Xeviat
Hero
Hello everyone. I've been wanting to make my own alternative Beast Master since I first cracked open my 5E PHB. Rangers are one of my most favorite classes. Maybe it's because I cut my fantasy reading teeth on "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Legacy". Maybe it's because I enjoyed having stealth and good combat in the "Baldur's Gate" game. Maybe it's because one of the players in the first game I DMed played a Ranger who was outshined by the party Barbarian, and I spent much time house ruling the Ranger to make it more enjoyable for that player and more balanced in the group.
Now, I don't think the Beast Master is underpowered, persay, I just think there's something cludgy about it. So my alternative doesn't seek to reinvent the wheel too much. I still have the ranger giving up an attack to make their companion attack, though I took a card out of the Chain Warlock's playbook and have it cost an attack. I intend for the ranger to be able to make an off-hand attack along with expending their main weapon attack to have their companion attack (this is to better support TWFing within the Ranger, and to not cause a larger than intended power increase at level 5).
Additionally, I am adding a call companion spell, adding symmetry with find familiar and find steed. This spell is added to the druid and range spell list. The spell allows a druid or non-beast master ranger to get a scouting companion and access to beast senses, but the hp of CR 0 forms mean it shouldn't impact on combat too greatly (if it goes out to use the help action, it is probably dead next turn). This does allow the beast master's companion to take independent actions. If the ranger doesn't expend an attack to allow their companion to use an attack action, the companion could use help, but the beast master's attack with advantage matches up reasonably with a hunter's attack with colossus slayer or horde breaker. My call companion spell also functions to raise the companion from the dead, should it die, so that the ranger doesn't have to simply replace their bonded companion.
Because of the changes to the companion's actions, and building in of share spells to the call companion spell (likefind steed), I've added new defensive features to the companion at level 7 and 15 (stealing a little from the barbarian, fighter, and rogue). I'm not 100% on the interpose feature (modified from the totemic barbarian's bear feature for at 14th level).
Lastly, I have made new stats for generic companion animals. Some are buffs on the existing beasts, while a few are actually nerfs. This is because I have found that some companions (giant poisonous snake, I'm looking at you, but also the giant centipede, giant wolf spider, and wolf) seem to be too powerful for CR 1/4 beasts (the giant poisonous snake seems to be more like a CR 1 creature according to the DMG guidelines). With my larger HP totals for beasts (simply setting their HD to the ranger's ranger level), my allowance of TWFing, proficient saves, and shared spells right away (which means shared Hunter's Marks), I think a small nerf was for the best.
I've compared their damage ceiling against the Hunter Ranger's and find it to be within tolerance. Counting the proficiency bonus to damage, the beast would need a base 9 damage to equal with the hunter's damage with colossus slayer. The only potential exploit is a bear companion with it's multiattack using the hunter's mark spell while the ranger uses twfing's off-hand attack, allowing for three potential triggers of hunter's mark. I could take away the bear's multiattack, but I thought it would feel weird without it (it might already be weird with it's lower damage dice). The companion's HP do provide additional defense for the party comparable to a paladin's lay on hands, so I'm okay with many of the companions choices causing the Beast Master to deal less damage than the Hunter, as the Hunter doesn't have an HP regain feature like the Fighter or Paladin.
Please, tell me what you think. Do you think the companion animals I have presented seem balanced (I feel like the Boar Companion is a little weak, since it's ability scores are low and thus its saves are low, and since it has no special abilities like enhanced senses or trained skills). How do you like the call companion spell?
Now, I don't think the Beast Master is underpowered, persay, I just think there's something cludgy about it. So my alternative doesn't seek to reinvent the wheel too much. I still have the ranger giving up an attack to make their companion attack, though I took a card out of the Chain Warlock's playbook and have it cost an attack. I intend for the ranger to be able to make an off-hand attack along with expending their main weapon attack to have their companion attack (this is to better support TWFing within the Ranger, and to not cause a larger than intended power increase at level 5).
Additionally, I am adding a call companion spell, adding symmetry with find familiar and find steed. This spell is added to the druid and range spell list. The spell allows a druid or non-beast master ranger to get a scouting companion and access to beast senses, but the hp of CR 0 forms mean it shouldn't impact on combat too greatly (if it goes out to use the help action, it is probably dead next turn). This does allow the beast master's companion to take independent actions. If the ranger doesn't expend an attack to allow their companion to use an attack action, the companion could use help, but the beast master's attack with advantage matches up reasonably with a hunter's attack with colossus slayer or horde breaker. My call companion spell also functions to raise the companion from the dead, should it die, so that the ranger doesn't have to simply replace their bonded companion.
Because of the changes to the companion's actions, and building in of share spells to the call companion spell (likefind steed), I've added new defensive features to the companion at level 7 and 15 (stealing a little from the barbarian, fighter, and rogue). I'm not 100% on the interpose feature (modified from the totemic barbarian's bear feature for at 14th level).
Lastly, I have made new stats for generic companion animals. Some are buffs on the existing beasts, while a few are actually nerfs. This is because I have found that some companions (giant poisonous snake, I'm looking at you, but also the giant centipede, giant wolf spider, and wolf) seem to be too powerful for CR 1/4 beasts (the giant poisonous snake seems to be more like a CR 1 creature according to the DMG guidelines). With my larger HP totals for beasts (simply setting their HD to the ranger's ranger level), my allowance of TWFing, proficient saves, and shared spells right away (which means shared Hunter's Marks), I think a small nerf was for the best.
I've compared their damage ceiling against the Hunter Ranger's and find it to be within tolerance. Counting the proficiency bonus to damage, the beast would need a base 9 damage to equal with the hunter's damage with colossus slayer. The only potential exploit is a bear companion with it's multiattack using the hunter's mark spell while the ranger uses twfing's off-hand attack, allowing for three potential triggers of hunter's mark. I could take away the bear's multiattack, but I thought it would feel weird without it (it might already be weird with it's lower damage dice). The companion's HP do provide additional defense for the party comparable to a paladin's lay on hands, so I'm okay with many of the companions choices causing the Beast Master to deal less damage than the Hunter, as the Hunter doesn't have an HP regain feature like the Fighter or Paladin.
Please, tell me what you think. Do you think the companion animals I have presented seem balanced (I feel like the Boar Companion is a little weak, since it's ability scores are low and thus its saves are low, and since it has no special abilities like enhanced senses or trained skills). How do you like the call companion spell?