How does one play a beastmaster Ranger?

[Lord Pendragon]

Heyo folks,

I'm playing in a game currently where my character is mechanically a beastmaster hunter. So far, it appears that particular powers aside, the beast's role is mainly to provide flanking to its master.

Am I missing something, or is this essentially correct?

 

[Lancelot]

One of the guys in our group has played a beastmaster (bear) from 1st to 10th level so far. Some thoughts:

1) Yes, the flanking is useful - not just for the beastmaster, either. Most of the party members have melee characters.

2) The bear is a huge meatshield. Defenses aren't that great, but the bear has a lot of hp to soak up attacks. This has been very important, as we normally have only 3-4 players per session (and no leaders!). Although the player never intentionally uses the bear as a "damage soak", it draws its fair share of attacks - which is sometimes the only thing keeping the group alive. Also, as DM, it gives me a few options to "save" PCs from "probable-death" situations by targeting the bear.

3) As a companion, the bear gets a single magic-item slot. I'm not sure how useful this is, because I haven't handed out any companion items yet.

4) I like the flavor. I like seeing that extra mini (DDM medium-sized cave bear) on the board. I like the humor it brings to the table (...the bear has certainly drawn a lot of shocked NPC reactions, and more than a few crazy situations). I sometimes wish the powers were named slightly differently (Beastlatch and Partnered Savaging draw some fairly... errr... "robust" comments at the table...).

 

[roguerouge]

I would recommend doing so with great insensitivity.

Basically, a Ranger/Beastmaster would typically use their beast to be in combat as a blocker (perhaps buffed a bit with those terrible first and second level spells that the ranger gets at 10th level) while arrow after arrow smacks into the BBEG. But, invariably that animal is going to go up against something way out of its league, especially since it's not as good as a druid's.

So, you end up with Fluffy IX.

Hope that helps.

 

[Lord Xtheth]

Bear, I choose you!

"Bear! Bear!"

*roll a natural 20*

It's SUPER EFFECTIVE!

 

[Klaus]

Heyo folks,

I'm playing in a game currently where my character is mechanically a beastmaster hunter. So far, it appears that particular powers aside, the beast's role is mainly to provide flanking to its master.

Am I missing something, or is this essentially correct?

Yes, this is pretty much it. But the beast also lets you help flanking two opponents at once (1 with your character + 1 PC, the other with the beast + 1 PC). And, of course, raptors can be great at scouting, carrying grappling hooks up a wall, etc.

 

[Obryn]

Last I checked, most Beast-related powers allow a Ranger to pick up a big, crazy weapon like a fullblade or an execution axe. That might be a good way to improve your damage output on a regular basis.

-O

 

[Klaus]

Last I checked, most Beast-related powers allow a Ranger to pick up a big, crazy weapon like a fullblade or an execution axe. That might be a good way to improve your damage output on a regular basis.

-O

A big, two-handed, REACh weapon, for a splash of Controller.

 

[Drkfathr1]

You can also view the beast companion as a mobile weapon, though they don't do as much damage as you potentially can. My wife's been trying to play one in a game we're in, and she's not been real happy with it so far. She was used to 3E's way, and can't seem to get past the idea that she no longer gets to basically play two characters at once. She hates (HATES) the fact that without using an encounter or daily power, she and it can't both attack at the same time. I try to help her by suggesting she use it for flanking and for attacking opponents she doesn't want to get close to.

I'm thinking of house ruling the Beast Companion to give it instinctive attacks (attacking any adj enemy), but during any round in which the PC and the companion both attack (without using an enc or daily), the PC doesn't get to use the Hunter's Quarry feature. Thus the extra damage is done by having essentially 2 attacks, balanced by the fact that either or both attacks could miss.

 

[Obryn]

A big, two-handed, REACh weapon, for a splash of Controller.

I thought about that when I was playing with the CB, but I noticed two things... (1) that hoses your flanking advantage; and (2) several of the Ranger beast powers require you and your beast to be adjacent to an enemy...

It's too bad, because that would be sweet.

You can also view the beast companion as a mobile weapon, though they don't do as much damage as you potentially can. My wife's been trying to play one in a game we're in, and she's not been real happy with it so far. She was used to 3E's way, and can't seem to get past the idea that she no longer gets to basically play two characters at once. She hates (HATES) the fact that without using an encounter or daily power, she and it can't both attack at the same time.

It would hardly be game-breaking to allow a power like Twin Strike to be used once for the PC and once for the beast, IMHO. I think, in fact, it'd be objectively less-powerful than Twin Strike, given that beasts won't even get an enhancement bonus to damage.

-O

 

[Nymrohd]

One of the things I have not seen mentioned is the rather important fact that an animal companion occupies a square. In tactical combat, denying a square is a rather big ability. I have an archer ranger who actually has a beast companion in my group (used to have a wolf is planning to go for a raptor), mainly to set up flanking and get the occasional OA (since there is not much to do with his immediate actions anyway, it's just extra damage). With Distant Advantage it works great.