Beast Master Redux Watching from the shadows as its dwarven master sinks an arrow into the shoulder of the gnoll leader, a lioness pounces forward with practiced grace. The arrow has afforded a momentary lapse in the monstrous creature's guard, and she tears into its throat with a wild, joyful shriek. Amidst the chaos of combat a wounded, but still strong, bison heeds the high whistling summons, and hurtles accross the battlefield. Sliding to a halt only long enough for the spear-wielding halfling to scramble onto its back, the beast takes off into the fray once again. Both ettin heads begin to bellow laughter as a crossbow bolt from the tiefling grazes the cheek of the head on the left. Their mirth is cut abruptly short when a falcon dives out of the Sun, talons vicious and unforgiving, shredding directly towards left head's eyes. As its master throws down his bow and emptied quiver, pulling out twin short swords against the gathering horde, a gorilla beats its chest twice and heaves a gutteral roar. It pulls carefully into a tight back-to-back formation with the human, ready to defend to the death.

Beast Master Redux is a reimagining of the D&D Next PHB ranger subclass, which strives to place the focus on a truly collaborative system of combat between a beast master ranger and their bonded companion. It does not alter the ranger class as a whole, and is designed to simply replace the core rules for the

beast master

archetype. Ranger's Companion At 3rd level you take on a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Your DM may set size and CR limits as they deem fit. The creature uses its ordinary stat block except for the following: Add your proficiency modifier to its attack rolls, and any saving throws and skills it is proficient in in place of its own.

Its hit point maximum at this level is equal to its ordinary hit point number OR four times your ranger level, whichever is higher.

The beast does not have Multiattack. The beast obeys your commands as best it can with the skills it possesses. In combat the beast acts during your turn to follow any commands you give it. The beast may move up to its full movement for free as part of fulfilling a command. You may spend your action and the beast’s reaction to verbally command the beast to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge or, if appropriate, Hide or Help action. Once your beast has begun following a command, it will continue to pursue that course of action until instructed otherwise. For example, if you have commanded your beast companion to attack a target, it will continue attacking that target each turn thereafter without the necessity of you using your action to command it. You will, however, need to command it to target a new enemy if the one it was targeting falls. After you have gained the Extra Attack feature you may split your weapon attacks between yourself and your beast companion when taking the Attack action on your turn. If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast will ignore previous commands and attempt to find or protect you to the best of its ability. If the beast has a reaction available, it will make attacks of opportunity as a creature normally would. As you level, your companion will grow alongside you. In addition to rolling your own hit point increases when levelling, roll increases for your animal companion using the hit dice listed on the creature’s ordinary stat block. When you gain ability score improvements at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th levels, your animal companion may increase any one of its physical ability scores by 1. Focused Training Beginning at 7th level, you have spent many hours with your animal companion, honing their skills and developing their usefulness in combat. This is represented by a pool of Manoeuvre Points equal to half your ranger level rounded up. These points replenish after a short or long rest. At 7th level you may choose two of the following Training Manoeuvres for you and your companion to have learned. If a manoeuvre that can be extended is interrupted, its cost must be paid again to resume the manoeuvre. Your DM has final say on whether a Training Manoeuvre is available to your specific beast.

Manoeuvre save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier 1

Focused Training Manoeuvres The manoeuvres are presented in alphabetical order. Call of the Wild. Your animal companion gets dangerously close to an enemy target before releasing a deafening animalistic noise. After marking a target by hitting it with a weapon attack, you may spend 1 Manoeuvre Point to use your bonus action and your beast’s reaction. You command your beast, if it is within movement range of the target, to enter melee range and deafen them with a cry. The target must make a CON saving throw or take 1d6 thunder damage and be deafened for that many rounds. Fetch. You've taught your companion the oldest trick there is. You may spend 1 Manoeuvre Point to use your bonus action and your beast’s reaction. You command your beast to carry an item, weighing no more than is reasonable, from one place to another. It may retrieve the item during movement, but the total distance travelled must not exceed the beast’s movement speed. You may spend your beast’s reaction to continue this manoeuvre on subsequent turns. Instinctive Coordination. You and your beast gang up on an enemy to throw them off balance and leave them in the dirt. You may spend 1 Manoeuvre Point to use your bonus action and your beast’s reaction to coordinate an attack which leaves your enemy flat on their back. When you hit a creature of size Large or smaller with an attack, if your beast is within movement range of that creature, your beast strikes them simultaneously to take them down. The creature must succeed on a STR saving throw or be knocked prone. Intimidating Display. Your animal companion taps into their bestial ferocity to intimidate a foe. You may spend 1 Manoeuvre Point to use your bonus action and your beast’s reaction. You command your companion, if it can move to within 10ft of the target, to scare an enemy creature. The target must make a WIS saving throw or become frightened of your animal companion until the end of your next turn. If a target succeeds on their save, they cannot be frightened by your animal companion for 24 hours. Play Dead. You've trained your beast to take a fall. When your animal companion takes damage, you can spend 1 Manoeuvre Point to use yours and your beast’s reactions to have your companion play dead. So long as your beast doesn’t move before the end of your next turn, the first attack it makes is made with advantage. You can use your bonus action to extend the duration of your beast's fake demise. Tag Team. Your animal companion and yourself have learned to work as a duo, attacking in tandem to give each other openings. While your beast companion is within threatening range of a creature, you may spend 1 Manoeuvre Point to use your bonus action and your beast’s reaction. You command your beast to draw the target’s full attention for a time, conveying advantage on your next attack against that creature this round. Dedicated Training By 11th level your training with your animal companion has advanced, enabling new Training Manoeuvre options. You may choose 2 more Training Manoeuvres to have prepared with your animal companion, choosing from among the Focused Training Manoeuvres list and the Dedicated Training Manoeuvres list. Your DM has final say on whether a Training Manoeuvre is available to your specific beast.























































Dedicated Training Manoeuvres The manoeuvres are presented in alphabetical order. Death Grip. Your animal companion latches onto an enemy creature within melee range and does everything within its power to hold them in place. You may spend 2 Manoeuvre Points to use your bonus action and your beast’s reaction to have your beast attempt to grapple a creature of size Large or smaller within its movement range. Your beast makes a STR check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If your beast’s check succeeds, the target is considered grappled and takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage. You may spend your beast’s reaction to continue this manoeuvre on subsequent turns if the target hasn't broken free. The target takes an additional 1d6 bludgeoning damage every turn they remain grappled. Disarming Strike. Your animal companion snatches at an enemy’s weapon attempting to knock or pull it from their grip. After hitting a creature with an attack, you may spend 1 Manoeuvre Point to use your bonus action and your beast’s reaction. You command your companion to target an item the enemy is holding and the creature must make a STR saving throw. On a failed save the creature is disarmed of the object and you may spend an additional Manoeuvre Point to have your beast retain hold of the item. Predatory Ambush. Your companion moves unnoticed around the battlefield waiting for your signal to attack. After you hit a creature with a weapon attack, if your animal is hidden and within movement range of the creature, you may spend 1 Manoeuvre Point to use your bonus action and your beast’s reaction. You command your beast to make an opportunistic strike against the same target. Your beast has advantage on its attack roll and, on a hit, adds 3d6 sneak attack damage to its damage roll. 2