Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 forgelord Sep 22, 2009 1:17:16	I was very excited that I would be able to to create an elf ranger that would pepper enemies with arrows while his falcon clawed their eyes out. I was, however, very disappointed when I bought the martial powers book and found that beastmaster was a melee build. I was still determined to be an archer with a falcon companion, however, so I took the beast mastery feature but took all the feats and powers to match an archer ranger. If I am correct that a ranger's beast companion can make a melee basic attack in addition to the ranger's attack, then I will just act as a normal archer but with a falcon that does a basic attack every turn. I wouldn't be so determined to combine archer and beastmaster if both didn't have significant roles in my RP. So, how would this work out? Can the beast still attack in addition to my attack? If so, I think this would work out nicely. In addition, the beast master feature sure beats the normal archer class feature.
#2 kouk Sep 22, 2009 1:35:03	The beast can only attack when you spend actions to let him; even OAs (which are Immediate Interrupts for you to command). Unless you have a power that allows you to attack, and also your beast, and accommodates ranged weapons (some don't specify type) then you won't both be attacking on your own turn without an action point or some free attacks from a Warlord friend. Beastmaster Archer can work decently, at higher levels particularly, when you have more Beast options that don't specifically require melee attacking. Some of the Utility powers for instance, and a couple Dailies can be used with Archery. At low levels you probably won't have much of an ability to make use of your pet though, except for OAs and basics unless you take the power to let it attack instead of you. You lose a little, but the pet by just existing gives a lot back. You almost effectively double your hit points or more with the pet in front, can help flank with allies while staying back (and if you have Distant Advantage from PHB2, gain the bonuses too), you can quarry particular enemies more easily using either of you as the origin, and a pet can generally run interference for you if the enemies start getting annoyed.
#3 forgelord Sep 22, 2009 1:42:57	Dammit...well, what kind of powers let my pet and I attack on the same turn?
#4 kouk Sep 22, 2009 6:39:44	Actually, looking through briefly the only one that will work that I saw was the Daily Partnered Savaging. Keep in mind though that many of the Beast powers don't have you attack with it even if you were a melee ranger; it's just the beast doing stuff. They often give you a bonus like combat advantage, which doesn't specify anything further. At least one daily tells the pet to attack, and then you can command it to make basics with a Minor 1/round, allowing your own attacks also. Those powers should be about the same regardless of your weapon, and sort of give your character melee attacks.   There's always the option of working out some homebrew powers of course.   Personally I think the beastmaster ranger can be a bit overpowered, so even without many combo powers you're still getting a pretty good deal.
#5 falstyr Sep 22, 2009 6:49:53	Make an archer, get the Familiar Feat, get the falcon as a familiar. I don't know the rules on familiars, but would that be an idea? Another idea is the Companion rules in the DMG2 excerpts posted on the Wizards site. Then the falcon will become another "character" using their own set of actions per turn.
#6 obed Sep 22, 2009 10:52:09	I don't know the beastmaster build very well except as one of our players uses it.  One of his powers is an immedeate interrupt that when his lion gets attacked he gets to attack the attacker.  I'd imagine that if you had your falcon "tanking" for you, you'd spend your standard action to have the falcon attack and then shoot the baddies when they counter-attack your falcon.  I think...
#7 forgelord Sep 22, 2009 11:25:18	Thanks for the great replies. I'll look through the book some more and get back to you.
#8 forgelord Sep 22, 2009 11:33:10	OK, I cannot find the daily partner savaging or the one that lets them attack with a minor action. In which book are they?
#9 kouk Sep 22, 2009 13:42:43	The only book that currently has anything for Beast Masters is Martial Power. Partnered Savaging is a level 1 Ranger daily, and Scent of Fear, a level 15 Daily.
#10 rovin Sep 23, 2009 14:54:28	There's nothing wrong with archer beastmasters, but you have to understand that the beast isn't going to be attacking very often.  Beast damage output is extremely low, especially for basic attacks, and the melee beast powers don't work well at all with a shooty build.  Prior to epic level (where a feat and the Beastmaster ED allow beast attacks as minor actions) your beast will mostly be used for the odd opportunity attack, as a (very fragile) emergency tank, as a flanking aid for melee-oriented allies, and for setting up optimal Hunter's Quarry opportunities.  Most of the real work in a fight will be done by you shooting people, and you should load up on solid archery powers to maximize that.  Conveniently, the ranger archery powers are some of the best in the game for raw damage. The usual paragon path for an archer beastmaster is Sharpshooter, which (with a feat) lets you make ranged attacks as opportunity attacks against anyone silly enough to attack your beast.  Beastmaster is almost mandatory for the ED if you get that far, at which point you'll be looking at the ghastly combination of (potentially) a strong archery strike and two minor action beast attacks each round.  You'll probably find that enemies are suddenly much more likely to make attacks against your pet, which will in turn get you even more OAs in response.  The damage output of this build can be fairly amazing even by ranger standards. If we're lucky, Martial Powers 2 will give us some new beast powers, hopefully including some ranged+beast combos.  Be nice if we got paragon/epic tier beast upgrades as well, ala the griffon rider PP in Eberron.