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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Find Animal Companion: a 2nd level Ranger spell.



luuma
2021-06-23, 08:41 AM
Hi all, I decided to throw together a rework of rangers' animal companion for 5e, roughly matching find steed. Somehow, I haven't seen anyone do this before.

Any feedback is much appreciated - and if there's anything else you think it's missing I'd love to hear it.


- This is a spruced up copy of Find Steed, granting the same combat benefits and restrictions as the default beastmaster beast companion feature instead of telepathy and shared spells.
- Sacrifice an attack to command it to take any action (except multiattack). This is slightly less restrictive than before, and works with TWF/PAM/Xbow Xpert.
- Magical attacks
- The "proficiency bonus" scales based on level at which the spell was cast, to maximum of +6, and can also be added to saving throws. Its hit dice scale based on the caster's ranger level.

It doesn't let you command as a bonus action, nor attack more at 11th, nor share spells. I'm open to adding these benefits back in, but I feel that they make the companion mandatory - it's already a very handy free battlefield control tool, but it shouldn't be so good that every ranger has to have this spell.

Find Animal Companion
2nd-level Conjuration, Ranger
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (A morsel of food)
Duration: Instantaneous

You summon a spirit that assumes the form of a stalwart and powerful animal companion, creating a long-lasting bond with it. Appearing in an unoccupied space within range, the companion takes on a form that you choose: it can be any beast of medium size or smaller, with a CR of 1/4 or lower, such as a panther, a wolf, or a giant frog (your DM might allow other animals to be summoned as animal companions).

The companion copies the statistics of the chosen form, though it is a fey instead of a beast. The companion has a +3 bonus, called its companion bonus, that it adds to its attack rolls, damage rolls, ability checks and saving throws, as well as to its AC. The companion has a number of d6 hit dice equal to your ranger level, and calculates its hit points accordingly.

The companion obeys your commands as best as it can. In combat, it takes its turn on your initiative. On your turn, you can verbally command the companion where to move (no action required by you). When you take the Attack action, you can sacrifice one of your attacks to verbally command it to take an action presented in its stat block (other than Multiattack), or to take another action. If you don't issue a command, the companion takes the Dodge action.

If you are incapacitated or absent, your animal companion acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. It never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack. Its attacks are treated as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity.

When the animal companion drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. You can also dismiss your animal companion at any time as an action, causing it to disappear. In either case, casting this spell again summons the same animal companion, restored to its hit point maximum.

You can't cast this spell if you have another creature bonded by this spell. As an action, you can release the companion from its bond, causing it to disappear into the wilderness.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the beast's companion bonus increases by 1 for each level above the 2nd, to a maximum of +6. Additionally, it gains a larger hit die: a d8 for a 3rd level slot, a d10 for a 4th level slot, or a d12 for a slot of 5th level or higher.