Hi All! I've been on DDB for a while but not so much on the forums. I have done a search with this question but have not been able to find the answer.
For the Tasha's revised Beast Master Ranger - the Primal Companion - does the primal companion take on the traits of the form it takes?
Example: Beast of the Sky in the form of a Blood Hawk: Does it get the Keen Senses feature, Pack Tacticsfeature, and Beak Attack as well as the Beast of the Sky shred attack and flyby feature, and primal bond feature? Or is it JUST the Beast of the Sky stats. They're not bad! Just trying to figure out the mechanics! lol
Thanks in advance and I'm sorry if this has already been touched on :)
Just the beast of the sky stat block. The creature is a spirit that looks like a blood hawk (per your example), not a real blood hawk. The appearance is purely cosmetic.
Hi All! I've been on DDB for a while but not so much on the forums. I have done a search with this question but have not been able to find the answer.
For the Tasha's revised Beast Master Ranger - the Primal Companion - does the primal companion take on the traits of the form it takes?
Example: Beast of the Sky in the form of a Blood Hawk: Does it get the Keen Senses feature, Pack Tacticsfeature, and Beak Attack as well as the Beast of the Sky shred attack and flyby feature, and primal bond feature? Or is it JUST the Beast of the Sky stats. They're not bad! Just trying to figure out the mechanics! lol
Thanks in advance and I'm sorry if this has already been touched on :)
The statblock is just the statblock in TCOE, no additional traits. I'm playing with a Primal Companion right now, and here's the list of things you may still need to ask your DM about. I'll try to stay organized.
Mandatory house rules: the companion can't be played until your DM answers these questions.
Stat block "bug": The listed passive perception in the Companion's statblock is not its average roll, rounded down, specifically because it adds your proficiency bonus to Wisdom checks, but this is not reflected in its pp. So you should ask your DM whether to obey the statblock or the pp rules - there's no way to obey both.
Missing information: the statblock has no listed alignment, but that has no rules meaning; all creatures are supposed to be one of the ten alignments (L/N/C G/N/E or Unaligned), which can absolutely come up e.g. when dealing damage to a rakshasa. There's no way to tell whether WOTC intended the companion to have your alignment, an alignment you choose, an alignment the DM chooses, the alignment of the form you choose, etc etc etc. So your companion has to have an alignment to enter play - ask your DM how to determine its alignment.
Information not present in the stat block: Environmental adaptations: "normal" creatures are assumed to be adapted to high altitudes, deep depths, and high and cold temperatures based on where they come from, but your companion doesn't come from anywhere. Does your companion inherit these adaptations from its chosen form? For example, is an eagle beast of the sky adapted to high altitudes?
Potential ambiguities: your DM may have opinions on these that surprise you, so ask early to get them out of the way.
Do magic items that modify your save DC also modify the save DC of the companion? Bear in mind the answer may differ by item - some items modify the save dc of your ranger spells and some modify the save dc of all of your spells. The companion isn't a spell, let alone a ranger spell, but your DM may feel it should apply anyway.
Is the companion literate? To the best I can determine, all creatures are assumed to be literate unless we're told otherwise, but the RAW basis for this is shaky to the point that a DM can freely rule your companion is illiterate without violating the RAW in any way.
How does barding work with your companion? DMs almost never agree on how barding works.
Hi All! I've been on DDB for a while but not so much on the forums. I have done a search with this question but have not been able to find the answer.
For the Tasha's revised Beast Master Ranger - the Primal Companion - does the primal companion take on the traits of the form it takes?
Example: Beast of the Sky in the form of a Blood Hawk: Does it get the Keen Senses feature, Pack Tacticsfeature, and Beak Attack as well as the Beast of the Sky shred attack and flyby feature, and primal bond feature? Or is it JUST the Beast of the Sky stats. They're not bad! Just trying to figure out the mechanics! lol
Thanks in advance and I'm sorry if this has already been touched on :)
No, the intent of the new Primal Companion options was to unlink the mechanics of the creature from the flavor, so people wouldn't feel the conflict of choosing a creature with an ability they like vs one they like thematically. With these new options, you get a standardized stat block and can make it look how you want.
I have no idea what Geann made, but it's not a Primal Companion, be warned. I have a google spreadsheet you can use to make a Primal Companion, if you like. It can be done as a homebrew, but it's a pain in the ass, since you have to make a different one for things like different wisdom bonuses.
*sigh* I have a Ranger, I set her up to 3rd level and gave her a Blood Hawk and posted the stats I got. Under "Extras" you can pick a Beast Companion if you care to try for yourself.
Yeah, that's not a primal companion, it's a beast companion. Totally different.
Apparently Primal Companions have not yet been implemented as of yet. I was correct in all ways, and I believe it is useful at least to show what their intent might be.
OP was asking about the Primal Companion. The Primal Companion has it's own stat block and is completely unrelated to the Blood Hawk that you used as an example.
For example, this is the stat block for the Primal Companion's flying option:
Hi All! I've been on DDB for a while but not so much on the forums. I have done a search with this question but have not been able to find the answer.
For the Tasha's revised Beast Master Ranger - the Primal Companion - does the primal companion take on the traits of the form it takes?
Example: Beast of the Sky in the form of a Blood Hawk: Does it get the Keen Senses feature, Pack Tacticsfeature, and Beak Attack as well as the Beast of the Sky shred attack and flyby feature, and primal bond feature? Or is it JUST the Beast of the Sky stats. They're not bad! Just trying to figure out the mechanics! lol
Thanks in advance and I'm sorry if this has already been touched on :)
Just the beast of the sky stat block. The creature is a spirit that looks like a blood hawk (per your example), not a real blood hawk. The appearance is purely cosmetic.
The statblock is just the statblock in TCOE, no additional traits. I'm playing with a Primal Companion right now, and here's the list of things you may still need to ask your DM about. I'll try to stay organized.
No, the intent of the new Primal Companion options was to unlink the mechanics of the creature from the flavor, so people wouldn't feel the conflict of choosing a creature with an ability they like vs one they like thematically. With these new options, you get a standardized stat block and can make it look how you want.
That Works! Thank you all! That's all I needed!
I have no idea what Geann made, but it's not a Primal Companion, be warned. I have a google spreadsheet you can use to make a Primal Companion, if you like. It can be done as a homebrew, but it's a pain in the ass, since you have to make a different one for things like different wisdom bonuses.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j3QCxlE8v4K1rsc4IMkZ5lmZ1FbaS4PSQViwnsWjF40/edit?usp=sharing
Make yourself a copy. I highlighted in yellow the fields where you input information.
Yeah, that's not a primal companion, it's a beast companion. Totally different.
OP was asking about the Primal Companion. The Primal Companion has it's own stat block and is completely unrelated to the Blood Hawk that you used as an example.
For example, this is the stat block for the Primal Companion's flying option: