Goblin Wolf Master: opinions welcome!

[viaFAMILIAR]

I'm imagining a wolf-mounted goblin, alongside his wolf beast companions, armed with a crossbow and sniping from cover while hidden.

Mounts are not restricted by class, and goblins normally ride wolves. So why couldn't a beast master have more than one wolf companion? What if the ranger were to tame, befriend, and domesticate the alpha of a pack of wolves? I know the rules for beast companion would only apply to one wolf, but owning multiple mounts is not uncommon to adventurers.

Any thoughts on how to handle or rule the actions of a pack of wolves following the ranger's beast companion into the fray?

[Great Dragon]

I would most likely allow the usual Ranger/companion rules to apply.

But, for getting the rest of the pack to be effective, might require at least a Bonus Action from the Ranger.

I'd say that there also needs to be a limit on how many wolves can be in the pack, or there is going to be problems with Overwhelming Odds.

I don't want to just base this off Conjure Animals, but am not sure what else to use.

Maybe: one CR 1/4 per two levels above 3rd?
So, (Alpha) Wolf Companion at 3rd, +1 wolf at 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th.

For Alpha plus 8 wolves maximum?
*****
Another thing to consider, replacing (non Companion) killed wolves. Maybe 1 per week of Downtime?


I suppose that one CR 1/4 per level could be allowed, but 20 wolves plus the Ranger and Companion is a lot!

But, this does allow trading up.
Ten CR 1/2.
Five CR 1.
Two CR 2.
One CR 3.

Wish I had a Playtesting Group.

[viaFAMILIAR]

How you approach the limiting factor gave me an idea. I'd base it off the ranger spell 'animal friendship' and the highest level it can be cast at, one animal for every three ranger levels after level 2 sounds quite reasonable. Perhaps have the ranger need to cast it every day over an extended period of time to make the effect permanent. I'll have to look at other spells that share the permanence after repeated casting effect.

[Great Dragon]

@viaRAILGUN
Greetings, and Welcome!

The idea of Permanent Creatures is interesting.

But, then it also depends on if the OP concept is meant for a PC or a Boss Monster. And what Level or CR.

Which can not only determine "pack size" but also how much time was spent before the "Encounter" for the Permanency effect.

[viaFAMILIAR]

I was thinking as a PC concept for the archives and really like the idea of a Ranger with numerous pets. I'm also trying to keep things RAW, so VGtM's Goblin race and PHB's Beast Master archetype. Though I only glanced it over but UA's Beast Master looks OP straight out of the box, and wasn't it designed in response to a 'poorer' version?

Beast Companion gives us our very own special friend. We choose a wolf, staying true to the theme of the character. Also it will be needed when challenging the intended pack alpha for dominance.

Adhering to the rules of Animal Friendship, that's a wisdom save or charm/24hours, @1beast/slot level. So it's not guaranteed, nor ridiculous, trust could be gained in this manner over time. At the cost of 1 of our highest level spell slots, we now have a number of animal friends, up to 1@ level 2, 2@ level 5, 3@ level 9, etc., for the day. If, in conjunction we use Speak with Animals, we now have a means of achieving the concept of Wolf Master all the while following RAW.

1) Locate a wolf den. A fairly simple task for any Ranger.
2) Speak with Animals. Challenge Alpha for dominance.
3) Animal Friendship. Establish trust with the pack.
4) Speak with Animals. Request they defend their pack leader on a hunt.

Honestly, this sounds like a lot of in game work and table time if it's to be RPd through. And to be fair to the other players, would most likely have to be a downtime activity.

Regardless of being theoretically OP, it'd be interesting to see how a DM would rule this at their table.

[Great Dragon]

I was thinking as a PC concept for the archives and really like the idea of a Ranger with numerous pets. I'm also trying to keep things RAW, so VGtM's Goblin race and PHB's Beast Master archetype. Though I only glanced it over but UA's Beast Master looks OP straight out of the box, and wasn't it designed in response to a 'poorer' version?

Without sitting down with all the materials printed out, I'm not able to do a true "comparison" between the various versions.

But, from what I understand,

The original Beastmaster had where the Companion was little more than a familiar. The main complaint was that the Ranger had to use an action to get the Companion to attack.

The (first) Revised Beastmaster made the Companion able to scale with the Ranger, and the Companion could attack along with the Ranger.

I don't have any further "revisions".

And that's not getting into Homebrew "Improvements".


Beast Companion gives us our very own special friend. We choose a wolf, staying true to the theme of the character. Also it will be needed when challenging the intended pack alpha for dominance.
This is (mostly) RP by choice of the Player


Honestly, this sounds like a lot of in game work and table time if it's to be RPd through. And to be fair to the other players, would most likely have to be a downtime activity.
I agree that it would be a downtime activity.
Maybe RP-ed with the DM (In Person solo, or online - email, chat or Skype)


Regardless of being theoretically OP, it'd be interesting to see how a DM would rule this at their table.

Using a Charm spell might be a problem, since most of these are save or suck.

For Charm Person/Monster if they make the save, they are immediately Hostile. Also if they break free of the Charm, and/or when the Charm effect wears off - they also become Hostile to the Caster.

Away From Books, so not sure if Animal Friendship works the same way.

******
This has given me some ideas for a couple of NPCs. I'll work on them, and post my ideas.

[Puh Laden]

Any non-class feature companion is an NPC at my table -- generally. So your befriended alpha is magically bonded to be able to understand and follow your commands perfectly -- but the pack is not; they'll do as seems most natural for them to do. Getting them to do anything specific will require Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks. (To clarify, mounts that aren't acting independently are controlled by the player without checks unless they get spooked)

[Great Dragon]

@Puh Laden:
Right.
Which is why I had the "requirement" of using a Bonus Action each round.
Since normally, use of a Skill doesn't require any Actions at all. Most are part of another Action.

I might allow Advantage on the Handle Animals check, if the Ranger cast (or used an Item of) Speak with Animals first.

[Quoz]

By RAW, the only way I know to gain permanent companion creatures are Beastmaster's beast companion, Wizard's find familiar, and Paladin's find (greater) steed. Find familiar and Find Steed can be picked up via a friendly PC or NPC and a ring of spell storing.

If you want to extend the concept a little, necromancy can give you a whole lot of zombie and skeleton animals under your command.

Of course, you can always buy trained beasts or find some and train them yourself. But this can be expensive, time consuming, and undone with one well placed fireball.

[Great Dragon]

@Quoz
Only the Wizard Necromancer really pulls off the Skeleton/Zombie minionmancy very well.

Where I was aiming at expanding that to at least one other Class.

I think the Shepard Druid can get close, but none of their Animals stay long.
****
Ok. These Beastmasters are what I thought up.

Drow with Giant Wolf Spiders.
(Cliche, I know, but fun)

Kobold with Bats.
(In caves)

Forest Gnome with Squirrels.
(Seems to annoy city folk, for some reason)