Animal Companion and a Familiar

[Azreal]

Would it be OP to have an animal companion per the Ranger and a Familiar per Warlock be a single animal?

[CTurbo]

Like they share it? I don't think it would work, and I definitely don't see any advantage to it.

[thoroughlyS]

It really depends on which limitations they both keep. For example, a PHB ranger can pick any beast of CR 1/4 or lower. If you make them pick from the find familiar list, then you limit them to CR 0 beasts (aside from the snake).

Additionally, a familiar takes its own turn in initiative, and can take its own action (except attack). If you make them adhere to the ranger's companion rules, they can't take any actions unless commanded to. Strict usage of both rules would seem to imply you couldn't command the beast to attack. You could forgo one of your own attacks instead (thanks to the caveat in pact of the chain), but the 11th level beast master feature would become practically worthless.

Keeping all the limitations means you would basically have a familiar that could also move on your turn (and act at the cost of your own action) and would have extra AC, hit points, and damage.



If you let them have the best of both worlds, then it would be a solid reward for spending two character resources on it. A CR 1/4 beast (which can be celestial, fey, or fiend type), which takes its own turn in combat, and gains hit points as you increase in level. The attack method from Pact of the Chain is better than the command to attack from Beast Master, at the cost of its reaction. At 5th level you would be able to benefit from Two-Weapon Fighting like a normal combatant. You wouldn't ever have to cast Beast Sense again. It's still going to be very squishy, but you could call it again after a short rest, mitigating the drawbacks.

[NaughtyTiger]

It would not be OP.

You are suggesting an animal companion that could:

be summoned with 15gp, and 70 minutes
help dash dodge disengage without using your action
blink in and out
not be taken out be animal friendship


You lose:
the ability to stabilize and heal at 0hp (DM can allow important NPCs to make death saving throws)

that said, stabilize/heal and actions without actions can be mitigated with the revised ranger.