D&D 5E Beast Master Ranger List of Animal Companions

[Moorcrys]

Hey all,

I don't know if this is of interest to anyone or even if it's legible to anyone but me, but I threw together a list featuring all of the "legal" Beast Master Companions from the D&D Basic PDF along with some quick stats so you could look at them all together instead of flipping through the PDF. Any beast the Ranger can possibly take is in there with no judgment (sea horse I'm looking at you).

Beast Master Ranger Animal Companion List

Name (size, armor class, hit points, movement modes, skills, senses (PP=Passive Perception), special abilities (if any), attacks (damage and damage type))
Baboon (Small, AC:12, HP:3, Spd 30 Climb 30, Skills: None, Senses: PP11, Pack Tactics, Bite +1 (1 prc))
Badger (Tiny, AC:10, HP:3, Spd 20 Burrow 5, Skills: None, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP11, Keen Smell, Bite +2 (1 prc))
Bat (Tiny, AC:12, HP:1, Spd 5 Fly 30, Skills: None, Senses: Blindsight 60ft. PP11, Echolocation, Keen Hearing, Bite +1 (1 prc))
Blood Hawk (Small, AC:12, HP:7, Spd 10 Fly 60, Skills: Perception +4, Senses: PP14, Keen Sight, Pack Tactics, Beak +4 (4 prc))
Boar (Medium, AC:11, HP:11, Spd 40, Skills: None, Senses: PP9, Charge, Relentless, Tusk +3 (4 slash))
Cat (Tiny, AC:12, HP:2, Spd 40 Climb 30, Skills: Perception +3 Stealth +4, Senses: PP13, Keen Smell, Claws +0 (1 prc))
Crab (Tiny, AC:11, HP:2, Spd 10 Swim 20, Skills: Stealth +2, Senses: Blindsight 30ft PP9, Amphibious, Claw +0 (1 bldgn))
Deer (Medium, AC:13, HP:4, Spd 50, Skills: None, Senses: PP12, Bite +2 (2 prc))
Eagle (Small, AC:12, HP:3, Spd 10 Fly 60, Skills: Perception +4, Senses: PP14, Talons +4 (4 slash))
Flying Snake(Tiny, AC:14, HP:5, Spd 30 Fly 60 Swim 30, Skills: None, Senses: Blindsight 10 PP11, Flyby, Bite +6 (1 prc + 7 poison))
Frog (Tiny, AC:11, HP:1, Spd 20 Swim 20, Skills: Perception +1 Stealth +3, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP11, Amphibious, Standing Leap, no attacks)
Giant Badger (Medium, AC:10, HP:13, Spd 30 Burrow 10, Skills: None, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP11, Keen Smell, Multiattack Bite +3 (4 prc) Claws +3 (6 slash))
Giant Centipede (Small, AC:13, HP:4, Spd 30 Climb 30, Skills: None, Senses: Blindsight 30 PP8, Bite +4 (4 prc + DC11 Constitution of 10 Poison + Special))
Giant Crab (Medium, AC:15, HP:13, Spd 30 Swim 30, Skills: Stealth +4, Senses: Blindsight 30 PP9, Amphibious, Claw +3 (4 bldgn + DC11 Grapple))
Giant Fire Beetle (Small, AC:13, HP:4, Spd 30, Skills: None, Senses: Blindsight 30 PP8, Illumination, Bite +1 (2 slash))
Giant Frog (Medium, AC:11, HP:18, Spd 30 Swim 30, Skills: Perception +2 Stealth +3, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP12, Amphibious, Standing Leap, Bite +3 (4 prc + DC11 Grapple, Swallow Attack))
Giant Poisonous Snake (Medium, AC:14, HP:11, Spd 30 Swim 30, Skills: Perception +2, Senses: Blindsight 10 PP12, Bite +6 (6 prc + DC 11 Constitution or 10 poison))
Giant Rat (Small, AC:12, HP:7, Spd 30, Skills: None, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP10, Keen Smell, Pack Tactics, Bite +4 (4 prc))
Giant Weasel (Medium, AC:13, HP:9, Spd 40, Skills: Perception +3 Stealth +5, Senses: Darkvision PP13, Keen Hearing/Smell, Bite +5 (5 prc))
Giant Wolf Spider (Medium, AC:13, HP:11, Spd 40 Climb 40, Skills: Perception +3 Stealth +7, Senses: Blindsight 10 Darkvision 60 PP13, Spider Climb, Web Sense, Web Walker, Bite +3 (4 prc + DC11 Constitution or 7 Poison + Special))
Goat (Medium, AC:10, HP:4, Spd 40, Skills: None, Senses: PP10, Charge, Sure Footed, Ram +3 (3 bldgn))
Hawk (Tiny, AC:13, HP:1, Spd 10 Fly 60, Skills: Perception +4, Senses: PP14, Keen Sight, Talons +5 (1 slash))
Hyena (Medium, AC:11, HP: 5, Spd 50, Skills: Perception +3, Senses: PP13, Pack Tactics, Bite +2 (3 prc))
Jackal (Small, AC:12, HP:3, Spd 40, Skills: Perception +3, Senses: PP 13, Keen Hearing/Smell, Pack Tactics, Bite +1 (1 prc))
Lizard (Tiny, AC:10, HP:2, Spd 20 Climb 20, Skills: None, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP9, Bite +0 (1 prc))
Mastiff (Medium, AC:12, HP:5, Spd 40, Skills: Perception +3, Senses: PP13, Keen Hearing/Smell, Bite +3 (4 prc + DC11 Strength or Prone))
Mule (Medium, AC:10, HP:11, Spd 40, Skills: None, Senses: PP10, Beast of Burden, Sure Footed, Hooves +2 (4 bldgn))
Octopus (Small, AC:12, HP:3, Spd 5 Swim 30, Skills: Perception +2 Stealth +3, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP12, Hold Breath, Underwater Camouflage, Water Breathing, Tentacles +4 (1 bldgn + Grapple), Ink Cloud
Owl (Tiny, AC:11, HP:1, Spd 5 Fly 60, Skills: Perception +3 Stealth +3, Senses: Darkvision 120 PP13, Flyby, Keen Hearing/Sight, Talons +3 (1 slash))
Panther (Medium, AC:12, HP:13, Spd 50 Climb 40, Skills: Perception +4 Stealth +6, Senses: PP14, Keen Smell, Pounce, Bite +4 (5 prc) Claw +4 (4 slash))
Poisonous Snake (Tiny, AC:13, HP:2, Spd 30 Swim 30, Skills: None, Senses: Blindsight 10 PP10, Bite +5 (1 prc + DC10 Constitution or 5 poison))
Pony (Medium, AC:10, HP:11, Spd 40, Skills: None, Senses: PP10, Hooves +4 (7 bldgn))
Pteranodon (Medium, AC:13, HP:13, Spd 10 Fly 60, Skills: Perception +1, Senses: PP11, Flyby, Bite +3 (6 prc))
Quipper (Tiny, AC:13, HP:1, Spd 0 Swim 40, Skills: None, Senses: Darkvision 60 PP8, Blood Frenzy, Water Breathing, Bite +5 (1 prc))
Rat (Tiny, AC:10, HP:1, Spd 20, Skills: None, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP10, Keen Smell, Bite +0 (1 prc))
Raven (Tiny, AC:12, HP:1, Spd 10 Fly 50, Skills: Perception +3, Senses: PP13, Mimicry, Beak +4 (1 prc))
Scorpion (Tiny, AC:11, HP:1, Spd 10, Skills: None, Senses: Blindsight 10 PP9, Sting +2 (1 prc + DC9 Constitution or 4 poison))
Sea Horse (Tiny, AC:11, HP:1, Spd 0 Swim 20, Skills: None, Senses: PP10, Waterbreathing, no attacks)
Spider (Tiny, AC:12, HP:1, Spd 20 Climb 20, Skills: Stealth +4, Senses: Darkvision 30 PP10, Spider Climb, Web Sense, Web Walker, Bite +1 (1 prc + DC9 Constitution or 2 poison))
Stirge (Tiny, AC:14, HP:2, Spd 10 Fly 40, Skills: None, Senses: Darkvision 60 PP9, Blood Drain +5 (5 prc + blood drain)
Weasel (Tiny, AC:13, HP:1, Spd 30, Skills: Perception +3 Stealth +5, Senses: PP13, Keen Hearing/Smell, Bite +5 (1 prc))
Wolf (Medium, AC:13, HP:11, Spd 40, Skills: Perception +3 Stealth +4, Senses: PP13, Keen Hearing/Smell, Pack Tactics, Bite +4 (7 prc + DC11 Stength or prone))

 

[Juriel]

Thanks for the list.

For those looking at it, let me cut to the chase: overall best options are giant badger (if multi-attack works as animal attack), or giant poisonous snake (because +3d6 poison damage on every hit, half on save)

Companion AC doesn't really matter, once you can buy barding for them (300g for AC 16 chainmail, 6000g for AC 18 platemail). Because giant snake in plate armor whoo!

 

[Psikerlord#]

Nice work OP, thanks for this. Lots of cool creatures, I like the flying snake, giant badger with burrow, bloodhawk, wolf and giant snake. Sweet!

 

[Moorcrys]

No problem!

....overall best options are giant badger....

Companion AC doesn't really matter, once you can buy barding for them (300g for AC 16 chainmail, 6000g for AC 18 platemail). Because giant snake in plate armor whoo!

Hah, yeah. There are definitely some more optimal choices. I only included AC because the Ranger adds their proficiency bonus to the companion's AC. Is that bonus added even if the companion is wearing barding?

Lots of cool creatures, I like the flying snake, giant badger with burrow, bloodhawk, wolf and giant snake. Sweet!

Me too! I also like the giant wolf spider for the overall mobility and out of combat abilities combined with a semi-nasty attack and the giant frog for some swallowing weirdness.

 

[gyor]

Giant Crab is good too, and you don'tneed barding for it, by level 20 it has 21 AC, 15 natural armour and +6 AC from your prof bonus. Plus grappling two targets at once.

Panther also gets a multiattack of sorts, pounce, while knocking a oppentent prone. Plus some good skills, perception and stealth. Also it has the benifit of not needing look at any book or source then the PHB (more occ benifit then icc benifit).

 

[TwoSix]

I still like the idea of a halfling wolf-rider, although the interaction between the mounted combat rules and the animal companion rules seems a little wonky.

 

[The Hitcher]

Thanks for the list.

For those looking at it, let me cut to the chase: overall best options are giant badger (if multi-attack works as animal attack), or giant poisonous snake (because +3d6 poison damage on every hit, half on save)

Companion AC doesn't really matter, once you can buy barding for them (300g for AC 16 chainmail, 6000g for AC 18 platemail). Because giant snake in plate armor whoo!

"Best" is a relative term. I'll be taking a spider, thanks. The perfect spy. Plus, they won't like it up their trousers, if it comes to that.

 

[trentonjoe]

The beast master may suck but these options make it cool.

 

[TwoSix]

Ok, now let's compile a list for best moon druid forms! Not because I'm personally interested or anything.

 

[trentonjoe]

Once you have the Extra Attack feature,
you can make one w eapon attack yourself when you
com m and the beast to take the Attack action.


SO at 5th level, the gnome ranger swings once and then his badgers attacks three times?