Hello! I'm currently playing as a Beast Master, currently at Level 18 (aiming for Ranger 19/Sorcerer 1), and while I've already switched a few of the Ranger features over in favor of the TCoE ones (specially Primal Awareness over Primeval Awareness), I'm still debating on whether to switch the Ranger's Companion for the Primal Companion. When comparing the companions I've come up with two builds, and the image below compares their values on regular turns in combat.
PHB Dex-focused: Wielding finesse weapons and no armor, joining in melee with a panther (miniature displacer beast, may cast blur 1/day) wearing +2 plate barding, using Guardian of Nature (and Share Spells for the companion) as buff. TCoE Wis-focused: Wielding a magic staff, casting Shillelagh to use it along with Green-Flame Blade, wearing some magical half-plate, joining in melee with a beast of the land, using Guardian of Nature (after Shillelagh, also with Share Spells for the companion) as buff.
I like to optimize within constraints, and this character's theme is accounted in some of the options (there might have been stronger options than Wood Elf, Ritual Caster certainly wasn't the best choice for an ASI, and a Wis-based Ranger 20 with Favored Foe and Foe Slayer may reach higher single target DPR than any of these two builds), though I'm trying to reach the best possible effectiveness in combat.
Some of the values above might not be crystal-clear, so feel free to ask about anything below.
Each option has their perks, and I'm almost set on going with the TCoE Primal Companions, though that does come with a few sacrifices. I would appreciate opinions on this one. đ
Which low level Share Spells specifically are you aiming for? Warlock gets Armor of Agathys for some crazy shenanigans there, and Warding Bond/Shield of Faith are also pretty effective.
You've made some potentially strange assumptions - e.g. your PHB proposal seems to (I could be wrong) incorrectly assume the companion is proficient in barding. The only companion I know of that shows up proficient in barding is a warhorse, since monsters are assumed to be proficient in anything in their statblock, and warhorses have rules for barding in their entry. If your DM follows the RAW, barding will work on either companion, but also either companion will have their saves nerfed by the armor.
I can't give you advice without understanding if and how your DM will be houseruling the higher level subclass benefits to work or not with the primal companion, but generically, the fact that the TCOE companion is proficient in all skills, tools, and saves makes it an auto-pick for me even before other considerations. That kind of on-tap skill monkey has easily enough utility to justify the subclass.
Which Share Spells specifically are you aiming for? Warlock gets Armor of Agathys for some crazy shenanigans there, and Warding Bond/Shield of Faith are also pretty effective.
Both builds currently go for Guardian of Nature almost full-time, which greater effectiveness in the PHB build, since in the TCoE one the Companion needs to choose between either Advantage on the attacks or the extra d6 damage, since it's a Wisdom-based attack (the Ranger's Wisdom in that case). So the Concentration is almost guaranteed to be there.
Warding Bond wouldn't be THAT useful since both the Ranger and the Companion are already permanently resistant to Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing, Fire, and Necrotic, due to Wishes. But Armor of Agathys does sound like it would be better than False Life for its purpose đ€ I'll add swapping from Sorcerer 1 to Warlock 1 to the list of things I need to decide on (it would be extra nice if there was some sort of Draconic patron archetype released already to fit in the established character's theme).
You've made some potentially strange assumptions - e.g. your PHB proposal seems to (I could be wrong) incorrectly assume the companion is proficient in barding. The only companion I know of that shows up proficient in barding is a warhorse, since monsters are assumed to be proficient in anything in their statblock, and warhorses have rules for barding in their entry. If your DM follows the RAW, barding will work on either companion, but also either companion will have their saves nerfed by the armor.
Yeah, it's ultimately undefined in the rules. And as this character is in Adventurers League (and has been through 9 different DMs already) it's one of the (many) things I need to clear up before playing. Though this one in particular was never questioned by a DM so far (others have, like the ability of the beast to attune to magic items at all, the malleability of its DC values, etc.). The common read that I've seen around is that barding has an implicit suggestion that animals are proficient in it or it doesn't need proficiency. Otherwise, both builds would have similar ACs (19 and 20). Crawford has said this on the subject: @jesselsmith: When wearing barding (PHB p. 155), do animals need proficiency in that type of armor to avoid penalties(PHB p. 144)? @jeremyecrawford: The rule on monsters and armor is purposefully generous and is ultimately in the DM's hands. See MM p. 9. I write down some of these rulings/opinions along with the character log for whenever something is questioned. As for the TCoE companion, it is unable to benefit from both barding and the Ranger's proficiency at the same time, so its not wearing any.
I can't give you advice without understanding if and how your DM will be houseruling the higher level subclass benefits to work or not with the primal companion, but generically, the fact that the TCOE companion is proficient in all skills, tools, and saves makes it an auto-pick for me even before other considerations. That kind of on-tap skill monkey has easily enough utility to justify the subclass.
As I've said, lots of different DMs for this character. From what I've gathered in a few AL Discords so far It's widely assumed that Primal Companion does inherit the relations Ranger's Companion had with the related features (Exceptional Training, Bestial Fury, Share Spells; otherwise I'd have chosen the PHB one already). The fact that the beast is proficient in all skills doesn't shine all that much for me (more interested in the saving throws), mostly because my beast is shaped like a Panther and was already proficient in the only skills it has needed up until now (Stealth and Perception; proficiency in Athletics wouldn't hurt, but she's already able to drop people prone by attacking). Though I could make a more control-oriented build, such as a Beast of the Sky proficiently able to Shove people around all the time along with Flyby, or an Ape-shaped or Octopus-shaped grappler, that certainly works.
Hello! I'm currently playing as a Beast Master, currently at Level 18 (aiming for Ranger 19/Sorcerer 1), and while I've already switched a few of the Ranger features over in favor of the TCoE ones (specially Primal Awareness over Primeval Awareness), I'm still debating on whether to switch the Ranger's Companion for the Primal Companion. When comparing the companions I've come up with two builds, and the image below compares their values on regular turns in combat.
PHB Dex-focused: Wielding finesse weapons and no armor, joining in melee with a panther (miniature displacer beast, may cast blur 1/day) wearing +2 plate barding, using Guardian of Nature (and Share Spells for the companion) as buff.
TCoE Wis-focused: Wielding a magic staff, casting Shillelagh to use it along with Green-Flame Blade, wearing some magical half-plate, joining in melee with a beast of the land, using Guardian of Nature (after Shillelagh, also with Share Spells for the companion) as buff.
I like to optimize within constraints, and this character's theme is accounted in some of the options (there might have been stronger options than Wood Elf, Ritual Caster certainly wasn't the best choice for an ASI, and a Wis-based Ranger 20 with Favored Foe and Foe Slayer may reach higher single target DPR than any of these two builds), though I'm trying to reach the best possible effectiveness in combat.
Some of the values above might not be crystal-clear, so feel free to ask about anything below.
Each option has their perks, and I'm almost set on going with the TCoE Primal Companions, though that does come with a few sacrifices. I would appreciate opinions on this one. đ
Art Portfolio
Which low level Share Spells specifically are you aiming for? Warlock gets Armor of Agathys for some crazy shenanigans there, and Warding Bond/Shield of Faith are also pretty effective.
You've made some potentially strange assumptions - e.g. your PHB proposal seems to (I could be wrong) incorrectly assume the companion is proficient in barding. The only companion I know of that shows up proficient in barding is a warhorse, since monsters are assumed to be proficient in anything in their statblock, and warhorses have rules for barding in their entry. If your DM follows the RAW, barding will work on either companion, but also either companion will have their saves nerfed by the armor.
I can't give you advice without understanding if and how your DM will be houseruling the higher level subclass benefits to work or not with the primal companion, but generically, the fact that the TCOE companion is proficient in all skills, tools, and saves makes it an auto-pick for me even before other considerations. That kind of on-tap skill monkey has easily enough utility to justify the subclass.
Both builds currently go for Guardian of Nature almost full-time, which greater effectiveness in the PHB build, since in the TCoE one the Companion needs to choose between either Advantage on the attacks or the extra d6 damage, since it's a Wisdom-based attack (the Ranger's Wisdom in that case). So the Concentration is almost guaranteed to be there.
Warding Bond wouldn't be THAT useful since both the Ranger and the Companion are already permanently resistant to Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing, Fire, and Necrotic, due to Wishes. But Armor of Agathys does sound like it would be better than False Life for its purpose đ€ I'll add swapping from Sorcerer 1 to Warlock 1 to the list of things I need to decide on (it would be extra nice if there was some sort of Draconic patron archetype released already to fit in the established character's theme).
Art Portfolio
Yeah, it's ultimately undefined in the rules. And as this character is in Adventurers League (and has been through 9 different DMs already) it's one of the (many) things I need to clear up before playing. Though this one in particular was never questioned by a DM so far (others have, like the ability of the beast to attune to magic items at all, the malleability of its DC values, etc.). The common read that I've seen around is that barding has an implicit suggestion that animals are proficient in it or it doesn't need proficiency. Otherwise, both builds would have similar ACs (19 and 20). Crawford has said this on the subject: @jesselsmith: When wearing barding (PHB p. 155), do animals need proficiency in that type of armor to avoid penalties(PHB p. 144)? @jeremyecrawford: The rule on monsters and armor is purposefully generous and is ultimately in the DM's hands. See MM p. 9. I write down some of these rulings/opinions along with the character log for whenever something is questioned. As for the TCoE companion, it is unable to benefit from both barding and the Ranger's proficiency at the same time, so its not wearing any.
As I've said, lots of different DMs for this character. From what I've gathered in a few AL Discords so far It's widely assumed that Primal Companion does inherit the relations Ranger's Companion had with the related features (Exceptional Training, Bestial Fury, Share Spells; otherwise I'd have chosen the PHB one already). The fact that the beast is proficient in all skills doesn't shine all that much for me (more interested in the saving throws), mostly because my beast is shaped like a Panther and was already proficient in the only skills it has needed up until now (Stealth and Perception; proficiency in Athletics wouldn't hurt, but she's already able to drop people prone by attacking). Though I could make a more control-oriented build, such as a Beast of the Sky proficiently able to Shove people around all the time along with Flyby, or an Ape-shaped or Octopus-shaped grappler, that certainly works.
Art Portfolio