Creating a Tamer

Tamer

Quick Build
The Tamer
Cantrips Spells –Spell Slots per Spell Level–
Level Bonus Features Known Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st +2 Pocket Familiar, Monster Trainer, Soul Bond, Tame Creature — — — — — — —
2nd +2 Bolster, Psychic Bond, Spellcasting 2 2 2 — — — —
3rd +2 Pocket Family I, Training Paradigm 2 3 3 — — — —
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 3 3 — — — —
5th +3 Multiattack, Malleable Presence 2 4 4 2 — — —
6th +3 Alpha Strike, Wilful Blows 2 4 4 2 — — —
7th +3 Pocket Family II, Training Paradigm Feature 2 5 4 3 — — —
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 2 5 4 3 — — —
9th +4 — 2 6 4 3 2 — —
10th +4 Training Paradigm Feature 3 6 4 3 2 — —
11th +4 Pocket Family III 3 7 4 3 3 — —
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 3 7 4 3 3 — —
13th +5 Switcheroo 3 8 4 3 3 1 —
14th +5 Training Paradigm Feature 4 8 4 3 3 1 —
15th +5 Pocket Family IV 4 9 4 3 3 2 —
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 9 4 3 3 2 —
17th +6 4 10 4 3 3 3 1
18th +6 Training Paradigm Feature 4 10 4 3 3 3 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement, Pocket Family V 4 11 4 3 3 3 2
20th +6 Summon the Horde 4 11 4 3 3 3 2

Class Features
Hit Points

Optional Rule: Multiclassing

Equipment
Pocket Familiar
1st-level Tamer feature

A companion that is controlled by another crea-

ture, such as by the dominate monster spell, can
try to resist being recalled into its vessel. When
you try to recall such a creature into its vessel, it
can make a Charisma saving throw against your
tamer spell save DC. On a failed saving throw, it is
recalled, while on a success, it is not.

banishment spell,
have the ability to permanently banish a creature
back to its home plane. When a creature be-
comes your companion, its home plane becomes
the demiplane within its vessel. If the companion
becomes permanently banished by such a spell, it
simply reappears in this vessel.
Companion Barding Cost

Size Humanoid Shape Cost Abstract Shape Cost Companion Improvement Training Table
Tiny 0.5x 1x
Improvement
Small 1x 2x
Increase one existing speed by up
Medium 1x 2x Speed to a maximum of 150% of the creature’s
Large 2x 4x Training base speed, rounded up to the nearest
Huge 4x 8x 5-foot increment*.
Your companion gains an additional Hit
Die, increasing its hit point maximum.
Soul Bond Toughen Up
Increase your companion’s hit point max-
imum by rolling this Hit Dice and adding
1st-level Tamer feature
(minimum of 0).
Increase one of your companion's ability
Ability Boost
scores by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Your companion gains a +1 bonus to its
Go For the
attack and damage rolls made with its
Throat
natural weapons or unarmed strikes**.
Survival
Instincts saving throw.

War Training
one armour type or two weapons***.

Monster Trainer
1st-level Tamer feature
Tamer Companion Summary

Maximum Maximum Maximum

Tamer
Companion Companion
Level CR 1 CR 2 CR 3 CR 4 CR 5 CR 6
Companions Size CR
1 1 Small 0/0 — — — — — —
2 1 Small 1/0 — — — — — —
3 2 Small 2/0 — — — — — —
4 2 Medium 1 3/1 0/0 — — — — —
5 2 Medium 1 4/1 1/0 — — — — —
6 2 Medium 1 5/1 2/0 — — — — —
7 3 Medium 2 6/1 3/0 0/0 — — — —
8 3 Medium 2 7/2 4/1 1/1 — — — —
9 3 Medium 2 8/2 5/1 2/1 — — — —
10 3 Large 3 9/2 6/1 3/1 0/0 — — —
11 4 Large 3 10 / 2 7/1 4/1 1/0 — — —
12 4 Large 3 11 / 3 8/2 5/2 2/1 — — —
13 4 Large 4 12 / 3 9/2 6/2 3/1 0/0 — —
14 4 Large 4 13 / 3 10 / 2 7/2 4/1 1/0 — —
15 5 Large 4 14 / 3 11 / 2 8/2 5/1 2/0 — —
16 5 Huge 5 15 / 4 12 / 3 9/3 6/2 3/1 0/0 —
17 5 Huge 5 16 / 4 13 / 3 10 / 3 7/2 4/1 1/0 —
18 5 Huge 5 17 / 4 14 / 3 11 / 3 8/2 5/1 2/0 —
19 6 Huge 6 18 / 5 15 / 4 12 / 4 9/3 6/2 3/1 0/0
20 6 Huge 6 19 / 5 16 / 4 13 / 4 10 / 3 7/2 4/1 1/0

Tame Creature
1st-level Tamer feature

At 4th level, you can capture creatures of CR 1

and below. To capture a CR ½ or CR 1 creature,
you need a vessel worth 50 gp or 100 gp, respec-
tively. If you try to use a vessel worth 50 gp to
capture a CR 1 creature, the creature automati-
cally succeeds on its saving throw, and the vessel
can be recovered. You can always break down
the components of an old vessel to craft a new
one as part of the vessel preparation process.
 As your companions’ ability scores change, often
through Companion Improvement Training, their

saving throw DCs will also change. Working out

what ability a creature’s attack or saving throw uses
can require a bit of detective work. First you have to

this is quite easy - it all depends on the creature’s CR

and players’ PB. A creatures’ base PB is +2 at CR 0-4

save DCs. Next, for save DCs, subtract an additional

8 from the DC. Finally, match the remaining values

Let’s use the CR 4 red dragon wyrmling’s bite attack

and breath weapon as an example. It has a PB of +2,
a Strength of 19 (+4), a Dexterity of 10 (+0), and a
-

saving throw. Subtracting the PB from these values

We can deduce that the bite attack uses Strength

the wyrmling’s PB increases from +2 to +5 when it be-

and save DC increasing to +9 and DC 16 respectively.

Spellcasting
2nd-level Tamer feature

If a player impresses a celestial with an especially

noble act, or rears a creature from an egg, that
creature might be willing to become a tamer’s
companion. If so, feel free to ignore the usual
Cantrips
rules regarding saving throws on taming, and let
the beautiful story of companionship unfold!
Spell Slots

Some monster features are very powerful, and

aren’t designed for use by players. The two most
common are recharge actions and gazes. You can
help make a companion more balanced by chang-
ing these features slightly. It’s advised to approach
this on a case-by-case basis, as each feature is

Some creatures’ actions have

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
the addendum “Recharge (5-6)”. This means that
after a creature uses that action, it can’t use it
again until it has recharged. At the start of the
creature’s turn, you roll a d6, and if the result is
a 5 or higher, the action recharges. No class has
recharge abilities, in part because they add a lot
of randomness to the game. Instead of using this
recharge mechanic, you can simply change any
ability with a recharge to one of the following:

Recharge Condition Companion Recharge

Recharge (4-6) Recharges after 1 minute

Recharge (5-6) Recharges after 10 minutes

Spellcasting Ability Recharge (6) Recharges on a short or long rest

Some traits, like a

medusa’s Petrifying Gaze, which is perpetually
active and has the power of a 6th level spell, have
the potential to become overpowered and repet-
itive. To balance this, you can add the caveat that
“after a creature makes a saving throw against
immune

solution for your game.

Bolster
2nd-level Tamer feature

Spellcasting Focus
Psychic Bond
2nd-level Tamer feature

Multiattack
5th-level Tamer feature

Malleable Presence
5th-level Tamer feature

Pocket Family
3rd-level Tamer feature

Training Paradigm
3rd-level Tamer feature
Alpha Strike
6th-level Tamer feature

Ability Score Improvement

4th-level Tamer feature
Wilful Blows Summon the Horde
6th-level Tamer feature 20th-level Tamer feature

Switcheroo
13th-level Tamer feature

Training Paradigms
Leader

17th-level Tamer feature

Inspire
3rd-level Leader feature
Leader Spells
3rd-level Leader feature

Leader’s Fortitude
10th-level Leader feature

Leader Spells

Tamer Level Spells

3rd divine favor, protection from evil and good
Combo
5th inequality*, warding bond
14th-level Leader feature
9th beacon of hope, haste
13th death ward, freedom of movement
17th dispel evil and good, endure*

Action Surge
7th-level Leader feature
Infuser Infuser Spells
3rd-level Infuser feature

Infuser Spells

Tamer Level Spells

Infuse 3rd hellish rebuke, peppermint plate*
3rd-level Infuser feature 5th eelskin*, riptide*
9th protection from energy, wind wall
13th
17th feverskin*, wall of stone

Elemental Discharge
7th-level Infuser feature
 Unstable Fusion
14th-level Infuser feature

Necromancer

Life Hack
3rd-level Necromancer feature

Primordial Shield
10th-level Infuser feature Post-Mortem
3rd-level Necromancer feature
 Necromancer Spells

Tamer Level Spells

3rd
5th blindness/deafness, ray of enfeeblement
9th
13th confusion, death ward
17th bone cage*, endure*

Necromancer Spells
3rd-level Necromancer feature
Animate Dead
7th-level Necromancer feature
 Splicer

Augment
Enervate
3rd-level Splicer feature
10th-level Necromancer feature

Aura of Undeath
14th-level Necromancer feature
Splicer Augments

Augment Splicer Point Cost

Cost: 0 Splicer Points
Water Breathing Can only breathe water 0
Cost: 1 Splicer Point
Amphibious Can breathe air and water 1
Darkvision Gains or extends darkvision
Extra Limb* Can grapple more creatures 1 per limb
Fins & Webbing Gains 30-foot swimming speed 1
Illumination 1
Keen Hearing Advantage on hearing 1
Keen Sight Advantage on sight 1
Keen Smell Advantage on smell 1
Powerful Build Can push, drag, and carry more 1
Prehensile Tail Gains 30-foot climbing speed 1
Slippery Advantage to avoid grapples 1
Sure-Footed Advantage to resist prone 1
Web Sense + Web Walk Can sense and walk on webs 1
Cost: 2 Splicer Points
Burrowing Claws Gains 15-foot burrowing speed 2
Long Limbed Increases reach of attacks 2
Mimicry Can mimic sounds 2
Natural Armour** Gains a +1 bonus to AC 2 per +1
Poisonous Touch*** Deals bonus poison damage 2
Spider Climb Can climb without checks 2
Cost: 3 Splicer Points
Has advantage to hide while motionless 3
Corrosive Touch*** Deals bonus acid damage 3
Tremorsense Gains or extends tremorsense
Wings 3
Cost: 4 Splicer Points
Blindsight + Echolocation Gains or extends blindsight
Decaying Touch*** Deals bonus necrotic damage 4
Flyby Doesn't provoke opportunity attacks 4
Growth Hormone**** Increases size category and HP 4
Splicer Spells Modular Upgrades
3rd-level Splicer feature 7th-level Splicer feature

Splicer Spells

Tamer Level Spells

3rd chameleon skin*, disguise self
5th barkskin, eelskin*
9th mass leech*, zippit!*
13th frogskin*, stoneskin
17th contagion, feverskin*
 Adrenal Overload
14th-level Splicer feature

10th-level Splicer feature

Splicer Augments Slippery

Splicer Point Cost: 0

Sure-Footed
Water Breathing

Splicer Point Cost: 1

Web Sense + Web Walk
Amphibious

Darkvision

Splicer Point Cost: 2

Burrowing Claws
Extra Limb

Fins & Webbing Long Limbed

Mimicry
Illumination

Keen Hearing

Natural Armour
Keen Sight

Keen Smell Poisonous Touch

Powerful Build

Spider Climb
Prehensile Tail
Splicer Point Cost: 3 Splicer Point Cost: 4
Blindsight + Echolocation

Corrosive Touch

Decaying Touch

Tremorsense

Flyby

Growth Hormone

Wings