I then proceeded to look more closely at when it says this under Bestial Fury;
"When you command your beast to take the Beast's Strike action, the beast can use it twice."
This seems to have been overlooked, but it is different than a creature's multiattack which says that, as an action, it can attack twice. This, instead, says that WHENEVER you command it to take the Beast's Strike action, it can use it twice, which explicitly overrides the action economy, and there is no other if. Thus, with this feature, you CAN command it multiple times in a turn, unlike pre-level 11 when you could command it all you wanted, but nothing said it got multiple actions, post-level 11 it DOES get extra actions, as explicitly stated in the feature.
There is a problem with monster stat blocks in that it lists any attacks a creature can make under the heading of "Actions". And that mixing of "actions" and "attacks" makes for a problem, especially when mixed with features that are meant to allow the creature to make more than one attack as most of them would, under a strict RAW reading, include the creature using multiple actions.
I agree with @TarodNet and @Plaguescarred on how the Beast Master is intended to work.
I have a related question I'm wanting some thoughts on, when the ranger uses their bonus action to command the pet, would the pet be able to use a bonus action as part of its turn if it has some feature, a spell effect or item use that says it can be used as a bonus action?
The rules on Bonus Actions in 2024:
A Bonus Action is a special action that you can take on the same turn that you take an action. You can’t take more than one Bonus Action on a turn, and you have a Bonus Action to take only if a rule explicitly says so.
Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a Bonus Action. The Cunning Action feature, for example, allows a Rogue to take a Bonus Action. You can take a Bonus Action only when a special ability, a spell, or another feature of the game states that you can do something as a Bonus Action. You otherwise don’t have a Bonus Action to take.
The wording on the beast says you explicitly command it to take an action:
In combat, the beast acts during your turn. It can move and use its Reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action unless you take a Bonus Action to command it to take an action in its stat block or some other action.
Of course most companion creatures have nothing listed to spend their Bonus Action on. Specifically the Primal Beast companions and the Drake Companion. So they "can't take one", only because they have nothing they can spend a Bonus Action on (discounting spell effects / items for the minute).
Until we get to Level 7 for the Beastmaster.
Level 7: Exceptional Training
When you take a Bonus Action to command your Primal Companion beast to take an action, you can also command it to take the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action using its Bonus Action.
Then the Primal Companion gets access to a set of bonus (if you will) Bonus Actions, provided it also takes an Action. Those things aren't generally Bonus Actions, so this is why they're special and get called out as such.
But in addition to that if there is some item that they are capable of using and it s explicitly stated is activated or used as a Bonus Action and since you command it to take an action and bonuses actions can be taken on the same turn you take an action, would they be able to use it on their turn? (Of course, when below level 7, they'd only have access to the bonus action granted by the item)
I come to the same conclusion as TarodNet if a Ranger Beast Master spends enought ressource, the beast can attack twice;
You can take Bonus Action to command the beast to take the Beast's Strike action.
You can also sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Beast's Strike action.
None of your bullet points address the fact that the beast only has one action. It doesn't gain another action because you command it.
I agree that the wording could be better or they could have clarified the number of attacks your beast can do. But just because the rules say at one point "you have only one action and you need an action to attack" doesn't mean that there are not a lot of exceptions to this. From action surge to haste spells to battle masters commanding the rogue to attack again. I don't think it's that unreasonable that a level 11 ranger can sacrifice an attack and a bonus action to allow his beast to attack 4 times. It's cool and powerful but not really overpowered because at that level he probably does about the same damage with his one attack as the beast with 2 attacks. And it does prevent him from using his bonus action for something else.
As for why he can't have his beast dodge and attack on earlier levels: I figure that would be a balancing issue.
If we sacrifice an attack, it performs the Beast’s Strike action in addition to Dodge. This doesn’t interact with Exceptional Training at all.
We can also spend a Bonus Action to have it take another Beast’s Strike action, which replaces that Dodge action. At level 7, Exceptional Training means you get pick one of the relevant actions for its (otherwise unused) Bonus Action.
At level 11, any time it takes the Beast’s Strike action, it gets two attacks (regardless of whether from attack sacrifice or Bonus Action).
In terms of Nick, it comes down to timing. You need to sacrifice one of your attacks when you declare the Attack action. At this point, Light cannot have possibly triggered (much less Nick shifting the attack). If you only have one attack, you have to sacrifice your only attack. If you have two or more attacks, you can reduce the normal number of attacks by one and then proceed to attack as normal.
As for balance, our level 11 Ranger can potentially attack 6 times per round - Light and Nick, attack sacrifice for two Bestial Strike, Bonus Action for two Bestial Strike. This is equivalent to a same level Monk (presuming the Monk takes the Weapon Mastery feat). However, the Monk is making all of their attacks based on the same stat (Dexterity) while our Ranger needs both Dex and Wis. The Monk is hitting for 5.5 + Dex damage per attack (33 + 6 Dex average). The Ranger is hitting for 3.5 + Dex twice and then 6.5 + Wis four times (33 + 2 Dex + 4 Wis average). This is also a comparison between a Ranger’s abilities including sub-class vs. a Monk’s abilities before considering sub-class.
If you're arguing that the "Beast gets one and only one action no matter how many commands you issue", then the sub-class is woefully underpowered.
The reason I'm saying it can attack whenever you command it starting at level 11 is that, at level 3, it says that you command it, and obviously it has to resolve that with its own action economy. On the other hand, at level 11, it says that it can attack twice WHEN YOU COMMAND IT TO, which overrides the action economy because it's not saying that, as an action, it can attack twice, but instead that, WHEN YOU COMMAND IT TO, it gets to attack twice, regardless of action econom
Basically, the level 11 feature says, "when A happens, B happens", so why would B not happen if A happens? Nothing in that phrase says anything about any other limitation, and I don't see why another limitation would apply.
I know action economy limits it to one action, but this DOES override that simply because it says that it "When you command it . . . it makes two attacks" because why would anything else be true?
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There is a problem with monster stat blocks in that it lists any attacks a creature can make under the heading of "Actions". And that mixing of "actions" and "attacks" makes for a problem, especially when mixed with features that are meant to allow the creature to make more than one attack as most of them would, under a strict RAW reading, include the creature using multiple actions.
I agree with @TarodNet and @Plaguescarred on how the Beast Master is intended to work.
I have a related question I'm wanting some thoughts on, when the ranger uses their bonus action to command the pet, would the pet be able to use a bonus action as part of its turn if it has some feature, a spell effect or item use that says it can be used as a bonus action?
The rules on Bonus Actions in 2024:
The wording on the beast says you explicitly command it to take an action:
Of course most companion creatures have nothing listed to spend their Bonus Action on. Specifically the Primal Beast companions and the Drake Companion. So they "can't take one", only because they have nothing they can spend a Bonus Action on (discounting spell effects / items for the minute).
Until we get to Level 7 for the Beastmaster.
Then the Primal Companion gets access to a set of bonus (if you will) Bonus Actions, provided it also takes an Action. Those things aren't generally Bonus Actions, so this is why they're special and get called out as such.
But in addition to that if there is some item that they are capable of using and it s explicitly stated is activated or used as a Bonus Action and since you command it to take an action and bonuses actions can be taken on the same turn you take an action, would they be able to use it on their turn? (Of course, when below level 7, they'd only have access to the bonus action granted by the item)
I agree that the wording could be better or they could have clarified the number of attacks your beast can do. But just because the rules say at one point "you have only one action and you need an action to attack" doesn't mean that there are not a lot of exceptions to this. From action surge to haste spells to battle masters commanding the rogue to attack again. I don't think it's that unreasonable that a level 11 ranger can sacrifice an attack and a bonus action to allow his beast to attack 4 times. It's cool and powerful but not really overpowered because at that level he probably does about the same damage with his one attack as the beast with 2 attacks. And it does prevent him from using his bonus action for something else.
As for why he can't have his beast dodge and attack on earlier levels: I figure that would be a balancing issue.
My interpretation:
We start with the Beast taking the Dodge action.
If we sacrifice an attack, it performs the Beast’s Strike action in addition to Dodge. This doesn’t interact with Exceptional Training at all.
We can also spend a Bonus Action to have it take another Beast’s Strike action, which replaces that Dodge action. At level 7, Exceptional Training means you get pick one of the relevant actions for its (otherwise unused) Bonus Action.
At level 11, any time it takes the Beast’s Strike action, it gets two attacks (regardless of whether from attack sacrifice or Bonus Action).
In terms of Nick, it comes down to timing. You need to sacrifice one of your attacks when you declare the Attack action. At this point, Light cannot have possibly triggered (much less Nick shifting the attack). If you only have one attack, you have to sacrifice your only attack. If you have two or more attacks, you can reduce the normal number of attacks by one and then proceed to attack as normal.
As for balance, our level 11 Ranger can potentially attack 6 times per round - Light and Nick, attack sacrifice for two Bestial Strike, Bonus Action for two Bestial Strike. This is equivalent to a same level Monk (presuming the Monk takes the Weapon Mastery feat). However, the Monk is making all of their attacks based on the same stat (Dexterity) while our Ranger needs both Dex and Wis. The Monk is hitting for 5.5 + Dex damage per attack (33 + 6 Dex average). The Ranger is hitting for 3.5 + Dex twice and then 6.5 + Wis four times (33 + 2 Dex + 4 Wis average). This is also a comparison between a Ranger’s abilities including sub-class vs. a Monk’s abilities before considering sub-class.
If you're arguing that the "Beast gets one and only one action no matter how many commands you issue", then the sub-class is woefully underpowered.
The reason I'm saying it can attack whenever you command it starting at level 11 is that, at level 3, it says that you command it, and obviously it has to resolve that with its own action economy. On the other hand, at level 11, it says that it can attack twice WHEN YOU COMMAND IT TO, which overrides the action economy because it's not saying that, as an action, it can attack twice, but instead that, WHEN YOU COMMAND IT TO, it gets to attack twice, regardless of action econom
Basically, the level 11 feature says, "when A happens, B happens", so why would B not happen if A happens? Nothing in that phrase says anything about any other limitation, and I don't see why another limitation would apply.
I know action economy limits it to one action, but this DOES override that simply because it says that it "When you command it . . . it makes two attacks" because why would anything else be true?