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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 6483659" data-attributes="member: 12731">Any Animal Companion feature must work the way players expect them to. Having to give up your action to have your beast act is completely unacceptable, game balance be damned. Hence, Natural Companion and Companion Bond. (Sorry Ari, but solving the problems Beast Masters get with TWF isn't a pressing concern for me: simply choose to play a Hunter if you want twin scimitars. The bonus action is the natural fit for the design feature; any workaround isn't worth it IMO)Animal Companions are meant to be used in melee combat and needs to be built that way. Hence, Sturdy Companion and The Beast With Seven Lives.The discussion tells me Animal Companions need better survivability from spells. Also, that any special attacks need improvement. My replacement Exceptional Training is the response to that - it allows the beast to make one save with advantage or to force its target to make its save with disadvantage. Not to mention all other sorts of utility.Finally, Emphatic Link. I am of the opinion something like this is expected of the subclass. I designed my feature as something relatively minor, mostly aimed to assist role-playing and immersion. (It doesn't replicate the awesome scouting abilities of wizard familiars, for instance)Thoughts?CapnZapp</blockquote>