Druid with an Animal Companion?

[AmbientRaven]

Hey Folks,

I was wondering how you would give a druid an animal companion? A player in my game has requested one, and, I have also been trying to figure it out because I love the feel of 3.5/PE druids that had them

(Side note, every game I have played in has made controlling an animal companion a bonus action to set a command)

Thanks

[rhouck]

I would take a look at a couple of places to fashion the rules of what that companion can do (and how he can keep it):
1) Look at the 5th level spell "Awaken". That essentially gives you an animal (or plant!) companion for 30 days. It also raises their intelligence to 10.
2) Look at the 1st level spell "Animal Friendship". (also be sure to review the rules on "charmed" creatures)
3) Look at the 1st level spell "Find Familiar".
4) Look at Ranger - Beast Master.

If your Druid is obtaining an animal companion without using one of the above routes, I would be sure to craft it so it is inferior to the above. It is easier if the Druid is requesting a small, non-combat animal who he can then talk to with Speak With Animals (or the Forest Gnome's "Speak With Small Beasts"). That could just include a process of befriending the animal, and then treating it well. If he wants to use it in combat, either direct (e.g., bear mauling enemies) or indirect (e.g., an owl using the Help action), then you have to be careful to keep it balanced compared to the above-listed options.

[Sigreid]

I haven't really looked at the balance of it, but off the top of my head I don't see an immediate problem with a "beast brother" archetype that basically used the Ranger Beastmaster features instead of Moon or Land. Some number crunchers here would be able to give you a better idea of the pros and cons.

[PoeticDwarf]

Hey Folks,

I was wondering how you would give a druid an animal companion? A player in my game has requested one, and, I have also been trying to figure it out because I love the feel of 3.5/PE druids that had them

(Side note, every game I have played in has made controlling an animal companion a bonus action to set a command)

Thanks
It is very cool and I like it, but it would make a strong class OP, maybe a subclass giving a pet like the Beast Master does?

[Belac93]

I would say that you could make a pretty good beasmaster type subclass. You could make it so that your companion can be up to the same challenge as your wild shape, and maybe a number of times per day equal to your wisdom mod, you can use a bonus action to command it?

[thepsyker]

1) Look at the 5th level spell "Awaken". That essentially gives you an animal (or plant!) companion for 30 days. It also raises their intelligence to 10.

This seems to be the best existing way to go about it. Find animal you want, awaken animal, treat it like an actual companion for 30 days instead of being a jerk, then when time runs up and it has to decide to stay with a friend who treats it well or go out on its own there is no real reason it shouldn't stick around.

[Specter]

I believe any class feature can be given to another class if it makes sense and the player is willing to give up something of his own class.

In one of my campaigns, for example, the Rogue wanted to be a Thief, but felt that climbing and jumping would be too mild or situational (and it would be), and wanted to replace it for something else. I gave him the Jack of All Trades feature of the bard instead of Second Story Work, and we never looked back on it.

In the case of the animal companion:
- If he wanted the same feature of the Beastmaster (scaling HP and bonuses to damage and skills, along with other special abilities), I would remove his Natural Recovery (for Land Druid) or the ability to spend spells to heal yourself (for Moon Druid).
- If he just wanted a loyal pet for roleplaying purposes, I would just give it to him (maybe removing one of his 1st-level spell slots, to be fair).

[Specter]

I believe any class feature can be given to another class if it makes sense and the player is willing to give up something of his own class.

In one of my campaigns, for example, the Rogue wanted to be a Thief, but felt that climbing and jumping would be too mild or situational (and it would be), and wanted to replace it for something else. I gave him the Jack of All Trades feature of the bard instead of Second Story Work, and we never looked back on it.

In the case of the animal companion:
- If he wanted the same feature of the Beastmaster (scaling HP and bonuses to damage and skills, along with other special abilities), I would remove his Natural Recovery (for Land Druid) or the ability to spend spells to heal yourself (for Moon Druid).
- If he just wanted a loyal pet for roleplaying purposes, I would just give it to him (maybe removing one of his 1st-level spell slots, to be fair).