D&D 5E 5E Beast Companion Mechanics.

[Paul Farquhar]

I believe the wording to be deliberately vague, so the player could fluff the primal beast to be a natural creature with limited plot armour, or a supernatural creature like a telthor who cannot die, depending on their preference.

 

[Salthorae]

See below for the individual details, this doesn't consider any higher level conclave/path abilities from any of these subclasses, just looking at the beast feature itself. I don't have time to delve into the higher level subclass abilities for you and how those impact.

Basically the Battlesmith and the new UA options are exactly equivalent though vary slightly in some fiddly bits (healing the companion and companion save proficiencies)

The Revised Ranger is both better and worse than both Battle Smith and new UA options

• Better
  • Acts on own init and doesn't require Ranger's action economy to direct
  • Increases animal stats as Ranger gains ASI feature so Str/Dex/Con are going to all be better
• Worse
  • You can't revive it
  • HP are variable depending on if you pump it's Con or Str

Beast Master with new UA Primal Beast

• Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in.
• Proficient in Dex, Con, Wisdom saving throws
• Beast's HD = Ranger level, d8's for earth, d6's for air
• Beast's HP = Ranger WisMod+Beast ConMod+ Ranger Level x5
• You can spend a 1st level spell to revive it if it died within the last hour
• Bonus action to command an attack

All of those scale with level to improve the beast as a source of damage and health.

UA Artificer's Iron Defender:

• Might of the Master. The following numbers increase by 1 when your proficiency bonus increases by 1: the iron defender’s skill bonuses, the bonuses to hit and damage of its bite, and the number of hit points restored by its Repair action
• No saving throw proficiencies
• Defender's HP = Artificer IntMod+Defender's ConMod+Artificer Level x5
• There are no HD because you can repair it's hp with a mending cantrip, healing 2d6 damage +1/proficiency... with a cantrip, i.e. no short rest needed for it.
• You can spend a 1st level spell to revive it if it died within the last hour
• Bonus action to command an attack

Conclave:

• Companion uses your Proficiency bonus for attacks & skills + AC and Damage
• It is proficient in all saving throws
• For each ranger level after 3rd, companion gains +1 HD and HP accordingly (i.e. 4.5+Con)
• Every time ranger gains an ASI, beast can increase one stat by +2 or two by +1 (max 20)
• Companion takes full actions on its own initiative that you direct

 

[Weiley31]

That's EXACTLY what I was looking for. I just wanted to know the pros and cons of each "Beast Mechanic" so I can choose which one to use.

Thanks!

 

[Salthorae]

I believe the wording to be deliberately vague, so the player could fluff the primal beast to be a natural creature with limited plot armour, or a supernatural creature like a telthor who cannot die, depending on their preference.

UA:
Stories describe primal beasts that mystically change form to align with the spirit of their companion.

When a primal beast is met apart from a Beast Master, the creature takes the form a regular beast of challenge rating 1/4 or lower, as determined by the DM.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

My theory is they want a module about "monster pets", something like "mystical: kingdom of monsters (coming soon for 5Ed)"

And my suggestion for game mechanic is something like a monster class (like the ones from "Savage Species"). The player can control two characters, the humanoid and the "pet", because there is a limited telepathic link between those two characters controlled by the same player, but when DM has to share out the XPs then the pets is like other PCs. With this the group isn't so powerful to break the balance of power. And even a new class could be created, like a mixture of summoner (from Pathfinder) and the totemist shaman (Magic of Incarnum), assigning points of essence to chakra (body slots for magic item) to get monster traits and metamagic effects. Do you remember the demonbinder prestige class, spending damnation points you could "buy" some advantages?

If there is a class like a pokemon trainer or digimon tamer then somebody will want to be a dragon rider or something like this and I don't blame him. But what if the dragon wants to polymorph in a dragonborn shape to help in the dungeon-crawling to earn more gold? And then she will can use magic item.

Other player would want to use those games mechanics about "monster allies" to create a necromancer lord and his little warband of undead "pets", or a gadgeter artificer and her little army of construct soldiers.

Other matter is beast allies have better senses than humanoids. Even a horse in a camp for the night could smell or listen a potential intruder or predator.

 

[Weiley31]

The UA Beast can't raise their stats via ASI when the Ranger does right? I don't recall seeing that.

 

[Salthorae]

No. They are exactly like PHB Beast companions except what is written in their stat blocks.

If ASI's are what you want for your beasts, you need to go with Revised Ranger.

 

[Weiley31]

Also, I thought the Revised Ranger CAN revive their Beast Companion. It says it takes 8 hours and up to 250 go worth of rare food and herbs to revive it back.

 

[Salthorae]

Also, I thought the Revised Ranger CAN revive their Beast Companion. It says it takes 8 hours and up to 250 go worth of rare food and herbs to revive it back.

Tomato-tomatoe

A standard Beast Master can summon a new Beast with 8 hours and 0 gp if it dies. The issue has always been "what animals are nearby that can be summoned"

The new Battlesmith/UA Ranger beast rules allow you to do it for free with a 1st level spell OR cast Revivify for 300 gp within 1 minute of it dying

 

[Weiley31]

Tomato-tomatoe

A standard Beast Master can summon a new Beast with 8 hours and 0 gp if it dies. The issue has always been "what animals are nearby that can be summoned"

The new Battlesmith/UA Ranger beast rules allow you to do it for free with a 1st level spell OR cast Revivify for 300 gp within 1 minute of it dying

I actually like the UA revival option better.