Late game Revised Ranger BC

[Mai]

So I have some questions. I've never gotten to play a high level game, and looking at the ranger and evised ranger... I find myself wondering.

How viable is the beast conclave at higher levels? Like 8-20. All the buffs and proficiency seem helpfull. But I can't help wondering If a 1d6 or 2d4 damage is resolution help. And if the AC and other this can stand a chance. Could someone give me some input and thoughts?

Again, I am talking UA's revised ranger. Regular ranger thoughts are fine too, just not the focus. Most GM's I see insist that rangers use the revised rules.

[CTurbo]

I have seen a lower/mid level Revised Beastmaster and it's pretty decent. I think on paper a high level Revised Beastmaster would be pretty decent. The companion gaining your prof bonus to everything while also getting stat bumps every 4 levels really helps out.

[Mai]

Interesting. I've heated bad things about this even using the UA. To the point everyone recommended Hunter with horse breaker. But I'm a sucker for animal companions. So when I talked to my GM, and asked how he did companions So I could determine if I wanted to go that route. (The UA and PHB have different options. Like the revised suggests cr 1/4, medium, 15 or less HP, etc. On the UA) he said he only cares about CR and for him he feels ranger level divided by 3 is the CR cap...

So I was expecting worse. I kind of feel bad and am avoiding using that... Then he tells me if I am worried about balance, I shouldn't be. So given that I find myself wondering if thats nessisary as the thing goes on to keep up... Or if he just plans for a harsh campaign...

So thats about half of why I am asking.

[CTurbo]

If you actually stat out a high level companion, they're pretty tough. Take a Wolf or Panther and see how they look after adding your prof bonus and a few ASI increases. I *think* the Wolf's bite attack scales off of Dex so you could easily max the Wolf's dex and improve it's attacks, AC, and Initiative and or bump it's Con for more HP.

The best way to go about it is to be a small race and mount your companion. Take the Mounted Combat feat and it becomes really hard to hurt your beast.

[Laird]

he said he only cares about CR and for him he feels ranger level divided by 3 is the CR cap...

... Then he tells me if I am worried about balance, I shouldn't be. .

From this I gather your DM wants you to be happy with the choice you make with a companion. As it stands Revised Ranger can only get the listed companions from UA, however those can be reskinned to suit your needs generally. As per the balance part and feeling bad, the companion has to be a beast but if the limit is Ranger Level/3 at level 1 thats 1/3rd CR (1/4) which allows for some decent animals, wolf, panther being the better ones.

At level 6-20 thats CR 2-6.66 beasts that still have to be medium (unless your DM is waiving that).

The only CR 6 beast in the book is a Mammoth and it counts as 'Huge'.

CR 5 you got dinosaurs ranging from Huge to Gargantuan....

CR4 Elephant and Stegosaurus also still huge...

at CR 3 Giant Scorpion at large (which as a DM I 'might' allow) the others are considered Huge (Killer Whale and Ankylosaur).

So now we move back to CR 2 Giant Boars, Cave Bears, Aurochs.... Lots of Large goodies here.

Then the CR 1-1/4 and 1/8 creatures which have less HP but more utility.

If CR is the cap there aren't that many more options that break the game, you end up with a large companion that would allow for some area control/abuse depending on how you play and a companion that has a large amount of HP. If you are roleplaying a ranger that has ONE true companion that they grew up with I would argue for the Revised Ranger, however as per the UA that only gives you the options listed there...

If you want to roleplay a Ranger that can befriend animals anywhere anytime but not a 'childhood companion' type animal the original ranger is perfectly suitable. Wizards released an Errata that makes it so if you don't command your beast it automatically takes the dodge action (+2 AC and advantage on dex saves, attacks against it have disadvantage). So if you get a large CR 1 creature like... a Dire WOLF... perfectly within your dm's allowance, you now have a large movement speed, a tanky mount and a great positioning tool. This is balanced by not being as effective exploring caves or being easily surrounded. It also allows you to go the archer route or melee, (or lancer) route. There are a lot of animals that can be charmed by the Beastmaster.

It should be noted that even if they don't get ASI's as per the UA they still get scaling proficiency added to the attacks, AC, and skills now in addition to moving on your turn, they also can spend hit dice like any creature (it doesn't specify if they get them or not but because the errata says ...like any creature... and the companion gains 4*ranger level HP) I would assume they get 1d4 HD for every Ranger level or more if they have a larger hit dice.

At the end of the day it sounds like your DM just wants you to have fun!

Tell him/her what you want out of the game and they can work with you. I would definitely try to get a large companion if you are a medium sized ranger though, having a companion as a mount allows for barding (think armored dire wolf) though expensive, it allows for lots of cool interactions. I would recommend you take Animal Handling though, as even a magically bonded companion needs it's Ranger pal to know how to: splint, bind, disinfect or otherwise be familiar with the physiology of the companion.

[djreynolds]

So I have some questions. I've never gotten to play a high level game, and looking at the ranger and evised ranger... I find myself wondering.

How viable is the beast conclave at higher levels? Like 8-20. All the buffs and proficiency seem helpfull. But I can't help wondering If a 1d6 or 2d4 damage is resolution help. And if the AC and other this can stand a chance. Could someone give me some input and thoughts?

Again, I am talking UA's revised ranger. Regular ranger thoughts are fine too, just not the focus. Most GM's I see insist that rangers use the revised rules.

Revised beastmaster is very strong, and I really favor this if the other players are okay with it.

Every 4 levels, they get an ASI. So dex can be maxed for AC, and come close to maxing strength and con. So their damage will increase, at 17th level they may have +11 to damage per attack

They get hit die every level

They get your favored enemy damage bonus

2 skills proficiency, perhaps on top of stealth and perception that they may have already

proficiency in all saving throws, and your proficiency modifier, and later advantage at 7th, the only trouble is when you get banished and they pass their save

If you can, use the revised rules.

[Mai]

I appreciate the input. And I'm glad. I tend to worry too much. This was all really helpful information. I am looking forward to it. The second session starts today, got level 3 the first session. (It was a cool first session, a horde of undead attacking the ship before it even landed at shore. I look forward to it. And I got some really good suggestions. And it seems from some of it that people usually underestimate companions at later levels, and they might not be as a bad as I hear late game. That's encouraging to hear.

[Laird]

It should be noted that the Beastmaster's Companion attacks at level 7 count as magical as per the errata, if that sways your opinion.

Ranger Conclave = More physical emphasis beast scales like a PC, Beastmaster = More magical emphasis beast only scales with Prof + level. Plus theres nothing saying you cant keep the Subclasses the same but use the revised main class :P.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Don't forget the special abilities the subclass grants-- at 5th level your companion gets pseudo-Extra Attack, and at 11th they get whirlwind attack. And you've still got your action to shoot arrows or swing a sword. (Or better yet, pick up Booming Blade from somewhere)

[ImproperJustice]

Yeah, we had a mid-tier Beast master with a Giant Snake named “Basil”.
That thing was a real killer, especially if the enemy did not have posion immunity.
Was pretty handy in exploration as it could swim, sneak, and climb.
PC usef an ASI to give it Sentinel at one point.

Then he had a posioner’s kit and used arrows laced with the same venom for devestating effect.


Had another Ranger who had a Panther companion, and the Revised version scales pretty well. “Cynthia” was a lightning fast striker with Mobile, and Tough that could Stealth right next to her Ranger buddy, who was also a fierce warrior in his own right.

[Mai]

You all make amazing points, thank you! I may have to try and find a bunch of d&d animal companion stories.