The Beast Master - D&D: Optimized #13

Notice! This guide has been updated as per Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (and it's much better now!) See here for details -    • Beast Master 2.0 - D&D: Optimized #20  

Character Concept:(0:00)
Levels 1-6:(6:38)
Levels 7-9:(19:02)
Levels 10-13:(23:00)
Levels 14-17:(25:06)
Final Thoughts:(28:41)

Is the Beast Master truly worthless? Not by a long shot. Come learn how to bring both strong sustained damage and excellent control to the battlefield as we dive in to the most reviled sub-class in all of D&D 5e!

Links to math/graphs for this episode:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Tier 1 Sustained DPR: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Tier 2 Sustained DPR: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

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Quick Guide:
Level 1:

Race – Wood Elf

Ability Scores: 15 Dex (+2) 14 Con, 15 Wis (+1), whatever else.

Equipment: Scale Mail, Longbow

Favored Enemy/Terrain – knock yourself out. Customize to your campaign or story

Level 2:

Fighting Style: Archery

Spells: Hunter’s Mark

Level 3:

Archetype = Beastmaster

Animal Companion = Giant Frog

Why the Frog? Because of one thing and one thing only: if they make a successful attack, the target is grappled and restrained. They can try to escape the grapple on their turn, but at first they don’t get to even save. This means that, if the companion hits, you’re taking up at least one of their turns as they try to escape, and, more importantly for our purposes, since they’re restrained, all attacks against them have advantage. Including those from your allies!

Here’s how combat looks for you at this level: Turn 1, cast Hunter’s mark as BA and then command your pet to attack. Assuming they hit, they’re grappled/restrained. Next turn, assuming they’re still grappled, you’re making a longbow attack plus your Hunter’s Mark. You’re hitting decently hard for level 3. (If you started Variant Human with Sharpshooter, you’re hitting very hard for level 3 - If you took magic initiate here and are using a different pet, don’t command your pet to attack (unless you have a high damager like the Giant Poisonous Snake) and instead just have your Owl take the help action, giving you advantage on your Longbow attack.

Level 4:

ASI/Feat = Sharpshooter

Level 5: Extra Attack! What this means for you is that you can command your companion to take the attack action, then you get to make one weapon attack. So, BA Hunter’s Mark, Frog grapple, attack with Sharpshooter and advantage.

Level 6: Damage Report

Vs. 10 AC: 27 DPR vs. 15 = 20 DPR

Level 7: Exceptional Training BM feature

Level 8: ASI/Feat = Elven Accuracy – Dex is 18 and triple advantage!

Level 9: Spell = Conjure Animals

Damage Report! Vs. 10 = 31 DPR, 16 = 25

Level 11: Bestial Fury Feature – now your pet gets to make 2 attacks and you make 1! It’s like a Fighter only way weaker! :P (seriously Wizards, why not give the Ranger the extra attack here? Killing me.) Still, a nice little bump to our DPR.

Level 12: ASI = Dex (20) Finally capped!

Level 13: One spell I’ll mention – Conjure Woodland beings...

Damage Report! Vs 10 = 42 vs. 17 = 34

Level 15: Share Spells Feature

Level 16: ASI/Feat – Knock yourself out. Tough? +Con? +Wis? Medium Armor Master?

Level 17: 5th level spells! Finally! You want Swift Quiver – Now your pet gets two attacks and you get 3 (or 4 if, by some miracle, the target stays grappled). All with advantage, all with Sharpshooter damage (gotta drop Hunter’s Mark). It’s nice!

Damage Report: Vs 10 = 80, 18 = 68