Taming
A knight rides his steed into battle; a rogue and her rat sneak from alleyway to alleyway; and a group of clerics ride giant eagles, the holy symbol of their god, as they spread their faith.
Training
To train a nonhostile creature, you need to spend a Long Rest training it to follow the Move Command and an additional command of your choice. You must make a Charisma (Animal Handling) check with the DC depending on if it's a young or old creature.
The DC for a juvenile creature is 20 plus the monster's Challenge Rating minus 1. (DC = 20 + (CR-1))
The DC for an adult creature is 20 pus two times the Challenge Rating plus one (DC = 20 + 2*(CR+1))
Domesticated creatures, such as Dogs, are easier to tame and train. The DC for them is 10 plus the Challenge Rating minus 1 and 10 plus two times the Challenge Rating plus 1, (Juvenile DC = 10 + (CR-1), Adult DC = 10 + 2*(CR+1))
Upon subsequent Long Rests, you can make the check again, this time with advantage, to train the creature to follow an additional command.
Commanding
In battle, you must command the creature to act. It takes it's turn directly after your own. You control the creature if you gave it a command, but if you didn't, the DM controls it for that round.
Commanding a creature takes an Standard Action, and you can give it up to two commands each turn. If you are mounted on the back of a creature, it takes a Move Action instead.
You can only command a creature to take an action that you have taught it. The commands you can teach a creature are as follows: Move, Dash, Disengage, Help, or Attack
A tamed creature can only attack once per turn, and it cannot take attacks of opportunity.
Main Idea
I believe part of the Beastmaster's failings as a subclass is that it specializes on taming and commanding animals - a mechanic that doesn't actually exist, and thus cannot be improved. And so, I present both a new Beastmaster, and new rules to Taming.
DCs
I came up with the DCs by comparing the Animal Handling checks needed to tame a Giant Eagle, Giant Owl, Griffon, Hippogriff, and Pegasus in the 3e Monster Manual (the one I own) and making a formula with the closest approximation
Beastmaster (Ranger Conclave)
The Beast Master archetype embodies a friendship between the civilized races and the beasts of the world. United in focus, beast and ranger work as one to fight the monstrous foes that threaten civilization and the wilderness alike. Emulating the Beast Master archetype means committing yourself to this ideal, working in partnership with an animal as its companion and friend." - Player's Handbook
Beastmaster
| Ranger Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | +2 | Ranger's Companion |
| 7th | +3 | Exceptional Training |
| 11th | +4 | Bestial Fury |
| 15th | +5 | Greatest Bond |
Ranger's Companion
You gain the ability to form deeper bonds with the beasts of the world, improving your ability to tame and command creatures.
Beginning at 3rd Level, you gain proficiency in Animal Handling. If you already have Proficiency in Animal Handling, double your Proficiency Bonus in it.
It takes you a Short Rest to Tame and Train creatures, rather than a Long Rest. In addition, you can perform a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check rather than a Charisma (Animal Handling) to tame and train creatures.
During a Short Rest, you can designate one creature you have tamed as your Ranger's Companion, or you can perform a ritual to summon a Beast of the Land, Beast of the Sea, or Beast of the Sky to be your Companion.
You add your Proficiency Bonus to the Attack and half your Proficiency Bonus to the Damage rolls of your Companion. In addition, you can command your Companion as a Bonus Action rather than a Standard or Move Action.
Exceptional Training
You get better at training creatures, to the point of being able to teach them actions they couldn't do under another's command.
Starting at 7th level, in addition to training creatures to perform the Move, Dash, Disengage, Help, and Attack actions, you can train them to take the Hide, Ready, Search, and Use an Object actions (the last on, though, must be used for things it can reasonably do).
In addition, you can redesignate your Companion as an action a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier
Bestial Fury
Your bond grows greater, and you gain the ability to command your companion to attack multiple times per turn.
Starting at 11th Level, your Companion gains the ability to attack the same amount of times as you. If your Companion would normally have a multiattack option, it uses that instead.
In addition, your Companion can make an Attack of Opportunity.
Greatest Bond
You gain the ability to create one of the deepest bonds between man and beast. Starting at 15th level, you can see and hear through the eyes and ears of your Companion.
You can Command any tamed creature as a Bonus Action instead of a Standard or Move Action, and it doesn't take you any sort of action to Command your Companion
Finally, you can cast Ranger Spells as if you were in the location of your Companion, and you can cast Ranger Spells with a range of Self onto your Companion.