Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 LordAries Apr 17, 2015 21:24:44	SO I was creating a level 20 beast master for a fun one off game.  We have a group that plays regularly and as a break once in a while we make level 20 characters to test the limits of what can be done.  Our DM for this time, is a LONG time player but first time DM who loves rangers and is sad that Beast Master is basically awful (in his opinion).  I wanted to make one to show him that is still pretty viable.      I ran into a lot of rules interactions that are just terrible when trying to build this beast master, and I wonder if they are intentional or not.      So I started with a halfling archer on the back of a pteranodon and he was going to rain down death: but that isn't showing what the Animal Companion can do, it could be done better with a carpet of flying and the other ranger build.    SO I wanted a beast that could dish out some damage:  Giant Badger sounded good- multi attack.   More attacks means more damage since you give it the big +6 prof bonus to attack and damage!   However, it doesn't get to multi-attack when it makes attacks.   I would still just get 2, not 4 attacks.     SO- I went back to the Pteradon, and wanted to ride it with a halfling who wielded 2 lances!  (we are trying to be dumb here) and I found out you can't TWF with beat master at all really...  You have to take an action to command the beast to attack, and in the process you are getting a weapon attack back in change, but you did not take the attack action, thus you are not eligible for the extra bonus action attack.      So- Lance and shield... and I'll take shield master so I can knock them down before we kill it!   Oops, it also requires the 'attack action'      SO, lets go with ranger without spells!  I'll use commander's strike to give my dinosaur 3 attacks a round!  Nope...  attack action required.     I know that WoTC and Mike Mearls has claimed they don't want to erratta the beast master because its not that under the power curve- but taking away all these fun options such as TWF, Shield Master, and some parts of the Ranger Variant seems like unintentionally badly written rules that could be fixed with 1 line of erratta.       Are you guys ruling these the same?   I'm thinking I would rule that it is the RAW, but deffinitely not the RAI.
#2 Undrhil Apr 17, 2015 21:51:45	See.  The problem is that WotC is worried about balance.  They are concerned that if the Ranger and Beast companion start doing a lot of damage, the party fighter is going to feel butt hurt and complain to the GM.  So, they attempted to make the class not quite that as strong as all that.  At level 14, the Beast Master ranger allows her beast companion to make two attacks and she gets to make one, when she tells the beast to use the Attack action.   Does the beast act on your turn or not?  The text is confusing about this if you read all of the Beast Master features.
#3 Tashiro Apr 17, 2015 22:08:35	There's a lot wrong with the Beast Master.  As far as I can tell the Beast Master has to tell his animal companion to attack each and every turn, or it will just stop and sit there stupidly.  I've ruled in my campaign that you have to declare the attack once, and the animal will continue to attack the same target until ether a) the opponent dies, or b) it dies, or c) you call it off.  Basically, you spend your action to give the animal a command.  It will pursue that command until it is given another, or the command no longer applies.   That fixed it, nice and tidy.
(Reply to #3) Undrhil	Tashiro wrote:
(Reply to #4) Tashiro	Undrhil wrote:
#6 El_Condoro Apr 18, 2015 0:18:00	The use of an action every turn to control a beast companion irks me, too, but I wanted to point out that this is not correct:    LordAries wrote: