Not sure if I am late to voice an opinion on this subclass or not, but I've only recently gotten the PDF for Giant Options and I'd like to share my opinion and some possible changes I'd make to it (though I'm not sure if they would improve, overpower or weaken the subclass as a whole). I also didn't feel comfortable with posting this on the Giant Options UA thread given how long it has been since there was a post there (not sure how this forum feels about raising non-active threads or what counts as such).
First, General Impression:
The idea of a Dino-Druid is quite interesting overall. That said, once one gets into the features, they feel a little disappointing overall, but I will go over each feature and why I think it works or doesn't.
Keeper of Old (2nd level) This gives the Druid a free skill proficiency with History (that they didn't have access to from their class) which on the surface is good, but Intelligence isn't going to be one of the character's high stats to begin with, so even with the proficiency bonus, chances are they aren't going to be the go to person in the group for the use of this skill. Still, with the +d4 to the roll and the ability to improve this with other Expertise (through a feat) or even with Guidance, there is potential for it to be situationally useful if one wants to put in the effort to do so. Overall, it is okay... not too powerful and somewhat useful (and can be improved if the player wants).
Primeval Companion (2nd level) This is the major feature of the subclass... the one that likely brings players to want to build a Primeval Druid. The stats are a little higher and it has more hp, but doesn't have the same resistances and immunities or special abilities the others have. It's reaction is interesting, allowing it to take half the damage another creature within 5 feet of it takes from a creature the companion can see. Its attack damage is about average though its movement seems a little slower. As far as companions go, it seems somewhat balanced compared to other companions other classes can get.
Overall, this isn't too bad, though I would like to see the Companion's Intelligence reduced to 3 so that it can benefit from Druid Spells like Beast Bond and even Awaken (great ways for the druid to give it a little buff at the cost of using spells, which should be the theme of the subclass). This would also make it vulnerable to the Animal Friendship spell which could potentially prevent the companion from attacking, but I think that could be a fair price for the potential buffs one can use.
Prehistoric Conduit (6th level) While the ability to cast one's non-self spells through the companion has potential, overall this isn't likely to be used unless the druid and companion are separated by a significant distance (depending how one chooses to play, a definite possibility). The advantage to save against the spells the Druid casts that may affect the companion with the companion taking no damage on a success and half on a fail does increase the companions survivability a little, but since many players try to avoid including allies in such spells, it will be situational at best. Overall, this is okay, but it could have been better and doesn't really offer much of a boost to the effectiveness of the companion compared to the spells the spells the Druid can cast, though it does add a little utility as to where the spell could potentially originate.
Titanic Bond (10th level) While the increase in size of the companion (to Large) and the addition of a new movement are technically buffs to the companion, they aren't that big of buffs, especially as this is around the point that most campaigns the players are in will be nearing their end. Also, the lack of allowing flying seems odd considering that by this point the Druid would have had 2 levels to use their Wild Shape ability to transform into a flying beast anyways. Even taking into account the possibility of inflicting fear upon one target per turn (one first has to hit or damage that target and then that target has to fail a Wis save), this still feels like a sub-par feature. Flight isn't that overpowering an ability at this point in the game, especially considering that many campaigns will likely be ending around this level, and it feels this subclass is just lagging behind what even other druids can potentially do.
Scourge of the Ancients (14th level) The druid can now spend spell slots to directly boost their companion for 1 hour with the amount of the boost depending on the spell slot level. The companion's size is increased to Huge with a temporary HP gain of 10 times the spell slot level. Additionally the companion sees a damage increase of 1d8 plus the spell slot level and a speed increase of 5 times the spell slot level. These boosts last for 1 hour or until the companion is reduced to 0 HP or the druid spends another spell slot on this ability. While this is a needed boost to the companion, the fact that it comes so late in the campaign means that the character may not see much use of this ability (the campaign may even end before this feature comes online for the character). Even the fact that this use of spell slots is considered part of the Bonus Action the druid uses to command the companion makes it worse as this would be a very useful feature to have earlier in the game.
So overall, while the initial and capstone features are not too bad overall, the fact that the last feature comes so late in the game makes it far less useful than it could have been, while the intermediate features seem a bit subpar overall given what they do and how little they improve the subclass compared to other subclasses. Still there is huge potential (pun definitely intended) for this class to shine.
My fixes would be as follows:
1) Decrease the Intelligence of the companion to 3 so that the Druid can use spells like Beast Bond and Awaken to provide some situational boosts. This also means that the companion might be shut down with Animal Friendship on occasion, but that too will be situational.
2) Move the ability to improve the companion to level 6. This is when the character will likely get the most of this ability and forces the player to decide between buffing their companion or aiding the other characters with their spells. Of course we would have to lower the buffs accordingly (and then possibly improve them at later levels). The size increase would only be one size higher than its normal (so it would become Large at this point) and the Temporary HP could be lowered to 5 x Spell Slot level. Damage could likewise be lower, perhaps only +Spell Slot level... which would bring it to roughly the equivalent of what the Steel Defender does a this level. We could leave a speed increase for a later level.
3) Expand on the ability to improve the Companion at level 10. This is where we could see an improvement to movement and speed... allowing for the player to choose a climbing, flying or swimming speed (chosen when boosted) and see it increased by a flat amount (+10 ft) when boosted with a spell slot (in addition to that granted at level 6). We could even fold in the ability to use the companion as the source of non-self spells the druid wants to cast as well as the save to spells the druid casts that may affect the companion. While not huge increases overall, the fact that these all happen hear should make this a strong feature.
4) The final change would be the capstone of the subclass at 14th level. This is where I would put some permanent upgrades to the base companion, namely an increase to Large (allowing the boost to increase the size to Huge) and a new movement type (climbing, flying or swimming) at the companion's normal walking speed. This is also where the level 6 boosts increase to the original boosts from the original capstone feature. Finally, the ability to inflict the frightened condition while the companion is boosted (rather than just present) could be applied here, though increasing it to be whenever you or your companion lands a hit or damages a creature with an attack or spell or the companion takes damage through its reaction ability (targeted on the creature that caused the initial damage), but again once per turn and last until the end of your next turn.
With these changes, the overall theme of choosing to improve your companion or use your spell slots to aid your party in other ways remains a core theme of this subclass and lends itself to some interesting play styles that play on the versatility of the druid class in general. I have yet to play test these changes myself (it isn't easy to convince a DM to experiment in such ways), but I hope to, but in the meantime, I'm curious if anyone else has noticed the same problems (don't have the patience to wade through 9 pages on the Giant Options UA thread) I have with the subclass and if the changes seem balanced, under or overpowered.
Not sure if I am late to voice an opinion on this subclass or not, but I've only recently gotten the PDF for Giant Options and I'd like to share my opinion and some possible changes I'd make to it (though I'm not sure if they would improve, overpower or weaken the subclass as a whole). I also didn't feel comfortable with posting this on the Giant Options UA thread given how long it has been since there was a post there (not sure how this forum feels about raising non-active threads or what counts as such).
First, General Impression:
The idea of a Dino-Druid is quite interesting overall. That said, once one gets into the features, they feel a little disappointing overall, but I will go over each feature and why I think it works or doesn't.
Keeper of Old (2nd level)
This gives the Druid a free skill proficiency with History (that they didn't have access to from their class) which on the surface is good, but Intelligence isn't going to be one of the character's high stats to begin with, so even with the proficiency bonus, chances are they aren't going to be the go to person in the group for the use of this skill. Still, with the +d4 to the roll and the ability to improve this with other Expertise (through a feat) or even with Guidance, there is potential for it to be situationally useful if one wants to put in the effort to do so. Overall, it is okay... not too powerful and somewhat useful (and can be improved if the player wants).
Primeval Companion (2nd level)
This is the major feature of the subclass... the one that likely brings players to want to build a Primeval Druid. The stats are a little higher and it has more hp, but doesn't have the same resistances and immunities or special abilities the others have. It's reaction is interesting, allowing it to take half the damage another creature within 5 feet of it takes from a creature the companion can see. Its attack damage is about average though its movement seems a little slower. As far as companions go, it seems somewhat balanced compared to other companions other classes can get.
Overall, this isn't too bad, though I would like to see the Companion's Intelligence reduced to 3 so that it can benefit from Druid Spells like Beast Bond and even Awaken (great ways for the druid to give it a little buff at the cost of using spells, which should be the theme of the subclass). This would also make it vulnerable to the Animal Friendship spell which could potentially prevent the companion from attacking, but I think that could be a fair price for the potential buffs one can use.
Prehistoric Conduit (6th level)
While the ability to cast one's non-self spells through the companion has potential, overall this isn't likely to be used unless the druid and companion are separated by a significant distance (depending how one chooses to play, a definite possibility). The advantage to save against the spells the Druid casts that may affect the companion with the companion taking no damage on a success and half on a fail does increase the companions survivability a little, but since many players try to avoid including allies in such spells, it will be situational at best. Overall, this is okay, but it could have been better and doesn't really offer much of a boost to the effectiveness of the companion compared to the spells the spells the Druid can cast, though it does add a little utility as to where the spell could potentially originate.
Titanic Bond (10th level)
While the increase in size of the companion (to Large) and the addition of a new movement are technically buffs to the companion, they aren't that big of buffs, especially as this is around the point that most campaigns the players are in will be nearing their end. Also, the lack of allowing flying seems odd considering that by this point the Druid would have had 2 levels to use their Wild Shape ability to transform into a flying beast anyways. Even taking into account the possibility of inflicting fear upon one target per turn (one first has to hit or damage that target and then that target has to fail a Wis save), this still feels like a sub-par feature. Flight isn't that overpowering an ability at this point in the game, especially considering that many campaigns will likely be ending around this level, and it feels this subclass is just lagging behind what even other druids can potentially do.
Scourge of the Ancients (14th level)
The druid can now spend spell slots to directly boost their companion for 1 hour with the amount of the boost depending on the spell slot level. The companion's size is increased to Huge with a temporary HP gain of 10 times the spell slot level. Additionally the companion sees a damage increase of 1d8 plus the spell slot level and a speed increase of 5 times the spell slot level. These boosts last for 1 hour or until the companion is reduced to 0 HP or the druid spends another spell slot on this ability. While this is a needed boost to the companion, the fact that it comes so late in the campaign means that the character may not see much use of this ability (the campaign may even end before this feature comes online for the character). Even the fact that this use of spell slots is considered part of the Bonus Action the druid uses to command the companion makes it worse as this would be a very useful feature to have earlier in the game.
So overall, while the initial and capstone features are not too bad overall, the fact that the last feature comes so late in the game makes it far less useful than it could have been, while the intermediate features seem a bit subpar overall given what they do and how little they improve the subclass compared to other subclasses. Still there is huge potential (pun definitely intended) for this class to shine.
My fixes would be as follows:
1) Decrease the Intelligence of the companion to 3 so that the Druid can use spells like Beast Bond and Awaken to provide some situational boosts. This also means that the companion might be shut down with Animal Friendship on occasion, but that too will be situational.
2) Move the ability to improve the companion to level 6. This is when the character will likely get the most of this ability and forces the player to decide between buffing their companion or aiding the other characters with their spells. Of course we would have to lower the buffs accordingly (and then possibly improve them at later levels). The size increase would only be one size higher than its normal (so it would become Large at this point) and the Temporary HP could be lowered to 5 x Spell Slot level. Damage could likewise be lower, perhaps only +Spell Slot level... which would bring it to roughly the equivalent of what the Steel Defender does a this level. We could leave a speed increase for a later level.
3) Expand on the ability to improve the Companion at level 10. This is where we could see an improvement to movement and speed... allowing for the player to choose a climbing, flying or swimming speed (chosen when boosted) and see it increased by a flat amount (+10 ft) when boosted with a spell slot (in addition to that granted at level 6). We could even fold in the ability to use the companion as the source of non-self spells the druid wants to cast as well as the save to spells the druid casts that may affect the companion. While not huge increases overall, the fact that these all happen hear should make this a strong feature.
4) The final change would be the capstone of the subclass at 14th level. This is where I would put some permanent upgrades to the base companion, namely an increase to Large (allowing the boost to increase the size to Huge) and a new movement type (climbing, flying or swimming) at the companion's normal walking speed. This is also where the level 6 boosts increase to the original boosts from the original capstone feature. Finally, the ability to inflict the frightened condition while the companion is boosted (rather than just present) could be applied here, though increasing it to be whenever you or your companion lands a hit or damages a creature with an attack or spell or the companion takes damage through its reaction ability (targeted on the creature that caused the initial damage), but again once per turn and last until the end of your next turn.
With these changes, the overall theme of choosing to improve your companion or use your spell slots to aid your party in other ways remains a core theme of this subclass and lends itself to some interesting play styles that play on the versatility of the druid class in general. I have yet to play test these changes myself (it isn't easy to convince a DM to experiment in such ways), but I hope to, but in the meantime, I'm curious if anyone else has noticed the same problems (don't have the patience to wade through 9 pages on the Giant Options UA thread) I have with the subclass and if the changes seem balanced, under or overpowered.