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Beast Sidekick

Beasts are nonhumanoid creatures that are a natural part of the fantasy ecology. Some of them have magical powers, but most are unintelligent and lack any society or language. Beasts include all varieties of ordinary animals, dinosaurs, and giant versions of animals.
hit dice: d10
hit points at 1st level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
hit points at higher levels: 6 + your Constitution modifier per beast level after 1st
armor proficiencies: Light, Medium, Heavy
weapon proficiencies: ---
tools: ---
saving throws: Strength, Consitution
skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Purrsuasion, Stealth, Survival
starting equipment:
You start with the following equipment:

  • Saddlebags

  • Blanket

  • 10 days of rations

  • Waterskin

spellcasting:
Beasts are incapable of spellcasting.
class features:
Speed. Your base speed is 40 feet.
Size. Your base size is Medium.
Ability Scores — Limited Standard Array.
You can use the following array for use in determing your sidekick's starting stats: [6, 7, 12, 14, 14, 16].
*Note: The lowest stat is applied to the beast's intelligence. You may reduce this number from 6 to 2 if you wish (matters if you plan on utilizing Beast Bond).  

Bestial Path

At 1st level, you can determine your bestial path: Beast of Brawn, Beast of Agility, or Beast of Cunning, detailed at the end of the class description. Your bestial path grants you features at 1st level and again at 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 18th level.  

Instincts

Starting at 1st level, your primal instincts drive you to survival; your tenacity, ferocity, and cunning are what keep you alive. These instincts are represented by a number of instinct points. Your beast level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Instinct Points column of the Beast table.   You can spend these points to fuel various instinct features. You start off knowing one major and one minor instinct of your choice. You learn more instincts as you gain levels in this sidekick class.   When you spend an instinct point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you regain the stamina necessary to recover these instinct points.   Some of your instinct features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:   Instinct save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier  

Major Instincts

  Major Instincts
 

Lithe

Your Instinct save DC now uses your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier.  

Size: Huge

Prerequisite: Size Large
Your size is increased from the size of Large to Huge.  

Size: Tiny

Prerequisite: Size Small
Your size is reduced from the base size of Small to Tiny.  

Ambusher

You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature you have surprised when you also expend an Instinct Point.  

Amorphous

Prerequisite: Size Tiny
You can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.  

Armored

You increase your Armor Class by 1.  

Avoidance

Prerequisite: Lithe
Choose one ability score. If you are subjected to a spell or effect that allows you to make a saving throw with that ability score to take only half damage, you can expend 1 Instinct Point and you instead take no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.  

Charger

You gain the Charger feat.  

Constrict

You can crush creatures you grapple. As a bonus action, when you have a creature grappled and expend an Instinct Point, you can deal 1d8+Strength modifier damage to the grappled creature.  

Damage Transfer

While grappling a creature, when you take damage from a weapon attack and expend an Instinct Point, you take only half damage dealt to you (rounded down), and the grappled creature takes the other half.  

Devil's Sight

Prerequisite: Darkvision
Magical darkness doesn't impede your darkvision.  

Hemorrhaging

Your attacks cause deep internal or external bleeding on creatures struck by your basic attack when you expend an Instinct Point. When a struck creature starts their turn, the target loses 4 (1d8) hit points due to blood loss. At the end of each of the creature's turns it can attempt a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal Instinct Save DC to end this effect. Magical healing or regeneration also end this effect.  

Improved Difficulty

You are more skilled in the use of your abilities. Increase the DC of Instinct Save DC by 1.  

Limited Pack Tactics

You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if you expend 1 Instinct Point and at least one of your allies are within 5 feet of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated.  

Petrifying Attack

One of your weapon attacks can petrify creatures struck by it. Choose one of your weapon attacks. Creatures hit by this attack, when you expend 1 Instinct Point, must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against being magically petrified. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is ptrified for 24 hours.  

Rampage

When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on your turn, you can take a bonus action and expend 1 Instinct Point to move up to half your speed and make a basic attack.  

Siege Monster

Prerequisite: Large Size or greater
You deal double damage to objects and structures.  

Tunneler

Prerequisite: Burrow Speed
You can burrow through solid rock at half your burrow speed and leave a tunnel equal to half your Size in your wake.  

Venemous

Your basic attack is venemous. When you expend 1 Instinct Point and hit a creature with this attack the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is poisoned until the end of its turn.  

Wounded Fury

While your companion or you have 10% of your hit points or fewer, you have advantage on attack rolls. In addition, you deal an extra 7 (2d6) damage to any target you hit with a melee attack.  

Relentless

If you take an extra (6+your Beast Level) damage or less that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you can spend 1 instinct point. You are reduced to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this feature you cannot benefit from it again until you have complete a long rest.  

Last Stand

If you take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you can spend 1 instinct point. You remain conscious but make death saving throws as normal. When you fail your first saving throw you slip into unconsciousness and continue making death saving throws.

Flyby

Prerequisite: Flight Speed
You don't provoke an opportunity attack when you fly out of an enemy’s reach.  

Pounce

If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hit it with an attack on the same turn, you can spend 1 instinct point and cause the target to make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, you can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.  

Swarm

The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a tiny creature. The swarm can only regain hit points by spending 1 or more instinct points to replenish its numbers as a bonus action on its turn; each instinct point equates to 2 expended hit dice of healing. Swarms cannot benefit from temporary hit points.  

Trampling Charge

Prerequisite: Size Large or greater
If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hit it with an attack on the same turn, you can expend 1 instinct point to force the target to make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the creature can make one attack against it as a bonus action.  

Improved Natural Camouflage

Prerequisite: Natural Camouflage
The creature has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.  

Ink Cloud

Prerequisite: Swim Speed
You can expend 1 Instinct Point to create a 20 foot-radius cloud of ink extends all around you if you are underwater. The area is heavily obscured for 1 minute, although a significant current can disperse the ink. After releasing the ink, you can use the Dash action as a bonus action.  

Diseased Attack

When you hit with your basic attack you can expend 1 Instinct Point. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Instinct Save DC or contract a disease. Until the disease is cured, the target can't regain hit points except by magical means, and the target's hit point maximum decreases by 3 (1d6) every 24 hours. If the target's hit point maximum drops to 0 as a result of this disease, the target dies.  

Lunging Attack

You can expend 1 Instinct Point when hit a creature with a basic attack and force them to make a Strength saving throw against your Instinct Save DC or be knocked prone.  

Natural Power

Prerequisite: Hooves, Stomp, or Tail Attack, Size Large
You may double the damage dice of attacks made with your Hooves, Stomp, or Tail Attacks.  
 
 

Minor Instincts

  Minor Instincts
 

Aggressive

As a bonus action you move up to your speed toward a hostile creature that you can see.  

Amphibious

You can breath air and water.  

Cunning

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.  

Darkvision

You have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.  

Dive Attack

Prerequisite: Fly Speed
If you are flying and dives at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee attack, the attack deals an extra 4 (1d8) damage to the target.  

False Appearance

You can blend in to the world in a unique way. While you remain motionless, you are indistinguishable from one specific type of object such as a dead shrub or rock.  

Familiar

You become a permanent quasi-familiar. When your spellcaster companion casts a spell with a range of touch, you can deliver the spell as if you had cast the spell. You must be within 100 feet of your spellcaster companion, and you must use your reaction to deliver the spell when your companion casts it. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your spellcaster companion's attack modifier for the roll.  

Hold Breath

You can hold your breath for 15 minutes.  

Iron Scent

You can pinpoint, by scent, the location of ferrous metal within 30 feet of you.  

Keen Senses

Choose two between hearing, sight, and smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on those two senses.  

Locomotion

You can move in a unique way. Choose from burrow, climb, fly, or swim. You gain that type of movement with a value equal to your base speed.  

Mimicry

You can mimic any sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check with a DC equal to your Instinct Save DC.  

Mount

You are large enough to carry other creatures on your back. Unlike most mountable creatures, you can be your rider's size or larger. You cannot be smaller than your rider to take this Instinct.  

Multiple Heads

You have more than one head. You gain an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks. You can select this Instinct multiple times. Each time you gain a new head, you gain an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks.  

Ranged Attacks

You gain a new way to attack. This new attack deals 1d6 damage and you choose the type of damage (piercing or bludgeoning) the attack does. You can use Strength or Dexterity for its attack and damage bonuses. This attack has a range of 25/50 feet.  

Natural Camouflage

You gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in one favored terrain of your choice from the Ranger's Natural Explorer class feature.  

Natural Defenses

You Armor Class increases by 1.  

Nimble

You are particularly quick. Your base land speed increases by 10 feet.  

Poisonous

Prerequisite: Bite Attack
Your bite attack deals an additional 2 (1d4) poison damage.  

Powerful Attack

Your attacks increase its damage die by one size (claws or tentacles do not benefit from this feature).  

Reach

You increase the range of one of your melee attacks by 5 feet. You can select this Instinct multiple times. Each time it it taken, choose a different melee attack.  

Reckless

At the start of your turn, you can gain advantage on all melee attack rolls you make during that turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until the start of your next turn.  

Shared Senses

Your companion can use a bonus action to transfer their senses into you. They can see, hear, and smell anything you can. You must be within 10 miles of your companion to use this feature.  

Sleepless

You cannot be put to sleep with magic.  

Slippery

You are slick to the touch. You have advantage on ability checks and saving throws made to escape a grapple or being restrained.  

Standing Leap

Your long jump is up to 20 feet and your high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.  

Stench

Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to your Stench for the next 24 hours.  

Sticky

You are sticky to the touch. Attempts you make to make or maintain a grapple has advantage.  

Trained

You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice. You can take this instinct multiple times. Each time it is taken, select two different skills you gain proficiency with.  

Unarmored Defense

Your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution or Wisdom modifier.  

Web Weaver

You ignore movement restrictions caused by webbing and gain the following action:   Web (Recharge 5-6).
While recharged, you can expend an Instinct Point to utilize the following attack.
Ranged Weapon Attack: Dexterity modifier + proficiency bonus to hit, range 30/60ft., one Large or smaller creature.
Hit: The creature is restrained in webbing. As an action, the restrained creature can make a Strength check against your Instinct Save DC, escaping the webbing on a success. The effect ends if the webbing is destroyed. The webbing has AC 10, 5 hit points, resistance to bludgeoning damage, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.  

Water Breathing

You can breathe only underwater.  

Echolocation

You gain Blindsight out to a range of 60 feet. You cannot benefit from this sense while you are deafened.  

Sure-footed

You have advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock you prone.  

Illumination

You shed bright light in a 30 foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.  

Beast of Burden

You are considered to be an animal one-size larger than your size for the purpose of determining your carrying capacity.  

Shell Defense

Your speed is permanently reduced by 20 feet. You can now withdraw into your shell, gaining a +4 bonus to its AC until you emerge. You can emerge from your shell as a bonus action on your turn.  

Size: Small

Your size is reduced from the base size of Medium to Small.  

Size: Large

Your size is increased from the base size of Medium to Large.  

Superior Darkvision

Prerequisite: Darkvision
Your Darkvision expands out to a range of 120 feet.  
 
 

Possible Beast Magic Item Features

  Possible Beast Magic Item Features
 

Blood Frenzy

You deal 3 (1d6) extra damage to and have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.  

Magic Resistance

You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.  

Magical Hide

You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.  

Masterful Difficulty

You are a master at using your abilities. You increase the DC of your Instinct Save DC by 1.  

Regeneration

You regain your proficiency bonus in hit points at the beginning of your turn. Choose two damage types. If you take damage of either type, this feature doesn't function at the start of your next turn. You die only if you start your turn with 0 hit points and do not regenerate.  

Treestride

Once on your turn, you can use 10 feet of your movement to step magically into one living tree within your reach and emerge from a second living tree within 60 feet of the first tree, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be Large or bigger.  

Truesight

You gain truesight out to a range of 10 feet.  

Rust Metal

Any nonmagical weapon made of metal that hits you corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to -5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal that hits you is destroyed after dealing damage.  

Magic Attacks

Your basic attack counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.  

Invisibility

You can cast the invisibility spell on yourself at-will. Casting the spell is a bonus action.  

Innate Spellcasting

You gain the ability to cast spells. You gain the Magic Initiate feat, though the DC of its spells are still determined by your Instinct Save DC.  

Elemental Immunity

You become immune to one type of elemental damage.  

Displacement

You project a magical illusion that makes you appear to be standing near your actual location, causing attack rolls against you to have disadvantage. If you are hit by an attack, this feature is disrupted until the end of your next turn. This feature is also disruptied while you are incapacitated or have a speed of 0.  

Confer Elemental Resistance

You can grant resistance to damage you resist to anyone riding you.    
 
 

Natural Weapons

Animals have a variety of different attacks. Select one Basic Attack and one Secondary Attack.
  Basic Attack. This attack utilizes your Strength modifier and deals 1d8 damage. It's damage type is dependent on your choice of the attack:
  • Bite (Piercing)
  • Horns (Piercing)
  • Slam (Bludgeoning)
  • Talons (Slashing)
  Secondary Attack. You can choose one among Claws, Tentacles, Spines/Spikes attacks which have the Finesse property, or one among Hooves, Stomp, or Tail attacks which have the Heavy property. Their damage and damage types are listed below.
  • Claws (Slashing) -- 1d6
  • Tentacles (Bludgeoning) -- 1d6
  • Hooves (Bludgeoning) -- 2d4
  • Stomp (Bludgeoning) -- 1d12
  • Tail (Bludgeoning, Reach 10 feet) -- 1d8
  • Spines/Spikes (Piercing, Ranged 20/60) -- 1d8
 

Pain Response

At 2nd level, you've learned to cope with pain. Choose one from the following options to determine how you fight through it.  

Bestial Endurance

You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use one instinct point and use your reaction to roll a d8. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total.  

Lash Out

When you take damage, you can use one instinct point and use your reaction to move up to half your speed toward the enemy who struck you and make a bite attack against them if they're within your reach.  

Extra Attack

At 6th level you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn.   The number of attacks increases to three when the sidekick reaches 15th level.  

Enraged

While your current hit points are equal to or less than half your hit point maximum, you deal an extra 1d6 damage with your melee attacks.  

Natural Ascension

At 20th level you have become one with nature. You are a paragon of all animalkind. You suffer none of the drawbacks of old age, and you can’t be aged magically.   You cannot be frightened while you are conscious, and you have gained the ability to move between planes. As such, you can slip through the planar boundaries to lessen the harm done to you during battle. When you take damage from an attack, you can use your reaction to give yourself resistance to all of that attack's damage on this turn. You can use this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses of this feature at the conclusion of a long rest.   Additionally, you can cast Plane Shift (Self) at will.
subclass options:

Beast of Brawn

 

Bonus Proficiencies

At 1st level you gain proficiency in the Athletics skill and you gain advantage on Constitution saving throws.  

Thick Hide

At 3rd level you can shrug off blows that might be fatal to others; when you're hit by an attack you can expend 1 Instinct Point and use your reaction to add your Strength modifier to your AC.  

Natural Endurance

At 7th level your hit dice increases from a d10 to a d12. This change is retroactive; causing your hit point calculation to change from 4+(6*constitutionMod) to 5+(7*constitutionMod) if not rolling.  

Rejuvination

At 11th level whenever you take the Dodge action in combat, you can spend one Hit Die to heal yourself. Roll the die, add your Constitution modifier, and regain a number of hit points equal to the total (minimum of 1).  

Thunderous Roar

At 18th level your spirit begins to entertwine itself with Mother Nature herself. You are filling into the role as one of her Aspects of the Beast, an animal of legend. When you roar, so too do the heavens. As a bonus action, your roar is amplified to be heard alongside its accompanying chorus of thunder; it is audible within 300 feet of you. Each creature within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 4d6 thunder damage and be thrown 10 feet away from you and knocked prone. A creature who succeeds on their saving throw take half damage and are not moved. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier. You regain all uses at the conclusion of a long rest.  

Beast of Agility

 

Bonus Proficiencies

At first level you gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill and expertise in one skill of your choice in which you are proficient.  

Cunning Action

Starting at third level, your natural instincts and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.  

Predatory Fury

At 7th level, once on each of your turns when you attack with a claw, tentacle, or fist using the Attack action, you can make one additional claw attack as part of the same action.   Additionally, immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 instinct point to make one claw or tentacle attack as a bonus action.  

Evasion

Beginning at 11th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as an ancient red dragon's fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.  

Master Predator

At 18th level your spirit begins to entertwine itself with Mother Nature herself. You are filling into the role as one of her Aspects of the Beast, an animal of legend. You know how to strike subtly and exploit your prey's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 5d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll and you expend 1 instinct point.   You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.  

Beast of Cunning

 

Bonus Proficiencies

At first level you gain proficiency in the Sleight of Hand skill and Wisdom Saving Throws.  

Pack Tactics

At third level, you are best suited working in pack. You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if you and at least one of your allies are within 5 feet of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated.  

Instinct Surge

At 7th level as a Bonus Action you can rely on your cunning ways to twist things into your favor. You can restore a number of Instinct Points equal to your proficiency bonus. Once you have used this feature you must complete a short rest before may use it again.  

Battle Readiness

You may add your proficiency bonus to your initiative rolls. Additionally, you may expend 1 Instinct Point to gain advantage on the roll.  

Inspiring Companion

You gain telepathy out to a range of 30 feet. You communicate via images and smells. A creature does not need to know a language to understand you.   When a creature within 30 feet of you makes an attack roll, saving throw, or an ability check, you can use a reaction to give them advantage on the roll. The target of your surge of inspiration also gains 10 temporary hit points and is immune to the Frightened condition while those temporary hit points remain. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier.
LevelProficiency BonusFeaturesInstinct PointsInstincts Known
1st+2Bestial Path, Bestial Path Feature, Instincts, Natural Weapons12
2nd+2Pain Response22
3rd+2Bestial Path Feature32
4th+2Ability Score Improvement42
5th+3Minor Instinct43
6th+3Extra Attack (1 extra)43
7th+3Bestial Path Feature, Major Instinct44
8th+3Ability Score Improvement44
9th+4Minor Instinct45
10th+4Enraged55
11th+4Bestial Path Feature55
12th+4Ability Score Improvement, Major Instinct66
13th+566
14th+5Ability Score Improvement66
15th+5Extra Attack (2 extra) Minor Instinct77
16th+5Ability Score Improvement87
17th+687
18th+6Bestial Path Feature, Major Instinct98
19th+6Ability Score Improvement98
20th+6Natural Ascension108

Created by

Glynyon.

Statblock Type

Class Features

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