Uncommon item choice help

[moonfly7]

I'm playing a level 7 revised ranger beasmaster with a skeleton "animal" companion. I can start the game with 1 uncommon item or 2 common ones. Can I get some help with choosing?
Specifically woth choosing items that will synergies well woth my skeleton?

[Dork_Forge]

I'm playing a level 7 revised ranger beasmaster with a skeleton "animal" companion. I can start the game with 1 uncommon item or 2 common ones. Can I get some help with choosing?
Specifically woth choosing items that will synergies well woth my skeleton?

What playstyle will your Ranger be, melee or ranged?

[Quoz]

While there are plenty of standard answers for this - weapons, armor, cloak of protection, winged boots, ect... you have some unique options with your undead companion.

Hat of disguise might be near the top of my list, as many places will burn you at the stake if you stroll into town with an undead follower. With the skeleton's subpar stats, stat fixing items like gauntlets of ogre power can give a huge boost. Headband of intellect could let your skeleton pull off some much more interesting choices, and offer better RP options.

Or you could go with the common items and give him a dread helm and cloak of billowing and have a truly scary looking paper tiger.

[Wuzza]

Or you could go with the common items and give him a dread helm and cloak of billowing and have a truly scary looking paper tiger.

Or Helm of Dreads. For that uber Predator look. :)
(Cloak of Billowing for heroic poses.)

[moonfly7]

What playstyle will your Ranger be, melee or ranged?
My ranger is a lizard folk woth a shield and longsword, I'm a strength melee. My skeleton however, currently has 18 dex, and +7 to hit with both a bow and his two dual wielded short swords. So at any time I can have him cover me with arrows, or join me in the fight for flanking. Together we make a pretty decent team.

While there are plenty of standard answers for this - weapons, armor, cloak of protection, winged boots, ect... you have some unique options with your undead companion.

Hat of disguise might be near the top of my list, as many places will burn you at the stake if you stroll into town with an undead follower. With the skeleton's subpar stats, stat fixing items like gauntlets of ogre power can give a huge boost. Headband of intellect could let your skeleton pull off some much more interesting choices, and offer better RP options.

Or you could go with the common items and give him a dread helm and cloak of billowing and have a truly scary looking paper tiger.
I've looked over hat of disguise but ultimately decided against it, the ranger in question could care less what others think, and because of how the games been going, we've only ever been in two towns ever.
I didn't think about the stat boosting items, but it's a good idea, however he fights with dex so I won't need the gauntlets of ogre strength really. I'd love the headband of intellect, but isn't that a rare item?
Also as for the skellies stats he doesn't have bad combat and defense: his AC is 19, 2 more than my own, and he has 45 hit points, which is on par with 90% of our party. He does have vulnerability to bludgeoning damage though, which could very well be a big issue.

[Dork_Forge]

My ranger is a lizard folk woth a shield and longsword, I'm a strength melee. My skeleton however, currently has 18 dex, and +7 to hit with both a bow and his two dual wielded short swords. So at any time I can have him cover me with arrows, or join me in the fight for flanking. Together we make a pretty decent team.

I've looked over hat of disguise but ultimately decided against it, the ranger in question could care less what others think, and because of how the games been going, we've only ever been in two towns ever.
I didn't think about the stat boosting items, but it's a good idea, however he fights with dex so I won't need the gauntlets of ogre strength really. I'd love the headband of intellect, but isn't that a rare item?
Also as for the skellies stats he doesn't have bad combat and defense: his AC is 19, 2 more than my own, and he has 45 hit points, which is on par with 90% of our party. He does have vulnerability to bludgeoning damage though, which could very well be a big issue.

You have the standard +1 gear, a robe of protection never goes down badly, a headband of intellect is an uncommon item if it interests you and a Pearl of Power will help stretch out your casting for another Hunter's Mark/cure wounds etc.

[CTurbo]

Headband of Intellect all the way

[moonfly7]

You have the standard +1 gear, a robe of protection never goes down badly, a headband of intellect is an uncommon item if it interests you and a Pearl of Power will help stretch out your casting for another Hunter's Mark/cure wounds etc.


Headband of Intellect all the way

Ok, that's good then. Only two questions left:
Is there an item like headband of intellect of gauntlets of ogre strength, but for wisdom, or dex, or con?
Second question, can my skeleton even attuned to items? I know that it's always been assumed that you can at least with the headband of intelect, but can you rules wise?

[Dork_Forge]

Ok, that's good then. Only two questions left:
Is there an item like headband of intellect of gauntlets of ogre strength, but for wisdom, or dex, or con?
Second question, can my skeleton even attuned to items? I know that it's always been assumed that you can at least with the headband of intelect, but can you rules wise?

There's nothing like that for Wis, Dex or Cha because the game is tilted to favour those stats. There's the Amulet of Health for Con, but it's a rare item.

As long as the item doesn't have a prerequisite (the headband doesn't) then there's no rule that says your skeleton can't attune.

[moonfly7]

There's nothing like that for Wis, Dex or Cha because the game is tilted to favour those stats. There's the Amulet of Health for Con, but it's a rare item.

As long as the item doesn't have a prerequisite (the headband doesn't) then there's no rule that says your skeleton can't attune.

Then he's taking a headband of intellect, I don't want anything for me, and good old Indiana Bones could use the intellect.
While I'm here, anyone one have any fun ideas for combos we could do? Like throwing each other over walls, covering fire, flanking maneuvers, etc. You know, cool preplanned buddy fight maneuvers.

[Quoz]

Beastmasters are probably the class best suited to use a net as a primary weapon option, since they can split their extra attack with their animal companion and bypass one of the biggest drawbacks, since if you attack with a net you can make no other attacks with that action.

Since your skeleton is already a ranged specialist, this plays right into your skillset already. Mr bones nets the target, you get to hack and slash with advantage.

There is also the fact that skeleton are really lightweight. An adult human skeleton probably weighs about 20 pounds, so even with gear it shouldn't be that hard to throw him into places you would have a hard time getting to. Throw him over the front lines to get at squishy casters, tie a rope to him and launch him as a grappling hook, or have him climb through high tree branches like a squirrel.

If you give him the headband of intellect he can play as a false caster. It is sure to confuse bad guys when a Lich is leading the group of adventurers. And if you play it convincingly he will become a primary target instead of your squishier characters.

[moonfly7]

Beastmasters are probably the class best suited to use a net as a primary weapon option, since they can split their extra attack with their animal companion and bypass one of the biggest drawbacks, since if you attack with a net you can make no other attacks with that action.

Since your skeleton is already a ranged specialist, this plays right into your skillset already. Mr bones nets the target, you get to hack and slash with advantage.

There is also the fact that skeleton are really lightweight. An adult human skeleton probably weighs about 20 pounds, so even with gear it shouldn't be that hard to throw him into places you would have a hard time getting to. Throw him over the front lines to get at squishy casters, tie a rope to him and launch him as a grappling hook, or have him climb through high tree branches like a squirrel.

If you give him the headband of intellect he can play as a false caster. It is sure to confuse bad guys when a Lich is leading the group of adventurers. And if you play it convincingly he will become a primary target instead of your squishier characters.
How can he be a half caster? I don't think I can give him player levels unless my DM accidentally got hit over the head a few times and was half asleep when I asked him.

Also asking my DM if I can not take a fighting style and give it to Bones instead. If so, I'll give him archery and I'll just not have one, making his to hit +9

[Dork_Forge]

How can he be a half caster? I don't think I can give him player levels unless my DM accidentally got hit over the head a few times and was half asleep when I asked him.

Also asking my DM if I can not take a fighting style and give it to Bones instead. If so, I'll give him archery and I'll just not have one, making his to hit +9

When you get to rare level loot, you could fill up a ring of spell storing/hand him a bunch of wands. If it was a particular schtick you were aiming for and looked for the items, you could make it look vaguely casterish. If your DM is open to customising content it'd be interesting if they'd allow you to slap the familiar spell on bones. Take Magic Initiate (or a Wiz level) and instead of gaining a familiar, just apply the familiar benefits onto bones, making you much more connected to him (at this point you could even do something like using him as a remote body to adventure in if you contract a disease or nasty ailment).

[moonfly7]

When you get to rare level loot, you could fill up a ring of spell storing/hand him a bunch of wands. If it was a particular schtick you were aiming for and looked for the items, you could make it look vaguely casterish. If your DM is open to customising content it'd be interesting if they'd allow you to slap the familiar spell on bones. Take Magic Initiate (or a Wiz level) and instead of gaining a familiar, just apply the familiar benefits onto bones, making you much more connected to him (at this point you could even do something like using him as a remote body to adventure in if you contract a disease or nasty ailment).

DM wouldn't go for that, neither would I when I DM honestly. Magic items could work though. Me an bones make a pretty good team over all I think. He now has the One to back up some pretty sweet aiming. And I might just give him history proficiency.