quinron
2016-10-28, 11:26 PM
I've come up with a system - admittedly not a complicated one - for allowing Beast Master/Conclave rangers to pick up stronger animal companions. I used the default stats from the DMG's "Creating a Monster" tables to determine the balance for the Beast Master changes. To determine the balance for the revised ranger's Beast Conclave, I just compared brown bears to black bears and wolves to dire wolves. I haven't had a chance to playtest it yet, but please let me know what you think.
IMPROVED COMPANION - Beast Master version
At higher levels, you may obtain companions stronger than those permitted at 3rd level, though you exhibit less expert control over them.
At 7th level, you may gain a beast companion of Large size or smaller, though its challenge cannot exceed 1/4.
At 11th level, you may gain a beast companion of Large size or smaller with a challenge rating of up to 1/2. When calculating the beast's hit points and its bonuses to AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws and skills with which it is proficient, you do so as if you were at half your current ranger level (rounded down). For example, a 12th-level ranger is considered to be at 6th level to calculate his crocodile companion's bonuses and hit points.
At 15th level, you may gain a beast companion with a challenge rating of up to 1. When calculating the beast's hit points and its bonuses to AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws and skills with which it is proficient, you do so as if you were at 1/4 your current ranger level (rounded down). For example, a 15th-level ranger is considered to be at 3rd level to calculate his giant spider companion's bonuses and hit points.
Improved Companions For Multiclass Characters. In order to gain an improved companion, you must reach the necessary number of levels in ranger. When calculating your companion's hit points, you use your ranger levels, ignoring your levels in other classes. When calculating your companion's bonuses based on your proficiency bonus, you use your total level.
For example, a 12th-level ranger/4th-level cleric could gain a Large-sized companion of a challenge rating of up to 1/2, but not 1. The companion's hit points are equal to those listed in its stat block or 24, whichever is higher, as the character is considered to be a 4th-level ranger rather than an 8th-level ranger when calculating the companion's hit points. When determining the companion's bonuses to AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws and skills with which it is proficient, the character is considered to be at 8th level rather than 16th level.
IMPROVED COMPANION - Beast Conclave version
At higher levels, you may obtain companions stronger than those permitted at 3rd level, though you exhibit less control over them.
At 7th level, you can form a bond with any Large or smaller beast with a challenge of 1/2 or lower. The ritual to bond with such a beast that is not listed in the Animal Companion feature requires 75 gp worth of herbs and food instead of 50 gp.
At 11th level, you can form a bond with any Large or smaller beast with a challenge of 1 or lower. The ritual to bond with such a beast requires 100 gp worth of herbs and food instead of 50 gp. When determining the bonuses granted by Companion's Bond for such a beast, you are considered to be at 3/4 your current level (rounded down). For example, a 13th-level ranger is considered to be 9th level when determining his brown bear companion's statistics: the bear gains 6 hit dice instead of 10, and its proficiency bonus, AC bonus, and damage bonus are +4 instead of +5.
Improved Companions for Multiclass Characters. In order to gain an improved companion, you must reach the necessary number of levels in ranger. A companion of challenge rating 1 gains additional hit dice as if your ranger level was 3/4 its total, and its proficiency bonus is determined as if you had 3/4 of your total character levels.
For example, a 12th-level ranger/4th-level cleric is considered to be a 9th-level ranger and a 12th-level character when determining his brown bear companion's statistics: the bear gains 6 hit dice instead of 9, and its proficiency bonus, AC bonus, and damage bonus are +4 instead of +5.
IMPROVED COMPANION - Beast Master version
At higher levels, you may obtain companions stronger than those permitted at 3rd level, though you exhibit less expert control over them.
At 7th level, you may gain a beast companion of Large size or smaller, though its challenge cannot exceed 1/4.
At 11th level, you may gain a beast companion of Large size or smaller with a challenge rating of up to 1/2. When calculating the beast's hit points and its bonuses to AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws and skills with which it is proficient, you do so as if you were at half your current ranger level (rounded down). For example, a 12th-level ranger is considered to be at 6th level to calculate his crocodile companion's bonuses and hit points.
At 15th level, you may gain a beast companion with a challenge rating of up to 1. When calculating the beast's hit points and its bonuses to AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws and skills with which it is proficient, you do so as if you were at 1/4 your current ranger level (rounded down). For example, a 15th-level ranger is considered to be at 3rd level to calculate his giant spider companion's bonuses and hit points.
Improved Companions For Multiclass Characters. In order to gain an improved companion, you must reach the necessary number of levels in ranger. When calculating your companion's hit points, you use your ranger levels, ignoring your levels in other classes. When calculating your companion's bonuses based on your proficiency bonus, you use your total level.
For example, a 12th-level ranger/4th-level cleric could gain a Large-sized companion of a challenge rating of up to 1/2, but not 1. The companion's hit points are equal to those listed in its stat block or 24, whichever is higher, as the character is considered to be a 4th-level ranger rather than an 8th-level ranger when calculating the companion's hit points. When determining the companion's bonuses to AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws and skills with which it is proficient, the character is considered to be at 8th level rather than 16th level.
IMPROVED COMPANION - Beast Conclave version
At higher levels, you may obtain companions stronger than those permitted at 3rd level, though you exhibit less control over them.
At 7th level, you can form a bond with any Large or smaller beast with a challenge of 1/2 or lower. The ritual to bond with such a beast that is not listed in the Animal Companion feature requires 75 gp worth of herbs and food instead of 50 gp.
At 11th level, you can form a bond with any Large or smaller beast with a challenge of 1 or lower. The ritual to bond with such a beast requires 100 gp worth of herbs and food instead of 50 gp. When determining the bonuses granted by Companion's Bond for such a beast, you are considered to be at 3/4 your current level (rounded down). For example, a 13th-level ranger is considered to be 9th level when determining his brown bear companion's statistics: the bear gains 6 hit dice instead of 10, and its proficiency bonus, AC bonus, and damage bonus are +4 instead of +5.
Improved Companions for Multiclass Characters. In order to gain an improved companion, you must reach the necessary number of levels in ranger. A companion of challenge rating 1 gains additional hit dice as if your ranger level was 3/4 its total, and its proficiency bonus is determined as if you had 3/4 of your total character levels.
For example, a 12th-level ranger/4th-level cleric is considered to be a 9th-level ranger and a 12th-level character when determining his brown bear companion's statistics: the bear gains 6 hit dice instead of 9, and its proficiency bonus, AC bonus, and damage bonus are +4 instead of +5.