hunter and beastmaster spells

[Danielqueue1]

so all of the Xanathar's Guide Ranger Enclaves get bonus spells at certain levels and I was thinking of giving the original 2 extra spells as well what spells would work well for hunter and beastmaster? we would need 1 spell for each spell level 1-5.

[Man_Over_Game]

so all of the Xanathar's Guide Ranger Enclaves get bonus spells at certain levels and I was thinking of giving the original 2 extra spells as well what spells would work well for hunter and beastmaster? we would need 1 spell for each spell level 1-5.

I got you covered on this one: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/131163/would-giving-phb-ranger-archetypes-extra-spells-known-unbalance-them


Level 1: Detect Good and Evil (Level 1, Hunter), Beast Bond (Beastmaster)

Level 2: Mirror Image (Hunter), Web (Either), Alter Self (Beastmaster),

Level 3: Tongues (Beastmaster), Create Food and Water (Beastmaster(gotta feed the tiger again!), Clairvoyance (Hunter)

Level 4: Arcane Eye (Hunter), Giant Insect (Beastmaster)

Level 5: Awaken (Beastmaster), Rary's Telepathic Bond (Hunter) Scrying (Hunter), Far Step (Hunter), Dispel Good and Evil (5, Hunter)

[Citan]

I'll have a sensibly different suggestion set than Man_Over_Game.

Hunter

1. Hunter's Mark (most obvious) OR Ensnaring Strike (thematically versatile) OR Faerie Fire (same) OR Snare OR Disguise Self (criminals hunter). I would go Hunter's Mark personally, with Faerie Fire as second.

2. Cordon of Arrows (most obvious) OR Pass Without Trace (possibly more obvious in fact) OR Hold Person (criminal hunter). I'd go Pass Without Trace in fact.

3. Lightning Arrow (in spelllist) OR Fly/Haste (catch up) OR Nondetection (hide from prey) OR Plant Growth (synergize with Volley) OR Tongues (criminal hunter) OR Dispel/Counterspell (caster hunter). No clear opinion here. In doubt, Dispel or Counterspell is always useful.

4. Freedom of Movement (most obvious), Greater Invisibility (tiptoes with other archetype), Banishment (versatile), Dimension Door (already in other archetype? Don't remember). I'd go Freedom of Movement or Banishment. I had thought of Grasping Vine which is fitting thematically, but while I'd use it as a Druid (you can always change it when bored), it's not good enough as a "permanent" spell for a half-caster imo.

5. Swift Quiver OR Steel Wind Strike OR Conjure Volley (most obvious), Passwall (funny but niche), Far Step (tiptoeing archetype?), Banishing Smite, Hold Monster (criminal hunter). Honestly forcing one is not a good idea imo here. If you have to, I'd pick one that works equally well on melee and ranged attacks.

Beastmaster

1. Speak With Animals OR Beast Bond OR Healing Words. Probably Beast Bond because advantage on attack rolls plus you can get Ritual Caster feat to learn the former another way if you are that interested. Healing Words could come in handy to keep beast alive and kicking.

2. Beast Sense OR Flock of Familiars OR Locate Animals or Plants OR Healing Spirit OR Warding Bond OR Alter Self. In doubt I'd go Healing Spirit because it's a great way to help keep beast alive and an awesome spell on general, and on native spelllist, Warding Bond or Alter Self otherwise depending on whether you focus on the "living like a beast" or "living with a beast" aspect of archetype. Flock spell kinda seems too "wizardrish" for a Ranger, and the remaining can be learned as rituals with related feat.

3. Conjure Animals (mooooost obvious choice) OR Revivify. I'd totally go Revivify actually to revive your beast, especially since it's not a spell Ranger has normally, while player can still get Conjure Animals as a regular spell.

4. Polymorph OR Guardian of Nature OR Greater Invisibility OR Freedom of Movement OR Death Ward. I'd definitely pick Polymorph in priority: not only is it totally fitting thematically, you also get it while being two levels away from Share Spell feature. Probably two leagues above every other option for that reason (Guardian of Nature can also be a great choice for offense buff, but is overall less versatile imo) except if you'd prefer keeping a humanoid & beast relationship, in which case I'd pick Greater Invisibility.

5. Awaken OR Far Step OR Raise Dead. I'd totally pick Awaken because the most fitting thematically (and you can get a true flock of beasts to your command like this), but a Beastmaster and beast both being able to teleport up to 60 feet every turn can be a fearsome sight imo. :)

If I really had to short list "automatically known spells", my final choice (so completely partial to my own taste ;)) would be...
Hunter: Hunter's Mark, Pass Without Trace, Dispel Magic, Freedom of Movement, Far Step.
Beastmaster: Beast Sense, Warding Bond, Revivify, Polymorph, Awaken.

But I'd suggest, since you are homebrewing anyways, that you instead leave the choice between 2 spells for each level (like a fusion between "Bonus spell" system and "Expanded spellist" system: learn permanently one among the two).
You could go as far as using the Cleric version of the bonus spell (so 2 spells always prepared) but that would be a bit strong imo.

[Man_Over_Game]

One thing of note is that the Beast Master and Hunter archetypes' hypothetical spells almost all fall into the Ranger spell list as it is, yet the Xanathar's versions are mostly consisted of spells that the Ranger doesn't have access to.

For the spell lists to be even, there needs to be a number of spells added for both archetypes that the Ranger cannot get from the Ranger spell list alone.

I do like the idea of Warding Bond on a Beast Master, though. I just wish the effect was built into the chassis by default Like, your companion can always have the benefits of Beast Bond and Warding Bond without need for spell slots or Concentration, but you can dismiss or apply these as needed.

Somewhere on the forum, I made a Barbarian archetype that uses a Companion and uses something like that while Raging, but I kinda slapped it together haphazardly on a thread about barbarian companions, and I'm not sure where it is anymore.

[thoroughlyS]

One thing of note is that the Beast Master and Hunter archetypes' hypothetical spells almost all fall into the Ranger spell list as it is, yet the Xanathar's versions are mostly entirely consisted of spells that the Ranger doesn't have access to.
For the reason above, I present my take on their spell lists:

Hunter Spells


Ranger Level
Spell
3rd
sleep
5th
see invisibility
9th
slow
13th
hallucinatory terrain
17th
far step
I see the hunter as the "generalist" ranger, basically the ranger equivalent of the champion. For that reason, all the spells basically make the ranger better at what they would be doing: hunting.
sleep provides a way to easily incapacitate a quarry
see invisibility is niche, but when it works it WORKS
slow makes the fights easier
hallucinatory terrain let's them create their own ambushes
far step makes them even better at overland travelBeast Master Spells


Ranger Level
Spell
3rd
heroism
5th
enhance ability
9th
catnap
13th
dominate beast
17th
awaken
The beast master was a little trickier to build.

heroism makes their companion slightly tankier, which is nice during those early levels
enhance ability kind of shifts the theme slightly, and evokes the feel of a ranger channeling the powers of the wild
catnap is a good way to make sure the companion stays battle ready, considering the only resource they really have is hp
dominate beast is the easiest pick on the list
awaken just feels like a nice pseudo-capstone which finally lets your companion gain sentience

[Danielqueue1]

dominate beast is the easiest pick on the list
I was thinking polymorph for wider versatility in games where othe beasts aren't so common.

[NaughtyTiger]

I do like the idea of Warding Bond on a Beast Master, though. I just wish the effect was built into the chassis by default Like, your companion can always have the benefits of Beast Bond and Warding Bond without need for spell slots or Concentration, but you can dismiss or apply these as needed..

warding bond+aid is why my ranger has 3 levels of trickster cleric