The Primal Companion Ranger feature in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything describes the Beast of the Land/Sea/Air. They have a special trait called "Primal Bond" that reads "You can add your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw that the beast makes." My question is how this interacts with how monsters normally work.
Normally, according to the Monster Manual, monsters have a saving throws bonus equal to their ability modifier plus their proficiency bonus. If they have a "Saving Throws" section in their stat block (the Beasts don't), then that would list a special saving throw bonus replacing their normal one. Similarly, monsters have a skill bonus equal to their ability modifier plus their proficiency bonus absent a "Skills" section (the Beasts don't have this either). Is this right?
The Beasts have a Charisma modifier of 0. They do also have a proficiency bonus—it is the same as the ranger's. Let us say that my ranger's proficiency bonus is +2, and my ranger orders the Beast to threaten a goblin, or let's say the Beast has to make a Charisma save. According to the basics of its stat block, it would have a modifier of +2.
But then it also has that Primal Bond special trait: I can add my ranger's proficiency bonus to any ability check (which includes skill checks) or saving throw the Beast has to make. The trait doesn't say anything about replacing or overriding normal modifiers. So, does that mean the Beast's total modifier becomes +4?
So basically, Primal Bond is a blanket "all skills, all saves" entry in a stat block—plus any other ability checks that aren't skills. (For example, if the Beast had to make an Initiative roll—it doesn't, it uses the ranger's—it would get the proficiency bonus on that.)
That makes sense to me, I'm satisfied.
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The Primal Companion Ranger feature in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything describes the Beast of the Land/Sea/Air. They have a special trait called "Primal Bond" that reads "You can add your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw that the beast makes." My question is how this interacts with how monsters normally work.
Normally, according to the Monster Manual, monsters have a saving throws bonus equal to their ability modifier plus their proficiency bonus. If they have a "Saving Throws" section in their stat block (the Beasts don't), then that would list a special saving throw bonus replacing their normal one. Similarly, monsters have a skill bonus equal to their ability modifier plus their proficiency bonus absent a "Skills" section (the Beasts don't have this either). Is this right?
The Beasts have a Charisma modifier of 0. They do also have a proficiency bonus—it is the same as the ranger's. Let us say that my ranger's proficiency bonus is +2, and my ranger orders the Beast to threaten a goblin, or let's say the Beast has to make a Charisma save. According to the basics of its stat block, it would have a modifier of +2.
But then it also has that Primal Bond special trait: I can add my ranger's proficiency bonus to any ability check (which includes skill checks) or saving throw the Beast has to make. The trait doesn't say anything about replacing or overriding normal modifiers. So, does that mean the Beast's total modifier becomes +4?
If a monster has proficiency in a save or skill it would be listed in its stat block. The primal beasts do not have any proficiencies.
This means that it's skill/save modifiers are JUST the ability mod with no proficiency bonus. Then they add the ranger's proficiency from primal bond
To clarify, a CHA save would be 0 (ability mod) +2 (or whatever, rnager prof from primal bond), 0+2=2.
So basically, Primal Bond is a blanket "all skills, all saves" entry in a stat block—plus any other ability checks that aren't skills. (For example, if the Beast had to make an Initiative roll—it doesn't, it uses the ranger's—it would get the proficiency bonus on that.)
That makes sense to me, I'm satisfied.