D&D 5E ranger with panther companion as mount

[Riley37]

"If I had a boat, I'd sail it on the ocean.
And if I had a pony, I'd ride it on that boat."
- Lyle Lovett

A ranger with a mount companion would be excellent for the scouting and patrolling part of guarding a "range" in the sense of marches, borderlands, no-man's-land.

The Mounted Ranger, or "Mountie", could be a variant on the Beast Master tradition. A Mountie could have a warhorse as a mount, and still not overshadow the Hunter tradition.

In military terms, Mounties would serve as light cavalry, while mounted Paladins would more often be heavy lancers. PHB has no specific rules regarding mounted archery, but historically it's a difficult and valuable skill; Parthians and Huns, among others, were noted for their mounted archers; Mounties might get a tradition ability for mounted archery.

See also: Hettar, an Algarian horseman in the Belgariad series.

 

[PnPgamer]

The ranger is using his action to command the animal companion to attack, he himself never uses the "attack" action even at level 5 when he can make an attack when he commands the animal. Since the ranger isn't using the "attack" action he never triggers the bonus action to attack with the off hand weapon.

An attack is not always an "attack" action, and you don't get a bonus action unless something gives it to you.

oh crud missed that part of offhand attacks. again it is proven that dual wielding is aesthetics only.

 

[Dragonhelm]

I also forgot to mention that the ranger I had in mind used dual wielding, and would get bonus action attack from offhand weapon. Sorry.

I played something similar back in the 2e days. There was a kit for the Fighter called the Beast Rider. I came up with the concept of a Thundercat riding Battle Cat. I love white tigers too. Admittedly, a few liberties were taken with this character, and it was my early roleplaying days.

I re-imagined him as a shifter in 4e/5e.

Anyway, here's Tagar and Whitefang.

 

[PnPgamer]

I played something similar back in the 2e days. There was a kit for the Fighter called the Beast Rider. I came up with the concept of a Thundercat riding Battle Cat. I love white tigers too. Admittedly, a few liberties were taken with this character, and it was my early roleplaying days.

I re-imagined him as a shifter in 4e/5e.

Cool stuff. The concept was indeed great, but i gave up on this because 5e rules of ranger animal companions sort of suck.

You also casted raise thread spell.