Bridgett's Guide To Animal Companions
How to use this Guide
This guide is meant to serve as as a guide to animal companions in 5e DnD. In general this guide recommends that companions are treated most like follows or an NPC party member.
Companion Rules
In Combat
Your companion acts on their own initiative unless they are being used as a mount, in which case they act on their own. If you fall unconscious, your companion will prioritize defending you.
Control and Roleplaying
Generally this guide suggests that players fully control their companion in combat. However, outside of combat it is up to the DM and player to determine who they think is best suited to be responsible for role playing the companion.
Communication
While your companion does not understand any language, it will follow simple commands and you are able to instruct it to perform simple tasks. Your Companion is completely loyal to you and will do it's best to be helpful as possible.
Barding Armor
Barding armor is described in the Equipment Section of the PHB. Barding for medium and small creatures costs twice as much as normal armor and weighs the same amount.
Magic Items
While magic items for animal companions are somewhat more rare, they are not unheard of. In general, magical armor is fairly easy to convert into barding armor, although it will require the work of an experiencde blacksmith. While traditional magic weapons such as swords and bows are not something companions are equipped to handle, there are other ways to magically enhance their attacks, such as wraps, gauntlets, claw extenders etc.
Designing your own companions
While there is a list of modified and suitable animal companions here. This section provides you with guidelines to make your own unique animal companions s.
- Ability Scores. Your companion should have ability scores comparable to other companions.
- Uniquness. Each companion generaly has 2-3 unique abilities depending on how string the ability is in addition to 2 skill proficiencies.
- Avoid Active Abilities. Stick primarily to stat increases passive abilities. Abilities that need to be tracked bog down combat and increase your companion's complexity.
Kinds of Companions
This sections details the kinds of companions you might buy or find in the course of adventuring.
Bear
Bear
Medium Beast, Unaligned
- Armor Class 11 + Dexterity Modifier
- Hit Points 10 + Constitution modifier
- Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 4 (-3) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
- Skills. Perception and Athletics
- Keen Smell. The bear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Natural Weapons
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d8 piercing damage
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d8 slashing damage
Panther
Panther
Medium Beast, Unaligned
- Armor Class 10 + Dexterity Modifier
- Hit Points 10 + Constitution modifier
- Speed 35 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (0) 4 (-3) 14 (+2) 7 (-2)
- Skills. Stealth and Acrobatics
- Keen Smell. The panther has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Natural Weapons
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d8 piercing damage
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d6 slashing damage, finesse
Wolf
Wolf
Medium Beast, Unaligned
- Armor Class 10 + Dexterity Modifier
- Hit Points 10 + Constitution modifier
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 5 (-3) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)
- Skills. Perception and Stealth
- Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
- Pack Tactics. The Wolf has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Natural Weapons
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d6 piercing damage
Falcon
Falcon
Small Beast, Unaligned
- Armor Class 10 + Dexterity Modifier
- Hit Points 10 + Constitution modifier
- Speed 10 ft., fly 35 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 5 (-2) 14 (+2) 7 (-2)
- Skills. Perception and Acrobatics
- Keen Sight. The falcon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
- Pack Tactics. The falcon has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the falcon's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Natural Weapons
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d8 piercing damage
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d4 slashing damage, finesse
Mastiff
Mastiff
Medium Beast, Unaligned
- Armor Class 10 + Dexterity Modifier
- Hit Points 10 + Constitution modifier
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 5 (-3) 10 (0) 12 (+1)
- Skills. Perception and Performance
- Keen Hearing and Smell. The mastiff has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
- Scent Tracker. Your mastiff has advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track a creature based on smell.
Natural Weapons
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d8 piercing damage
Giant Wolf Spider
Giant wolf Spider
Medium Beast, Unaligned
- Armor Class 10 + Dexterity Modifier
- Hit Points 10 + Constitution modifier
- Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 4 (-3) 12 (+1) 4 (-3)
- Skills. Stealth and perception
- Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, the spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Natural Weapons
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: 1d4 piercing damage 1d6 poison damage
Companion Class
Companion Class
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Animal Companion |
| 2nd | +2 | Natural Talent |
| 3rd | +2 | Companion Tactics |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Increase |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack |
| 6th | +3 | True Ally |
| 7th | +3 | Companion Tactics |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Increase |
| 9th | +4 | Primal Agility |
| 10th | +4 | Natural Talent |
| 11th | +4 | Improved Attacks |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Increase |
| 13th | +5 | Companion Tactics |
| 14th | +5 | Ability Score Increase |
| 15th | +5 | Defensive Tactics |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Increase |
| 17th | +6 | Companion Tactics |
| 18th | +6 | Unwavering Loyalty |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Increase |
| 20th | +6 | Offensive tactics |
Class Features
As a Companion, you animal companion gains the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Companion level
- Hit Points at 1st Level:* 10 + Constitution Modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 + Constitution Modifier
Proficiencies
- Armor: All barding armor
- Weapons: Natural Weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution
- Skills: None
Companion
At first level you get an animal companion. Choose from one of the companions listed above.
Natural Talent
At 2nd level, a natural talent has emerged from your companion. They gain an additional Natural talent at 10th level. They cannot choose the same natural talent more than once.
-
Natural Armor Your Companion gains +1 AC.
-
Tough. Your Companion gains an additional 1 hp for each level it has.
-
Precise. Your Companion's attacks have +2 to hit
-
Ferocious. Your companion's attacks have +2 to damage rolls
Companion Tactics
At 3rd level, through training, your companion has developed one of the following tactics. They learn an additional Tactic at 7th, 13th. and 17th level.
-
Protective. When a creature your companion can see attacks a target other than them that is within 5 feet of them, they can use their reaction to impose disadvantage on the Attack roll.
-
Multiattack. When you take the attack action, your companion can make one additional attack as a bonus action. They do not add their ability score modifier to the damage for this attack.
-
Swift. Your companion can Dash as a bonus action.
-
Agile. Your companion can Disengage as a bonus action.
-
Sneaky. Your Companion can Hide as a bonus action.
-
Helpful. Your companion can take the help action as a bonus action.
-
Fast. Your Companion's movement speed increases by 10 feet.
-
Charging. When your companion moves 20 ft before attacking a target, they have advantage on their next attack roll.
-
Territorial. Other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from your companion when they enter your companion's reach.
-
Punishing. When your companion takes the Dodge action, if they are the target of a melee attack they can make an attack against that target as a reaction.
Ability Score Increase
When your companion reaches 4th level, and again at, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two Ability Scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, your companion can attack twice when taking the attack action.
True Ally
If you fall unconscious, your companion can stabilize you. Beginning at 6th level, your companion can stabilize creatures, making a DC 10 Survival check. How your companion specifically stabilizes a creature is up to the DM. As examples, your companion may lick your wounds or attempt to move a contorted unconscious body into a more natural position.
Offensive Tactics
At 11th level, chose one of the following options to improve your attacks.
*Quick Your companion can attack 3 times when taking the attack action. At 20th level, your companion can attack 4 times when taking the attack action.
Brutal Your companion's attacks deal an extra 1d6 damage and deal a critical hit on an attack roll of 19 and 20. At 20th level this damage is increased to 2d6.
Defensive Tactics
At 15th level, your companion gains one of the following defensive features.
Relentless. Your companion can keep you fighting despite grievous wounds. If they drop to 0 Hit Points and don't die outright, they can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If they succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead.
Each time they use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When they finish a short or Long Rest, the DC resets to 10.
Evasion. When your companion is subjected to an effect that allows them to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, they instead take no damage if they succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if they fail.
Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker that your companion can see hits them with an Attack, they can use their reaction to halve the attack’s damage against them.
Enduring. Your companion gains +1 AC and +1 HP per companion level.
Unwavering loyalty
Beginning at 18th level you have mastered your bond with your companion. As long as they can see you, your companion has advantage on saving throws against fear and being charmed.