Animal NPCs and Traits

Each animal that you train is essentially an NPC. You should name it, and probably record its stats. A Beastmaster Ranger should be able to take advantage of these rules, adding a trait to their companion and, if the DM allows it, adding an advanced training ability to their companion.

Not every animal players owe or use are necessarily NPC-level. If a horse, dog, cat, familiar, or similar creature is regularly part of the adventure and important on some level to the continuity of the game, then you should name them and make them an NPC animal. An NPC animal tracks its levels, which starts at level 1. 

At first level, an Animal NPC has the Trained trait plus one additional trait. Each session of downtime allows you to train your animal with your Wisdom (Animal Handling) or you can pay a trainer 50 gp per level to train for you.

Every increase in level allows you to choose an Animal Feat for your animal NPC.

TRAITS

Loyal: The creature is immune to fear effects in your presence.

Fearsome: The creature gains advantage on all Intimidation checks.

Mangled and Mangy: The creature is a bit slow, -5 move, but tough, +1d6 Hit Points.

Loveable: The beast gains advantage on all Persuasion checks.

Hardy: Add 2 to the beasts Con.

Fast: Add 10 to the creatures move.

Sturdy: The beast is slow, -10 move, but strong +1 Str, and tough, +1 AC

Trained: The animal can be called, responding to an audible signal. The animal is not hostile around your friends and treats strangers with caution, but is not violent.

Aggressive: The beast has advantage on Initiative checks. You can have the creature roll initiative instead of your character, but it must take the action on the first round.

Attentive: The beast has advantage on surprise and perception checks.

Weird: You may roll on the following table. A weird beast is difficult to train (disadvantage on all training rolls) but it has a special power.

D6	Result
1 Bit of Blink Dog in her	The animal has the Blink Dog’s teleport ability.
2 Displacer beast blood	The animal has the Displacer Beast’s displacement ability.
3 Speaks	The animal can speak 1d3 languages, plus one language your character does not know.
4 Telepath	The animal is telepathic within 60 feet.
5 Undead	The animal is a zombie. It gains the Undead Fortitude ability, but it is also rotting.
6 Berserker	The animal can use the Barbarian’s rage ability once per long rest. It rages as a first level Barbarian.

Blessed: You may roll on the following table. A blessed beast is rare, but has special powers. However, it cannot hide from undead or fiends, who detect its nature.

D6	Result
1 Healing presence	The animal can heal its owner of 2d6 damage during a short or long rest.
2 Singing voice	The animal can speak and sing; it us proficient in the Perform skill.
3 Angelic might	The animal can cast Smite Evil 1/long rest.
4 Tireless	The animal cannot become exhausted.
5 Winged	The animal has wings, and can fly at its base move.
6 Angel eyes	The animal can see lies, as per the Zone of Truth spell.

Cursed: You may roll on the following table. A cursed beast is rare, and has strange, possibly evil powers. The beast cannot hide from angels or Paladins.

D6	Result
1 Haunted by ghosts	A ghost haunts the beast.
2 Fiend in animal form	The animal is a fiend, and cast hellish rebuke once per long rest. Hell hath no fury like a fiend released from a curse.
3 Blood-drinker	The beast is vampiric. It gain the Vampire’s blood drain ability.
4 Cursed Lover	The animal is actually a PCs former or current love, transformed by a foe/evil entity into an animal.
5 Witch blood	The animal curdles milk, rots food, and scares livestock. But it has a hidden nipple. If you drink it’s milk, the owner gains 2d6 temporary hit points until their next long rest.
6 Old Familiar	The animal use to be or is a reincarnation of a wizards familiar. It can speak, knows one cantrip, but constantly compares you to his former, much grander master.

ANIMAL FEATS

You may choose one of these feats every time your animal levels. 

Advanced Training

You can choose an advanced pet ability for your animal.

Experienced

Your animal increases its proficiency bonus, affecting its attacks and skill checks. You can take this feat up to 4 times.

Toughness

You animal gains a hit die and you should roll hit points.

Additional Trait

Your animal NPC gains another trait. Please discuss this trait choice with your DM, as some choice may not work with the current game.

ADVANCED PET ABILITIES

You can train your animal in the following abilities.

Guard: The animal actively protects you. If you are attacked in melee by an opponent, the animal can take an opportunity attack.

Reactive Charge: IF you are charged by a foe, your animal will intercept the foe. It interposes itself between you and the foe as a bonus action.

Harry: The animal will make quick attacks at a foe and then retreat. Each other round in combat, the animal makes an attack on a foe without drawing opportunity attacks.

Protect area: Your animal will watch over an area and alert its owner to strangers, odd noises, and supernatural events.

Fetch: Your animal will fetch an object. This requires verbal instruction.

Read: Your animal can read. (This may not suit all animals...great for familiars though.)

Track: Your animal can track foes using their Wisdom bonus.

Search: Your animal is able to search an area for hidden objects, secret doors, and invisible foes. The search is Wisdom-based.

Silent Commands: You can give your animal commands through hand gestures.

Mounted Attack: Your steed attacks on foes in battle. You gain advantage on mounted attacks. 

Leaping Charge: The animal can leap over terrain or pounce. The animal can move through difficult terrain as normal if attacking and it and its rider gain advantage on the attack.

Quick move: The animal is able to move through any space of a creature larger than them; this does not draw attacks of opportunity. If the animal moves twice in a turn, its movement does not draw opportunity attacks.

Beast of War: Warhorses and the like remain steady in battle. The animal has advantage on fear-based tests and does not flee if injured.

Pathfinder: the animal can move through difficult terrain as though it was normal.

Straight Jump: the animal can leap straight up and over foes, with a successful Strength test.