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| Some people see an epic Drow Ranger. Other can only see the floofy kitty |
But since we're doing a slow build on this campaign, I want the player's choice of animal to be significant. And that includes familiars and summoned creatures. The animals should tie to the valley, and therefore fit into the world. Beastmaster rangers will need to tame an animal, and summoners will draw on the energy near them to gain their companions.
I'm using some of the ideas in this excellent video on animal companions, but modifying them to better fit the game.
Animal Friends
This applies to any adventurer who wishes to gain an animal friend, including Beastmaster Rangers.
In the above video, Dael recommends that a player can keep any animal they can defeat bare-handed by themselves. I really like this imagery, but it brings up a few problems.
First off, monks will be far ahead in terms of animal companions. They already fight well bare-handed, so they won't be at a disadvantage like other classes. This sort of undercuts the Ranger's specialty, especially when it comes to the Challenge Rating of the companion.
At level 3, the Ranger is supposed to gain an animal that has a CR of 1/4 or lower. This would be an easy challenge for a solo PC, which makes sense because the Ranger would be devoid of their weapons. But a Monk, due to their natural weapons, would be potentially able to best a beast of CR 1/2 or even CR 1. If your Ranger has to settle with a wolf while the Monk gets a lion, that might cause trouble in the party, not to mention in game balance.
Also, a major part of an animal companion is letting it grow with the character. For any class but the Ranger, their pet would eventually become obsolete in combat, forcing them to seek stronger and stronger companions, until they are trying to tame Giant Apes or T. Rexes. It becomes clear that they are simply using these animals for their combat potential and not for character building.
For the Ranger, it's different. Especially with the Revised Ranger, the animal grows alongside its master, giving the character a strong bond and an increasing combat utility. I want to preserve that.
So, instead of making this a fight that anyone can accomplish, let's break down the animal-ranger bonding into three steps. These are things that can only be done by a Ranger at 2nd or 3rd level who is taking the Beast Master subclass.
First, we have capture or incitement. A level 3 Ranger will have plenty of ways to convince an animal to trust them, including Animal Friendship and Speak with Animals. They also have hunting traps or Snare if they want an unruly creature. This should involve a skill check, with the Ranger needing to spend more time and resources (food, spell slots, etc) if they fail. After enough failures (or one really bad failure, if that happens), the animal might flee, refuse to fight, or even gnaw its own leg off to escape something that is trapping it.
If an animal is successfully obtained, the Ranger still needs to establish the master/pet dynamic between them. This is where the fighting can happen, if the animal is still resistant to obedience. If the ranger uses magic or weapons during the fight, the animal might only begrudgingly accept their position, ready to strike at their captor when the Ranger isn't armed.
If the animal was charmed into subservience, the Ranger might need to give them food, treat their wounds, or act like a pack leader before they recognize the Ranger as their master. During this time, the animal will be cautious, and might run away. Roll a charisma check each day for the animal, setting the DC based on how the Ranger has been treating it. If they've been treated well, set it higher. If the animal succeeds on their check, they flee while they aren't being watched. Otherwise, after three failed checks, the animal accepts its place in the "pack" and acts as the Ranger's companion.
Finally, an animal requires maintenance. For my personal game, I'm using the following system:
- Tiny, Small, and Medium pets: Supply Cost of 1 GP/day
- Large pets: Supply Cost of 2 GP/day
- Huge or larger pets: Supply Cost of 10 GP/day
Pack animals, since they work all day, might have different supply costs based on their work capacity.
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| "My tabaxi monk wants a pet turtle." "Why?" "...no reason." |
If a non-Ranger wishes to gain a pet, they need to do one of the following things:
- Choose a noncombatant pet. Animals that aren't dangerous are common pets
- Choose a pet that has already been tamed. Often this involves removing claws, stingers, and other dangerous parts of an animal, and may result it the animal's combat prowess being lessened. Pets gained this way don't grow in strength like a Ranger's companion would.
- Have a Ranger tame the animal. The same steps apply as above, but the Ranger can choose to bond the animal to the non-Ranger, even though the Ranger is doing the taming. Pets gained this way don't grow in strength like a Ranger's companion would.
Summoned Monsters
For summoned monsters, there are two schools of thought. In one, the player determines what animals are summoned. In the other, the DM makes that determination. Some spells specify one way, other spells leave it open to interpretation.
I prefer giving the player the option only when the spell specifies. As I said earlier, the animals/spirits summoned by the spell should reflect the type of terrain the character is in, the animals present in that location, and even their previous actions.
Rather than giving broad advice here, I'm going to go into these spells one by one, since they vary quite a bit.
Find Familiar
This spell specifies that the player determines the form of the familiar and its monster type (fey, fiend, or celestial. Since all of the creatures listed are very low-CR, there isn't much issue in allowing the player to select their own animal. Here are the options, with some notes:
- Bat: flies, grants blindsight and keen hearing
- Cat: climbs, grants keen smell
- Crab: swims, grants blindsight
- Frog: swims, grants darkvision, no effective attacks
- Hawk: flies, grants keen sight
- Lizard: climbs, grants darkvision
- Octopus: swims, can't be out of water for more than 30 minutes, grants darkvision, ink cloud
- Owl: flies, grants superior darkvision and keen hearing and sight
- Poisonous Snake: swims, grants blindsight, powerful poison attack
- Fish: swims, can't breathe air, grants darkvision
- Rat: grants keen smell
- Raven: flies, mimicry
- Sea Horse: swims, can't breathe air, no effective attacks
- Spider: climbs, web abilities, grants darkvision, poison attack
- Weasel: grants keen hearing and smell
When the character summons their familiar, the creature type might be forced due to some sort of magic in the surrounding area. You could do one of the following:
- Familiar is based on what material components are provided when the spell is cast. More charcoal leads to a fiend, more incense to a celestial, and more herbs to a fey familiar.
- Familiar is based on subclass. Wizards who study abjuration are likely to attract celestials, while those who study illusion have fey drawn to them.
- In certain areas, such as the Nine Hells or the Feywild, you can only summon a certain type of familiar.
- Celestial familiars only come to Good characters, fiends come to Evil characters, and fey appear to Neutral characters.
The type doesn't matter all that much, but if the party also has a paladin in the group, note what subclass they are and if they might Turn the familiar when they activate their Channel Divinity.
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| Oooh, look at his horse... |
Find Steed
This spell is a bit ambiguous as to how the creature is summoned. They provide a list of animals to choose from, but suggest the DM might have other options.
I'd say that as a DM, you should provide a list of possible steeds based on the environment. The DMG has lists of animals by terrain (page 302) if you aren't sure what might be available. Don't forget Giant animals, which make great steeds! On your list, you shouldn't have any animals with a CR higher than 1/2. Also, remember that a Medium creature requires a Large or larger creature to ride (PHB pg. 198).
The type of the creature summoned is also up to the player, but make note of the character's Channel Divinity ability when they summon their steed.
- Oath of Devotion Paladins can turn fiends
- Oath of the Ancients Paladins can turn fey
If the player is one of these subclasses, you should steer them away from using the associated monster type as their steed.
Conjure Animals
This spell leaves it ambiguous what sort of animals are summoned. I recommend you give the player the option listed in the book (a number of creatures at a certain CR), then choose the creatures based on the environment (DMG pg. 302). Creatures that can fly or have a special sense might offer a big advantage to a party, so if the player is specifically seeking one of those out, you might have them roll a spellcasting ability check to see if they can obtain the animal they are seeking.
During the summoning, you should be in control of the creatures, since you have their statistics. Do your best to follow the orders given by the summoner, but make it clear that these creatures are not under the direct control of the player, unlike a familiar.
Summon Lesser Demons
This spell specifies that the DM chooses what type of demons appear, and the amount and CRs are randomly determined. The player has no control over what is summoned. The spell also specifies how the demons act.
Unlike other monster types, demons are not well-represented on the Monsters by Environment tables in the DMG (pg. 302). I suggest using this site or this site to find demons that fit the bill.
Conjure Minor Elementals
This spell leaves it ambiguous what sort of elementals are summoned. I recommend you choose for the player. Creatures that can fly or have a special sense might offer a big advantage to a party, so if the player is specifically seeking one of those out, you might have them roll a spellcasting ability check to see if they can obtain the elemental they are seeking.
During the summoning, you should be in control of the creatures, since you have their statistics. Do your best to follow the orders given by the summoner, but make it clear that these creatures are not under the direct control of the player, unlike a familiar.
Conjure Woodland Beings
This spell leaves it ambiguous what sort of fey are summoned. I recommend you choose for the player. Creatures that can fly or have a special sense might offer a big advantage to a party, so if the player is specifically seeking one of those out, you might have them roll a spellcasting ability check to see if they can obtain the fey they are seeking.
Fey often have spellcasting abilities that can greatly alter the combat. A Fey with a powerful spell like Polymorph or Control Weather might only use it in service to its alignment, or based on its own whims. If there is another way for the Fey to obey the command of its summoner, they will opt for the easiest method possible.
During the summoning, you should be in control of the creatures, since you have their statistics. Do your best to follow the orders given by the summoner, but make it clear that these creatures are not under the direct control of the player, unlike a familiar.
Find Greater Steed
This spell is a bit ambiguous as to how the creature is summoned. They provide a list of animals to choose from, but suggest the DM might have other options.
I'd say that as a DM, you should provide a list of possible steeds based on the environment. The DMG has lists of animals by terrain (page 302) if you aren't sure what might be available. Don't forget Giant animals, which make great steeds! On your list, you shouldn't have any animals with a CR higher than 2. Also, remember that a Medium creature requires a Large or larger creature to ride (PHB pg. 198).
The type of the creature summoned is also up to the player, but make note of the character's Channel Divinity ability when they summon their steed.
- Oath of Devotion Paladins can turn fiends
- Oath of the Ancients Paladins can turn fey
If the player is one of these subclasses, you should steer them away from using the associated monster type as their steed.
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| My mama always said summoning demons was like a box of chocolates... |
Summon Greater Demon
This spell allows a character to choose the demon they summon. If the player is unfamiliar with the types of demons available, you should provide them with a list.
This spell details the actions you must take to coerce the demon into submission. During this time, you should be in control of the creature, since you have their statistics. Do your best to follow the orders given by the summoner, but make it clear that these creatures are not under the direct control of the player, unlike a familiar.
If the spellcaster's concentration ends, the demon acts on its own for 1d6 rounds. This invariably means it will attack the nearest creature, or the creature that summoned it if able.
Conjure Elemental
This spell leaves it ambiguous what sort of elementals are summoned. I recommend you choose for the player. Creatures that can fly or have a special sense might offer a big advantage to a party, so if the player is specifically seeking one of those out, you might have them roll a spellcasting ability check to see if they can obtain the elemental they are seeking.
During the summoning, you should be in control of the creature, since you have their statistics. Do your best to follow the orders given by the summoner, but make it clear that these creatures are not under the direct control of the player, unlike a familiar. With this spell in particular, you should play the elemental as a begrudging servant, since it will turn on the summoner if they lose their focus.
Infernal Calling
This spell allows a character to choose the devil they summon. If the player is unfamiliar with the types of devils available, you should provide them with a list. If they are trying to summon a specific devil, they require that devil's talisman, as described in the spell.
This spell details the actions you must take to coerce the devil into submission. During this time, you should be in control of the creature, since you have their statistics. Do your best to follow the orders given by the summoner, but make it clear that these creatures are not under the direct control of the player, unlike a familiar.
If the spellcaster's concentration ends, the devil acts on its own for 3d6 minutes. A Devil released this way might continue to honor the letter of the command but betray the spirit, it might try to craft an agreement of its own, or it might simply attack its summoner for breaking the perceived contract.
Conjure Fey
This spell leaves it ambiguous what sort of fey are summoned. I recommend you choose for the player. Creatures that can fly or have a special sense might offer a big advantage to a party, so if the player is specifically seeking one of those out, you might have them roll a spellcasting ability check to see if they can obtain the fey they are seeking.
Fey often have spellcasting abilities that can greatly alter the combat. A Fey with a powerful spell like Polymorph or Control Weather might only use it in service to its alignment, or based on its own whims. If there is another way for the Fey to obey the command of its summoner, they will opt for the easiest method possible.
During the summoning, you should be in control of the creature, since you have their statistics. Do your best to follow the orders given by the summoner, but make it clear that these creatures are not under the direct control of the player, unlike a familiar. With this spell in particular, you should play the fey as a begrudging servant, since it will turn on the summoner if they lose their focus.
Conjure Celestial
This spell leaves it ambiguous what sort of celestials are summoned. I recommend you choose for the player. Creatures that can fly or have a special sense might offer a big advantage to a party, so if the player is specifically seeking one of those out, you might have them roll a spellcasting ability check to see if they can obtain the celestial they are seeking.
During the summoning, you should be in control of the creature, since you have their statistics. Do your best to follow the orders given by the summoner, but make it clear that these creatures are not under the direct control of the player, unlike a familiar.
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| "You rang?" |
Thanks for reading!
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