Beastwarden

This is my take on the Beast Master subclass. As you can probably tell it is heavily based on the Drakewarden subclass as I much prefer the use of the proficiency bonus than the basic statblocks of the Beasts. One thing I am aware of is that it leans towards the idea of a land animal that adapts, and sort of neglects the concept of a 'bird' companion, unless you only used the 'spirit of the air' feature from the start. 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Beast Companion

3rd-Level Beastwarden Feature

You gain the loyalty of a beast companion, empowered by a natural spirit that grows with you. 

The Beast is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See its game statistics in the accompanying Beast Companion stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. You can determine the cosmetic characteristics of the Beast, such as its colour, whether it is scaled, feathered, furred or a combination. In combat, the Beast shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the Beast can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

The beast stays with the ranger as long as it lives and is not being mistreated. If the Beast drops to 0 hit points the creature turns in to a spirit mote. The spirit mote cannot move, or take any actions, and is immune to all damage. Any items the creature was carrying are dropped. The spirit mote can be carried like any other item and remains in this state until you finish a long rest. The mote can be targeted by a healing spell to bring the Beast back to life. The beast can only become a spirit mote a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. If it drops to 0 hit points and is unable to transform into a spirit mote, then it resorts to death saving throws the same as any other creature would. The beast regains all chances to turn in to a spirit mote after a long rest.

 

 

Beast Companion

Your Beast Companion's basic stats.

Spirit Essence

3rd-Level Beastwarden Feature

After you finish a long rest, you can touch your Beast Companion and imbue it with aspect of a Beast Spirit. This effect lasts until you next finish a long rest where you can change it or choose the same effect again. 

Spirit of the Air

Your beast companion gains a flying speed equal to its walking speed, and advantage on perception checks relying on sight. 

Spirit of the Earth

Your beast companion gains a burrowing speed equal to its walking speed and tremorsense out to 10ft. 

Spirit of the Forest

Your beast companion gains advantage on perception checks relying on hearing or smell, and advantage on stealth checks.

Spirit of the Mountain

Your beast companion gains a climbing speed equal to its walking speed, and advantage on strength and dexterity saving throws made against being knocked prone.

Spirit of the Plains

Your beast companion gains an additional 20ft of walking speed, and can carry an additional 100lbs of gear.

Spirit of the Sea

Your beast companion gains the ability to breathe underwater, and a swimming speed equal to its walking speed. 

Spirit of the Tundra

Your beast companion gains resistance to cold damage, and whilst the Beast remains stationary in either shadows or snowy terrain it is indistinguishable from its surroundings.

Spirit Bond

7th-Level Beastwarden Feature

The bond you share with your Beast grows, solidifying a certain essence into a permanent effect. 

Spirit Bond. Choose a spirit essence option. This option becomes a permanent effect. 

Beast Mount. The Beast grows to Medium size. Reflecting your special bond, you can use the Beast as a mount if your size is Medium or smaller. While you are riding your Beast, it can’t use any alternative movement speeds.

Magic Fang. The Beast's Bite attack deals an extra 1d6 damage, and counts as magical for the purposes of ignoring damage resistances and immunities.

 

Spirit of the Air

Your beast companion gains a flying speed equal to its walking speed, and advantage on perception checks relying on sight. 

Spirit of the Earth

Your beast companion gains a burrowing speed equal to its walking speed and tremorsense out to 10ft. 

Spirit of the Forest

Your beast companion gains advantage on perception checks relying on hearing or smell, and advantage on stealth checks.

Spirit of the Mountain

Your beast companion gains a climbing speed equal to its walking speed, and advantage on strength and dexterity saving throws made against being knocked prone.

Spirit of the Plains

Your beast companion gains an additional 20ft of walking speed, and can carry an additional 100lbs of gear.

Spirit of the Sea

Your beast companion gains the ability to breathe underwater, and a swimming speed equal to its walking speed. 

Spirit of the Tundra

Your beast companion gains the resistance to cold damage, and whilst the Beast remains stationary in the snow, it is indistinguishable from its surroundings.

Primal Adaptation

11th-Level Beastwarden Feature 

Primal Adaptation. Choose a Primal Adaptation, from the list of adaptations below. This adaptation becomes a permanent feature of your Beast Companion.

Multiattack. Your Beast Companion gains Multiattack, and can make two bite attacks as part of its action.

Armoured Hide

Your Beast Companion gains resistance to bludgeoning, slashing and piercing from non-magical attacks.

Chargedown

Once per turn, your beast companion can choose to forgo one of its attacks to chargedown an enemy. It moves at least half its movement towards an enemy and makes a bite attack, if the attack hits, the creature must make a strength saving throw against your spell DC or be knocked prone on a failed save and take an additional 1d8 bludgeoning damage. On a success the creature takes the damage but is not knocked prone. 

This damage increases to 2d8 damage at 15th level.

Your beast companion can make this attack using any movement speed it has at its disposal, and can make this attack a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, and regains all expended uses after a long rest. 

Frightful Howl

Once per turn, your Beast Companion can spend its action to let out a Frightening Howl. Every enemy creature within 30ft of it must succeed on a Wisdom Saving Throw against your spell DC or become frightened. Every creature that failed its saving throw may repeat the save at the end of subsequent turns to try and shrug off the effect.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, and regain all expended uses on a long rest.

Natural Camouflage

As a bonus action, your Beast Companion can magically become invisible, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, until the start of it's next turn.

Venomous Strike

Once per turn, when your Beast Companion hits an enemy with its bite attack, you can choose to inject the enemy with a paralytic poison. The creature must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your spell DC. Taking an additional 2d8 poison damage and becoming Poisoned on a fail. On a successful save, the target takes half the poison damage and is not Poisoned.

This damage increased to 3d8 when you reach 15th level in this class. 

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, and regain all expended uses on a long rest. 

Perfected Bond

15th-Level Beastwarden Feature

Your bond to your Beast reaches the pinnacle of its power. Your Beast companion gains the following benefits:

Empowered Bite. Your Beast Companion’s Bite attack deals an extra 1d6 damage (for a total of 2d6 extra damage).

Large Beast. Your Beast Companion grows to Large size. When you ride your Beast, it is no longer prohibited from using alternative movement speeds.

Primal Resistance. When either you or your Beast Companion takes damage while you’re within 30 ft. of each other, you can use your reaction to give yourself or your Beast Companion resistance to that instance of damage. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.