Beastheart

At 1st level, you gain a companion creature that accompanies you on your adventures, fighting, exploring, and living alongside you. You can choose any companion in this supplement or other MCDM supplements. You might also find some cool companions on the MCDM subreddit and in the MCDM Discord server. The Companions section has information on fifteen companion creatures you can choose for your beastheart, and information on the rules for using companions (including ferocity and entering a rampage).

Your supernatural connection to your companion binds their life to yours, allowing you to help your companion overcome even the most grievous injuries. If your companion has lost hit points or is dead, you can spend 1 minute meditating on your companion's spirit. The companion then regains all their hit points and returns to life if they were dead, and you gain one level of exhaustion. If the companion's body was destroyed, they reform within 5 feet of you.

The first time you finish a long rest after you gain a level in this class, you can bond with a new companion of your choice, which arrives in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you in a manner determined by the GM. If you already have a companion from this feature, they leave to be on their own when the new companion arrives.

From 1st level, you can comprehend and verbally communicate with your companion, as well as with all Beasts and Monstrosities. This feature doesn't allow you to communicate complex thoughts or questions, but you can make simple statements (such as showing other creatures you mean them no harm) or ask simple questions (such as the location of the nearest body of water, or if a specific individual with a unique look passed through the area recently). The knowledge and awareness of such creatures is limited by their intellect, and the GM determines if a particular creature is in a communicative mood. While speaking with a Beast or Monstrosity using this feature, you can make Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks in place of Charisma checks to influence the creature.

Starting at 2nd level, you learn to channel your companion's fury into extraordinary deeds called primal exploits, which are fueled by your companion's ferocity.

You learn three primal exploits of your choice, detailed below. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the primal exploits you know and replace it with another primal exploit, for which you must have the appropriate beastheart level.

Some exploits are activated using your reaction. Others are usable under specific circumstances but require no action. Some exploits are activated as part of the Attack action, in which case, you can use only one such exploit per turn.

All exploits require you to spend your companion's ferocity to use them. Your companion must be within 60 feet of you when you use an exploit, and must have ferocity at least equal to the exploit's cost. The companion loses ferocity equal to the cost when you use the exploit. You can use an exploit even if your companion is unconscious, as long as they have the appropriate ferocity. You can't use an exploit while your companion has entered a rampage.

Some exploits allow a companion to make a signature attack. This signature attack can't be modified with additional exploits or used as part of a ferocity action.

You can take any of the following exploits when you gain this feature at 2nd level, or when you gain new exploits at 10th and 17th levels.

Also at 2nd level, whenever your companion uses a ferocity action that requires a creature to make an ability check or saving throw, the companion can use your primal exploit save DC in place of the normal DC.

At 3rd level, you choose a specialized bond that you share with your companion. Choose Ferocious Bond, Hunter Bond, Infernal Bond, Primordial Bond, or Protector Bond.

Also at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Animal Handling skill. If you already have proficiency in Animal Handling, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with the skill.

When you reach 4th 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.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

At 5th level, thanks to your care, your companion's tenacity and versatility grow. You and your companion gain the following benefits:

At 5th level, when your companion hits with their signature attack, the attack deals one additional weapon damage die.

Additionally, damage dealt by your companion's attacks and ferocity actions counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

At 6th level, your supernatural connection to your companion grows, allowing you to coordinate faster and to work better as a team with all your allies. You no longer need to use your bonus action to command your companion. Instead, as long as you are not incapacitated, you can direct them to take an action simply with verbal or physical signs that require no action.

Additionally, when your companion enters a rampage when you are not incapacitated and they can see or hear you, they do not automatically move toward and attack the nearest creature. You instead choose where the companion moves on your turn and which creature they attack with their signature attack.

Also at 6th level, your companion can draw on their own fury to revitalize themself during a battle. You can use a bonus action to spend any amount of your companion's ferocity, with the companion regaining hit points equal to the ferocity spent. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum once), regaining all uses when you finish a long rest.

At 7th level, you gain an additional feature from your Companion Bond.

When you reach 8th 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.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with primal energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 damage to the target. The damage type is determined by you when you gain this feature, and is chosen from the following list: acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder. Each time you gain a level in this class, you can change the damage type for this feature to another type from the list.

At 9th level, your connection to your companion grants a natural talent. The benefit of your Mystic Connection depends on your companion. If you ever gain a new companion, your new companion's Mystic Connection benefit replaces the old one.

You gain access to the following exploits upon reaching 10th level:

When you reach 10th level, the additional ferocity your companion gains increases to 3. Your companion gains proficiency in another saving throw of your choice, and gains proficiency in another skill from the list above.

At 11th level, the extra damage inflicted by your companion's signature attack increases by an additional die, for a total of three damage dice.

At 11th level, you gain an additional feature from your Companion Bond.

When you reach 12th 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.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

At 13th level, even harmful magic can't shake you and your companion's loyalty to each other and your friends. You and your companion can't be charmed or frightened.

At 14th level, your senses sharpen, becoming akin to those of a fearsome predator. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing, sight, or smell. Additionally, you can take the Search action as a bonus action.

When you reach 14th level, the extra damage from your Primal Strike increases to 2d8.

When you reach 15th level, the additional ferocity your companion gains increases to 5. Your companion gains proficiency in another saving throw of your choice, and gains proficiency in another skill from the list above.

At 15th level, you gain an additional feature from your Companion Bond.

When you reach 16th 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.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

You gain access to the following exploits upon reaching 17th level:

At 17th level, the extra damage inflicted by your companion's signature attack increases by an additional die, for a total of four damage dice.

At 18th level, you can call forth nearby creatures as a distracting swarm. Depending on your location, this horde could consist of birds, fish, insects, rodents, or other similar creatures of your choice. As an action, you call out to the creatures, which arrive immediately and occupy a 30-foot cube centered on a point within 120 feet of you that you can see. The swarm persists for 1 minute. On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to move the swarm up to 30 feet in any direction.

Each creature of your choice that starts their turn in the swarm's area must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your exploit save DC or have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws, and a −5 penalty to their passive Wisdom (Perception) score, until the start of their next turn.

You can't use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

When you reach 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.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

At 20th level, your affection and friendship for your companion infuses the creature with primal energy, making them a paragon of their kind. While you have at least 1 hit point and your companion can see or hear you, you and your companion gain the following benefits: