Ranger BM build.

[Sgt Jiggz]

I love the concept of the ranger beastmaster, but like many others I feel the execution in 5e is rather weak. The main problem imo is that the beast doesn't scale well with lvl. Sure you get to add your profiency bonus to alot of your companions important stats such as attack and damage modifier and AC, but I want more than that! Why can't I choose a companion of a higher cr when I'm on a higher lvl. How cool wouldn't be if you could have a direwolf Companion (with an appropriate name like Lady, Grey wind, Ghost, Shaggy dog, Summer or perhaps Nymeria), a saber tooth tiger companion or even a regular tiger (named Hobbes, you'd of course play a halfling named Calvin)?
So much lost potential :/

Anyhow I've pondered long and hard about how to make a BM thats a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. The BM as is isn't exactly bad by any means, but there are so many awesome builds for most other melee archetypes wich can easily owershadow a BM. And I want the BM to play as good or even better than most others. Here is the build I'm suggesting, ironically there is only a few lvls of ranger in this build, but after you get your companion there isn't really much to gain from sticking with ranger.

Variant Human. Feat Warcaster
Stats at 20
STR 8
DEX 14
CON 16
INT 8
WIS 20
CHA 10

Start with one lvl in fighter, for Con save profiency. Choose GWF for fighting style Eventually we will take more fighter lvls.
Also pick the urchin background an choose a scorpion as your pet.

Druid Lvl 2-10
You can go either Land or Moon, but i would recomend Land for the ability to regen spell slots on short rests.
What we truly want here is three spells, Shillelagh, Giant Insect and Awaken.

Lvl 11-14 Ranger BM
Get +1 AC with your second fighting style. Choose your Scorpion as your companion and cast Awaken on it. You now have a scorpion that has it's own initiative, is intelligent and is super loyal to you. In combat you'll need one round to prepare and after that all hell breaks loose. Cast Shillelagh on yourself and Giant insect on your companion, wich for a scorpion is the mother of all buffs! Now you have a CR 3 Large beast you can ride, which acording to RAW adds your profiency bonus to AC, to hit and dmg. It has 3 attacks that does a respectable amount of damage and you don't need to sacrifice any of your actions, so you can still atack yourself.

The build takes a loooong time to come online but until then you can simply play as a regular land druid.
For the remaining lvl I suggest Fighter 6 Ranger 4 Druid 10. You will start with con and wis on 16 and dex on 14, Increase wis to 20 and then take 3 more feats; mounted combatant, Great weapon master and Polearm master.

At 20 you and your companion will have 6 attacks between eachother (extra attack+bonus action buttend attack), all your attacks will be at advantage against medium or smaller creatures and if you go eldritch knight fighter you can cast shield as a reaction and use booming blade on opportunity attacks. You are also a lvl 14 caster, have lvl 5 druid spells and a few lvl one ranger and wizard spells, have 18 ac, ~200 hp, evasion while mounted, 40 movement speed and most important of all, you get to ride a f*cking scorpion into battle!

So what do you guys think?

[Arkhios]

Sorry to break it for you, but for War Caster you must be able to cast spells at that level when you take it. If you start as a fighter, you can't use your variant human feat to take War Caster.

[BW022]

I love the concept of the ranger beastmaster, but like many others I feel the execution in 5e is rather weak.
...

Fighter
Druid Lvl 2-10
Lvl 11-14 Ranger BM
Fighter

So what do you guys think?

I wouldn't consider this a BM build. It isn't even a ranger build. You don't even gain a companion until 14th level? You are a fighter/druid who added a companion as an after thought. You are presumably just attacking and casting spells yourself 90% of the time and at some level you have a minor animal which follows you around and whose attacks are pretty minor by the time you get them.

If you like the idea of the BM ranger, then the idea is to play that character throughout the campaign. Tracking, wilderness skills, stealth, ambushes, and having the animal with you. Not playing a campaign for 8 months before you add an animal to which (by then) is a pretty minor part of your abilities.

There are lots of ways of making BM builds better.

Talk with you DM. Ask for higher CR creatures, add hit points per level, etc. Maybe you need a quest.

Mounted Combat. Small sized characters or take a riding horse.

Ranger Favoured Campaign. Maybe the campaign is set in terrain favoured by the ranger. A Mongol-type campaign where your horses and mounted combat are key. An ocean going campaign where a dolphin or something would be huge at low-to-mid levels. Maybe only play in a campaign focused on lower-levels.

Find Stead. There are ways to get the spell (ranger/paladin or ranger/lore bard builds) or simply getting access to scrolls with the spell. Again, maybe a DM talk. These do not require massive level dips but give you a companion more easily replaced and more in the DM spirit.

Animal Friendship, Speak with Animals This may not have occurred to you, but you can always simply find a regular animal and train it. Just recast animal friendship daily until it is trained. Scales much better with levels. There isn't that much disadvantage over a BM companion, other than the massive replacement cost. Still... it is hard to kill creatures in 5E due to the 3 failed con save rule. Mounted combatant on one of these make them hard to kill via most non-spell attacks.

Buffs. Rather than massively level dipping for relatively minor buffs... consider scrolls, wands, or magical items. Or rely on other party members to provide spells. A wand of enlarge is likely better than dipping multiple levels through three levels of wizard or sorcerer.

Magical Items. Find items to buff or enhance your companion. Smart use of potions and scrolls can be extremely useful at low-to-mid levels. You can also as your DM or quest to find magical horseshoes, saddles, bridles, collars, rings, etc. which they might be able to wear/use at higher levels.

Stop Focusing on Combat. Lots of class abilities, spells, and tactics do not scale way over 20-levels. Accept it. A panther at 3rd-level might be extremely effective in combat. While it is going to be useless at 10th. Fine. So are many other classes abilities. A sleep spell is massively powerful at 1st-level, but virtually useless by 10th (even at the highest level spell slot). Typically a caster won't prepare or will swap out that spell and learn and adapt other tactics. Nearly all my characters go through different tactics at different level ranges. Maybe focus you BM companion on non-combat duties -- guard duties, scouting, delivering messages, tracking, perception checks, etc. Horses and mounts are still useful for travel. Hawks, bats, and other creatures are still useful for scouting, guard duty, message delivery, etc. Gnome with a hawk. Drow with a bat. Dwarf with a pit viper who uses poison.

[Specter]

BM is an archetype that hardly ever benefits from multiclassing, since the beast gains even less HP that way. Unless you convince your DM that druid levels count for that.

Shillelagh is great to leave DEX at 14 and pump WIS, but I wouldn't bother with Awaken; it's better to just find a druid that would perform such a service.

[Arkhios]

BM is an archetype that hardly ever benefits from multiclassing, since the beast gains even less HP that way. Unless you convince your DM that druid levels count for that.

Shillelagh is great to leave DEX at 14 and pump WIS, but I wouldn't bother with Awaken; it's better to just find a druid that would perform such a service.

Although, if any beast gets even that 16 hp, they have more hit points than a similar beast without a master :P

[MrFahrenheit]

Having DM'ed for one, the main problem with beast masters is not that they're suboptimal as a subclass, but they're often PLAYED sub optimally.

Consider single classing. Here's why:

Whether you go hunter or beastmaster, you're still a ranger. At the end of the day, the bulk of your powers come from the core class's chassis (this is true for any class).

Early on, the beast's attack is great, but not too much to make an obvious target of itself. Later on, as its damage and hp won't scale to par, commanding the beast to use your bonus action (what were you going to use it on anyway? You only have so many slots for lightning arrow) for tactical gains on the battlefield will benefit you or any given party member.

Need to make sure your next attack hits? Have it help you. Need to make sure the paladin's next smite hits? Have it help him.

Too many enemies closing in on you? Have it dash through them to draw their reaction attacks.

It gets trickier if you lose the companion, as YMMV. I'd personally make the player roll a survival check with an appropriate DC dependent upon current environment each long rest. Hit the DC and you've found your new companion.

[Easy_Lee]

I suspect most DMs will be hesitant to grant the beast its own initiative for Awaken. Most likely, you just get a talking companion. Cool and useful for delivering messages, but nothing added in combat.

The beast's AC, HP, and proficient saves (if it even has any) do scale with your level. Its damage scales, but not quite enough to really matter given that beast HP doesn't go over 80. For this reason, pure BM is the only viable route. Else your beast is even worse off.

The result is clear: you need to keep your beast from taking damage.

Enter the mounted BM:

Play a halfling and specialize in archery or dueling w/shield, possibly with shillelagh if you can manage it (would take a feat or custom race as Rangers don't get cantrips for some reason).
Take mounted combatant at 4. If someone attacks your beast, you may redirect the attack to yourself.
Choose a beast like the Panther or Pteranodon who has superior mobility. Craft an exotic saddle to ride it.
Use the Mounted Combat rules to command your beast to dash, dodge, or disengage without consuming your actions. These rules do not conflict with BM rules by RAW. The BM rules don't specify that spending your action is the only way to command the beast; they only say that it does nothing if you don't relay commands. Thus, relaying commands through the mounted combat rules should not conflict. Rules lawyering, but the RAW is fairly clear.

You now have the best mobility possible for a level 4 character. Dash 100' per round in combat on a panther, becoming uncatchable. Take control spells like ensnaring strike and plant growth, and become a controller. Use beast abilities like Pounce against particularly squishy targets, such as casters.

You aren't likely to impress anyone with your damage, but you should be able to get exactly where you need to be in any situation and avoid hazards. By keeping a bow at the ready, you can plink targets from a safe distance until you run out of arrows, and most enemies can't stop you.

Do bear in mind that a will save (WIS/INT/CHA) targeting your companion will ruin your adventuring day. Hiring a druid to Awaken the beast may still be wise.

I'm convinced this is, by RAW, the best way to play a Beastmaster. However, if you're interested, I can send you the house rules I use to make the class a little varied.

[famousringo]

Weird to say BM doesn't scale, since they're the only class besides fighter that gets a de facto third attack without spending a bonus action and the only class period that gets to add proficiency to damage. Giant Poisonous Snake hits freaking hard and accurate man. Imagine having Archery Style and a special version of Sharpshooter that only applies -5 to hit to the bonus damage, that's how hard the snake hits as long as the target isn't poison immune. For zero feats.

Beastmaster is probably best used as a tank/control class. I recommend sword and board, defensive style, and feats focused on durability and utility, like Sentinel and Inspiring leader. Mounted Combatant can be great for little people. Don't use Hunter's Mark, use Entangling Strike instead.

If you want to multiclass, I suggest picking a caster with good buffs for your beast. Mage Armor or Shield of Faith are good for beasts that can't get easy access to barding, and Warding Bond seems like a really valuable spell if you want to stay at range while using your beast as an offtank. But all muticlassing delays Bestial Fury and Share Spells, so careful how deep you go.

[TundraBuccaneer]

Haven't tried it yet but if you can play the spell-less ranger from the Modifying Classes Article.
Then you get a lot of nice options because there are some maneuvers that help your team mates and thus you pet.
Although there might be quite a few that dependent on your DM letting your companion take a reaction on your turn(pretty sure you can't), but Distracting Strike, Rally and Goading Attack will all help.

[Sgt Jiggz]

Sorry to break it for you, but for War Caster you must be able to cast spells at that level when you take it. If you start as a fighter, you can't use your variant human feat to take War Caster.
Then start with Polearm master, you'll eventually get it anyway, and pick warcaster at 4th

[Sgt Jiggz]

I wouldn't consider this a BM build. It isn't even a ranger build. You don't even gain a companion until 14th level? You are a fighter/druid who added a companion as an after thought. You are presumably just attacking and casting spells yourself 90% of the time and at some level you have a minor animal which follows you around and whose attacks are pretty minor by the time you get them.

If you like the idea of the BM ranger, then the idea is to play that character throughout the campaign. Tracking, wilderness skills, stealth, ambushes, and having the animal with you. Not playing a campaign for 8 months before you add an animal to which (by then) is a pretty minor part of your abilities.

There are lots of ways of making BM builds better.

Talk with you DM. Ask for higher CR creatures, add hit points per level, etc. Maybe you need a quest.

Mounted Combat. Small sized characters or take a riding horse.

Ranger Favoured Campaign. Maybe the campaign is set in terrain favoured by the ranger. A Mongol-type campaign where your horses and mounted combat are key. An ocean going campaign where a dolphin or something would be huge at low-to-mid levels. Maybe only play in a campaign focused on lower-levels.

Find Stead. There are ways to get the spell (ranger/paladin or ranger/lore bard builds) or simply getting access to scrolls with the spell. Again, maybe a DM talk. These do not require massive level dips but give you a companion more easily replaced and more in the DM spirit.

Animal Friendship, Speak with Animals This may not have occurred to you, but you can always simply find a regular animal and train it. Just recast animal friendship daily until it is trained. Scales much better with levels. There isn't that much disadvantage over a BM companion, other than the massive replacement cost. Still... it is hard to kill creatures in 5E due to the 3 failed con save rule. Mounted combatant on one of these make them hard to kill via most non-spell attacks.

Buffs. Rather than massively level dipping for relatively minor buffs... consider scrolls, wands, or magical items. Or rely on other party members to provide spells. A wand of enlarge is likely better than dipping multiple levels through three levels of wizard or sorcerer.

Magical Items. Find items to buff or enhance your companion. Smart use of potions and scrolls can be extremely useful at low-to-mid levels. You can also as your DM or quest to find magical horseshoes, saddles, bridles, collars, rings, etc. which they might be able to wear/use at higher levels.

Stop Focusing on Combat. Lots of class abilities, spells, and tactics do not scale way over 20-levels. Accept it. A panther at 3rd-level might be extremely effective in combat. While it is going to be useless at 10th. Fine. So are many other classes abilities. A sleep spell is massively powerful at 1st-level, but virtually useless by 10th (even at the highest level spell slot). Typically a caster won't prepare or will swap out that spell and learn and adapt other tactics. Nearly all my characters go through different tactics at different level ranges. Maybe focus you BM companion on non-combat duties -- guard duties, scouting, delivering messages, tracking, perception checks, etc. Horses and mounts are still useful for travel. Hawks, bats, and other creatures are still useful for scouting, guard duty, message delivery, etc. Gnome with a hawk. Drow with a bat. Dwarf with a pit viper who uses poison.
I know that a mere 5th of the levels are in beast master, but for me it is enough if the build has a beast master warrior of the Wild feel :)

Riding to battle on a scorpion wielding quarterstaff and druid spells does that for me. I know that there are plenty of other ways to do beast masters cool, but I came across the giant insect spell and decided to experiment with it. I admit this was built as an optimized lvl 20 character, but personally I don't have a problem with how it changes through the levels. I can easily get bored with a character if the playstyle isn't varied a bit as you progress through the levels.

[Sgt Jiggz]

Weird to say BM doesn't scale, since they're the only class besides fighter that gets a de facto third attack without spending a bonus action and the only class period that gets to add proficiency to damage. Giant Poisonous Snake hits freaking hard and accurate man. Imagine having Archery Style and a special version of Sharpshooter that only applies -5 to hit to the bonus damage, that's how hard the snake hits as long as the target isn't poison immune. For zero feats.

What I want is to have the cr scale, like it does for druids wild form, thus opening up for a much greater selection of species :)

[Sgt Jiggz]

I suspect most DMs will be hesitant to grant the beast its own initiative for Awaken. Most likely, you just get a talking companion. Cool and useful for delivering messages, but nothing added in combat.

The beast's AC, HP, and proficient saves (if it even has any) do scale with your level. Its damage scales, but not quite enough to really matter given that beast HP doesn't go over 80. For this reason, pure BM is the only viable route. Else your beast is even worse off.

The result is clear: you need to keep your beast from taking damage.

Enter the mounted BM:

Play a halfling and specialize in archery or dueling w/shield, possibly with shillelagh if you can manage it (would take a feat or custom race as Rangers don't get cantrips for some reason).
Take mounted combatant at 4. If someone attacks your beast, you may redirect the attack to yourself.
Choose a beast like the Panther or Pteranodon who has superior mobility. Craft an exotic saddle to ride it.
Use the Mounted Combat rules to command your beast to dash, dodge, or disengage without consuming your actions. These rules do not conflict with BM rules by RAW. The BM rules don't specify that spending your action is the only way to command the beast; they only say that it does nothing if you don't relay commands. Thus, relaying commands through the mounted combat rules should not conflict. Rules lawyering, but the RAW is fairly clear.

You now have the best mobility possible for a level 4 character. Dash 100' per round in combat on a panther, becoming uncatchable. Take control spells like ensnaring strike and plant growth, and become a controller. Use beast abilities like Pounce against particularly squishy targets, such as casters.

You aren't likely to impress anyone with your damage, but you should be able to get exactly where you need to be in any situation and avoid hazards. By keeping a bow at the ready, you can plink targets from a safe distance until you run out of arrows, and most enemies can't stop you.

Do bear in mind that a will save (WIS/INT/CHA) targeting your companion will ruin your adventuring day. Hiring a druid to Awaken the beast may still be wise.

I'm convinced this is, by RAW, the best way to play a Beastmaster. However, if you're interested, I can send you the house rules I use to make the class a little varied.

HI easy Lee!
I actually drew a lot of inspiration from your guide, but I was in a hurry when I wrote this post and didn't have time to search for it again to give you credit. Send me those house rules please and I'll have a look :)