Addlecove challenged me, and I am not one to back away from a challenge (especially one I am confident about :P): he asked me to "fix" the Beast Master Ranger Archetype.
So here you have it, this is my take on the subclass (changes made from the original have been highlighted in red, a feature title in red means the whole thing has changed/is new):
Beast Master
The Beast Master archetype embodies a friendship between the civilized races and the beasts of the wild. United in focus, beast and ranger fight the monsters that threaten civilization and the wilderness alike.
Ranger’s Companion
At 3rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a single beast that is no larger than Medium and that has a challenge rating of 1/2 or lower. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’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 hit point number in its stat block or four times your ranger level, whichever is higher. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.
The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn’t take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your bonus action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. The beast companion has access to all abilities and attacks, including multiattack, it would normally have.
If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.
While traveling through your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at anormal pace.
If the beast 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.
Exceptional Training
Beginning at 7th level, whenever you and your beast companion are attacking the same target, you can decide to grant Advantage to each attack you both perform in the turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your WIS modifier each long rest.
Bestial Extension
Starting at 11th level, when you use a spell that requires you to make an attack as part of it, like Hail of Thorns or Ensnaring Strike, you can use one of the attacks from your beast companion as the one to benefit from the spell.
Bestial Fury
Beginning at 15th level, both you and your beast companion can temporarily fly into a bestial rage. As a bonus action on your turn you can decide to enter in this state, and both you and your beast companion benefit from the following bonuses:
+2 to all attack rolls and damage inflicted;
Advantage on WIS and INT saving throws;
Should you or your companion reach 0 hit points within the duration of the Fury, you can perform an attack as a reaction, interrupting the normal flow of the enemy's turn, which will continue as normal after this attack; once the attack is delivered, normal 0 hit points consequences take place;
The Fury lasts for a number of turns equal to your WIS modifier, at the end of which both you and your beast companion suffer 1 level of Exhaustion. You can use this feature once every long rest.
Hey, I was looking through your subclasses. I have reworked the beastmaster in many ways much like you did. Especially the bonus action activation part. Before I go to sleep, one thing I noticed while testing my implementation: Using a bonus action for the help action with your pet is to strong since you could give yourself advantage on an attack each turn this way. The ugly solution is that the help action ist he only action you need to spend your own action for.
Hey, I was looking through your subclasses. I have reworked the beastmaster in many ways much like you did. Especially the bonus action activation part. Before I go to sleep, one thing I noticed while testing my implementation: Using a bonus action for the help action with your pet is to strong since you could give yourself advantage on an attack each turn this way. The ugly solution is that the help action ist he only action you need to spend your own action for.
You have a very compelling point there, I'll think about it, thank you!
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Addlecove challenged me, and I am not one to back away from a challenge (especially one I am confident about :P): he asked me to "fix" the Beast Master Ranger Archetype.
So here you have it, this is my take on the subclass (changes made from the original have been highlighted in red, a feature title in red means the whole thing has changed/is new):
Beast Master
The Beast Master archetype embodies a friendship between the civilized races and the beasts of the wild. United in focus, beast and ranger fight the monsters that threaten civilization and the wilderness alike.
Ranger’s Companion
At 3rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a single beast that is no larger than Medium and that has a challenge rating of 1/2 or lower. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’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 hit point number in its stat block or four times your ranger level, whichever is higher. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.
The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn’t take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your bonus action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. The beast companion has access to all abilities and attacks, including multiattack, it would normally have.
If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.
While traveling through your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at anormal pace.
If the beast 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.
Exceptional Training
Beginning at 7th level, whenever you and your beast companion are attacking the same target, you can decide to grant Advantage to each attack you both perform in the turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your WIS modifier each long rest.
Bestial Extension
Starting at 11th level, when you use a spell that requires you to make an attack as part of it, like Hail of Thorns or Ensnaring Strike, you can use one of the attacks from your beast companion as the one to benefit from the spell.
Bestial Fury
Beginning at 15th level, both you and your beast companion can temporarily fly into a bestial rage.
As a bonus action on your turn you can decide to enter in this state, and both you and your beast companion benefit from the following bonuses:
The Fury lasts for a number of turns equal to your WIS modifier, at the end of which both you and your beast companion suffer 1 level of Exhaustion. You can use this feature once every long rest.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I am loving this concept and am looking forward to play-testing it on my Ranger.
here's hoping we get homebrew subclasses soon so I can add it to the character here on DDB too ;)
Hey, I was looking through your subclasses. I have reworked the beastmaster in many ways much like you did. Especially the bonus action activation part. Before I go to sleep, one thing I noticed while testing my implementation: Using a bonus action for the help action with your pet is to strong since you could give yourself advantage on an attack each turn this way. The ugly solution is that the help action ist he only action you need to spend your own action for.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
You are apreciated, good sir.