Is My Beast Master the Best it Could Be?

[Ravinsild]

I'm just wondering if I am wasting any potential.

We were inspired by a thread we saw on here of people getting free feats at level 1 excluding obvious power grab feats, to grab some feats nobody ever uses or rarely see use in games from the following list:

Actor - +1 Charisma, skilled at mimicry and dramatics
Athlete - +1 Strength or Dexterity - you have undergone extensive physical training
Dungeon Delver - You are alert to the hidden traps and secret doors found in many dungeons
Durable - +1 Constitution, minimum Con modifier x2 on spent Hit Dice
Healer - You are an able physician
Heavily Armored - +1 Strength, proficiency with heavy armor
Heavy Armor Master - +1 Strength, damage reduction from nonmagical weapons
Inspiring Leader - Inspire your companions to grant temporary hit points
Keen Mind - +1 Intelligence, track time, direction, and detail with uncanny precision
Lightly Armored - +1 Strength or Dexterity, proficiency with light armor
Linguist - +1 Intelligence, additional languages, create written ciphers
Martial Adept - Perform special combat maneuvers
Medium Armor Master - You have practiced moving in medium armor
Mobile - You are exceptionally speedy and agile
Moderately Armored - +1 Strength or Dexterity, proficiency with medium armor and shields
Observant - +1 Intelligence or Wisdom, quick to notice details of your environment
Skilled - Gain proficiency in 3 additional skills
Skulker - You are expert at slinking through shadows
Tavern Brawler - +1 Strength or Constitution, improved improvised weapons
Tough - Gain +2 hit points per character level
Weapon Master - +1 Strength or Dexterity, 4 additional weapon proficiencies

I chose the Observant feat for my character as my free 1st level feat.

We ARE playing the with UA Variant Class features: Thus far I have chosen:
- Favored Foe (Hunter's Mark Auto added, 3 uses per day for free)
- Deft Explorer: Cunning (Stealth Expertise) Elvish and Abyssal for my 2 languages
- Primal Awareness (So I get the extra spells plus 1 free use per day w/o spell slot)
- Beast of the Earth companion (Panther appearance).
- Enhanced Spell Casting Features
- Druidic Focus use
- Expanded Spell List
- Spell Versatility (Able to change out 1 spell per long rest)

I am a level 5 Beast Master Ranger.
Race: Wood Elf
Stats are Point Buy as such: 10, 14, 14, 12, 14, 8
After Racials: 10, 16, 14, 12, 16, 8
Background: Folk Hero
Feats: Observant (free at level 1), Sharpshooter
Fighting Style: Archery
Equipment: Shortbow +2, Studded Leather
Skills: Animal Handling (Folk Hero), Insight (Folk Hero), Nature (Ranger), Perception (wood elf), Stealth (ranger), Survival (Ranger)
Spells: Hail of Thorns, Cordon Of Arrows, Pass Without A Trace, Entangle (Expanded Spell list)

As of now I am using a +2 Shortbow I found, but I noticed that with the level 5 feature for Beast Master I command my beast to attack, then I get one weapon attack. Using the Beast of Earth companion it also has a bonus attack (Maul), which means I only ever take 1 weapon attack (unless I use the Attack Action, attack twice and then I command my pet to attack with a bonus action).

Are there any other feats I should invest in? What's the proper way to utilize my class Attack with Extra Attack and use the bonus action on my beast companion, or use the Command My Beast To Attack action, get one weapon attack and use the bonus action to command my beast to attack again?

Using the second way I'll only ever get 1 attack so would trying to go for Crossbows (Heavy?) be better? Are there any feats or other improvements I could make? Not sure the optimal way to play a beast master ranger.

We have an Oath of Heroism Paladin, a Celestial Pact of the Tome Warlock, a Way of the Open Palm Monk and a Light Cleric. I kind of designed myself to be the premier scout and sort of a "trapper" class, but at this point I'm not sure what to do to really get the full potential out of my character. I'm also 1 of 2 back liners (Cleric, Paladin and Monk are front liners) so I think my job is just raw DPR since we have so much healing and support (Paladin, Cleric, Celestial Warlock).

Any suggestions for improvement?

[Yakk]

Crossbow is only +1 die size. I'd go with 2 bow shots and a beast attack instead of 1 crossbow and 2 beast attacks, especially as you have sharpshooter and your beast doesn't. And Hunter's Mark doesn't work for your beast.

+3 dex +2 bow +2 archery style +3 proficiency means +10 to hit.

2d6+5 damage is average 12 with Hunter's Mark. Sharpshooter costs you 12/4 = 3 DPR in misses. Your remaining accuracy is +5; against an AC 18 target you hit 40% of the time for an extra 10 damage, giving you back 4 DPR.

Basically against an AC under 20, you sharpshoot. Above 20, you don't.

The beast does 1d6+2 damage; a nice tap, but not as good as your arrow shots. With a charge it hits 2d6+2, still not as nice as a HM attack; even the damage from 2 HM taps on your first turn competes!

[MilkmanDanimal]

Wait, Inspiring Leader, Mobile, and Observant are on a rarely used list? I've seen those a bunch, those are on a list of incredibly good feats.

[Ravinsild]

Crossbow is only +1 die size. I'd go with 2 bow shots and a beast attack instead of 1 crossbow and 2 beast attacks, especially as you have sharpshooter and your beast doesn't. And Hunter's Mark doesn't work for your beast.

+3 dex +2 bow +2 archery style +3 proficiency means +10 to hit.

2d6+5 damage is average 12 with Hunter's Mark. Sharpshooter costs you 12/4 = 3 DPR in misses. Your remaining accuracy is +5; against an AC 18 target you hit 40% of the time for an extra 10 damage, giving you back 4 DPR.

Basically against an AC under 20, you sharpshoot. Above 20, you don't.

The beast does 1d6+2 damage; a nice tap, but not as good as your arrow shots. With a charge it hits 2d6+2, still not as nice as a HM attack; even the damage from 2 HM taps on your first turn competes!

Hey that's pretty big brain. Hadn't really considered the Hunter's Mark thing, but you are right, 2 attacks for me 1 bonus action for beast attack seems the way to go. Proning a creature is useful for my melee allies (advantage), but bad for me! So it may be worth it to knock them prone in a group fight and have my pet attack that one and me attack another, but overall yeah I would typically attack 2 times myself and bonus action on my beast.

I really appreciate the breakdown. So at this point are there any major feats that would boost performance or could I just go for neat feats and ASIs (Dex and Wis ofc).


Wait, Inspiring Leader, Mobile, and Observant are on a rarely used list? I've seen those a bunch, those are on a list of incredibly good feats.

Well I mean that may be true, but I often see them black or purple on optimization guides and I rarely see anyone pick them in any of my campaigns. I don't know, they just seem sort of rare to me! It seems like it's always fighting style enhancers (Great weapon master, polearm master, crossbow expert, sharpshooter, war caster, etc...) Sentinal, and maybe a handful of others in the gold to dark blue range.