Beast Master
In their travels through the wilds, some rangers find a creature with which they form a strong bond and who chooses to travel with them. Those who devote their time and energy to developing this bond transcent the relationship between pet and owner, and become a true team, their connection to their creature companion defining them as a ranger. These rangers become beast masters, and their teamwork makes them a force to be reckoned with on and off the battlefield.
Choosing a Companionion
At 3rd level you gain a companion that accompanies you on your adventures and will fight alongside you. Choose a creature that is a beast, monstrosity, or dragon with a size of large or smaller that has a challenge rating of 3 or less, is incapable of speaking a language, and is not a swarm. At your DM's discretion you may choose a creature which violates one or more of these conditions, but addtional modifications to their stats or abilities may be required to balance them for use.
When your companion chooses to follow you it trades some of its natural abilities for the safety of the pack. Your companion loses any abilities with the exception of any abilities that only affect movement (such as Standing Leap or Spider Climb). It also retains any skill proficiencies or keen senses (sight, smell, or hearing) that it naturally has. It retains any standard attacks such as bite, claw, tentacle, or tail, but the amount of damage is replaced by the attack damage granted by the role you choose for them.
Companion's Bond
The bond formed between a ranger and their companion is a powerful thing, built on mutual trust and devotion, and strengthened though ranger magic. Your connection to your companion allows you to communicate with it in and out of combat. It can follow basic commands you give and understands the gist of most things you tell it regardless of whether it can understand your language.
In combat it acts on your turn and follows any course of action you decide for it, no action required on your part. You may use its turn in conjunction with yours, moving and acting before, between, or after you do.
Companion Modifiers and Statistics
Your companion's statistics and modifiers are altered from their listed values by their decision to follow you instead of remaining in the wild.
Ability Scores. Your companion gains an intelligence of 4 if it is not already greater. Any ability score your companion has that is greater than 15 is reduced to 15.
Proficiency. Your companion's proficiency bonus is +2, it increases to +3 at 7th and +4 at 15th level.
Armor Class. Your companions AC becomes 8+Proficiency+Dexterity. If they have the natural armor trait they may use their listed AC instead, but while doing so they may not benefit from any other class features or items that would increase their AC.
Attacks. Your companion's base attack bonus is their attack ability modifier (either Strength or Dexterity) plus their proficiency bonus. On a hit they deal damage of the die granted by their class plus their attack ability modifier.
Hit Dice. Your companion starts with 3 hit dice, the type is determined by the role you choose for them. They gain two additional dice when you reach 5th, 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
Health. Your companion's health is recalculated similarly to your own. At 3rd level their health is equal to one maximized hit die plus two rolled hit die plus three times their Constitution modifier. Their health increases by two rolled hit dice plus two times their Constitution modifier at 5th, 7th, 11th, and 15th levels. For example, a protective companion at 3rd level would have health calculated as:
12 + 2d12 + 3*Con
Falling Unconscious
If your companion drops to 0 HP they fall unconscious and must begin making death saving throws just as a player would. If you drop to 0 HP but your companion is still conscious, they gain advantage on all attacks against the enemy who reduced you to 0 HP until you have at least 1 HP, and if they are within 5 feet of you they can use their action to protect you, giving you advantage on death saves.
Companion Roles
Companions can vary widely in their size, shape, and attitude and can fill a variety of roles in the party. When you choose a companion at 3rd level you also select a role for it listed below.
Protective. Protective companions show their devotion by keeping you safe, even at their own risk. There creatures are tough and use their hardy frames to keep enemies from getting to you. A protective companion must be medium or large with a listed Constitution score of 12 or greater. Constitution is their primary ability, they gain a Constitution score of 16 and proficiency in Constitution saving throws and athletics, their hit die is a d12 and their attack die is a d8.
Examples: Brown Bear, Aurochs, Owlbear.
Disruptive. Disruptive companions are masters of the setup. They distract opponents, drawing their attention before deftly maneuvering to safety, giving you the perfect opportunity to strike. Dexterity is their primary ability, they gain a Dexterity score of 16 and proficiency in Dexterity saving throws and their walking speed is increased by 10 feet, their hit die is a d6 and their attack die is a d4.
Examples: Hawk, Constrictor Snake, Cockatrice.
Aggressive. Aggressive companions are offensive powerhouses, their devotion to you is matched only by their brutality towards your enemies. They work in tandem with your strikes to deal devastating blows to opponents. Strength is their primary ability, they gain a Strength score of 16 and proficiency in Strength saving throws and athletics, their hit die is a d8 and their attack die is a d10.
Examples: Tiger, Displacer Beast, Basilisk.
Perceptive. Perceptive creatures can handle themselves in a fight, but their true value comes from their keen senses. They are master trackers and devoted sentinels, keeping you and your friends safe with their constant vigilance. Wisdom is their primary ability, they gain a Wisdom score of 16 and proficiency in Wisdom saving throws and perception, their hit die is a d8 and their attack die is a d6.
Examples: Ape, Pseudodragon, Giant Weasel
Novice Companion
As your companion begins to find their role in the party, they pick up new skills and abilities based on their experience. At 3rd level they gain the abilities granted by their role as shown below.
Protective
Interpose- Your companion uses its action to place itself between you and an attacker within 5 feet of itself. The target creature cannot make opportunity attacks against you and has disadvantage on any attack rolls made against you until your next turn.
Brace for Impact- As a bonus action your companion can ready itself for a blow, granting it resistance to the next attack targeting only it.
Sturdy Frame- Your companion has advantage to resist any effect that would force it to fall prone or be moved against its will.
Disruptive
Distract- Your companion uses its action to distract an enemy within 5 feet of it. Until your next turn you have advantage on attack rolls against the target and if you hit them with a weapon or spell attack you may add your companion's dexterity modifier to the damage.
Agile Escape- Your companion may take the disengage action as a bonus action.
Always Moving- Your companion has advantage to resist any effect that would grapple or restrain it.
Aggressive
Dash Attack- When your companion uses the dash action it may make one melee attack at the end of its movement as a bonus action if there is a target in range.
Invigorating Kills- When your companion reduces an enemy creature to 0 HP they can use their reaction to regain 1d4+Con HP.
Courageous Fighter- Your companion has advantage to save against being frightened.
Perceptive
Scout- As an action your companion can join you in the hunt, you may add its perception bonus to any survival roll made to track a creature or investigation/perception roll to find a hidden or obscured object.
Perceptive Defense- Your companion can use a bonus action to add half their wisdom modifier rounded up to their AC until your next turn
Heightened Senses- Your companion gains a keen sense, choose sight, smell, or hearing. Your companion has advantage on perception checks made using that sense. Your companion also gains darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, if it already has darkvision its range is increased by 60 feet.
Skilled Companion
As your companion continues to adapt to a life of adventuring, they improve their skills and become better suited to their role and better at defending themselves. At 5th level they gain the abilities granted by their role as shown below, they also gain proficiency in a skill of your choice or +1 to an ability score of your choice. As a consequence of focusing on your companion's training you have forsaken some of your own, you do not gain the Extra Attack feature normally granted to Rangers at 5th level.
Protective
Forceful Interposition- Your companion may make an attack as part of their interpose action. Additionally, a creature targeted by their interpose action has disadvantage on concentration checks until the end of your current turn.
Improved Defense- You may choose to train your companion in either armor or avoidance. Training in armor grants them the ability to wear custom armor, granting them resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. A suit of armor for your companion costs 250gp. Training in avoidance gives your companion a +2 bonus to AC
Disruptive
Vexing Distraction- When your companion uses the distract action the target also has disadvantage on their next attack and their speed is reduced by 10 feet until your next turn.
Improved Defense- You may choose to train your companion in either armor or avoidance. Training in armor grants them the ability to wear custom armor, granting them resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. A suit of armor for your companion costs 250gp. Training in avoidance gives your companion a +2 bonus to AC
Aggressive
Improved Attacks- Your companion gains a +2 bonus to all attack rolls and their attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance.
Improved Defense- You may choose to train your companion in either armor or avoidance. Training in armor grants them the ability to wear custom armor, granting them resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. A suit of armor for your companion costs 250gp. Training in avoidance gives your companion a +2 bonus to AC
Perceptive
Combat Scouting- Your companion can use their scout action in battle to give you information about your enemies. They may target a creature within 30 feet of them and make a perception check, the DC equals 10+the targets CR or level. If they succeed you learn any damage resistances, immunities, and vulnerabilities it has and you gain a +2 to attack and damage rolls made against them until your next turn.
Improved Defense- You may choose to train your companion in either armor or avoidance. Training in armor grants them the ability to wear custom armor, granting them resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. A suit of armor for your companion costs 250gp. Training in avoidance gives your companion a +2 bonus to AC
Adept Companion
Your companion continues to grow in their abilities thanks to constant taining and their special bond with you. At 7th level they gain the abilities granted by their role as shown below, their primary ability score increases to 18, and their proficiency bonus increases to +3
Protective
Hunker Down- As a reaction, your companion may give themselves resistance to any damage dealing area of effect spell, attack, or effect that includes themselves.
Disruptive
Evasive Maneuvers- When your companion is subjected to an effect that forces them to make a dexterity saving throw they may use their reaction to give themselves advantage, if they succeed, they take no damage from the effect.
Aggressive
Relentless- When your companion makes an attack of opportunity against a creature it may also follow the creature it attacked up to its speed as a part of the reaction. If the creature took the disengage action, they may choose to instead spend a reaction to follow them up to their speed without taking an attack.
Perceptive
Vigilant Companion- If your companion is within 30 feet of you it may use its reaction to warn you of an attack, giving you a +5 to AC for that attack.
Expert Companion
Your companion has grown to thrive with you and in their role, making them an even more effective member of the team. At 11th level they gain the abilities granted by their role as shown below.
Protective
Lockdown- If your companion hits a target with an opportunity attack they must succeed on a DC 16 strength saving throw or have their speed reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn.
Obstruction- When your companion uses their interpose action, until your next turn the target creature's speed is halved and you may subtract your companion's constitution modifier from any attack roll they make against any target other than your companion while they remain within 5 feet of your companion until your next turn.
Animal Toughness- Your companion may use a bonus action to spend a hit die.
Disruptive
Slippery Fighter- Your companion gains a +3 bonus to AC
Harrying Strike- Your companion may now make an attack as part of its distract action.
Wild Dash- Your companion may dash as a bonus action.
Aggressive
Intimidating Ferocity- You may add your companion's strength score to any intimidation roll as long as it is within 10 feet of you.
Feral Roar- As an action your companion can let loose a terrifying cry, creatures in a 30ft cone must make a DC 16 wisdom save or be frightened of your companion, they may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success.
Rapid Assault- If your companion took the attack action it may make a second attack as a bonus action.
Perceptive
Always Alert- You cannot be surprised as long as your companion is within 30 feet of you, and your companion has advantage to save against being charmed.
Extraordinary Senses- Your companion now doubles its proficiency modifier for perception. Additionally as an action your companion can go completely still and focus their senses to a supernatural level. Until your next turn their speed drops to 0 and they gain truesight to a range of 30 feet, any hidden or invisible creatures within range have their location revealed to you and your allies, though they still benefit from any cover or invisibility bonuses against being hit.
Wary Fighter- Your companion may hide as a bonus action
Master Companion
Your companion has become a master in their role, working in effortless tandem with you and your teammates. At 15th level they gain the abilities granted by their role as shown below, their primary ability score increases to 20, and their proficiency bonus increases to +4
Protective
Takedown- As an action your companion can attempt to take down an opponent. The target must be no more than one size larger than your companion, and must make a DC 16 strength save. On a failure the target is knocked prone and your companion may attack them as a bonus action.
Primal Persistence- Once per short rest when your companion takes damage that would reduce it to 0 HP, it can use its reaction to instead drop to 1 HP and then immediately regain 1d12+Con health
Disruptive
Expose Weaknesses- As an action, your companion may attempt to expose a target's vulnerable areas. The target must make a DC 16 dexterity saving throw, on a failure, it has vulnerability to your next attack this turn. Once a target has failed this throw they cannot be affected by it again until the next day.
Daring Escape- Once per short rest when your companion would take damage, it may use its reaction to instead take no damage and move up to its speed without provoking attacks of opportunity
Aggressive
Coordinated Strike- If your companion hits a target that you have hit this turn, it may force them to make a DC 16 constitution saving throw. On a failure, your companion may attack twice instead of once when it uses its rapid assault this turn.
Startling Retaliation- Once per short rest when your companion takes damage, it may use its reaction to make an attack against the creature that damaged it provided it is within range. If the attack hits it is a critical hit.
Perceptive
Find an Opening- As an action your companion can help you spot the moment a creature lets its guard slip, forcing a target within 30 feet to make a DC 16 wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target takes a -2 penalty to AC and has disadvantage on all saving throws until the end of your current turn.
One Step Ahead- Once per short rest when an effect your companion can see causes it to make a saving throw, it may use its reaction to automatically succeed. If you are forced to make a saving throw by the same effect, your companion grants you advantage on that saving throw.