Monster Tamer (5e Subclass)
Monster Tamer[edit]
Artificer Specialization
Monster tamers are artificers who specialize in taming monsters. They have developed a special device called the Capture Gizmo, that, when used upon a monster, is able to both capture and tame it, making it loyal to the artificer at the same time. Some monster tamers are zoologists, and capture monsters in order to better study them. Others use these monsters in battle, sometimes competing against other tamers, and other times bringing their loyal pets along for grand adventures.
- Monster Tamer Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Monster Tamer Spells table. These spells count as monster tamer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
| Artificer Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | shield, longstrider |
| 5th | healing spirit, warding bond |
| 9th | haste, slow |
| 13th | stoneskin, wall of fire |
| 17th | conjure elemental, hold monster |
- Novice Tamer
- Special Spell
The Monster Tamer learns the spell charm monster, and becomes able to cast it a number of times per long rest equal to your intelligence modifier, but only as part of the taming ritual described below, and only if you have an empty Capture Gizmo.
- Capture Gizmo
Starting at 3rd level, you learn how to craft a marvelous device of engineering and magic: the Capture Gizmo. This device can be any object of three to five inches that has an interior space, often in the form of a ring with a hidden compartment, a hollow metal sphere, or a small box. It is the focus of the taming ritual (described below), counts as an artificer infusion, and the artificer may have a number created equal to their proficiency bonus using a single infusion slot. The Monster Tamer may only use one infusion slot to create Capture Gizmos.
- Taming Ritual
In order to tame a monster, you must begin by casting Charm Monster upon a creature, using an empty Capture Gizmo as an additional focus for the spell. You may only target a Beast with a CR equal to or less than half your current Artificer level (rounded down) with this spell. When the spell is cast this way, the target's remaining Hit Points determine if the saving throw is at advantage, a flat roll, or at disadvantage. If the target has more than half its hit points, and is currently fighting your or your allies, it has advantage on the saving throw, as normal. If the target is below half its hit points, but above one quarter, it loses that advantage. If the target has less than a quarter of its hit points remaining, it is at disadvantage. If you successfully charm your target, you may then use an action to press the Capture Gizmo against the target. The target is absorbed into the Capture Gizmo, and you must name the creature, which will thereafter be the name you use to summon the creature from the Capture Gizmo. A tamed monster gains the ability to understand (but not speak) one language of your choice that you speak. This ritual fails immediately if the target is not in its natural form, or if it is already under the control of you or another creature, or if it has the spellcasting ability.
- Releasing a Tamed Monster
If you wish to release a monster from your service, you must perform a ritual as part of a short rest. At the end of the short rest, the bond between the monster and its Capture Gizmo is broken, and it becomes charmed by you. While charmed this way, it will attempt to travel away from you in as direct a fashion as it can for one hour, defending itself only as necessary, at which point the charmed effect ends, and all memories it has of you become hazy and indistinct, but pleasant.
- Tamed Monster
At 3rd level, you can use your captured monsters in combat. As an action, you can present a Capture Gizmo and call the name of the creature within, which allows you to summon that creature into an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. This monster remains summoned for a number of hours equal your artificer level, or until it drops to 0 HP, and you may only have one monster summoned at a time. Once you have summoned any monster, you cannot summon another monster until the end of your next short or long rest, or until you spend a number of combined spell slots equal to the CR of the monster you wish to summon.
The monster obeys your commands as best as it can. The monster is friendly to you and your allies, and indifferent to anyone not actively attacking you, your allies, or it. The monster takes its turn on your initiative. On your turn, you can verbally command the monster where to move (no action required by you). You can use your Action to verbally command it to take the attack action, making one attack, take the Dash, Disengage, or Help action, or any one other action it has access to in its stat block, not including multiattack. If you don’t issue a command, the monster takes the Dodge action.
If you are incapacitated or absent, the monster acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The monster never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack. If the monster reaches 0 hit points, it instantly returns to the Capture Gizmo, and you must must complete a short or long rest to summon it again.
The monster uses its standard stat block, but you also add your proficiency bonus to the monster's AC, DCs, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. When the monster is summoned for the first time since a rest, it gains Temporary hit points equal to twice your artificer level plus your intelligence modifier. Healing magic affects the monster as normal. A tamed monster cannot inflict lasting curses or diseases, and all effects it can create end when it returns to its Capture Gizmo.
- Veteran Tamer
At 5th level, when you use your action to command your monster to take the Attack action, the monster can make two attacks instead of one, or use the multiattack option, if it has it. You may also make a weapon attack as part of the action used to command your monster.
Your growing connection to your monster increases the temporary hit points it gains upon first summoning, now gaining three times your artificer level plus your intelligence modifier.
Lastly, you begin to expand the types of monsters you can capture as you gain experience with them. Choose a type of creature from this list: Aberration, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, or Undead. You may now also capture creatures of that type of the appropriate CR. Each time you level up, you may change which of those types you chose, as long as you do not currently have one of that type captured.
- Expert Tamer
When you reach the 9th level, you can magically evolve your monster using the help of your infusions. You have 2 additional infusions, that doesn't count against your maximum number of infusions known. These additional infusions can only be placed on your monsters, and are placed on a monster when it is summoned, vanishing when it returns to its Capture Gizmo. The number of additional infusions you have increases to 4 at level 15.
The infusions are placed directly upon the monster, without the need for equipment. For the purposes of infusing a monster, they are considered to have an armor, boots, gauntlets, belt, helmet, and rings, as well as each of their natural weapons are considered a distinct weapon, and you can only use infusions that affect these items.
You also have access to a new infusion, which can only be used on your monster, called "Enhance Attribute", which sets one attribute of your choice to 19, if it is not already higher. This infusion must be attached to a helmet, a belt, or gauntlets. At level 15, Enhance Attribute sets the chosen score to 23. You may only use this infusion once per monster.
You can now use your bonus action to command a summoned monster to make a single attack, as long as you have not used your action to command your monster.
Additionally, your connection to your monsters continue to grow, increasing the temporary hit points it gains upon first summoning, now gaining four times your artificer level plus your intelligence modifier.
Lastly, you further expand the types of monsters you can capture as you gain experience with them. Choose an additional type of creature from this list: Aberration, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, or Undead. You may now also capture creatures of that type of the appropriate CR. Each time you level up, you may change one of the types you chose, as long as you do not currently have one of those types captured.
- Master Tamer
Starting at 15th level, you can now summon up to two monsters at the same time as part of the same action, dividing the available infusions between them as you wish, and command them with the same action or bonus action. Once you have summoned monsters in this way, you cannot summon another monster until the end of your next short or long rest, or until you spend a number of combined spell slots equal to half the combined CR of the monster(s) you wish to summon.
As long as one of your monsters is within 30 feet of you, you may use spells with a range of self or touch as if they originated from that monster, rather than you.
You may now treat your level as three higher than it actually is when attempting to capture monsters.
When you first summon a monster, it appears with temporary hit points equal to five times your artificer level plus your intelligence modifier.
Lastly, you have mastered the science of capturing even the most exotic monsters. Choose an additional type of creature from this list: Aberration, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, or Undead. You may now also capture creatures of that type of the appropriate CR. Each time you level up, you may change one of the types you chose, as long as you do not currently have one of those types captured.
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