Level Up (A5E) Looking for help with pets.

[Jacob Vardy]

One of my tables is all newbies to RPGs. Young adults having great fun riffing off the YA Rangers' Apprentice series. But that means we have three archers and a warlock. And we've just had our second permanent player death. I joke about being a killer DM, but i don't actually try to do it. Part of it is player tactical inexperience. But no meat shield really hurts them.

So replacing the second dead character will be a beast master ranger. So i'm looking for a pet that will keep enemies away from the PCs. A lot of creatures knock enemies prone, which isn't much help with a party of ranged attackers. I had a look for something like the o5e sentinel feat in the combat maneuvers, feats, and beasts' features. But i couldn't find anything. I thought maybe a fear effect but that doesn't feel like it fits. So i think i am going to re-skin a panther as a cheetah, able to grapple like a giant weasel rather than knock prone.

But is there some cool little mechanic that i am missing? That would allow a CR1/4 creature to hold multiple enemies in place? I am a lot less confident about a5e than o5e, so any advice would be appreciated.

 

[WarDriveWorley]

So I've never been a fan of animal companions (ACs) in 5e and use some 3rd party feats to make them more viable. There's really not a good option for multi enemy lockdown. I find that ACs with either really good damage output or the ability to grapple/paralyze targets are better since they can lockdown enemies better. That said here's a couple of options that have abilities that can hinder foes.

Giant Centipede - OK the HPs (9) on this suck, but it has a decent AC and a high damage poison (3d6 on a failed save) that can paralyze.

Giant Crab - Another low HP (9) creature with a high AC (15) that has a grapple rider on it's attacks. Only a CR 1/8 so a bit lower than most picks.

Giant Frog - Decent AC (11) and great HP (18) the frog also has a grapple/swallow if small rider on it's attack and is very mobile.

Giant Poisonous Snake - A bit more HP (11) than the centipede and the poison is weaker (2d6), but the damage is still good and the poison can kill.

Giant Wolf Spider - This is one of my faves tbh. Decent AC (13) and HP (13) with a decent poison (2d4) rider on the bite that can paralyze. Being medium means small characters can ride it too.

Also I generally try and make "barding" as affordable and accessible as possible for those with ACs and let the player roll the creature's HP.

 

[VenerableBede]

5e and A5e aren't really designed to make animal companions that tanky, or particularly good a shutting down multiple enemies. They tend to have low AC and middling-low HP, although A5e makes up for this to an extent by giving them a regularly recharging pool of temporary hit points so they can go all day. Animal companions tend to be skirmishers and strikers.

 

[Jacob Vardy]

So I've never been a fan of animal companions (ACs) in 5e and use some 3rd party feats to make them more viable. There's really not a good option for multi enemy lockdown. I find that ACs with either really good damage output or the ability to grapple/paralyze targets are better since they can lockdown enemies better. That said here's a couple of options that have abilities that can hinder foes.

Giant Centipede - OK the HPs (9) on this suck, but it has a decent AC and a high damage poison (3d6 on a failed save) that can paralyze.

Giant Crab - Another low HP (9) creature with a high AC (15) that has a grapple rider on it's attacks. Only a CR 1/8 so a bit lower than most picks.

Giant Frog - Decent AC (11) and great HP (18) the frog also has a grapple/swallow if small rider on it's attack and is very mobile.

Giant Poisonous Snake - A bit more HP (11) than the centipede and the poison is weaker (2d6), but the damage is still good and the poison can kill.

Giant Wolf Spider - This is one of my faves tbh. Decent AC (13) and HP (13) with a decent poison (2d4) rider on the bite that can paralyze. Being medium means small characters can ride it too.

Also I generally try and make "barding" as affordable and accessible as possible for those with ACs and let the player roll the creature's HP.

Thank you. I did not think of paralyzing poisons.
The barding should be easy. The setting is half animist, There are angels / loa / small gods / spirits locii everywhere. The barding comes with the pet in exchange for a mission.