion. I just wasn’t sure how that would work during combat and/or when we have to navigate through traps.
Foxes aren't one of the officially available options, and Bards don't normally gain access to Familiars or Companions. However, any class can gain Find Familiar through the Feat Ritual Caster.
As Kotath mentioned, the DM does have the option of just letting you befriend an animal, but without a specific mechanic to support them, they will likely be very fragile.
If by a "large fox" you mean one that is large for its size, then you should be able to convince your DM to gain a Fox companion as an alternative Familiar. If by "Large Fox" you mean one that is larger than you, then there is also the spell Find Steed that can let you summon an intelligent magical creature. Again, Dire Foxes aren't an official thing, but the DM may allow you to homebrew one inline with the provided examples. At higher levels, Find Greater Steed also becomes available.
Bards have a class feature called Magical Secrets that will let you learn these spells, which you wouldn't normally have access to.
Thanks for such a detailed response! I think I am aiming for something like an extension of the player but a controllable pawn would probably work too.
The character I was thinking of is a Kobold Bard. I wanted to give him a large fox as a companion. I just wasn’t sure how that would work during combat and/or when we have to navigate through traps.
Foxes aren't one of the officially available options, and Bards don't normally gain access to Familiars or Companions. However, any class can gain Find Familiar through the Feat Ritual Caster.
As Kotath mentioned, the DM does have the option of just letting you befriend an animal, but without a specific mechanic to support them, they will likely be very fragile.
If by a "large fox" you mean one that is large for its size, then you should be able to convince your DM to gain a Fox companion as an alternative Familiar. If by "Large Fox" you mean one that is larger than you, then there is also the spell Find Steed that can let you summon an intelligent magical creature. Again, Dire Foxes aren't an official thing, but the DM may allow you to homebrew one inline with the provided examples. At higher levels, Find Greater Steed also becomes available.
Bards have a class feature called Magical Secrets that will let you learn these spells, which you wouldn't normally have access to.
Yes I meant just one large enough for my kobold to ride. I’m sure my DM will allow it. Thanks so much for your response!
Hi! I am starting a DND group for 2024. I've done it before,but this year I'll have some new players. Two of my players used an animal as a big part of their backstories, and the animals are assisting in their quest. How do I engineer the animal so as not to make it overpowered for a level one?
I’d say just use the monster manual statistics. It might be a little much for level 1 characters, but the animals will quickly be outclassed at high levels. I mean if you’re worried for balance, pick slightly more challenging monsters, but no need to change the animal statblock or anything.
How do I engineer the animal so as not to make it overpowered for a level one?
You might want to use either the Sidekicks rules from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
But MCDM Productions has The Beastheart and Monstrous Companions which I think may be more along the lines of what you're looking for. It actually has a Dragon Wyrmling as a companion option.
At level 1 the addition of the pets is probably going to be overpowered, but level 1 is the most dangerous since one crit from a NPC can one-hit kill a Player Character. So I wouldn't worry about it too much. You can always just adjust your encounters accordingly if the players are steamrolling content.
I'd just use the pets the same way they've been used so far - as story devices. Maybe they shy away from combat, or during combat are fighting their own battles off-screen. Either way, they are there for the story beats you need them for and otherwise are just roleplay devices. This way you don't need to worry about balance or homebrew rules. Every piece of the game doesn't need to be developed to the level of player characters.
Fox and baby green dragon. Oh, and they have special powers.
Honestly, it's hard not to make a pet that's broken one way or the other using a Green Dragon Wyrmling as the base, and that's before you add in special powers. At this point, you're really talking more in the realm of DMPC's than player pets.
Fox and baby green dragon. Oh, and they have special powers.
A fox is still just a fox. It won’t really want to engage in combat or anything regardless of whatever special powers it has. The dragon’s another matter altogether, but either way neither animal should be under direct player control. There are special subclasses like the Beastmaster and Drakenward Ranger for that. If they aren’t playing those specific subclasses then the pets should be treated as NPCs. Even if they’re treated as PNPCs (Party NPCs that travel with the party and help out), you would still control them as NPCs. Anything they do in combat would just be narrative embellishments to what the actual party does. That is to say, you describe them fighting, but they don’t actually really contribute anything to combat, it’s all just narration on your part. Maybe you throw an “extra” bad guy into the fights just to give the pets something to “fight” while the PCs do the actual heavy lifting. Stuff like that.
A Green Dragon Wyrmling is a CR 2 creature with 17 AC, 38 HP, Blindsight to 10 feet, and a 15 foot cone breath weapon that does 6d6 damage (even if it's poison damage with a DC of 11, that's still enough to easily one-shot many low-level monsters).
That is a very, very strong companion on its own, much less if you start adding special abilities or Sidekick levels.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Fox and baby green dragon. Oh, and they have special powers.
A fox is still just a fox. It won’t really want to engage in combat or anything regardless of whatever special powers it has. The dragon’s another matter altogether, but either way neither animal should be under direct player control. There are special subclasses like the Beastmaster and Drakenward Ranger for that. If they aren’t playing those specific subclasses then the pets should be treated as NPCs. Even if they’re treated as PNPCs (Party NPCs that travel with the party and help out), you would still control them as NPCs. Anything they do in combat would just be narrative embellishments to what the actual party does. That is to say, you describe them fighting, but they don’t actually really contribute anything to combat, it’s all just narration on your part. Maybe you throw an “extra” bad guy into the fights just to give the pets something to “fight” while the PCs do the actual heavy lifting. Stuff like that.
I have a fox
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I am a giant cat who lives in the Underdark, I am friends with Master Demigorgon and will not hesitate to eat you. If you survive my deadly bite you will desolve in my horrid stomach acids, if by Jove you manage to survive that, well mr Lucky unkillable John Mclane, I eat my turds.
And if I wanted a giant rat as my familia could I ride that?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I am a giant cat who lives in the Underdark, I am friends with Master Demigorgon and will not hesitate to eat you. If you survive my deadly bite you will desolve in my horrid stomach acids, if by Jove you manage to survive that, well mr Lucky unkillable John Mclane, I eat my turds.
I’ve been playing D&D for a little over a year now, but I am still pretty new. This said, there are still a lot of things that I don’t know.
I know that there are a few classes that automatically get a pet/familiar, like the Beastmaster Ranger, but how does it work for the other classes?
I’m looking forward to reading your responses!
The rules vary from class to class, but for a brief summary:
Familiars, as commonly used by Wizards and Warlocks, operate via the rules for the spell Find Familiar: Tiny fragile creature that is good for scouting and can deliver touch spells. (Warlocks gain access to more powerful options.)
Animal Companions, as used by Beastmaster Ranger, are treated as a class feature and grow in power and durability with the player.
Pets, as in literal pets, aren't an actual mechanic, and are typically treated as cosmetic items.
Sidekicks, are a mechanic for adding NPC support characters. Any creature below a certain CR, including beasts, can gain class levels and accompany the party akin to a PC.
Summons. Some classes can summon temporary allies via spells like Summon Beast, that conjure a friendly creature for about an hour.
Undead Servants can be created via spells such as Animate Dead, and create minions that remain under control, so long as the player continues to use magic to dominate them.
etc...
Basically, "Pets" can range from an extension of the player to controllable pawns to completely independent NPCs. Are you looking for anything in particular?
It's not simply that some classes automatically get a pet, it's that they have a mechanic that allows them to get one while others don't. If you want a pet, beyond a merely aesthetical one, you need an ability that provides one. Some are baked into certain (sub)classes like Beastmaster Rangers, Battlesmith Artificers or Pact of the Chain Warlocks, others just need you to pick up an appropriate mechanic that might be available to multiple classes or even just a feat - usually spells, like Find Familiar.
Sidekicks can circumvent this need for a specific ability, but not being an ability usually means more DM scrutiny. Sidekicks being a lot like NPCs it's not unlikely the DM may prefer to control them rather than letting a PC treat them as a pet they can command.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Thanks for such a detailed response! I think I am aiming for something like an extension of the player but a controllable pawn would probably work too.
The character I was thinking of is a Kobold Bard. I wanted to give him a large fox as a companion. I just wasn’t sure how that would work during combat and/or when we have to navigate through traps.
I forgot one option - mounts. Anyone can buy a mount (like anyone can buy a pet lapdog or lucky cricket), but mounts do have practical use while adventuring.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Foxes aren't one of the officially available options, and Bards don't normally gain access to Familiars or Companions. However, any class can gain Find Familiar through the Feat Ritual Caster.
As Kotath mentioned, the DM does have the option of just letting you befriend an animal, but without a specific mechanic to support them, they will likely be very fragile.
If by a "large fox" you mean one that is large for its size, then you should be able to convince your DM to gain a Fox companion as an alternative Familiar.
If by "Large Fox" you mean one that is larger than you, then there is also the spell Find Steed that can let you summon an intelligent magical creature. Again, Dire Foxes aren't an official thing, but the DM may allow you to homebrew one inline with the provided examples.
At higher levels, Find Greater Steed also becomes available.
Bards have a class feature called Magical Secrets that will let you learn these spells, which you wouldn't normally have access to.
Yes I meant just one large enough for my kobold to ride. I’m sure my DM will allow it. Thanks so much for your response!
Thanks everyone! You’ve all been very helpful!
Ok Kotath! Thank you!
Hi! I am starting a DND group for 2024. I've done it before,but this year I'll have some new players. Two of my players used an animal as a big part of their backstories, and the animals are assisting in their quest. How do I engineer the animal so as not to make it overpowered for a level one?
I’d say just use the monster manual statistics. It might be a little much for level 1 characters, but the animals will quickly be outclassed at high levels. I mean if you’re worried for balance, pick slightly more challenging monsters, but no need to change the animal statblock or anything.
What kinds of animals?
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Fox and baby green dragon. Oh, and they have special powers.
You might want to use either the Sidekicks rules from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
But MCDM Productions has The Beastheart and Monstrous Companions which I think may be more along the lines of what you're looking for. It actually has a Dragon Wyrmling as a companion option.
At level 1 the addition of the pets is probably going to be overpowered, but level 1 is the most dangerous since one crit from a NPC can one-hit kill a Player Character. So I wouldn't worry about it too much. You can always just adjust your encounters accordingly if the players are steamrolling content.
I'd just use the pets the same way they've been used so far - as story devices. Maybe they shy away from combat, or during combat are fighting their own battles off-screen. Either way, they are there for the story beats you need them for and otherwise are just roleplay devices. This way you don't need to worry about balance or homebrew rules. Every piece of the game doesn't need to be developed to the level of player characters.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Honestly, it's hard not to make a pet that's broken one way or the other using a Green Dragon Wyrmling as the base, and that's before you add in special powers. At this point, you're really talking more in the realm of DMPC's than player pets.
A fox is still just a fox. It won’t really want to engage in combat or anything regardless of whatever special powers it has. The dragon’s another matter altogether, but either way neither animal should be under direct player control. There are special subclasses like the Beastmaster and Drakenward Ranger for that. If they aren’t playing those specific subclasses then the pets should be treated as NPCs. Even if they’re treated as PNPCs (Party NPCs that travel with the party and help out), you would still control them as NPCs. Anything they do in combat would just be narrative embellishments to what the actual party does. That is to say, you describe them fighting, but they don’t actually really contribute anything to combat, it’s all just narration on your part. Maybe you throw an “extra” bad guy into the fights just to give the pets something to “fight” while the PCs do the actual heavy lifting. Stuff like that.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
A Green Dragon Wyrmling is a CR 2 creature with 17 AC, 38 HP, Blindsight to 10 feet, and a 15 foot cone breath weapon that does 6d6 damage (even if it's poison damage with a DC of 11, that's still enough to easily one-shot many low-level monsters).
That is a very, very strong companion on its own, much less if you start adding special abilities or Sidekick levels.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I have a fox
I am a giant cat who lives in the Underdark, I am friends with Master Demigorgon and will not hesitate to eat you.
If you survive my deadly bite you will desolve in my horrid stomach acids, if by Jove you manage to survive that, well mr Lucky unkillable John Mclane, I eat my turds.
NOT a RICKROLL
Gandalf with a glock, Lord of hairballs, President of the Sadistic Cats, Your mum, David Blowie, Punksty paws, I eat humanoids
And if I wanted a giant rat as my familia could I ride that?
I am a giant cat who lives in the Underdark, I am friends with Master Demigorgon and will not hesitate to eat you.
If you survive my deadly bite you will desolve in my horrid stomach acids, if by Jove you manage to survive that, well mr Lucky unkillable John Mclane, I eat my turds.
NOT a RICKROLL
Gandalf with a glock, Lord of hairballs, President of the Sadistic Cats, Your mum, David Blowie, Punksty paws, I eat humanoids