The Buddy System

Combat Tactics for Beast Masters

KEITH AMMANN
AUTHOR OF
The Monsters Know What They’re Doing
AND
Live to Tell the Tale
Copyright © 2020 by Keith Ammann
Illustrations by Jen C. Marshall
The Beast Master ranger subclass may be the most disparaged A beast companion adds the ranger’s proficiency to its Armor
subclass of the most disparaged class in fifth-edition Dungeons Class, its attack rolls, its damage rolls, any saving throw it’s
& Dragons. The critics aren’t entirely wrong. In a class that’s proficient in, and any ability check using a skill it’s proficient
front-loaded with exploration abilities—when there’s no in. Also, its hit point maximum is the usual average for a beast
guarantee that your adventure will emphasize the exploration of its type or the ranger’s level × 4, whichever is greater.
pillar at all, let alone in your Favored Terrain—the Beast Master, Let’s look at what this does to, say, the owl (CR 0). An off-
as designed, seems to commit the additional error of giving you the-rack owl has only 1 hp. But because a ranger doesn’t choose
a package of subclass features that actually detract from your the Beast Master archetype until level 3, an owl companion
effectiveness. This critique is partially true: Especially at lower immediately increases its hit point maximum from 1 hp to
levels, the Beast Master’s features can indeed detract from your 12 hp. In addition, its AC goes from 11 to 13, its +3 attack
effectiveness if you don’t know how to use them as they were modifier becomes +5, and it deals 3 damage per hit rather
designed to be used. than 1—not amazing, but roughly as good as, say, an off-hand
And yet the idea of the Beast Master is fun. We have high attack with a dagger. But check this out: Owls are proficient
hopes for a complicated character who’s understood by no in both Perception and Stealth, boosting their modifiers for
one but their faithful wolf buddy. We connect with the Beast those skills to +5. And they already have advantage on Wisdom
Master as an archetype instantly. It’s only once we confront the (Perception) checks relying on hearing or sight, plus 120 feet
mechanics of playing a Beast Master that we begin to feel some of darkvision. An owl companion is an amazing early-warning
buyer’s remorse. system! Also, owls’ high Stealth allows them to hide before
There have been countless calls for the ranger class, or at combat begins and thus make a first attack with advantage.
least the Beast Master subclass, to be “fixed.” This guide is not Finally, owls have 60 feet of flying movement and Flyby. An
an attempt to fix anything. This guide is intended to help you owl companion is a little, feathery drone strike.
get the most out of the Beast Master subclass as it exists, in the Be advised that under the most widely accepted reading of
hope that you’ll find more to like about it once you know what Ranger’s Companion, there’s no way to command your beast
you can do with it. The subclass is flawed, but not so flawed as companion to Hide or Search during combat. You can only
to be worthless. take active advantage of its skills outside combat time, when
you and it can act freely. However, your companion’s passive
skills are still very much an asset. That owl’s Keen Hearing and
Your Ranger’s Companion Sight raises its already excellent passive Perception from 15 to
Your beast companion must be a beast (of course) of Medium an effective 20, making it far less likely that your party will
or smaller size (sorry, no horses, camels, or axe beaks) and begin a combat encounter surprised. And if your Dungeon
challenge rating 1/4 or below. Most players will immediately Master allows you to use Stealth passively (something that you
conclude that it would be stupid to choose a CR 1/8 or CR and they will need to negotiate), it can potentially begin combat
0 companion when they could choose a CR 1/4 companion hidden, whereupon an enemy will need a passive Perception of
instead. Not so fast! The benefits that a beast receives from the 21 or better in lightly obscured conditions
Ranger’s Companion feature make some (not all) CR 1/8 and to notice it before it strikes. A
even CR 0 beasts competitive with the “big three” CR 1/4 stealthy owl companion can
companions: boar, panther, and wolf. also contribute to group
checks when you’re trying to avoid your enemies’ notice or or when you just need it to break off from a melee engagement.
catch them off guard. (N.B.: A companion that can leave an enemy’s reach without
Not every CR 0 or CR 1/8 beast makes as good a companion provoking an opportunity attack never needs to Disengage.)
as the owl. A lizard, for example, is just as bad as you’d think. Ordering your companion to move consumes none of your
But don’t write off these beasts merely because of their challenge action economy, so you can always place it wherever you want
rating. Write them off, if you do write them off, because they it to be, depending on the action you want it to take. So your
don’t have any useful traits or skill proficiencies. choice each turn is whether to Attack (or take some other
action, such as Search or Hide), to Command your companion
to Attack, to Command it to Help, or to Command it to retreat
Your Combat Role (Dash or Disengage).
Beast Masters are conceived of as skirmishers. This is revealed by When should you Command your companion to Help? As I
the subclass’s level 15 feature, Share Spells, which lets you cast a discuss in part 2 of Live to Tell (“Understanding Advantage and
spell on yourself and your companion simultaneously if you’re Disadvantage”), two normal attack rolls are better on average
within 30 feet of each other. If you’re playing a marksman, the than one with advantage, because they allow for the possibility
other role to which rangers are broadly suited, your companion of two hits without changing the likelihood of not hitting at
is often going to be farther from you than that, doing your all. Also, at these levels, you and your companion can’t attack at
dirty work on the front line while you hang back and snipe. the same time, so if you Command your companion to Help,
Here’s the first catch that makes many players question you’re Commanding it to Help someone else in your party, not
the value of the Beast Master subclass: Skirmisher rangers you—and you’re forgoing your own attack in order to do so.
frequently gravitate toward the Two-Weapon Fighting Style, It makes less sense than you might think to Command your
because Drizzt. But two-weapon fighting doesn’t work when companion to Help a rogue ally in order to confer advantage
you have a beast companion to command. Why? Because it on their attack roll and set them up for a Sneak Attack. Your
takes an action to command your companion to Attack, and companion can give the rogue Sneak Attack just as easily by
you can only use a bonus action to attack with your off-hand Attacking from within 5 feet of the target, with the potential of
weapon when you take the Attack action. If you use your action dealing some additional damage to boot. Therefore, you should
to command your companion, you’re not using that action to Command it to Attack, not to Help, unless its best mode of
Attack. Therefore, you don’t get to take that bonus action. attack includes leaving melee engagement after attacking (an
Does this mean Beast Master rangers shouldn’t try to be owl, for instance, can strike with Talons, then get out of reach
skirmishers? No, but it does mean they shouldn’t try to dual- damage-free with Flyby).
wield scimitars—not if they expect to get combat value out A situation in which it makes more sense to Command your
of their companions at the same time. If you’re a skirmisher companion to Help is when you do so not to grant advantage
ranger who’s planning to go Beast Master, consider the Defense to an ally’s attack roll but to cancel out disadvantage on the
or Dueling Fighting Style at level 2 rather than Two-Weapon roll, because when the chance of hitting is less than fifty-fifty,
Fighting. Marksmen, of course, choose Archery. it’s better to forgo a second attack with disadvantage in order to
make that disadvantage go away (“Understanding Advantage
and Disadvantage”). In any situation other than this one, it’s
Levels 3 and 4 rare that you’ll gain any real benefit from Commanding your
When you first become a Beast Master, you’ve chosen your companion to Help.
Fighting Style (and, implicitly, your combat role), and you That being said, if you’re a skirmisher ranger, you’re playing
gain the Ranger’s Companion feature, which gives you your on a grid map, and your DM is using the optional Flanking
furry or feathered buddy with all the benefits described above. rule (Dungeon Master’s Guide, chapter 8), you can gain attack
It also gives you a choice between using your action to Attack roll advantage from your companion another way: by directing
or to issue a command to your companion. (Henceforth, I’m it to move to the opposite side of an enemy from yourself, then
going to pretend that there’s an actual named action called taking the Attack action. This cooperative flanking maneuver
“Command” that does the latter.) is the most direct way to benefit from your companion in a
There are four commands that you can issue to your combat encounter at these levels.
companion, but they boil down to just three things: Attack, Unfortunately, the Flanking rule can’t be used in “theater
Help, or run away. That’s because Dash and Disengage— of the mind” combat, so neither can this maneuver. But
along with the Dodge action, which is what your companion guess what? If your companion has Pack Tactics, flanking is
does if you don’t give it an order—can be lumped together as unnecessary, because it gains attack roll advantage whenever
retreat actions, which I discuss in part 3 of Live to Tell the Tale: you’re by its side! In this instance, rather than take the Attack
Combat Tactics for Player Characters (“ ‘Plan B’: The Dodge, action yourself, position yourself and your companion alongside
Dash, and Disengage Actions”). Use whichever one of these each other, then Command your companion to Attack (unless
three actions is most suitable for your companion, given its your attacks deal more damage than your companion’s and you
stats and situational factors, when the whole party is retreating have advantage from another source).
 Aside from flanking, the benefit to a skirmisher ranger of
having a companion on the field is effectively to be in two
Levels 5 and 6
places at once. By taking different positions on the battlefield, At level 5, you gain Extra Attack, which gives you a new option:
you can be flexible in your target selection, attacking whichever You can either take the Attack action and make two attack rolls
target seems higher-priority in a given round. You can also use yourself or Command your companion to Attack, granting one
your companion to flush an enemy toward you, or vice versa. attack to it and one to you. If you wield two weapons, taking
A skirmisher ranger who, despite the drawbacks, does wield the Attack action will let you make three attack rolls (two
two weapons at once can make an off-hand attack as a bonus main-hand, one off-hand), but Commanding your companion
action after Attacking. Additionally, whether you wield one to Attack will still let you make only one yourself, for a total of
weapon or two, you can use your bonus action to cast ensnaring two attack rolls between you.
strike, hunter’s mark, or zephyr strike before Attacking. In either As a skirmisher, if you benefited from the flanking maneuver
case, the companion moves, Dodges, and does nothing else. at levels 3 and 4, it still works for you at levels 5 and 6. If
A combination that may come in handy when you’re in you’re wielding two weapons, you should still position your
a melee engagement you want to get out of is to cast zephyr companion, then take the Attack action yourself, because you’ll
strike as a bonus action, then Command your companion to make three attack rolls, all with advantage, versus just two if you
Attack. This grants you a de facto Disengage action while your Command your companion to Attack. However, if you wield
companion takes care of business in your stead. only one weapon, your choice depends on what the companion
A marksman ranger gains a different benefit from being can do. Take both attacks yourself if yours are better; give one
accompanied by a companion: the ability to play two roles to your buddy if it deals more damage, has Pack Tactics, or can
at once, making ranged attacks oneself while the companion do something special, such as knock your opponent down and
makes melee attacks. You, too, can cast ensnaring strike or give you advantage on the follow-up attack roll.
hunter’s mark as a bonus action at the start of your turn; the The “being in two places at once” benefit now means that
latter benefits only you, but if your target is restrained by the you can choose either to team up with your companion against
former, your companion can then attack it with advantage the a single opponent or to make one attack each against separate
following turn. opponents in two different locations. If you’re fighting this
However, there are two things you need to be cautious of as way, you need to Command your companion to Attack—and
a marksman Beast Master. First, if you cast hail of thorns as a two-weapon fighting is out.
bonus action and then Attack, make sure you’re not attacking If you have hunter’s mark going, you have an incentive to take
a target within 5 feet of your companion. (This mistake is the the Attack action yourself as much as possible, Commanding
kind you make once and then never make again, but I bring it your companion to Attack only when it provides something
up so that you don’t make it at all.) Second, if your companion better than an average 4 damage that you don’t have to roll
has the ability to knock an opponent prone—as boars, panthers, again for. You may, therefore, want to consider using that
and wolves do—it then needs to finish the job itself, because as spell slot to cast something other than hunter’s mark. (Unless
a ranged attacker, you have disadvantage on attack rolls against you’re insisting on wielding two weapons, in which case, yes,
a prone opponent. In fact, if you’re a marksman choosing the absolutely, cast hunter’s mark, because you can potentially get
Beast Master archetype, why not choose a companion that an extra d6 of damage on each of three hits.) Ensnaring strike
does something other than knock your opponents prone to now lets you and your companion double-team a restrained
begin with? target, both attacking with advantage regardless of positioning.
 As a marksman, you can now use your companion to make
a melee attack while you make a ranged attack, but it’s still
Levels 11 through 14
generally better to make these attacks against separate targets At level 11, you gain Bestial Fury, which grants your companion
rather than the same one, unless you have an opponent a second attack roll—re-enabling Multiattack if it was present
restrained by ensnaring strike. If the field isn’t crawling with in the original beast stat block. (In core D&D, the latter applies
mobs of weak enemies—which means you probably won’t want to only two potential companion creatures: the giant badger
or need to cast hail of thorns—you now have access to healing and the velociraptor.)
spirit, which lets you use your bonus action to restore a few hit Now, when you Command your companion to Attack, you
points to your wounded allies (and/or your companion). grant two attacks to it and one to you. Alternatively, you can
Attack as an action and make an off-hand attack as a bonus
action, for a total of three attack rolls. If you Cast a Spell as
Levels 7 through 10 a bonus action, you can still Command your companion to
At level 7, you gain Exceptional Training, which lets you use a Attack as an action (which allows you one attack, too); this
bonus action to Command your companion to Help or retreat. combination works best with zephyr strike or (starting at level
Now Commanding your companion to Help becomes a lot 13) grasping vine. It’s still suboptimal with hunter’s mark,
more practical, because you can do it as a bonus action while because you get to make only one attack.
still using your own action to Attack—which also, finally, You can also Attack as an action and Command your
allows the companion to Help you, granting you advantage on companion to Help as a bonus action, conferring advantage
one of your two attacks even if the two of you aren’t flanking. either on one of your attack rolls or on an ally’s, but at these
(Still, if you’re using your bonus action to Command your levels, the usefulness of this combination recedes again because
companion, you don’t have it available to make an off-hand of the opportunity cost: Why should your companion merely
attack with a second weapon.) confer advantage on one attack when it can make two itself?
Alternatively, you can take the Attack action, then use your Once you reach this tier, you should almost always use your
bonus action to Command your companion to Help an ally action to Command your companion to Attack unless for some
and grant them advantage. Also, if your companion has been reason you need to Command it to retreat instead, in which
attacking an opponent, you can run in and take over while case you should almost always use your own action to Attack.
using your bonus action to Command it to break off and
retreat to safety. (“That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.”)
As a marksman, you gain access to the 3rd-level spell lightning
Levels 15 and Up
arrow at level 9. The same caveat applies to this spell as to hail The final feature in the Beast Master progression, Share
of thorns: Don’t launch it at the same target your companion Spells, lets you cast a self-targeted spell on both yourself and
is attacking. your companion. Hunter’s mark was looking weak for a while
Exceptional Training additionally makes your companion’s there, but now it comes roaring back again, as it enhances
attacks magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and your companion’s damage as well as your own. Zephyr strike
immunity to nonmagical attacks. If you don’t have a magic is extremely useful when fighting a large number of foes, as
weapon yourself, and your foe has this resistance or immunity, both your companion and you can dart from enemy to enemy
your companion now becomes your “magic weapon.” As soon without ever incurring an opportunity attack, but also when
as you realize that your weapon attacks aren’t dealing their fighting a single enemy
usual damage, Command your companion to take over. that’s not especially
mobile, because as long as it’s engaged in melee with one of to skirmisher rangers.) Favored Foe also never deals any extra
your allies, both your companion and you can strafe it and damage on your first hit; on the other hand, it builds in power
end your shared turn beyond its reach. Since hunter’s mark as you hit with it, and it never costs a spell slot.
and zephyr strike are cast as bonus actions, either of them can As far as the other spells in the expanded list are concerned,
be combined with an Attack action or a Command: Attack magic weapon works poorly with Favored Foe, elemental weapon
action on the same turn. Ensnaring strike isn’t as good, because doesn’t work with it at all, and much of the rest of the list
it discharges the first time either you or your companion lands reimagines the ranger as a supporter rather than a skirmisher
a hit, and hail of thorns and lightning arrow are no-gos, because or marksman. Under some circumstances, a skirmisher might
your companion has no ranged weapon attack. But the 4th- succeed in flexing this way, but a marksman shouldn’t even try.
level bonus-action spell guardian of nature is tremendous if you Most of the time, you don’t want to be that close to the action.
choose the Great Tree option for yourself and the Primal Beast All three of the new Fighting Style choices are strong for
option for a companion whose attacks are Strength-based. skirmisher rangers. In particular, two spells available with the
Some spells that require a full action to cast are particularly Druidic Warrior Fighting Style, magic stone and shillelagh,
good when Shared. Casting pass without trace allows either are bonus action spells that don’t require concentration and
you or your companion to scout stealthily far ahead while the therefore work seamlessly with Favored Foe.
other remains with the party, concealing them as well. You Whether you’re playing the skirmisher role or the marksman
can cast cure wounds on yourself and heal your companion role, Nature’s Veil is so much better than Hide in Plain Sight
simultaneously. Longstrider boosts both your movement speeds that you’d be a fool not to take it if your DM allows it. It’s
by 10 feet for an hour—especially good if your companion has free advantage on a whole turn’s worth of attacks, without
the Charge or Pounce trait. Tree stride, in a thickly forested concentration and without losing the benefit of invisibility
area, allows both of you to teleport ridiculously all over the after attacking, at the cost of a bonus action. Your uses of it
battlefield. (The difficulty with jump is that it triples your jump are limited, and it recharges with a long rest, so it is a resource
distance but doesn’t increase your speed at all, so while it’s good that you have to manage carefully. Also, it doesn’t make your
for clearing obstacles, it doesn’t let you leap ahead of enemies to companion invisible, so to get the most value out of it, you
pounce on them or cut off their escapes. Also, if you cast jump should take the Attack action yourself when you use it rather
on yourself and your beast companion, you’re both obligated than command your companion to Attack.
to immediately leap in the air and high-five. It is known.) Finally, the Primal Companion feature for Beast Masters
Marksmen will naturally be drawn to swift quiver, which allows you to command the primal companion to take any
allows them to Command their companion to Attack, then action, not just Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help, and the
attack twice themselves as a bonus action, for a total of two primal companion effectively has proficiency in every skill, so
companion attacks and three ranger attacks. But be advised it can Hide or Search regardless of its shape. You can use a
that the two-attack bonus action can’t be used the same turn bonus action to command it to attack even from level 3 (it’s
you use a bonus action to cast the spell. It’s not spiritual weapon. still incompatible with Two-Weapon Fighting until level 5—at
levels 3 and 4, you use the companion as your second weapon,
not the scimitar in your off hand, unless you want to leave
Tasha’s Options damage on the table).
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything includes some new optional class It can also be changed into a new form every morning,
features for rangers, plus one new optional feature for Beast which makes it more like a familiar—present, but not really
Masters, Primal Companion, which doesn’t augment Ranger’s real—and less like that faithful animal buddy that understands
Companion but rather replaces it. you like no one else does. And yeah, you can take it anywhere,
The level 1 feature Favored Foe, which replaces Favored but let’s be real: If you need water breathing to go fight the
Enemy, takes the idea behind hunter’s mark and implements it sahuagin in their undersea citadel, you’re giving it to Wolfy too,
differently. It no longer consumes any of your action economy, right? The Primal Companion is a manifestation, not a friend.
which leaves you free to use your bonus action to strike with an Personally, I’d rather stick with Wolfy.
off-hand weapon or, later, command your companion to Help That being said, the second paragraph of the Primal
or retreat. You can also use your bonus action to cast a spell; Companion feature, taken alone, makes an excellent fix for
however, the list of bonus-action spells that work with Favored Ranger’s Companion. If your DM will let you treat it as a de
Foe is very short, because it monopolizes your concentration, facto erratum to the rule as written in the Player’s Handbook, go
which every bonus-action ranger spell requires. Basically, you’re for it. The D&D police won’t come after you.
down to ensnaring strike, hail of thorns, lightning arrow, and
grasping vine, plus a single round’s worth of hunter’s mark.
Every one of these spells must be cast before your initial attack.
(The expanded ranger spell list includes the bonus-action spell
searing smite, which does also work with Favored Foe but which
requires the use of a melee weapon and therefore is useful only
 ACTION SUMMARY
Companion can always use its movement to move as you direct, without action economy cost.
Companion always Dodges if not commanded to take another action.
(T): Primal Companion option from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Ranger Level Actions Bonus Actions

3–4 Attack Cast a Spell
Cast a Spell Two-weapon fighting (only if action is Attack)
Command: Attack (T) Command: any action
Command: Dash/Disengage (retreat)
Command: Help
Dash/Disengage/Dodge
Hide
Search
5–6 Attack (ranger × 2) Cast a Spell
Cast a Spell Two-weapon fighting (only if action is Attack)
Command: Attack (companion + ranger) (T) Command: any action
Command: Dash/Disengage (retreat)
Command: Help
Dash/Disengage/Dodge
Hide
Search
(T) Attack (companion + ranger)
7–10 Attack (ranger × 2) Cast a Spell
Cast a Spell Command: Dash/Disengage (retreat)
Command: Attack (companion + ranger) Command: Help
Dash/Disengage/Dodge Two-weapon fighting (only if action is Attack)
Hide (T) Command: any action
Search
(T) Attack (companion + ranger)
11–14 Attack (ranger × 2) Cast a Spell
Cast a Spell Command: Dash/Disengage (retreat)
Command: Attack (companion × 2 + ranger) Command: Help
Dash/Disengage/Dodge Two-weapon fighting (only if action is Attack)
Hide (T) Command: any action
Search
(T) Attack (companion + ranger)
15+ Attack (ranger × 2) Cast a Spell (ranger + companion)
Cast a Spell (ranger + companion) Command: Dash/Disengage (retreat)
Command: Attack (companion × 2 + ranger) Command: Help
Dash/Disengage/Dodge Two-weapon fighting (only if action is Attack)
Hide (T) Command: any action
Search
(T) Attack (companion + ranger)
 BEAST COMPANION REFERENCE

Average
Damage per Special
Beast AC* Attack* Perception* Stealth* Movement What It’s Best At
Baboon 14–18 3–7 +1 +2 climbing Pack Tactics confers advantage when
(30 ft) attacking alongside an ally. Climbing lets it
reach high places.
Badger 12–16 3–7 +1 +1 burrowing Keen Smell can detect hidden enemies.
(5 ft) Darkvision makes it useful at night.
Badger, giant 12–16 8–12 +1 +0 burrowing Keen Smell can detect hidden enemies.
(10 ft) Darkvision makes it useful at night.
Bat 14–18 3–7 +1 +2 flying Blindsight and Keen Hearing can detect
(30 ft) threats in total darkness.
Boar 13–17 6–10† −1 +0 40 ft Charge deals extra damage and can knock
targets prone. Relentless allows it to be more
aggressive in melee. Fast.
Cat 14–18 3–7 +5–9 +6–10 40 ft, Keen Smell and Perception can detect hidden
climbing enemies. Climbing lets it Hide in high places.
(30 ft) Fast.
Centipede, giant 15–19 6–10† −2 +2 climbing Bite can deal dangerous amount of extra
(30 ft) poison damage and paralyze opponents
reduced to unconsciousness.
Crab 13–17 3–7 −2 +4–8 swimming Subpar choice.
(20 ft)
Crab, giant 17–21 6–10 −1 +6–10 swimming Claw can grapple targets. Blindsight makes it
(30 ft) useful at night and underground.
Deep rothé 12–16 9–13† +0 +0 — Charge deals extra damage. High base
damage output. Darkvision makes it useful
at night and underground. Can cast dancing
lights.
Deer 15–19 4–8 +2 +3 50 ft High speed and AC make it good for shock
attacks. Very fast.
Dimetrodon 14–18 11–15 +4–8 +0 swimming Perception can detect threats. High damage
(20 ft) output.
Dolphin 14–18 7–11† +5–9 +0 swimming Useful only in entirely aquatic campaigns.
(60 ft) Charge deals extra damage. Perception can
detect threats. Very fast swimming speed.
Eagle 14–18 6–10 +6–10 +2 flying Keen Sight and Perception can detect hidden
(60 ft) enemies. Very fast flying speed.
Fire beetle, 15–19 4–8 −2 +0 — Subpar choice.
giant
Frog 13–17 0 +3–7 +5–9 swimming Subpar choice.
(20 ft)
Frog, giant 13–17 6–10† +4–8 +5–9 swimming Standing Leap is good on difficult terrain.
(30 ft) Perception can detect threats. Can Swallow
Tiny or Small targets.
Goat 12–16 5–9† +0 +0 40 ft Charge deals extra damage and can knock
targets prone. Fast.
Hawk 15–19 3–7 +6–10 +3 flying Keen Sight and Perception can detect hidden
(60 ft) enemies. Very fast flying speed.
Hawk, blood 14–18 6–10 +6–10 +2 flying Pack Tactics confers advantage when
(60 ft) attacking alongside an ally. Keen Sight and
Perception can detect hidden enemies. Very
fast flying speed.
 Average
Damage per Special
Beast AC* Attack* Perception* Stealth* Movement What It’s Best At
Hyena 13–17 5–9 +5–9 +1 50 ft Pack Tactics confers advantage when
attacking alongside an ally. Perception can
detect threats. Very fast.
Jackal 14–18 3–7 +5–9 +2 40 ft Pack Tactics confers advantage when
attacking alongside an ally. Keen Hearing and
Smell can detect hidden enemies. Fast.
Lizard 12–16 3–7 −1 +0 climbing Subpar choice.
(20 ft)
Mastiff 14–18 6–10 +5–9 +2 40 ft Bite can knock targets prone. Keen Hearing
and Smell and Perception can detect hidden
enemies. Fast.
Mule 12–16 6–10 +0 +0 40 ft Subpar choice.
Octopus 14–18 3–7 +4–8 +6–10 swimming Useful only in entirely aquatic campaigns.
(30 ft) Underwater Camouflage confers advantage
on Stealth checks. Tentacles can grapple
targets. Ink Cloud creates small heavily
obscured area, suppressing advantage and
disadvantage, and grants bonus Dash action.
Owl 13–17 3–7 +5–9 +5–9 flying Keen Hearing and Sight can detect hidden
(60 ft) enemies. Flyby and very fast flying speed
allow it to strafe opponents. Long-range
darkvision makes it very useful at night.
Panther 14–18 7–11 +6–10 +8–12 50 ft, Pounce can knock targets prone and grant
climbing extra attack roll. Keen Smell and Perception
(40 ft) can detect hidden enemies. Can Hide in high
places. Very fast on the ground, fast climber.
Pony 12–16 9–13 +0 +0 40 ft High damage output. Small ranger can use it
as a mount. Fast.
Pteranodon 15–19 8–12 +3–7 +2 flying Flyby and very fast flying speed allow it to
(60 ft) strafe opponents.
 Average
Damage per Special
Beast AC* Attack* Perception* Stealth* Movement What It’s Best At
Quipper 15–19 3–7 −2 +3 swimming Useful only in entirely aquatic campaigns.
(40 ft) Blood Frenzy confers advantage when
attacking wounded target. Fast swimming
speed.
Rat 12–16 3–7 +0 +0 — Subpar choice.
Rat, cranium 14–18 3–7 +0 +2 — Subpar choice. Marks you as evil.
Rat, giant 14–18 6–10 +0 +2 — Pack Tactics confers advantage when
attacking alongside an ally. Keen Smell can
detect hidden enemies. Darkvision makes it
useful at night.
Rat, giant, 14–18 4–8† +0 +2 — Pack Tactics confers advantage when
diseased attacking alongside an ally. Keen Smell can
detect hidden enemies. Darkvision makes it
useful at night. Bite can cause disease that
drains max hp until target dies. Marks you as
seriously disturbed.
Raven 14–18 3–7 +5–9 +2 flying Mimicry can distract or confuse enemies.
(50 ft) Perception can detect threats. Very fast
flying speed.
Scorpion 13–17 3–7† −1 +0 — Subpar choice.
Sea horse 13–17 0 +0 +1 swimming Subpar choice.
(20 ft)
Snake, flying 16–20 3–7 +1 +4 flying Flyby and very fast flying speed allow it to
(60 ft), strafe opponents.
swimming
(30 ft)
Snake, 15–19 3–7† +0 +3 swimming Bite can deal extra poison damage.
poisonous (30 ft)
Snake, 16–20 8–12† +4–8 +4 swimming Bite can deal dangerous amount of extra
poisonous, giant (30 ft) poison damage. Perception can detect
threats.
Spider 14–18 3–7† +0 +2 climbing Subpar choice.
(20 ft)
Spider, wolf, 15–19 6–10† +5–9 +9–13 40 ft, Bite can deal extra poison damage
giant climbing and paralyze opponents reduced to
(40 ft) unconsciousness. Blindsight and darkvision
make it useful at night and underground.
Spider Climb allows movement on walls and
ceilings and hiding in high places. Fast.
Stirge 16–20 7–11† −1 +3 flying Blood Drain deals automatic damage on turns
(40 ft) after hit if not removed, forcing target to
choose between taking damage and losing
action. Fast flying speed.
Velociraptor 15–19 7–11 +5–9 +2 — Pack Tactics confers advantage when
attacking alongside an ally. Perception can
detect threats.
Vulture 12–16 4–8 +5–9 flying Pack Tactics confers advantage when
(50 ft) attacking alongside an ally. Keen Sight and
Smell and Perception can detect hidden
enemies. Very fast flying speed.
 Average
Damage per Special
Beast AC* Attack* Perception* Stealth* Movement What It’s Best At
Weasel 15–19 3–7 +5–9 +7–11 — Keen Hearing and Smell and Perception can
detect hidden enemies.
Weasel, giant 15–19 7–11 +5–9 +7–11 40 ft Keen Hearing and Smell and Perception can
detect hidden enemies. Darkvision makes it
useful at night. Fast.
Wolf 15–19 9–13 +5–9 +6–10 40 ft Pack Tactics confers advantage when
attacking alongside an ally. Keen Hearing
and Smell and Perception can detect hidden
enemies. High damage output. Bite can knock
targets prone. Fast.

* Ranges indicate variability depending on ranger level: low value at ranger levels 3–4, high value at ranger levels 17–20.
† Attack may deal additional damage.
 Live to Tell the Tale
Combat Tactics for Player Characters

On the heels of The Monsters Know What They’re Doing—a

compilation of villainous battle plans for Dungeon
Masters based on the author’s popular blog—Live to
Tell the Tale evens the score, providing beginning and
intermediate D&D players the tools they need to fight
back. Examining combat roles, class features, party
composition, positioning, debilitating conditions,
attacking combinations, action economy, and the ever-
important consideration of the best ways to run away,
Live to Tell the Tale will help you get the most out of your
character’s abilities.

Order from your favorite bookseller:

Indiebound • Bookshop
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Indigo
Kobo • Google Play • Apple Books

Available on the DMs’ Guild:

Oath of Deliverance
The Oath of Deliverance is a paladin subclass devoted to serving a higher order of morality than
the letter of the law. Have you fantasized about playing a chaotic paladin? A paladin as rebel,
dissident, liberator? This is the subclass for you.

We See It Differently: Bringing Factions into Conflict

Write compelling adventures focusing on the clashes between factions without making it obvious
who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are. Examines all five Sword Coast factions and the possible
conflicts between them, plus how to generate conflicts with custom factions.

The Pigeon Package

Just as eruptions of magical energies and careless experimentation by incautious wizards have
resulted in the creation of monstrosities such as the owlbear, the shambling mound, and the
banderhobb, they’ve also produced fearsome mutations in the common pigeon. Use the stat
blocks of these foul fowl with “Pigeon Tactics” at The Monsters Know What They’re Doing!