Druid Animal Companion Circle

Xeviat · Jun 19, 2019

Hi everyone.

I'm about to start a new game, and I have a player who is wanting to play a druid with an animal companion. After trying to convince her to play a Ranger or an Artificer instead, I agreed to try to build a custom Circle for her to give her an animal companion. I'm looking at building her companion animal from scratch, using the animal's stats to infer, rather than strictly using the MM stats.

But, I'm trying to figure out how to have the base animal's actions work. Looking at the Druid subclasses, not many of them strictly add combat power at 2nd level. Land gets an extra spell per day, Dreams gets a pool of healing dice, Shepherd gets their spirit which gives some bonuses ... Spore seems to be the only one that strictly increases damage potential. A pet would likely increase damage potential.

So, my thought was to copy the artificer a bit. Have the pet go after your turn, and allow it to take some basic actions unless you use an action to make it attack or do another action. I am thinking of having it be a full action to make the pet attack or use another action, so that it's sort of comparable to using an improved cantrip. I don't want to overwhelm the druid's damage dealing potential, where as the Ranger and Artificer seem to be intended to gain damage at that level.

Here were my thoughts for abilities so far:

2nd level: speak with animals stolen from the shepherd druid; animal companion that scales ac, hp, saves, ability scores so it ideally remains viable.

6th level: as a bonus action, you can spend a 1st spell slot to make your companion make an attack. It deals +1d8 additional damage for every level of spell slot you use higher than 1st. Your companion's attacks also count as magical for ignoring resistance or immunity to nonmagical damage. (this is so the druid and the companion can use dual actions, but it's balanced around the smite mechanic so they aren't doing too much).

10th level: if your companion takes damage, you can use reduce the damage by half and take that much damage. Your companion gains this ability as well to take your damage. (I'm not sure this is good enough, but I think it's a neat way to help make keep you or your pet up for longer).

14th level: Share spells?

We're starting at 5th level and the adventure I'm running will carry them to 11th level, so I'll need to figure out most of the circle.

Do you have any thoughts?

Hawk Diesel · Jun 19, 2019

I guess before I can really comment, I'm curious to know how your player imagines their animal companion would function. Do they want something that will likely stay out of combat but be more of a supporting role, like a familiar? Do they want a more aggressive and combat-capable companion, like the ranger? Knowing that will help define the design goals you are working with, and improve feedback.

But, without that information, I do have a couple of thoughts.

2nd level - Sounds fine

6th level - I feel like needing to spend a spell slot in order to allow the companion to make an attack is too steep a cost. I would instead give the animal it's own attack, count it as magical, and maybe allow the druid to spend a spell slot to enhance the attack in some way. But not require the spell slot to make the attack. I mean, anyone can train an animal and get it to attack on command. We have examples of that in the real world, no magic required. To me, I don't understand the limit being imposed to an animal companion getting an attack, nor can I envision a reason grounded in any fantasy world that would require spells to make an animal attack. Attack better, sure. But not necessary to attack.

10th level - I'm not a fan. You are just basically creating one character that shares to hit point pools. Additionally, we need to compare this to other druid abilities. A moon druid can turn into an elemental. Shepherd Druids get free constant healing for any creatures they summon. The ability you propose just changes how your player distributes the damage they take.

14th level - Seems logical.

Personally, I like standardization. And animal companions break standardization because CR is a poor measure for what is balanced for a PC. So when I design an archetype with a companion, I create a blank slate. The numbers remain the same regardless of the form taken by the companion. But the player can describe the companion however they want. Polar bear, Rhino, Giant Armadillo, Cloned duplicate that is a more feral version of the PC... doesn't matter how the player wants to describe it. The numbers don't change.

I've redone the Beast Master Ranger and also created a Barbarian archetype with an animal companion (based around Talenta Halflings in Eberron). I'll PM you with the links so that you might pull ideas from each of them.

My biggest thing would be your suggestion for level 6. I would advise against requiring anything more than a bonus action to command the creature to attack. This player could have purchased or trained an attack dog without investing in an archetype specifically for a companion. Especially if they are starting at level 5. Allow the player to make their companion special, even while keeping an eye on balance compared to the rest of the party.

Xeviat · Jun 19, 2019

I have the action command in the level 2 ability. The level six ability has a bonus action command. My reason for making it cost a spell slot is to keep the damage projections in line for a druid. I based it on paladin smite, who gets +2d8 damage for a first level spell. The companion is going to be doing 8 damage per hit at that point and none of the subclasses really push damage numbers that high.

I know someone could just have a trained dog, but that dog will have like 4 hp and die instantly. The companion is getting scaling hp and will help the party by being an extra body, drawing attacks away from them. This is a benefit in addition to being a source of attacks for the druid.

It's not like the ranger whose subclasses grant damage, sometimes as much as a conditional extra attack. Since it's at will, I thought their damage should be in the order of cantrips.

TwoSix · Jun 19, 2019

Kibblestasty's Beastmanger Ranger has some pretty solid rules for an animal companion. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedA...r_v11_fine/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

This druid remake also has some nice rules for an animal companion in the Circle of the Keeper:
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedA...cles_a_new/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

Blue · Jun 19, 2019

Find out if they want the animal companion to be the primary focus or an add on.

If primary, I'd go with the UA Ranger Beastmaster but give Druid spells.

It's not a simple wildshape replacement,since wildshape is just a different way fo using the druid's actions. A beast companion that can attack on it's own actions is something way different - something that when combines with a full caster is much more potent than other classes.

On the other hand, if the animal companion is a scout, spy, and bit of damage add, then what you laid out sounds like a great plan.

Tony Vargas · Jun 19, 2019

The whole Animal Companion thing was just a take on the old Animal Friendship spell: it exists in 5e. You could use it to befriend (charm) and train (advantage on 'social interaction' should count) an animal - you might be using a slot on it per day for a while, but you could do it.

At higher level you could Awaken it.

Xeviat · Jun 19, 2019

TwoSix said:
Kibblestasty's Beastmanger Ranger has some pretty solid rules for an animal companion. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedA...r_v11_fine/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

This druid remake also has some nice rules for an animal companion in the Circle of the Keeper:
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedA...cles_a_new/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

Woah, neat! I've been working on a druid rewrite and I think I can just grab this. Interesting to take Wildshape out of the druid chasis.

TwoSix · Jun 19, 2019

Xeviat said:
Woah, neat! I've been working on a druid rewrite and I think I can just grab this. Interesting to take Wildshape out of the druid chasis.

Yea, it's the official druid now for my campaigns. So much more flexible and interesting.

Xeviat · Jun 19, 2019

TwoSix said:
Yea, it's the official druid now for my campaigns. So much more flexible and interesting.

I think I'll merge some of my thoughts in there and talk in that community some. I think the druid could use a bit of stuff at 1st level when you compare them to a Cleric.

MechaTarrasque · Jun 19, 2019

How about:

Level 2: Greater animal friendship. You know the animal friendship spell (doesn't count towards druid spells known/prepared). You can bond with one beast you have used the spell on. A bonded beast will be friendly towards you and follow you until it dies, you bond with a different beast, or you dismiss the effect with a bonus action. [ A side benefit of this is that if you run, the beast will run too (so no AC slows me down)]. The beast will act according to its nature, but will try to defend you if it sees you attacked with a melee attack. It will recognize you even in a wild shape.

Level 6, it goes full animal companion, and follows you orders. I would keep defending you from melee attacks as not requiring an action (ought to be this way for rangers too), but if you want it to attack someone not melee attacking you, you need to spend an action.