User:Celestial Mechanist/Wildspeaker

Wildspeaker

The Wildspeaker is a beastmaster in the truest sense. Rather than a blend of combat skills and minor pet handling, Wildspeakers focus purely on developing their trusted animal companion and enhancing it to be the greatest asset a Wildspeaker can have.

Creating a Wildspeaker

https://www.deviantart.com/uncannyknack/art/Elven-Druid-594577736

When designing a Wildspeaker, keep in mind how the character developed his or her skills with creatures. Was it ancestral knowledge, passed down from generation to generation? Was it personal experience working and living with animals? Was it some arcane gift given by a deity?

Quick Build

You can make a Wildspeaker quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution or Charisma. Second, choose the Hermit or Sage background. Third, choose a spear, scale mail, and an herbalism kit.

Class Features

As a Wildspeaker you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Wildspeaker level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Wildspeaker level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Medium, Light
Weapons: Simple
Tools: Choose one: Carpenter's, Leatherworker's, Mason's, Woodcarver's
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Constitution
Skills: Animal Handling, and choose two from: athletics, investigation, nature, survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• A simple weapon
• (a) Scale mail or (b) Leather armor
• (a) Climber's kit or (b) Herbalism kit
• Hunting trap
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 0 in funds.

Table: The Wildspeaker

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Animal Companion, Wildspeaker Path, Path Feature
2nd	+2	Combat Training
3rd	+2	Advanced Tactics
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Naturespeak
5th	+3	Wildspeaker Path Feature
6th	+3	Ability Score Increase, Endurance Training
7th	+3	Naturespeak enhancement
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, Advanced Tactics enhancement
9th	+4	Wildspeaker Path Feature
10th	+4	Ability Score Increase
11th	+4	Chosen Companions
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Wildspeaker Path Feature
14th	+5	Ability Score Increase
15th	+5	Chosen Companions enhancement
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, Eternal Bond
17th	+6	Wildspeaker Path Feature
18th	+6	Ascendant Beastmaster
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Wildspeaker Path Feature

Animal Companion

At 1st level, you may choose an animal you have encountered to be your companion. The animal must be willing, and you must pass an Animal Handling check with a DC of 10+the creature's challenge rating, rounding up to the nearest whole number where applicable. Upon success, the animal becomes spiritually bound to you, becoming your companion until its death. If you choose a new companion, your old one returns to where you found it, if possible.

An animal companion retains its statistics and abilities, except its proficiency modifier and proficiencies, which it inherits from yours. It will follow your commands to the best of its ability. You can mentally communicate with the creature, and it understands all languages you do, but cannot speak unless it already has the ability to do so. During combat, it is always treated as having your initiative count but losing ties. In addition to basic commands such as "come" or "attack," animal companions can understand and complete more advanced commands as well.

Defend.

Your companion can be ordered to defend a location or another character. As an action, as long as the pet is in an adjacent space to its defense target, that target receives +(1/2 proficiency modifier, rounded up) AC. The companion can only move on its turn or repeat this command.

Search.

Your companion can be ordered to search. The search command should include either an area or a specific item. If selecting an area, your companion will attempt to find anything of value or anything related to your current task or quest.

Hunt.

Your companion can hunt for food, water, supplies, or other necessities. Doing so will require the pet to leave your company until it completes its task (if able to.) However, you will still be able to mentally communicate with your pet, and it will relay all information it finds to you.

Wildspeaker Path

At first level, your experience and specializations with the creature you bond with allows you to walk a specific Path, or type of Wildspeaker. Choose between Wolf, Bear, and Drake.

Combat Training

At second level, you and your pet are more closely knit combatants, and each gain a +1 to hit while within 10ft of one another.

Advanced Tactics

At third level, select one of the following Commands: Conceal, Strike Down, Escape. You learn that Command. At eighth level, you learn the others.

Conceal.

Your pet will attempt to conceal either itself or an item of your choice using its environment.

Strike Down.

As an action, you make a coordinated strike with your pet. If you and your pet are within 30ft of the same creature, you may move and attack the creature as a unit.

Escape.

As a reaction, you can send your pet into a fight-or-flight mode. If it would drop below 1 hit point this turn as a result of an attack against it, it instead drops to 1 hit point and may immediately move 15ft without invoking attacks of opportunity.

Naturespeak

At fourth level, you gain the ability to naturally communicate with wildlife as per the speak with animals spell. At seventh level, you also gain the ability to communicate with plants as per the speak with plants spell.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 10th, 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.

Endurance Training

At sixth level, you and your companions' travel speed are doubled.

Chosen Companions

At eleventh level, choose a creature type from beast, dragon, fey, or monstrosity. You have advantage on Animal Handling and Persuasion checks with the chosen type. At fifteenth level, you may choose another.

Eternal Bond

At sixteenth level, you and your companion cannot die of age as long as you both are alive. Additionally, you both gain +1 to all death saving throws.

Ascendant Beastmaster

At eighteenth level, you have become an undisputed master of all things associated with your Chosen Companions.

If your companion is a beast, you and your companion gain +2 AC and regenerate 5 hit points at the start of your turns.

If your companion is a dragon, you both gain an additional +2d6 magical damage on all attacks you make, with element corresponding to the type of dragon.

If your companion is a fey, you may cast conjure woodland beings as a 6th-level spell without paying any material components. You can't use this feature again until you have completed a long rest.

If your companion is a monstrosity, it negates 10% of all damage it takes. It also gains +1 to all physical stats.

Path of the Wolf

The Path of the Wolf focuses on bringing your pets to their highest damage potential, utilizing them as a primary combatant. Additionally, it focuses on having multiple creatures under your control.

Pack Mentality

Staring at first level, you may choose up to two animal companions instead of one. The total challenge rating of these companions may not exceed your Wildspeaker level.

Packmaster

At fifth level, your ability to manage multiple companions grows even stronger. You may choose up to three animal companions, the combined challenge rating of which may not exceed your Wildspeaker level. Additionally, whenever one of your companions makes an attack roll against a target that you or one of your other companions has damaged this turn, they may add your Wildspeaker level to their roll.

Menagerie

At ninth level, you become spiritually stronger and more efficient, and able to control up to four animal companions whose total challenge rating may not exceed your Wildspeaker level. Additionally, you may select any target as a Mark as an action. Your companions have advantage to attack Marked targets. Marks last 6 seconds.

Alpha

At thirteenth level, you gain the ability to select an Alpha for your pack as long as all creatures you control are the same type. An Alpha is as its normal counterparts, except it gets +2 to all its physical statistics and its AC. Additionally, increase its hitpoint maximum by your Wildspeaker level.

Packwarden

At seventeenth level, your pack acts nearly as a single unit. Alphas do not count against your total number of creatures, and your maximum creatures increases to five. Additionally, if all your creatures are the same kind of creature, they gain +2 to their AC. Alphas only gain 1 extra AC from this feature.

Unleash

At twentieth level, your ability to exploit your opponents grows further. When one of your companions is within 10ft of at least two other companions, and they make an attack roll against a target, those other two companions may also make an attack roll as a reaction. This attack roll does not gain any modifiers, including proficiency. Additionally, your companions may make attacks of opportunity on any target within 20ft as long as another companion has made an attack of opportunity on that target this turn.

Path of the Bear

The Path of the Bear specializes in using your pet as a bulwark, allowing them to soak massive amounts of damage and defend allies.

Stalwart

At first level, your companion specializes in defending others. Your pet receives +1 AC, and while it is under the effects of the Defend command, it can use a reaction to absorb an attack that would hit its defense target.

Keen Defender

At fifth level, your companion becomes an even stronger shield for its allies. It can use the Defend command as a bonus action on its turn, and receives +1 AC while a hostile creature is within 5ft of your pet's defense target.

Protector

At ninth level, your companion's superior defensive skills allow it to make the attack action on its turn even while under the effects of the Defend command.

Ironskin

At thirteenth level, your companion evolves a superior defense against foes. It gains +1 AC and doubles its current hit dice and hit point maximum. However, its movement speed is reduced by 10ft.

Champion of the Wilds

At seventeenth level, your companion's skin, fur, scales, or other skin-like part becomes attuned to the energies of nature. While your companion is using the Defend command, it regenerates 15% of its maximum hit points at the end of each of its turns.

Ascendant Bulwark

At twentieth level, your companion becomes an avatar of defense and a shield of nature. While under the effects of the Defend command, attacks against it and its defense target have disadvantage. Attacks absorbed by Stalwart deal half damage. Additionally, it can take an additional target for Defend and gains an additional reaction each turn.

Path of the Drake

The Path of the Drake focuses on using your pet as both a mount and a powerful utility tool, becoming a powerful tool and escort.

Spiritual Ascendance

At first level, your companion becomes bound to your soul itself. If it dies, you can resummon it as a ritual. This ritual requires 100gp worth of gold dust and 12 hours of meditation over an object related to the animal. For example, a Wildspeaker might meditate over a brick of obsidian covered in gold dust for their red dragon wyrmling, or meditate over a bottle of seawater for their giant seahorse. Additionally, your companion can use the Help action. Additionally, your mount may use any attack actions it has.

Mounted Excellence

At fifth level, your companion gains utility as a mount or pet. Your companion gains proficiency in all skills you are proficient in. If your pet is one size or higher larger, you may mount it as any other mount. While you are mounted on your companion, you cannot be forcibly dismounted unless incapacitated. You may apply any saddles or upgrades normally available to a mount to your companion and it gains all benefits of these items. While mounted, you and your companion share AC, inheriting whichever is higher. If your pet is one size or lower smaller, it may instead mount your shoulder, granting you a constant bonus of the Help action.

Soulbound Shapechanging

At ninth level, the strength of your soulbond grows. Your companion may shift its size any direction up to one size above or below yours (unless its size was already outside of this threshold.) Doing so does not modify its statistics but allows it to transform into either a shoulder pet or a mount. Additionally, your companion’s AC is increased by one fourth of your Wildspeaker level rounded up, and if its Wisdom stat is lower than yours, raise it to be equal to yours.

Mounted Supremacy

At thirteenth level, you become a true master of mounted combat and travel. While mounted, you and your companion can never tire or fatigue. Additionally, while mounted, you and your companion gain advantage to hit targets smaller than your mount, and when you make the attack action on your turn, you may use your mount’s attack instead. If your mount has a multi attack, you may use it. If your mount has legendary or lair actions, you may also use those. Additionally, you and your mount can never invoke attacks of opportunity.

Soulbound Companionship

At seventeenth level, you have achieved a nearly unrivaled bond with your mount. Raise your mount’s mental statistics (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) to be equal to yours if they are lower than yours already. Whenever your mount makes an attack, you may attack the same target as a reaction.

Soulbound Apotheosis

At twentieth level, you and your mount are nearly one being. Both you and your companion's statistics are equal to the highest amongst you for each ability score. While in shoulder pet form, the bonus from your companion's Help benefit is doubled, and your companion cannot be targeted as long as it is on your shoulder. Whenever in mount form, attacks made by your mount hit twice. Additionally, magic equipment normally built for humanoids can be magically shaped to fit the mount.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Wildspeaker class, you must meet these prerequisites: 5 levels in Druid or Ranger class, 16 Wisdom, Animal Handling Skill.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Wildspeaker class, you gain the following proficiencies: none.

Variant Rule: Pet Leveling

As an optional rule to keep one companion throughout your adventures, your pet levels as you do. Whenever you level up, also level up your companion's hit points by their normal hit die plus their constitution modifier. Whenever your proficiency modifier changes, so does your companion's, and whenever you take an ability score increase, your companion does as well with the caveat that it cannot take feats.

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