D&D 5E UA interviews: The possible future for Pet Subclasses in 5e.

[CapnZapp]

I’d also be cool with giving the ranger and pet a stronger magical bond

To me, the obvious spell in the BMs arsenal would be Shield Other

Shield Other :: d20srd.org

www.d20srd.org

Using the master's hp to double the pet's.

 

[CapnZapp]

You're responding to my posts faster than I can write them

 

[CapnZapp]

Wait. When PCs buy pets those are NPCs or non player. I don’t let the players “run” them. Do most folks?
I do agree that the beast can’t feel like it’s less than a purchased dog, or horse. But I’m OK with that being given by other means than complete action economy. Or at least balancing that against, say the fighters extra class features that give them more to do in combat.

Ok, we're waiting.

Done? Okay - then the purpose of a dedicated "pet class" is to grow a stronger bond than possible with a purchased pet.

The player is looking for a class that gives them (the player) full control over the pet, and provides much better battle resilience, so they can roleplay a trusted friend without an excessive risk of the pet dying.

 

[CapnZapp]

You are talking about the current state of pets, not the desired state of pet per the vocal "pet classes are too weak" group

Actually, I think most people agree that for a "bear" or "wolf" type of pet, sending it into the midst of melee and it there doing some damage and soaking some too is plenty good.

The pet certainly does not have to be complex. It does not even have to approach the Champion (arguably the most straight-forward player character class).

Just give the pet its own move and attack and we're good

 

[CapnZapp]

So, still the version that completely and wholly dissatisfies CapnZapp and the like.

what now?

What dissatisfies me is if WotC keeps forwarding balanced solutions. It has been years since I identified that a balanced solution where the master+pet pair is no more powerful than any other PC simply cannot be satisfying. Either the master is significantly lessened compared to other Rangers (which feels very wonky) or the pet can't handle level-appropriate challenges. Of course, the PHB subclass suffered both these issues.

I'm just upfront with it, and wish WotC were too. It would save a lot of time and energy, is all

 

[Parmandur]

For the record, this is what the feature for the Artificer that Crawford said has received a great response looked like in the latest release (pending final polish yet to be published):

Spoiler: Iron Defender Feature

Iron Defender
By 3rd level, the tinkering in your free time has borne you a faithful companion, an iron defender. This metallic creature resembles a hound, a cougar, a bear, or another four-legged creature of your choice. It is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See this creature’s game statistics in the iron defender stat block.

In combat, the iron defender shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take one of the actions in its stat block or the Dash, Disengage, or Help action.

If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d6 hit points. If it has died within the last hour, you can use your smith’s tools as an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The iron defender returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored.

At the end of a long rest, you can create a new iron defender if you have your smith’s tools with you. If you already have an iron defender from this feature, the first one immediately perishes.

IRON DEFENDER

Medium construct, neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points equal to five times your level in this class + your intelligence modifier + the iron defender's Constitution modifier

Speed 40 ft.

STR
14(+2)
DEX
12(+1)
CON
14(+2)
INT
4(-4)
WIS
10(+0)
CHA
6(−2)
Skills Perception +4

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

Languages understands the languages you speak

Challenge n/a

Might of the Master. The following numbers increase by 1 when your proficiency bonus increases by 1: the iron defender’s skill bonuses, the bonuses to hit and damage of its bite, and the number of hit points restored by its Repair action.

Vigilant. The iron defender can’t be surprised.

Actions (Requires Your Bonus Action)

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d8+2 piercing damage.

Repair (3/Day). The magical mechanisms inside the iron defender restore 2d8 + 2 hit points to itself or to one construct or object within 5 feet of it.

Reaction

Defensive Pounce. The iron defender imposes disadvantage on the attack roll of one creature it can see that is within 5 feet of it, provided the attack roll is against a creature other than the iron defender.

 

[CapnZapp]

Currently if a pet dies a character merely waits for the next long rest and poof, brand new pet. No penalty at all really. They're easier to return to life than a PC, by far.

Yes, this is a huge issue for most pet lovers. Your point...?

 

[CapnZapp]

This is a description of a sidekick/NPC companion.

Note your own words: "member of the party".

Thank you for getting the point!

As I said, there can't be a pet class that is both good and fair. Choose one or the other, you can't have both, WotC.

(Unlike you I hope they don't choose the defaitist approach. But even if they do, it would still be good to hear them officially say they give up on trying to create a proper pet class; something every edition of D&D since 3E has attempted)

 

[CapnZapp]

Saying players don't touch the Beastmaster with a ten-foot pole is an exaggeration: one of the major issues WotC has with addressing the dissatisfaction with the Beastmaster is that it is a minority report. Most players are happy with it as is, though the dissatisfaction is higher than other options.

WotC says the Beastmaster is good enough. That you choose to believe them says volumes.

For the rest of us, it is clearly inadequate. Aggressively obvious, even.

So I guess we have nothing to discuss. You can have the PHB Beastmaster for yourself.

 

[Undrave]

No, actually, that's quite reasonable.

Why? Since it assumes the pet stays dead and now is replaced. A sad momentous event. It should not be possible to replace your dear friend just by snapping your fingers.

More importantly, the design should provide a robust pet that isn't significantly more likely to die than, say, the party Wizard. So this finding another beast shouldn't happen often enough to be a real detriment.

So that means you can end up with a character gimped for days because his class feature just died.

The party wizard is a bad metric since the Wizard isn't meant to be in melee. Maybe the party cleric would be a better basis?.