D&D 5E How might you fix the beastmaster's animal companion?

[I'm A Banana]

Here's the basic text.

At 3rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is no larger than Medium and that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower.... Add your proficiency bonus to the beast's AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals its normal maximum or four times your ranger level, whichever is higher.

The beast obeys your commands as best it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn't take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one weapon attack yourself when you command the beast to take the Attack action.

While traveling through your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.

If the beast dies, you can obtain another one by spending 8 hour magically bonding with another beast that isn't hostile to you, either the same type of beast as before or a different one.
​

Some initial analysis...
[sblock]
The Good

• The Ranger doesn't need to acquire higher CR creatures. Adding the proficiency bonus to...everything...and using the new HP calculations means that the companion isn't irrelevant.
• This adds HP to the party. Without taking any actions, the ranger can stick their companion in the line of fire and use it like a meat shield.
• Compared to a weapon, it's viable, and more flexible. Because its attacks take the place of your own, its worth comparing this to the other weapons you could use. An animal companion does decent damage when compared to most martial weapons (especially when you add your proficiency bonus to damage), and can do this damage at any range. It could also do things other than damage.
• It can do things for you. Need a trap-filled corridor traversed or a switch flipped or a vial snatched? Animal companions are good for suicide missions, or when you need to hit something across a room. Flying companions are especially good at this.

The Questionable

• It does nothing unless you use your action?. A mount can move or dodge. A familiar can help. Compared to that, a companion just stands around drooling unless you spend time to make it do something. A familiar doesn't add as much HP, and doesn't necessarily scale well, but it can do things for you AND use the Help action. A mount might not scale as well, and it can't attack, but it's a bunch more HP for the first few levels, it's replaceable, AND it can Disengage for you. Companions don't seem as good as just buying a friggin' horse or conjuring up a celestial badger, at least for a while.
• It has to be Medium or smaller?. I WANT A PONY. This is likely based on a "you should be able to bring it into a dungeon" requirement, but iconic animal companions are often larger than medium. The mountain man befriends a bear, the outrider befriends their horse, etc.
• Compared to the Hunter's abilities, this is no great shakes. Colossus Slayer ups my damage by a d8 almost every round. Hoard Breaker and Giant Killer give me extra attacks under certain circumstances. They're pretty context-dependent, and they don't up survivability or increase utility like a companion, but it's a little weird that having a panther claw and bite for me won't actually up my damage very much.
• Is this meant to be an animal friend or just some expendable beast?. The ability to acquire a new one implies the latter, but the HP totals imply the former, and the archetype certainly contains "me an' this bear were raised together!" kinds of narratives.

[/sblock]

Possible Solution 1: You companion is a light weapon (plus).

At 3rd level, you gain a companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. The bond you form with this creature is a magical one, requiring an hour-long ritual and 25 gp worth of rare food and herbs. Select a companion from the list below.

Once you form the bond, you and your companion have similar statistics, and share awareness - the creature's AC, saving throw bonus, and skill bonuses equal your own, and you share an HP pool. When the creature takes damage, your shared HP pool is reduced, just as if you took damage. When this shared HP pool runs out, you both fall unconscious, but you have separate death saving throws. When the creature attacks, it uses your proficiency bonus plus your Wisdom modifier.

The creature does not have its own actions, and does nothing unless commanded. You can instruct the creature where to move without requiring an action. On your turn, you can use your bonus action to give the creature a command to use the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. Additionally, any time you take the Attack action, you can have your companion attack instead of you for any number of your attacks.

While traveling through your favored terrain with only the companion, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. The extra pair of eyes and ears also grant you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.

If your companion dies, or you wish to replace your companion, you can release your current companion and acquire a new one by performing the ritual on a creature that is friendly to you, spending the gp once again.

• Hawk: Your hawk deals 1d4 points of slashing damage with an attack. It has a flying speed of 60 ft, and adds +1 to your AC.
• Boar: Your boar deals 1d6 points of piercing damage with an attack. It adds +10 hit points to your maximum HP.
• Mastiff: Your mastiff deals 1d6 points of piercing damage with an attack, and creatures hit by the attack must make a Strength save (DC 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Strength score) or get knocked prone.
• Panther: Your panther deals 1d6 points of slashing damage with an attack. If the creature it attacks is prone, it instead deals 2d6 damage.
• Bear: Your bear deals 1d8 points of slashing damage with an attack. It is Large.
• Horse: Your horse deals 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage with an attack. It is Large, and adds +10 ft. to your walking speed.

​

...I dunno that that's my favorite.

What's your idea?

 

[Zaran]

I would have the ranger proficiency bonus to be added to ALL saves. I would let the companions attack order to be given as a bonus action. I think these two things would make the companion both more durable and give the ranger better ability in combat that rivals other marital classes.

 

[iserith]

Spaying or neutering will fix 'em fer good.

 

[Minigiant]

Well the thing with the beast is:

What do you want to do with your beast companion?

Do you want a MMO beast master where the beast is a com at monster with great combat stats and the master just orders it around and tossed support spells on it?

Do you want a WOW hunter where master and beast are damage strikers in party situations and in solo the master has the beast "tank" for him?

Do you want a Dar the beastnaster style where the beast is tough enough to handle minions alone and independently but sits out big fights?

Do you want a Nakaruru style beast master where the beast is just a special attack?

Do you want a Kiba Inuzuka style beast master where the beast is a special attack and utility item?

All of these are totally different and require difference features.

 

[Zaran]

I think making their attack option be a bonus attack works with style choice. If you want to duel wield then the companion doesn't attack. If you want to cast Hunter's Mark, then the companion doesn't attack. If you want the companion to only help you, then you get only your Attack action with advantage.

 

[Kikuras]

Just off the top of my head, I'd suggest maybe a perk where the beast doesn't grant a creature its fighting any cover so unengaged ranger can fire his bow at (starting 5th level) that creature and make the synergy of working with the beast a little more worth it.

Maybe beastmaster should include an ability or two that make primeval awareness less of a waste of ink?

 

[Cernor]

In my game I toyed with the idea of the beast master commanding their animal to attack using an action, at which point it continues attacking until the Ranger commands it to stop (with another action), or every foe is dead. However, having two attacks per turn at level 3 was a lot more powerful than I'd anticipated; even the party ranger said that it seemed too powerful. I went to the drawing board, and taking inspiration from the hunter's pet in WoW, I came up with three different "paths" the companion can take, each of which gets more powerful as you gain Ranger levels (in addition to the things the Beast Master already gets). My comments and thoughts are in parentheses.

[Sblock]
Your animal companion is no mere beast; its bond with you enhances its true nature and allows it to be more powerful than any of its kin. When you bond with an animal companion, choose whether it is Tenacious, Ferocious, or Cunning. If your old companion dies, you choose which trait your new companion has, which can be the same as before or different. Depending on which trait your companion exhibits, it gains the following abilities:

Tenacious
Your animal companion is one of unyielding strength and unparalleled endurance, capable of trading blows with even the most powerful of opponents. (This path is based on the barbarian, which focuses on survivability.)
Your companion’s hit point maximum increases by an additional 7 when you reach levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18. (At level 3, your companion will have 4 x your ranger level (or its own base) hit points + 7. At level 6, it'll be 4 x ranger level +14, and so on. The extra HP helps it survive against the plentiful AoE attacks at high level, especially with its abysmal saves.)
Beginning at level 3, your companion gains proficiency in Strength and Constitution saving throws. In addition, its AC increases by an amount equal to your Wisdom modifier while not wearing any armour. It also gains the ability to use the Barbarian’s rage class feature with a damage bonus of +2 twice, regaining expended uses on a long rest. (Giving it Rage and an equivalent of Unarmored Defense makes it like a weaker barbarian. Its AC increases with your Wisdom modifier because legal companions' Con modifiers tend to range between +0 and +2. It can be improved as you level up, but to do so requires you to use your ASIs.)
Beginning at level 6, your companion has advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects it can see, such as traps and spells. If blinded, deafened, or incapacitated, it can’t gain this benefit. (Helps it survive when Fireballs are raining down into the mix, stolen directly from the barbarian's Danger Sense.)
Beginning at level 9, your companion’s movement speed increases by 10 feet. If it has climb, swim, or fly speeds, those also increase by 10 feet. (I wanted this option to be a utility rather than combat-centric bonus. It makes the companion better at charging into the fray, escaping pursuit, and intervening if a weaker party member gets attacked.)
Beginning at level 12, your companion gains resistance to cold, fire, and poison damage. (Mimicking the Totem Warrior [Bear]'s level 3 benefit, but only resisting a few types of damage common in nature stops it from replacing the Barbarian entirely. At this point your companion will have about 2/3 as much HP as a same-leveled barbarian, but will probably have the edge in AC.)
Beginning at level 15, if your companion drops to 0 hit points while raging and doesn’t die outright, it makes a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If it succeeds, it drops to 1 hit point instead. Each time this feature is used after the first, the DC increases by 5, resetting to 10 after your animal companion finishes a short or long rest. (This feature is less powerful for your companion than a barbarian, since your companion will have lower Con saves. It might make the first save, but the odds are it won't make more than 2.)
Beginning at level 18, expended uses of your companion’s rage recover when it finishes a short or long rest. (Since the damage increase of your pet's rage remains at +2, the extra uses will still leave it trailing behind a barbarian of the same level.)

Ferocious
Your animal companion’s ferocity and viciousness are matched by none, defeating foes through flurries of attacks. At level 3, your animal companion gains proficiency in Strength and Dexterity saving throws. (Based on the fighter, this path emphasizes combat effectiveness.)
Your companion’s hit point maximum increases by an additional 6 when you reach levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18. (Again, increasing HP to give the companion a bit more staying power.)
Beginning at level 3, your companion can use a bonus action and regain (your Wisdom modifier)d6 hit points. Once used, this ability recharges when you finish a short or long rest. (Basing this on Second Wind, but changing it so that you have to choose to increase its effectiveness.)
It also gains one of the following benefits:
* Your companion gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls.
* Your companion gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls.
* Your companion gains a +1 bonus to AC. (Considering changing this to proficiency with medium barding. I'm not sure the ruling about animal companions and barding though.)
* When your companion rolls a 1 or 2 on a damage die, it can reroll the die and must use the new result, even if that result is a 1 or a 2. (I figured this made more sense than modifying the Protection fighting style, but it's still a bit iffy.)
Beginning at level 6, when you order your companion to attack, it can make double the normal number of attacks. Your animal companion must finish a long rest before it can use this ability again. (Like Action Surge, but limited to a long rest to balance it against a fighter. Other ideas I had were having it recharge on a short rest, or have unlimited uses but every one after the first gives your companion a level of exhaustion.)
Beginning at level 9, your companion’s attacks are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage. (Why WotC didn't include this somewhere in the basic class is beyond me. Lacking the ability to penetrate resistance/immunity to non-magical weapons is a major pitfall of the Beast Master at higher levels.)
Beginning at level 12, your companion can reroll any saving throw that it fails. If it does so, it must use the new roll, and it can’t use this feature again until it completes a long rest. (Gives it a second chance if it botches an important save. Not gaining new uses as you level up makes it inferior to the fighter ability.)
Beginning at level 15, your companion can make three attacks when you command it to take the Attack action. (Beginning at level 11 your companion already has two attacks; this extra one provides an extra one to make it closer to a fighter. I'm not so sure about this because you'll be making four attacks per turn 5 levels before the fighter; on the other hand, the fighter will likely be dishing out more damage per attack, and can switch weapons based on the situation.)
Beginning at level 18, your companion’s attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. (With the number of attacks your companion will be putting out, this is a pretty powerful boost. I'm trying to keep it on par with the level 18 feature that Tenacious gets, but I'm not sure if it's too powerful.)

Cunning
Your companion is a master predator, dispatching its prey with one decisive strike, and dodging away from harmful blows. (This path is based on the rogue, with mitigation and avoidance being more important than dealing damage)
At level 3, your animal companion gains proficiency in Dexterity and Intelligence saving throws.
Your animal companion’s hit point maximum increases by an additional 5 when you reach levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18.
Beginning at level 3, your efforts at training your animal companion have paid off, giving your companion proficiency in two of the following skills: Athletics, Acrobatics, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth, or Survival. If you already add your proficiency bonus to a selected skill, you may double it. (This replicates the rogue's Expertise, but attempts to make up for most companions' lack of skills.)
Additionally, your diligence has granted you to ability to communicate simple ideas with your animal companion, as though permanently under the effects of a Speak with Animals spell. (Makes the companion a more effective scout.)
Finally, you have trained your companion to strike hard and fast. Once per turn it can deal an extra 1d6 damage when it hits an enemy if it has advantage on the attack roll. It does not need advantage if an enemy of that target is within 5 feet of it and isn’t incapacitated. This ability cannot activate if the attack roll has disadvantage. (Giving it sneak attack is a way to stop it being quite so weak in combat. Although combat isn't its forte, it can hold its own compared to the other paths.)
Beginning at level 6, when your animal companion is hit by an attack it can use its reaction to halve the attack’s damage against it, provided it can see the attacker. (The first ability providing damage mitigation.)
Beginning at level 9, your companion has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. Any hit it scores against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit. Additionally, its sneak attack damage increases to 2d6. (This is probably its most powerful offensive ability, but keeps your companion weaker than the others in open combat.)
Beginning at level 12, when your animal companion is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take half damage, it takes no damage on a successful saving throw and only half damage on a failed one. (Probably the more powerful mitigation ability. Rounds out your companion's defenses against incoming damage.)
Beginning at level 15, your animal companion is always on the lookout for danger, giving it a +5 bonus to passive perception. It cannot be surprised, and does not grant advantage to attacks made by foes that are hidden from it. (Being a combination of Observant and Alert, I'm not sure about this. It not being surprised isn't as powerful as it might be because you have to give it orders to act, but its passive Perception skyrockets; being able to warn you also means you're sedlom going to be surprised.)
Beginning at level 18, your companion adds its sneak attack damage to any attack it makes, provided that it doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. Its sneak attack damage increases to 3d6. (Another offensive boost, but most of the Rogue skills and abilities are dependent on having opposable thumbs. This path was by far the hardest to build, especially considering it should be roughly equal to the other two.)[/Sblock]

The benefit of doing it this way is that the companion is more powerful, better at taking hits, and simply more interesting than the companions as they are now. However, these changes may make them too powerful, and lacking extensive playtesting I can't be sure how it holds up.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I think giving it proficiency to Constitution and Dexterity saves will help. Let it be commanded to Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Dodge as a bonus action. Help is probably too strong to give as a bonus. Possibly remove the proficiency bonus to damage until later levels. Possibly give stat boosts for the beast every 4 levels as well. I'm experimenting with doing this for the chain warlock in my game to help keep her imp relevant (and also giving it a d4 HD every level).

There was previous analysis done that showed it keeping pace with the fighter, but failed to compare it to a hunter ranger (and also gave it an extra +2 damage that I couldn't account for). An offhand attack with colossus slayer and hunter's mark pulls ahead considerably.

 

[steeldragons]

"Get rid of it" seems the easiest/best answer and what immediately comes to mind.

But I suppose that is unrealistic...the whole thing published and there in the book already.

My instinctual response would be make Ranger PCs default to Hunter and offer Beastmaster as a Feat. Remove the limitation on Actions and:

1) permit the beast to make an attack with/as a bonus action by the Ranger or
2) allow the animal to make attacks if the Ranger wants to use their Extra Attack (at 5th) or
3) Combine 1 & 2. Allow a bonus action to attack and 2 actions if they use/give their Extra Attack to the animal. So, using the ranger's extra attack would/could allow the beast 2 attacks or attack and dash, attack and dodge, dodge and help, or whatever combo. or
4) Allow the animal to take Dodge, Disengage, Help, or Dash as a bonus action and require the use of the Extra Attack (gained at 5th level) to have the animal make an Attack action in conjunction with the ranger's attack.

But again, it's already a subclass. So, I guess take 1-4, as you like best, and houserule/apply them with the existing sub-class.

 

[Dausuul]

Hmm. I don't like the hit point sharing. It means that if you get knocked unconscious, your companion can't drag you out of danger; if your companion gets dropped unconscious, you can't rescue it.

My biggest problem with the existing rules is the tradeoff between you attacking and your companion doing anything. I get the need to balance the beastmaster's attack options against those of other rangers, but it's a weird restriction found nowhere else in the game; everybody else who has pets can give orders as a bonus action, and can usually give a general order ("Kill the ogre") and leave the pet to carry it out. A necromancer's shambling zombie minions are more capable of independent action than a ranger's animal companion. What gives?

I'd be inclined to go with something like this, subject to further tweaking:

• Beastmasters don't get Extra Attack, and levels in Beastmaster ranger don't count toward getting EA if you're multiclassing.
• When you choose a companion, you can make it a Scout or a Mount. A Scout companion must be your size or smaller; you can use an action to look into your companion's eyes and view any scene that it observed within the last 24 hours. A Mount companion can be a non-flying creature of any size, and you can ride it.
• As a bonus action, you can command your companion to move and to take the Dodge, Disengage, or Dash action. If given no orders, it will avoid combat. It won't defend you and fights only if cornered.
• When you reach 5th level, you can command your companion to take any action, including attacking. You can also give a general command ("Kill the ogre"), and your companion will follow it until the command is complete or you give it a new order. If given no orders, it defends you as well as it can.
• Your companion uses the same death and dying rules as PCs, and it can be resurrected. If it dies, you can bond with another companion once you gain a level. (Yes, losing your companion hurts a lot. It's supposed to.)