Ranger Beast Comparison

[Dire Human]

While trying to roll up a new concept character (a Goblin monster tamer) I started heavily reading the new Beastmaster Ranger rules, especially the pets. A few calculations later, I came up with a good comparison chart; I won't put up the entire table here, so allow me to summarize.

• Bear: Tied with the Boar for the lowest defenses, but has a health boost that increases with level. +2 average damage offset by -2 attack rolls. Slow speed. Brute.
• Boar: Tied with the Bear for the lowest defenses. Average speed, +2 when charging. +2 to its average damage when charging, as well. Skirmisher.
• Cat: Average defenses, Stealth training, and high speed.
• Lizard: High AC is offset by lower NADs. +2 bonus to attack rolls when making an opportunity attack. Soldier.
• Raptor: Terrific Reflex offset by terrible Fortitude, but average defenses hide a health detriment that gets worse with level. High fly speed, Perception training, and a +1 to attack. Lurker.
• Serpent: Average speed on land and in water, along with one of the highest total defenses. +2 bonus to opportunity attack damage that increases with level. Soldier.
• Spider: Average in every way, except for Stealth training and a Spider Climb speed.
• Wolf: High speed, surprisingly high defenses, and Perception training. -1 average damage offset by a +2 boost when it has Combat Advantage. Skirmisher/Soldier.

Some thoughts:

1. While the Cat seems the obvious choice for an all-around beast, the Spider shares its average-ness. Shouldn't the Spider be more of a Lurker? I wouldn't mind a lower base damage that deals ongoing poison.
2. Soldier seems an odd role for the Serpent, but it's the only one that seems to fit (high defenses and powerful OAs). I can't picture a cobra or constrictor as a defensive beast.
3. The Wolf seems a little too powerful, especially when so much of being a Beastmaster revolves around flanking options.
4. Poor Raptor; extracting itself from a melee enemy without getting killed is going to be a nightmare. Terrific against enemy ranged characters, however.

 

[Starfox]

Nice to get a breakdown on these - I've been to lazy to look this closely myself.

I think the raptor is a great choice for a ranged ranger, and it is also a master of outflanking (just fly over the enemy). The raptor's squishiness is offset by flight IMO, especially if you're at halfling which the raptor could conceivably carry or a missile ranger using it to mark distant targets. And as for breaking of from melee, the Raptor has hover - you can just shift one square straight up.

Soldiery beasts should work well for ranger rangers, while the wolf seems like the obvious choice for a melee ranger. The bear should be competent enough if you can support it by flanking its target and thus works well in melee too. Still, I expected more melee-oriented companions.

Stealth is an important consideration for many rangers.

Overall, they seem to have things fairly balanced, tough I had expected a few more

While trying to roll up a new concept character (a Goblin monster tamer) I started heavily reading the new Beastmaster Ranger rules, especially the pets. A few calculations later, I came up with a good comparison chart; I won't put up the entire table here, so allow me to summarize.

• Bear: Tied with the Boar for the lowest defenses, but has a health boost that increases with level. +2 average damage offset by -2 attack rolls. Slow speed. Brute.
• Boar: Tied with the Bear for the lowest defenses. Average speed, +2 when charging. +2 to its average damage when charging, as well. Skirmisher.
• Cat: Average defenses, Stealth training, and high speed.
• Lizard: High AC is offset by lower NADs. +2 bonus to attack rolls when making an opportunity attack. Soldier.
• Raptor: Terrific Reflex offset by terrible Fortitude, but average defenses hide a health detriment that gets worse with level. High fly speed, Perception training, and a +1 to attack. Lurker.
• Serpent: Average speed on land and in water, along with one of the highest total defenses. +2 bonus to opportunity attack damage that increases with level. Soldier.
• Spider: Average in every way, except for Stealth training and a Spider Climb speed.
• Wolf: High speed, surprisingly high defenses, and Perception training. -1 average damage offset by a +2 boost when it has Combat Advantage. Skirmisher/Soldier.

Some thoughts:

1. While the Cat seems the obvious choice for an all-around beast, the Spider shares its average-ness. Shouldn't the Spider be more of a Lurker? I wouldn't mind a lower base damage that deals ongoing poison.
2. Soldier seems an odd role for the Serpent, but it's the only one that seems to fit (high defenses and powerful OAs). I can't picture a cobra or constrictor as a defensive beast.
3. The Wolf seems a little too powerful, especially when so much of being a Beastmaster revolves around flanking options.
4. Poor Raptor; extracting itself from a melee enemy without getting killed is going to be a nightmare. Terrific against enemy ranged characters, however.

 

[Atanatotatos]

The wolf seems superior to me. After a few ability boost, that +Wis on dmg when flanking will make the difference.

 

[Klaus]

One thing to note is that while many beasts offer, say +Dexterity to damage on basic attacks (like cats and raptors), all of the Ranger's beast powers use +beast's strength. That puts a severe dent in those categories.

And it's a shame there are so few ranged+beast powers. An archer with an eagle companion is harder to pull off.

 

[ilmoin]

And it's a shame there are so few ranged+beast powers. An archer with an eagle companion is harder to pull off.

Yeah, but I think the raptor is much stronger than it seems against ranged opponents. The trick is to position it in the square 5ft up, directly over the opponent. Then they can't shift to a square from which they can make a ranged attack or run away. Think of it as putting your bird in the enemy's face while you plug him or her from a distance with your bow. Preventing return of fire and closing with taking an opportunity attack is just plain mean, an that ability more or less makes up for the lack of other powers that synergize well.

 

[Atanatotatos]

Well, if we compare Twin Strike to Predator strike with a wolf, both with CA from flanking (which is obviously way easier to get with you beast companion) at first lvl:

Twin strike, assuming 18 Str and longswords: +9 vs Ac, 1d8, 1d8, 1d6 (quarry)

whereas:

Predator Strike, assuming 16 Wis and Wolf: +7 vs AC, 1d8+2(Str)+3(your Wis)+2(the Wolf's Wis)+1d6(quarry).

Damage-wise, predator strike seems better, though obviously is less likely to hit.
On the other hand, the wolf's attack bonus will improve every lvl, and you're going to improve his Strenght and Wisdom, and your own Wisdom, so both to-hit and damage shoulg get pretty high by mid-paragon level...

 

[Victim]

Raptors have hover with their flight, so they don't need to move a minimum distance and thus eat OAs. Also, their STR is technically high enough to carry other characters...

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The base stats of the base are only half the story; Beastmaster powers offer bonuses with certain pet types.

 

[Runestar]

It kinda bugs me how raptors have high dex, but beast powers use str...

But at the moment, seems like wolves and raptors are the only 2 companions worth considering.

 

[Ibixat]

the Raptor has strength 12 but is small, it would not be able to carry a PC. Also as far as using any beast as a mount, a mount's minimum size is Large by page 46 of the DMG, and must be at least 1 size catagory larger than it's rider. Even halflings must ride large mounts though, no mediums for them =(

 

[Atanatotatos]

It kinda bugs me how raptors have high dex, but beast powers use str...

But at the moment, seems like wolves and raptors are the only 2 companions worth considering.

Well... I guess boars and bears can make decent tanks...