Barbarian Level | Feature |
---|
3rd | Animal Companion, Companion's Bond, Feral Rage |
6th | Bestial Senses, Rend |
10th | Multiattack, Stranglehold |
14th | Pack Lord |
Animal Companion.
At 3rd level, through a ritual show of dominance you can create a powerful bond with a creature of the wild, the process of which normally requires 6 hours. By tracking and imposing yourself upon a natural predatory animal you gain the services of a loyal companion. You normally select your companion from among the following animals: an
ape, a
black bear, a
boar, a
giant badger, a
panther, or a
wolf. However, your DM might pick one of these animals for you, based on the surrounding terrain and on what types of creatures would logically be present in the area.
At the end of the ritual your animal companion gains all the benefits of your Companion's Bond ability. You can have only one animal companion at a time. If your animal companion is ever slain, you may conduct the ritual again to replace it or return it to life through magic.
Companion's Bond.
Your animal companion gains a variety of benefits while it is linked to you. The animal companion loses its Multiattack action, if it has one. The companion obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and son on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own.
Your animal companion has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. Your animal companion gains proficiency in two skills of your choice, and with Constitution, Wisdom, and either Strength or Dexterity saving throws. For each level you gain after 3rd, your animal companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion's abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice, by 1. Your companion can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.
Feral Rage.
Beginning at 3rd level raging your body becomes covered with small thick coarse fur, your jaw and teeth elongate and your nails grow and sharpen. When you take the attack action you can use either a bite attack or claw attack. Your bite deals 1d8 + your Strength modifier Piercing damage, and your claws deal 1d4 + your Strength modifier Slashing damage. When you successfully hit another creature with a claw attack you can attempt to grab the creature, and initiate a grapple. At 6th level your claws deal 1d6 damage and are treated as magic for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage, at 10th level your claws deal 2d4 damage.
Even while not raging your bestial nature allows you to roughly communicate with your animal companion and other animals through a series of growls, grunts and howls. You can use Deception, Intimidate, and Persuasion skills to influence animals.
In addition, while raging your animal companion gains advantage on Strength ability checks and Strength saving throws, it gains your rage bonus to melee attack rolls, and reduces the damage from Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage by 3.