Do animals get reaction attacks when enemies provoke? Unless I'm blind (quite possibly) it doesn't seem to say they do or don't.
Also do anmials get an oppourtunity to interact with objects and can people be considered an object? IE using the move action and interact object to drag an ally to saftey.
Tweet says they get opportunity attacks.
Which just begs further questions about their lack of regular actions.
The rules literally say that animal companions have their own turns, which means a complete set of: movement, action, object interaction, bonus action (possibly), and a reaction.
This is further qualified by saying that animal companions "do not take an action" (I think, paraphrased roughly) without a command from the ranger. They still have an action, reaction, bonus action, object interaction- they just don't use the action without a command.
A strict reading would mean that the beast can still move, take a reaction (OA), or interact with an object following the normal rules.
Bonus actions are debatable because there is a stipulation in the rules that anything which deprives a character of actions also prohibits the character from taking bonus actions. However, there could be arguments made both in favor of and against animal companion bonus actions-
- The animal companion doesn't take actions without a command, thus won't take bonus actions without a command. There are no commands for bonus actions, thus the animal won't take bonus actions.
- The animal companion doesn't take actions without a command, but it still has an action available on its turn- it's not deprived of them (by the stunned or paralyzed condition, for example). Therefore, the animal can freely take bonus actions because it's not being deprived of actions, and the restriction about needing a command only applies to actions.
- The animal can use its bonus action only when it is granted through an action that it has been commanded to take, such as the extra attack from a Pouncing panther when the panther is commanded to attack.
I'm partial to #2 myself but would also be okay with #3. Honestly, #1 wouldn't bother me that much either. I'd be a bit more upset if playing in a group that didn't allow animal companion reactions though.
I'll be treating animal/beast companions as NPCs; unless the PC takes an Action to command the companion, the companion will be directed by the DM.
EDIT: Although, I'll still have the player make any dice rolls for the companion. Plus, I think I'll allow downtime training to increase the influence the PC has on the companion's DM directed actions; especially for repetative actions that are predetermined, like certain attack maneuvers the player may define ahead of time (with my review and approval, of course).
lawrencehoy wrote:
Just understand that if you are allowing the PC's to add an extra attacking character to thier party if you do that and you will have to slightly adjust up the difficulty.
obsid wrote:
How op would it be to give the ranger both beast master and hunter abilities??
I think it'd be fairly "overpowered" in that it would double the amount of class features a Ranger gets from archetype.
Several of the features are very similar in their purpose, such as Multiattack and Bestial Fury, so I think it'd be fairly redundant.
It'd also remove a choice from creating a Ranger, probably necessitating additional ranger archetypes.
FWIW, I've been working on a set of house rules that clarify and make sense of the BM rangers mechanics:
House rule: Beast companion hit dice scale with level.
This is only used for out-of-combat healing and not their hit point total. The amount of hit dice is equal to the ranger’s level, but the die size is unchanged. Some examples, assuming 5th level:
- Flying Snake: 5d4
- Blood Hawk: 5d6
- Wolf: 5d8
Can my beast companion take opportunity attacks? What about bonus action attacks?
Yes. The beast companion can take any action a monster of its type could. The only limitation to your beast companions actions is that it only uses its Action (captial A) on its turn if you spend your Action (captial A) or, at higher levels, bonus action, to order it.
House rule: Rangers can grant their companions any action available to the creature.
You can spend your Action to order your beast companion to take any action listed on its stat block in addition to the actions enumerated in the class description. However, in order to gain the benefits of the Extra Attack and Bestial Fury class features, you must order your beast companion to take the Attack Action, which requires your companion to use a weapon attack. Multiattack and Swallow are not weapon attacks. For example, a 5th level beast master may spend his action to have his giant badger use the Multiattack Action, granting the badger one bite attack and one claw attack, or he can spend his action to have his badger use the Attack Action, selecting either claw or bite, and then, thanks to Extra Attack, make and attack himself.
How do I add my proficiency bonus to my beast companion’s damage if it’s not a single, simple roll?
You can add your proficiency bonus for each “damage roll”, no matter how many dice are rolled, even if that number is zero. If the companion does multiple types of damage, you may choose which type gets the bonus. If one of those types grants a saving throw, you must choose before you see the result of the saving throw. Some examples, with a 3rd level ranger:
- The bat does 1 damage (essentially 0d4 + 1) with its bite attack. This attack would do 3 damage.
- The boar does 1d6 + 1 damage, with 1d6 additional damage when it charges. It’s damage when charging is 2d6 + 4.
- The flying snake does 1 piercing + 3d4 poison damage as one roll. You may choose: 3 piercing + 3d4 poison or 1 piercing + 3d4 + 2 poison.
- The giant poisonous snake does 1d4+4 piercing damage plus 3d6 poison (save for half). You may choose: 1d4+6 piercing plus 3d6, or 1d4+4 piercing plus 3d6+2—you must choose before the saving throw is rolled.
- The panther can pounce on a prone target, gaining a second attack as a bonus action. Because there are two attacks involved, the pather gains your proficiency bonus to damage with both attacks.
I’m a gnome. Can I mount my beast companion?
Yes. However, a beast compion you are capable of mounting that is not of at least 6 intelligence is assumed to have been trained as a controlled mount. As such, its available actoins are limited to Dash, Disengage and Dodge.
The Beastmaster is badly under powered, counterintuitive and under certain circumstances, bordering on the utter ridiculous.
I have houseruled they start with maximum HP for their HD (this is actually one way you can read the rules entry, and my other variations are as follows;
- Companion gets 4x(Ranger level-3) HP bonus (this number cannot be negative)
- Once commanded to undertake an action by the Ranger - continues this until given another command or thecommand is no longer possible or relevant
- DC of companion combat abilities increase by half of the Ranger's profficiency bonus
I really don't see the point of playing a Beastmaster who cannot command a beast better than a normal PC with nothing more than a trained animal!
Or do WotC really want us as GMs to say no-one can have guard animals trained by an NPC specialist to follow simple commands?
The idea that trained Mastiffs, or Lions, or whatever, when commanded by their master to attack would then require a separate command every... single... turn while their target was not dead is farcical. What about a Warhorse - it stops trampling enemies when it's rider has the temerity to swing his sword?
I don't think so...
What happens for instance if a Beastmaster gets silenced or unconscious and their Companion continues to get attacked after they stop giving commands?
I tell you what - IT DOESN'T JUST STAND THERE GETTING HIT!!!
Beastmaster is a rare example of appallingly bad design and needs to be completely overhauled.
Otherwise in some ways, Companions are less capable than simple trained beasts that anyone can use given the coin and availability.
Caliburn101. wrote:
RCanine wrote:
Caliburn101. wrote:
In case of a multiclassed Druid/ranger beast master, the "verbal" command could cause problems ;)
Imagine a Flying snake companion with its Giant snake master, no verbal commands can be given as a snake can't speak. A kind DM would probably allow it ofc.
Kentus wrote:
Kentus wrote:
Caliburn101. wrote:
Caliburn101. wrote:
mellored wrote:
A Beast Master Ranger is no slouch in combat, getting Extra Attack (2) effectively, along with 2 potential OAs per round.
Animal companions can hit very hard, harder than most Ranger weapon options (Wolf does 2d4+4~8, ending up about the same as a greatsword from a fighter; Giant Poisonous Snake does 1d4+6~10 + 3d6(+2~6), save for half), although they can't use feats such as Sharpshooter or Great Weapon Master to boost the damage.
2Chlorobutanal wrote:
This isn't solely "theorycrafting." This is anecdotal.
Maybe you're just using the beast ineffectively? Or you're not giving it PC death and dying rules? A pet can have a 16 AC and 12 hp when it's picked up at level 3- at level 10, it can have an 18 AC and 40 hp. What's going to cause it to get "taken out of the fight" early?
It's not a "tank," it's a "striker."
Giant Poisonous Snakes can move, attack, move without leaving themselves exposed to melee attacks. Flying snakes and some birds can Flyby attack. Pets can attack the same target as the Fighter or Paladin.
2Chlorobutanal wrote: