College of the Circus

Bard Level Feature 3rd Animal Tamer, Animal Sidekick 6th Call of the Wild 14th Crytozoology

Animal Tamer

When you join the College of the Circus at 3rd level you gain profiencey in the Animal Handling Skill. Additionally you gain Animal Trick as a bard spell.

Animal Trick Enchantment Cantrip Casting Time: 1 action

1 action Range: 30 feet

30 feet Components: V

V Duration: Instantaneous You speak a one-word command to a Beast you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or follow the command, a Beast charmed by you automatically fails the saving throw. The spell automatically fails if the Beast can't hear the command or if the command is directly harmful to it. Common commands are Fetch, Stay, Attack, or Kiss.

Animal Sidekick

Beginning 3rd level, you can magically bond with a Beast that isn't hostile to you by spending 8 hours of work and 50gp in fine inks and parchment writing a sonata that you perform for the Beast. The Beast must fit the requriements as listed by the animal sidekick table.

Animal Sidekick

Level Max. CR Size Category 3rd 1/4 Up to Medium 6th 1/2 Up to Medium 12th 1 Up to Large

This works for animal companions too If you or someone in your party playing a Beast Master ranger perhaps consider letting them use the Animal Sidekick table for stronger Animal Companions at higher levels. The Animal Sidekick feature is based off the UA Revised Ranger and the Animal Sidekick Table works best when paired with it.

Your sidekick is always considered to be charmed by you. You can only have one Animal Sidekick at a time. The animal sidekick loses its Multiattack action, if it has one. The companion obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own. Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, an animal companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and to its damage rolls. Your animal companion gains proficiency in the performance skill and two other skills of your choice. It also becomes proficient with all saving throws. For each level you gain after 3rd, your animal companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion an increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise. Whenever your sidekick makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw you can use your reaction and expend one use of your inspiration die to add a number rolled on the die to the d20 roll. Your animal sidekick shares your alignment. If your animal sidekick dies you can obtain a new sidekick by spending 50gp and 8 hours of work to write and perform a new sonata for a beast that isn't hostile to you and meets the requirements.

Call of the Wild

At 6th level, you can as an action wistle a tune enchanted with Fey magic that calls Beasts to your aid. A number of Beasts up to a CR of your Bard level divided by 3, rounded down chosen by the DM come to your aid. These Beasts are charmed by you, and will follow your commands. If given no specific commands they will protect you from harm and defend you from hostile creatures. They will dispearce after the danger has passed or after they have helped you accomplish a task that you have asked their aid for. Once you use this ability you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Cryptozoology

By 14th level you have mastered the art of taming even the most fericousp of beasts and have moved onto more exotic creatures. All your class abilites gained by this college now work on monstrosities. Additonally upon first interaction with you Beasts must now make a Wisdom saving throw against your Bard Spell Save DC or become charmed by your commanding presence.