D&D 5E Ranger Halfling

[Athelstaine]

If your animal companion is medium size, then a small sized character should be able to use it as a mount.
But-- lets be honest, those who made D&D 5E intentionally made wolfs the only actual possible real choice as an animal companion as anythlng else would be comparatively worthless and a disadvantage.

So by all means ride your wolf companion as it was the only animal you were meant to choose.

I guess it depends on a character's concept. I have a 12th level Forest Gnome Beastmaster/Ranger with a Giant Frog as a companion/mount.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The thing about the wolf is it Is top of the tree if you are simply looking at whiteroom combat, since it has Pack Tactics and a knockdown attack. If you consider using the companion for other things, such as a mobile mount, other creatures, such as the giant wolf spider (walk on the ceiling), Fasteth (move 50') or anything that can fly look interesting. The beastmaster's companion does not have to attack at all.

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

Ranger Halfling

Race: Ranger
Class: Halfling

You come from a long line of forest dwellers, and your job is to be small.

 

[Coroc]

I guess it depends on a character's concept. I have a 12th level Forest Gnome Beastmaster/Ranger with a Giant Frog as a companion/mount.

Never mind the bollocks

Please do not censor, this album title is by a famous punk band and my borderline autistic strain makes me write such comments

 

[Paul Farquhar]

This is such an interesting point. Hmmm...

If I create a beast, so long as it is CR 1/4, it works.

Okay...the DMG uses HP as a part of the CR calculation. If you essentially "dump" health (since it is going to naturally increase), you can come up with a very strong and interesting beast, even if it kinda already exists.

A giant hawk (still medium), for instance, can have completely different stats than a regular hawk. Give it dex saves and decent AC and damage while knocking down its health to basically 1-6HP since it will be raised anyways.

I'm pretty sure it has to be the DM who stats up the beast....

However, adding skills, e.g. Slight of Hand to a monkey, has no effect on CR.

 

[Asisreo]

I'm pretty sure it has to be the DM who stats up the beast....

However, adding skills, e.g. Slight of Hand to a monkey, has no effect on CR.

I'm speaking as the DM in this pov.

It would help my player as a beastmaster mechanically while also helping them have whatever beast they want.

If they want an ape, for instance, I could create a younger-than-average ape for them to take care of.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

A quick number crunch suggests that simply removing multiattack from the Ape makes it CR 1/4. Which would, of course, have absolutely no effect on it's effectiveness as a ranger companion!

 

[Asisreo]

A quick number crunch suggests that simply removing multiattack from the Ape makes it CR 1/4. Which would, of course, have absolutely no effect on it's effectiveness as a ranger companion!

Yep.

And, you could give it strength and constitution saving throws to make it even better (since the save bonuses scale).

 

[Mistwell]

If your animal companion is medium size, then a small sized character should be able to use it as a mount.
But-- lets be honest, those who made D&D 5E intentionally made wolfs the only actual possible real choice as an animal companion as anythlng else would be comparatively worthless and a disadvantage.

So by all means ride your wolf companion as it was the only animal you were meant to choose.

Wolf is not the best option for an animal companion. Giant Poisonous Snake is the best. In fact wolf didn't even make the top three.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Wolf is not the best option for an animal companion. Giant Poisonous Snake is the best. In fact wolf didn't even make the top three.

Citing for indisputable authority, someone who has already been shown to be full of what @Coroc just mentioned...