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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jodyjohnson" data-source="post: 6736054" data-attributes="member: 5590">1.  Scaling2.  Default Actions3.  HD for hit points instead of per Ranger level.4.  Add gestures as a means of direction.5.  Interaction with Hunter's Mark.Current default as a refresher:The companion can make perception checks (often with advantage), move, react, block movement, be a target, heal a limited amount on a short rest, heal to full on a long rest, make death saves, and act as a replacement character any rounds where you character is down. That's just at 3rd.All for the price of not making an extra attack some rounds or an extra 1d8 once per turn.  And sometimes it can allow you two reaction attacks.One of the best pets is a Giant Poisonous Snake with an average damage per attack higher than a greatsword and a better attack bonus than available with point buy (+8 attack, 10' reach, 8 (1d4+6) plus DC 11 Con save for 12 (3d6+2) poison, half with a save). AC 16 is pretty respectable with 18 hp. (DM basic rules, p.27 or Appendix A, MM)  If I were to use the below version I would change the Giant Poisonous Snake Challenge to ½.Variant Ranger’s Companion (changes underlined)At 3rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is no larger than Medium and that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower (appendix D presents statistics for the hawk, mastiff, and panther as examples). 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 (add half your proficiency bonus to non-proficient saving throws). The Animal Companion has Hit Dice equal to your Ranger level and its hit point maximum equals the normal average for a creature with those HD or four times your ranger level, whichever is higher.The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn’t take a specific action unless you command it to.  Under non-direction, it moves where you move and takes the Dash, Dodge or Disengage action as needed to stay with you. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you) or with gestures using your bonus action. You can use your action to verbally or using gestures command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one weapon attack yourself when you command the beast to take the Attack action.Attacks by your animal companion are treated as if they were made by you for purposes of Hunter’s Mark and other similar spells.While traveling through your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.If the beast dies, you can obtain another one by spending 8 hours magically bonding with another beast that isn’t hostile to you, either the same type of beast as before or a different one.At 7th level Ranger you can have a Animal Companion of up to ½ or Large and ¼.  At 11th the companion can be Large and Challenge 1.  At 15th it can be Challenge 2 of any size.</blockquote>

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