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Magus Clash
2014-10-13, 08:35 AM
I've seen a lot of complaints about beastmasters, how the beast can't take reactions or bonus actions, how it doesn't have enough HP, and I thought how hard could it be to solve those issues?
Tell me what you think.

BEASTMASTER RANGER FIX

This class feature updates the ranger's Beastmaster Archetype.

Ranger's Companion
You gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower.
The beast uses your proficiency bonus instead of its own for attack rolls, saving throws and skills it is proficient in, and has a bonus to damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus.
Its hit point maximum equals its normal maximum or six times your level in this class, whichever is higher.
It has a number of d8 hit dice (to spend during rest, the terminology is inconsistent) equal to half your level in this class.
For each ability score improvement you have, you increase one of the beast's ability scores by 1, up to a maximum of 20.
Whenever the beast would force a saving throw, its save DC is the same as the save DC for your spells from this class.
The beast obeys your commands as best as 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 an action, and your reaction to verbally command it to take a reaction.
When you command the beast to take the Attack action, the command counts as your own Attack action for the purpose of making extra attacks.
The beast also takes whatever bonus actions are available and beneficial to it (no action required by you).
If the beast dies, you can obtain another one by spending 8 hours magically bonding with another beast that isn’t hostile to you, either the same type of beast as before or a different one.
If you are a ranger, while traveling through your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.

Bestial Resilience
At 3rd level, your beast companion adds half your proficiency bonus to any saving throws it isn't proficient in.

Exceptional Training
At 7th level, on any of your turns when your beast companion doesn’t attack, you can use a bonus action to command the beast to take the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action on its turn.

Bestial Fury
At 11th level, your beast companion can make an additional attack when you command it to use the Attack action.

Share Spells
At 15th level, when you cast a spell targeting yourself, you can also affect your beast companion with the spell if the beast is within 30 feet of you.

At the DM's discretion, a druid can choose this archetype instead of Wild Shape, Beast Spells and Archdruid, which means it can't be combined with Circle of the Moon.
If you have this class feature from multiple classes, you can only have one companion, but you add your levels in those classes together to determine the benefits.
A druid with a beast companion gains the following additional features.

Coordinated Attack
At 18th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can use your bonus action to command your beast companion to make a single attack.

Ultimate Bond
At 20th level, as long as you are conscious and within 100 feet of your beast companion, you share thoughts and senses with it, and can command it mentally even if you can't otherwise take actions.

Easy_Lee
2014-10-13, 08:41 AM
Breaks the normal archetype rules. For one, archetypes aren't supposed to have capstones.

Either way, I think my core-only mounted BM (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?376418-Breaking-BM) is better.

Magus Clash
2014-10-13, 08:51 AM
What do you mean "normal archetype rules"? Are there official rules for pulling new rules out of one's ass?
I only included a capstone so that druids who give up their Wild Shape would get a consolation prize for not having infinite HP at level 20.

Easy_Lee
2014-10-13, 09:10 AM
What do you mean "normal archetype rules"? Are there official rules for pulling new rules out of one's ass?
I only included a capstone so that druids who give up their Wild Shape would get a consolation prize for not having infinite HP at level 20.

Normally archetypes for a class gain new features at the same levels. Rangers usually get theirs at 3, 7, 11, and 15. Having rules like that is one of the reasons why homebrew is so easy this edition.

Magus Clash
2014-10-13, 09:58 AM
Fine, I made some minor changes. I wasn't sure what to put at druid level 18 though, so suggestions would be nice.