Animal Companions

Animal Companions are a key element of life. While wizards and sorcerers can use spells are used to do mundane things, when non-casters need a bit of string to finish sewing they send their swallow off to do it, or their heron to fish. They have dogs that pull, push, fetch, hunt, fish, carry, and many other tasks. Bonds with goats, rams, dogs, birds and horses are quite common across the world as well.

Animal Companions must be beasts. If you wish to have a humanoid join you into battle, see Sidekicks.

## **How it Works**

Each character can bond with a number of companions equal to their Wisdom Modifier +1. While each PC can have multiple Companions, only once can be trained at a time, and you can only have one with you in combat.

Your Character's total level determines the Challenge Rating (C.R.) of the Beasts you can have as your Animal Companion.

You add your proficiency bonus to the beast's AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in.

### **Creature Points**

Each PC will have “Companion Points” equal to their Wisdom Score +2. which they can spend on one companion or multiple. Each creature has a C.P. value, based on their C.R..

### **Companions Health**

Companions will need to be fed/watered or take levels of exhaustion. They will leave if mistreated. Each Companion will have HP and can be targeted in combat, or to safety hazards while traveling. Their health points will be based off what is in their stat block, and increases by their hit dice when they level up.

### **Companions Death**

If a Companion dies the Bonder takes half their Companion’s hit point maximum in psychic damage. If they make a Wisdom save they then take one quarter of their Companion’s hit points in psychic damage.

### **Finding a Companion**

A PC can either purchase a Companion, or domesticated beast or a wild one. Domesticated horses, donkeys, dogs, cows, and similar creatures are assumed to have such training and therefore will already be level 1 in one of the classes.

Each new companion takes a number of Downtime Hours equal to their Creature Point cost to establish a bond. Once this bond is forged, it can only be broken by death. Once a player bonds with a Creature, they can begin training them in the Animal Companion class of their choosing.

### **Training & Advancement**

Expend one downtime hour and 1 Mental Points as your character spends training your Companion, and 1 day of rations as treats to train your Companion. For each hour of downtime you spend training your Companion, they gain 1 experience point.

There is a total of 10 levels for each class, and once they reach level 10, they can multiclass. The amount of Experience points required to level up varies from level to level, as indicated in the chart below.

 4
 10
 18
 28
 40
 54
 70
 88
 108
 132

### **Hit Points**

Each creature that you can bond with to develop an Animal Companion already has a predetermined amount of Health Points based on the creature's stat block. Each size category of creature has a hit dice associated with it. When your companion levels up, roll the hit dice and add the companion's Constitution Modifier. Add this number to your companions Hit Point Maximum.

Alternatively, you can take the average instead of rolling the hit dice.

 Small
 Medium
 Large
 Huge
 Gargantuan

### **Companions and Skills**

Unlike with PCs/NPCs, if an animal must learn a skill to use it. If a creature doesn’t have proficiency in the associated skill, they can not use that skill. The Support Class will gain proficiency in a number of skills of your choosing.

### **Companions in Combat**

The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn't take an action unless you command it to.

As a Bonus Action the Bonder can command their animal. The Companion will continue that action until it the action is completed, the combat is complete, or another Bonus Action is used (ie they will Attack the directed target until that target is no longer participating in the combat).

Some Companions have other actions that can be taken, if they have proficiency in the associated skill (Fetch, Distract, etc)

## **Bonus Feats**

Below are some feats that your character may take, once they've adopted and trained an Animal Companion.

### **Animal Lover**

***Prerequisite:** Your Character must have an Charisma of 12 or higher.*
You have a natural charm that Animals can detect. You can add your Charisma Modifier to the number of Animal Companions you may have. This does not increase your total Creature Points.

### **Beast Tamer**

***Prerequisite:** Your Character must have an Intelligence of 12 or higher.*
You've studied all the techniques on how to domesticate and train a vast variety of Beasts. You can add your Intelligence Score to your Creatue points total. This does not increase the number of Animal Companions you may have.

### **Celeritous Companion**

***Prerequisite:** Both you and your Character must have an Dexterity of 14 or higher.*
You have learned how to command your Companion while in the heat of battle, without missing a beat. You've gained the ability to Command your Companion as a free action on your turn, instead of using up your Bonus Action.

### **Mounted Combatant**

You are a dangerous foe to face while mounted. While you are mounted and aren’t incapacitated, you gain the following benefits:

* You have advantage on melee attack rolls against any unmounted creature that is smaller than your mount.
* You can force an attack targeted at your mount to tar- get you instead.
* If your mount is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half dam- age, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

### **Natural Animal Handler**

***Prerequisite:** Your Character must have an Wisdom of 12 or higher.*
You have an innate instinct that allows you to connect with beasts, and you gain the following benefits:

* Increase your Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
* You gain proficiency with the Animal Handling Skill.
* You have a +5 bonus to your Animal Handling score.

## **Fighter**

When you have a Animal Companion Trained in Fighter, you teach them a number of Maneuvers that are useful in combat.

### **Fighter Commands**

They can follow you into combat, and you can use your Bonus Action to command them to Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Move, or do a Skill Check.

### **Guardian**

At level 1, your Companion gains the Guard Feat. As a Bonus action, you can command your Companion to to guard a location, item, or person. On a successful Animal Handling roll, they will stay put until commanded otherwise. On a fail, they wander from their commanded location after a number of hours equal to their current level in the Fighter Class.

They will attack any creature that attempts to move or harm the person or item. They will attack anyone who attempts to enter the location that they are guarding.

### **Battle Maneuvers**

At level 2, your companion learns two maneuvers of your choice, which are detailed below. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. Your companion can use only one maneuver per attack.

Your Companion learns one additional maneuver of your choice at 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

#### **Superiority Dice.**

Your Companion has four superiority dice, which are d8s. A superiority die is expended when they use it. Your Companion regain all of your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest. Your Companion gains another superiority die at 6th level and one more at 10th level.

#### **Saving Throws.**

Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows.

**Maneuver save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Companion’s Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

#### **Maneuvers**

You can verbally command your Animal Companion to take one of the below Maneuvers as a Bonus Action on your turn.

##### **Disarming Attack**

When your Companion hits a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one of their superiority die to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it’s holding. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.

##### **Distracting Strike**

When your Companion hits a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to distract the creature, giving your allies an opening. You add their superiority die to the attack’s damage roll. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.

##### **Evasive Footwork.**

When you move, you can expend one superiority die, rolling the die and adding the number rolled to your AC until you stop moving.

##### **Feinting Attack**

You can expend one of your Animal Companion's superiority die and use your bonus action on your turn to command your Animal Companion to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of you as your target. You have advantage on your next attack roll against that creature. If that attack hits, add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.

##### **Lunging Attack**

When you make a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can expend one superiority die to increase your reach for that attack by 5 feet. If you hit, you add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.

##### **Menacing Attack**

When your Animal Companion hits a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one of their superiority die to attempt to frighten the target. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

##### **Parry**

When another creature damages your Animal Companion with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your superiority die + your Animal Companion's Dexterity modifier.

##### **Precision Attack**

When your Animal Companion makes a weapon attack roll against a creature, you can expend one of their superiority die to add it to the attack roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.

##### **Pushing Attack**

When your Animal Companion hits a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one of their superiority die to attempt to drive the target back. You add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you push the target up to 15 feet away from your Companion.

##### **Riposte**

When a creature misses your Animal Companion with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one of their superiority die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If they hit, you add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll.

##### **Sweeping Attack**

When your Animal Companion hits a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one of their superiority die to attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within your Animal Companion's reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to the number you roll on your Companion's superiority die. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack.

##### **Trip Attack**

When your Animal Companion hits a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one of their superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, your Companion knock the target prone.

## **Mount**

When you have a Animal Companion Trained in being a Mount, you learn how to ride atop your beast, as well as how to work together to be lethal in battle.

 1st
 2nd
 3rd
 4th
 5th
 6th
 7th
 8th
 9th
 10th

### **Mounted Commands**

They can follow you into combat, and you can use your Bonus Action to command them to Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Move, or do a Skill Check.

### **Mounted Companion**

Once trained in the Mount class, your Animal companion can help with both mobility and storage, along with combat.

A good mount can help you move more quickly through The Wilderness, but its primary purpose is to carry the gear that would otherwise slow you down. An animal pulling a carriage, cart, chariot, sled, or wagon can move weight up to five times its base carrying Capacity, including the weight of the vehicle. If multiple animals pull the same vehicle, they can add their carrying Capacity together.

Mounts other than those listed here are available in fantasy gaming worlds, but they are rare and not normally available for purchase. These include flying mounts (pegasi, griffons, hippogriffs, and similar animals) and even aquatic mounts (giant sea horses, for example). Acquiring such a mount often means securing an egg and raising the creature yourself, making a bargain with a powerful entity, or negotiating with the mount itself.

**Barding:** Barding is armor designed to protect an animal’s head, neck, chest, and body. Any type of armor shown on the Armor table in this chapter can be purchased as barding. The cost is four times the equivalent armor made for humanoids, and it weighs twice as much.

**Saddles:** A military saddle braces the rider, helping you keep your seat on an active mount in battle. It gives you advantage on any check you make to remain mounted. An exotic saddle is required for riding any aquatic or flying mount.

**Vehicle Proficiency**: If you have proficiency with a certain kind of vehicle (land or water), you can add your Proficiency Bonus to any check you make to control that kind of vehicle in difficult circumstances.

### **Mounted Combat**

If your Animal Companion is at least one size Larger than you, you can ride them into battle!

#### **Mounting and Dismounting.**

Once during your move, you can mount a creature that is within 5 feet of you or dismount. Doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your speed. For example, if your speed is 30 feet, you must spend 15 feet of movement to mount a horse. Therefore, you can’t mount it if you don’t have 15 feet of movement left or if your speed is 0.

If an effect moves your mount against its will while you’re on it, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall off the mount, landing prone in a space within 5 feet of it. If you’re knocked prone while mounted, you must make the same saving throw.

If your mount is knocked prone, you can use your reaction to dismount it as it falls and land on your feet. Otherwise, you are dismounted and fall prone in a space within 5 feet it.

#### **Controlling A Mount.**

While you're mounted, you have two options. You can either control the mount or allow it to act independently. Intelligent creatures, such as dragons, act independently.

You can control a mount only if it has been trained to accept a rider. Domesticated horses, donkeys, and similar creatures are assumed to have such training and therefore will already be level 1 in the Mount Class. You use your bonus action , and it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage, and Dodge.

A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it. Bearing a rider puts no restrictions on the actions the mount can take while acting independently, and it moves and acts as it wishes.

If you chose to use your Bonus action for something other than instructing the Mount to move (and they moved to where they were directed to) they will act independently.

In either case, if the mount provokes an opportunity attack while you’re on it, the attacker can target you or the mount.

### **Quick Mount**

At level 2, you've practiced Mounting and Dismounting your Animal Companion so frequently, you can do so at remarkable speeds. Mounting and Dismounting only uses ¼ of your movement instead of ½.

### **Charge**

At level 4, your Mount can Charge. By using your Bonus Action to command your Mount to move at least 20 feet, you gain -5 to your attack roll for a +10 to damage.

Once your Mount Charges in this way, they can not do so again until they take a Short or Long Rest. At 7th level this is increased to two times per short or long rest, and at 9th level you can Charge three times per short or long rest.

The target must then make a Strength Saving Throw or be knocked prone. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

**Charge save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Companion’s Strength modifier

### **Mounted Archer**

At level 6, your ability to ride and direct your Mount has allowed you to use 2-handed ranged weapons while mounted, and you shoot with advantage.

### **Mounted Fighting Style**

Starting at level 8, you and your mount have created a synergetic bond that is evident in combat. You can choose a fighting style.

#### **Archery.**

While riding your Steed, you can make an extra ranged weapon attack at a disadvantage against a target within 15 feet of you when you take the Attack action on your turn.

#### **Defense.**

While you are wearing armor, you gain resistance against slashing damage from non-magical weapons. While your Steed is wearing barding, it gains an additional +1 bonus to AC and gains resistance against slashing damage from non-magical damage.

#### **Dueling.**

While riding your Steed and wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

### **Powerful Blow**

Starting at 10th level, your Mount helps you deliver exceptionally powerful blows. By using your Bonus Action to command your Mount to move at least 10 feet before an attack, you gain a +5 to damage.

## **Support**

When you have a Animal Companion Trained in support, they make your life useful in variety of ways, as detailed below.

### **Support Commands**

Your support Companion can follow you into combat, and you can use your Bonus Action to command them to Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Move, or do a Skill Check. They can follow you into combat, but can not Attack, unless trained in the Mount of Fighter class too.

### **Adept Animals**

At level 1, your companion learn two skills of your choice, which are detailed below.  They learn one additional skill each time the gain a level in this class. Some skills have requirements based on intelligence, size, anatomy, etc.

The DC for your companion to complete any of these skills successfully is based on the Beast’s CR.

#### **Alert**

***Requirements:****The ability to make vocal sounds.*

This Skill allows your Companion to make noise based on a trigger of your choosing. For example, you can tell your Beagle to howl when they see your brother coming home.

#### **Carry**

**Requirements:** The ana*tomical ability to walk on 2 legs and use their forelegs to carry an object or creature*.

This skill allows your Companion to hold and continue holding something of your choosing. Each creature has a carrying capacity of 15 times their Strength Score. Larger creatures can bear more weight, whereas Tiny creatures can carry less.

For each size category above Medium, double the creature’s carrying capacity and the amount it can push, drag, or lift. For a Tiny creature, halve these weights.

#### **Deliver**

***Requirements:****Intelligence of 6 or higher.*

This skill allows you to command your Companion to bring something to another being on the same plane of existence. For example, your Raven can deliver notes for you.

#### **Distract**

***Requirements:****Intelligence of 2 or higher, the ability to make vocal sounds.*

This skill allows you to command your Companion to make some sort of distracting noise. If you are in combat and you use your bonus action to command your Companion to Distract a target, you gain advantage on your next attack on that target.

#### **Fetch**

***Requirements:****Intelligence of 4 or higher.*

This skill allows you to command your Companion to bring an item of your choosing to you. They have to know where that item is.

#### **Find**

***Requirements:****Intelligence of 2 or higher.*

This skill allows you to command your Companion to locate an item of your choosing.

#### **Fish**

***Requirements:****The anatomical ability to hunt for fish.*

This skill allows you to command your Companion to fish, and bring the fish to you. Each fish can be prepared into 1 day of rations. If they roll a successful Fishing roll, they will spend 1d4 hours fishing and bring back an amount of fish equal to their Success Dice.

#### **Heal**

***Requirements:***'**Intelligence of 4 or higher.'**

 This skill allows you to command your Companion to heal you or someone else. The amount that you heal them is equal to their Success Dice.

#### **Herd**

***Requirements:****Intelligence of 4 or higher.*

This skill allows you to command your Companion to herd other Creatures to a location of your choosing.

#### **Hunt**

***Requirements:****Intelligence of 2 or higher, the anatomical ability to hunt other creatures.*

This skill allows you to command your Companion to hunt while in the Wilderness, and bring the carcass to you. If they roll a successful Hunting roll, they will spend 1d4 hours hunting and bring back food that can be prepared into a number of rations equal to their Success Dice.

#### **Track**

***Requirements:****Intelligence 3 or higher.*

This skill allows you to command your Companion to locate signs of a creature’s movement, and follow their trail. If your Companion is able to smell something that belonged to the creature you want them to track, they can roll their Tracking Skill with advantage.

#### **Pull**

***Requirements:****Strength of 10 or higher.*

Your companion can pull a weight in pounds up to twice their carrying capacity (or 30 times your Strength score). An animal pulling a carriage, cart, chariot, sled, or wagon can move weight up to five times its base carrying capacity, including the weight of the vehicle.

If multiple animals pull the same vehicle, they can add their carrying capacity together. While pushing or dragging weight in excess of your carrying capacity, their speed drops to 5 feet. Larger creatures can bear more weight, whereas Tiny creatures can carry less. For each size category above Medium, double the creature’s carrying capacity and the amount it can push.

#### **Push**

***Requirements:****Strength of 10 or higher.*

Your companion can push a weight in pounds up to twice their carrying capacity (or 30 times your Strength score). While pushing or dragging weight in excess of your carrying capacity, their speed drops to 5 feet. Larger creatures can bear more weight, whereas Tiny creatures can carry less. For each size category above Medium, double the creature’s carrying capacity and the amount it can push.

#### **Stay**

***Requirements:****Intelligence of 3 or higher.*

You can command your companion to stay in one spot. On a successful Stay roll, they will stay put until commanded otherwise. On a fail, they wander from their commanded location after a number of hours equal to their current level in the Support Class.