I paid someone to cast awaken on my ranger's beast?

[djreynolds]

If my beast becomes awakened, it will have a 10 intelligence. Would it be worth it? It is charmed for 30 days, and can decide whether to remain afterwards if the party does not harm it, unsure if having it scout or protect me is considered harm or putting the beast purposefully in harm's way.

Now since it is charmed, it can't decide to just leave, the DM would throw that in or at least a chance since it is sentient.

Is this permanent?

It would be expensive, but realistically, it would something we would have to pay for or wait until a bard or druid became 9th level? What would an NPC charge for this spell, similar to casting greater restoration?

Any thoughts?

[Jeebs]

My favorite part of getting your companion awakened is that they can learn a language, and then be buffed by a party member with the Inspiring Leader feat.

If someone has it, or plans to take it, I'd say it's definitely worth it.

[Dalebert]

I could see some DMs ruling that it's an NPC at that point and no longer eligible to be a ranger's beast.

[Daishain]

Some DMs may rule that Awaken makes your beast ineligible for a Ranger companion. Precedent distinguishes between beasts and magical beasts, and previous versions of Awaken shunted the subject into the latter category.

However for 5E, the magical beast category no longer seems to exist, and the creature type for awakened plants is just a standard plant. So that's no longer a RAW ruling, not sure how I feel about that, I'd be inclined to say it is an NPC at that point rather than your character mechanic, but that's me.

Regardless, assuming the DM doesn't want to intercede, it appears to work just fine, and yes the effect is permanent. Note that your companion will be charmed by the caster for 30 days after the casting of the spell. Once the charm wears off, nothing whatsoever is preventing the former beast from giving you and the caster the closest they can manage to a middle finger and buggering off, so treat them well.

[MasterMercury]

It's basically a permanent buff on your companion. Your beast doesn't stop being a companion if you cast enlarge or Invisibilty. Awaken is the same thing, just permanent.
The fun part is, can an awakened companion attune to magical objects?

[Temperjoke]

I'd say that it's no longer your companion, but an NPC at that point, growing and developing on it's own. That doesn't mean it won't stay with your group, but since it has an independent mind, you should lose your ability to control it in battle.

[Daishain]

The fun part is, can an awakened companion attune to magical objects?
Assuming the ability to wear them is not in question (getting a wolf into that enchanted full plate ain't gonna be easy), the answer seems to be yes. Previous editions said yes, and this one doesn't say no, so...

[tombowings]

I'd say that it's no longer your companion, but an NPC at that point, growing and developing on it's own. That doesn't mean it won't stay with your group, but since it has an independent mind, you should lose your ability to control it in battle.

Isn't that even better? You get two animal companions them, one you can control in combat and one you can't. Sounds perfect.

[Temperjoke]

Isn't that even better? You get two animal companions them, one you can control in combat and one you can't. Sounds perfect.

Not necessarily what he intended though; plus, it also means a lot more work for the DM, so the DM could decide that the former companion wants to settle down and leaves the group, so you haven't gained anything.

[Tanarii]

Now since it is charmed, it can't decide to just leave, the DM would throw that in or at least a chance since it is sentient.

That's not what charmed means in 5e. It can decide to leave if it chooses to. Unless someone persuades it otherwise.

Charmed by the caster means:
A) It cannot attack or otherwise target the caster with harmful affects.
B) The caster gets advantage on ability checks to interact socially with it.

The latter may make it fairly easy for the caster to initially persuade it to accompany you. But after that, if you need to continue to persuade it to do anything that, you'll have to do it with unmodified checks. Unless the caster is part of your group of course, in which case she can do it.

[djreynolds]

So awaken sets its intelligence at 10. Same as the most PCs, so I'm thinking the beast acts on its own without you having to give up an action to command, etc..

So now it is under the DMs control, does the beast still retain the ranger bonuses, etc? Would it get the fury class feature?

And obviously to could leave of its own accord, free will.

I've searched sage advice and did come across someone awakening a plant and that being used as a ranger's companion.

I wonder what sage advice thinks of this, but all searches keep coming up with Awakened Mind Mystic.

I've read Mr Lee Breaking BM thread, which is very intriguing because I do like that concept of the class. The potential in the pillars of exploration alone is very cool.

Though it sounds cool, if the beast is now considered an NPC because of the intelligence increase and no longer keeps the ranger bonus to stuff, its just a smart wolf or owl at that moment with CR 1/4 un-buffed stats. And now you just find another pet, and off goes your squirrel, with a 10 in intelligence, "to rule the realm of the acorns."

If it does keeps it ranger bonuses, as an intelligent creature you can explain to it like any PC a battle plan, I wouldn't think you would have to use an action to command or better yet advise it on what actions are best to do, and like most teammates it will probably do something silly, like a mage rushing into melee

[Toofey]

I'd actually really be surprised if most DMs made it into an NPC, I feel like just having it be a companion that the DM retains the right to have disagree with you, but still functions on the same dynamics would be less of a powerup than an awakened animal as a party member.

I can see DMs saying it leaves the party, but I would expect most DMs that let you keep it to leave it as a follower.

[Maxilian]

I would leave it as a NPC (still as a companion) that may not always agree with its "owner" and if will, instead of feeling like a posesion of the player, as part of the party, and if treated badly it will react (maybe leaving, etc...), IMHO i really like this, cause it gives the DM a lot of things to do, in the end, as an intelligent creature, the pet will want things now, it may even have "dreams" and things they wish to accomplish