AL ranger

[Lolzyking]

Okay I'm thinking about playing a AL legal ranger beast master. I'm going to be using Volos as the +1 book.

I'm trying to figure out which cr 1/4 beast in the MM or Volo's would make a good mount for a small creature.

I'm considering defaulting to the giant crab.

any suggestions or tips for this?

[TheBirba]

This list (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?358676-Beast-Master-Ranger-List-of-Animal-Companions) may help you a bit.

If I am allowed a personal comment, don't. PHB beast master is pretty frustrating mechanically; for however cool the concept is, having your companion risking death every single fight is not fun.

[Crusher]

This list (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?358676-Beast-Master-Ranger-List-of-Animal-Companions) may help you a bit.

If I am allowed a personal comment, don't. PHB beast master is pretty frustrating mechanically; for however cool the concept is, having your companion risking death every single fight is not fun.

Unless you're cool with it dropping and stabilizing it. I'm DMing a campaign and the Ranger has a puma that is just a damage magnet. Its kind of a running joke that somehow the puma will end up unconscious after virtually every fight and has died a number of times. He's not reckless with it, it just gets crit as much as the rest of the party combined somehow.

The puma now will go into combat with the party, but after dying a couple times to traps, absolutely will not scout for the party or suicidally sacrifice itself to save others, or lead battle charges. It'll go in with everyone else, and just somehow manages to die despite everyone's best efforts. Its actually been pretty entertaining.

[Lolzyking]

Thanks for the list, but I was wondering there was anything in Volo's guide that may be better than the list provided.

I'm leaning towards the crab because of how great a grappler it is and its decent starting AC, Also I'm confident that I will be able to get it barding.

Also all the AL around me have been in the "familiars and companions can use your magic items" camp.

[djreynolds]

The class in fine, but if you use it as a mount.... what's the point. Grab a class with find steed.

I used my beast as a tasty little morsel that everyone want's to hit. I took pole-arm master and sentinel.

I literally lived off reaction attacks and my single attack, for some reason everyone wants to kill your wolf. Yes my beasts died quite often, but you can just get a new one. It is heartless, but it does work

If you want what Drizzt has, have the DM give you figurine of wondrous power

Both rangers, according to sage advice, are AL legal. But the beast master isn't terrible... it just isn't optimal.

Familiars are just better in terms of cost for gaining advantage for ranged rangers

[Lolzyking]

I'm not Trying to be super optimal, Just optimal enough the idea works.

The idea of a Kobold Ranger, inspired by rangers of old, to take up a battle companion, and ride it off into adventure is inspiring.

with plate barding a ranger companion gets 18 + proficiency ac, so easily 20+.

[Desteplo]

If they're not doing dinosaurs, get a vulture. Lvl3 flying is good.

-otherwise they're support or their abilities: Panther pounce, wolf trip, etc

-all the poisons are great but low DC. so keep that in mind. Flying snake I think is best option for auto poison and flyby attack, But that's just damage.

Crab grapple is good, although again. It'll then probably be a target. Plate is EXPENSIVE! So be prepared for lower armor barding until later lvls.

I saw someone specifically use their animal for bonus action "help" but that's lvl7+ though it made sharpshooter amazing.

If you can use revised ranger. Beast master is great. Pick whatever at that point. Have fun.

[Lolzyking]

I can only pray that wotc get their head out their butt and actually release a phb2 with a revised ranger, AL would probably tell me it would count as my +1 for arbitrary pathfinder fears...

[djreynolds]

Just google it at WOTC UA revised ranger.... its much better

[nickl_2000]

Just google it at WOTC UA revised ranger.... its much better

It is much better, but the OP said he wants to play it in Adventure League (AL). AL doesn't allow any Unearthed Arcana content, and only allows players to use the PhB +1 other WotC rulebook

[Lolzyking]

I have one other idea , That may warrant a thread of its own


The Deep Rothe cow.

Medium cr 1/4th beast , Check

Deep rothe are stunted Underdark variants of rothe.
They are Medium instead of Large, have 13 (2d8 + 4) hit
points, and communicate with each other by using magical
flashing lights. They have darkvision out to a range
of 60 feet and the following additional trait:
Innate Spellcasting. The deep rothe's spellcasting ability is
Charisma. It can innately cast dancing lights at will, requiring no
components.

[Desteplo]

Revised ranger is legal in AL by RAW. They say so in the article.

[Lolzyking]

Could you link me to the article ? it sounds too good to be true

[nickl_2000]

Revised ranger is legal in AL by RAW. They say so in the article.

In what article? In the UA article it states that it is conditional upon being published in a book


If this iteration of the ranger, or future revision of it, grades high enough, our plan is to present it as a revised ranger in a future D&D sourcebook. Players can select the original ranger or the revised version, though DMs will always be free to use only one or the other. Both will be legal for D&D Adventurers League play

[nickl_2000]

Could you link me to the article ? it sounds too good to be true

Sadly I think it is. Assuming this string of tweet from JC has not been superseeded.

http://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/01/08/will-allany-of-unearthed-arcana-ideas-become-al-legal-anytime-soon/

[MadBear]

Revised ranger is legal in AL by RAW. They say so in the article.

Not quite, they say that if the UA ranger rates high enough they'll include it in a sourcebook that will then make it RAW. Until then, it is sadly not RAW in AL.

[djreynolds]

Beastmaster is fine, flying snake, poisonous snake, and giant crab or wolf are my choices.

Can ride one, yes... but its not that good.

You can snag find familiar for an archery based beastmaster.

Use your beast simply as a roadblock or to draw agro, unfortunately, you and your beast will not grow up to become best friends, the beast will often die and wolves are easy to come by.

If you are an archer, grab find familiar and use this for advantage and grab a giant crab, has a high AC and either he will stop enemy coming to you or will score plenty of AoO

For melee, I prefer a glaive and a wolf in front of me, sentinel and PAM and clean up with reaction attacks

[Lombra]

Screw optimal: a kobold riding a giant crab in battle is just too cool.