D&D General Which Ranger Companion Solution Do You Prefer/Use

[Edgar Ironpelt]

I'm running 3.5e, and I let rangers take a feat instead of an animal companion. In fact, in my Brotherhood of Rangers game (where all the PCs are ranger-gestalts with other classes) I required that no character have more than one companion total from their class features (animal companion/familiar/paladin mount/etc), and aren't required to have any. Some of my players took a animal companion in the form of a warhorse mount, and others took a feat with no animal companion. It's worked out.

 

[Horwath]

I'm running 3.5e, and I let rangers take a feat instead of an animal companion. In fact, in my Brotherhood of Rangers game (where all the PCs are ranger-gestalts with other classes) I required that no character have more than one companion total from their class features (animal companion/familiar/paladin mount/etc), and aren't required to have any. Some of my players took a animal companion in the form of a warhorse mount, and others took a feat with no animal companion. It's worked out.

animal companion is worth more than one feat later on,
but I do agree that it is worth 1 feat when you get the feature.

3,5e ranger has 1/2 it's level as effective druid level, so animal companion improves at levels 6,12 and 18.
Natural bond feats improves animal companion for 3 effective druid levels, so you should get 4 feats for animal compantion
1 feat at level 4 when you would gain the feature and one extra feat at levels 6,12 and 18 when your animal companion improves.

 

[CreamCloud0]

honestly i prefer find familiar, bigger companions have never really appealed to me personally.

 

[Minigiant]

honestly i prefer find familiar, bigger companions have never really appealed to me personally.

There should be an option for a tiny harasser/ambusher beast that can be flavored as a mouse, lizard, squirrel, toy dog, or cat.

That is what I did with My Beast of the Parks.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

honestly i prefer find familiar, bigger companions have never really appealed to me personally.

FF should definitely be on the Ranger spell list.

 

[Steampunkette]

The upcoming "Pets and Sidekicks" book looks like it has a leveling path for companion animals in the same way Martial Artistry has full companion classes for the Sentinel's companion...

So I'm -super- excited to see how they did it, myself!

 

[Horwath]

The upcoming "Pets and Sidekicks" book looks like it has a leveling path for companion animals in the same way Martial Artistry has full companion classes for the Sentinel's companion...

So I'm -super- excited to see how they did it, myself!

me too, but for most basic use, we should not overthink it.

here is a simple houserule feat for it.

Companion: requires level 4+
+1 ASI,

gain a beast or plant companion

movement: one of the 4, Bonus action Dash or Disengage
1. 40ft, 40ft climb
2. 30ft, 30ft swim, water breathing
3. 10ft, 30ft fly
4. 30ft, 10ft burrow

HP: 5+5×your level
AC: 11+prof bonus
attack: 2×prof bonus, damage 1d6+prof bonus(pick B/P/S)

abilities:
STR+DEX: 16+10(large size) or 14+14(medium size) or 10+16(small or tiny size)
con: 14
int: 6
wis: 14
cha: 8
proficiency in all saving throws
darkvision 60ft

proficiency in skills from the list(Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Perception, Survival), expertise in one of the skills.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

For the beast I prefer to pick a beast from the MM of a certain max CR, and than it's bonus action to command it to attack. Like a combo of 2014 and 2024.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The upcoming "Pets and Sidekicks" book looks like it has a leveling path for companion animals in the same way Martial Artistry has full companion classes for the Sentinel's companion...

So I'm -super- excited to see how they did it, myself!

Interesting. I haven’t looked at it, is it specifically for A5e?

 

[Steampunkette]

me too, but for most basic use, we should not overthink it.

here is a simple houserule feat for it.

Companion:
+1 ASI,

gain a beast or plant companion

movement: one of the 4, Bonus action Dash or Disengage
1. 40ft, 40ft climb
2. 30ft, 30ft swim, water breathing
3. 10ft, 30ft fly
4. 30ft, 10ft burrow

HP: 5+5×your level
AC: 11+prof bonus
attack: 2×prof bonus, damage 1d6+prof bonus(pick B/P/S)

abilities:
STR+DEX: 16+10(large size) or 14+14(medium size) or 10+16(small or tiny size)
con: 14
int: 6
wis: 14
cha: 8
proficiency in all saving throws
darkvision 60ft

proficiency in skills from the list(Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Perception, Survival), expertise in one of the skills.

I do kinda like the simplicity of it... but.

1) At level 1 (and all following levels) there's a chance the companion has more HP than the PC, doubling their effective hit points as a 'total character'.
2) Plant companions are significantly less subject to spellcasting affecting them.
3) The movement speeds seem rather arbitrary, and don't really fit most animal companions which tend to be faster than their master.
4) Does AC also include Dex Bonus on top of your proficiency? At level 1 you could have a small companion with a 15 AC and 10hp. Plus 2 from Con, potentially, for 12hp. More than most classes.

I dunno. It's streamlined, but I feel like there's better ways to do it without breaking most of the rules of the game for NPC design.