Beastmaster Buff?

[Alsark]

So I want to get my girlfriend into DnD. We're going to play a solo campaign and she's thinking about playing a Beastmaster. From my understanding, this is the weakest archetype in the game. I don't want to dictate what she picks, but I also don't want her to have a bad time or feel weak. I think the best solution would be a house rule buff to the Beastmaster.

I'm a noob DM, and this will be my first time playing 5th Edition, so I need help. These are some ideas I have:

1) Not Beastmaster specific but I feel like the 20th level Foe Slayer should just... be part of the Favored Enemy ability by default. If I do this, though, I'd need a replacement for what happens at level 20.

2) I think I read that Beasts don't get reactions or bonus actions? I'd do away with that...

3) I really think the beast should be able to attack without the ranger needing to command it to do so and spending his/her attack action, but maybe this would be too much?

Also it seems weird to be stuck with an animal companion of 1/4 CR forever... Would it make sense to have upgrades for your companion after certain points?

I realize that the Beastmaster has a lot of uses that require creative thinking and tactics but... I don't think my girlfriend is going to be much of a tactician.

[Alikat]

For a solo campaign, and a first campaign, I'm not sure relative power of the archetype matters? She won't know there are more effective options and being solo she won't be getting outshined, just scale the campaign to her relative strength and make it fun!

[Alsark]

For a solo campaign, and a first campaign, I'm not sure relative power of the archetype matters? She won't know there are more effective options and being solo she won't be getting outshined, just scale the campaign to her relative strength and make it fun!

Thanks for the reply! I was thinking she'd probably need a couple of NPCs to accompany her. I know that's normally a GM no-no, but I figure with her being on her own she'd need some support (especially as an archer). Should I just poorly optimize the NPCs so she feels like she's doing most of the work? Or I guess if I just give her a tank and a healer she'd still be the primary DPSer.

[Alikat]

I don't think it's unreasonable to fill in the gaps for a small group. Lately my group has been me one other player and our DM. It's not uncommon for our campaigns to end up with a cleric or rogue npc to fill a needed role healbotting or skill monkeying. I can imagine a beastmaster ranger handling small solo engagements fairly well, since you can treat the animal like another party member. Even if it doesn't have reactions, in terms of rp decision making I wouldn't say it's gimping an enemy to make them not want to run past the snarling wolf/lion/bear to get to the archer standing behind it.

[Person_Man]

You may wish to read through this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?405369-Beastmaster-Ranger-Not-as-terrible-as-it-seems) for ideas.

Short Version: Beastmaster Ranger works fine as is if you choose a good Companion, the DM allows the Companion to use Bonus Actions, Reactions, and special abilities (like Pounce or Multiattack), and the DM allows Companion attacks to trigger the Ranger's Two-Weapon Fighting (or Crossbow Expert or whatever) so that his Bonus Action isn't wasted when the Companion attacks.

If you allow the Beast to attack on its own without the Ranger directing it, you should take away the Ranger's Extra Attack class ability. Otherwise the Ranger's damage output is basically double that of every other class, and the player is basically controlling two characters (the Ranger and the Companion).

I would not have Foe Slayer kick in at first level if you are also going to buff the Companion in other ways. It does suck though, so I would replace it with some other cooler capstone.

[Asyrin]

I agree with the above poster in that I don't think relative strengths matter in a solo campaign.

I've done a few successful solo campaigns. Here's what I've found worked and didn't work for me. Your mileage may vary, of course :)

1) Resist the urge to form a party around the solo adventurer. NPCs can come and go but having more than 1 adventuring with your PC begins to turn them into bots...and bots are boring.
2) You're far better off tailoring the adventure so she doesn't NEED NPCs to complete her task.
3) There is one huge advantage of running a solo campaign....and that is the story can be tailored to just one player. I enjoyed this most. Your player is a Ranger with a favored enemy? Rock on. Guess who's attacking the village?

Anyway, more to the point of altering the beastmaster class, I would treat her pet as a separate NPC that she commands verbally with its own personality, actions, initiative, etc. Balance in a single player campaign is very easy once you have it under your belt. I suggest the above not because I think she'd need it (she wouldn't) despite the fact the class is weak (it is) but simply because it makes for a better story. Roleplay the wolf or panther or whatever it is yourself.

You're a much better DM than me if you can RP two other full party members while running the story and RPing non-party NPCs :)

Have fun!

[Tenmujiin]

The beastmaster isn't weak assuming you allow the beast to use its rider effects or multiattack and to use reactions (which is RaI I think). The problem with beastmaster is that it is just weird that thr beast can't attack on its own. If she wants to play a ranger with a pet I'd have her play a hunter ranger and give her an animal companion (scaled like a beastmaster companion) that is basically an NPC that she can order around. This isn't because beastmaster is underpowered but because it will be confusing to a first time player that it can't take actions on its own. It would help with the solo campaign's balancing (since that extra 1/2 a player of combat power goes a long way).

Whatever you do just make sure she knows you are changing the rules to facilitate a better solo adventure so she doesn't go to any group games expecting to still have the buffed charcter.

Edit:
Also, as others say, don't use bots to make up for missing skillsets. The ranger can heal and damage and if you either give her a companion or she takes beastmaster the companion can tank and rangers are good with skills. Basically rangers are one of the best solo classes in the game and so she shouldn't need help so long as the encounters are built with the fact she is solo in mind. You can have NPCs help her when they have mutual goals, just don't try and give her a party; she shouldn't need it.

Edit 2: One buff you could give to rangers in general os to allow them to prepare spells like a paladin (1/2 ranger lv + wis spells) rather than having spells known. There really is no reason for them using the restrictive spells known mechanic and that is the only buff I use for rangers in general.

[Giant2005]

Don't buff the Beastmaster, or if you do it at all don't touch anything other than the HP of the companion.
Beastmaster damage is already exceptional - the only thing that surpasses it is a Barbarian that is Frenzying and Reckless Assaulting like a madman.
But if she isn't particularly experienced or mechanically minded, she will choose some stupid, flavourful companion that isn't quite so competitive. If she does that, choose a more effective companion for her and just give her fluffy bunny or whatever she chooses the stats of the companion you chose.

Also I thoroughly disagree with everyone's thoughts on adding an NPC companion. NPC companions are only bots if you let them be bots - I have played with games where half the players are more bot-like than the NPCs. It will not only be fine but as far as I am concerned it is mandatory - your grlfriend will become bot-like herself if she doesn't have another player or an NPC to interact with regularly.

[Strill]

In my campaign, we had the exact same problem. The DM just allowed the pet to act independently, and that was that.