TEXT:  
  1  
  INTRODUCTION 
  WRAITH WRIGHT’S 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  INTRODUCTION 
   
   
  
   
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  INTRODUCTION 
  CREDIT
  ON THE COVER 
  Art by Dean Spencer 
   
  In a high-altitude battle, an elf warrior 
  makes a daring leap to unseat her 
  opponent. Only then does she discover 
  that his mount, a cobalt wyvern, is 
  trained to fend off unfamiliar riders. 
  Designer, Writer: Randall Right 
  Quality Consultants: Wraith Wright Productions 
  Illustrators: Allan Pollack, Ben Wootten, Bob Greyvenstein, 
  Brian Valenzuela, Carl Critchlow, Carlos Torreblanca, 
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  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, 
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  Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. Some artwork © 2015 Vagelio Kaliva, used with permission. All rights reserved. 
  Tapia, Matt Forsyth, Michael Dutton, Michael Komarck, Ralph 
  Horsley, Raven Mimura, Richard Sardinha, Scott Roller, Seth A. 
  Graham, Stephan Crowe, Steve Prescott, Tan Ho Sim, Vagelio 
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  Additional assets provided by Wizards of the Coast without 
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  Other Graphics: Cole Twogood, Jason Sythe, Randall Right 
  Version: Revision 2.0 (December 2020) 
  
   
  4  
  INTRODUCTION 
  CONTENTS
  PREFACE ...................................................... 5 
  INTRODUCTION ............................................ 6 
  Using This Book ............................................. 6 
  Who Benefits from Animals? ............... 6 
  Chapter Summaries ...................................... 8 
  Part 1: Player Tools .................................. 8 
  Part 2: Dungeon Master Tools ............. 8 
  PART 1: PLAYER TOOLS 
  CHAPTER 1: ANIMAL COMPANIONS ......... 10 
  Animal (Sidekick Class) ........................... 10 
  Making Animal Sidekicks ................... 10 
  Class Details ............................................. 10 
  Loveable Lump ....................................... 12 
  Heavy Bulwark ....................................... 13 
  Raptor ......................................................... 15 
  Slinker or Loper ..................................... 16 
  Trusted Mount ........................................ 17 
  Animal Tricks ............................................... 19 
  Eliciting Behavior .................................. 20 
  Trick Descriptions ................................. 22 
  Animal Templates ...................................... 28 
  Trained Templates ................................ 28 
  Natural Templates................................. 29 
  Supernatural Templates ..................... 31 
  Personalizing Animals ............................. 33 
  Characteristics ........................................ 33 
  Variant: Loyalty Rating ....................... 34 
  CHAPTER 2: HANDLING ANIMALS ............ 38 
  Animal Handling Skill ............................... 38 
  Named Functions ................................... 38 
  Mounted Combat Rules ........................... 39 
  Qualified Mount (1) ............................... 39 
  Getting On and Off (2) .......................... 41 
  Falling and Falling From (3-4) ......... 41 
  Controlled and Independent (5-7) . 43 
  Opportunity Attacks (8)...................... 45 
  Synergizing Character Options ............... 45 
  Class Synergy ........................................... 46 
  Other Effects ............................................ 50 
  CHAPTER 3: PLAYER OPTIONS ................ 56 
  Rogue Class ................................................... 56 
  Beast Whisperer (Subclass) .............. 56 
  Warlock Class .............................................. 58 
  Pact Boon: Pact of the Chain ............. 58 
  Eldritch Invocations ............................. 58 
  Other Options .............................................. 58 
  New Feats.................................................. 58 
  New Spells ................................................ 59 
  Magic Items .................................................. 61 
  Animals Using Magic Items ............... 61 
  Converting Old Magic Items ............. 62 
  New Magic Items ................................... 63 
  New Supernatural Gifts ...................... 67 
  CHAPTER 4: ANIMAL MARKETS .............. 69 
  Equipment..................................................... 69 
  Animals ........................................................... 74 
  Buying and Selling ................................. 74 
  Untrained Creatures............................. 75 
  Mounts ....................................................... 75 
  Monsters ........................................................ 77 
  Monster Tables ....................................... 77 
  PART 2: DUNGEON MASTER TOOLS 
  APPENDIX A: MANAGING ANIMALS ......... 82 
  Defining Animals ........................................ 82 
  Intelligence Rating ................................ 82 
  Animal Intellect ...................................... 83 
  Domesticity (Tameness) .................... 84 
  Acquiring Animals ..................................... 85 
  Which Animals Fit? ............................... 85 
  Methods of Acquisition ....................... 88 
  Keeping Animals ........................................ 91 
  Basic Survival .......................................... 91 
  Feed and Care ......................................... 91 
  Adverse Weather ................................... 93 
  Challenging Terrain .............................. 93 
  Safekeeping .............................................. 95 
  Portraying Animals ................................... 96 
  Who Controls Action? .......................... 96 
  Who Controls Roleplaying? .............. 97 
  Animal Behavior .................................... 97 
  APPENDIX B: ANIMALS IN STORIES ....... 100 
  Placing Animals ........................................ 100 
  Animals as Antagonists..................... 100 
  Potential Companions ....................... 100 
  Fitting In .................................................. 101 
  Removing Animals .............................. 102 
  Story Seeds ................................................. 102 
  Acquiring Animals .............................. 102 
  Triumph and Adversity .................... 105 
  Hardcover Adventures ...................... 106 
  APPENDIX C: SAMPLE ANIMALS ............ 119 
  Samples by Archetype ........................... 119 
  Lovable Lumps ..................................... 119 
  Raptors..................................................... 122 
  Slinkers and Lopers ............................ 125 
  Heavy Bulwarks ................................... 128 
  Loyal Mounts ......................................... 132 
   
   
   
  
   
  5 
   
  PREFACE 
  PREFACE
  LAYERS LOVE ANIMALS. 
  There’s something compelling about animals in 
  games, something that intrigues players, invoking a 
  deep and earnest investment in their 
  companionship and wellbeing. Players are drawn to 
  creatures who need care and who, in return, give unfailing, 
  unconditional love. 
  Animal companionship is a pure, ennobling thing. 
  Animals don’t judge their keepers; instead, the friendship 
  of animals is itself a judgment of the keeper’s worthiness. 
  It shows compatibility with the spirit of an inherently 
  noble creature, a relationship that cannot be achieved 
  through treachery. 
  In many cultures, the friendship of animals is something 
  that comes naturally to the great and the good. The 
  guileless candor inherent in nature, and thus in beasts, 
  makes animals unfailing judges of virtue. Their 
  companionship marks someone as worthy of a true and 
  faithful friendship. The more exceptional the animal, the 
  more exceptional its master’s virtue. 
  This nobility features prominently in legend. In the 
  coliseum, a lion spared the life of Androcles, a man who 
  earlier showed kindness by removing a thorn from the 
  beast’s paw. Hercules took as a pet the three-headed 
  hound that guarded Hades, after he proved his worthiness 
  by wrestling the beast into submission. In other stories, a 
  character’s merit is understood without preamble; an old 
  village hound barks at every stranger but docilely licks the 
  hand of a true hero upon their first meeting. Good 
  animals and adventurers fit naturally together. 
  In DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, animals of various sorts 
  have always been excellent adventuring 
  companions. Players have employed ferocious 
  guard dogs to watch their camps at night, 
  surefooted mules to carry their treasure out of 
  deep dungeons, and faithful horses to bear 
  them into battle. The use of animals as 
  adventuring tools and allies is deeply ingrained 
  in the game’s history across its many editions. 
  As proof of this notion, look no further than 
  the Player’s Handbook. Animal companions 
  appear repeatedly throughout. The druids in 
  the Classes chapter include an elf with a 
  hawk perched on one hand and a human 
  alongside a fearsome tiger. The equipment 
  chapter presents a full-page depiction of a 
  party with two horses, a pony, a dog, and a 
  raven. The Customization Options chapter opens with 
  another full page of a green-clad animal handler, his 
  eagle’s wings spread wide. Other animals are scattered 
  throughout the Player’s Handbook, some alongside 
  characters and some on their own. 
  Unfortunately, that book lacks systems for befriending, 
  training, and keeping animals as companions. The third 
  edition of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS had pages of rules detailing 
  the benefits of animal companions for druids and rangers, 
  mounts for paladins, and familiars for sorcerers and 
  wizards. The skill writeup for handling animals included 
  systems spanning more than a whole page, systems the 
  current edition reduces to two sentences. Tragically, in the 
  streamlining of rules between editions, the useful systems 
  for animal companionship became a casualty. 
  I made the Animal Handler’s Manual because I want to 
  put that level of support back into the game. Dungeon 
  Masters should be able reference easy, concrete systems 
  and advice for using animals in the game. They shouldn’t 
  have to make up an array of new rules so their players can 
  experience the wonder and joy of befriending an animal 
  and making it an important part of the party and the story. 
   
  Randall Right 
  August 2020 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  6 
  INTRODUCTION 
  INTRODUCTION 
  HE DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ROLEPLAYING GAME 
  combines both roleplaying and gaming. For the 
  use of animals, this supplement supports both 
  aspects in your game. In addition to concrete 
  systems for training and controlling animals, the 
  Animal Handlers’ Manual includes guidance for roleplaying 
  the personality of animals as nonplayer characters. 
  In these pages, readers will find tools for both the players 
  and the Dungeon Master, tools to help add lovable, useful 
  animals to the party and improve the experience of 
  managing and playing alongside such creatures. 
  The options here build upon the official rules in the 
  Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster 
  Manual, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, and the Essentials 
  Kit boxed set. They also reach back to the lessons taught by 
  past editions, bringing forward useful systems and 
  important lessons, evolving them to fit the fifth edition. 
  The Animal Handlers’ Manual provides two important 
  types of information for players and Dungeon Masters. 
  Part of the book helps readers understand and make the 
  most out of existing rules as they relate to animals. The 
  rest of the book is new rules and options to increase the 
  enjoyability of animal companions in the game. The 
  differences are clearly and sharply defined; we don’t want 
  any confusion about what is new and optional versus what 
  is standard but may be too obscure for the reader to 
  remember. 
  As you absorb the tools in these pages, it is important to 
  know that all the options are interdependent of one 
  another. Although they work together as a cohesive whole, 
  each system is modular, allowing the Dungeon Master to 
  use the new rules selectively. 
  Animals are useful for more than the companionship they 
  provide. Characters of every class can use animals for 
  riding, carrying loads, noticing threats, tracking game, and, 
  most importantly, for assisting with their class roles. 
  Artificers function well without animals; their spells and 
  features often make up for the lack of companions. 
  However, the artificer can enhance each of its functions by 
  teaming up with animals. Particularly, trained animals can 
  carry and place the artificer’s various inventions, allowing 
  rapid, strategic deployment around the battlefield. 
  Additionally, animals themselves make great targets for 
  the artificer’s bolstering magic, enhancing combat 
  effectiveness and utility of these companions. Finally, 
  animals can provide extra carrying capacity for toting the 
  artificer’s heavy tool sets and crafting supplies. 
  For characters that focus primarily on weapon use, the 
  ability to get into melee reach (or stay at missile range) is 
  critical to using those weapons to the best degree. A war-
  trained mount grants exceptional mobility on open terrain, 
  including the ability to move among or away from foes 
  without provoking opportunity attacks. 
  For animals that are not being ridden, the warriors’ role 
  can benefit from creatures trained to fight synergistically. 
  Although it takes time to command a war mastiff to attack 
  a target, the beast makes up for it by attacking round after 
  round. A trained hawk might harry a spellcaster that the 
  warrior can’t reach quickly enough. 
  Bards, and rogues to some degree, make adept performers 
  using music, acrobatics, and sleight of hand. Although each 
  may have the genuine goal of providing entertainment, 
  they are also adept at swindling audience members or 
  otherwise relieving them of extra coins. Including animals 
  in an act is a sure way to broaden an audience and to draw 
  attention from a pickpocket’s wandering fingers. 
  Bards are adept at exhorting animals to perform in 
  exceptional ways, from picking a pocket to climbing a 
  building to open its second-story window. 
  Rogues fighting alongside animals are never without 
  allies to distract foes. They are thus able to utilize their 
  precision strikes with more regularity. 
   
  ANIMALS, MONSTERS, AND BEASTS 
  The Animal Handlers’ Manual uses these three terms 
  with the following specific meanings: 
  Animals are creatures that can be trained and 
  handled according to the rules in this book, whether 
  they are natural creatures found also in the real world, 
  or magical creatures known only in fantasy worlds. 
  Monsters include anything that is not an animal, 
  creatures that don’t meet this definition of animals. 
  Beasts belong to a creature type, with specific game 
  rules. Some beasts are animals, and some are monsters. 
  
   
  7 
  INTRODUCTION 
  As defensive, healing characters, these class roles are 
  enhanced by the presence of sturdy animals. These allies 
  can join their armor-clad handlers to interpose themselves 
  between foes and weaker party members or move to guard 
  fallen party members long enough for the cleric or paladin 
  to reach them. 
  These classes are also well suited to healing and 
  protecting their animal companions with spells. Animals 
  are often fragile relative to player characters, and spells 
  like shield of faith and warding bond can greatly extend 
  their survivability and usefulness.  
  In addition to the benefits described for other warriors, 
  paladins may particularly benefit from training their spirit 
  steeds (from the find steed spell) or providing their 
  protective auras to any animal they ride or fight alongside. 
  Druids and rangers both suit the role of interacting with 
  nature, and they share an incredibly useful range of animal 
  affecting spells to help with that task. (Clerics with the 
  Nature Domain have similar access to animal affecting 
  spells, sharing this role.) 
  A druid can particularly enhance its interaction with 
  animals by turning into creatures of the same type. This 
  can aid in acquisition or other interactions; a druid that 
  takes a wolf’s form and fights beside a wolf companion 
  exploits the speed and tactics employed by wolves 
  working in concert. At higher levels, the ability to swim or 
  fly alongside animal companions in their shared forms 
  brings the synergistic combination of character and animal 
  to the sea or the skies. 
  Rangers can use animals in many of the ways that 
  barbarians and fighters do, but they have additional class 
  roles related to overland navigation, foraging for food, 
  traveling stealthily, and spotting threats in the wild. In all 
  these tasks, animals make great companions, enhancing 
  the ranger’s chance of success. 
  Monks benefit from animals in ways like the warrior 
  classes, whose roles the class shares to some degree. 
  Monks are particularly synergistic with fast-moving 
  creatures that can match the monk’s speed, balance, and 
  stealth. Such animals can aid the monk in its role of a 
  highly mobile and adaptable striker. Additionally, despite 
  their own speed, monks usually achieve greater mobility 
  while mounted, even if they must eschew some class 
  features while in the saddle. 
  These classes are well suited to enhancing animals with 
  spells that strengthen or speed them along in combat. 
  The role of most arcane casters is artillery-like, casting 
  spells from a distance and trying to stay back from the 
  front lines. A horse provides excellent mobility for 
  maintaining this distance, and war-trained animals can 
  serve as blockers to keep foes from closing on characters 
  of these lightly armored classes. 
  Wizards (and some warlocks) may also have familiars. 
  The telepathic connection means such creatures are more 
  adept and learning and employing many of the tricks and 
  roles available to animal companions. 
  
   
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  INTRODUCTION 
  This product includes four chapters of player tools and 
  three chapters (appendices) of Dungeon Master tools. 
  Each of the following chapters provides tools and advice 
  for players to manage animals in games. 
  This chapter provides tools to give animals a more active, 
  central role in the party. Sidekick classes add features to 
  bolster the core functions of various animal archetypes. A 
  comprehensive set of tricks and animal control techniques 
  allow handlers to train and command animals to perform 
  in various useful ways. A set of templates expand the 
  options for animals, making them stronger and providing 
  unique traits. Finally, this chapter includes characteristics 
  and loyalty rules to better personalize these creatures. 
  This chapter is dedicated to the interaction of animals and 
  handlers in the field. Instead of new system or character 
  options, this section examines the existing animal rules, 
  from handling to riding, suggesting cures for various 
  ambiguities and offering optional rules that can highlight 
  or nuance various aspects of the game. 
  This chapter provides new options for player characters. It 
  includes a new Roguish Archetype, the Beast Whisperer, 
  plus additional options to give much-needed love to the 
  Pact of the Chain’s familiar. It adds new spells for druids 
  and rangers, and a handful of new feats. It also gives rules 
  for animals using magic items, a list of new magic items for 
  animals, and guidelines for converting existing items into 
  forms animals can use. 
  This chapter addresses the costs of animals and their 
  equipment in a broadly expanded form. In the first section, 
  players can find combat-useful items (a range of barding 
  and a variety of lance types), training tools (blinkers, 
  muzzles, and cages), and general-use and management 
  tools (riding tack, saddles, and feed varieties). The next 
  two sections deal with the buying and selling of animals 
  and monsters. These creatures provided as potential 
  mounts and combat allies come with stat block summaries 
  for easy reference. 
  The last three chapters are called appendices because they 
  are for the Dungeon Master alone. They speak directly to 
  people in that role. 
  The first appendix helps Dungeon Masters moderate the 
  uses, activities, and acquisition of animals in the campaign. 
  It begins by helping the DM differentiate animals—those 
  creatures subject to the handling rules—from monsters 
  that are not subject to the Animal Handling skill. The next 
  session covers methods and systems for players to acquire 
  and acclimate animals for their use. The third section 
  covers logistical problems animals cause and some of the 
  ways to get around them. Finally, extensive advice is 
  offered on the portrayal and control of animals in games. 
  This appendix addresses the various story impacts of 
  animals, particularly in adding or removing them. It also 
  addresses the power level of animals, including ways to 
  match them to the party. 
  The second and larger portion of this chapter is its story 
  hooks. There are general hooks, small creative ideas for 
  adding animals into the campaign, particularly introducing 
  the advantages and adversity that animals bring to the 
  party, and otherwise giving animal companions their 
  selected moments on center stage. There are also story 
  hooks that catalogue the most interesting animals from 
  each of the official hardback adventures published to date, 
  along with general advice for handling animal companions 
  in those adventures. 
  These pages include dozens of sample animals created 
  with the systems in this supplement and divided among 
  five different archetypes corresponding to the five 
  different sidekick classes in chapter 1. Each creature has 
  its own description, history, and potential point of 
  placement in the world, as well as a complete stat block 
  already modified with adjustments from any special 
  training or template the animal may have. Sidekick classes 
  are not applied to these creatures yet; as a party-balance 
  tool, adding sidekick levels is left to the discretion of the 
  Dungeon Master. 
   
   
   
  
   
  9 
  INTRODUCTION 
   
  
   
  10 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  CHAPTER 1: ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  NIMAL COMPANIONS ARE EXTRAORDINARY CREATURES. 
  They are friends and allies, named pets that are 
  truly members of the party. For these animals, this 
  chapter offers a sidekick class, animal templates, 
  trainable tricks, and other features. These useful 
  systems personalize and adapt animals to survive and 
  thrive within the adventuring party. 
  These tools are not intended for every animal in the 
  characters’ orbit. Only those that form tight bonds with the 
  party qualify as companions for the purpose of this 
  chapter. Likewise, this chapter’s offerings aren’t necessary 
  for every pet creature the characters keep; everything here 
  is optional. 
  This section describes the animal sidekick class, joining it 
  to the expert, spellcaster, and warrior sidekick classes 
  presented in Dragon of Icefire Peak and Tasha’s Cauldron of 
  Everything. Although animals can be shoehorned into a 
  standard sidekick class, the spells, tools, weapons, and 
  academic skills of those sidekicks are better suited to 
  humanoids than to creatures of animal-level intelligence. 
  The “animal” sidekick class is defined by features that 
  enhance survivability. This is a key concern given that pets 
  tend to be weak and might die in physical conflicts of any 
  danger level. The death of pets tends to offend player 
  sensibilities, even those of players not specifically attached 
  to those animals. Atop this core of survivability, role-
  specific features appear in this section’s five subclasses 
  giving each animal a set of useful proactive functions. 
  Pets can gain useful traits and features from levels in this 
  class. However, unlike humanoids, many animals will gain 
  useful, defining functionality from their stat blocks alone. 
  In many instances, an animal companion doesn’t need the 
  additional power and features of a class. 
  Although sections in this chapter are modular, usable in 
  isolation from one another, this supplement suggests all 
  pets in the party get the sidekick class here. The animal 
  sidekick has a special “level 0” that offers no linear level 
  progression, a level the animal need not progress beyond. 
  It can simply benefit from the survivability of Companion 
  Life and the conceptual clarity of Defining Role. 
  Because animal sidekicks are built upon a different 
  conceptual basis and power progression, they are not 
  generally limited to challenge ratings of 1/2 or less. See 
  appendix A for animal companion progression. However, 
  some subclasses have their own limitations of this sort. 
  While normal sidekicks gain levels at the same rate as 
  the rest of the party, animal sidekicks do not. Their levels 
  and adjusted challenge ratings don’t track to the party’s 
  level. Instead, an animal companion normally advances in 
  its class according to the guidance in appendix A, meaning 
  the creature will often have a lower sidekick level than the 
  party’s level. The animal companion probably makes up 
  for this difference with the power innate to its stat block or 
  by having a template. 
  An animal companion that gains a level of its class gains 
  the features described in this section. It may not use the 
  Multiclassing rules or gain the features of a different class. 
  The following features apply to the animal sidekick class. 
  Unlike player characters, the Dungeon Master chooses 
  the selectable aspects of animal sidekick features, even for 
  animals wholly controlled by a single player. However, 
  these decisions should be made in the context of the 
  training and habits that characters try to teach or instill. 
  Although an animal doesn’t lose proficiencies it already 
  knows, it gains no other proficiencies from the animal 
  sidekick class except those applied by features. 
  Additional hit dice from animal classes reflect the 
  creature’s size, not the heartiness of its class training. Hit 
  dice and hit points otherwise follow the rules in the 
  Monster Manual. (Round down fractional hit points when 
  the creature has an odd number of hit dice.) 
  HIT DICE AND HIT POINTS BY SIZE 
  Animal Size 
  Hit Die Size 
  HP per Hit Die 
  Tiny 
  d4 
  2 ½ 
  Small 
  d6 
  3 ½ 
  Medium 
  d8 
  4 ½ 
  Large 
  d10 
  5 ½ 
  Huge 
  d12 
  6 ½ 
  Gargantuan 
  d20 
  10 ½ 
  Animal sidekicks gain this feature upon joining the class. 
  Starting at “level 0,” animal companions become “special 
  nonplayer characters”; instead of dying when they reach 0 
  hit points, as most monsters do, they fall unconscious. 
  Additionally, animal companions with this feature are 
  unaffected by the Instant Death rule; massive damage will 
  not automatically kill them. 
   
  
   
  11 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Finally, when required to roll a death save, an animal 
  companion succeeds automatically. (This does not prevent 
  death save failures accrued without rolling.) 
  At “level 0,” the animal identifies with a role that it will 
  play within the party: Loveable Lump, Heavy Bulwark, 
  Raptor, Slinker (or Loper), or Trusted Mount. 
  The flavor of a defining role helps the sidekick’s 
  portrayal to remain consistent. It grants role features at 
  1st, 5th, 6th, 9th, 11th, and 14th levels. It also defines the 
  role tricks listed at 1st, 4th, 7th, 11th, and 15th levels. 
  At 2nd level, the animal companion can reroll a saving 
  throw that it fails, but it must use the new roll. When the 
  companion uses this feature, it can’t do so again until it 
  finishes a long rest. 
  The animal can use this feature twice between long rests 
  starting at 10th level and three times between long rests at 
  18th level. 
  At 3rd level, the animal can use a bonus action on its turn 
  to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + its level in this class. 
  Once it uses this feature, the animal must complete a short 
  or long rest before it can use Second Wind again. 
  After reaching 13th level, the animal can use this feature 
  twice between rests. 
  At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th 16th, and 19th 
  level, the sidekick increases one ability score by 2, or 
  increases two ability scores by 1. The sidekick cannot 
  increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. 
  Whenever the sidekick gains this feature, adjust 
  anything in its stat block that relies on an ability score 
  modifier that you increase. For example, if the sidekick has 
  an attack that uses its Strength modifier, increase the 
  attack’s modifiers to hit and damage if the Strength 
  modifier increases. 
  If it’s unclear whether a melee attack in the stat block 
  uses Strength or Dexterity, the attack can use either. 
  Each subclass has features that add specific tricks to the 
  animal’s repertoire. These feature-granted tricks are not 
  counted against the companion’s maximum number of 
  trained tricks. 
  Tricks are listed by number on the class table on this 
  page. Each subclass defines the specific tricks these 
  represent, including any special parameters to them. 
  If an animal gains a trick that it already knows (a likely 
  event given the function of such animals), it instead learns 
  another trick that it qualifies for. If the trick is Use Skill, 
  and the skill is one the animal is already proficient in, the 
  trick instead applies to another skill. 
  An animal cannot replace or forget its Role Tricks. 
  The animal adds its proficiency bonus to all saving throws. 
  When it is proficient with a save, it adds double the bonus. 
  At this level, the animal has mastered its training to such a 
  degree that it sheds many of the limitations that apply to 
  lesser creatures. The animal companion’s number of tricks 
  known is no longer limited by its Intelligence rating; it can 
  learn any number of tricks given time and training. 
  The animal also learns to perform with uncanny 
  intuition. It gains the benefits of exceptional 
  communication as described in the “Animal Tricks” 
  section. At the handler’s merest word or gesture, the 
  animal understands the command completely, losing none 
  of the nuance of that instruction. 
  THE ANIMAL SIDEKICK 
  Level 
  Hit Dice 
  Class Features 
  0 
  +0 
  Companion Life, Defining Role 
  1 
  +1 
  Role Feature, Role Trick 
  2 
  +2 
  Indomitable (1 use) 
  3 
  +3 
  Role Feature, Second Wind (1 use) 
  4 
  +4 
  Ability Score Increase, Role Trick 
  5 
  +5 
  Role Feature, Saving Throw 
  6 
  +6 
  Role Feature 
  7 
  +7 
  Role Trick 
  8 
  +8 
  Ability Score Increase 
  9 
  +9 
  Role Feature 
  10 
  +10 
  Indomitable (2 uses) 
  11 
  +11 
  Role Feature, Role Trick 
  12 
  +12 
  Ability Score Increase 
  13 
  +13 
  Second Wind (2 uses) 
  14 
  +14 
  Role Feature 
  15 
  +15 
  Role Trick 
  16 
  +16 
  Ability Score Increase 
  17 
  +17 
  Save Mastery 
  18 
  +18 
  Indomitable (3 uses) 
  19 
  +19 
  Ability Score Increase 
  20 
  +20 
  Trick Mastery 
   
  
   
  12 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  DEFINING ROLES 
  The following pages describe the five subclasses for the 
  animal sidekick class. 
  This little creature packs a big personality into a small 
  package. This is at the core of the animal’s role. A Lovable 
  Lump often serves to extend its owner’s concept, like a 
  pirate’s parrot, a necromancer’s pet rat, or a mermaid’s pet 
  crab. Hidden in a pocket or riding on a hat, these creatures 
  make adorable—and sometimes useful—companions 
  without getting in the party’s way. 
  The primary purpose of Lovable Lumps is to provide 
  companionship. They typically fit inside pockets, pouches, 
  or packs carried by a handler, making them eminently 
  portable and protected from the dangers of the 
  environment. This concealability also makes 
  lumps easy to take into places other animals 
  would not be allowed. 
  Being so tiny allows lumps to serve as spies, 
  perched in a tree branch, flying overhead, or 
  scurrying behind furniture. A lump might 
  be trained to find things in small spaces 
  and either return to its handler or 
  make an alerting noise upon 
  detecting its target. Loveable Lumps 
  are particularly useful when they 
  have unique movement modes 
  or traits that enhance their 
  senses. 
  Most lumps are lucky creatures, being in just the right 
  place at just the right time to avoid serious trouble. Despite 
  their often-curious natures, lumps usually avoid the 
  consequences of nosing about, getting into the party 
  supplies, searching dark holes in the ground, and 
  investigating other people’s packs. The narrow avoidance 
  of these consequences often puts Lovable Lumps into the 
  role of comic relief, unwittingly lightening the mood and 
  amusing the party. 
  Creatures in this category have no common shape among 
  them, no unifying physical features or appearance. They 
  share only two concrete aspects; they are all size Tiny and 
  they have base challenge ratings below CR 1. 
  Example Creatures. Badger, bat, cat, crab, crawling 
  claw, frog, gazer, hawk, lizard, owl, rat, raven, scorpion, 
  spider, stirge, vargouille, velociraptor, weasel 
  FEATURES 
  Lovable lumps gain the following features at the levels 
  indicated on the animal class table. 
  The Loveable Lump gains the Use Skill (Perception) trick 
  upon reaching 1st level. 
  It later gains Scout at 4th level, Perform at 7th level, Use 
  Skill (Stealth) at 11th level, and Go Home at 15th level. 
  At 1st level, a Lovable Lump does not need its own food 
  and water if it can nibble parts of its handler’s food and 
  water or eat the provisions of other party 
  members. 
  So discerning is the lump, and so devoted to 
  sampling nearby food, that it can unwittingly 
  reveal to the party whether a particular 
  source of food is spoiled or poisoned. The 
  creature’s senses are as accurate as a detect 
  poison and disease spell, and it will attack or 
  despoil any food it discovers to be harmful. 
  That might mean angrily flinging bits of 
  the food, playing dead on top of it, or 
  defecating on it in a dramatic fashion. 
  Upon reaching 3rd level, Lovable Lumps 
  gain additional protections when 
  they linger near their handlers. 
  They can duck into a pocket at 
  the first sign of danger. While 
  riding in its handler’s pocket, the 
  creature benefits from total cover, even when part of it is 
  sticking out. 
  While within 5 feet of its handler, a Lovable Lump can 
  also dive into the safety of one of the handler’s pockets or 
  packs, doing so as a reaction to any attack or effect that 
  would damage the creature. If the lump is no longer a 
  viable target for the triggering effect, the effect’s user must 
  select a new target or waste the attack or spell. 
   A Lovable Lump that is a familiar—created by the find 
  familiar spell and having the ability to disappear into a 
  pocket dimension—can also use this reaction to dive into 
  that dimension. The familiar must still be within five feet of 
  its handler for this use. 
  
   
  13 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Upon reaching 5th level, this creature gains proficiency 
  with Dexterity saving throws. 
  If the lump is already proficient with Dexterity saving 
  throws, it gains proficiency with another saving throw. 
  At 5th level, the lump gains the ability to intuit when its 
  handler is in mental distress. Its concerned 
  ministrations—the animal’s chirps, tweets, barks, or 
  squawks—can help to call back the mind of the handler. 
  While in contact with this animal, the handler gains 
  advantage on any saving throw to remove an ongoing 
  effect that imposes the charmed, frightened, or stunned 
  condition, or the effects of the confusion spell. This feature 
  does not affect the handler’s initial saving throw against 
  anything that imposes such effects. 
  When the lump reaches 6th level, its vigilance affords it the 
  ability to react rapidly to threats. The Loveable Lump can 
  choose to roll initiative with advantage. If it does so, on its 
  first turn in the combat, the lump cannot perform actions 
  other than Dash, Dodge, or Disengage. 
  At 9th level, the lump’s exceptional vigilance helps it keep 
  watch. The lump’s Wisdom (Perception) checks are not 
  disadvantaged or prevented by darkness, magical 
  darkness, or invisibility. Further, the animal automatically 
  checks Intelligence (Investigate) to discern any illusions 
  within 60 feet of it, even without direct interaction. 
  At 11th level, the Loveable Lump is adept at crossing 
  combats unscathed. When the lump takes the Dash action 
  on its turn, it can Dodge or Disengage as a bonus action. 
  A 14th-level Lovable Lump can unwittingly luck its way 
  out of most tight scenarios. Whenever the lump makes a 
  saving throw or ability check to avoid damage or to escape 
  a condition, or when a creature attacks the Lovable Lump, 
  the lump can invoke this feature as a reaction. 
  The lump automatically passes the check or saving 
  throw, or the attacker automatically misses even if the 
  attack roll was a critical hit. In the case of a spell or effect 
  that imposes half damage on a success, the lump instead 
  takes no damage. 
  The Lovable Lump can use this feature once, even 
  choosing to apply it after the roll results are determined. It 
  regains the ability to use this after completing a long rest. 
  These hulking brutes are stalwart allies, resilient and 
  protective in a fight, and powerful when laboring outside 
  of battle. Although they commonly take the role of beasts 
  of burden, these animals are much more versatile. Their 
  reliable, stoic companionship can see their handlers 
  through all manner of dangerous scenarios. 
  Heavy Bulwarks are always there when they’re needed. 
  These loyal friends work tirelessly on behalf of their 
  handlers, never complaining, and willingly risking their 
  own lives to defend the people they care for. 
  In combat, these animals use their considerable bulk to 
  control the battlefield. They stand in the way of danger, 
  often facing down foes even larger than themselves, or 
  they charge across the combat to trample foes or drive 
  them toward disadvantageous positions. 
  Owing to their size and strength, Heavy Bulwarks are 
  naturally suited to carrying or dragging very heavy loads. 
  In the party, this might mean carrying freight on a pack 
  saddle, pulling a wagon, or otherwise helping weaker party 
  members transport their extra gear. The presence of a 
  bulwark helps alleviate the party’s state of encumbrance. 
  Most bulwarks are size Large or larger, but a handful are 
  size Medium. Size alone is often enough to control the 
  battlefield, blocking melee enemies from approaching 
  vulnerable party members and providing cover against 
  ranged attacks that target those party members. A few 
  bulwarks would normally fit in among slinkers and lopers, 
  but the value of their enormous size eclipses that role. 
  Examples. Ankylosaurus, aurochs, bulette, boar, 
  brontosaurus, catoblepas, cave fisher, cow, deer, 
  dimetrodon, dretch, elk, froghemoth, giant boar, giant crab, 
  giant crayfish, giant frog, giant goat, giant toad, goat, 
  gorgon, hadrosaurus, hulking crab, hydra, mammoth, 
  otyugh, ox, rhinoceros, rothé, stegosaurus, stench kow, 
  triceratops, tyrannosaurus rex 
  FEATURES 
  Heavy Bulwarks gain the following features at the levels 
  indicated on the animal class table. 
  The Heavy Bulwark gains the Move trick when it reaches 
  1st level. 
  
   
  14 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  It later gains Use Skill (Athletics) at 4th level, Behave at 
  7th level, Defend at 11th level, and Attack at 15th level. 
  At 1st level, the animal’s loyalty is hard to sway. It 
  has advantage on saving throws to resist any spell 
  or effect that would charm it or would sway it 
  to act against its handler. 
  At 3rd level, the bulwark becomes 
  exceptionally sure-footed. It 
  gains advantage on any ability 
  check or saving throw to 
  resist being moved, 
  grappled, or knocked 
  prone. 
  Starting at 5th level, the 
  animal learns to react 
  violently when 
  creatures try to attack 
  around its bulk. If a 
  creature attacks 
  another creature on the 
  opposite side of the 
  bulwark, and the 
  attack misses, the 
  bulwark can use its 
  reaction to make one 
  attack of its own against 
  the creature who failed 
  the attack. 
  The bulwark cannot use this feature if the attacker is 
  beyond the reach of any of the bulwark’s attacks or is 
  beyond 10 feet from the bulwark, whichever is greater. 
  Upon reaching 5th level, this creature gains proficiency 
  with Strength saving throws. 
  If the bulwark is already proficient with Strength 
  saving throws, it gains proficiency with 
  another saving throw. 
  A 6th level Heavy Bulwark can muscle 
  its way about the battlefield. On its 
  turn before moving or taking an 
  action, the bulwark can choose to 
  not provoke opportunity attacks 
  until the start of its next 
  turn. If it does so, the 
  only action it can take 
  that turn is the Attack 
  action. 
  At 9th level, the Heavy 
  Bulwark is hard to stop. 
  It is immune to the 
  stunned condition and it 
  gets advantage on any saving 
  throw to resist or escape an 
  effect that imposes the 
  grappled or restrained 
  condition. 
  If the Heavy Bulwark gets 
  the frightened condition, 
  that condition alone will not 
  prevent the bulwark from willingly 
  moving closer to the source of its fear. 
  At 11th level, when the bulwark takes the Dodge action, it 
  gains resistance to damage until the start of its next turn. 
  Starting at 14th level, when the Heavy Bulwark takes the 
  Dash action on its turn, it can make a single shoving attack 
  against each creature that it moves within 5 feet of in that 
  turn. (See “Shoving a Creature” in the Player’s Handbook.) 
  A creature knocked prone or shoved away with one of 
  these attacks cannot make an opportunity attack against 
  the Heavy Bulwark during its movement in that turn. 
  The Heavy Bulwark can use this feature once, regaining 
  the ability to use it after completing a short rest. 
   
  COVER FROM CREATURES 
  Creatures, both enemies and friends alike, provide 
  cover against attacks that originate on the other side of 
  them. The Player’s Handbook suggests intervening 
  creatures provide half cover but it makes no reference 
  to the relative sizes of the creatures involved. 
  This supplement suggests upgrading the cover to 
  three-quarters if the intervening creature is at least one 
  size larger than both the attacker and the defender, and 
  disallowing cover if the intervening creature is smaller 
  than both the attacker and defender. 
  
   
  15 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Raptors are fast-flying predators. They make attentive 
  allies, often using their keen senses to watch over their 
  friends. With a Raptor in the air, the party can scout the 
  terrain and get forewarning of trouble coming from a 
  distance. These allies also lend their vigilance to the party’s 
  camp security and other affairs. 
  Combining speed and high flying, Raptors can hunt or 
  scout in a way that covers miles of territory while 
  remaining relatively safe from ground-based threats. 
  However, this tactic risks the animal being isolated and cut 
  off in the air by faster-flying enemies. The stronger the 
  Raptor, the farther it can reasonably and safely roam. 
  The ability to fly gives Raptors unique functionality in 
  combat. In battle, these creatures can bypass intervening 
  foes, overfly obstacles, and cross pits and chasms without 
  difficulty. A low ceiling is the only common terrain feature 
  that hampers a Raptor. The ability to bypass ground-based 
  barriers allows the animal to attack or harry an enemy 
  spellcaster standing behind a line of shield-bearers, or to 
  otherwise strike a the most tactically useful point on the 
  battlefield without interference. 
  Flying particularly lends itself to a variety of utilitarian 
  applications. Window latches, chandelier tie-offs, and 
  other highly placed objects can be manipulated for tactical 
  advantage. A clever raptor might fly to the top of the 
  ramparts and unhook a grappling hook after the party has 
  used the rope to descend. It might also carry a vital healing 
  potion to an injured ally, traversing great distances at a 
  rapid speed. 
  A Raptor must have a flying speed. This subclass includes 
  arial predators of most kinds, though some tiny fliers 
  might instead be Lovable Lumps. 
  Examples. Blood hawk, chimera, cockatrice, darkmantle, 
  eagle, flying snake, giant bat, giant vulture, giant wasp, 
  griffon, hippogriff, pteranodon, quetzalcoatlus, stirge, 
  vulture, wyvern 
  FEATURES 
  Raptors gain the following features at the levels indicated 
  on the animal class table. 
  The Raptor gains the Scout trick at 1st level. 
  It later gains Use Skill (Perception) at 4th level, Hunt at 
  7th level, Attack at 11th level, and Harry at 15th level. 
  At 1st level, the Raptor cannot be surprised while in flight. 
  Additionally, while the animal is flying, creatures on the 
  ground don’t get advantage on ranged attacks against the 
  Raptor merely because the animal doesn’t see them. 
  A 3rd level Raptor is adept at scouting far ahead of the 
  party. It learns to fly evasively and return quickly at the 
  first sign of a threat. 
   When the Raptor takes the Dash action on its turn, it can 
  Dodge or Dash again as a bonus action. 
  At 5th level, when subject to an area effect allowing a 
  Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the 
  Raptor instead takes no damage on a successful saving 
  throw, and only half damage if it fails. 
  Upon reaching 5th level, this creature gains 
  proficiency with Wisdom saving throws. 
  If the Raptor is already proficient with 
  Wisdom saving throws, it gains 
  proficiency with another saving throw. 
  After reaching 6th level, the Raptor 
  can attack twice, instead of once, when 
  it takes the Attack action on its turn. 
  If the animal has the Multiattack 
  action, it cannot use both Extra Attack 
  and Multiattack on its turn; it can only use 
  one or the other. 
  
   
  16 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  A 9th-level Raptor can manipulate objects with a precision 
  that matches human hands. Given the right instruction, it 
  can untie knots, administer potions, and perform any 
  similarly dexterous acts that don’t require proficiency to 
  perform. 
  At 11th level, when the Raptor attacks with its innate 
  natural weaponry, its attacks score critical hits on rolls of 
  18–20. 
  Starting at 14th level, when the raptor descends a number 
  of feet greater than half of its normal flying speed before 
  using the Attack action, it gets advantage on attack rolls for 
  the rest of the turn. 
  For example, a hawk with a 60-foot flying speed must 
  descend more than 30 feet to claim this advantage. 
  These agile creatures make powerful allies, tracking prey 
  and savaging their foes in battle. Slinkers and Lopers easily 
  switch between lighthearted play and intense hunting. 
  Indeed, their play often mimics their hunting behaviors. 
  Animals of this subclass can become very loyal friends if 
  given enough time to form strong bonds. 
  Slinkers and Lopers represent two distinct archetypes. 
  Despite sharing many quirks, these animals have a single, 
  primary factor that differentiates them; Slinkers are 
  solitary while Lopers prefer to move in packs. The 
  difference affects hunting methods and social behaviors. 
  Slinkers are well represented by great cats. They 
  are solitary hunters that hide and ambush prey. 
  They are social loners too, staying with a single 
  mate or litter, or following a single handler. 
  Lopers tend to be pack creatures, like many 
  canines. They prefer to hunt together, flanking and 
  surrounding prey, driving them into the open and 
  dragging them down. Lopers’ social behaviors are also 
  pack oriented; a loper may adopt a whole party as its pack. 
  Slinkers and Lopers are fast-moving creatures. They prefer 
  to maneuver into advantageous or flanking positions 
  before pouncing on their slower prey. Although they are 
  often the first party members to reach combat, they tend 
  to retreat after making a powerful initial strike, hoping to 
  circle behind an enemy. 
  Slinkers and Lopers prefer to remain unseen before 
  attacking, running down their prey or pouncing on it in a 
  burst of furious activity. Their lithe bodies make them 
  adept at moving quietly through the underbrush and 
  lurking unseen, waiting for just the right moment, then 
  striking from an unexpected direction or elevation. 
  Creatures qualify for this subclass if they are natural 
  hunters, able to move stealthily and attack with deadly 
  ferocity. Slinkers and Lopers are size Large, Medium, or 
  Small. Big cats, ferocious canines, and even quick-footed 
  dinosaurs fit well into this archetype. 
  Examples. Allosaurus, ambush drake, ankheg, basilisk, 
  black bear, brown bear, carrion crawler, cave bear, 
  constrictor snake, crag cat, crocodile, death dog, 
  deinonychus, dire wolf, displacer beast, giant badger, giant 
  centipede, giant constrictor snake, giant crocodile, giant 
  hyena, giant lizard, giant poisonous snake, giant rat, giant 
  scorpion, giant spider, giant subterranean lizard, giant 
  weasel, giant wolf spider, girallon, grick, guard drake, hell 
  hound, hezrou, hook horror, hyena, jackal, lion, mastiff, 
  owlbear, panther, phase spider, polar bear, poisonous 
  snake, purple wormling, rust monster, saber-toothed tiger, 
  shadow mastiff, steeder, tiger, wolf, 
  yeth hound, young 
  remorhaz 
  
   
  17 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  FEATURES 
  Slinkers and Lopers gain the following features at the 
  levels indicated on the animal class table. 
  The Slinker or Loper gains the Attack trick at 1st level. 
  It later gains Hunt at 4th level, Move at 7th level, Behave 
  at 11th level, and Harry at 15th level. 
  At 1st level, Slinkers and Lopers learn to better utilize hit-
  and-run tactics, leaping in for a powerful attack and 
  jumping back before the enemy can respond. 
  When the Slinker or Loper attacks with the Attack or 
  Multiattack action on its own turn, any attacked creatures’ 
  opportunity attacks against the animal have disadvantage 
  for the rest of that turn. 
  A 3rd-level Slinker or Loper becomes adept at observing 
  and anticipating its target’s field of vision. The animal 
  exploits this by avoiding the places its prey tends to look, 
  staying behind the target or staying above or below its line 
  of sight, and remaining still until the target looks away. 
  With this feature, the animal can select one target. If the 
  Slinker or Loper is hidden from that target, it remains 
  hidden despite moving out of cover. The animal’s hidden 
  state relative to its chosen target lasts for the rest of the 
  turn or until the animal takes an action. Other effects or 
  interactions may reveal the animal to its target in this time, 
  but the mere lack of intervening cover will not. 
  Upon reaching 5th level, this creature gains proficiency 
  with Dexterity saving throws. 
  If the Slinker or Loper is already proficient with 
  Dexterity saving throws, it gains proficiency with another 
  saving throw. 
  At 5th level, Slinkers and Lopers learn to better disable 
  fleeing foes by inflicting a single, decisive injury. Crushing 
  hamstrings or clavicles can disable targets, as can tearing 
  the gut in a way that disgorges the target’s intestines. 
  When this animal uses the Attack action on its turn, it 
  can attempt a Gut Cut. If the creature can normally attack 
  more than once, it is limited to just one of its normal 
  attacks, modified by this feature. 
  If a target is damaged by a Gut Cut attack, and it has 
  fewer than half its normal hit points when the attack is 
  resolved, it is also hobbled, a state that halves the 
  creature’s speed. A creature loses the hobbled state when 
  it receives at least 1 point of healing. 
  After reaching 6th level, the Slinker or Loper can attack 
  twice, instead of once, when it takes the Attack action on 
  its turn. 
  If the animal has the Multiattack action, it cannot use 
  both Extra Attack and Multiattack on its turn; it can only 
  use one or the other. 
  Upon reaching 9th level, the slinker or loper can utilize 
  bursts of speed to run down prey in intermittent sprints. 
  Whenever the animal did not do so on its previous turn, 
  it can Dash as a bonus action. 
  Additionally, the creature can use stealth while traveling, 
  even when moving at a Normal or Fast pace. (See “Activity 
  while Traveling” in the Player’s Handbook.) 
  After reaching 11th level, Slinkers and Lopers have 
  advantage on initiative rolls. 
  At 14th level, the Slinker or Loper can attack three times, 
  instead of once, when it takes the Attack action on its turn. 
  This feature replaces Extra Attack. 
  If the animal has the Multiattack action, it cannot use 
  both Legendary Attack and Multiattack on its turn; it can 
  only use one or the other. 
  Many adventurers employ a string of nameless mounts and 
  pack animals over the course of their careers. Rarely do 
  these become pets, particularly because such large 
  creatures might get left behind as adventurers explore 
  small interior areas, cross the sea on ships, and talk their 
  way through the Duke’s court. However, there is no reason 
  a diligent handler can’t keep Trusted Mounts as pets and 
  allies; these difficulties often make good fodder for stories. 
  Most mounts are accustomed to taking guidance from their 
  handlers, remaining calm and following commands 
  regardless of nearby danger. They are also the most likely 
  of all animals to rely on their handlers for food, directly or 
  by using designated times and areas for grazing. Even 
  independent mounts tend to develop a dependence on 
  their riders. Most characters find this bond of trust to be 
  inspirational and a source of emotional strength. 
  
   
  18 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  Animals in this subclass are practiced at hauling burdens 
  across great distances, carrying (or pulling a conveyance 
  containing) party members, their luggage, or both. Trusted 
  Mounts facilitate and quicken travelling scenarios. This is 
  particularly true when the adventurers want to transport a 
  great deal of gear or treasure. 
  In battle, mounts provide speed and power, allowing 
  riders to close long distances and run down weaker foes. 
  The shared turns of a controlled mount and its rider allow 
  useful combinations of actions and movement, and the 
  mount’s superior size and strength lets it shove aside 
  smaller creatures with relative ease. 
  Creatures in this category must match the requirements 
  for riding laid out in the “Mounted Combat” section of the 
  Player’s Handbook. Most mounts are quadrupedal, allowing 
  humanoid creatures to ride on their horizontal backs. 
  Additionally, a creature’s size matters relevant to its 
  handler’s size; a rider can only ride a mount at least one 
  size larger than it. An animal must also have the rider-
  trained template to qualify. (See Templates, below.) 
  Many animals listed as Heavy Bulwarks, Slinkers, or 
  Lopers make excellent mounts, able to take this class 
  instead. Even some creatures that might otherwise be 
  Raptors can be ridden; the animal’s subclass 
  comes down to the primary use to which 
  its handler puts it. 
  Examples. Aurochs, axe beak, camel, 
  draft horse, elephant, fragile horse, giant 
  lizard, giant strider, griffon, hippogriff, riding 
  horse, steeder (female), warhorse, warhorse 
  skeleton, yeth hound 
  Examples (Small Rider Only). Basilisk, 
  death dog, guard drake, hell hound, mastiff, 
  mule, pony, shadow mastiff, steeder (male) 
  FEATURES 
  Trusted mounts gain the following features at the levels 
  indicated on the animal class table. 
  The Trusted Mount gains the Move trick at 1st level. 
  It later gains Behave at 4th level, Discriminate at 7th 
  level, Go Home at 11th level, and Perform at 15th level. 
  At 1st level, Trusted Mounts learn to better protect their 
  fallen riders. If its rider falls unconscious, the mount will 
  move away from danger in a gentle, steady manner that 
  keeps the unconscious rider from falling out of the saddle. 
  In any turn that the Trusted Mount does not take an action, 
  a rider that is (or becomes) unconscious stays in the 
  saddle with no chance to fall. 
  Additionally, the animal knows instinctively where to go 
  to get help for the rider, usually moving toward a party 
  member who can provide healing or returning home to its 
  stables if no friendly creatures are in the area. 
  By the time it reaches 3rd level, a Trusted Mount is a 
  patient creature, at least when working with its handler. It 
  tolerates all manner of burdens and endures extended 
  periods of work, often outlasting its rider. 
  The animal has advantage on Constitution saving throws 
  imposed by forced marches. (See “Travel Pace” in chapter 
  2 of the Player’s Handbook.) Additionally, the animal 
  reduces its exhaustion by 2 levels instead of 1 when it 
  finishes a long 
  rest, so long as 
  it has also 
  ingested 
  some food 
  and 
  drink. 
  
   
  19 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  At 5th-level, a trusted mount becomes conditioned to 
  carrying greater loads. Such creatures must often run 
  under the weight of heavy barding, along with the weight 
  of a heavily armed and armored rider. 
  When determining its carrying capacity and the weight it 
  can push, drag, or lift, the trusted mount is conditioned to 
  count as one size larger. 
  Upon reaching 5th level, the Trusted Mount gains 
  proficiency with Constitution saving throws. 
  If it is already proficient with Constitution saving 
  throws, it gains proficiency with another saving throw. 
  At 6th level, the mount’s movement does not provoke 
  opportunity attacks from any creature the mount or its 
  rider has already attacked during the current turn. The 
  Trusted Mount cannot use this benefit while it is not 
  carrying a rider. 
  A trusted mount that reaches 9th level is hard to stop on 
  the battlefield, brushing aside grasping foes, crashing 
  through thick foliage, and flowing over rough ground.  
  The mount no longer spends extra movement to cross 
  difficult terrain. It further gains advantage on checks and 
  saving throws to avoid being slowed or restrained by area-
  affecting spells and effects that appear in the environment 
  like the entangle or web spells, or to break free of them. 
  Against creatures that try to restrain the Trusted Mount 
  or stand in its way, the mount’s size is counted as one 
  larger for determining who can grapple it. Its size is also 
  counted as one larger when using or resisting shoving 
  attacks. (See “Grappling” and “Shoving a Creature” in 
  chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook.) 
  This size increase likewise applies when the mount 
  employs the “Overrun” and “Shove Aside” rules from 
  chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide if your campaign 
  uses those optional rules. 
  Upon reaching 11th level, the Trusted Mount learns to 
  better protect whatever it carries. When the mount takes 
  the Dodge action, its current rider gains the benefits too. 
  Until the start of the mount’s next turn, any attack roll 
  made against its rider has disadvantage if the mount can 
  see the attacker, and the rider makes Dexterity saving 
  throws with advantage. The rider loses this benefit if it 
  dismounts or becomes incapacitated, or if the mount 
  somehow loses the benefit of the Dodge action. 
  At 14th level, the Trusted Mount remains on its feet 
  despite powerful external forces that would topple it. 
  When a spell or effect would trip or knock prone the 
  mount, or move it against its will, the animal has 
  advantage on any check or saving throw to resist. 
  If an effect successfully knocks prone the mount, it 
  automatically recovers from the prone condition at the 
  start of its turn without using any of its movement. 
  Likewise, if an effect successfully moves the mount against 
  its will, it can reduce its moved distance by up to 10 feet. 
  Animals can learn tricks that allow them to perform 
  specific, specialized functions, discussed here. This section 
  also covers some untrained behaviors. 
  ANIMAL TRAINING (DOWNTIME ACTIVITY) 
  A character can spend time between adventures 
  training an animal to perform tricks. Animal and 
  handler must work together closely and without 
  serous distractions, sometimes using special tools, 
  assistants, or environments. 
  To start this downtime activity, a character must be 
  proficient with the Animal Handling skill. Additionally, 
  the creature taught must qualify as an “animal.” (The 
  DM must determine it is a trainable specimen using the 
  guidelines of appendix A.) 
  Each trick requires 5 downtime days of training. An 
  animal can remember no more than 2 tricks per point 
  of its Intelligence rating; if it learns an additional trick 
  beyond this capacity, the handler decides which older 
  trick to replace. (If the war-trained template gives an 
  animal more tricks than it can learn, it can have those 
  tricks but can learn no others, save those provided by 
  class features.) Tricks granted by animal class features 
  or templates cannot be replaced with training. 
  A handler can use this downtime to train the same 
  trick to multiple animals at once. The maximum 
  number of animals that can benefit from a handler’s 
  expended downtime days is equal to the handler’s 
  Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). 
  Some animals lack the temperament or the physical 
  features needed for some generic actions or tricks. At 
  the DM’s discretion, an animal won’t be able to learn a 
  trick related to some actions. Alternately, the DM may 
  rule that a trick’s result is more limited than normal 
  when performed by a creature with inherent physical 
  or temperamental limitations. 
  
   
  20 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  Eliciting tricks and generic actions from an animal is a 
  process with several limitations. 
  Only a handler can elicit behavior from an animal. A 
  handler is defined as a creature with whom the animal has 
  an established working relationship; the handler has 
  either trained the animal or the animal has a loyalty score 
  relating to that person. Alternately, the DM can rule that a 
  working relationship exists from some other source. At the 
  Dungeon Master’s discretion, a friendly domestic animal 
  may consider any non-hostile creature to be a handler. 
  Sometimes a handler must use its action to elicit behavior 
  from an animal, and sometimes it need not. 
  If more than one of these action-requiring factors apply 
  to a single attempt to elicit an action or trick from an 
  animal, these combine into a single action. For example, as 
  one action, a handler can push an untrained animal to 
  perform a trick that also requires designating a target. 
  Brief Command. A handler can issue one command on 
  its turn using the “brief utterance and gestures” allowed to 
  it. (See “Other Activities on Your Turn” in chapter 9 of the 
  Player’s Handbook.) This does not require an action. 
  Additional Command. Issuing a second command in the 
  same turn requires the handler’s action, dedicating this 
  time to additional verbal and visual signals beyond brief 
  utterances and gestures. 
  If a handler has multiple trained animals nearby, a single 
  command is enough to elicit the trained behavior from any 
  of them the handler desires to affect. 
  Designating a Target. When the handler designates a 
  target for any trick, like a specific creature to attack or a 
  location to move to, doing so requires the handler’s action 
  as part of the command. An animal commanded to perform 
  a trick without a designated target chooses its own target, 
  one the Dungeon Master designates. 
  Untrained Functions. A handler can attempt to elicit 
  untrained behavior from an animal, either a generic action 
  (Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help), one of the 
  unique actions listed in the animal’s stat block, or a trick to 
  which the animal is not trained. In these cases, the 
  handler’s action is required; pushing an animal to perform 
  these behaviors requires time to cajole and encourage the 
  animal, and to explain or mimic the desired function. 
  Multiattack is an exception. It is not one of the generic 
  actions a handler can elicit, nor can an animal use it when 
  acting under a handler’s orders. For game-balancing 
  reasons, animals only use their multiattack action when 
  acting independently, outside the presence of a handler. 
  To perform as its handler desires, an animal must be able 
  to receive communication from its handler in some form, 
  be it hearing or seeing the handler, or receiving its 
  telepathy. Beyond this bare requirement, the limits of 
  communication add some additional complications. 
  Targeting Range. To designate a target for a trick, the 
  animal and handler must be within 30 feet of each other 
  and within 30 feet of the target. This is a practical 
  limitation of an animal’s ability to understand and track 
  the handler’s pointing gestures to find the right target. 
  If a handler issues a targeted command with telepathy 
  or using a language the animal understands, there is no 
  range limitation because the handler can describe the 
  target with specificity. 
  Exceptional Communication. When an animal 
  understands a handler’s language or can receive the 
  handler’s telepathic commands, gestures are not required, 
  even when designating a single target from among many 
  possible targets. Words alone, whether spoken or 
  telepathic, can describe the target without pointing to it. 
  Exceptional communication does not increase the 
  number of commands a handler can issue each turn, but it 
  does allow commands to be delivered with some subtlety. 
  In the case of a shared language, an eavesdropper might 
  only understand the order by knowing the same language. 
  With telepathy, commands probably aren’t detected, 
  much less given a chance to be understood by others. 
  
   
  21 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Additionally, actions, tricks, and targets can be described 
  with exceptional specificity; an animal that receives orders 
  through a mode of exceptional communication is far more 
  likely to manage tasks of great complexity and nuance than 
  other animals could. 
  Some magic effects, like the conjure animals spell and the 
  figurine of wondrous power magic item, grant that the 
  produced animal will follow the magic-user’s commands. 
  Because the descriptions of such effects imply no difficulty 
  or nuance in the creatures’ understanding of those orders, 
  assume that the summoner’s commands are issued with 
  the benefit of exceptional communication. 
  An ability check is sometimes needed for an animal to 
  perform a directed behavior, the handler’s check to elicit 
  the behavior, the animal’s check to perform it, or both. 
  For the animal, generic actions or tricks require 
  whatever rolls are inherent to those activities. Attack rolls, 
  Strength checks, and Dexterity checks are the most 
  common. The Dungeon Master may also require Wisdom 
  checks to find things or Intelligence checks to avoid being 
  fooled by distractions or similar-looking targets. 
  For the handler, there are four instances a Wisdom 
  (Animal Handling) check is required. These are: 
   
  1. When the trick’s description calls for a check 
  2. When the circumstances are risky 
  3. When the animal is injured 
  4. When the activity or behavior is untrained or is 
  counter to the animal’s instincts 
   
  (Any magic effect that implies a handler’s total control 
  over an animal, or the animal’s automatic obedience, still 
  requires no check under these circumstances.) 
  Trick Descriptions. If an animal is trained with a trick, 
  the handler normally requires no ability checks to provoke 
  those functions on command. However, some tricks may 
  require a check as listed in their descriptions. 
  The Dungeon Master may also rule that a particular 
  application of a trick is so complex as to require a check. 
  An untrained animal should not be allowed to attempt 
  such a complex variation, or the handler’s check has 
  disadvantage, whichever the DM prefers in that situation. 
  Risky Circumstances. A “risky” maneuver is a task 
  dangerous to the animal, or one where something 
  important is at risk if the animal fails to behave as the 
  handler desires. The handler’s check in this case is to 
  convince the animal to ignore the danger or to get it to 
  perform exactly as needed to avoid trouble. 
  If the desired activity itself is what’s hard, that would 
  normally affect the animal’s own ability check to get the 
  task done. However, dangerous or difficult circumstances 
  can affect both the animal’s ability to perform and its 
  willingness to make the attempt. 
  In extreme circumstances, the DM may determine that 
  the animal knows its own limitations, or the danger is too 
  great; the animal simply won’t attempt the task, regardless 
  of handling rolls. 
  Animal Injury. Injury and pain trigger an animal’s deep-
  seated instincts for self-preservation. This is a powerful 
  distraction. Most animals flee under such circumstances 
  unless motivated by other factors like starvation or the 
  preservation of their young. 
  Normally, a check is required at the start of each of the 
  handler’s turns to calm the handler’s nearby injured 
  animals, whose instincts are to flee or hide. This is not a 
  command; it doesn’t count against the limit of commands a 
  handler may issue in a turn. 
  This check is not required for an animal trained with the 
  Concentrate trick. Similarly, at the Dungeon Master’s 
  discretion, a very loyal animal needs no check to remain 
  calm when injured, particularly if defending its handler. 
  Lack of Training. At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, 
  an animal can be “pushed” into a generic action or a trick 
  to which it isn’t trained, or to resist an instinctual behavior 
  to which it is inclined. 
  This pushing sometimes means getting a mount to 
  remain in battle, despite it lacking the war-trained 
  template. In this case, the check is performed at the start of 
  each of the rider’s turns. Success prevents the mount from 
  fleeing because of its injuries or proximity to battle, at 
  least until the start of the rider’s next turn. 
  Some trained functions or magic effects allow a handler to 
  elicit behavior in ways that don’t implicate these rules. 
  Animal Class Features. A handler never needs to use an 
  action to elicit a feature of an animal’s sidekick class. (This 
  does not apply to the tricks granted by features.) 
  Animal Spirits. The animal-shaped spirits summoned by 
  spells like find familiar and find steed and share a 
  telepathic “bond” with the spellcaster, something greater 
  than mere telepathic communication. This bond lets 
  animal and handler share their intentions. The spellcaster 
  needn’t use actions or checks to command the spell-made 
  creature, whether eliciting a trained or untrained behavior, 
  designating a target, etc. The animal spirit simply acts as 
  the spellcaster wills it to. Such animals can still learn tricks 
  but generally only benefit from those that train the animal 
  to particular proficiencies. 
  Beast Masters. The Beast Master’s magically bonded 
  animal can learn and use tricks and benefit from other 
  
   
  22 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  rules in this supplement. Several of the subclass’s features 
  imply special advantages that synergize well with these 
  rules. 
  The Ranger’s Companion feature allows the ranger to 
  control that animal’s movement without using an action, 
  even when designating a target area to move to. It also 
  allows the ranger to command generic actions (Attack, 
  Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help) without a check and 
  regardless of injury, distraction, or other complications. 
  Because the feature’s description assigns no nuance to the 
  animal’s understanding of these commands, assume there 
  is an exceptional degree of communication inherent to this 
  magical bond. 
  Gaining Extra Attack triggers an additional benefit for 
  the Ranger’s Companion feature; the Beast Master can 
  make an attack on the same turn that it uses an action to 
  command the animal to take the Attack action. 
  The Exceptional Training feature lets the ranger use a 
  bonus action (instead of an action) to elicit the Dash, 
  Disengage, Dodge, or Help generic actions, so long as the 
  animal doesn’t attack that turn. 
  Finally, the Bestial Fury feature gives the Beast Master’s 
  companion a limited exception to the rule preventing 
  allied animals from using their Multiattack special action. 
  Controlled Mounts. A controlled mount (usually a 
  creature with the rider-trained template) does not use 
  these rules when the rider commands the animal to use its 
  movement and its limited action options. 
  Without rider training, an animal is an unwilling mount 
  and cannot be ridden.  
  Figurines of Wondrous Power. Like the example of 
  Drizzt Do’Urden’s pet Guenhwyvar in R.A. Salvatore’s 
  famous D&D novels, the living animals such objects turn 
  into can be trained and handled according to the rules in 
  this supplement. 
  The creature who activates this magic item is the 
  animal’s handler for the activation’s duration. The animal 
  obeys its handler’s spoken commands as a feature of the 
  magic, meaning the handler never needs to attempt a 
  check to command the creature or worry about loyalty. 
  Training a figurine animal using these downtime rules is 
  difficult, depending on the duration and interval of the 
  item’s animal form. At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, 
  the item can be activated more frequently for the purpose 
  of training the creature in downtime. 
  Other Effects. Some additional spells and effects 
  describe their own animal-controlling efforts, which 
  override these rules. For example, the conjure animals 
  spell describes a means of controlling its creations, a 
  verbal command without action. 
  Each trick’s description is provided below, arranged 
  alphabetically. 
  New tricks can be designed with the Dungeon Master’s 
  assistance. 
  The animal becomes aggressive and attacks with single-
  minded fury. It targets the closest unfamiliar creature 
  unless the handler designates a specific target. 
  Once ordered, a predatory or trained animal will use the 
  Attack action to make one attack against its target on each 
  of its turns. It will also use other combat-related actions 
  and special traits whenever it deems these effective. The 
  animal continues to attack until it is gravely injured or 
  until the target is incapacitated. 
  A trained animal can automatically desist. At the 
  handler’s command, it will stop attacking, attack a 
  different target, or begin another trick or behavior. The 
  handler of an untrained animal must convince it to desist 
  with a successful Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. 
  Aggressive or predatory animals can be convinced to 
  attack without training. However, to use one of the 
  following permutations, the animal needs training in the 
  Attack trick, or the handler an animal must use some mode 
  of exceptional communication. 
  Disarm. If your game uses the optional Disarm rule in 
  chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, the trained 
  animal will use its attack to disarm the target of something 
  it is holding. If the target holds more than one object, the 
  animal will select one at random each time. When the 
  target creature is no longer holding items, the animal stops 
  its attacks until commanded to some other behavior. 
  Grapple. The trained animal will attempt to grapple an 
  indicated target using the “Grappling” rules in chapter 2 of 
  the Player’s Handbook. Once a grapple is established, the 
  animal will use the Dodge action, shaking or unbalancing 
  the target or otherwise positioning itself to avoid 
  retaliatory attacks. If the grapple is broken, the animal will 
  attempt to grapple again. 
  Mark. If your game uses the optional Mark rule in 
  chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, the trained 
  animal marks its indicated target with each of its attacks. 
  (An animal will not use mark if it selects its own target.) 
  Shove. The trained animal will attempt to shove its 
  target using the “Shoving a Creature” rules in chapter 2 of 
  the Player’s Handbook. It will continue trying to shove the 
  creature down each chance it gets, but it will not attack 
  while the creature remains prone. 
  Alternately, the handler can instruct the trained animal 
  to shove its target away from the animal, away from the 
  
   
  23 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  handler, or toward a target location. The animal will 
  continue trying to shove the creature with each of its 
  attacks until reaching an area where the target cannot be 
  shoved farther or reaching the targeted area. The animal 
  stops its attacks at that point. 
  This trick trains an animal to overcome its natural 
  behaviors or inclinations. A docile animal will be steady in 
  combat or other alarming circumstances. An aggressive or 
  dangerous creature will avoid attacking nearby creatures, 
  even when startled or approached by its natural prey. 
  This behavior does not require a command to elicit. The 
  mere presence of the handler reminds the creature to 
  behave as desired. If the animal is not trained to this trick, 
  the handler must make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check 
  at the start of each of its turns to keep its handled animals 
  from acting according to their nature. (An animal with the 
  war-trained template needs no handling checks to for it to 
  remain calm and behave in battle.) 
  An animal trained with this trick will still act 
  aggressively when prompted by its handler. 
  An animal trained with this trick can additionally benefit 
  from the following specialized uses. 
  Calm Fear. This calming function may overcome a 
  trained animal’s magically induced fear. The handler must 
  use an action and make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) 
  check against the DC normally allowed for the effect or 
  spell that applied the frightened condition. If the animal is 
  trained with this trick, the handler has advantage on this 
  check. If successful, the condition remains, but the animal 
  will not flee, whether compelled to by an additional 
  function of the magic or because the animal’s instinctive 
  response would be to flee. 
  Yield. The trained animal is cooperative when the 
  handler harvests animal byproducts from it. For example, 
  the animal will remain docile while milked by its udders, 
  shorn of its wool, or drained of its venom. 
  Without this trick, only domestic animals accustomed to 
  yielding their byproducts will allow it without being 
  restrained. 
  For harvesting venom, training in this trick means the 
  has no chance to accidentally suffer the effects of the 
  animal’s venom. (See the “Crafting and Harvesting Poison” 
  rules in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, or “Adventuring Gear” 
  in the Comprehensive Equipment Manual.) 
  This trick trains a smart animal to recognize enough of a 
  particular language to follow commands with ease and 
  specificity. A stag trained to the Comprehend (Elvish) trick, 
  for example, benefits from exceptional communication 
  when commanded in the Elvish language. 
  If this creature can speak or otherwise produce 
  sufficiently nuanced sounds, it can speak in the same 
  language, conveying basic concepts. The exact limit of what 
  can be conveyed with this limited degree of proficiency is 
  left to the Dungeon Master. 
  An animal needs an Intelligence rating of 5 or higher to 
  learn this trick. Animals without this training cannot 
  attempt to duplicate this function. 
  Knowing this trick provides the trained animal with 
  advantage on any ability check or saving throw it makes to 
  avoid mundane distractions that might independently 
  dissuade it from performing a task. 
  Ignore Injury. An animal’s injuries can sometimes 
  impose disadvantage on a handler’s Wisdom (Animal 
  Handling) checks or require such checks when no check is 
  normally needed. An animal trained with this trick is 
  treated as uninjured for such purposes. It continues to 
  perform normally to the best of its physical ability. 
  The animal defends its handler when a perceived threat 
  attacks or approaches aggressively, using its full range of 
  combat actions and special traits in this defense. 
  Untrained to this trick, an aggressive, predatory, or 
  particularly loyal animal will perform this behavior 
  automatically. Preventing this requires the Behave trick or 
  requires the handler to make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) 
  check, sometimes repeating this check each turn. 
  Without a command to attack a designated target, the 
  animal focuses on whichever creature most recently 
  attacked its handler, sometimes switching the subject of its 
  ire several times in a round. 
  If an animal is trained to this trick, a handler can 
  command it to perform these permutations. 
  Guard. The handler incites territorial behavior in the 
  trained animal while commanding it to guard an enclosed 
  area. The time it takes to command this trick is the time it 
  takes to familiarize the animal with every corner of the 
  location. The animal thereafter patrols the area and attacks 
  any intruders that are not familiar to it. 
  Protect. The handler can command the animal to defend 
  a target creature, applying defense behavior as though the 
  new creature was its handler. 
  Activation. Indicating a target creature or thing requires 
  the handler’s action. In the case of guarding an area,  
  
   
  24 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  The animal resists the commands of other handlers. It will 
  not perform for anyone except the handler that taught it 
  this trick. Neither will an animal with the rider-trained 
  template be a “willing” mount for any other handler. 
  If any handler attempts to get the animal to perform a 
  trick or generic action, the animal will resist, even to the 
  point of becoming hostile under some circumstances. 
  An animal trained to this trick will not normally learn 
  tricks from any other handler. A new handler must first 
  acclimate the animal as though it was wild, a process that 
  removes this trick from the animal’s repertoire. 
  The animal knows how to return home, either returning to 
  where it lives or returning to where it received training in 
  this trick, whichever place is closest.  
  An animal trained to this 
  trick performs it if commanded 
  to do so, or if it is simply left 
  long enough without active 
  handling or the presence of a 
  conscious handler. 
  Untrained, very few animals 
  are suited to this trick; horses, 
  hounds, and homing pigeons 
  may perform this trick, but not 
  as reliably and with less ability  
  and may not understand how 
  to overcome some challenges 
  related to the task. 
  Invoking this trick requires 
  the handler’s action. The trick 
  isn’t often invoked, requiring 
  particular emphasis to get the 
  animal to leave its handler and travel on its own. 
  This highly specialized behavior interferes with the 
  target’s actions on the battlefield. When commanded to 
  harry, the animal aggressively follows its target but does 
  not attack. It instead tries to keep the target’s attention, 
  being loud and threatening, often feinting attacks. The goal 
  is to prevent the target from moving closer to or farther 
  from the handler. 
  The animal moves adjacent to the target. It attempts to 
  position itself between the target and the animal’s handler. 
  Alternately, if the optional flanking rules are used, the 
  animal can be ordered to stand next to the target on the 
  opposite side as the handler, providing the handler with 
  the benefits of flanking. 
  The animal usually takes the Dodge action but is ready 
  to employ opportunity attacks. If the target completely 
  ignores the harrying animal, and the harrying animal is 
  unwounded, the Dungeon Master may decide that the 
  animal uses the Attack action from time to time (instead of 
  the Dodge action), hoping to get the target’s attention. 
  Once ordered, the animal will use continues until it is 
  gravely injured, the target is incapacitated, or it receives a 
  conflicting order from its handler. 
  This complex trick mixes a variety of actions and 
  movement, and it requires some judgment on the animal’s 
  part. This multifaceted function is not available to 
  untrained animals. 
  At the handler’s direction, the animal will use its 
  exceptional senses and physical abilities to follow or 
  acquire its prey. 
  Untrained, an animal will only 
  hunt for prey to feed itself. 
  Hunting is too complex to 
  otherwise command. 
  The following versions of this 
  behavior require the animal to be 
  trained with this trick. 
  Fetch. The trained animal 
  brings a nearby item to its 
  handler, one that it can pick up or 
  drag. If instructed to fetch 
  without an indicated target, the 
  animal brings something like 
  what it was recently told to fetch, 
  or the animal brings something 
  else it finds interesting. 
  A few animals can perform this 
  behavior without special training, given the right objects to 
  fetch, particularly canines. Most animals are completely 
  unable to grasp the notion of bringing something to a 
  handler. 
  Forage. The trained animal can use its hunting skills to 
  gather and bring back food, generally small game, without 
  eating it before returning. The animal can perform the 
  foraging, as described under “Activity While Traveling” in 
  chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook. 
  Search. In this version of the trick, the animal searches 
  an area for a specific thing like truffles or a lost key. When 
  issuing the command, the handler must also identify the 
  thing sought, usually displaying an example of it to the 
  animal. The DM determines whether a given display is 
  specific enough. The handler must remain present to keep 
  the animal in the desired search area. 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Exceptional communication allows the handler to simply 
  describe what is sought and the area to be searched. 
  Upon finding what is sought, the animal alerts, using 
  vocalization and body alignment to show the location. 
  The animal employs its movement at the handler’s 
  command, following or returning to the handler, staying in 
  place, or going to a target location the handler indicates. 
  The handler can command the animal to “heel,” coming 
  to the handler and staying in close proximity. This does not 
  count as designating a target since the animal easily 
  recognizes its handler. 
  The handler can instead order the animal to “stay,” 
  staying in place until it receives a conflicting order, gets 
  distracted by something, or simply forgets what it was told 
  to do. Ordering an animal to stay in its current location 
  does not count as designating a target. Alternately, the 
  handler can designate a target location, ordering the 
  animal to move there before it begins staying. 
  If the animal is commanded to approach or move 
  through a dangerous area, like a burning building, the 
  handler must succeed on a Wisdom (Animal Handling) 
  check unless the animal knows the Behave trick. This 
  check is needed each round to keep the animal on task. It is 
  rolled with disadvantage if the animal suffers an injury 
  from being in the dangerous area. 
  Animals trained with this trick can move as ordered with 
  the following permutations. 
  Follow. The animal performs as though ordered to heel, 
  except that it goes to and follows another creature, one 
  that the handler indicates as a target. 
  Stay Longer. The handler can command a trained 
  animal to stay in a designated spot for an extended period. 
  This allows the handler to go places the animal would not 
  be safe or welcome to follow, like a dangerous dungeon or 
  a busy city. While waiting longer, the animal will not be 
  lured away by minor distractions, nor will it forget the 
  order to stay. The animal stays in place until attacked or it 
  faces a significant distraction like extreme hunger. 
  An animal proficient in Survival can forage for food 
  without forgetting this command, returning to its hiding 
  spot when fed. 
  An animal proficient with the Stealth skill will try to hide 
  as it waits, given suitable terrain. If an unfamiliar creature 
  approaches, the animal may try to sneak away, but will 
  later return to that area to resume hiding. 
  Work. The trained animal pulls or pushes a load to 
  which it is attached. This can be a drawn vehicle, the 
  capstan for a mill or coil pump, a farming plow, a tree 
  that’s fallen across the road, or a similar burden. 
  Without this trick, an animal is not inclined to utilize its 
  full dragging potential by straining against a heavy load or 
  a wagon. Some creatures can be pushed to this behavior, 
  but they require the handler’s constant attention and 
  contact (perhaps through tools like reigns). 
  The animal performs a variety of complex stunts from an 
  ever-evolving repertoire that the handler manages.  
  Untrained, an animal will only perform a single action 
  for each command; knowing this trick lets the animal 
  perform entire routines with a single command. 
  Most of these performances are useful for little more 
  than entertainment. However, an animal can be made to 
  “alert,” issuing its natural sounds like a wolf’s howl or a 
  lion’s roar, which might also serve to signal distant allies. 
  An animal will not perform this specialized set of 
  behaviors without training in this trick. 
  Seek. When commanded, a trained the animal travels in 
  the indicated direction, attempting to pass unnoticed. 
  When it detects a creature, something other than a beast of 
  Medium or smaller size, it returns to its handler and 
  performs an alert, making a noise to indicate it has found 
  an interesting creature. The handler can roughly 
  determine the distance to the scouted creature based on 
  the scouting animal’s speed and the time it was gone. 
  If the scouting animal does not find any qualifying 
  creatures within about 10 minutes, it returns and does not 
  perform the alert. 
  During its scouting, the animal uses its best judgment 
  and natural capabilities to remain unnoticed. A rat hides 
  under furniture, a wolf slinks through the underbrush, and 
  an eagle flies high overhead. Most animals’ perceptive 
  abilities allow them to notice creatures at considerable 
  distances, reducing the chance of the scouting animal 
  being spotted in return. 
  Stalk. The trained animal follows a designated target at 
  a distance, trying to remain unnoticed. If the target goes 
  somewhere the animal cannot, like an enclosed building, 
  or it stays in place for a long time, like making camp for the 
  night, the animal will return to its handler and can lead the 
  handler to where the animal last observed the target. 
  Innocuous, high-flying, and Stealth-proficient animals 
  make excellent stalkers. 
  Track. The trained animal follows a scent or trail of 
  another sort. When commanding an animal to track, the 
  handler must indicate the target tracks to follow or must 
  present an example of the scent to follow (like showing a 
  
   
  26 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  previously-worn 
  piece of clothing belonging to a person to be tracked). 
  The animal attempts to track down the target using its 
  exceptional or supernatural senses, usually smell. Upon 
  finding one such thing, the animal alerts, using vocalization 
  and body alignment to show the subject’s location. 
  If the animal tracks down a hostile creature, combat may 
  ensue naturally, depending on the nature of the two 
  creatures. An animal without this trick can be pushed to 
  track, but it will not automatically desist from any 
  resulting hostilities; the handler must physically restrain 
  the animal or issue another untrained command. 
  A handler can command an animal to perform one of its 
  inherent actions, bonus actions, reactions, or a special trait 
  that it activates in combination with an action or attack. 
  (This does not apply to a normal attack, something 
  invoked by the Attack action or Assault trick.) 
  When commanded, the animal makes use of the function 
  in the way (and against the target) the handler indicates. If 
  the use is particularly complex, an untrained creature may 
  not be able to perform it as commanded. 
  If an animal learns this trick, it does so in relation to 
  just one of the functions listed above. Additionally, in the 
  presence of its handler, a trained animal won’t normally 
  use the paired action, bonus action, reaction, or special 
  trait, saving it until the handler commands its use. 
  For example, a giant octopus has an action called “Ink 
  Cloud.” A handler might be able to get the animal to 
  activate this action on command. However, if the octopus 
  learns the Special Action (Ink Cloud) trick; the octopus will 
  reliably release its cloud when the handler commands it to, 
  and it will avoid using the cloud around the handler unless 
  so commanded. 
  If an animal is trained with this trick and the paired 
  effect has any duration the animal must maintain, the 
  handler can likewise command the animal to stop using it. 
  Controlled Mount. A rider-trained creature with this 
  trick can use the related effect while serving as a 
  controlled mount, doing so at its rider’s command. 
  Controlled mounts are normally limited to the Dash, 
  Disengage, or Dodge actions, but this animal can also 
  use the paired effect if the handler commands it. For 
  example, a controlled warhorse mount can use 
  Special Action (Trampling Charge) when ridden, 
  combining it with its hooves natural attack. 
  A creature with multiple inherent actions 
  or applicable special traits can learn this trick 
  multiple times, each time relevant to a 
  different action or trait. 
  Spell Action. This trick can train an animal to use the 
  effect of a spell placed upon it instead of one of its own 
  inherent capabilities. 
  Commanding this trick informs the animal that the spell 
  is now affecting it, prodding it to use the benefits of the 
  spell in whatever way suits it. For example, a raven trained 
  with the Special Action (invisibility) trick will know, when 
  commanded, that it is under the effect of the spell and can 
  move about without being seen. 
  If the handler wants the creature to use an ongoing 
  effect in a particular way, the handler must use an action 
  for the command, even if not designating a target. For 
  example, if a cow trained with the Special Action (dragon’s 
  breath) trick is affected by that spell, the handler can use 
  its action to command the cow to breathe its fire upon a 
  particular target or area, or just to breathe 
  indiscriminately, lighting up the night sky. 
  If the handler fails to signal when the spell ends 
  (perhaps the handler becomes unconscious or 
  unexpectedly loses concentration), the animal may waste 
  some effort trying to use the magic even after it has ended. 
  
   
  27 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  The animal learns to resist effects of different kinds. It 
  gains proficiency with saving throws specific to one ability.  
  An animal can learn multiple instances of this trick, each 
  time gaining proficiency with a different saving throw. 
  The animal learns to use or activate a specific item in a 
  specific way, sometimes applying it to an indicated target. 
  When commanded to this trick, the animal uses the item 
  the handler indicates as its target, uses the item it is 
  carrying, or goes to the nearby item it is accustomed to 
  activating (if the animal knows where it is). 
  This training applies only to a single item used in a 
  single way, though the animal can use different items that 
  are materially the same. The Dungeon Master regulates the 
  exact use contemplated by this trick, the exactness of the 
  item to be used, and the effects of the use. An animal 
  trained to carry a pouch to a designated area and upend it 
  there could be spreading caltrops or ball bearings to make 
  the area less passable, silver coins to distract a crowd of 
  villagers, or any other effect the “upending pouch” trick 
  might cover. In this case, the DM might decide that a purse 
  or other small bag qualifies as a “pouch”; the item used 
  doesn’t need to be a perfect match. 
  The item must be one that the trained animal can 
  reasonably manipulate given its physical features. Beyond 
  this, the Dungeon Master must regulate this trick by 
  comparing the item’s complexity against the animal’s 
  Intelligence rating. 
  For example, an ape has both the manual dexterity and 
  the intellect 
  required to use a tinderbox to light torches, kindling piles, 
  or other targets indicated by the handler. Similarly, a bear 
  might learn to pull open a hunting trap with its paws, thus 
  resetting the trap, but it probably lacks the physical ability 
  to tie the trap’s lead chain to something or stake it into the 
  ground. 
  In game terms, this trick allows an animal to interact 
  with an object in a way that constitutes the Use an Object 
  action (or the Help action if assisting another user of the 
  item). Alternately, it teaches the animal to use an item if 
  the effect is passive or ongoing in a way that wouldn’t 
  normally require a single action. 
  An animal can learn multiple instances of this trick, each 
  time gaining a trick related to a new item or a new function 
  of an item. 
  Untrained, an animal cannot use an item other than to 
  wear or carry it. If the item is magic, it likewise gains no 
  benefits beyond the worn or used effect. 
  Use Magic Item. If the item the animal is trained to use 
  is a magic item, this trick requires the animal that be 
  physically able to activate it. For example, a chimpanzee 
  can push a button on the item and a parrot can speak a 
  command word it has been conditioned say. (See chapter 3 
  for a discussion of which magic items animals can activate 
  and how.) 
  Once the item is activated, the animal also understands 
  how to aim it or make use of its resulting effect. For 
  example, an animal trained in the Use Item (ring of water 
  walking) trick will activate the item when commanded to 
  use this trick, and will understand that it can then run on 
  water; something it wouldn’t normally attempt to do. 
  
   
  28 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  The animal gains proficiency with one of these skills: 
  Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, 
  Performance, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, or Survival. The 
  animal naturally uses the benefits of this skill in any 
  scenario it would apply in. 
  Animals are limited to the functions of skills they can 
  realistically utilize according to their innate senses, their 
  degree of intellect, and their physical capabilities. 
  An animal can learn multiple instances of this trick, each 
  time gaining proficiency with a different skill from the list. 
  The animal is conditioned to wear armor. It gains 
  proficiency with all types of barding that are designed to fit 
  an animal of its type and size. 
  Without this trick, an animal wearing barding has the 
  penalties of wearing armor without proficiency. It has 
  disadvantage on Dexterity- and Strength-related ability 
  checks, saving throws, and attack rolls, and it can’t cast 
  spells (presuming it could cast spells to begin with). 
  Templates modify creatures’ stat blocks to represent their 
  special training, natural abilities, or supernatural origin. 
  Each template affects the creature’s adjusted challenge 
  rating as indicated. 
  These templates represent the culmination of specialized 
  training methods. Each template discusses its potential 
  “trainability” in the context of the Animal Training 
  downtime rules. 
  Template Rating: +0 CR 
  This template can be trained to an animal with physical 
  features suitable for riding. Most Large and Medium 
  mounts are quadrupeds with horizontal backs suitable for 
  saddling and riding by humanoids. 
  Rider-trained creatures serve as mounts and pack 
  animals, bearing saddles and riders without complaint. 
  Because their handlers usually ride, putting them outside 
  the animal’s line of sight, rider-trained creatures learn to 
  receive commands through touch. 
  In combat, touch-based control means the rider of a 
  controlled mount can command it to move about as 
  indicated and to take the Dash, Dodge, or Disengage action, 
  all without counting against the maximum number of 
  commands a handler can issue in the turn. For additional 
  guidance on riding mounts in combat, see chapter 2. 
  Untrained creatures cannot be controlled as mounts, 
  even with Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks; they will 
  buck, roll, or otherwise try to dislodge a rider unless 
  controlled by magic. 
  For example, horses are trained to jump obstacles at the 
  rider’s direction but getting one to jump a large barrier or 
  gap is difficult, requiring a check. 
  Adjustments. A rider-trained animal knows the Wear 
  Armor Trick, which cannot be replaced by training. 
  Trainability. An animal can be trained to this template 
  by a handler proficient in the Animal Handling Skill. This 
  requires a number of downtime days equal to one-fifth of 
  the animal’s base value, minimum of 1. 
  The creatures on the Mounts table in chapter 4 of this 
  book already have this template; to purchase one without 
  rider training, halve its listed gp cost. Likewise, to buy a 
  rider-trained creature not on the Mounts table, double its 
  gp cost. (See chapter 4 for tables with base animal costs.) 
  Template Rating: +1 CR 
  A creature with this template has endured training from a 
  young age, giving it the temperament and training to fight 
  on the battlefield. While other creatures may learn tricks 
  to fight on command, the war-trained animal is in every 
  way suited to this task, ready to strike on command and 
  undaunted by the smell of blood and the clash of arms. 
  War-trained creatures are not inclined to flee combat. 
  They will stay calm under these conditions without the 
  requisite handling checks that other creatures need. 
  If a war-trained animal’s handler falls in battle, the 
  creature will linger nearby and defend the handler until it 
  is calmed with a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. 
  If a war-trained animal also has the rider-trained 
  template, it is more affective when ridden in combat. 
  Unlike other controlled mounts, it can take the Attack 
  action on its turn, though it cannot make more than a 
  single attack as part of this action. 
  Adjustments. War-trained creatures gain 1 Hit Die, a 
  bonus of +2 to Strength and Dexterity, a bonus of +1 to 
  Constitution and Wisdom, and the two special traits 
  described here: 
   
  Slam. If this creature moves at least 20 feet toward a target 
  and then hits it with one of its natural attacks on the same 
  turn, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or 
  be knocked prone. The DC is 10 + the creature’s Strength 
  modifier. If the target is knocked prone, the creature can 
  repeat the same natural attack against that target as a 
  bonus action. This trait does not work on targets that are 
  the creature’s Size or larger. 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Tricks Known. The animal knows the Assault, Concentrate, 
  Defend, Special Action (Slam), and Wear Armor tricks. 
  These tricks cannot be replaced with training. 
  Trainability. Training this template requires extensive 
  conditioning as the creature grows, a timespan probably 
  beyond the scope of a regular campaign. Training must 
  begin when the animal is a juvenile and the benefits do not 
  appear until the animal reaches adulthood. 
  The actual training time for this template is a number of 
  days equal to double the animal’s base gp value, to a 
  minimum of 10 days. 
  For example, an elephant’s base untrained value is 100 
  gp. A war elephant therefore requires 200 downtime days 
  to train and condition, a process ideally begun just before 
  the animal finishes growing into an adult. (Another 20 
  days would be required to teach the war elephant to carry 
  a rider and accept commands through touch, combining 
  war-trained with the rider-trained template.) 
  Warhorses. A warhorse cannot benefit from adding the 
  war-trained (or rider-trained) role because its stat block 
  already reflects the benefits, illustrating the difference 
  between a "riding horse” and a “warhorse.” (The 
  ubiquity of equine training methods slightly 
  diminishes the overall cost of this animal and its 
  combined roles.) 
  Add tricks and functions of the war-trained and 
  rider-trained templates to the warhorse stat block 
  to bring it in line with the new rules of this 
  supplement. These benefits are already implied in 
  the animal’s description. (Note that the warhorse’s 
  Trampling Charge special trait is simply Slam by 
  another name.) 
  These templates represent 
  naturally occurring effects. 
  Template Rating: +2 CR 
  This template applies 
  only to predatory 
  animals with the 
  beast creature type. Dire 
  animals are large, 
  aggressive versions of 
  natural animals, often 
  with elongated fangs, 
  toughened hide, and 
  boney spurs 
  along the spine 
  and shoulders. Dire animals are found in the same habitats 
  as their normal versions, but typically reside much farther 
  from civilization. 
  Where official sources provide stat blocks for dire 
  animals, such as the dire wolf, use those. Otherwise, make 
  the following changes to a normal version of the animal. 
  Adjustments. Dire animals are one size category larger 
  than normal versions, which correspondingly increases the 
  size of their hit dice. When a Tiny animal is converted to a 
  Small dire animal, its normal d4 hit die size becomes d6. 
  Likewise, a d6 becomes d8 (Medium), d8 becomes d10 
  (Large), d10 becomes d12 (Huge), and d12 becomes d20 
  (Gargantuan). 
  Dire animals also gain 3 additional hit dice, a +4 bonus to 
  Strength, and a +2 bonus to Constitution. If the creature’s 
  AC is derived from natural armor, increase that value by 1. 
  If not, it can now use natural armor for an AC value of 11 + 
  its Dexterity modifier. 
  Additionally, the size of all damage dice for the animal’s 
  natural attacks increase by one size (see the die size 
  progression above). 
  Template Rating: +0 CR 
  Animals of all types may be 
  exceptional specimens. These 
  are naturally heartier, 
  smarter, and abler 
  versions of their 
  types, making them 
  better suited to an 
  adventuring life. This 
  template reflects the 
  high genetic potential of 
  animals, referring to 
  creatures with 
  remarkable 
  attributes that are still 
  within the range of 
  normal for their species. 
  An exceptional specimen 
  is born with this template. 
  Most exceptional specimens 
  are acquired through purchase. 
  They are not often available in common 
  markets but can be found in the kennels 
  of breeding experts, the stables of the 
  local nobility, or in other specialized 
  markets near large cities. 
  A handler may also 
  produce exceptional 
  
   
  30 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  specimens by breeding stock. A character proficient with 
  the Animal Handling skill can acquire an exceptional 
  offspring by carefully selecting and breeding two 
  generations of normal animals. Alternately, only a single 
  generation is required if both parents are themselves 
  exceptional specimens. 
  Exceptional creatures can also be encountered in the 
  wild, but this is rare. Without purposeful breeding, chance 
  mating among animals creates offspring suited to their 
  environments, but rarely exceptional in the way that 
  player characters find interesting. 
  Adjustments. Exceptional specimens gain a +1 
  bonus to Intelligence (to a maximum of 4 
  Intelligence), and a +2 bonus to each of 
  Charisma and Wisdom. Exceptional 
  specimens also gain a +2 bonus to their 
  maximum hit points for each hit die. 
  Template Rating: -1 CR 
  A fragile specimen is one in 
  poor condition, either old, 
  permanently injured, or 
  otherwise undesirable. In 
  many cases, the animal 
  worked all its best days and 
  was retired because its ailing 
  body could no longer meet 
  peak performance standards. 
  Many fragile specimens are prone to sleeping for long 
  periods. 
  Adjustments. Fragile specimens apply a -2 penalty to 
  the Strength, Dexterity, and Charisma scores of their base 
  creature stat blocks, and a -1 penalty to their Constitution 
  and Charisma scores. The speeds of their movement types 
  are reduced by 10 each, to minimum speeds of 10, and 
  they gain the unreliable and unstable special traits: 
   
  Unreliable. Apply disadvantage to any Wisdom (Animal 
  Handling) check to push the animal into tricks or difficult 
  maneuvers, or to control it in battle in the case of a mount. 
  Unstable. This animal gains 1 exhaustion level for each hour 
  of a forced march; this is additional to any exhaustion from 
  failing the related Constitution check. 
  Because this template typically applies in the case of 
  advanced age, it is a hard one to remove. Rare magic (the 
  kind that player characters normally don’t wield) or deific 
  blessing can extend the life of an animal, reversing the 
  aging, soul-draining curse, or permanent injury that 
  caused this template. 
  Template Rating: -1 CR 
  Older than an infant of its species, the juvenile specimen is 
  in the growth stage prior to adulthood. Alternately, it is a 
  “miniature” or “teacup” breed that will never grow larger. 
  Adjustments. Juvenile specimens are one size category 
  smaller than normal versions, which correspondingly 
  decreases the size of their hit dice. When a 
  Gargantuan creature is converted to a Huge 
  juvenile, its normal d20 hit die size 
  becomes d12. Likewise, a d12 becomes 
  d10 (Large), d10 becomes d8 
  (Medium), d8 becomes d6 (Small), and 
  d6 becomes d4 (Tiny). 
  Juveniles also lose half of their hit dice, 
  rounding up the remainder. They have a 
  -4 penalty to Strength, and a -2 
  penalty to Constitution and Wisdom. 
  They also have a -1 penalty to 
  Intelligence. The size of all 
  damage dice for the animal’s 
  natural attacks decreases by one 
  size (see the hit dice sizes above 
  for die progression). 
  The Dungeon Master 
  determines the time it takes for 
  this creature to mature, losing 
  this template. 
  Template Rating: +0 CR 
  This animal is naturally disinclined to work with others. 
  Despite training, the reluctant creature resists its 
  conditioning and avoids cooperating with a handler. Such 
  animals will often comply when nothing is at stake but will 
  ignore handling in battle or in other stressful situations. An 
  animal with this template is not very useful or easy to 
  bring along on adventures. 
  There is no formula to remove the template; it often 
  comes down to the creature’s very personal idiosyncrasies. 
  Sometimes, a previously cooperative creature gains this 
  template after experiencing strife; perhaps the animal 
  believes the handler stole its cubs or (if the optional 
  loyalty rules are used) the animal’s loyalty drops to 0. 
  The DM can also use this template can also enforce the 
  challenge rating requirements discussed in appendix A; if 
  the characters manage to acquire an animal that the DM 
  did not intend for them to get, one whose CR violates those 
  guidelines, this template may apply until the characters 
  reach a sufficient level to gain the animal’s respect. 
  
   
  31 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Adjustments. A creature with this template has the 
  reluctant special trait. 
   
  Reluctant. Although it can be trained, this animal will not 
  willingly use its tricks or traits in stressful or risky scenarios 
  like combat. Additionally, any Wisdom (Animal Handling) 
  checks to affect the creature are made with disadvantage. 
  These templates express an animal’s otherworldly origin 
  or an exceptionally potent magic affecting the creature. 
  Template Rating: +0 CR 
  Animals with this template have been the subjects of an 
  awaken spell or have been granted true sentience through 
  some other magic effect. Awakened creatures often appear 
  as solitary animals, neither fitting among humanoids, nor 
  their kind. They sometimes try to fit in with adventuring 
  parties, mixing the companionship of animals with the wit 
  and insight of fully intelligent beings. 
  Only creatures with Intelligence scores below 4 (and 
  plants) can be awakened. Subjects with this template must 
  also be smaller than Gargantuan size. 
  Adjustments. The creature’s Intelligence rating is 10 and 
  it knows and can speak a single language as a byproduct of 
  the magic that awakened it. If this template is derived from 
  the awaken spell, the creature is charmed by the caster 
  until 30 days after the casting. 
  Awakened plants use the awakened shrub or awakened 
  tree stat block. Alternately, they may use a different 
  creature stat block, with its type altered to “plant,” 
  representing a plant grown and shaped to approximate 
  that creature in a topiary form. 
  Template Rating: +1 CR 
  A fey creature comes from the Feywild or is touched by the 
  magic of the fey. It may appear exactly as any other of its 
  kind, or it may be larger, more colorful, or otherwise 
  more illustrious. An owl from the Feywild, for example, 
  may have vermillion eyes and shiny feathers in the 
  colors of a peacock’s plumage. 
  Adjustments. Fey creatures gain a +2 bonus to 
  Wisdom and Charisma. It is immune to the charmed 
  condition and it can understand the Sylvan 
  language, though it cannot speak it unless its 
  physical features allow for speech. 
  A fey creature also has some form of passive or 
  defensive benefit like camouflage (+10 bonus to 
  Dexterity (Stealth) checks), wings (fly speed equal to its 
  normal speed), or some other benefit the Dungeon Master 
  designs. Inspiration for these effects can be found on the 
  Monster Feature table under “Creating a Monster Stat 
  Block” in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Template Rating: +2 CR 
  A legendary creature is one with traits far exceeding those 
  of normal animals. A legendary creature may appear 
  exactly as any other of its kind, or it may be larger, more 
  colorful, or otherwise more illustrious. 
  Adjustments. Legendary creatures gain 5 additional hit 
  dice, a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution, and a +2 
  bonus to Armor Class. They also gain a +3 bonus to 
  Intelligence, to a maximum rating of 6. 
  True to its title, a legendary creature gains the 
  Legendary Resistance (2/Day) special trait; if it fails a 
  saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. 
  Each legendary creature also either increases its size by 
  one category (including an accompanying shift in hit die 
  size), or it has a single type of damage resistance, or it has 
  an innate power. An innate power is a charm that renews 
  its limited usage every 10 days, a blessing, or an epic boon. 
  The creature’s physical appearance somehow changes to 
  reflect this legendary power, sometimes subtly, sometimes 
  dramatically. 
  
   
  32 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  Template Rating: +1 CR 
  The shadow creature template comes from the shadow 
  dragon, a templated creature in the Monster Manual. The 
  provisions here are informed by the difference between 
  this templated creature and the base dragon’s stat block. 
  Shadow creatures are born in the Shadowfell or spend 
  years there. Their bodies are infused with the energies of 
  that plane, darkening to take on a charcoal hue. These 
  animals find sunlight abhorrent. 
  Adjustments. A creature with this template has 
  resistance to necrotic damage. Its proficiency bonus for 
  Stealth is doubled and it can attempt to hide as a bonus 
  action while in areas of dim light or darkness. 
  Shadow creatures gain darkvision with a range 120 ft., 
  allowing them to better operate in darkness. While in 
  sunlight, they have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as 
  on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Template Rating: +1 CR 
  Planar creatures are normal animals that come from an 
  outer plane of existence. Their physical features often 
  reflect their plane of origin; any close inspection of the 
  creature will reveal its otherworldly nature. 
  For example, a stag from the Plane of Fire may have 
  smoky breath and dark red fur. A hound from Elysium may 
  have angelic feathered wings.  
  Creatures of this type are highly varied in 
  their capabilities. They have such benefits 
  as the Dungeon Master determines, 
  using the guidelines below. 
  Adjustments. By default, a planar 
  creature gains 2 additional hit dice. 
  It has resistance to damage 
  of one type normally 
  associated with its home 
  plane and one of its innate melee 
  attacks inflicts one die of additional 
  damage of the same type. The size of the damage 
  die is the same as the creature’s hit die size. For 
  example, a horse from the Plane of Air has resistance to 
  lightning damage and inflicts 1d10 additional lightning 
  damage with a successful attack of its hooves. 
  A planar creature may replace its damage bonus with 
  an aggressive charm like natural weapon enhancement 
  (+1 magical bonus to attack and damage rolls) or some 
  other offensive trait. 
  Template Rating: +1 CR 
  A creature with the undead creature template is a 
  corporeal, unliving version of itself, like a zombie. The 
  physical appearance of a creature with this template 
  changes to reflect its undead nature; its skin becomes 
  sallow, its fur patchy, or its scales appear cracked and 
  brittle. The undead animal companion takes on a faint 
  odor of decay or formaldehyde. 
  Adjustments. A creature with this template changes its 
  type to undead and it gains darkvision to 60 feet, if it didn’t 
  already have darkvision. The affected animal no longer 
  requires air, food, drink, or sleep, and it no longer ages. It 
  further gains immunity to poison damage and the 
  poisoned condition. 
  The undead creature also gains either a 1-die bonus of 
  necrotic damage to one of its natural attacks (the size of 
  the die is the size of the creature’s hit dice), or it gains the 
  Undead Fortitude special trait described below. 
   
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the creature to 0 hit 
  points, it makes a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + 
  the damage taken, unless damage from the attack is radiant 
  or the attack is a critical hit. On a success, the creature 
  drops to 1 hit point instead.
  
   
  33 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Animals are much more than their stat blocks, class levels, 
  and templates. Like player characters, each animal is 
  unique. Players may particularly appreciate the nuances 
  that separate animals from one another. The following 
  options for characteristics and loyalty scores help animals 
  achieve these differences. 
  Characteristics are simple, short statements that 
  summarize a creature’s personality, behavior, and other 
  colorful aspects that might be informative as to its actions, 
  demeanor, and appearance. 
  Animals only get characteristics if they are important or 
  interesting enough to capture the players’ concern and be 
  treated as pets or party members. The more animals the 
  party keeps, the fewer characteristics each creature should 
  have; portraying multiple animals requires too much of the 
  DM’s time to parse so many characteristics. 
  ANIMAL’S BEHAVIORAL ODDITY (BASIC) 
  d8 
  Behavioral Oddity 
  1 
  Gluttonous. The animal can’t be left alone near 
  sources of food, lest it consume so much as to 
  become lethargic from consumption. It will even eat 
  food that is very unhealthy for it. 
  2 
  Stubborn. The animal doesn’t like to be told what to 
  do and occasionally resists instruction. It often 
  expects to be given treats or praise when it behaves 
  as ordered. 
  3 
  Aggressive. The animal doesn’t get along well with 
  others, particularly other animals. It barks at 
  strangers or nips at unwary persons nearby. 
  4 
  Single-Minded. The animal tends to focus on one 
  thing to the exclusion of all else. Its attention is 
  often hard to regain or switch to another focus. 
  5 
  Lazy. When not stressed, particularly after having 
  eaten, the animal wants to sleep. Absent some 
  danger, the creature is hard to wake or move. 
  6 
  Distracted. The animal can’t stay on task for very 
  long; it’s easily distracted by interesting things 
  nearby. The animal still works well under constant 
  supervision. 
  7 
  Boundaryless. The animal likes to be in other 
  creatures’ spaces, leaning against them, getting 
  underfoot, or otherwise being in firm contact. 
  8 
  Skittish. The animal fears things it shouldn’t, either 
  something particular like water, or the animal 
  assumes threats to be greater than they are. 
   
  ANIMAL’S PERSONALITY TRAITS (BASIC) 
  d8 
  Personality Trait 
  1 
  I am indomitable, unchained. 
  2 
  I fight for my allies, regardless of the threat. 
  3 
  Whenever I come to a new place, I must investigate 
  every corner of it. 
  4 
  I am casually aloof, uninterested in socializing… until 
  I demand attention. 
  5 
  I am ever vigilant as a gift to my allies. 
  6 
  I make my animal noises when my handlers are 
  talking, as if to participate in conversation. 
  7 
  I like to pretend I’m less intelligent so I can gain an 
  advantage. 
  8 
  I will work for my friends, tirelessly, far beyond the 
  point of exhaustion. 
  9 
  I love affection and accept petting from anyone! 
  10 
  I like to toy with my food and I often leave a trail of 
  it through the camp. 
   
  ANIMAL’S PHYSICAL ODDITY (BASIC) 
  d8 
  Physical Oddity 
  1 
  Missing Toe. The creature is missing one of the 
  digits on one of its limbs. 
  2 
  Scar. The animal bears the mark of a terrible wound 
  or of an abusive prior owner. 
  3 
  Lean. This creature has noticeably longer limbs and 
  a leaner frame than others of its kind. 
  4 
  Squat. The animal has a broad, bulky frame and 
  lower profile than others of its kind. 
  5 
  Colorful. This creature has a bit of plumage, tuft of 
  fur, or cluster of scales that is bright and 
  incongruous with its normal coloration. 
  6 
  Bright Eyes. The animal has eyes that are brightly 
  colored, differently colored, or otherwise unique to 
  such creatures. 
  7 
  Marked. This animal has a prominent birthmark, an 
  odd (but remarkable) pattern of fur, or has 
  coloration different from others. 
  8 
  Missing Eye. The creature has a missing eye, or one 
  eye is less functional, deformed or ruined by 
  scarring or cataracts. 
  9 
  Extra Feature. The animal has a natural feature that 
  doesn’t belong to creatures of that type, like fangs 
  on a horse, antlers on a fox, or hooves on a hound. 
  10 
  Misshapen. Part of the creature’s body is shaped 
  oddly, perhaps resembling another creature, like a 
  cat with humanoid ears on the sides of its head. 
   
  
   
  34 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  The DM can select characteristics from these tables or 
  determine them with die rolls. The entries on these tables 
  are examples; the Dungeon Master should feel free to make 
  up new characteristics or use those listed with the sample 
  animals in appendix C. 
  Basic characteristics tend to be appropriate to animals of 
  all kinds regardless of their Intelligence ratings. Basic 
  characteristics include personality traits, behavioral 
  oddities, and physical oddities. 
  Advanced characteristics are reserved for creatures with 
  Intelligence ratings of 5 and above. These are bonds and 
  ideals, which require a degree of sentience and self-
  awareness not present in most animals. 
  The loyalty mechanics in this chapter are adapted to suit 
  animals. These rules can help determine how far an animal 
  will go to protect its handler or, in some cases, the other 
  members of the party. An animal that is abused or ignored 
  is likely to fail to perform when called upon and might 
  even run away from the handler. Conversely, an animal 
  that is treated well is far more likely to lay down its life for 
  a handler than an intelligent humanoid ally would be.  
  This optional rule comes from the “NPC Party Members” 
  section of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, altered to reflect 
  systems appropriate to animal companions. Any creature 
  with an Intelligence rating of 7 or higher instead uses the 
  normal loyalty mechanics in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Whether or not your game uses the standard loyalty 
  rules in the DMG, the DM may choose to include this 
  animal-specific variation or ignore it and represent loyalty 
  with roleplaying rather than numbers. 
  An animal’s loyalty is represented by a numeric score that 
  the Dungeon Master tracks secretly. It falls within a range 
  of 0 to 20, with 0 being a total lack of loyalty and 20 
  representing peak devotion. 
  An animal has a maximum loyalty rating equal to its 
  handler’s Wisdom score. Because this score is relative to a 
  handler, each animal can have multiple loyalty scores for 
  the Dungeon Master to track. 
  A domestic animal’s starting loyalty score when 
  acquired is equal to half its maximum rating. A purchased 
  domestic animal takes about seven days to come into this 
  loyalty score as it gets accustomed to a new owner. A wild 
  or feral animal has a loyalty score of 0 until acclimated, at 
  which point its loyalty shifts to half its maximum rating. 
  In rare circumstances, an animal may have a loyalty 
  score to the party or a group of handlers. This is more 
  likely when the animal has pack instincts and sees party 
  members as belonging to the handler’s pack. It also occurs 
  when a creature has received training from multiple 
  handlers together. The Dungeon Master must be prepared 
  to arbitrate any complications related to an animal having 
  ANIMAL’S IDEAL (ADVANCED) 
  d8 
  Ideal 
  1 
  Curiosity. I value knowledge, no matter how simple 
  or complex, and seek after it incessantly. (Neutral) 
  2 
  Friendship. I hold true my bonds of friendship, not 
  merely for duty or honor. (Good) 
  3 
  Loyalty. I am loyal and obedient; the strength of my 
  bond strengthens my master’s protection of me. 
  (Lawful) 
  4 
  Greed. I want wealth and luxury above all else. My 
  allies help me acquire it. (Evil) 
  5 
  Freedom. I will not be yoked; I must run as free and 
  as far as I want. (Chaotic) 
  6 
  Beauty. I delight in aesthetics: music, glorious, and 
  the wonder of natural vistas. (Neutral) 
  7 
  Community. We are stronger together, united in 
  community. (Lawful) 
  8 
  Might. I hunger for greater strength, to protect my 
  allies and dominate my enemies. (Chaotic) 
  9 
  Cruelty. I am kind to my allies, but I delight in 
  torturing and toying with my enemies. (Evil) 
  10 
  Heroism. I exist to right wrongs, stop the spread of 
  evil, protect the weak, and ease suffering. (Good) 
   
  ANIMAL’S BOND (ADVANCED) 
  d8 
  Bond 
  1 
  I seek to protect and preserve others of my kind. 
  2 
  I would lay down my life for the people I travel with. 
  3 
  I cannot forget the cruelty visited upon me; revenge 
  is what drives me. 
  4 
  I escaped from captors that were intent on selling 
  me. Now I have found a good home. 
  5 
  I’m on the run from other creatures of my kind. I 
  betrayed one of my pack; they know my smell as 
  belonging to a traitor. 
  6 
  I will never forget how I was defeated in battle by a 
  rival of my own kind. 
  7 
  I will always remember my first handler. 
  8 
  Nothing is more important than seeing that my 
  allies are fed and safely sheltered. 
   
  
   
  35 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  group loyalty scores, particularly if the animal must choose 
  a preference when commanded to perform oppositional 
  tasks by different masters.  
  Unlike intelligent characters, an animal’s loyalty score is 
  not improved by specific incidents of assistance. Instead, 
  an animal’s loyalty score to its handler increases through 
  lengthy bonding activities. 
  A “loyalty gaining event” increases the animal’s loyalty 
  rating by 1d4. Although an animal can have separate 
  loyalty ratings to different individuals, no individual 
  loyalty score can ever rise above its maximum. If the 
  handler’s Wisdom score is ever permanently reduced, an 
  animal’s loyalty score will drop accordingly if it would 
  otherwise exceed that new maximum. 
  The two common methods of gaining an animal’s loyalty 
  include companionship and training. 
  Companionship. Animals very willingly become loyal to 
  the handlers who coexist with them, requiring no special 
  outlays of effort to achieve. They form instinctive 
  social bonds and quickly come to consider even 
  humanoids to be part of their packs or families. 
  Roll to increase an animal’s loyalty once for 
  each 30-day period of shared proximity with 
  the handler, until the animal reaches its 
  maximum rating with that handler. 
  Training. A handler who trains an 
  animal in a trick or role has time to play 
  with an animal and interact 
  continuously, triggering a loyalty-
  gaining roll. Even if the creature 
  has reached its maximum 
  number of tricks, 5 downtime 
  days spent devoted to 
  socializing with the animal 
  in relative isolation also 
  constitutes a loyalty gaining 
  event. 
  Animals lose loyalty in three 
  ways, isolation, fearful encounters, and 
  dramatic injury. A “loyalty losing event” 
  reduces the animal’s loyalty rating by 
  1d4. An animal never rolls for loyalty 
  loss more than once per day, 
  regardless of the number of 
  events that compel such rolls. 
  Isolation. If an animal 
  is ever left alone or with 
  caretakers for an extended period, it may lose loyalty to its 
  handler, replacing it with instinctive self-sufficiency or 
  loyalty to another handler. This is particularly true of 
  animals with short memories. 
  For every full 30 days of separation, roll for a reduction 
  of the animal’s loyalty. Even a few hours of companionship 
  between adventures is enough to restart the clock on this 
  30-day period. 
  Fear. Frightening circumstances can reduce an animal’s 
  loyalty, bringing to the fore its feralizing instincts for self-
  preservation. For example, forcing an animal to run 
  through a burning building is likely to impact the animal’s 
  loyalty, particularly if there is prolonged exposure to a 
  significant danger. 
  Fortunately for their handlers, many animals will 
  be completely oblivious to danger. For example, a 
  horse ridden on a narrow mountain ledge 
  knows only that getting close to the edge may 
  precipitate a dangerous fall; it doesn’t know the 
  roadway could also crumble away and that 
  merely being on that ledge is dangerous. 
  Moreover, unless the horse gets a good look 
  over the side, it may not even understand 
  that the drop could be a deadly one. 
  Most animals can be calmed in naturally 
  frightening circumstances. A successful 
  Wisdom (Animal Handling) check calms a 
  domestic animal or trained mount, 
  preventing it from suffering fear to a 
  degree that would impact loyalty. Some 
  animals can be easily blinkered or 
  hooded to obscure the danger, like 
  horses and hawks, giving advantage 
  on this check. 
  At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, this 
  same check can calm an animal that suffers 
  the frightened condition from magic. A 
  result that equals or exceeds the saving 
  throw for the effect that applied the 
  condition won’t remove it but attending to 
  the animal this way will prevent a roll for 
  reduced loyalty. 
  MAGICAL LOYALTY 
  If your campaign uses these optional Loyalty rules for 
  animals, an animal with the charmed condition gains a 
  temporary loyalty score of 10 if it otherwise has no 
  loyalty score relative to the spellcaster or if it has a 
  lower loyalty score. 
  
   
  36 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  Injury. If a handler inflicts damage or severe pain on an 
  animal, the handler will usually lose loyalty. Unfortunately, 
  some animals are not smart enough to attribute the injury 
  to the handler, depending on the circumstances.  
  Additionally, if an animal is brought to 0 hit points, its 
  proximity to death will trigger its self-preservation 
  instincts causing a loyalty loss. 
  A creature reduced to 0 loyalty will try to run away from 
  the handler at its first opportunity, returning to a previous 
  owner or trying to live wild. Animals will be completely 
  uncooperative and Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks to 
  affect the creature automatically fail. This state may also 
  be reflected by adding the reluctant creature template 
  found later in this chapter. If the handler insists on 
  significant interactions, the animal with 0 loyalty may 
  react violently, barking, biting, or kicking. A predator is 
  more likely to be aggressive in this violence, attacking a 
  former handler when it simply passes by. 
  To keep the animal, the handler must confine it 
  somehow. Increasing the animal’s loyalty is simply a 
  matter of keeping the animal, feeding it, and providing it 
  with proximate companionship until enough time passes 
  for the animal’s natural inclinations toward social bonding 
  to take over. In game terms, this means re-acclimating the 
  animal, a process that takes more time given the creature’s 
  state of captivity. Once re-acclimated, the animal returns to 
  1 loyalty and can be interacted with as normal. At the DM’s 
  discretion, spells can help handler and animal interact 
  during this time, easing this period of tension. 
  An animal with a loyalty score of 10 or higher 
  completely trusts its handler and needs little urging to 
  perform even in dangerous circumstances. The animal will 
  not typically perform suicidal acts, but it trusts the 
  handler’s commands if the danger is uncertain. Any 
  Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to calm such a loyal 
  animal or to coax it into dangerous circumstances is rolled 
  with advantage. For example, a horse with 10 loyalty might 
  run down a sheer mountainside or into a burning forest at 
  its rider’s command. 
  Additionally, at 10 or higher loyalty, an animal performs 
  normal tasks with greater eagerness for its handler. This 
  enhances the creature’s attention span when ordered to 
  perform a trick over a long period. This can manifest in 
  simple things like sitting in place for longer after given a 
  command to stay or hunting down a fleeing foe for longer 
  before losing interest and returning to the party. The 
  Dungeon Master will decide the exact effect and duration 
  of this enhanced attention span on a case-by-case basis.  
  An animal with 10 loyalty may also fight to the death to 
  defend its handler, even if not trained to do so with a trick. 
  This usually applies to predator-type creatures like 
  canines, not skittish creatures like horses or deer. 
   
  
   
  37 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
    
   
  
   
  38 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS 
  CHAPTER 2: HANDLING ANIMALS
  AKING ANIMALS PARTY MEMBERS NECESSITATES AN 
  understanding of how the rules apply to their 
  use. This chapter addresses the fifth edition 
  rules for controlling animals in combat, 
  particularly untangling the thorny topic 
  mounted combat. The chapter concludes with an overview 
  of the various character options that synergize strongly 
  with the use of animals in the campaign.
  This section discusses the basics of handling animals with 
  Wisdom checks; how players get benefits from their 
  animals’ training or from their own training with animals. 
  This section covers named functions, the four things that 
  the Animal Handling skill says it does, and new functions, 
  added rules for pushing animals to perform various 
  actions, whether or not they are trained in the new tricks 
  or roles described in the following section. 
  For the functions of the Animal Handling skill listed in the 
  Player’s Handbook, quoted in the sidebar on this page, a 
  check is required unless the DM thinks the task is so easy 
  as to function automatically. 
  In each of the uses discussed here, the DC for ability 
  checks, and the circumstances of advantage and 
  disadvantage, are left wholly to the Dungeon Master. When 
  in doubt, DC 10 is probably appropriate for targeting 
  trained, tamed, or domestic animals, while DC 15 works on 
  wild or feral animals. 
  The named functions of Animal Handling are: 
   
  1. Intuit intentions of an animal 
  2. Prevent spooking of a mount 
  3. Calm a domestic animal 
  4. Control your mount in a risky maneuver 
   
  Narrowly, the skill describes four affectable creature 
  (“animal,” “domestic animal,” “a mount,” and “your 
  mount”) and four things a character can do to 
  an animal with the skill (“intuit intentions,” 
  “prevent spooking,” “calm,” and “control 
  in a risky maneuver”). 
  Because this skill is described in only 
  two sentences, we ought not to get hung up 
  on the specificity of these functions. Rather, 
  players and Dungeon Masters should 
  consider the holistic meaning, that a 
  user of this skill can understand and 
  calm animals of various sorts. 
  The listed targets—mounts, the skill-user’s own mount, 
  animals, and domestic animals—are all categories without 
  definition. There is no “animal” or “mount” creature type, 
  nor is there any notation to indicate which animals are 
  domestic. We are left with the plain language of those 
  words, required to apply the logical versions of their 
  everyday definitions. 
  For purposes of this skill, the Animal Handlers’ Manual 
  recommends disregarding any special implication of the 
  word “mounts.” These are animals too. It’s likely that 
  “mounts” was used because those functions are commonly 
  needed in the context of riding, and because six uses of the 
  word “animal” would sound repetitive within the skill’s 
  two sentences. Additionally, the distinction between “a 
  mount” and “your mount” isn’t likely to be intentional; 
  assume that a handler on foot can lead another character’s 
  mount through a risky maneuver. 
  However, where the text differentiates “animals” from 
  “domestic animals,” logic shows us a real difference 
  between creatures in the context of this skill. Domestic 
  creatures are acclimated to humanoid races, and therefore 
  easier for humanoids to pacify. Calming wild animals is 
   
   
  “Animal Handling. When there is any question 
  whether you can calm down a domesticated animal, 
  keep a mount from getting spooked, or intuit an 
  animal’s intentions, the DM might call for a Wisdom 
  (Animal Handling) check. You also make a Wisdom 
  (Animal Handling) check to control your mount when 
  you attempt a risky maneuver.” 
   
   
  
   
  39 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  understandably harder, a function left to magic or some 
  extraordinary abilities, not this skill. 
  The functions of this skill are to intuit the intentions of an 
  animal, to calm it (or prevent it from spooking), and to 
  control it. Again, the Animal Handlers’ Manual recommends 
  a broad reading of these functions. 
  Intuit Intentions. Narrowly defined, an animal’s 
  intention is the thing it is going to do. The character gets 
  some insight into whether the creature is about to attack, 
  flee, or do something else. 
  At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, this function may 
  also provide the (more interesting) information of why the 
  creature has said intention. This information is probably 
  foundational to learning the animal’s intention; knowing 
  that a bear intends to attack might be learned from its 
  posture, but also from the visible evidence of its extreme 
  hunger, fear for its nearby young, or having been driven to 
  rage by a festering arrow wound in its back. 
  Calm Animal. The calming function of this skill should 
  likewise be read broadly. Its only limitation is the 
  application to a “domestic” creature. If there is doubt as to 
  a creature’s domesticity, the Dungeon Master must 
  determine ad hoc which species are domestic and which 
  individual wild animals are sufficiently tamed to count as 
  domestic for these purposes. 
  Calming an animal means defeating its fight-or-flight 
  instincts, regardless of what emotion or impetus is 
  upsetting it. This function can include calming an angry 
  bull whose field you are trying to cross or calming a 
  frightened horse who doesn’t want to remain near a 
  burning building. It does not include calming a wild skunk 
  who accidentally wandered into camp or calming an 
  alligator who attacks out of hunger. 
  Control in a Risky Maneuver. By articulating this 
  function, the rules imply that some maneuvers are riskier 
  than others and that only the risky ones need a check. The 
  tricks presented in chapter 1 follow this reasoning. 
  Handled animals perform most trained behaviors 
  automatically, only requiring a check under difficult 
  circumstances. 
  Examples of controlling a creature like this include 
  pushing a horse to jump a dangerously large barrier or gap 
  or driving oxen to pull a wagon from the river before the 
  contents are swept away. Both scenarios put something at 
  risk, making the maneuver “risky.” If nothing important 
  will change with the animal’s failure, the maneuver isn’t 
  risky and therefore the Dungeon Master shouldn’t call for a 
  check. 
   
  This section talks about mounted combat. It analyzes the 
  eight paragraphs of the Mounted Combat rules in the 
  Player’s Handbook, including clarifications and optional 
  rules to add nuance to riding in battle. It further provides 
  useful mounted combat examples. 
   
  “A willing creature that is at least one size larger than 
  you and has an appropriate anatomy can serve as a 
  mount using the following rules.” 
    
   
  To serve as a mount, a creature has three requirements to 
  meet. It must: 
   
  1. Be a willing creature 
  2. Be at least one size larger than the rider 
  3. Have appropriate anatomy to be ridden 
  Most rider-trained animals that qualify as mounts are 
  willing to be ridden. Absent some quirk of the mount’s 
  training or temperament, or some previously developed 
  hostility toward the would-be rider, the mount is willing. 
  This supplement deals directly with the details of animal 
  behavior, particularly acquiring and befriending animals 
  that have their own feelings and personalities, so it is 
  worth exploring the concept of willingness a bit further. 
  Under circumstances where a mount would-be 
  frightened or otherwise not calm, the creature may shy 
  away from a rider, making it difficult to mount. A Wisdom 
  (Animal Handling) check may be all that is needed to make 
  the mount willing. 
  At Intelligence 5 or higher, a mount will make its own 
  decision as to whether it is willing to be ridden, despite 
  training. Such creatures have their own quasi-animal goals, 
  beliefs, and alignments, and might fight off a would-be 
  rider who is at odds with such things. 
  VARIANT: UNWILLING MOUNT 
  It’s possible to climb onto an unwilling mount. A Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check may be needed, 
  depending on the animal’s shape and its degree of stillness 
  during the attempt. If actively resisting, the mount contests 
  the rider with its own Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. 
  Once atop an unwilling creature, the would-be rider is 
  not in control of it. The creature might decide to cooperate 
  at that point, or it might simply do as it pleases. Un 
  unwilling mount may try to attack or throw the rider off, 
  or may simply lay prone, automatically dismounting the 
  
   
  40 
  HANDLING ANIMALS 
  rider. If a rider manages to stay on, time in the saddle and 
  a successful Wisdom (Animal Handling) check might bring 
  the animal to a willing stay. 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS uses two factors when determining a 
  creature’s capacity to carry things, its size and its Strength. 
  According to the mounted combat rules, a suitable 
  mount is one whose size exceeds the size of each of its 
  riders by at least one category. Requisite Strength is not an 
  official requirement for mounted combat, but an animal 
  that lacks the carrying capacity for its riders and their gear 
  isn’t going to get far. An animal makes a poor mount if 
  rendered immobile or reduced to a 5-foot speed. 
  A mount’s size raises complications when the game uses 
  miniatures on a grid. In these scenarios, the riders 
  effectively occupy some or all the mount’s space, despite 
  being smaller. There are no rules for managing this 
  complication in the game’s current edition. 
  VARIANT: MOUNTS ON GRIDS 
  A rider using half of its movement to mount a creature 
  achieves a position where it can perch on the creature’s 
  qualifying “mount” anatomy. Thereafter, it can move 
  around atop the mount, given enough space to do so. 
  The rider of a mount occupies the square at the mount’s 
  center. For a Medium mount like a mastiff, this means the 
  creature’s only square. For a Huge creature, the central 
  square places the rider in a position that requires a missile 
  weapon (or a weapon with the Reach property) to attack 
  ground-based targets and vice versa. 
  If the mount’s center is an intersection of squares, like a 
  Large-size horse, the rider occupies one of the four squares 
  touching upon that point. In this case, a rider can shift the 
  square it occupies whenever it moves, using 2 feet of 
  movement per square. 
  Additional riders must be able to fit on the mount’s 
  squares and sit as closely to the center as possible. 
  VARIANT: SAME-SIZE MOUNTS 
  Some mounts can carry a rider of their own size. An adult 
  human or a dwarf might ride a hearty mountain pony. In 
  such cases, the mount’s speed drops by 20 feet and it has 
  disadvantage on Strength-, Dexterity-, and Constitution-
  based rolls, including ability checks, attack rolls, and 
  saving throws. 
  Creatures with a trait that lets them carry burdens as 
  though they were one size larger can carry a same-size 
  rider without this penalty. 
  This duplicates the “heavy encumbrance” penalty from 
  the Variant Encumbrance rule. If you use that optional 
  rule, these penalties should not be cumulative. 
  
   
  41 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  A potential mount must have the right physicality to bear a 
  rider. This usually means the animal’s back is horizontal 
  during its movement, as with most quadrupeds ridden by 
  humanoid-shaped creatures. 
  For a non-humanoid rider, a different shape of mount 
  may be necessary; where the rules require “appropriate 
  anatomy,” that anatomy must be considered in the context 
  of what suits the rider’s own shape, as well as the shape of 
  an exotic saddle or other adapting harness. 
   
  “Once during your move, you can mount a creature that 
  is within 5 feet of you or dismount. Doing so costs an 
  amount of movement equal to half your speed. For 
  example, if your speed is 30 feet, you must spend 15 feet 
  of movement to mount a horse. Therefore, you can’t 
  mount it if you don’t have 15 feet of movement left or if 
  your speed is 0.” 
    
   
  Having found a qualifying mount, a would-be rider can get 
  on and off with some limitation. A rider can mount: 
   
  1. If the animal is within 5 feet 
  2. If the rider did not already mount or dismount a 
  creature this turn 
  3. If the rider does not have a speed of 0 
  Each character is limited to one instance of mounting or 
  dismounting per round. The activity is performed during 
  the rider’s move, something that occurs on the rider’s turn. 
  This restriction prevents some of the less-sensical 
  combinations of mounting, riding, and dismounting in the 
  same turn. 
  To mount a creature, a rider must be within 5 feet of it. 
  Adjacency is an obvious limitation, but it had to be stated. 
  By logical inference of this range, dismounting places the 
  rider on the ground within 5 feet of the mount. Unless the 
  shape of a creature reasonably prevents it, the rider should 
  be able to choose which of those spaces within 5 feet to 
  dismount to.  
  Alternately, the rider could make a standing jump, 
  traveling a distance from the mount related to the rider’s 
  strength score. If the mount is Large size, or is flying, this 
  probably means falling damage after the jump. 
  The example in this paragraph adds a subtle rule you 
  might have missed. 
  If your speed is 0, you can’t mount or dismount. This 
  officially makes these activities “movement”; mounting 
  and dismounting are not miscellaneous activities that 
  merely cost movement, like standing from a prone 
  position. Otherwise, a rider with speed 0 could spend half 
  movement (also 0) and either mount or dismount an 
  animal in that turn. 
   
  “If an effect moves your mount against its will while 
  you’re on it, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity 
  saving throw or fall off the mount, landing prone in a 
  space within 5 feet of it. If you’re knocked prone while 
  mounted, you must make the same saving throw. 
  “If your mount is knocked prone, you can use your 
  reaction to dismount it as it falls and land on your feet. 
  Otherwise, you are dismounted and fall prone in a space 
  within 5 feet it.” 
    
   
  A rider must succeed on a saving throw or fall from the 
  mount when: 
   
  1. Something moves the mount against its will 
  2. The rider is knocked prone 
   
  If the mount is knocked prone, the rider dismounts and 
  can automatically avoid falling prone by using a reaction. 
  Falling from a mount occurs in one of two ways. The first 
  way is when the rider fails a Dexterity saving throw to 
  remain mounted. This happens in a variety of 
  circumstances. The second way is automatic, when the 
  mount falls prone. 
  Note that a creature can choose to drop prone “without 
  using any of [its] speed.” (See “Movement and Position” in 
  the Player’s Handbook.) Since being prone causes the rider 
  to make a Dexterity saving throw or fall off, a rider might 
  use this to bypass the restriction on a single mounting or 
  dismounting in a turn, as well as the movement cost to get 
  off the mount. However, this dismounting should probably 
  be considered a fall in the normal sense, for which the 
  rider would suffer 1d6 bludgeoning damage and fall prone. 
  Although becoming prone requires the rider to make a 
  Dexterity saving throw or fall off, nothing is said of the 
  rider’s state if the save is successful, except to avoid a fall. 
  Assume that success allows the rider to remove the prone 
  condition, remaining mounted in a riding posture. 
  
   
  42 
  HANDLING ANIMALS 
  VARIANT: SADDLES MATTER 
  This optional rule has several components. 
  A rider has disadvantage on the save to remain mounted 
  if the mount isn’t wearing a saddle. A rider trained in the 
  Animal Handling skill avoids this penalty, having a better 
  notion of bareback riding. 
  A military saddle grants advantage to saving throws for 
  a rider to remain in the saddle. This is an optional rule 
  because the military saddle described in the Player’s 
  Handbook gives advantage to “checks,” not saves. Without 
  this rule, military saddles have no effect. 
  A strap saddle allows the rider to succeed on these saves 
  automatically, so long as the device is fully fastened. If only 
  half the straps are tied (using half the tie-in time), the 
  saddle instead provides advantage to these saving throws. 
  Without any straps tied, it counts as a normal saddle. 
  VARIANT: HANGING TO THE SIDE 
  With this variant, a rider can be prone on a mount, either 
  flattened down on the mount’s back or hanging alongside 
  it, clinging to the saddle. A rider might risk the saving 
  throw to assume this position for a tactical advantage. 
  Achieving this position requires the prone condition’s 
  normal Dexterity saving throw to stay mounted. Being 
  prone also imposes disadvantage on ranged attacks 
  against the rider, though attackers within 5 feet of the 
  rider can instead claim advantage. Finally, the rider’s own 
  attacks are at disadvantage in this awkward position. 
  A rider hanging to one side of a mount 
  may claim cover against creatures on the 
  other side of the mount. 
  VARIANT: SLUMPED IN 
  THE SADDLE 
  An unconscious 
  creature automatically 
  fails Strength and 
  Dexterity saving throws, meaning a rider 
  that is knocked out or killed will fall prone 
  and always fail the resulting saving throw 
  to remain in the saddle. 
  With this optional rule, the rider can 
  attempt one last saving throw the moment 
  it is rendered unconscious (or killed). If 
  successful, the rider slumps prone but 
  remains atop the mount. A 
  trusty steed may 
  thereby carry a dead 
  or unconscious rider 
  home, so long as no other events or conditions would 
  unseat the rider. 
  VARIANT: LANCING 
  A successful attack from a charging lancer has a chance to 
  unseat a mounted target. To unseat another rider, a lance-
  user must ride a mount at least 20 feet toward the target, 
  doing so on the same initiative count and immediately 
  prior to attacking with a lance. The attacker’s mount must 
  also be larger in size than the targeted rider, though It 
  doesn’t need to be larger than the target’s mount. 
  When struck by the lance attack, the rider must make a 
  Strength saving throw against a DC of 10, or the damage 
  inflicted by the attack, whichever is higher. If a lancer 
  can make multiple attacks at this point in the turn, 
  only the first has a chance to dismount the target. 
  If two characters are jousting one another in a 
  formal event, rather than during the confusion 
  of combat, both riders roll a single lance 
  attack simultaneously as their 
  mounts pass one another. It’s 
  possible that both riders fall in 
  this momentary clash. 
  VARIANT: BUCKING BRONCOS 
  When an unwilling mount attempts to buck off a 
  rider, using its action, the rider must succeed 
  on a Strength saving throw against a DC of 
  10, or the mount’s passive Strength 
  (Athletics) score, whichever is 
  higher. If the saving throw fails, the 
  rider falls off. 
  CAVALIERS 
  The core rules include a few special rules cases that 
  can help a rider stay mounted. 
  Born in the Saddle. This feature belongs to fighters 
  with the Cavalier Martial Archetype, which appears in 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. 
  “You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid 
  falling off your mount. If you fall off your mount and 
  descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your 
  feet if you’re not incapacitated.” 
  Saddle of the Cavalier. This magic item, listed in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide, is coveted by riders of all 
  animal types. As a worn magic item, it will resize itself to 
  fit a mount of any size. 
  “While in this saddle on a mount, you can’t be 
  dismounted against your will if you’re conscious, and 
  attack rolls against the mount have disadvantage.” 
  
   
  43 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  A rider that falls from a mount probably lands in a space 
  within 5 feet of the creature, determined by the Dungeon 
  Master. Unless another rule specifies otherwise, the rider 
  should become prone in the fall. 
  The Dungeon Master may impose falling damage for 
  falling from a particularly large mount, a creature of Huge 
  or Gargantuan size. Alternately, or additionally, a rider 
  may suffer 1d6 bludgeoning damage when falling from a 
  high-speed mount, a creature that moved 60 or more feet 
  in its previous turn. Conditions on the ground can modify 
  this damage; perhaps rough ground adds another damage 
  die or soft terrain provides resistance to the damage. 
  When a rider falls off of a flying mount, using the normal 
  falling rules to track its descent and impact. The falling 
  rider’s only hope is to use magic or some manner of 
  equipment to slow the fall. (See “falling sails” in the 
  Comprehensive Equipment Manual.) When falling from a 
  mount in an underwater scenario, the rider simply sinks 
  until it can start swimming on its turn; it does not take 
  damage if it hits bottom before that. 
  VARIANT: SNATCHED FROM THE AIR 
  At the DM’s discretion, a flying mount can try to grab its 
  falling rider before the rider passes out of range. The 
  mount must have claws, a large maw, tentacles, or some 
  other body part suitable to grasping and holding a rider of 
  that size and shape. To perform this maneuver, the mount 
  uses its reaction and attempts a Dexterity (Acrobatics) 
  check against a DC of 15. If successful, the mount catches 
  the rider before the rider falls past the flying mount’s 
  reach. In this case, the rider is grappled by the mount. On 
  its turn, a caught rider can spend half its movement to 
  climb back on top of the mount, resuming its riding state. 
  If the mount fails this check, the rider falls beyond reach. 
  Falling creatures often drop too quickly for the mount to 
  get another chance at catching the rider. 
  A mount falling prone implicates a different set of rules. 
  Rather than falling from the saddle, the rider has time to 
  “dismount,” either falling prone or, with a reaction, 
  remaining on its feet in the process. 
  The option to use a reaction only applies when the 
  mount goes prone; it appears in no other falling scenario in 
  the Player’s Handbook or in these rules. 
   
  “While you’re mounted, you have two options. You can 
  either control the mount or allow it to act 
  independently. Intelligent creatures, such as dragons, 
  act independently. 
  “You can control a mount only if it has been trained to 
  accept a rider. Domesticated horses, donkeys, and 
  similar creatures are assumed to have such training. 
  The initiative of a controlled mount changes to match 
  yours when you mount it. It moves as you direct it, and 
  it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage, and 
  Dodge. A controlled mount can move and act even on 
  the turn that you mount it. 
  “An independent mount retains its place in the 
  initiative order. Bearing a rider puts no restrictions on 
  the actions the mount can take, and it moves and acts as 
  it wishes. It might flee from combat, rush to attack and 
  devour a badly injured foe, or otherwise act against 
  your wishes.” 
   
   
  A mounted rider has two options: 
   
  1. Control the mount if 
  a. the mount is not intelligent, and 
  b. the mount is trained to accept a rider  
  2. “Allow” the mount to act independently 
   
  A controlled mount’s initiative changes to match the 
  riders, and it is limited to Dash, Disengage, and Dodge for 
  its actions and it acts even on the turn you mount it. 
  An uncontrolled mount does as it wills; its initiative 
  remains unchanged and the rider doesn’t have control. 
  These rules allow a rider to control an animal that is not 
  intelligent and is trained to bear riders. This vague 
  paragraph needs serious examination to run in a fair and 
  consistent manner. 
  “Dragon” is only example provided of what “intelligence” 
  means for these purposes. The dragons in the Monster 
  Manual have Intelligence scores ranging from 5 to 18. 
  Coincidentally, this accords with the way this 
  supplement handles Intelligence ratings. Creatures of 
  Intelligence 5 and 6 are smart enough to start 
  comprehending languages. They have their own agendas 
  FALLING SPEED 
  “When you fall from a great height, you instantly 
  descend up to 500 feet. If you’re still falling on your 
  next turn, you descend up to 500 feet at the end of that 
  turn. This process continues until the fall ends, either 
  because you hit the ground or the fall is otherwise 
  halted.” (See “Falling” in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.)” 
  
   
  44 
  HANDLING ANIMALS 
  and alignments, making them uncontrollable as animals. 
  Creatures of Intelligence 7 or higher are in this “intelligent” 
  category. 
  To be controlled, the mount must also have training to 
  carry a rider. In the context of these rules, this means the 
  rider-trained template. Alternately, the DM can designate a 
  creature as having sufficient training without the template. 
  Without training, an animal doesn’t understand (and can’t 
  react to) the rider’s subtle signals of control, even if the 
  creature is charmed or otherwise cooperative. 
  At the DM’s discretion, an animal that shares a 
  “telepathic bond” with the rider can be controlled even 
  without training. The spirits created by the find steed and 
  find greater steed spells are an example of such mounts. 
  These are described as particularly intelligent, but the 
  terms of these spells ensure that the steeds are controlled. 
  Effectively, the rider, not the intelligent animal, decides 
  whether and when the mount is controlled. 
  This is the part of the mounted combat rules that players 
  and Dungeon Masters get so frequently hung up on. It 
  bears paying special attention to, so buckle in! 
  When a rider mounts an animal that is not intelligent 
  and is trained to bear riders, the rider has the option to 
  take control. When this happens, the mount’s initiative 
  changes to match the rider’s initiative. 
  Merely having the same initiative is not enough to let 
  mount and rider act synergistically. Only groups of 
  “identical creatures” act at the same time; the DM decides 
  other tied initiative counts by rolling a d20 or simply 
  deciding the tie breaker. The initiative rules don’t 
  otherwise contemplate matching initiative. 
  What, then, does this “matching” wording in the 
  mounted combat rules mean? The answer is found at the 
  end of the paragraph, which says, “A controlled mount can 
  move and act even on the turn that you mount it.” This 
  creates a new scenario for creatures with matching 
  initiative, one not found in the default initiative rules. 
  A rider mounts an animal during the rider’s own turn, 
  moving to within 5 feet of the mount and spending half 
  movement to climb on. That turn—the rider’s—is the turn 
  in which the animal can move and act. “A controlled mount 
  can move and act even on the turn that you mount it.” 
  Therefore, a mount moves and acts during its rider’s turn. 
  Too many players and Dungeon Masters struggle to 
  implement rider and mount turns as sequential turns, 
  requiring the rider to Ready an Attack action to go off 
  when the mount moves up to an enemy on its turn. 
  At the same time, mount and rider have their own 
  separate turns in the sense that neither loses any part of 
  their turn; both have the ability to take an action, bonus 
  action, or reaction, and the ability to move, though a 
  controlled mounts’ actions are narrowed to three options 
  and a rider’s movement is good for little other than 
  dismounting. Instead, the rider chooses the order these 
  things are used in during the same turn, doing so until both 
  creatures’ turns are complete. 
  This reading of “overlapping” turns is supported by the 
  lead designer’s interview of February 2018, titled Sage 
  Advice on Mounted Combat. In this interview, Jeremy 
  Crawford stated that the controlled mount’s turn “basically 
  overlaps with yours.” He repeated this notion several 
  times during the interview, also saying, “It’s moving on 
  your turn. Its movement is taking place on your turn.” 
  However, see the sidebar below for another interpretation. 
  If a controlled mount ceases to be controlled, perhaps 
  because the rider becomes unconscious, it does not return 
  to its prior initiative count. 
  A controlled mount is limited to the Dash, Disengage, or 
  Dodge action on its turns. However, it remains free to 
  perform a reaction as it wills. 
  VARIANT: TIMING OF CONTROL 
  A rider takes control of an animal as it mounts the 
  creature. No rules are provided for maintaining this 
  control, it is assumed to persist in perpetuity, so long as 
  mount and rider are together and both conscious. 
  EVIDENCE FOR SEQUENTIAL TURNS 
  Some of Jeremy Crawford’s “tweets” on Twitter.com 
  can be read as discordant with the Player’s Handbook 
  (and with his 2018 interview), supporting the notion of 
  “sequential,” non-overlapping turns. 
  On April 26, 2017, Mr. Crawford tweeted “A rider 
  and a controlled mount have separate turns, but they 
  have the same initiative, which means you decide 
  which one goes first.” On March 3, 2018, he further 
  tweeted that, “A controlled mount has its own turn, but 
  that turn takes place on the same initiative count as the 
  rider’s turn.” 
  These words can support the guidance given here, or 
  they can be read as contrary. This supplement does not 
  recommend a contrary reading; the Player’s Handbook 
  already says the mount acts on the turn it is mounted, 
  not just a later turn on the same initiative count. 
  Further, none of the three versions of tied initiative in 
  the initiative rules let the player choose the order of 
  turns between a character and a mount. Best to use the 
  advice that accords with the rules. 
  
   
  45 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  With this optional rule, the rider opts to maintain or 
  release control at the start of each of its turns. If the rider 
  is incapacitated, it cannot control the mount 
  that turn. 
  If additional riders mount the 
  animal, they are “passengers,” 
  riders without the ability to 
  control the mount. The animal’s 
  initiative does not change to 
  match these new riders. 
  However, if a passenger wrests 
  control of the mount or the 
  controlling rider dismounts, 
  the new controlling rider can 
  change the mount’s initiative 
  to match its own on its 
  following turn. 
  A newly controlled mount 
  should not get another turn at its 
  new, lower initiative count if it previously 
  acted in that round. In a tweet of April 26, 
  2017, the lead designer for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 
  confirmed double turns was a possibility because of how 
  the rules are written. No doubt this could enhance the 
  usefulness of riding mounts, allowing them to be available 
  for use when needed. However, the possibility of multiple 
  creatures taking control of a mount in the same round 
  makes this utterly nonsensical, not merely unreasonable. 
  VARIANT: OVERRUN 
  The optional “Overrun” rule in chapter 9 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide requires an action or bonus action to 
  perform, something a controlled mount cannot do. 
  With this optional rule, a controlled mount adds 
  “Overrun” to its list of allowed actions, letting the mount 
  try to push past blocking creatures of its approximate size. 
  Remember, a creature can already move through a space 
  occupied by a creature at least two sizes larger or smaller 
  than it. Additionally, all occupied squares are treated as 
  difficult terrain, regardless of how the animal moves 
  through them. 
  In the case of an uncontrolled mount, initiative is 
  unaffected. Combat unfolds without change, except that 
  the rider is carried along when the mount moves. 
  Because an uncontrolled mount’s initiative doesn’t 
  change, mount and rider will act at different times in the 
  initiative order. After a mount moves up to a target, the 
  target’s initiative might allow it to move away prior to the 
  rider getting a turn to attack. A rider will need to use the 
  Ready action to time attacks synergistically with the 
  mount’s movement. 
  That timing assumes that the uncontrolled mount 
  is acting usefully in combat. An uncooperative or 
  unintelligent creature is more likely to move 
  away from the battle if left uncontrolled. 
  VARIANT: ALLOWING CONTROL 
  An intelligent, rider-trained mount can 
  choose to act in concert with a rider, 
  obeying its commands, thus gaining the 
  benefits of a controlled mount. 
  An Intelligent mount decides its 
  mode of control. When mounted, it 
  chooses to be controlled or remain 
  independent. The animal can revisit 
  its choice at the start of each of its 
  turns, switching to a controlled mode 
  or vice versa. 
  Modes of control should not change 
  mid-turn because that would allow the mount 
  to gain the benefits of both modes while 
  ignoring the drawbacks. 
   
  “In either case, if the mount provokes an opportunity 
  attack while you’re on it, the attacker can target you or 
  the mount.” 
    
   
  Whether the mount is controlled or not, when it provokes 
  an opportunity attack, that attacker can choose to target 
  the rider instead. The mounted combat rules carve out this 
  exception because the rider would otherwise be immune 
  to opportunity attacks. Normally, being moved by another 
  creature (like a shove or carry) or by an effect (like a spell) 
  means you do not provoke opportunity attacks. 
  When it comes to animal companions, many players fail to 
  look past the simple wonder of having a delightful creature 
  as a friend and cohort. However, to make animals serious 
  members of the party, it is important to utilize them when 
  it comes to the gaming (die-rolling) part of play. 
  This section discusses how, through their actions and 
  special traits, animals synergize with player characters’ 
  roles and with their features, traits, and spells. Not all 
  features are mentioned here; these are just the most useful 
  or interesting. A particular focus is given to synergizing 
  features with mounted combat. 
  
   
  46 
  HANDLING ANIMALS 
  Characters of every class can benefit from an animal 
  companion for riding, carrying loads, noticing threats, 
  tracking game, and the like. However, some characters 
  additionally use animals to aid with their expected class 
  roles. Each of the following divisions provides general 
  enhancements of the classes’ roles, along with a treatment 
  of any specific features that may synergize with animal 
  companionship. 
  The newest class in the fifth edition mixes various support 
  roles. A glance at the artificer’s spell list reveals a class 
  dedicated to enhancing, guarding, and healing others, as 
  well as bringing magical utility to the party. 
  Artificers function well without animals; their spells and 
  features often make up for the lack of companions. 
  However, the artificer can enhance each of its functions by 
  teaming up with animals. Particularly, animals can be 
  trained to carry and place the artificer’s various 
  inventions, allowing rapid, strategic deployment around 
  the battlefield. Additionally, animals themselves make 
  great targets for the artificer’s bolstering magic, enhancing 
  their utility and combat effectiveness. Finally, animals can 
  provide extra carrying capacity for toting the artificer’s 
  heavy tool sets and crafting supplies. 
  Artificer Features. Animals can be trained to carry and 
  activate objects affected by the Magical Tinkering, Spell-
  Storing Items, and Infuse Items features, enhancing their 
  roles as messengers, mounts, and combat allies. 
  A suit of barding affected by the Enhanced Defense or 
  Resistant Armor infusion provides extra protection to a 
  mount or a combat skirmisher, better protecting animal 
  companions in higher-level campaigns. The 
  Repulsion Shield infusion is similarly 
  beneficial, but the animal needs 
  training to use it because the infusion 
  requires activation. 
  Found magic items are not likely to be 
  shaped for animals, but the artificer’s 
  crafting skills and the Replicate Magic 
  Items infusion allows animal 
  companions to easily benefit from a 
  host of standard magic items in 
  shapes that suit the animals’ bodies. 
  Artificer (Alchemist Artificer 
  Specialist). The Experimental Elixir 
  feature gives fighting animals one of 
  several useful combat bonuses. The 
  feature’s randomness can alter the 
  way animals move and fight, forcing 
  the handler to adapt to the animal’s new capabilities on the 
  fly. 
  Artificer (Artillerist Artificer Specialist). A Medium or 
  larger creature bearing a flat howdah provides an ideal 
  platform to support an Eldritch Cannon. The mobility of 
  the creature particularly helps to offset the limited range 
  of the Flamethrower and Protector versions of this feature. 
  However, it is not recommended that you detonate your 
  cannon while an ally is carrying it. 
  Warriors fight, often doing so alongside animals. Animal 
  Handling appears on the skill list for both classes. These 
  warriors require no special efforts to gain proficiency; 
  managing animals is part of their core range of functions. 
  Of primary use to these warriors are animals that serve as 
  combat mounts, independent combatants, or both. 
  A riding horse is nice for travel, but a warhorse won’t 
  balk at the sounds of battle. For characters that focus 
  primarily on weapon use, the ability to get into melee 
  reach (or stay at missile range) is critical to using those 
  weapons. A war-trained mount grants exceptional mobility 
  on open terrain, including the ability to move among or 
  away from foes 
  without provoking 
  opportunity attacks. 
  (See chapter 2 for details 
  on mounted combat.) 
  While any character with 
  the Mounted Combatant feat 
  doubles down 
  
   
  47 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  on the benefits of riding in battle, warriors are particularly 
  helped by the advantage to melee attack rolls. Additionally, 
  because warriors use good armor, the ability to redirect 
  attacks from the mount to the rider helps them maintain 
  their mounted advantage on the field, despite being on the 
  front lines of battle. 
  For animals that are not being ridden, the warriors’ role 
  can benefit from creatures trained to fight synergistically. 
  Although it takes an action to command a war mastiff to 
  attack a specific target, the beast makes up for the lost time 
  by potentially inflicting some damage round after round. A 
  trained hawk might harry a spellcaster that the warrior 
  can’t get to quickly enough. If the optional flanking or 
  marking rules are used, fighting in tandem with a trained 
  guard drake can open a whole world of tactical benefits. 
  Barbarian (Path of the Ancestral Guardian). The 
  Ancestral Protectors and Spirit Shield features can be used 
  to defend mounts and nearby animal combatants, 
  mitigating their relative weakness when compared to the 
  resilience of higher-level parties. 
  Barbarian (Path of the Totem Warrior). The ability to 
  cast beast sense, speak with animals, and (eventually) 
  commune with nature enhances the character’s ability to 
  find, acclimate, and train animals, as described in their 
  spell descriptions, above. 
  Additionally, various totemic aspects help this barbarian 
  move and fight in concert with animals that are faster or 
  can fly. The elk totem can particularly double the speed of 
  fast mounts and allow the barbarian to maneuver around 
  mounts more efficiently on the battlefield. 
  Fighter. Two of the fighter’s Fighting Styles synergize 
  well with animal allies, particularly mounts. 
  A character with the Archery Fighting Style feature can 
  benefit from riding. A mount can Disengage and move a 
  great distance away without using the rider’s own action. 
  Without a mount, the archer would have to choose 
  between a Disengage action or the Attack action (rolled 
  with disadvantage for being next to foes). 
  A rider with the Protection Fighting Style feature can 
  interpose a shield to penalize attacks against a mount or 
  an adjacent animal combatant, making mounts more 
  survivable and thus making mounted combat more viable. 
  These advantages apply equally to anyone who can 
  acquire a fighting style, including paladins and rangers. 
  Fighter (Battle Master Martial Archetype). This fighter 
  can use the Know Your Enemy feature to ascertain a 
  creature’s martial prowess when deciding whether to buy 
  the creature in the market or try to track and acclimate it 
  in the wild. 
  This archetype’s maneuvers are particularly useful when 
  mounted. The Commander’s Strike maneuver can allow a 
  warhorse to use its Trampling Charge trait (something it 
  can’t otherwise do while ridden), potentially allowing the 
  mount to make two attacks. The Lunging Attack maneuver 
  can exploit the power of a lance at a range of up to 15 feet. 
  The involuntary movement inflicted by the Pushing Attack 
  maneuver is exceptionally useful for dismounting foes. 
  Finally, the range of a lance and the mobility of a mount 
  allow this fighter to find the best positions to make use of 
  the Sweeping Attack maneuver. 
  Fighter (Cavalier Martial Archetype). The ultimate 
  rider, this fighter gains the Born in the Saddle feature, 
  allowing faster mounting and dismounting, and making 
  falls from the saddle less likely and less penalizing. 
  Riding a mount is an easy way to provide enemies with 
  an additional target in the Cavalier’s reach that, if attacked, 
  can provoke the extra attack of the Unwavering Mark 
  feature. The Warding Maneuver feature provides 
  additional protection for the mount in such scenarios. 
  Fighter (Samurai Martial Archetype). When combined 
  with the advantage provided by the Mounted Combatant 
  feat, the Rapid Strike feature allows a mounted Samurai to 
  double all attacks against most enemies on foot. 
  Bards, and rogues to some degree, make adept performers 
  using music, acrobatics, and sleight of hand. Although each 
  may have the genuine goal of providing entertainment, 
  they are also adept at swindling audience members or 
  otherwise relieving them of extra coins. Including animals 
  in an act is a sure way to broaden an audience and to draw 
  attention from a pickpocket’s wandering fingers. 
  Bards are adept at getting animals to perform on their 
  behalf; the Bardic Inspiration feature can magically 
  enhance a trained monkey’s attempt to pick a pocket or 
  climb up to a second-story window. 
  Rogues can train animals to assist with all manner of 
  skullduggery, but their Sneak Attack feature particularly 
  shines in this context. A rogue can train an animal 
  companion to harass enemies by moving next to them or 
  give the rogue advantage on attacks with the Help action; 
  two ways to ensure that the rogue’s Sneak Attack feature 
  applies with greater reliability. 
  Bard. When trying to get an animal to perform in a way 
  that requires it to make its own attack roll or ability check, 
  the Bardic Inspiration feature provides a significant bonus 
  to that roll. Some Bardic College features that rely on 
  Bardic Inspiration can similarly assist an animal’s rolls. 
  Bard (College of Glamour). It is hard to separate this 
  character from its mount; the Mantle of Inspiration feature 
  allows extra movement useful for approaching and 
  mounting an animal. At the same time, a mount that 
  
   
  48 
  HANDLING ANIMALS 
  receives the boost can move to meet you, all without 
  provoking opportunity attacks. 
  These classes have access to divine magic and are well 
  suited to healing and protecting animal companions with 
  spells. Animals are often fragile relative to player 
  characters. Spells like shield of faith and warding bond can 
  greatly extend their survivability and usefulness. 
  As defensive characters, these class roles are enhanced 
  by the presence of sturdy animals that can interpose 
  themselves between foes and weaker party members or 
  move to guard fallen party members long enough for the 
  cleric or paladin to reach them. 
  In addition to the benefits described for other warriors, 
  paladins may particularly benefit from training their spirit 
  steeds (from the find steed spell) or providing their 
  protective auras to any animal they ride or fight alongside. 
  Cleric (Grave Domain). The spare the dying cantrip 
  derived from the Circle of Mortality feature allows you to 
  quickly stabilize a dying animal companion, even at range, 
  without interrupting your normal action for the round. 
  The Sentinel at Death’s Door feature, like many 
  protective reactions, lets you lessen the damage a mount 
  or animal companion would suffer when struck in battle, 
  in this case when struck by a critical hit. 
  Cleric (Light Domain). The Improved Flare feature is 
  particularly useful for warding your own mount or an 
  animal that is fighting beside you, increasing its 
  defensibility. 
  Cleric (Nature Domain). In addition to having access to 
  a handful of druid spells that apply to animals, this class 
  gets the Channel Divinity: Charm Animals and Plants 
  feature. This allows you to repel hostile beasts or, upon 
  attaining the 
  Master of 
  Nature feature at 17th level, charm beasts and command 
  them. 
  Cleric (Order Domain). The Voice of Authority feature 
  can allow a war-trained mount, like a warhorse, to use an 
  action or trait like Trampling Charge. It can’t normally do 
  so while controlled, being limited in the actions it 
  performs, a limitation this reaction overcomes. 
  Druids and rangers both suit the role of interacting with 
  nature, and they share an incredibly useful range of animal 
  affecting spells to help with that task. (Clerics with the 
  Nature Domain have similar access to animal affecting 
  spells, sharing this role.) 
  A druid can particularly enhance its interaction with 
  animals by turning into creatures of the same type. This 
  can aid in acquisition or other interactions; a druid that 
  takes a wolf’s form and fights beside a wolf companion 
  exploits the speed and tactics employed by wolves 
  working in concert. At higher levels, the ability to swim or 
  fly alongside animal companions in their shared forms 
  brings the synergistic combination of character and animal 
  to the sea or the skies. 
  Rangers can use animals in many of the ways that 
  barbarians and fighters do, but they have additional class 
  roles related to overland navigation, foraging for food, 
  traveling stealthily, and spotting threats in the wild. In all 
  these tasks, animals make great companions, helping the 
  ranger with these rolls or making separate rolls to attempt 
  these tasks alone. 
  Ranger (Beast Master Ranger Archetype). This 
  supplement allows all classes to have animal companions 
  in a way that resembles this Ranger Archetype’s feature, 
  but without overshadowing or displacing that feature. A 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  bonded companion benefits equally from the training rules 
  in this book, despite having similar functionality already. 
  The Ranger’s Companion feature allows the ranger to 
  command a bonded animal even if it is not trained with 
  tricks and without having to make an ability check to push 
  the animal into such behavior. This has an advantage over 
  trained tricks because it controls the precise action the 
  animal takes, rather than giving it a broader (but longer 
  lasting) combat instruction. A ranger wanting the animal 
  to attack continuously might be better off commanding the 
  Attack trick, saving the ranger’s own action in future 
  rounds. Because of this tradeoff, a ranger might prefer to 
  teach a bonded animal tricks like Attack and Desist. 
  However, an animal whose capacity for tricks is filled with 
  non-combat functions is more broadly useful, combining 
  both combat control from the subclass and utility functions 
  from trained tricks. 
  Exceptional Training has the same benefits of the 
  previous feature, but it allows animal actions to be 
  commanded with the ranger’s bonus action. Combined 
  with the ranger’s action to command the animal to use a 
  trick, this feature allows exceptional control over a bonded 
  animal’s exact behavior, both short term and long term. 
  For example, an animal commanded to change its attacked 
  target using the Desist trick (an action) and also told to 
  Disengage with this feature (a bonus action) will move 
  reliably and safely from the old enemy to the new one. 
  An action used to command the Attack trick can be 
  combined with the action to invoke the ranger’s Bestial 
  Fury feature. However, this feature only applies in turns 
  when the ranger uses an action to renew it; the animal’s 
  trained, ongoing attacks after its first turn revert to the 
  normal number of attacks if the Beast Master does not 
  invoke this feature again. 
  The Share Spells feature is best exploited with defensive 
  or enhancing magic that strengthens the animal, 
  particularly spells that could normally benefit only the 
  caster or spells that are cheaper or more efficient when 
  applied to the animal and ranger at the same time. Useful 
  examples include absorb elements, longstrider, stoneskin, 
  and guardian of nature. 
  The monk’s concept is one of self enhancement and of non-
  reliance upon the regular tools of battle. It is an 
  independent character, whose powers do not often 
  synergize with animals (or humanoid companions). 
  When it comes to mounted combat, monks lack many of 
  the synergistic advantages of barbarians and fighters; 
  some of the monk’s features, like Step of the Wind, do not 
  work from the saddle, and many Monastic Traditions 
  provide features that enhance the character’s modes of 
  movement in ways that would leave a mount behind. 
  That said, monks do benefit from animals in the same 
  way as the warrior classes, whose roles this class shares to 
  some degree. They are particularly synergistic with fast-
  moving creatures that can match the monk’s speed, 
  balance, and stealth. Such animals can aid the monk in its 
  role of a highly mobile and adaptable striker. Additionally, 
  despite their speed, being mounted often provides a monk 
  with greater mobility even if it must eschew some class 
  features while in the saddle. Finally, the monk’s focus on 
  the Wisdom ability makes them more likely to succeed on 
  checks to control and influence animals outside of combat. 
  These classes are well suited to enhancing animals with 
  spells that strengthen or speed them along in combat. 
  The role of most arcane casters is artillery-like, casting 
  spells from a distance and trying to stay back from the 
  front lines. A horse provides excellent mobility for 
  maintaining this distance, and war-trained animals can 
  serve as blockers to keep foes from closing on characters 
  of these lightly armored classes. 
  Wizards (and some warlocks) may also have familiars. 
  The telepathic connection means such creatures are more 
  adept and learning and employing many of the tricks and 
  roles available to animal companions. 
  Sorcerer (Metamagic Options). The Careful Spell 
  Metamagic option is an important tool for a caster that 
  uses area-affecting spells while simultaneously employing 
  animal companions to block and harry foes. 
  The Twinned Spell Metamagic option allows you to 
  provide important enhancing spells to two targets at once, 
  something useful for a sorcerer who has multiple animal 
  companions, or who wishes to apply a defensive spell to 
  both an ally and that ally’s mount. 
  Warlock (Eldritch Invocations). The Beast Speech 
  invocation allows you to cast speak with animals at will, 
  always benefiting from true communication between you 
  and your animal companions. 
  The Gift of the Depth invocation allows you to use and 
  interact with amphibious and water-breathing animals in 
  ways that air-breathing characters cannot. Such animals 
  are otherwise less useful as companions. 
  The Grasp of Hadar and Repelling Blast invocations 
  allow you to dismount enemies by moving the mounts or 
  their riders. Repelling Blast is more useful at higher levels; 
  the multiple targets of eldritch blast can allow you to 
  unseat multiple riders per turn. 
  
   
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  HANDLING ANIMALS 
  Wizard (School of Abjuration). The Projected Ward 
  feature allows abjurers to extend their famous protective 
  magic over a mount or animal companion. 
  Wizard (School of Evocation). Since wizards cast a lot 
  of area-affecting damage spells, like fireball, the Sculpt 
  Spells feature is literally a lifesaver in some scenarios. It 
  allows the evoker to omit an animal companion from these 
  harmful areas. 
  Wizard (School of Transmutation). This wizard’s 
  Transmuter’s Stone can provide one of a range of useful 
  enhancements to an animal ally. While these benefits 
  might be of little use to some transmuters, each is 
  particularly effective when applied to the right animal. 
  This section discusses some of the character-specific 
  methods for handling animals and gaining advantage from 
  them. Whether by spellcasting, magic item use, or by the 
  natural or learned traits and features of various races and 
  classes, these can be unspeakably useful when it comes to 
  training and managing animals. 
  The following section addresses the limited selection of 
  racial traits that affect or implicate the animal managing 
  rules in this product. 
  Bugbear. While mounted, the Long-Limbed trait allows 
  you to better exploit the power of the lance, a one-handed 
  weapon on par with the highest damage ratings for even 
  two-handed weapons, using it a range of up to 15 feet. 
  Firbolg. The Speech of Beast and Leaf feature allows 
  beasts to benefit from sharing a true language with you, 
  except that the communication goes only one way, from 
  you to the animals, not vice versa. 
  Forest Gnome. Forest gnomes have a rapport with small 
  creatures and often keep them as pets. Although the 
  communication provided by the Speak with Small Beasts 
  feature is vaguely described as encompassing only 
  “simple” ideas, it is sufficient to support the benefits of 
  true communication with such animals, as discussed in the 
  previous section. 
  Kenku. The Mimicry trait synergizes well with the 
  Animal Handling and Nature skills. At the Dungeon 
  master’s discretion, an ability check with one of these skills 
  may allow you to produce a greater range of animal 
  sounds, or to remember exactly the right animal sound 
  that an animal of the same type will recognize the meaning 
  of. (This is the same process by which kenku get 
  humanoids to understand them.) 
  Kobold. A mounted kobold can use its Pack Tactics trait 
  with impunity because its mount counts as an allied 
  creature. 
  Lizardfolk. The Hold Breath trait gives you access to 
  underwater environments, such that having an 
  amphibious or water-breathing animal might be quite 
  useful. 
  Triton. The Amphibious trait gives you better 
  opportunities to use amphibious or water-breathing 
  animals, animals that most characters have difficulty 
  finding use for. 
  The Emissary of the Sea trait allows you the benefits of 
  true language with aquatic animals, but only in one 
  direction, from you to them. 
  Yuan-ti Pureblood. The Innate Spellcasting trait allows 
  unlimited castings of animal friendship when targeting 
  snakes, making this race able to easily manage and control 
  these dangerous creatures. 
  A number of oft-forgotten magic items create or control 
  animals, including bags of tricks, feather of diatryma 
  summoning, figurines of wondrous power, infernal tack, ring 
  of animal influence, staff of the python, staff of the 
  woodlands, and trident of fish command. 
  The following two potions are discussed in some detail 
  since their effects stray from the parameters of the spells 
  they provide. 
  Potion of Animal Friendship. This delightful potion 
  allows you to cast the animal friendship spell at will for one 
  hour. Since the spell’s duration is 24 hours, this potion can 
  charm a veritable army of beasts, commanding their 
  friendship for a whole day. 
  Although you might theoretically target up to 600 beasts 
  while affected by the potion, you will rarely find that many 
  animals in a place where you can approach to within 30 
  feet of each target, nor does the usefulness of the basic 
  charmed condition, absent some other mechanism of 
  control, encourage such a feat. 
  Potion of Mind Control (Beast). This potion allows you 
  to cast dominate beast once. Unlike the normal version of 
  the spell, the effect lasts a full hour and does not require 
  concentration. This allows the effect to be combined 
  usefully with another magic that requires concentration, 
  such as the beast senses spell. 
  This section lists the common animal-affecting spells and 
  describes how they synergize with this supplement’s rules. 
  Animal Friendship. The 24-hour duration of this spell 
  means that, when cast daily, a beast can be constantly 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  charmed, helping to cement a magical alliance. This spell 
  keeps even wild animals constantly compliant until you 
  can acclimate them. Normally, you would have to return 
  repeatedly to an animal’s territory to acclimate it (or take 
  it along in a cage). This spell circumvents those necessities 
  during the period prior to full acclimation.  
  The charmed condition also affects an animal’s loyalty 
  rating, assuming that optional rule is used. Even without 
  that rule, this spell does not spoil the caster’s relationship 
  with an animal; while some spells that apply the charmed 
  condition leave the target with knowledge of being 
  magically manipulated, this spell does not. Moreover, 
  creatures with Intelligence ratings low enough to be 
  affected by the spell are not smart enough to comprehend 
  what magic is or to associate such effects with their own 
  shifting attitudes. 
  This spell affects only creatures of Intelligence 3 or 
  lower. The higher-level alternative, charm monster, can 
  affect smarter creatures. However, it has only a one-hour 
  duration and it leaves the creature cognizant of the spell’s 
  manipulation, making it mostly unsuitable for these uses. 
  Animal Messenger. This spell is best when cast on an 
  animal you supply rather than some random woodland 
  creature. If you want to rely on this spell, you shouldn’t 
  risk being unable to find the right sort of flying creature 
  existing naturally in your environment. 
  A homing pigeon is an ideal target; 
  trained to Go Home, the bird will 
  fly back to its roost once its 
  message is delivered. In the case of a failed delivery, the 
  spell will cause the animal to return to the location of the 
  spell’s casting but, since you are likely to have moved on a 
  day or more before the bird’s return, being trained to Go 
  Home ensures that the animal does not get lost or simply 
  wait at that location. 
  For other Tiny animals, this spell can be used to send the 
  creature home or to some other safe place you designate 
  as the spell’s target location, so long as it is within 25 miles 
  of you (or 50 miles if the creature flies). To keep the 
  animal from returning to the caster, it must deliver a 
  message to a creature at the target location. 
  For example, you must enter a dungeon that seems too 
  dangerous for your pet raven. While it was an able 
  companion and scout during the trip through the 
  wilderness, the close confines and the deadly creatures 
  you are about to face make you worry for the bird’s safety. 
  You cast this spell on your raven, instructing it to return 
  home to its roost and speak your message to one of the 
  other animals there. 
  Awaken. This spell only affects animals with Intelligence 
  scores of 3 and lower. Smarter animals, like primates and 
  some dinosaurs, don’t qualify for a boost to human levels 
  of intelligence. 
  An animal that gains sentience may acquire its own 
  alignment, motivations, and complex personality. While it 
  can no longer be managed with the Animal Handling 
  skill or made to perform tricks, the awakened 
  creature does not forget the nature of its 
  
   
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  HANDLING ANIMALS 
  learned tricks, nor does it forget how its handler 
  previously treated it, whether good or bad. If your game 
  uses the optional loyalty rules, the animal now uses 
  normal NPC loyalty mechanics from the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide. 
  Beast Bond. This spell only affects beasts of Intelligence 
  3 or lower. It establishes a 10-minute telepathic link 
  between caster and animal. The animal can benefit from 
  the full complexity of your messages but can only send 
  simple emotions and concepts in return. This, combined 
  with the telepathy’s limitation to line of sight, makes this 
  spell a poor scouting tool. 
  The primary function of this spell is to enhance an 
  animal when working directly with the caster. Telepathy 
  lets you communicate silently in stealthy scenarios, 
  directing the animal into position for a surprise attack. It 
  also grants the animal advantage on attack rolls against 
  creatures next to you, being particularly useful for 
  creatures with potent attacks that might need help 
  connecting, perhaps a poisonous bite delivered by an 
  animal with a poor attack bonus. 
  Beast Sense. This spell allows you to see and hear what 
  any willing beast does, regardless of its Intelligence rating. 
  The one-hour duration of this spell is useful for scouting, 
  so long as the beast is observing that which you wish to 
  scout. Unfortunately, another spell to direct or control the 
  beast’s movement, or to make it a willing target for beast 
  sense, is nearly impossible to combine with this spell 
  because such effects almost universally require 
  concentration. 
  Therefore, this spell is best used on a creature already 
  trained to move about at your command. Tricks such as 
  Fetch, Go Home, Guard, Scout, Seek, Stalk, and Stay can 
  position an animal usefully to take maximal advantage of 
  this spell. 
  Commune with Nature. This spell targets an area, 
  informing you of the prevalent animals within its 3-mile 
  outdoor range and identifying the location of terrain 
  features like cave structures. The combination of these two 
  pieces of information confirms the presence of animals and 
  gives you a good idea of where to find their homes, more 
  so if you are aware of the animal’s preferred habitat, diet, 
  nesting patterns, and the like. At the Dungeon Master’s 
  discretion, understanding which portions of the revealed 
  terrain are likely to house the desired animal may require 
  an Intelligence (Nature) check. 
  Conjure Animals. This magic surrounds the caster with 
  spirits indistinguishable from normal beasts. Normally 
  considered a combat spell, the one-hour duration of this 
  magic allows it a great deal of utility. 
  Although these creatures have no training, the Dungeon 
  Master may allow them to be helpful during the 
  acclimation process. Social animals, those with herd or 
  pack tendencies, are not likely to flee upon contact with 
  others of their kind. Seeing you surrounded by such 
  animals, who clearly trust you and are comfortable in your 
  presence, a wild animal may be more willing to allow your 
  approach or allow you to get closer than you otherwise 
  would. 
  At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, being surrounded 
  by its own type can give you advantage on ability checks to 
  calm a creature or to stalk it in its habitat. 
  Create Food and Water. There are a few places in the 
  Player’s Handbook where systems fail to account properly 
  for the weight of food and water required to sustain 
  creatures based on their sizes. This spell is one example. 
  Although creatures need equal weights of food and 
  water to survive, this spell provides 45 lbs. of food and 
  only 30 lbs. of water. Without another water source, the 
  spell will sustain forty-five Small or Medium characters, or 
  eleven Large steeds. With no other water, these numbers 
  drop to thirty Small or Medium characters sustained, or 
  seven Large steeds. 
  Detect Poison and Disease. In close proximity, this spell 
  lets you sense the presence and location of poisonous 
  creatures or those that carry disease. 
  Although the spell’s range is limited to 30 feet, many 
  qualifying creatures, like snakes or rats, can otherwise 
  hide in any sort of rough terrain, in rubble, in the walls of 
  buildings, even among very sparse vegetation. The type of 
  materials that block this spell are not the sort that such 
  animals tend to hide behind or within. 
  In addition to finding the creature, the ten-minute 
  duration of this spell allows you a lot of time to work; with 
  the right tools, you can isolate a target by cutting off its 
  avenues of escape, making it easier to capture. 
  Dominate Beast. Although it may seem like an unusual 
  application, this spell is an exceptional aid when training 
  creatures. It provides one minute of telepathic 
  communication, allowing a trick’s desired behavior to be 
  explained in detail. It also allows you to manipulate the 
  creature’s movements, precisely modeling the desired 
  action. 
  The combination of these two benefits helps you 
  condition the charmed creature to perform even the most 
  esoteric and precise tricks. At the Dungeon Master’s 
  discretion, this may allow you to teach tricks or roles to an 
  animal that might otherwise be unable to learn them. This 
  is particularly useful for instinct-driven creatures like 
  arachnids, or for complex tricks. 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Dominate Monster. This magic provides all the benefits 
  of dominate beast, but it affects a wider range of creature 
  types and has a longer duration. 
  Find Familiar. The spirit summoned by this spell takes 
  the form of a beast and otherwise qualifies as an animal. 
  This means it can learn tricks and roles, Intelligence 
  permitting. However, the telepathic communication 
  between you and the spirit, and its spell-made obedience, 
  mean you never have to make Wisdom (Animal Handling) 
  checks to control your familiar. 
  If your familiar is a creature of Intelligence 7 or higher, 
  as allowed by some character options, ignore this bit; your 
  familiar is too smart for tricks and roles.  
  A familiar is a special spirit, directly bonded with you, 
  linked to your thoughts and perceptions. If you recast this 
  spell so your familiar takes the form of a different beast, 
  one with a lower Intelligence rating, the familiar does not 
  forget any tricks or roles it gained while its capacity for 
  such learning was higher. However, when the spirit 
  changes form, its new body may be unsuited to physically 
  perform some of its tricks or role functions. The best tricks 
  to teach a familiar are those that can be used in multiple 
  forms. 
  Find Steed. The spirit summoned by this spell can be 
  trained and managed 
  according to the 
  rules in this 
  supplement. The spirit has the rider-trained template by 
  default, and its advanced Intelligence rating gives it an 
  exceptional capacity for learning additional tricks. 
  Owing to your telepathic bond, and the nature of the 
  spell itself, your spirit steed always obeys you and it can 
  follow your orders with a precise understanding of your 
  desires. Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks are never 
  required to get the spirit to act as you wish. 
  Unlike a familiar, the spirit you summon assumes a static 
  form, and repeated castings summon the same spirit 
  unless you have permanently dismissed it. This means 
  that, if you wish to change the form of your mount, the new 
  spirit lacks any training the previous one acquired. 
  Find Greater Steed. Unless the creature’s natural 
  Intelligence rating is higher than 6, it can learn tricks and 
  roles as with the find steed spell. 
  Goodberry. This spell creates 10 potent magical berries 
  that can each feed a creature for 1 day. Any creature can be 
  sustained on a single daily berry, regardless of the 
  creature’s size or its normal dietary requirements, making 
  this an ideal spell when traveling. Otherwise, the weight of 
  animal feed can be prohibitive to carry, particularly on 
  long trips or for animals that can’t graze or hunt for 
  themselves. 
  Locate Animals or Plants. This spell provides an 
  instantaneous impression of the direction and distance to 
  a specified type of beast. 
  The spell’s five-mile range makes it an excellent tool to 
  start looking for a particular beast to stalk and acclimate, 
  and you don’t need to be close to begin this search. 
  However, by the time you reach the location, the animal 
  may have moved on. Using this spell repeatedly or at 
  times when the beast is likely to be resting in its den 
  gives you a better chance to find the animal’s home 
  territory. Having a map along is a great way to 
  chart the animal’s location at each casting. 
  This spell is limited in that it cannot locate a 
  specific member of the species sought. For areas 
  rife with the specified animal, the general nature 
  of the results can make the spell less useful. 
  Each casting might point to a different 
  member of the species and, particularly if 
  the animal is territorial, repeated castings 
  may lead you toward different animal dens. 
  This lack of specificity also means the spell 
  has little utility in finding an exceptional 
  specimen. Neither is it much help in tracking 
  down the specific creature that recently 
  attacked a villager’s livestock. However, if you are 
  looking for a specific beast that travels in a pack or 
  herd, judicious use of this spell may bring you into 
  
   
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  HANDLING ANIMALS 
  contact by leading you to other members of that same 
  group. 
  Locate Creature. Unlike the locate animals or plants 
  spell, this spell can help you find a specific creature. It also 
  has a one-hour duration, meaning your impression of the 
  creature’s direction and location are constantly updated; 
  you don’t have to make repeated castings if the animal is 
  mobile. 
  However, this spell has limitations. Primarily, to find a 
  specific creature, that creature must be “familiar” to you. 
  You must have seen the creature before, while within 30 
  feet of it. This may allow you to follow up on a chance 
  encounter with an animal, helping you track or trail the 
  creature to its lair. If an animal you are visiting for 
  acclimation moves its den, perhaps because of a botched 
  stalking attempt, this spell can also help you find the same 
  creature again. 
  The spell’s geographic limitations are its 1,000-foot 
  range and the fact that its sense is blocked by a body of 
  running water at least 10 feet wide. Familiarity with the 
  terrain (or a map) can help you plan a search pattern that 
  avoids obstruction by rivers and canals, maximizing your 
  chances of success. 
  You can also use locate creature to find a non-specific 
  creature, the closest of the type you seek. In this case, you 
  only need to have seen an example of the species (while 
  within 30 feet of it). 
  Magic Mouth. This costly spell is useful for delivering 
  commands to an animal in your absence. You create a 
  mouth on an immobile object, and the mouth speaks with 
  your voice and intonation whenever a predefined 
  circumstance triggers it. 
  A use of this spell might be as simple as scolding a 
  mastiff that tries to break into the pantry while you are 
  away. An animal trained to respond to your commands 
  might produce more complex behavior; perhaps a clever 
  baboon might give food to other animals in the house 
  when the mouth orders it to at set times of day. In a pinch, 
  a magic mouth might keep an animal in place for a long 
  time; it might keep ordering your pet boar to Stay 
  whenever its attention span fails and it tries to wander 
  from where you put it. 
  Phantom Steed. The quasi-real mount created with this 
  spell behaves in all ways as a rider-trained creature. The 
  phantom is an excellent combat mount; it does not require 
  Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks to control in battle. 
  Even though taking as little as 1 point of damage begins 
  the steed’s 1-minute countdown to disappearance, it 
  cannot be killed and will continue to serve ably during 
  those 10 rounds, a period longer than most combats will 
  last. 
  Rary’s Telepathic Bond. This spell establishes a 
  telepathic link, allowing true communication between the 
  caster and any linked animal, so long as that creature has 
  an Intelligence rating of 3 or higher. The benefits of true 
  communication are discussed in the prior section. 
  Speak with Animals. This spell allows 10 minutes of 
  true two-way verbal communication, even with animals 
  that otherwise lack sufficient intelligence to use or 
  understand languages. 
  This spell compounds the value of an animal trained to 
  scout or search an area. While an animal’s attention is 
  limited, using this spell can give you information about, for 
  example, what your hawk saw while hunting. It might 
  notice if there are bandits hiding behind those hills if you 
  are afraid of an ambush, or which way the river lies in case 
  you might be lost. With true communication, the animal 
  might even convey some sense of the bandit’s numbers or 
  a vague distance to the river. 
  Because this spell can be cast as a ritual, it allows 
  extensive, repeated transfers of information throughout 
  the day, all without spending a spell slot. Other magics are 
  more efficient in the realm of communication, but this spell 
  is common, low-level, and usable without expending 
  resources. 
  Tongues. The affected creature, even an animal of minimal 
  Intelligence rating, understands every spoken language 
  that it hears. However, the target creature’s “speaking” is 
  only understood if the target knows at least one language, 
  necessitating an Intelligence rating of 5 or higher. 
  A huge percentage of DMs already adopt this Small Group 
  Initiative variant rule in one form or another. So important 
  is it that it has its own section in this chapter. This rule 
  greatly streamlines the use of companions in the game. 
  With this rule, players control the combat actions of all 
  creatures “belonging” to their characters. This includes a 
  familiar, any animal companions the player’s character 
  handles, the creatures the character summons with spells, 
  and any NPCs assigned to the player. (See “Small Groups” 
  in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.) 
  These creatures have the same initiative as the player’s 
  character. They don’t roll initiative of their own, but if any 
  would have advantage or disadvantage on initiative, apply 
  that to the initiative roll of the player’s character. (This is a 
  variant of the “Side Initiative” rule in chapter 9 of the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.) 
  On each character’s initiative, its player decides which 
  order to take turns in for the character and its controlled 
  creatures. The controlling player can change this order 
  each round. 
   
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  PLAYER OPTIONS 
  CHAPTER 3: PLAYER OPTIONS 
  HILE ANIMALS ARE THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS 
  supplement, this chapter gives new options to 
  animal-handling player characters. A new Roguish 
  Archetype, the Beast Whisperer, uses animals to 
  infiltrate, spy, steal, con, and otherwise perform 
  roguish activities. New options are included for warlocks 
  with the Pact of the Chain feature. 
  Sets of new feats and spells give 
  animal-related functionality to 
  characters of different types. Finally, 
  this chapter addresses magic items for 
  animals and how animals can use various 
  magic items. 
  At 3rd level, a rogue gains the Roguish Archetype 
  feature. The following new option is available to a 
  rogue in addition to those offered in the Player’s 
  Handbook and in other official sources. 
  You leverage your understanding of animals, both their 
  unique behavior and capabilities. You can coax 
  animals into pilfering small objects or opening gate 
  latches from the inside. Perhaps you train animals to 
  perform tricks, holding the crowd’s attention while you 
  pick some pockets. Or you work side-by-side with 
  animals who harry troublesome foes in combat, 
  leaving them open to your well-placed blade. 
  The features in this archetype refer to “animals” in 
  the same sense as the term applies to other creatures 
  in the campaign. These features are otherwise 
  designed to work with (or without) the other rules 
  from this supplement. A beast whisperer depends on 
  acquiring animals to make use of class features, even 
  if this means purchasing basic animals from the short 
  list in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook. 
  Though working with such mundane animals, using 
  the features of this class does not count against the 
  maximum number of commands you can issue to animals 
  in each of your turns. 
  When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain 
  proficiency in the Animal Handling skill. If you are already 
  proficient with this skill, you gain another skill proficiency 
  of your choice. 
  As a Beast Whisperer, your animals are trained to watch 
  for your subtle signals, which you can issue while 
  bystanders are none the wiser. In the case of a 
  purposefully attentive watcher, you can issue verbal 
  commands that cannot be identified as such if you succeed 
  at a Charisma (Deception) check to hide them among 
  normal speech, or make gestured commands unnoticed 
  with a successful Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. In both 
  cases, the DC is the observers’ passive Perception score. 
   
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can 
  forgo one of your attacks and direct an animal that you 
  have trained to make an attack on your behalf. When you 
  do so, choose an animal you have trained that is within 30 
  feet of you. You must be able to see the animal, and the 
  animal must be able to see you. The animal uses its 
  reaction to make one of its own natural attacks. You can 
  apply your Sneak Attack damage to one creature the 
  animal hits with this attack, so long as you do not 
  otherwise use your Sneak Attack feature in the same turn. 
  Starting at 3rd level, the animals you have trained are 
  particularly efficient when following your orders. Such 
  animals add your proficiency bonus (in addition to their 
  own) for ability checks made under your direct command. 
  Additionally, if you use your action on your turn to 
  command the Attack generic action from an animal you 
  have trained, it adds your proficiency bonus to its own for 
  attack rolls on its next turn. 
  Starting at 9th level, you gain an exceptional insight into 
  the thought processes of animals. This allows you to 
  understand them intuitively. 
  If you spend at least 1 minute observing or 
  interacting with an animal outside of combat, 
  you can learn certain information about it. 
  The DM tells you two of the following 
  aspects of your choice: 
   
  • Whether any single ability score that 
  you select is equal to, superior to, or 
  inferior to your own rating 
  • The skills, if any, that the beast 
  has proficiency in 
  • One of the beast’s 
  characteristics, selected by 
  the DM, that you are not 
  yet aware of 
  • One condition the animal is 
  affected by, selected by the 
  DM, that you are not yet 
  aware of 
   
  Once you have used this 
  feature on a wild or feral 
  creature, you can use the 
  Animal Handling skill to calm it 
  as though it was a domestic 
  creature. This does not make the 
  creature friendly, but it may delay or suppress the 
  creature’s fight-or-flight instincts. 
  Beginning at 13th level, you can cause an animal 
  companion to suffer an attack meant for you, or vice versa. 
  When you or an animal you have trained are the 
  target of an attack while you are within 5 feet of 
  each other, you can use your reaction to change 
  the target of the attack from yourself to the animal, 
  or from the animal to yourself. You can choose to use 
  this feature after the attack is rolled, but before the 
  outcome is determined. 
  In the case of an area-affecting spell or effect, you 
  can instead use your reaction to give the benefit of 
  your Evasion feature to a single animal you have 
  trained and can see. This benefit applies to only 
  one effect. 
  At 17th level, you can better 
  attack in tandem with one or 
  more of your trained animals. 
  If you take the Attack action 
  on your turn, and one of your 
  trained animals is within 30 feet 
  of you and it is not incapacitated, 
  you can make one additional attack. 
  Additionally, when you use the 
  Split Skirmish feature, both you and 
  one of your trained animals can use 
  your Sneak Attack feature once on 
  your turn, so long as you apply it to 
  different targets. 
  WHISPERING TO ANIMALS 
  Unlike the Beast Master, this archetype does not form a 
  magical bond with animals. Instead, the Beast 
  Whisperer uses exceptional training methods to give 
  benefits to un-augmented animals. It is not limited to 
  having a single animal companion. 
  For an animal to count as “trained” by the Beast 
  Whisperer, the character must have taught it at least 
  one trick or role. If this Roguish Archetype is used 
  without the other new rules in this book (the tricks and 
  roles described in chapter 2), an animal can meet the 
  training requirement by participating in 5 days of the 
  Beast Whisperer’s downtime activity devoted to 
  training the creature. 
   
  
   
  58 
  PLAYER OPTIONS 
  This supplement enhances the options available to 
  warlocks that select the chain as their Pact Boon. 
  When you summon a familiar that takes the form of a 
  beast, your familiar assumes a planar template that 
  corresponds to the creature type you select for the spirit: 
  celestial, fey, or fiend. This allows you to approximate the 
  power of a special-form familiar without being limited to 
  the small set presented in the Player’s Handbook. 
  The template does not enhance a familiar that takes a 
  special form, an imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite. 
  These creatures already constitute enhanced versions of 
  the find familiar spell. 
  Warlocks with the Pact of the Chain feature can select 
  eldritch invocations from these new offerings. Any benefits 
  applied to animal companions are lost immediately if the 
  invocations are replaced. 
  Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature 
  You can cast the new bridle of madness spell at will, 
  without expending a spell slot. 
  Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature 
  Select three tricks from chapter 1 when you take this 
  eldritch invocation. Any creature you train in at least one 
  trick or role gains these bonus tricks, additional to any it 
  already knows. (The bonus tricks do not count against the 
  creature’s Intelligence-based capacity for learning tricks.) 
  The animal retains these bonus tricks for as long as you 
  know this eldritch invocation. 
  This section provides new feats and spells for players to 
  choose from. 
  For campaigns that use the variant Feats rule, the 
  following new options are available for animal handlers. 
  Prerequisite: Proficiency in the Animal Handling skill 
  Through natural inclination or learned ability, you master 
  the various techniques needed to train, handle, and 
  otherwise interact with animals using great efficiency. You 
  gain the following benefits. 
   
  • Increase your Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20. 
  • Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check 
  you make that uses the Animal Handling skill. 
  • Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check 
  you make that uses the Nature skill to recall or ascertain 
  information about animals, their capabilities, 
  weaknesses, habits, and the like. 
  • Each day you devote to the Animal Acclimation or 
  Animal Training downtime activity counts as two days 
  toward the animal’s development. 
  You are an expert at managing animals in combat. 
   
  • Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score 
  by 1, to a maximum of 20. 
  • No additional check or disadvantage penalty applies to 
  your attempts to handle an animal because of the 
  animal’s injuries. You can calm an injured animal you 
  handle if it is within 5 feet of you without needing the 
  normal check at the start of the turn. 
  • For the Assault, Harry, and Move tricks, you can 
  designate targets up to 60 feet away, rather than 30 feet. 
  • If an animal you handle within 60 feet of you is subjected 
  to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving 
  throw to take only half damage, you can use your 
  reaction to cause the creature to take half damage if it 
  fails the saving throw, and no damage if it succeeds. 
  You can form a magical bond with a willing animal using 
  an 8-hour ritual. Once bonded, the animal has the benefits 
  described below. If you bond with another animal, this 
  ends any previous bond created through this feat. 
   
  • You can use a bonus action to command your bonded 
  animal to take the same action that you take in the same 
  round, with the same targets if targeting is needed. 
  • While your bonded animal can see or hear you, it can use 
  your proficiency bonus in place of its own for any ability 
  check to perform as you have commanded it to do.  
  • While the animal is within 10 feet of you, it is immune to 
  the frightened and charmed conditions, though it can 
  still be charmed by your own spells and effects. 
  • If your game uses the optional loyalty rules for animals, 
  your bonded companion’s loyalty score for you will not 
  drop below 10, regardless of events or absence. 
  • If your target animal is also the subject of your Ranger’s 
  Companion feature, it may be size Large and up to CR 1. 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell 
  You can use a 10-minute ritual to create a magical bond 
  with a willing Tiny animal you touch—a creature that has a 
  challenge rating of 1 or lower that is not already a 
  familiar—turning it into your familiar. 
   
  • Your familiar acts independently of you, but always 
  obeys your commands. In combat, it rolls its own 
  initiative and acts on its own turn. 
  • While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you have a 
  telepathic bond with it, able to communicate 
  telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see 
  through your familiar’s eyes and hear what it hears until 
  the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any 
  special senses that the familiar has. During this time, you 
  are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses. 
  • When you cast a spell with a range of touch, your 
  familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. 
  Your familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must 
  use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If 
  the spell requires an attack roll, you use your attack 
  modifier for the roll. 
  • If the creature’s description includes a “familiar” variant 
  rule, like the imp, quasit, or pseudodragon, your bond 
  gains any additional effects of that variant rule. 
  • You can’t have more than one familiar at a time. If 
  you use this ritual or cast the find familiar 
  spell while you have a familiar, the existing 
  bond breaks and the previous creature is no 
  longer your familiar. 
  This section contains a handful of new 
  spells. These appear on the spell lists of 
  druids and rangers. 
  1st-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 30 feet 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour 
   
  Select a Large or smaller beast that you 
  can see within range. If its 
  Intelligence is 4 or higher, the spell 
  fails. Otherwise, the target must 
  succeed on a Wisdom 
  saving throw or 
  become charmed by 
  you. While the target is charmed in this way, vines in the 
  shape of a bridle or similar controlling harness appear on 
  its head, and its eyes glow a pale yellow. 
  The charmed beast is a willing mount for you if its size 
  and shape qualify it to serve you as such. (See chapter 2 for 
  an explanation of qualifying mounts.) The creature will 
  perform as if rider-trained, even in combat. It fulfills all of 
  a mount’s expected functions but does not otherwise 
  respond to your commands or serve in ways unrelated to 
  being ridden. 
  2nd-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 hour 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S, M (an agate worth at least 50 gp, which 
  the spell consumes) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  After one hour of ceremonial spellcasting and meditation, 
  you touch a willing beast of size Large or smaller, creating 
  a lasting bond. 
  The beast gains the ability to understand your speech, 
  regardless of what language you use. Additionally, while 
  you are alive and have 1 or more unspent hit dice, the 
  creature is immune to the instant death rule. See “Damage 
  and Healing” in the Player’s Handbook. 
  When you cast this spell, the affected beast is charmed 
  by you for 30 days or until you and your companions do 
  anything directly harmful to it. When the charmed 
  condition ends, the beast creature chooses whether to 
  remain friendly to you, based on how you 
  treated it while it was charmed. 
  If you cast this spell on another target, your 
  bond with any previous target ends. 
  1st-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  Range: 60 feet 
  Components: V, S, M (a small iron coin wrapped 
  in fur) 
   
  Choose a beast of size Medium or smaller that 
  you can see within range. The target must 
  succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be 
  paralyzed for the duration. At the end of each 
  of its turns, the target can make another 
  Wisdom saving throw. On a success, 
  the spell ends on the target. 
  
   
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  PLAYER OPTIONS 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell 
  slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional 
  beast of size Medium or smaller for each slot level above 
  1st. The beasts must be within 30 feet of each other when 
  you target them. 
  1st-level transmutation 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S, M (a handful of oak bark) 
  Duration: 8 hours 
   
  You touch a willing beast. Until the spell ends, the target’s 
  body takes on a rough, plant-like appearance, and the 
  target’s AC can’t be less than 16, 
  regardless of barding or other 
  protections. 
  1st-level conjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 30 feet 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  You create 48 pounds of 
  herbaceous feed. This is 
  suitable to meet the dietary 
  needs of equines like horses 
  or any creature that can 
  otherwise survive by 
  grazing. The created feed 
  appears on the ground 
  within range and dissolves 
  if not consumed within 24 
  hours. 
  2nd-level necromancy 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S, M (diamonds worth 100 gp, which the 
  spell consumes) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
   
  You return a dead beast you touch to life, provided that it 
  has been dead no longer than 1 day. The beast returns to 
  life with 1 hit point. 
  This spell also neutralizes any poison and cures 
  nonmagical diseases that affected the beast at the time it 
  died. This spell doesn’t remove magical diseases, curses, or 
  similar effects; if these aren’t first removed prior to casting 
  the spell, they take effect when the creature returns to life. 
  The spell can’t return an undead creature to life. 
  This spell closes all mortal wounds, but it doesn’t restore 
  missing body parts. If the creature is lacking body parts or 
  organs integral for its survival—its head, for instance—the 
  spell automatically fails. 
  5th-level conjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 60 feet 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
   
  You cause vines, weeds, and other vegetation to 
  sprout from the ground around you, twisting 
  and coalescing into the shape of one or 
  more beasts. These creatures form in 
  unoccupied spaces that you can see 
  within range. 
  Each creature has the statistics of the 
  beast that it imitates, except that its 
  creature type is plant instead of beast. 
  Each creature disappears when it 
  drops to 0 hit points or when the spell 
  ends. 
  The summoned creatures are 
  friendly to you and your companions. 
  Roll initiative for the summoned 
  creatures as a group, which has 
  its own turns. The creatures 
  obey any verbal commands that 
  you issue to them (no action required 
  by you). If you don’t issue any 
  commands to them, they defend 
  themselves from hostile creatures, but 
  otherwise take no actions. 
  Choose one of the following options for what 
  appears. 
   
  • One beast of challenge rating 5 or lower 
  • Two beasts of challenge rating 3 or lower 
  • Four beasts of challenge rating 2 or lower 
  • Eight beasts of challenge rating 1 or lower 
   
  The DM has these creatures’ statistics. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using certain 
  higher-level spell slots, you choose one of the summoning 
  options above, and more creatures appear: twice as many 
  with a 7th-level slot or three times as many with a 9th-
  level slot.  
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  1st-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: 8 hours 
   
  For the duration, you gain magical insight into the minds of 
  animals that are within 30 feet of you. You automatically 
  succeed at Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks to intuit an 
  animal’s intentions and you have advantage on all other 
  ability checks making use of that skill. 
  This section addresses magic items intended 
  for use by, or upon, animals. 
  Magic items that are merely worn, with passive 
  effects, are easiest for animals to use. These 
  require no considerations beyond the animal’s 
  physical ability to wear or carry them. Other 
  options raise additional challenges, particularly 
  because most animals lack the intellect to 
  purposefully attune and activate magic items. 
  Animals need an Intelligence rating of 5 or higher to 
  attune magic items without assistance, to cast 
  spells through a magic item, or to purposefully 
  activate any other function of a magic item. 
  At lower Intelligence ratings, animals 
  simply can’t comprehend the complexities 
  (or even the basics) of magic item use, even if 
  they have the right physical features to perform 
  the relevant activation action. 
  For activating magic items, this limitation can 
  be overcome on a case-by-case basis by 
  teaching the animal the Activate Magic Item 
  trick. For example, a parrot might be able to 
  produce a sound identical to the activation 
  word of a magic item, but it lacks the intellect to know 
  that the sound relates to the item activating unless trained 
  to make that association. 
  In addition to having an Intelligence rating of 5 or higher, 
  an animal needs features that allow it to match the 
  activation method required for an item’s purposeful 
  activation. 
  For example, 
  activating a scroll requires 
  the creature to understand a 
  written language. Activating an item that needs words or 
  button-pushing requires the animal to be able to articulate 
  the words or physically depress the buttons. Similarly, a 
  mouth lets an animal consume a potion, but the creature 
  might not be able to uncork and hold the bottle on its own. 
  Some magic items give the user the ability to cast spells. 
  Because spellcasting through magic items omits spell 
  components, animals would easily be able to make use of 
  
   
  62 
  PLAYER OPTIONS 
  them, but for the fact that most such items require 
  attunement by members of a stated character class. When 
  such flavors of attunement are not required, it is perfectly 
  reasonable, for example, to see a displacer beast wielding a 
  wand of magic missiles in one of its tentacles. 
  An animal with an Intelligence rating of 4 or lower cannot 
  attune a magic item on its own. Many magic items 
  intended for animals therefore don’t require attunement. 
  VARIANT: ASSISTED ATTUNEMENT 
  At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, animals with 
  Intelligence ratings of 4 or lower can attune a magic item 
  with assistance of a smarter creature who participates in 
  the one-hour process. In truth, it is the smarter creature 
  that is performing the work of attunement, while the 
  animal is the passive recipient of the attunement, 
  benefiting from that process. 
  When contemplating animals, existing magic items come in 
  three types: those intended for animals, those animals can 
  use despite the creators’ intentions, and those animals 
  cannot use. 
  Items already made for animals include saddle of the 
  cavalier, horseshoes of a zephyr, and horseshoes of speed. 
  There are very few items made uniquely for animals, 
  although this book adds more at the end of this chapter. 
  When adapting items to animals, the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide suggests that shapes need only generally match the 
  animal. For example, that a ring might be worn by placing 
  it on a creature’s tentacle. 
  The third category includes magic items with standard 
  enchantments that appear in forms specifically crafted for 
  use by animals. The magic items adapted most commonly 
  are those that require no purposeful activation, but it is 
  not unheard of for items that need activation or that 
  provide spellcasting to be made for smarter animals’ use. 
  Standard items crafted in animal-specific forms can’t 
  normally be worn by humanoids. Even though these items 
  magically resize, they do not reshape. For example, animal 
  boots have short feet (for hooves or paws) and require 
  four legs to wear. See “Wearing and Wielding Items” in 
  chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Quadrupedal animals that walk on paws, hooves, and 
  similar appendages can be fitted with foot protection to 
  suit difficult or dangerous terrain. These are sometimes 
  called hoof boots or paw protectors, but they are 
  interchangeable when created as magic items. Animal 
  boots come in sets of four, all four of which must be worn 
  by the beneficiary of the item’s effects. 
  Animal boots differ from horseshoes, which can only be 
  worn by hooved animals. 
  The following footwear from the Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  may appear as animal boots without altering their 
  mechanics: boots of elvenkind, boots of levitation, boots of 
  striding and springing, boots of the winterlands, horseshoes 
  of the zephyr, horseshoes of speed, slippers of spider 
  climbing, and winged boots. 
  Many types of animals can wear fitted covers, like 
  blankets, sweaters, or caparisons. These are particularly 
  common for horses. Covers can provide warmth, 
  depending on their construction, but are more likely to be 
  decorative, displaying the owner’s heraldry. Like barding, 
  animal covers can magically resize themselves, but they 
  are a bit more forgiving when it comes to covering animals 
  of different shapes. 
  Most magical capes, cloaks, and robes can appear as 
  animal covers. The following versions from the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide may take animal cover forms without 
  altering mechanics: cloak of arachnida, cloak of 
  displacement, cloak of elvenkind, cloak of invisibility, cloak 
  of protection, mantle of spell resistance, robe of eyes, robe of 
  scintillating colors, and wings of flying. 
  Barding comes configured for specific non-humanoid body 
  types. Its three categories are equine, canine, and exotic, as 
  described in chapter 4. Although magic barding will resize 
  itself to fit creatures of any size, an animal can’t wear 
  barding made for a creature with a different body shape. 
  For example, exotic barding built for a Large dragon will fit 
  a dragon of any size, but it won’t fit an elephant. 
  Magic barding must also conform to the restrictions 
  given in a magic item’s description. For example, plate 
  armor of etherealness appears only as plate armor; it 
  therefore can’t take the form of chainmail or studded 
  leather barding, just plate barding. 
  The following magic armors from the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide may appear as barding without altering mechanics: 
  adamantine armor, armor (+1, +2, or +3), armor of 
  invulnerability, armor of resistance, armor of vulnerability, 
  dragon scale armor, dwarven plate, elven chain, glamoured 
  studded leather, mariner’s armor, mithral armor, and plate 
  armor of etherealness. 
  Demon armor and efreeti chain may appear as barding, 
  but the wearer does not gain the ability to understand and 
  
   
  63 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  speak the item-granted languages unless its Intelligence 
  rating is 5 or higher. 
  Kernels are consumable items. Their potent magical 
  ingredients are condensed into small lumps, most taking 
  the size and shape of a nut. 
  All potions can appear in the form of kernels. 
  While humanoids can consume kernels, their odor and 
  flavor are particularly pleasing to animals. A kernel can be 
  administered to an animal within 30 feet by throwing it to 
  the animal as an action. The animal can use its reaction to 
  snatch the kernel out of the air with its mouth (or off the 
  ground, in the case of slower-moving creatures) gaining 
  the benefits of the kernel. An animal that cannot use its 
  reaction may instead use an action to find and consume 
  the kernel on its next turn. 
  Magic trinkets are charms or 
  icons that are worn 
  attached to the tack or 
  harness of an 
  animal. These are 
  usually made of 
  metal, wood, 
  or bone and 
  can take any 
  number of 
  interesting shapes, 
  typically something 
  representative of the trinket’s magic. For example, a 
  trinket that provides the protection of the feather fall spell 
  may be shaped like a bird or a feather (or it may be an 
  actual feather). 
  Many amulets, brooches, rings, and other magic jewelry 
  can be made as magic trinkets. The following versions 
  from the Dungeon Master’s Guide may appear as trinkets 
  without altering mechanics: amulet of health, amulet of 
  proof against detection and location, brooch of shielding, 
  necklace of adaptation, periapt of health, periapt of proof 
  against poison, periapt of wound closure, ring of evasion, 
  ring of feather falling, ring of free action, ring of invisibility, 
  ring of jumping, ring of protection, ring of regeneration, ring 
  of resistance, ring of swimming, ring of warmth, ring of 
  water walking, scarab of protection, and stone of good luck. 
  These items are presented in alphabetical order. Each 
  description includes the item’s name, category, rarity, and 
  magical properties. To maintain compatibility with 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and Wraith Wright’s 
  Comprehensive Wealth Manual, each item also states 
  whether it is major or minor and lists a specific gp value. 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) 
  These sturdy cloth bands come in pairs. They resize to fit 
  snugly around the wrist or ankle of the wearer. If two 
  different creatures wear the bands, and at least one of the 
  wearers is a beast, any magical healing that one wearer 
  receives also applies to the other wearer. The bands do not 
  function while the wearers are farther than 60 feet apart. 
  Value: 375 gp, major 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) 
  This harness will reshape itself to fit any animal with a 
  snout or elongated head, like a dog or a horse. 
  An attuned wearer’s Intelligence score is 6 while 
  wearing this bridle. It has no effect if the creature’s 
  Intelligence is already 6 or higher. 
  Value: 375 gp, major 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) 
  The wearer of this cover takes on a specific disguise, 
  appearing to be a different animal of a very similar shape. 
  The creature appears to be of the same size category, but 
  the disguise can be 1 foot taller, shorter, wider, or thinner 
  than the animal. 
  The disguise provided by a cover of disguise is 
  determined when the item is created, including the exact 
  features, coloration, and worn items or barding. (The 
  disguise can even alter the appearance of this cover or 
  make it seem as though the animal is wearing nothing at 
  all.) This disguise can’t be changed later; it applies 
  consistently to each qualifying animal that wears it. 
  A cover of disguise has no effect when placed on a 
  creature that doesn’t physically resemble the item’s 
  disguise. The animal can’t change its body type, so the 
  disguise must apply a form that has the same basic 
  arrangement of limbs. For example, a horse could be 
  affected by a disguise that looks like a different-looking 
  horse or a unicorn, but it could not appear to be a pegasus 
  because the extra wings are limbs. 
  Value: 125 gp, minor 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) 
  Jesses are thin leather leashes that attach to the ankle of a 
  hunting bird, allowing the handler to better control the 
  
   
  64 
  PLAYER OPTIONS 
  creature when held or to tie the creature to a perch. This 
  pair must be worn together to have any effect. 
  Any bird of prey with the beast creature type can wear 
  the daunting jesses, gaining advantage on initiative rolls. 
  Any creature that the bird attacks with its talons must 
  make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened 
  until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds on 
  this saving throw is unaffected by the daunting jesses for 
  24 hours. 
  Value: 275 gp, minor 
  Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) 
  This harness supports two prosthetic arms with hands. It 
  is designed to allow arm-less creatures to pick up and 
  manipulate objects in the environment. When worn, the 
  arms fold or flatten to the wearer’s body to stay out of the 
  way. By concentrating, the creature can use the arms and 
  hands as a normal humanoid would, lifting, carrying, and 
  manipulating objects. For example, a pegasus wearing this 
  harness could pull a potion from its saddlebags, remove 
  the cork, and hold the bottle to its mouth for drinking. 
  The hands of the harness of articulation are not 
  particularly dexterous; they cannot shape somatic 
  components, make unarmed attacks, wield weapons, or 
  don a shield. Any activity that requires a Dexterity check, 
  like trying to pick a lock with thieves’ tools, applies 
  disadvantage to the roll. If the wearer loses concentration 
  while using this harness, the arms drop whatever they are 
  holding and return to their folded default position. 
  As a worn item, this object resizes itself for creatures of 
  any size, but it is also versatile enough to be configured to 
  fit a variety of body types, from horses to giant snakes. 
  Value: 775 gp, major 
  Weapon (weapon-like device), rare 
  While these cold-forged horseshoes are affixed to the 
  hooves of a horse or similar creature, the wearer is 
  affected by the protection from evil and good spell effective 
  only against fey creatures. 
  Any hoof attacks by the wearer of these horseshoes are 
  considered to come from magic weapons. When the 
  wearer makes a successful attack with its hooves against a 
  fey creature, it deals an additional 1d6 necrotic damage. 
  Value: 750 gp, major 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  These heavy horseshoes emit an ominous rumbling when 
  the wearer runs, much louder than the tramp of normal 
  horses’ hooves. Once on each of its turns, when a creature 
  wearing all four shoes makes an attack with its hooves, 
  each creature within 5 feet of the wearer (other than its 
  riders) must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or 
  suffer 1d8 thunder damage. 
  Value: 750 gp, major 
  A harness of articulation 
  
   
  65 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Wondrous item, very rare 
  This set of two metal disks bears the image of an eye on 
  each one. The handler’s item hangs on a pendant and the 
  matching piece is born by an animal as a trinket. 
  The wearer of the handler’s pendant can use an action to 
  see through the eyes of the creature bearing the trinket, so 
  long as the bearer of the trinket has an Intelligence rating 
  of 6 or lower. While doing so, the wearer of the pendant 
  gains the benefit of any special senses possessed 
  by the bearer of the trinket. 
  This effect relies upon the items of 
  this set being within 100 feet of 
  each other. The effect lasts until 
  the start of the user’s next turn. 
  During this time, the user is 
  blind with regard to its own 
  sense of sight. 
  Value: 435 gp, major 
  Wondrous item, uncommon 
  This item takes the form of regular 
  saddlebags, two connected bags worn across a 
  creature’s back, typically behind a saddle, one bag hanging 
  to either side of the creature. These bags use 
  extradimensional spaces to carry great quantities of 
  fodder, hay in one bag and water in the other. 
  When herbaceous feed is placed into the hay bag, it goes 
  into an extradimensional space that can contain up to 500 
  pounds of the feed. Similarly, when water is placed into the 
  water bag, its extradimensional space can contain up to 
  500 gallons. These provisions are kept fresh and unspoiled 
  in this magical environment. 
  If items other than herbaceous feed or water are placed 
  into either bag, those items are contained in the bag’s 
  regular space. However, most users of this item leave the 
  bags empty of other equipment because accessing the feed 
  or water requires tipping the bag to pour out its contents, 
  which will also tip out anything carried in the bags’ 
  mundane spaces. 
  Saddlebags of provender weigh 30 pounds empty. The 
  magical food in the extradimensional space adds no 
  weight, but items in the saddlebags’ regular spaces add 
  their weights accordingly. 
  Placing this item inside an extradimensional space 
  created by a bag of holding, portable hole, or similar item 
  instantly destroys both items and opens a gate to the 
  Astral Plane. The gate originates where the one item was 
  placed inside the other. Any creature within 10 feet of the 
  gate is sucked through it to a random location on the Astral 
  Plane. The gate then closes. The gate is one-way and can’t 
  be reopened. 
  Value: 180 gp, minor 
  Wondrous item, very rare 
  This book contains magic to enhance an animal. 
  If you spend 48 hours over a period of 5 days 
  reading this tome to another creature, the 
  target creature’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and 
  Charisma scores increase by 2 each, to maximum 
  ratings of 6. The manual then loses its magic but 
  regains it in a century. 
  Value: 24,000 gp, major 
  Wondrous item, uncommon 
  While wearing this coral trinket, an air-
  breathing creature with the beast type can 
  breathe water while submerged in it, even 
  partially. If the creature is water-breathing, it 
  can instead breathe air while it is emerged from 
  the water. 
  Value: 325 gp, minor 
  Wondrous item, common 
  A beast that wears this sandalwood trinket gains benefits 
  in relation to other animals. Regardless of species, no other 
  beasts consider the wearer to be their natural prey, nor do 
  they consider the wearer to be a predator unless it acts in 
  a hostile manner. 
  For example, a mule tied up to wait alone in the woods 
  won’t be attacked by cougars, and a wolf passing quietly 
  among livestock won’t spook them. 
  Value: 220 gp, minor 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement by a 
  creature with an Intelligence rating of 6 or lower) 
  This item appears to be a tiny pearl enmeshed in a golden 
  net. The first time the wearer would drop to 0 hit points 
  from taking damage, it instead drops to 1 hit point, and 
  this item becomes unattuned. If the item is still attuned 
  when the target is subjected to an effect that would kill it 
  instantaneously without dealing damage, that effect is 
  instead negated against the target, and the item becomes 
  unattuned. 
  Value: 3,750 gp, major 
  
   
  66 
  PLAYER OPTIONS 
  Wondrous item, uncommon 
  While wearing this onyx trinket, the creature has 
  darkvision to a range of 60 feet. If the creature already has 
  darkvision, this trinket increases the range by 60 feet. 
  Value: 220 gp, minor 
  Wondrous item, uncommon 
  This trinket takes the form of an iron coin. If worn by a 
  spirit that was summoned with the find familiar, find steed, 
  or find greater steed spell, the creature retains its worn 
  equipment when it disappears, whether it disappeared 
  because it was dismissed or because it was reduced to 0 
  hit points. When the creature is summoned again, it 
  returns with the equipment it disappeared with. 
  This affects tack and harness, saddle, barding, magic 
  items, and any other of the creature’s worn gear. It does 
  not otherwise affect carried items, nor will it affect a worn 
  magic item that gives access to an extradimensional space, 
  like a bag of holding. Although a worn pack saddle or 
  saddlebags are affected, any luggage or burdens within (or 
  attached to) such containers are not. If the spirit creature 
  is ever permanently dismissed, it leaves behind its worn 
  equipment, including this token. 
  Value: 150 gp, minor 
  Armor (light or medium barding), rare (requires 
  attunement) 
  As a bonus action, an animal wearing this barding can 
  teleport, along with any riders and gear it is carrying, to an 
  unoccupied space it can see within 30 feet. Immediately 
  after teleporting this way, draw a line between the 
  creature’s old location and new location. A momentary 
  gust of strong wind travels down this line extending ten 
  feet to either side of it. The wind disperses gas or vapor, 
  and it extinguishes candles, torches, and other unprotected 
  flames in the area. 
  If this teleportation feature is used within 1 hour of a 
  previous use, roll a d20. On a 6–20, the item functions as 
  normal. On a 2–5, the item fails to activate, and the bonus 
  action is wasted. On a 1, the creature arrives at a different 
  unoccupied space within range, one selected randomly or 
  by the Dungeon Master. 
  If this barding’s wearer does not have an Intelligence 
  rating of 5 or higher, the item can be activated by a handler 
  who helped the animal attune the item, while the handler 
  is in contact with the animal or riding it. In this case, it is 
  the handler who must use a bonus action. 
  Value: 2,450 gp, major 
  Armor (chain mail equine barding), rare 
  This glamorous chain mail horse armor appears to be 
  made of links of silver and gold. When activated, spectral 
  wings appear from the wearer’s shoulders, giving it the 
  look of a pegasus. 
  Regardless of Intelligence rating, any wearer proficient 
  with this armor may activate it with a reaction (and will 
  instinctively do so as quickly as practicable in combat). 
  While the wings are out, any creature who targets the 
  barding’s wearer with an attack or a harmful spell must 
  first make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the 
  creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or 
  spell. This effect doesn’t protect the wearer from area 
  effects, such as the explosion of a fireball, nor does the 
  animal’s rider gain these benefits. 
  The effect lasts for one minute, or until the wearer 
  makes an attack, casts a spell that affects an enemy, or 
  deals damage to another creature. If the wings disappear 
  because of the wearer’s actions, the item cannot be 
  activated again for one hour. 
  Value: 2,000 gp, major 
  Wondrous Item, uncommon 
  This sturdy double harness has a versatile design that fits 
  nearly any pair of Large quadrupedal animals. 
  When worn by two such creatures, this 50-lb. object 
  becomes weightless and it doubles the combined weight 
  the two animals can pull or drag. When pulling a wagon, 
  plow, sled, or similar burden, the animals do not need to 
  spend extra movement to traverse difficult terrain. 
  Value: 125 gp, minor 
  
   
  67 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  These powers are rewards from beings of great force or 
  great magical power. They can be acquired by characters 
  and by animal companions alike. 
  An animal that has a blessing should have an increased 
  market value, but the exact change in value is hard to 
  quantify. Charms do not tend to make an animal more 
  valuable since they last only until used; proving that an 
  animal can use a charm tends to waste the charm’s only 
  use. The additional value is left to the imagination of the 
  Dungeon Master. 
  Supernatural gifts are further described in chapter 7 of 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide, under “Other Rewards.” 
  Normal blessings are rewards for performing great works 
  on behalf of a deity, or they are granted to assist in the 
  performance of great works. 
  When animals receive blessings, they are more likely to 
  be agents of a deity, blessed to increase the animal’s 
  chance of success for a particular mission. For example, a 
  paladin that swears to a holy quest may find an animal 
  with a blessing, a creature sent by a god to help the paladin 
  complete that quest. 
  The following examples expand the selection provided in 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Blessing of Adaption. This blessing grants you the 
  ability to breathe water and provides a swimming speed 
  equal to your normal speed. 
  Blessing of Agility. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, 
  up to a maximum of 22. 
  Blessing of Arachnida. You have a climbing speed equal 
  to your walking speed. You can move up, down, and across 
  vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while 
  leaving your hands free. 
  Blessing of Courage. You are immune to the frightened 
  condition. 
  Blessing of Cunning. Your Intelligence score increases 
  by 2, up to a maximum of 22. 
  Blessing of Personality. Your Charisma score increases 
  by 2, up to a maximum of 22. 
  Blessing of Power. Your Strength score increases by 2, 
  up to a maximum of 22. 
  Blessing of Resistance. You have resistance to a single 
  type of damage from the following list: acid, cold, fire, 
  lightning, necrotic, poison, radiant, or thunder. You can 
  benefit from multiple instances of this blessing, so long as 
  each applies to a different damage type. 
  Blessing of Telepathy. This blessing grants you the 
  benefits of a helm of telepathy. 
  Blessing of the Planar. You are immune to the negative 
  plane-specific effects that natives of the Material Plane 
  suffer when visiting other planes. 
  Charms are single-use or limited-use supernatural gifts. 
  They come from a variety of sources. Animals most often 
  acquire charms by visiting magical locations. For example, 
  certain holy shrines, enchanted glades, or planer nexuses 
  naturally invest charms in the animals who spend a day or 
  more there. Finding one of these places of power, one close 
  enough to be revisited with some frequency, can itself be 
  considered a treasure like a significant magic item. 
  Charm of Animal Allies. This charm allows the holder to 
  gain the benefits of a potion of animal friendship as an 
  action. Once the holder does so, the charm vanishes. 
  Charm of Comprehension. This charm allows the holder 
  to cast the comprehend languages spell as an action. No 
  components are required. Once used three times, the 
  charm leaves the holder. 
  Charm of Elemental Warding. This charm allows the 
  holder to cast the absorb elements spell (1st-level version) 
  as a reaction. No components are required. Once used 
  three times, the charm leaves the holder. 
  Charm of Enhanced Health. This charm allows the 
  holder to cast the false life spell (1st-level version) at will, 
  as an action. No components are required. Once used for 
  the first time, the charm leaves the holder after 1 day. 
  Charm of Fast Fleeing. This charm allows the holder to 
  cast the expeditious retreat spell as a bonus action. No 
  components are required. Once used three times, the 
  charm leaves the holder. 
  Charm of False Flames. This allows the holder to cast 
  the faerie fire spell as an action. No components are 
  required. After five uses, the charm leaves the holder. 
  Charm of Invulnerability. This charm allows the holder 
  to gain the benefits of a potion of invulnerability as an 
  action. Once the holder does so, the charm vanishes. 
  Charm of Seeing. This grants the holder the benefits of a 
  robe of eyes. Once activated as an action, the benefits lasts 
  5 days, after which the charm leaves the holder. 
  Charm of Telekinesis. This charm has 10 charges. The 
  holder can use an action and expend 1 charge to cast 
  telekinesis. This spell can only target objects not being 
  worn or carried. No components are required. Once all its 
  charges have been expended, the charm leaves the holder. 
  Charm of Warding Force. This allows the holder to cast 
  the shield spell as a reaction. No components are required. 
  Once used three times, the charm leaves the holder.
  
   
  68 
  PLAYER OPTIONS 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  69 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  CHAPTER 4: ANIMAL MARKETS 
  NIMALS ARE THINGS OF VALUE. ALTHOUGH THEIR GREATEST 
  worth is rooted in companionship, animals are still 
  quantifiable in terms of the wealth and time needed 
  to buy, train, and keep them. 
  This chapter includes equipment for girding and 
  using animals during adventures, and market prices for 
  animals as trade goods, mounts, and monsters. 
  The animal-specific adventuring gear and weapons in this 
  chapter greatly expand upon the options found in the 
  Player’s Handbook. This gear is particularly useful for 
  campaigns that focus on travel or for military campaigns 
  wherein the players fill cavalry roles or similarly work 
  with beasts of war. This gear is repeated as an excerpt 
  from Wraith Wright’s Comprehensive Equipment Manual. 
  Descriptions for animal-specific gear are provided here, 
  listed alphabetically. 
  Barding (all). Barding is armor designed to protect 
  mounts or other animals. It typically covers the head, neck, 
  and body, leaving the legs relatively free of impediment (and 
  free of protection). 
  Any armor shown on the Armor table in chapter 5 of the 
  Player’s Handbook can be purchased as, or crafted as, 
  animal barding. (See also “Armor” in the Comprehensive 
  Equipment Manual.) The costs and weights are shown as 
  multiples of the equivalent armor when made for 
  humanoids. For example, “x2” cost doubles what the armor 
  would normally cost. 
  Canine barding typically fits all canines of the same size 
  and equine barding typically fits all equines of the same 
  size. Horses and dogs are ubiquitous mounts for Medium 
  and Small creatures, such that their armor is more 
  command and cheapter to buy than it is for any other 
  creatures. But exotic barding is more specialized, made for 
  animals of a specific species as well as a specific size. 
  For example, despite both being Large size, an 
  allosaurus’ exotic barding will not fit a rhinoceros. 
  Bit and Bridle. Most mounts require some sort of head 
  harness, something attached to a lead that is held by the 
  rider or nearby handler. In the case of traditionally 
  trained mounts, a bit and bridle allow the rider to 
  direct the animal and keep it restrained. For optimal 
  control, animals of various kinds require different 
  sizes, shapes, and secondary functions built into 
  these devices. For short-necked creatures, like dogs, 
  this means a collar. 
  Canine bridles typically fit canines of any species, and 
  equine bridles typically fit equines of any species, but 
  exotic bridles are made for animals of a specific species as 
  well as a specific size. For example, despite being the same 
  size, a Large dragon’s exotic bridle cannot be transferred 
  to a giant seahorse. 
  Blinkers. Standard blinkers are made for equine 
  creatures: horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. They are 
  usually attached to the animal’s bridle and cover most (or 
  all) of each eye with a cup-shaped device. Blinkers can 
  control an animal’s field of vision, restricting the animal to 
  seeing only what is in front of it. 
  This item prevents distractions and, at the DM’s 
  discretion, can prevent the animal’s handler from having 
  to make Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks under some 
  circumstances. A creature wearing blinkers has 
  disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on 
  vision. A creature wearing blinkers that fully cover its eyes 
  instead has the blinded condition. 
  Blinkers, Exotic. Exotic blinkers are made for a specific 
  type of creature. Some animals have multiple sets of eyes or 
  otherwise require unusually constructed blinkers. Some 
  exotic blinkers have additional functionality. For example, 
  exotic blinkers might fully cover a creature’s eyes until the 
  rider pulls a special cord to reveal them. This facilitates 
  using the animal’s gaze as a weapon, as with the basilisk’s 
  petrification or the catoblepas’ death ray. 
  A creature wearing blinkers has disadvantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on 
  vision. A creature wearing blinkers that 
  fully cover its eyes instead has the 
  blinded condition. 
   
  
   
  70 
  ANIMAL MARKETS 
   
   
   
  ADVENTURING GEAR (TACK AND HARNESS) 
  Item 
  Cost 
  Weight 
   
  Item 
  Cost 
  Weight 
  Barding 
   
   
   
  Howdah 
   
   
     Canine (Large) 
  x3 
  x2 
   
     Exotic (Gargantuan) 
  190 gp 
  455 lb. 
     Canine (Medium) 
  x2 
  x1 
   
     Exotic (Huge) 
  65 gp 
  235 lb. 
     Equine (Large) 
  x4 
  x2 
   
     Exotic (Large) 
  35 gp 
  125 lb. 
     Equine (Medium) 
  x3 
  x1 
   
  Muzzle 
   
   
     Exotic (Gargantuan) 
  x10 
  x8 
   
     Gargantuan or Huge 
  8 gp 
  4 lb. 
     Exotic (Huge) 
  x7 
  x4 
   
     Large or Medium 
  2 gp 
  1 lb. 
     Exotic (Large) 
  x5 
  x2 
   
     Small or Tiny 
  1 gp 
  1/2 lb. 
     Exotic (Medium) 
  x4 
  x1 
   
  Saddlebags 
  4 gp 
  8 lb. 
     Exotic (Small) 
  x3 
  x1/2 
   
  Saddle, canine (Large or Medium) 
   
   
     Exotic (Tiny) 
  x2 
  x1/4 
   
     Military 
  12 gp 
  25 lb. 
  Bit and bridle 
   
   
   
     Pack 
  3 gp 
  10 lb. 
     Canine (Large) 
  3 gp 
  1 lb. 
   
     Riding 
  6 gp 
  20 lb. 
     Canine (Medium) 
  2 gp 
  1/2 lb. 
   
  Saddle, equine (Large or Medium) 
   
   
     Equine (Large) 
  2 gp 
  1 lb. 
   
     Military 
  20 gp 
  30 lb. 
     Equine (Medium) 
  2 gp 
  1/2 lb. 
   
     Pack 
  5 gp 
  15 lb. 
     Exotic (Gargantuan) 
  18 gp 
  8 lb. 
   
     Riding 
  10 gp 
  25 lb. 
     Exotic (Huge) 
  10 gp 
  4 lb. 
   
  Saddle, exotic (Gargantuan) 
   
   
     Exotic (Large) 
  6 gp 
  2 lb. 
   
     Military 
  225 gp 
  70 lb. 
     Exotic (Medium) 
  5 gp 
  1 lb. 
   
     Pack 
  60 gp 
  55 lb. 
  Blinkers 
  1 gp 
  1 lb. 
   
     Riding 
  120 gp 
  65 lb. 
  Blinkers, exotic 
  4 gp 
  1½ lb. 
   
     Strap 
  210 gp 
  70 lb. 
  Body harness 
   
   
   
  Saddle, exotic (Huge) 
   
   
     Gargantuan 
  80 gp 
  55 lb. 
   
     Military 
  105 gp 
  50 lb. 
     Huge 
  30 gp 
  35 lb. 
   
     Pack 
  30 gp 
  35 lb. 
     Large 
  15 gp 
  17 lb. 
   
     Riding 
  60 gp 
  45 lb. 
     Medium 
  8 gp 
  8 lb. 
   
     Strap 
  120 gp 
  50 lb. 
     Small 
  3 gp 
  3 lb. 
   
  Saddle, exotic (Large) 
   
   
     Tiny 
  1 gp 
  1 lb. 
   
     Military 
  52 gp 
  40 lb. 
  Cage 
   
   
   
     Pack 
  15 gp 
  25 lb. 
     Gargantuan 
  950 gp 
  3,800 lb. 
   
     Riding 
  30 gp 
  35 lb. 
     Huge 
  300 gp 
  675 lb. 
   
     Strap 
  60 gp 
  40 lb. 
     Large 
  120 gp 
  300 lb. 
   
  Saddle, exotic (Medium) 
   
   
     Medium 
  40 gp 
  75 lb. 
   
     Military 
  26 gp 
  30 lb. 
     Small 
  15 gp 
  60 lb. 
   
     Pack 
  8 gp 
  15 lb. 
     Tiny 
  5 gp 
  25 lb. 
   
     Riding 
  15 gp 
  25 lb. 
  Falconry kit 
  3 gp 
  2 lb. 
   
     Strap 
  30 gp 
  30 lb. 
  Feed 
   
   
   
  Saddle, exotic (Small) 
   
   
     Grain (oats) 
  1 sp 
  4 lb. 
   
     Military 
  13 gp 
  20 lb. 
     Herbaceous (hay) 
  2 cp 
  4 lb. 
   
     Pack 
  4 gp 
  5 lb. 
     Meat (scraps) 
  1 sp 
  1 lb. 
   
     Riding 
  8 gp 
  15 lb. 
  Hobble 
  2 gp 
  2 lb. 
   
     Strap 
  15 gp 
  20 lb. 
  Hobble, exotic 
  5 gp 
  4 lb. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  71 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Body Harness (any). These sets of secure straps serve 
  multiple functions. Typically, they allow an animal to draw 
  vehicles such as carts or wagons, attaching the worn harness 
  to one or two of the vehicle’s forward-pointing shafts. The 
  straps are placed in such a way as to distribute the force 
  evenly across the most accommodating surface of the 
  animal’s body. A body harness can also be re-configured to 
  help lift or carry an animal. In this case, straps are shifted to 
  more supportive positions on the animal’s body, suitable to 
  raising or lowering it, perhaps via block and tackle. 
  Travelers navigating rough terrain may find such tools 
  necessary to bring their mounts across steep hills, cliffs, or 
  similar obstacles. 
  Cage (any). A cage is large enough for an animal of the 
  listed size to stand within it, turn around fully, and lie down. 
  (A winged creature does not have space to fully spread its 
  wings.) A cage’s size rating must fit a contained creature’s 
  size exactly; too small a cage prevents the creature from 
  fitting into it while too large a cage might allow the creature 
  to escape through the spacing in the bars. 
  Cages are made of iron, with Armor Class 19. These 
  resilient objects usually have hit points and damage 
  thresholds as follows: Tiny (5/1), Small (10/2), Medium 
  (18/4), Large (27/6), Huge (39/8), and Gargantuan 
  (54/12). Because they are constructed to resist intentional 
  breakage by their contained creatures, cages are typically 
  immune to damage from natural attacks. Additional 
  information on the health of objects can be found in the 
  “Objects” section of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Carriage. An animal-drawn, wheeled conveyance 
  designed for passenger use rather than utility. A carriage, or 
  “coach,” is typically drawn by two or four horses, but can be 
  pulled by a single beast. A driver usually sits on a front-
  mounted exterior bench. A carriage comfortably seats four 
  passengers. 
  Carriage, Grand. A larger version of a carriage, the 
  grand carriage is built with expensive materials and crafted 
  to show wealth and status. This vehicle is typically drawn by 
  four, six, or eight horses. A driver rides on a front-mounted 
  bench and a set of handholds and footholds allow a pair of 
  attendants or soldiers to ride on the back. A grand carriage 
  comfortably seats six passengers. 
  DRAWN VEHICLES 
  If you have proficiency with “vehicle (land),” you can 
  add your proficiency bonus to any check you make to 
  control drawn vehicles in difficult circumstances. You 
  also add your proficiency bonus to the Armor Class and 
  saving throws of a vehicle you operate. 
  The normal operation of vehicles requires no ability 
  checks, but difficult maneuvers do. Use vehicle (land) 
  proficiency to navigate rough terrain (DC 10), assess a 
  vehicle’s condition (DC 15), or perform a difficult 
  maneuver making a tight turn at high speed (DC 20). 
  Pullers (Horsepower). On the Drawn Vehicles table, 
  after each vehicle’s name is a parenthetical range for 
  the minimum and maximum number of animals that 
  can be harnessed to the vehicle. Drawn vehicles move 
  at the speed of their slowest pulling animal. 
  Animals pulling a drawn vehicle can move weight 
  based on their combined carrying capacities. So long as 
  the vehicle’s wheels, skis, or skids are functional and 
  used on appropriate terrain, multiply these combined 
  scores by 5 when calculating normal carrying capacity 
  and “push, drag, or lift” capacity. 
  Beasts of Burden. Horses are the most common 
  beasts of burden for vehicles, particularly draft horses. 
  (Small-size races prefer mastiffs to draw vehicles.) 
  These creatures are described in the Player’s Handbook 
  and the Monster Manual. 
  Aside from these animals, yaks, water buffalo, and 
  similar cattle are often used as vehicle-pulling beasts of 
  burden, particularly in rural areas. These use the cow 
  (ox) stat block from Volo’s Guide to Monsters. 
  DRAWN VEHICLES 
  Item 
  Cost 
  Weight 
   
  Item 
  Cost 
  Weight 
  Carriage (1-4 pullers) 
  100 gp 
  400 lb. 
   
  Sled (1-2 pullers) 
  15 gp 
  180 lb. 
  Carriage, grand (4-8 pullers) 
  400 gp 
  1,300 lb. 
   
  Sled, dog (1-16 pullers) 
  20 gp 
  300 lb. 
  Cart (1 puller) 
  15 gp 
  200 lb. 
   
  Sleigh (2-8 pullers) 
  30 gp 
  400 lb. 
  Cart, dog (1 puller) 
  9 gp 
  80 lb. 
   
  Trap (1 puller) 
  55 gp 
  180 lb. 
  Chariot, heavy (2-6 pullers) 
  350 gp 
  380 lb. 
   
  Wagon, covered (2-6 pullers) 
  60 gp 
  800 lb. 
  Chariot, light (1-4 pullers) 
  250 gp 
  250 lb. 
   
  Wagon, flatbed (2-6 pullers) 
  35 gp 
  600 lb. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  72 
  ANIMAL MARKETS 
  Cart. A small, animal-drawn conveyance with two or four 
  wheels, designed to carry cargo rather than passengers. 
  Cart, Dog. A smaller version of the cart, typically with 
  only two wheels. Dog carts are designed to be pulled by a 
  dog or other beast smaller than a horse. 
  Chariot, Heavy. A heavy conveyance drawn by two or 
  four animals, usually horses. Up to three riders stand on a 
  rolling platform, it’s short front and side walls sheltering 
  them from the waist down. 
  Chariot, Light. This light conveyance can be drawn by as 
  few as one animal, usually a horse. A single rider stands on 
  the rolling platform, sheltered from the waist down by the 
  chariot’s front and side walls. 
  Falconry Kit. This kit comes in a satchel that contains all 
  the tack needed to manage birds of prey. It includes a thick 
  glove for the animal to perch on, a hood that blindfolds the 
  creature, a 50-foot lightweight cord leash, and additional 
  equipment needed to care for, train, and hunt with animals 
  of this sort. 
   Feed (any). The type of food needed for different animals 
  varies significantly. Omnivores can typically eat any kind of 
  feed, as well as rations. Herbivores, particularly equines, can 
  survive on grass, hay, and other herbaceous plants. High-
  value feed, like oats, is simply a luxury and is unhealthy for 
  such animals to eat all the time. Dogs and other carnivores 
  require meat for most of their diet. As feed, this typically 
  takes the form of dried meat scraps or meat ground up with 
  absorbent grains. Meat feed lasts for about seven days 
  before it becomes spoiled and worthless. 
  Most creatures can forage or hunt for themselves, given 
  enough time and left to their own devices. Feed is only 
  needed when animals are kept caged or stabled, worked or 
  ridden longer than eight hours in a day, or otherwise 
  prevented from finding their own food for significant 
  portions of the day. Tiny creatures need only 1/4 pound of 
  food per day for sustenance. Small and Medium creatures 
  need 1 pound. Large creatures need 4 pounds, Huge 
  creatures need 16 pounds, and Gargantuan creatures need 
  64 pounds of food per day. The DM is the final arbiter of 
  each animal’s needs for quantity and type of food. 
  Hobble. A hobble is a set of manacles for an animal, 
  particularly suited for equines like horses. Equines will 
  typically graze in a small area while hobbled and can be left 
  alone for hours. Other animals, like dogs, are less docile and 
  will chew through the restraint; such creatures are instead 
  leashed when left unattended. Some hobbles are built weakly 
  so a truly panicked creature can break free, running away at 
  full speed if attacked by a predator or otherwise seriously 
  threatened. Hobbles are also used as training tools for 
  animals that will serve as mounts and laborers. 
  Applying or removing a hobble takes an action. It 
  reduces the animal’s speed to 5 and discourages travel. 
  Hobble, Exotic. This complex hobble can be used on docile 
  animals of any size, creatures with multiple legs, or 
  creatures with alternative movement modes like flight. It 
  otherwise operates as a normal hobble. 
  Howdah (any). A howdah is a partially enclosed platform 
  mounted on an animal. It surrounds one or more riders, 
  offering protection from attackers or from the elements. 
  Most howdahs include a roof. 
  One Medium- or Small-sized rider can fit in the howdah 
  of a Large creature. Most Large creatures are not quite big 
  enough for a howdah, but camels are a notable exception. 
  Four Medium- or Small-sized riders can fit in the howdah 
  of a Huge creature. Sixteen Medium- or Small-sized riders 
  can fit in the howdah of a Gargantuan creature. Riders in 
  howdahs have half cover from the attacks of creatures on 
  the ground if those creatures are smaller than the mount. 
  Lance (any). A long-hafted weapon with a sharp point, 
  ideal for wielding from the back of a charging mount. A 
  lance is long enough to brace under the arm of the wielding 
  hand, allowing it to be used one-handed if a mount provides 
  the strikes’ forward momentum. 
  Lance, Combat (any). You have disadvantage when you 
  use a combat lance to attack a target within 5 feet of you. 
  MARTIAL MELEE WEAPONS 
  Item 
  Cost 
  Damage 
  Weight 
  Properties 
  Lance 
   
   
   
   
     Combat 
  10 gp 
  1d12 piercing 
  6 lb. 
  Reach, special 
     Combat, light 
  8 gp 
  1d10 piercing 
  4 lb. 
  Reach, special 
     Great 
  35 gp 
  2d8 piercing 
  15 lb. 
  Reach, special, two-handed 
     Jousting 
  10 gp 
  1d8 bludgeoning 
  6 lb. 
  Reach, special 
     Jousting, light 
  8 gp 
  1d6 bludgeoning 
  4 lb. 
  Reach, special 
   
  
   
  73 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Also, a combat lance requires two hands to wield when 
  you aren’t mounted. 
  Lance, Great. A great lance is an extra-long, sharpened 
  pole, supported by a swiveling pintle mount. 
  This weapon is too large to use unless affixed to an 
  exotic saddle or howdah on a Huge-size (or larger) 
  creature. This weapon has a 15-foot reach. You have 
  disadvantage when you use a great lance to attack a target 
  within 10 feet of you. 
  Lance, Jousting (any). You have disadvantage when you 
  use a jousting lance to attack a target within 5 feet of you. 
  Also, a jousting lance requires two hands to wield when 
  you aren’t mounted. 
  A jousting lance has a blunt end made for practicing 
  against armored riders. A creature wearing heavy armor 
  has resistance to damage inflicted by a jousting lance. 
  Muzzle (any). Muzzles are each made for animals of a 
  specific type and size. A muzzle prevents the wearer from 
  biting or eating. It also makes dangerous-looking animals 
  appear to be safer, meaning bystanders are often less 
  intimidated and more accepting of their presence. 
  A muzzle takes one action to apply or remove. At the 
  DM’s discretion, use of a muzzle can prevent the handler 
  from having to make Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks 
  under some circumstances. 
  Saddlebags. This device consists of two large satchels 
  with a wide connecting strap. They are meant to straddle a 
  Medium or Large mount and hang to either side, just behind 
  a saddle.  
  Saddle, Canine (any). Saddles for dogs are lightweight 
  and built to accommodate the greater range of motion that 
  dogs have over equine mounts.  
  These are also suitable for wolves of Large or Medium 
  size, and similar creatures. A military version gives the 
  VARIANT: LANCES AND MOUNT SIZES 
  The standard lance sizes are meant for use with Large 
  mounts like horses or camels. Light lances exist for use 
  with Medium mounts instead. 
  With this optional rule, a combat lance or a jousting 
  lance used one-handed from the back of a Medium size 
  creature applies disadvantage to the weapon’s attack 
  rolls. This penalty does not apply if the lancer is 
  wielding a light combat lance or light jousting lance. 
  
   
  74 
  ANIMAL MARKETS 
  rider advantage on any check or saving throw to remain 
  mounted. A pack version does not accommodate a rider; it 
  simply provides a frame to which 
  baggage can be tied. 
  Saddle, Equine (any). An 
  equine saddle fits horses 
  and ponies as well as 
  donkeys and mules. It 
  also fits similar equine 
  creatures such as unicorns. 
  Equine saddles are 
  not suited for equines 
  with additional limbs 
  or wings like a 
  pegasus. (Such a 
  creature requires an exotic saddle instead.) A military 
  version gives the rider advantage on any check or saving 
  throw to remain mounted. A pack version has no 
  accommodation for a rider; it simply provides a frame to 
  which baggage can be tied. 
  Saddle, Exotic (any). Creatures not in the shape of 
  equines (horses, mules, etc.) or canines (dogs, wolves, etc.), 
  require exotic saddles to use as mounts or beasts of burden. 
  Exotic saddles are each made for animals of a specific 
  type and size. For example, despite both being Large, a 
  wyvern’s riding saddle cannot be used on an owlbear. A 
  military version of an exotic saddle gives the rider 
  advantage on any check or saving throw to remain 
  mounted when the animal is not climbing, flying, or 
  moving underwater. A pack version of an exotic saddle has 
  no accommodation for a rider; it simply provides a frame 
  to which baggage can be tied. 
  Sled. A flat, narrow conveyance with a smooth bottom or 
  borne on a pair of smooth runners. Sleds are designed to be 
  drug across low-friction surfaces like snow. Sleds typically 
  have no side or top and are used to carry cargo. 
  Sled, Dog. This lightweight sled is designed for a pilot and 
  no more than a single passenger. Its long, slender frame is 
  typically drawn by a dozen sled dogs. Dog sleds often have a 
  single lead dog ahead of a series of paired sled dogs. 
  Medium-size quadrupeds (“dogs”) can reliably drag a 
  sled over snow and ice for 1 hour for each dog pulling in 
  the harness, to a maximum of 8 hours. Each additional 
  hour of dragging prior to completing a long rest is 
  considered a “forced march.” (See Travel Pace in chapter 8 
  of the Player’s Handbook.) 
  Sleigh. A sleigh is a sled, designed to carry passengers like 
  a carriage. It usually has pronounced runners. 
  Trap. A trap is a two-wheeled passenger cart designed to 
  carry one or two passengers. A trap’s large wheels, light 
  construction, and high position make it ideal for speed. 
  Wagon, Covered. This four-wheeled wagon has walls 
  and a roof. It is sometimes furnished with 
  amenities making it suitable for use as a 
  small residence. 
  Wagon, Flatbed. A flatbed wagon is 
  an open-topped, four-wheeled vehicle 
  typically drawn by two or four 
  animals. It has an excellent cargo 
  capacity and is employed in several 
  utility roles. Some flatbed wagons 
  are built with a framework of posts or 
  bars over which canvas can be stretched to 
  cover and enclose the wagon’s bed. 
  The full stat blocks of monsters here can be found in the 
  Monster Manual, unless otherwise noted on the tables. 
  Sources for these table notations include Volo’s Guide to 
  Monsters [VGM], Storm King’s Thunder [SKT], and 
  Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes [MTF]. 
  The tables in this chapter present suggested prices for 
  animals. These may vary based on regional rarity and 
  culture. Except for the creatures on the Mounts table, these 
  prices are for animals and monsters that have no training 
  or special templates. 
  Like used equipment, the value of animals (including 
  each trained trick and role) is halved when a player 
  character sells it under normal circumstances. If an 
  animal’s training isn’t useful considering the animal’s 
  physical and temperamental limitations, that training adds 
  no value when calculating a sale price. 
  If your campaign uses a treasure distribution rate that is 
  not based on random outcomes of the treasure tables in 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide, the DM will need to adjust 
  these prices accordingly. For advice on managing wealth, 
  check out Wraith Wright’s Expanded Wealth Manual. 
  VARIANT: MILITARY SADDLES 
  A military saddle grants advantage on a rider’s ability 
  checks and saving throws to remain in the saddle. 
  The military saddle in the Player’s Handbook gives 
  “advantage on any check you make to remain mounted.” 
  However, the “Mounted Combat” rules use saving 
  throws, not checks, to govern every attempt to 
  remaining mounted. Without a change, military saddles 
  wouldn’t provide their intended benefits. 
   
  
   
  75 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  A trained animal’s total cost reflects value added by its 
  training and supernatural abilities. 
  Each useful trick the creature knows adds a 25 gp cost 
  to its purchase price. 
  The dire animal template adds an additional cost equal 
  to 15 times the base cost (minimum of 75 gp added). 
  The exceptional specimen template adds an additional 
  cost equal to 5 times the creature’s base cost (minimum of 
  25 gp added). 
  The fragile specimen template adds a cost reduction 
  equal to half the creature’s base value. Fragile riding 
  horses do not use this modification. 
  The fey creature, planar creature, shadow creature, 
  or undead creature template adds an additional cost of 
  10 times the creature’s base cost (minimum 50 gp added). 
  The juvenile specimen and reluctant creature 
  templates do not increase the animal’s cost; the creature’s 
  potential is obvious, and its limitations are temporary. 
  The legendary creature template adds an additional 
  cost equal to 20 times the creature’s base cost (minimum 
  of 100 gp added). 
  The rider-trained template adds an additional cost to 
  the creature’s purchase price, a number of gold pieces 
  equal to its base cost (minimum 5 gp added). Prices on the 
  Mounts already include this increase. 
  The war-trained template adds an additional cost to the 
  purchase price, a number of gold pieces equal to 10 times 
  its base cost (minimum 50 gp added). The warhorse is a 
  product of this template but has its own set cost. 
  The beasts on the Untrained Creatures table serve as trade 
  goods but can also be pets or animals for training. They 
  include mostly mundane creatures. 
  Although these animals currently lack any roles or tricks, 
  they are old enough to begin training in such things. 
  Animals named “untrained” on the table also appear in 
  their rider-trained forms on the Mounts table, where they 
  are priced to reflect this additional value. 
  This table provides animals commonly rated as mundane 
  mounts. Non-mount animals, and untrained versions of 
  normal mounts, are categorized as trade goods and are 
  listed on the Untrained Creatures table. 
  All creatures on the Mounts table are rider-trained. The 
  value of this training is already figured into the prices 
  listed on the table. When looking for the base price of these 
  animals, refer instead to the Untrained Creatures table. 
   
   
  UNTRAINED CREATURES 
  Value 
  Goods 
  1 cp 
  Frog, rat, or spider 
  2 cp 
  Cat, chicken, or rabbit (hare) 
  5 cp 
  Lizard, quipper, or turtle 
  1 sp 
  Bat, crab, or octopus 
  5 sp 
  Raven or scorpion 
  1 gp 
  Goat, owl, songbird, or weasel 
  2 gp 
  Hyena, jackal, poisonous snake, or sheep 
  3 gp 
  Baboon, common dog, fox, giant crab, giant 
  rat, pig, or deer 
  4 gp 
  Badger, giant fire beetle, giant sea horse, 
  untrained donkey, or untrained mule 
  5 gp 
  Ape, boar, giant frog, small parrot, vulture, or 
  walrus 
  10 gp 
  Constrictor snake, cow, elk, giant centipede, 
  giant weasel, giant wolf spider, or untrained 
  dolphin 
  12 gp 
  Crocodile, eagle 
  12 ½ gp Untrained mastiff 
  15 gp 
  Giant badger, giant bat, giant spider, giant 
  walrus, hawk, ox, untrained mountain goat, 
  untrained pony, or yak 
  20 gp 
  Black bear, giant goat, or giant wasp 
  25 gp 
  Giant poisonous snake, untrained axe beak, 
  untrained camel, untrained draft horse, 
  untrained steeder (male), or wolf 
  35 gp 
  Blood hawk, brown bear, large parrot, or 
  untrained steeder (female) 
  37 ½ gp Untrained riding horse 
  50 gp 
  Almiraj, giant hyena, giant toad, panther, seal, 
  or untrained aurochs 
  75 gp 
  Dire wolf, giant eagle, giant octopus, giant 
  owl, giant vulture, lion, reef shark, or tiger 
  100 gp 
  Giant constrictor snake, flying monkey, giant 
  elk, untrained elephant, or untrained giant 
  lizard (“hold breath” for +100 gp, “spider 
  climb” for +200 gp) 
  125 gp 
  Untrained flying snake 
  150 gp 
  Untrained giant seahorse 
  350 gp 
  Giant boar, hunter shark, polar bear, or saber-
  toothed tiger 
  450 gp 
  Giant scorpion, killer whale, or rhinoceros 
  700 gp 
  Giant ape, giant crocodile, giant shark, or 
  mammoth 
  900 gp 
  Hulking crab or sperm whale 
   
  
   
  76 
  ANIMAL MARKETS 
   
  Large beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 9 
  Hit Points 11 (2d10) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
   
  STR        DEX      CON         INT       WIS        CHA 
    14 (+2)   8 (–1)   11 (+0)    2 (–4)   10 (–0)    5 (–3) 
   
   
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 xp) 
   
  Unreliable. Apply disadvantage to any Wisdom (Animal 
  Handling) checks made to control this mount in battle or to 
  get it to perform tricks or difficult maneuvers. 
  Unstable. This animal gains 1 exhaustion level for each 
  hour of a forced march; this is additional to any exhaustion 
  from failing the Constitution check. 
  Actions 
   
  Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage. 
    
   
  The Dungeon Master might increase the price of any 
  creature on this table, depending on its rarity in the region. 
  For a “standard” campaign, this probably includes any 
  creatures rated for exotic saddles. 
  The fragile horse and the warhorse are two examples of 
  animals modified from their base form, the riding horse. 
  Both variants serve important roles and have prominent 
  places on the Mounts table. 
  Fragile Horse. Fragile horses are mounts of inferior 
  quality. Often, they are older, somewhat swaybacked 
  creatures. While normally undesirable, starting characters 
  in need of mounts might find nothing else affordable. 
  A fragile horse has a delicate constitution, as indicated in 
  the stat block. It has the fragile specimen template; the stat 
  line above includes these adjustments. (Other effects of the 
  template are found in chapter 1). A fragile horse may have 
  the war-trained template for an additional 15 gp. 
  Warhorse. The warhorse is the only animal on the 
  Mounts table that comes with the “war-trained” template 
  at its listed cost. The benefits of this template are included 
  in the warhorse’s stat block. 
  The warhorse’s special slam action has its own name, 
  “trampling charge”; the trick for its war-trained template is 
  instead called Special Action (Trampling Charge). 
  MOUNTS 
   
   
   
  Carrying 
  Creature 
  Cost 
  Intelligence 
  Alignment 
  CR 
  Saddle 
  Speed 
  Capacity 
  Aurochs VGM 
  100 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  50 ft. 
  600 lb. 
  Axe beak 
  50 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Large exotic 
  50 ft. 
  420 lb. 
  Camel 
  50 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/8 
  Large exotic 
  50 ft. 
  480 lb. 
  Donkey or mule 
  8 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/8 
  Equine 
  40 ft. 
  420 lb. 
  Elephant 
  200 gp 
  3 
  Unaligned 
    4 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. 
  1,320 lb. 
  Giant seahorse 
  300 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/2 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  360 lb. 
  Horse 
   
   
  Unaligned 
   
   
   
   
     Draft 
  50 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Equine 
  40 ft. 
  540 lb. 
     Riding 
  75 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Equine 
  60 ft. 
  480 lb. 
     Fragile new 
  15 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/8 
  Equine 
  40 ft. 
  420 lb. 
     Warhorse 
  400 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/2 
  Equine 
  60 ft. 
  540 lb. 
  Giant lizard 
  200 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. 
  450 lb. 
     + hold breath 
  +100 gp 
  — 
  Unaligned 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
     + spider climb 
  +200 gp 
  — 
  Unaligned 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  Mastiff 
  25 gp 
  3 
  Unaligned 
  1/8 
  Canine 
  40 ft. 
  195 lb. 
  Mountain goat RFM 
  30 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/8 
  Medium exotic 
  40 ft. (30 ft.) 
  210 lb. 
  Pony 
  30 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/8 
  Equine 
  40 ft. 
  225 lb. 
  Steeder, female OotA, MTF 
  80 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
    1 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. 
  450 lb. 
  Steeder, male OotA, MTF 
  50 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. 
  225 lb. 
   
  
   
  77 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  The animals in the previous section are the of species 
  common to find in a market. Those creatures are either 
  domesticated or are used as mounts, food, or trade goods 
  in various cultures; depending on location, their presence 
  won’t seem out of place or raise any concerns. 
  In contrast, the creatures in this next section are 
  “monsters.” They are not domestic, nor are they common. 
  They are typically the enemies of the player characters, 
  and of society at large, and are rarely marketed. 
  The monsters listed on these 
  tables are divided into six 
  categories, based primarily upon Intelligence. Each table’s 
  listed prices reflect the creature’s rarity and perceived 
  dangerousness. Creatures that can generate monster 
  byproducts, like poison, have significantly higher values. 
  Instinct-level creatures are normally those with 
  Intelligence ratings of 1. However, some creatures qualify 
  as instinct-level because of their wholly-alien thought 
  processes, despite Intelligence ratings as high as 3. 
  These creatures have Intelligence ratings between 2 and 4. 
  But for their rarity or dangerousness, the creatures in this 
  category would likely serve as mounts and domestic beasts 
  in civilized lands. 
  Cunning-level creatures are fully self-aware, with 
  Intelligence ratings of 5 or 6. These creatures typically 
  have alignments and understand languages. Some have 
  unique languages of their own. 
  Cunning-level creatures make excellent animal 
  companions, but their relationships with humanoids are 
  closer to alliances than service roles. These monsters’ 
  allegiances aren’t likely to be commanded by characters 
  whose goals and philosophies are oppositional. 
   
  MONSTERS (INSTINCT-LEVEL INTELLIGENCE) 
   
  Carrying 
  Creature 
  Cost 
  Int. 
  Alignment 
   CR 
  Saddle 
  Speed 
  Capacity 
  Ankheg 
  1,750 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  510 lb. 
  Carrion crawler 
  2,750 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  420 lb. 
  Flail snail 
  8,000 gp 
  3 
  Unaligned 
    3 
  Large exotic 
  10 ft. 
  510 lb. 
  Fungi 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     Gas spore 
  750 gp  
  1 
  Unaligned 
  1/2 
  n/a 
  0 ft. (10 ft.) 
  150 lb. 
     Shrieker 
  40 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
    0 
  n/a 
  0 ft. 
  15 lb. 
     Violet fungus 
  375 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  n/a 
  5 ft. 
  45 lb. 
  Gibbering mouther 
  1,500 gp 
  3 
  Neutral 
    2 
  n/a 
  10 ft. (10 ft.) 
  150 lb. 
  Neothelid 
  9,000 gp 
  3 
  Chaotic evil 
   13 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  30 ft. 
  3,240 lb. 
  Oozes 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     Black pudding 
  2,750 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
    4 
  n/a 
  20 ft. (20 ft.) 
  480 lb. 
     Gelatinous cube 
  1,750 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  n/a 
  15 ft. 
  420 lb. 
     Gray ooze 
  750 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
  1/2 
  n/a 
  10 ft. (10 ft.) 
  180 lb. 
     Ochre jelly 
  1,500 gp 
  2 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  n/a 
  10 ft. (10 ft.) 
  450 lb. 
  Piercer 
  750 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
  1/2 
  n/a 
  5 ft. (5 ft.) 
  150 lb. 
  Purple worm 
  20,000 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
   15 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  50 ft. (30 ft.) 
  3,360 lb. 
  Purple wormling 
  1,925 gp 
  1 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  20 ft. 
  480 lb. 
   
  
   
  78 
  ANIMAL MARKETS 
    
   
   
  MONSTERS (ANIMAL-LEVEL INTELLIGENCE) 
   
  Carrying 
  Creature 
  Cost 
  Int. 
  Alignment 
  CR 
  Saddle 
  Speed 
  Capacity 
  Basilisk 
  2,500 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    3 
  Medium exotic 
  20 ft. 
  240 lb. 
  Bulette 
  3,500 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    5 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  570 lb. 
  Catoblepas 
  6,000 gp 
   3 
  Unaligned 
    5 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. 
  570 lb. 
  Chimera 
  6,500 gp 
   3 
  Unaligned 
    6 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. (60 ft.) 
  570 lb. 
  Cockatrice 
  1,250 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
  1/2 
  n/a 
  20 ft. (40 ft.) 
  90 lb. 
  Crag cat 
  1,000 gp 
   4 
  Unaligned 
    1 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. 
  480 lb. 
  Darkmantle 
  1,000 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
  1/2 
  n/a 
  10 ft. (30 ft.) 
  240 lb. 
  Death dog 
  1,000 gp 
   3 
  Unaligned 
    1 
  Canine 
  40 ft. 
  225 lb. 
  Dinosaur 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     Allosaurus 
  500 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  60 ft. 
  570 lb. 
     Ankylosaurus 
  500 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    3 
  Huge exotic 
  30 ft. 
  1,140 lb. 
     Brontosaurus 
  1,000 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    5 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  30 ft. 
  2,520 lb. 
     Deinonychus 
  500 gp 
   4 
  Unaligned 
    1 
  Medium exotic 
  40 ft. 
  225 lb. 
     Dimetrodon 
  175 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (20 ft.) 
  210 lb. 
     Hadrosaurus 
  200 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. 
  450 lb. 
     Plesiosaurus 
  850 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  20 ft. (40 ft.) 
  540 lb. 
     Pteranodon 
  250 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Medium exotic 
  10 ft. (60 ft.) 
  180 lb. 
     Quetzalcoatlus 
  700 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Huge exotic 
  10 ft. (80 ft.) 
  900 lb. 
     Stegosaurus 
  850 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    4 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. 
  1,200 lb. 
     Triceratops 
  1,000 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    5 
  Huge exotic 
  50 ft. 
  1,320 lb. 
     Tyrannosaurus rex 
  2,000 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    8 
  Huge exotic 
  50 ft. 
  1,500 lb. 
     Velociraptor 
  250 gp 
   4 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  n/a 
  30 ft. 
  45 lb. 
  Froghemoth 
  6,000 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
   10 
  n/a 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  1,380 lb. 
  Giant strider 
  1,000 gp 
   4 
  Neutral evil 
    1 
  Large exotic 
  50 ft. 
  540 lb. 
  Guard drake 
  1,500 gp 
   4 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. 
  240 lb. 
  Gorgon 
  3,500 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    5 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. 
  600 lb. 
  Grick 
  1,500 gp 
   3 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  n/a 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  210 lb. 
  Griffon 
  2,750 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. (80 ft.) 
  540 lb. 
  Hippogriff 
  2,250 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    1 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (60 ft.) 
  510 lb. 
  Hydra 
  5,000 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    8 
  n/a 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  1,200 lb. 
  Owlbear 
  2,000 gp 
   3 
  Unaligned 
    3 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. 
  600 lb. 
  Rhinoceros 
  2,450 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. 
  630 lb. 
  Roc 
  10,000 gp 
   3 
  Unaligned 
   11 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  20 ft. (120 ft.) 
  3,360 lb. 
  Rust monster 
  750 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
  1/2 
  Medium exotic 
  40 ft. 
  195 lb. 
  Stench kow 
  750 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. 
  540 lb. 
  Stirge 
  1,000 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    3 
  n/a 
  10 ft. (40 ft.) 
  30 lb. 
  Trapper 
  1,000 gp 
   2 
  Unaligned 
    3 
  n/a 
  10 ft. (10 ft.) 
  510 lb. 
  Wolf 
  50 gp 
   3 
  Unaligned 
  1/4 
  Canine 
  40 ft. 
  180 lb. 
   
   
  
   
  79 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
  Sentient-level creatures have Intelligence ratings of 7 or 
  higher. They are as smart as other sentient creatures, no 
  matter what their shapes. 
  Creature’s in this 
  category are rarely marketed; their 
  ability to master language particularly 
  sets them apart as sentient creatures; 
  buying and selling such animals feels 
  dangerously close to slave-trading.  
  The sixth monster group is for true 
  dragons. Dragons don’t really fit 
  among the monsters selected for this 
  section; these powerful, intelligent 
  creatures are more likely to use 
  humanoids as their pets rather than 
  vice versa. Dragons are included in this 
  chapter only because so many fantasy 
  stories are based upon finding and allying with young 
  dragons or using dragons as mounts. 
  Note that all dragons have a flying speed, one not listed 
  on the dragon table below, that is 
  double the rate of their 
  normal speed. Based on 
  type, dragons may 
  also have climbing, 
  burrowing, or swimming speeds 
  listed parenthetically. 
  A dragon’s egg has a market 
  value equal to the wyrmling 
  entry for its type. 
  If your campaign uses the 
  variant rule Dragons as Innate 
  Spellcasters, double the listed 
  costs for adult and ancient 
  dragons that have spellcasting. 
   
   
   
   
  MONSTERS (CUNNING-LEVEL INTELLIGENCE) 
   
  Carrying 
  Creature 
  Cost 
  Int. 
  Alignment 
   CR 
  Saddle 
  Speed 
  Capacity 
  Displacer beast 
  2,000 gp 
   6 
  Lawful evil 
    3 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. 
  540 lb. 
  Dolphin VGM 
  200 gp 
   6 
  Unaligned 
  1/8 
  Medium exotic 
  (60 ft.) 
  210 lb. 
  Girallon 
  2,500 gp 
   5 
  Unaligned 
    4 
  n/a 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  540 lb. 
  Hell hound 
  2,000 gp 
   6 
  Lawful evil 
    3 
  Canine 
  50 ft. 
  255 lb. 
  Mimic 
  1,500 gp 
   5 
  Neutral 
    2 
  n/a 
  15 ft. 
  255 lb. 
  Otyugh 
  3,000 gp 
   6 
  Neutral 
    5 
  n/a 
  30 ft. 
  480 lb. 
  Shadow mastiff 
  1,500 gp 
   5 
  Neutral evil 
    2 
  Canine 
  40 ft. 
  240 lb. 
  Wyvern 
  8,000 gp 
   5 
  Unaligned 
    6 
  Large exotic 
  20 ft. (80 ft.) 
  570 lb. 
  Yeth hound 
  2,500 gp 
   5 
  Neutral evil 
    4 
  Canine 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  540 lb. 
   
  MONSTERS (SENTIENT-LEVEL INTELLIGENCE) 
   
  Carrying 
  Creature 
  Cost 
  Int. 
  Alignment 
   CR 
  Saddle 
  Speed 
  Capacity 
  Behir 
  8,000 gp 
   7 
  Neutral evil 
   11 
  Huge exotic 
  50 ft. (40 ft.) 
  1,380 lb. 
  Blink dog 
  750 gp 
  10 
  Lawful good 
  1/4 
  Canine 
  40 ft. 
  180 lb. 
  Barghest 
  2,500 gp 
  13 
  Neutral evil 
    4 
  Canine 
  60 ft. / 30 ft. 
  570 lb. 
  Leucrotta 
  2,000 gp 
   9 
  Chaotic evil 
    3 
  Canine 
  50 ft. 
  540 lb. 
  Manticore 
  2,500 gp 
   7 
  Lawful evil 
    3 
  Large exotic 
  30 ft. (50 ft.) 
  510 lb. 
  Nightmare 
  2,500 gp 
  10 
  Neutral evil 
    3 
  Large exotic 
  60 ft. (90 ft.) 
  540 lb. 
  Pegasus 
  2,000 gp 
  10 
  Chaotic good 
    2 
  Large exotic 
  60 ft. (90 ft.) 
  540 lb. 
  Unicorn 
  4,000 gp 
  11 
  Lawful good 
    5 
  Equine 
  50 ft. 
  540 lb. 
  Winter wolf 
  2,000 gp 
   7 
  Neutral evil 
    3 
  Canine 
  60 ft. 
  540 lb. 
  Worg 
  500 gp 
   7 
  Neutral evil 
  1/2 
  Canine 
  50 ft. 
  480 lb. 
   
  
   
  80 
  ANIMAL MARKETS 
   
   
   
   
   
  MONSTERS (DRAGONS) 
   
  Move/Fly & 
  (Other Speed) 
  Carrying 
  Creature 
  Cost 
  Int. 
  Alignment 
  CR 
  Saddle 
  Capacity 
  Black, ancient 
  155,000 gp 
  16 
  Chaotic evil 
  21 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  3,240 lb. 
  Black, adult 
  60,000 gp 
  14 
  Chaotic evil 
  14 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  1,380 lb. 
  Black, young 
  19,000 gp 
  12 
  Chaotic evil 
   7 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  570 lb. 
  Black, wyrmling 
  6,000 gp 
  10 
  Chaotic evil 
   2 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  225 lb. 
  Blue, ancient 
  230,000 gp 
  18 
  Lawful evil 
  24 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  3,480 lb. 
  Blue, adult 
  70,000 gp 
  16 
  Lawful evil 
  16 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (30 ft.) 
  1,740 lb. 
  Blue, young 
  25,000 gp 
  14 
  Lawful evil 
   9 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (20 ft.) 
  630 lb. 
  Blue, wyrmling 
  8,000 gp 
  12 
  Lawful evil 
   3 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (15 ft.) 
  255 lb. 
  Brass, ancient 
  130,000 gp 
  16 
  Chaotic good 
  20 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  3,240 lb. 
  Brass, adult 
  55,000 gp 
  14 
  Chaotic good 
  13 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (30 ft.) 
  1,380 lb. 
  Brass, young 
  16,000 gp 
  12 
  Chaotic good 
   6 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (20 ft.) 
  570 lb. 
  Brass, wyrmling 
  4,000 gp 
  10 
  Chaotic good 
   1 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (15 ft.) 
  225 lb. 
  Bronze, ancient 
  180,000 gp 
  18 
  Lawful good 
  22 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  3,480 lb. 
  Bronze, adult 
  55,000 gp 
  16 
  Lawful good 
  13 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  1,500 lb. 
  Bronze, young 
  22,000 gp 
  14 
  Lawful good 
   8 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  630 lb. 
  Bronze, wyrmling 
  6,000 gp 
  12 
  Lawful good 
   2 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  255 lb. 
  Copper, ancient 
  155,000 gp 
  20 
  Chaotic good 
  21 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  3,240 lb. 
  Copper, adult 
  60,000 gp 
  18 
  Chaotic good 
  14 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  1,380 lb. 
  Copper, young 
  19,000 gp 
  16 
  Chaotic good 
   7 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  570 lb. 
  Copper, wyrmling 
  4,000 gp 
  14 
  Chaotic good 
   1 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  225 lb. 
  Green, ancient 
  180,000 gp 
  20 
  Lawful evil 
  22 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  3,240 lb. 
  Green, adult 
  65,000 gp 
  18 
  Lawful evil 
  15 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  1,380 lb. 
  Green, young 
  22,000 gp 
  16 
  Lawful evil 
   8 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  570 lb. 
  Green, wyrmling 
  6,000 gp 
  14 
  Lawful evil 
   2 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  225 lb. 
  Gold, ancient 
  230,000 gp 
  18 
  Lawful good 
  24 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  3,600 lb. 
  Gold, adult 
  75,000 gp 
  16 
  Lawful good 
  17 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  1,620 lb. 
  Gold, young 
  28,000 gp 
  16 
  Lawful good 
  10 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  690 lb. 
  Gold, wyrmling 
  8,000 gp 
  14 
  Lawful good 
   3 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  275 lb. 
  Red, ancient 
  230,000 gp 
  18 
  Chaotic evil 
  24 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  3,600 lb. 
  Red, adult 
  75,000 gp 
  16 
  Chaotic evil 
  17 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  1,620 lb. 
  Red, young 
  28,000 gp 
  14 
  Chaotic evil 
  10 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (40 ft.) 
  690 lb. 
  Red, wyrmling 
  10,000 gp 
  12 
  Chaotic evil 
   4 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (30 ft.) 
  275 lb. 
  Silver, ancient 
  205,000 gp 
  18 
  Lawful good 
  23 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. 
  3,600 lb. 
  Silver, adult 
  70,000 gp 
  16 
  Lawful good 
  16 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. 
  1,620 lb. 
  Silver, young 
  25,000 gp 
  14 
  Lawful good 
   9 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. 
  690 lb. 
  Silver, wyrmling 
  6,000 gp 
  12 
  Lawful good 
   2 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. 
  275 lb. 
  White, ancient 
  130,000 gp 
  10 
  Chaotic evil 
  20 
  Gargantuan exotic 
  40 ft. (40/40 ft.) 
  3,120 lb. 
  White, adult 
  55,000 gp 
   8 
  Chaotic evil 
  13 
  Huge exotic 
  40 ft. (30/40 ft.) 
  1,320 lb. 
  White, young 
  16,000 gp 
   6 
  Chaotic evil 
   6 
  Large exotic 
  40 ft. (20/40 ft.) 
  540 lb. 
  White, wyrmling 
  6,000 gp 
   5 
  Chaotic evil 
   2 
  Medium exotic 
  30 ft. (15/30 ft.) 
  210 lb. 
   
  
   
  81 
  ANIMAL HANDLER’S MANUAL 
   
   
  
   
  82 
  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  APPENDIX A: MANAGING ANIMALS
  NIMALS IN THE PARTY CREATE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR 
  the Dungeon Master. First, the DM has the 
  responsibility of defining which creatures are 
  animals, and thus be acquired as companions; 
  players often want to befriend even the deadliest 
  monsters, insisting they’re merely misunderstood. The DM 
  must also determine whether the animal is too powerful or 
  too weak for the party, or its presence will raise the party’s 
  size beyond manageability. If all the stars are aligned—the 
  animal is companionable and the right fit for the party—
  the DM then has to walk the players through the logistics 
  of acquiring the creature and adapting it to life in the 
  party. Finally, as play progresses, it falls to the Dungeon 
  Master to portray the animal’s personality and behavior. 
  This supplement divides creatures into two classifications, 
  “animals” and “monsters.” 
  Animals are the creatures that can be trained and 
  managed using the rules of this supplement. They are not 
  limited to the animals also found in the real world, nor are 
  they defined by a creature type or a collection of types. 
  Instead, animals are defined by three factors. 
   
  1. Intelligence Rating: Animals have Intelligence 
  ratings of 6 or lower. However, not every creature so 
  rated is an animal; humans, for example, can have 
  Intelligence ratings this low without being animals. 
  2. Animal Intellect: Animals also have “animal 
  intellect,” a limited self-awareness combined with 
  instinctual, animalistic behaviors. This way of 
  thinking is common to beasts, but members of other 
  creature types may also possess animal instinct. 
  3. Domesticity (Tameness): Before an animal can be 
  trained, it must accept the presence of its handler. 
  Domestic creatures are bred for these relationships 
  over many generations, but circumstances can leave 
  some specimens feral. Likewise, a wild creature 
  must first be tamed for this factor to apply. 
  In each of these factors, the Dungeon Master must 
  moderate whether and how a particular creature fits in. 
  Many specific creatures or cases have not been illustrated 
  in this supplement, and sometimes similar creatures have 
  variances in different game settings. Additionally, some 
  animals are unique among their species, acting as animals 
  when the rest of their kind cannot, or vice versa. 
  Sometimes a monster can be trained as an animal, and 
  sometimes an animal is too monstrous to be trained. 
  To be an animal, the creature must have an Intelligence 
  rating of 6 or lower. Each qualifying Intelligence rating (or 
  range) is described here. 
  Creatures of this Intelligence rating are animals, though 
  they barely qualify. Their animal intellects are purely 
  instinctual; such creatures can barely process inputs 
  beyond threats, prey recognition, and mating displays. 
  Most animals have Intelligence ratings in this range. They 
  can recognize bits of language they are trained to listen for, 
  particularly their own names. Most traditional training 
  techniques and equipment exist for these animals. 
  Creatures at this rating are exceptionally canny, more 
  likely to recognize threats and react to them of their own 
  volition. This Intelligence rating places creatures above the 
  reach of some spells designed to affect animals, some of 
  which might be beneficial. 
   
  
   
  83 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Creatures with these Intelligence scores are as smart as 
  most children, and a few adults as well. They can learn 
  languages, even if they lack the physical capability to 
  speak. They can also, to a limited degree, observe and 
  understand the feelings of creatures around them and may 
  have alignments of their own. 
  At this rating and above, creatures are beyond the 
  limitations of animalistic thinking, no matter their instincts 
  or mental processes. The Animal Handling skill has no 
  effect upon such creatures, even those that resemble real-
  world animals. 
  At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, such creatures can 
  learn tricks and roles. For example, a unicorn (Intelligence 
  11) might learn tricks to coordinate its actions with its 
  handler’s, practicing the maneuvers and the quick 
  commands to elicit them. Becoming rider-trained lets the 
  unicorn act as a controlled mount, focusing on the rider’s 
  commands instead of acting independently in battle. 
  In the narrow range of Intelligence where truly smart 
  beasts overlap with truly simpleminded humanoids, 
  ratings of 3 to 6, the difference between the two is the 
  difference between sentience and “animal intellect.” 
  For example, primates and dolphins are smart enough to 
  learn language, but they are still characterized by the 
  instincts and impulses of animals. They can be conditioned 
  to perform various functions and can be reliably controlled 
  by skilled handlers. A creature with sentience, even a very 
  stupid one, is not subject to the same methods of training 
  and control. 
  For creatures with Intelligence ratings of 6 and below, 
  the Dungeon Master decides which creatures have animal 
  intellects and which have sentience. For guidance, the DM 
  may refer to a creature’s description, in the Monster 
  Manual or other source material, or may refer to the 
  creature type descriptions below. 
  Most creatures of these types have alien mentalities and 
  are not normally suitable for handling as animals. The low-
  intelligence versions have neither sentience nor animal 
  intellect. At best, most aberrations and elementals can 
  serve as untrained guardians through natural ferocity 
  alone, so long as they can be safely contained in whatever 
  area needs guarding. 
  Most beasts have animal intellect and fall within the range 
  of trainable creatures. Some are domestic, while others are 
  wild. Most are easily trained. 
  However, most insectoid vermin are an exception. They 
  are, essentially, untrainable creatures, driven only by base 
  instincts. This designation applies to insects as well as 
  scorpions, spiders, wasps, and similar creatures, and their 
  giant and swarm versions. Only those insect-like vermin 
  with Intelligence scores of 2 or higher count as animals. 
  While animal in appearance, giant apes, giant eagles, 
  giant elk, and giant owls are fully intelligent, self-aware 
  creatures capable of mastering languages and forming 
  complex relationships. They are far too intelligent to be 
  manipulated with the Animal Handling skill. 
  Of these creature types, barely any qualify as animals. The 
  abyssal chicken, yeth hound, and hell hound are a few 
  examples with animal intellect. Creatures from the feywild 
  or from the various heavenly or hellish planes may also 
  qualify if they resemble beasts, despite having the celestial, 
  fey, or fiend creature type. Additionally, spell-made spirits 
  with these types have their own rules. 
  When these creatures have some sort of intelligence, it is 
  not the sort complex enough or sufficiently beastlike to 
  THE CHRIS PERKINS SEAL OF APPROVAL 
  Should monsters be allowed as animal companions? 
  In Out of the Abyss, story creator Chris Perkins seeds 
  a trio of basilisk eggs the players might find and raise, 
  with a table of stat-block alterations to represent three 
  stages of the creatures’ maturation. Imagine these 
  eight-legged lizard babies trailing behind the players 
  and petrifying random villagers. Those little scamps! 
  If this doesn’t convince you that Chris Perkins, senior 
  story designer for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and legendary 
  Dungeon Master to the Stars, wants you to stock your 
  party with an array of toothy critters, look no further 
  than his streamed D&D game Dice, Camera, Action! In 
  episode 32, DM Perkins placed an owlbear and paved 
  the way for the party to acquire it by describing the 
  creature as non-hostile, even inquisitive, all before the 
  party could roll initiative. Simply feeding the creature 
  waffles was enough to make Hootie McHootface into 
  the newest party member! That owlbear, along with its 
  offspring Waffles, became iconic mascots of the Waffle 
  Crew adventuring party. 
  
   
  84 
  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  respond to training and control as animals. Even non-
  sentient versions lack animal thought processes. 
  Guard drakes, unsurprisingly, make adept guardians. 
  Wyverns can serve as mounts and guards as well. 
  However, true dragons, even those with low Intelligence 
  scores, have sentient mental processes and cannot be 
  manipulated with Animal Handling. 
  Giants and humanoids, even with low Intelligence scores, 
  have sentience. They have thought processes that defy 
  management with the Animal Handling skill. 
  After beasts, monstrosities are the most 
  likely of creature types to possess animal 
  intellect. Common monstrosity 
  mounts include the death 
  dog, displacer beast, 
  griffon, hippogriff, and 
  shadow mastiff. Monstrosities 
  that are easily trained to 
  guardian roles include the mimic, 
  owlbear, and rust monster. 
  Depending on the nature of its undeath, a 
  creature that previously had animal 
  intellect does not become divorced 
  from the instincts and thought 
  processes that guided it during life. If 
  not controlled by other magics, an 
  undead animal might retain enough 
  primal instinct to be manipulated by the 
  Animal Handling skill. A warhorse skeleton, if not 
  controlled by magic, is a prime example of something that 
  can be handled as an animal. However, it might be as 
  hesitant to tolerate a living rider as the living are to 
  tolerate it for a mount. 
  Domesticity is an official designation, one with game 
  mechanics attached, but it lacks definition. The Animal 
  Handling skill in the Player’s Handbook applies special 
  rules to affecting what it calls “domestic” creatures, but it 
  supplies no explanation for the term. 
  The designation is also important because non-domestic 
  creatures (even tamed ones) may be troublesome in urban 
  environments or formal settings. Here, each culture’s 
  expectations matter; riding lizards are ubiquitous to the 
  humanoid races of the Underdark, but totally foreign and 
  even frightening to most folk of the surface realms. The 
  more suited a creature is for preying upon domestic 
  livestock (or intelligent humanoids), the more likely it is to 
  cause trouble and commotion in a city. 
  To add variety to a creature’s concept, the Dungeon 
  Master can decide that an otherwise domestic creature has 
  gone feral, making it a non-domestic creature for all 
  purposes. Likewise, an individual wild creature could be 
  tamed, raised among humanoids, giving it the nature of a 
  domestic animal. 
  The next two subsections may be of interest to Dungeon 
  Masters for the animal-related portions of worldbuilding. 
  A fantasy world’s scope of domestication begins with 
  any domestic animals that are also present in the 
  real world. This subset of the beast creature 
  type is probably what the Animal Handling 
  skill refers to when it talks about domestic 
  animals. 
  However, domestication in fantasy 
  worlds is a fuzzier concept. 
  Creatures that are almost 
  identical to real-world 
  animals, but with a minor 
  variation or an additional 
  magical feature, are 
  probably domestic. This is 
  true even of animals that lack 
  the beast creature type. 
  For example, the rothé of the 
  Forgotten Realms resembles a small, 
  furry cow that is herded for food and 
  wool by the denizens of various 
  regions. That some rothés can cast the 
  dancing lights spell innately has no effect on their status as 
  domestic creatures. 
  The Dungeon Master may decide that additional creatures 
  should be layered on top of normal options. 
  In the real world, all animals were wild at some point in 
  history. As humans evolved, they domesticated various 
  animals over the course of many generations, adapting 
  them for food, labor, and companionship. In fantasy 
  worlds, more creatures are likely to have been 
  domesticated or have spawned related domestic species. 
  This is because fantasy worlds have a much greater variety 
  of creatures, and because fantasy races have different 
  needs for domestic creatures based on their own inherent 
  
   
  85 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  abilities, cultures, and magic. These two factors must be 
  considered equally when creating new domestic species or 
  domesticating existing ones. 
  Races and cultures are more likely to domesticate 
  creatures when they have specific needs that docile 
  animals can meet. For example, even simple magic (low-
  level spells) can replicate the labor, guarding, and hunting 
  assistance that some animals provided to early humans in 
  the real world. Without such requirements, a race or 
  society would not domesticate animals which cannot meet 
  other needs. 
  Only races with long-established, multi-generational 
  societies can domesticate animals. This process is not the 
  same as taming. An individual animal can be tamed, but its 
  offspring will not be tame by nature. In contrast, 
  domestication produces a genetic state, the result of 
  generations of cohabitation and acclimation. A domestic 
  species is morphologically altered from its wild ancestors, 
  with innate behavioral differences. 
  Creatures are more susceptible to domestication if they 
  can breed in captivity without elaborate courtship rituals, 
  grow quickly to maturity relative to the race that 
  domesticates them, graze or scavenge food scraps in urban 
  environments, learn complex skills and conditioned 
  behaviors, and interact peaceably with humanoids and 
  other domestic animals. Suitable creatures aren’t too easily 
  spooked, aren’t overly aggressive, and don’t expect 
  guidance from their handlers in the form of social 
  hierarchies or dominance displays. 
  Now having a better definition of animals, this section 
  contemplates the various methods player characters may 
  use to acquire them. The common methods are buying 
  animals, encountering them in the wild, or raising 
  juveniles derived from animal husbandry. 
  Before considering acquisition scenarios, we must first 
  touch upon the topic of whether the DM should allow an 
  animal to be acquired. 
  The party should not acquire animals if the players don’t 
  want to deal with them. That seems like a given, but if the 
  DM enjoys animals and the players do not, it can be easy to 
  find the campaign bogged down with animal companions 
  that the players don’t use or interact with. 
  In contrast, DMs often face the scenario where the 
  players want to make pets of the ravenous wolves that 
  have come to ravage their camp at night. Wild creatures, 
  who the DM considers to be monsters, might now become 
  companions accidentally, without giving the DM time to 
  consider whether those creatures are a good fit. 
  In these scenarios, it is important to know the players, to 
  understand their degrees of empathy for pets and their 
  capacity to perceive monsters through the lens of their 
  own desires for companionship. 
  Some players want to make pets of everything, some 
  players just want to use animals for their utilitarian value, 
  and some players simply don’t want to deal with managing 
  animals at all. These player proclivities are not a strict 
  continuum; often players want pets for fun but don’t want 
  to handle the logistics of keeping them safe or managing 
  their die-rolls in combat. 
  When a game of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has too many players 
  at the table, it suffers from several complications. Combats 
  drag out, no one gets enough time on center stage, and 
  everyone wants to go in a different direction. Even with 
  the right number of players, extra characters in the party 
  (like NPC animals) can create problems in a similar vein. 
  The enjoyment players get from adopting more and 
  more animal friends must be balanced against the extra 
  work and time needed for DMs to cope with those animals 
  and their activities, and against the play time that players 
  must give up allowing those NPCs to take the stage. These 
  two factors usually manifest in two areas of play, combat 
  scenarios and utility-type challenges. 
  The following topics address how animals fit into the 
  party based on their specific roles there. 
  Combat Animals. This category does not include 
  creatures whose best contribution is an occasional Help 
  action; it only contemplates creatures that are significant 
  combatants. Animals designed to contribute during 
  combat must be handled with care. When an animal has a 
  turn in combat, that NPC takes up time that actual players 
  could be using to play their characters. 
  The Dungeon Master should not provide opportunities 
  to acquire combat companions if the new party size would 
  be too much to handle. This is a personal and variable 
  limitation; different DMs have different capacities to 
  handle different numbers of characters at the table. An 
  experienced DM might be able to handle combat animals 
  equal to half the number of player characters. Exceeding 
  that number is not recommended. 
  Additionally, avoid multiple combat animals “belonging” 
  to a single player. Even if the DM is in full control of the 
  animal NPCs in combat, the time they take up collectively 
  belongs to the handler’s character; players are likely to 
  
   
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  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  perceive any delays as the fault of the character that owns 
  multiple combat animals. 
  Utility Animals. Animals have the potential to crowd 
  player characters in their lanes. Players experience 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS as a cooperative game with varied 
  roles, where every character contributes something, often 
  something quite unique. You will rarely see a party that 
  includes two rogues proficient with precisely the same set 
  of skills. Players often want to coordinate with one another 
  during character creation with the goal of not all playing 
  the same type of character. 
  This gravitation toward differing functionality is a 
  natural one. Diversity is strength. Once players become 
  attached to their roles, they anticipate 
  their characters contributing 
  meaningfully when those 
  scenarios arise; they expect 
  to be the one the party 
  turns to for certain ability 
  checks, and they expect those 
  checks to matter. 
  When an animal 
  companion can outshine a 
  character in its own lane, the 
  player’s enjoyment of the game 
  is diminished. Instead of the 
  player getting center stage for 
  those moments, the other players 
  at the table turn to the animal NPC 
  for help. For example, the player of a 
  ranger whose focus is tracking, and 
  wayfinding will not appreciate the party 
  wizard adopting an animal companion that 
  hunts and tracks more efficiently. 
  The Dungeon Master should take care not to 
  introduce animals that will overshadow any of 
  the party’s unique contributions to the table. If 
  such a creature is to be introduced, perhaps it 
  can have some quirk or deficiency that keeps it 
  from that role. For example, a hound trained in hunting 
  and tracking might be unsuited to aid in foraging because 
  it always eats the prey or runs off and buries it. 
  The best version of utilitarian creature acting in a player 
  character’s lane is the animal that can’t perform the role 
  independently. Rather than feeling displaced, a player will 
  usually enjoy an animal that only assists in that role, 
  providing advantage on the player’s die rolls or enhancing 
  the character’s range of functionality in that role. The 
  wizard’s new pet hound might not have the right 
  temperament for foraging independently, but when it 
  works alongside the party’s ranger, it grants that character 
  a benefit on foraging rolls. 
  Background Animals. If an animal is one that stays in 
  the background, like a lovable lump that exists only to 
  flavor the character whose pocket it rides in, or a trusted 
  steed that merely carries a character through travel 
  montages, it will always find room in the party. A 
  nameless riding horse won’t take up play time 
  or displace player agency, and a 
  character’s pet mouse taking the 
  stage is no different than the 
  character itself taking the stage. 
  Character Options. The 
  Dungeon Master should always 
  facilitate the inclusion of 
  animals that are “paid for” as 
  character options, regardless 
  of party size or other 
  characters assumed roles in 
  the party. Such animals are 
  produced or bound as the 
  function of class features, 
  feats, spells, and similar 
  effects. As a matter of fairness 
  and game balance, any losses 
  necessary to make the party 
  manageable again must come 
  from the animals that do not 
  represent features on a character sheet, 
  like those encountered incidentally or simply 
  purchased at a market. 
  For example, if the party is crowded with animals, and 
  the Beast Master loses a Ranger’s Companion animal, the 
  Dungeon Master should not forbid the addition of a 
  replacement, regardless of the party’s size. To do so would 
  be to erase part of the ranger’s character sheet (the Ranger 
  Companion feature). 
  This topic concedes that many play groups desire the 
  ability to structure and measure the power level of 
  beneficial additions to the party. It is for the same groups 
  that meticulously track the rarity of magic items to make 
  ANIMAL COMPANION CR MAXIMUMS 
  Maximum Adjusted CR 
  Handler’s Defining Factors 
  CR 1 or 1/2 handler’s level, 
  whichever is higher 
  Handler’s only animal 
  companion 
  CR 1 or 1/4 handler’s level, 
  whichever is higher 
  Handler keeps multiple 
  (non-background) animals 
   
  
   
  87 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  sure the party doesn’t get them before reaching the 
  suggested levels in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  The challenge rating (CR) system is used here to prevent 
  animal companions from being too potent or too weak in 
  combat relative to the rest of the adventuring party. If 
  animals are too potent, they eclipse the player characters, 
  who are supposed to be the heroes of the story. If too 
  weak, the players spend too much time protecting, healing, 
  and recalling their animal friends from death. 
  Although combat is not the only sort of challenge an 
  animal can help the party overcome, combat offence and 
  defense are the only aspects of an animal that CR 
  measures, and the primary consideration for the topic of 
  balancing power. The Animal Handlers’ Manual therefore 
  uses CR as the indicator of an animal companion’s power, 
  but CR alone is sometimes insufficient to the task. 
  Adjusted CR. When a creature gains animal sidekick 
  levels and templates (see chapter 1), its power level may 
  effectively alter the CR in its stat block. Under normal 
  circumstances the DM would break out the tables in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide to determine the creature’s new 
  CR based on a multitude of factors. 
  Instead, the Animal Handlers’ Manual uses “adjusted CR,” 
  the sum of the creature’s stat block CR, animal class level, 
  and template adjustments. This prevents the DM from 
  having to do a lot of math to change a creature’s challenge 
  rating. The adjusted CR replaces the creature’s regular CR 
  for every purpose, except where indicated otherwise. 
  Note that animal classes start at “level 0,” thus providing 
  flavor and a bit of survivability to animal companions 
  without adjusting their CR. Similarly, some templates have 
  neutral or negative CR adjustments. It is possible to have 
  an animal companion with an adjusted CR that is equal to 
  or lower than its stat block CR. 
  A creature’s challenge rating normally sets its 
  proficiency bonus. However, when using these rules, 
  instead compare the creature’s adjusted challenge rating, a 
  number that combines base CR, template adjustments, and 
  half the creature’s sidekick level. The following table 
  shows an animal sidekick’s resulting proficiency bonus. 
  PROFICIENCY BONUS BY CHALLENGE RATING 
  Challenge 
  Rating 
  Proficiency 
  Bonus 
   
  Challenge 
  Rating 
  Proficiency 
  Bonus 
  0-4 
  +2 
   
  17-20 
  +6 
  5-9 
  +3 
   
  21-24 
  +7 
  10-12 
  +4 
   
  25-28 
  +8 
  13-16 
  +5 
   
  29-30 
  +9 
  Maximum CR. For these purposes, each animal in the 
  party “belongs” to a single handler, the player character 
  that trained it, controls it, or spends the most time with it. 
  The handler can acquire and manage animals with 
  individual challenge ratings up to CR 1, or up to half that 
  handler’s character level, whichever is higher. 
  A character that manages multiple companions should 
  not gain any animals above CR 1 or above one-quarter of 
  the handler’s character level, whichever is higher. 
  If a handler somehow acquires an animal exceeding 
  these limitations, the animal gains the reluctant creature 
  template until the handler gains enough levels to qualify. 
  In this way, the DM can keep an animal from changing the 
  party’s power level when simply removing the animal is 
  not a viable option. 
  Adding Power. Because handlers can manage stronger 
  animals as they gain character levels, they may wish to 
  acquire new, stronger creatures with some frequency. To 
  prevent the party from getting too large, new animals 
  should replace existing ones, or existing animals should 
  advance their adjusted challenge ratings by one of the 
  various methods in this supplement. 
  Replacing old animals with stronger options logically 
  tracks with the party’s advancement. As the characters 
  gain levels, they venture farther from civilization where 
  the threats are more potent, but so too are the prospective 
  animal companions who dwell in those regions. As a 
  matter of market realities, characters can also afford more 
  costly and potent creatures as they gain levels, simply 
  buying stronger animal companions to train. 
  If the players are attached to existing animals or if 
  replacing them would be disruptive, modifying current 
  animal companions is a better option. Adding animal 
  sidekick levels is easy, but not always right for an animal’s 
  concept. Sometimes, adding or removing templates is a 
  better option. Perhaps the party’s wolf is secretly a dire 
  wolf, and no one knew it was a juvenile until it grew 
  beyond the size of a normal adult. In this way, an animal 
  might appear in three separate stages of growth, beginning 
  CHALLENGE RATINGS BELOW 1 
  When adjusting a creature’s challenge rating to account 
  for class levels, templates, or other modifiers, changes 
  that affect CRs below 1 need special treatment. 
  When an adjustment would reduce a creature’s 
  rating below CR 1, each point reduction below 1 brings 
  the creature to CR 1/2, then CR 1/4, then CR 1/8, then 
  CR 0. Further points of reduction are ignored. 
  When adjusting upward from a CR below 1, use the 
  same progression in reverse. 
   
  
   
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  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  with the juvenile creature template, then growing into its 
  normal stat block, then adding a dire animal template. 
  Beyond growth, other templates might be added by 
  exposing the creature to magical or extraplanar forces. An 
  animal that receives a deity’s blessing might gain the 
  planar creature template. An animal exposed to the 
  magical maelstrom caused by the destruction of an artifact 
  or the death of a deity might mutate or gain magical 
  features, making it into a legendary creature.  
  Forces like these might instead alter animals in ways 
  other than changing templates. An animal might become a 
  different creature with a new stat block after undergoing a 
  transformative phenomenon. A giant spider might become 
  a phase spider, emerging from some sort of magical fallout, 
  enhanced intellectually as well as physically. A black bear 
  might be permanently enlarged, becoming a brown bear, 
  keeping its former appearance in all ways but size. 
  Although they do not provide CR 
  adjustments, the Dungeon Master 
  can also give animals supernatural 
  gifts through exposure to such 
  potent forces or areas, or by the 
  methods that any other NPC 
  or player character might 
  gain them. These can keep 
  animals relevant at times 
  when their CRs are falling 
  behind. Standard 
  supernatural gifts are 
  provided in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, in the “Other 
  Rewards” section of chapter 7. 
  Some new blessings and 
  charms are described in 
  chapter 3 of this book. For even 
  more potent increases, the DM 
  can assign boons to animals, those 
  bonus powers intended to reward player 
  characters for exceeding 20th level. 
  Finally, the Dungeon Master can also design any number 
  of other enhancements for animals using campaign-
  specific ideas, or simply adjust numbers upward from time 
  to time using the challenge rating rules in the “Creating a 
  Monster” section of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Adding an animal to the party first requires finding that 
  animal, whether by happenstance or purposeful seeking. 
  For wild or feral creatures found in the wilderness, the 
  type of animal and the conditions of the encounter 
  determine if there is a chance to acquire it. 
  Random Contact. Most wild animals will flee from 
  adventurers upon initial contact. In fact, most have already 
  sensed the approach of adventurers and have fled before 
  being detected. Even dangerous predatory animals have 
  reason to fear humanoids and avoid them. 
  Only creatures of at least Large size are unlikely to fear 
  normal-sized adventurers, depending on their 
  temperaments. An elk will still prefer to flee, but a brown 
  bear may be curious and investigate Medium-sized 
  creatures to see if they have something (or are something) 
  worth eating. 
  In some cases, fearing adventurers does not compel an 
  animal to flee from them. Some creatures 
  will fight to defend their dens or 
  their young. Predators that are 
  driven by long-term hunger may 
  also attack. 
  Whatever the circumstances 
  or motivations by which contact 
  with an animal occurs, chance 
  encounters are not good ways 
  to acquire wild animals. An 
  adventurer seeking a particular 
  animal is not likely to come 
  upon it by chance, and most 
  encounters that do not result in 
  the animal’s immediate flight 
  are likely to result in hostility. 
  Stalking. Stalking is the 
  process of tracking a chosen type 
  of animal in its environment, as a 
  predicate for acclimation and eventual 
  training. 
  The first step is selecting the right animal. A 
  player will propose the animal being sought and the 
  Dungeon Master will determine if the animal can be 
  stalked in that area; some creatures will not be found in 
  some environments, regardless of circumstances or rolls. 
  If the animal sought is one that can be found in nearby 
  environs, the stalker may spend 1 hour attempting to find 
  the right animal’s tracks and locate its territory. This 
  requires a Wisdom (Survival) check with a DC that reflects 
  the difficulty of the terrain and the scarcity of the animal. 
  Rangers have advantage on this check and gain additional 
  information through their Natural Explorer feature, 
  provided they are operating in the correct environment. 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  This check can be repeated. However, an animal may 
  become aware of the stalker’s presence after a failed check. 
  Particularly at Intelligence ratings of 4 or higher, an animal 
  may be wise enough to simply relocate its territory at that 
  point. When the stalker finally finds an animal’s den, it 
  might therefore be abandoned. 
  A stalker can employ stealth to avoid an animal’s flight, 
  increasing stalking time to 2 hours per check. The animal’s 
  passive Perception score is the DC for the stalker’s 
  Dexterity (Stealth) check. Success means the animal is 
  unaware of the stalker, even if the separate stalking ability 
  check is failed. In the appropriate natural environment, 
  rangers can use their Natural Explorer feature to move 
  stealthily at normal speed, employing this method with 
  only 1 hour per check. 
  Once an animal has been successfully stalked, the stalker 
  can begin the process of acclimation. 
  Acclimation. This is the process of taming a wild or feral 
  creature, making it accustomed to the handler’s presence 
  and interactions. Acclimation (taming) is a prerequisite to 
  such an animal. It is a downtime activity, usually combined 
  with the process of stalking, but occasionally performed 
  with an animal already in captivity. 
  Domestic animals, previously tamed animals, and infant 
  animals don’t need acclimation, nor do the companions 
  provided to a character by class features or spells. 
  Acclimation is typically accomplished in stages. First, the 
  stalker repeatedly leaves food at a nearby area until the 
  stalker’s presence and scent are no longer frightening or 
  offensive to the animal. In lieu of food, a character might 
  offer items from the Monsters’ Desires tables specific to 
  the acclimated creature’s type. (See “Parleying with 
  Monsters” in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.) The animal 
  thus comes to trust and rely upon the stalker as a source of 
  food and even companionship. Multiple creatures can 
  become acclimated at once if they already have social 
  connections amongst themselves, like a pack of wolves or a 
  flock of wild geese. 
  In game terms, acclimating is a downtime activity that 
  requires proximity to an animal’s home territory or a 
  method to restrain it in captivity. Acclimation can be 
  performed intermittently, perhaps interrupted by 
  absences for adventures, but each day devoted to the 
  activity must be performed at the appropriate location or 
  upon a captive animal. 
  While the notion of finding an orphaned beast and raising 
  it to loyal companionship is a pleasant one, the fact is that 
  most adventurers simply can’t spare the time to look for 
  and train creatures during their adventures. However, 
  what most adventurers can spare is a bit of gold. Many 
  useful animals are purchased at markets, at farms, or at 
  other locations where they are bred and trained as 
  marketable goods. 
  Animal Availability. The Untrained Beasts table and the 
  Mounts table in chapter 4 show the costs of domesticated 
  animals. These creatures are widely available in many 
  regions. Their listed prices assume these creatures are also 
  suitable for training to various tricks and roles. 
  Other creature types almost never appear in markets of 
  any kind and must usually be encountered in the wild. 
  These are not domestic animals; even when a market is 
  willing to trade such creatures, buying and selling them is 
  a logistical nightmare. 
  Monster Logistics. Generally, monsters need large 
  storage space, eat huge quantities of (often expensive) 
  food, are dangerous to interact with, and can be difficult 
  and time-consuming to train. Finding a buyer or seller for a 
  monster often means finding a place, person, or facility 
  uniquely situated to address one or more of these 
  problems. 
  Buying and selling a specific type of monster often 
  requires finding the best intersection of factors that 
  ANIMAL ACCLIMATING (DOWNTIME) 
  You can spend time between adventures visiting a wild 
  animal’s territory to acclimate it to you. Full 
  acclimation makes the animal comfortable in your 
  presence and allows you to train it. If circumstances 
  are right, the animal may willingly leave its territory to 
  follow you on adventures. 
  You must be proficient with the Animal Handling 
  skill for this activity. Locating this territory can be the 
  result of stalking the animal, finding it with magic, or 
  coming across it in a chance encounter. 
  Normal acclimation depends on the animal’s 
  adaptability and how deep in the wilderness it lives. 
  Most animals require 20 downtime days to acclimate. 
  Some can require twice as long. The amount of time 
  needed will usually be obvious to a character proficient 
  with the Animal Handling skill. 
  A wild animal can also become acclimated if held in 
  captivity, which saves time if the character can’t often 
  return to the animal’s home. However, the required 
  acclimation time is doubled because it is hard to build 
  trust when a creature is missing the freedom and 
  safety of its home environment. 
   
  
   
  90 
  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  address each of the creature’s logistical hurdles. Every 
  other sale or purchase is essentially down to luck, like 
  finding the creature for sale somewhere as a one-off. 
  For example, a non-player character able to magically 
  control and train animals may keep a stock of monsters to 
  sell. If a monster exclusively eats a particular plant or 
  small creature, a market may spring up near an oasis 
  where that plant or small creature is plentiful. 
  The biggest interest in monsters typically comes from 
  the wealthy, who see them as curios, status symbols, and 
  guardians. Finding this interest is also a matter of luck. If 
  offered, a wealthy noble might purchase a young crag cat, 
  or that noble might be willing to sell a crag cat or trade it 
  for another exotic creature. But this does not mean the 
  party will find a line of nobles willing to 
  buy their captured crag cats or sell a pet 
  crag cat to them. Such opportunities are 
  few and far between. 
  Monster Legalities. In worlds where 
  fantasy monsters are rare, selling them can 
  raise incidental problems or otherwise invite 
  trouble. A peasant trying to sell a dragon 
  turtle egg off the back of a wagon is likely 
  to attract the attention of the 
  authorities. Worse, it might attract the 
  attention of someone powerful, 
  someone who wants that rare thing for 
  personal reasons or who simply thinks 
  that dangerous creatures should not be 
  trafficked in. 
  Conversely, in worlds where magic creatures are 
  common, monster markets are more feasible. These will be 
  highly regulated, with statutes or royal decrees covering 
  important topics from safe handling, to insurance policies, 
  to import duties and taxation. 
  Finally, a truly dangerous monster is likely to cause 
  destruction or death when placed into contact with the 
  rest of society. For these events, the owner may have to 
  answer with fines, payoffs, or remuneration. Some cases, 
  particularly when children are injured, are crimes that 
  cannot be answered with mere gold. 
  Sentient Creatures. A creature’s suitability for sale is 
  often down to its degree of sentience. Even goodly 
  societies probably have no qualms about fencing-in simple 
  beasts and using them for labor or as food sources. These 
  animals are commonly domesticated and often available at 
  market. Whole industries may even exist devoted to the 
  breeding, raising, training, and selling of such animals. 
  However, smart creatures, particularly those that can talk 
  or are otherwise revered in society, make people less 
  comfortable about the idea of marketing them. 
  Every society designates some animals as sacred or 
  “noble,” making them inedible based only on cultural 
  relevance rather than dietary factors. Such animals are 
  romanticized or are playful beasts like the horse and the 
  dog. Additionally, some cultures hold some (or all) animal 
  life sacrosanct, and will not keep, train, or consume such 
  animals. This concern varies by culture; the DM decides 
  which creatures are unavailable at markets for these 
  reasons. 
  Owning creatures of higher intelligence and self-
  awareness is a more dubious prospect. Creatures that can 
  express complex emotions and demonstrate deduction 
  start to resemble the creatures that humanoids think of as 
  “people” rather than animals. This distinction is much 
  more relevant in fantasy worlds where the variety of 
  creatures and of sentient races is so diverse; there is no 
  binary “human or nonhuman” distinction to fall back upon, 
  meaning that most societies are likely to avoid keeping, 
  using, and eating animals with Intelligence ratings of 5 or 
  higher, particularly those that can learn languages. 
  All creatures with Intelligence ratings of 7 or above 
  are truly sentient and self-aware. Only evil 
  societies buy and sell such creatures, a 
  process akin to slavery. Although some 
  such creatures cohabitate with humanoid 
  races, often on equal or near-equal social 
  footing (as demonstrated by goblins and 
  their worg allies), this is not commonplace. A 
  character who rides a unicorn probably raised 
  that creature from a young age; the human either 
  befriended the unicorn and works with it as an ally, or it 
  has subjugated the unicorn’s will through magic or 
  nefarious conditioning. The worst of these “alliances” 
  invoke every negative aspect of the abusive and 
  controlling relationships sometimes seen among humans 
  in the real world. Helping a sentient creature leave such a 
  relationship might lead to a true friendship. 
  When it comes to dragons, all these factors are 
  magnified; dragons are smarter than most humanoid 
  races, more powerful when fully grown, and more 
  naturally magical. But for their habits of solitude, it might 
  be they who raise and train humans to perform tasks for 
  them, rather than the other way around. Still, the fantasy 
  tropes about dragon riders and the popular Dragonlance 
  setting make dragons the subject of commerce in some 
  campaigns. 
  These unusual factors rarely play into an acquisition 
  scenario, but they are worth mentioning in this 
  supplement. 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Raising Animals. Whether bought or encountered, 
  creatures taken in young, helpless states, such as the 
  newborn cubs of a wolf or the eggs of an eagle, can be 
  raised and trained to companionship more easily than 
  animals that are accustomed to living in the wild. 
  A wild animal raised in captivity does not require 
  acclimation, it must simply be kept in domestic 
  circumstances until it is old enough to be trained. This 
  period varies between animals and is wholly up to the 
  Dungeon Master. Most adventurers don’t have those 
  months to spare, but some scenarios, particularly in long 
  campaigns, could allow for the raising of young animals. 
  For example, it takes about 100 days for new-laid owl 
  eggs to gestate and hatch, and for the young to become 
  capable of flight (and thus training). At the other end of the 
  spectrum, some sharks take a century to reach maturity. 
  Because it is a fantasy world, the Dungeon Master may 
  have to determine growth rates appropriate to creatures 
  not found in the real world. 
  Breeding Animals. Like raising animals, breeding them 
  in captivity is a lengthy process, probably beyond the 
  scope of most campaigns. It is, however, one of the few 
  ways to increase the likelihood of acquiring exceptional 
  specimens of those animals. 
  This section addresses the logistics of bringing animals on 
  adventures, how they can best be adapted to an 
  adventuring lifestyle. 
  If players have invested time and effort to acquire animals, 
  the Dungeon Master should be mindful to give those 
  creatures all the survivable benefits allowed by the rules. A 
  DM who does otherwise fails to create the game 
  experience the players are seeking. Providing appropriate 
  survival benefits contemplates three factors. 
  First, the DM should treat animals as “special nonplayer 
  characters,” allowing them to fall unconscious at 0 hit 
  points instead of dying. Animal companions will reach 0 hit 
  points with some regularity and player characters should 
  be offered the opportunity to try to save them through 
  rounds of death saving throws. See the Monsters and 
  Death sidebar on this page. 
  Unfortunately, many animal companions are Tiny 
  beasts, having only a few hit points. These animals aren’t 
  likely to fall to 0 hit points without also suffering enough 
  damage to invoke the “Instant Death” rule on page 198 of 
  the Player’s Handbook. Therefore, allowing animals death 
  saving throws at 0 hit points isn’t always effective; 
  sometimes additional steps are necessary. 
  The second factor to keeping animal companions alive 
  applies to the targeting choices made by antagonists in 
  battle. Animals should only be targeted rationally by 
  rational foes, and instinctively by instinct-driven foes. Both 
  things amount to prioritizing animals below more obvious 
  threats, like the player characters, unless happenstance 
  removes such alternatives. Animals should only be 
  targeted by antagonists when they take significant roles in 
  combat, or when no other viable targets present 
  themselves. 
  Sometimes innocuousness is no protection for animals. 
  When an animal plays a significant role in combat, 
  particularly when it inflicts a grievous injury or an 
  annoying condition, it should not be ignored simply to 
  spare the players’ feelings. Likewise, a creature may fall 
  within a spell’s area of effect, even if it is not being 
  targeted. In such cases, an animal’s injury or death should 
  not be avoided by constraining an antagonist’s targeting 
  decisions. 
  Along the same lines, avoid targeting animals as proxies 
  for the player characters to forecast the danger of a trap or 
  signal an encounter’s lethality. Don’t treat animals as 
  “coalmine canaries” to elicit an emotional reaction with 
  their deaths or injury, or to create tension in the story. 
  These efforts are often transparent and will produce 
  undesirable reactions from the players. 
  The third factor for survivability addresses animal 
  advancement. As the characters gain levels, the Dungeon 
  Master should provide timely opportunities to replace 
  party animals with stronger versions or enhance those 
  animals to keep up with the challenges they face. This is 
  discussed more in a previous section. 
  Animals need sustenance and care. The larger the animals, 
  the greater the cost and weight of these supplies. 
  Tiny creatures need only 1/4 pound of food per day. Small 
  and Medium creatures need 1 pound. Large creatures need 
  4 pounds, Huge creatures need 16 pounds, and Gargantuan 
  MONSTERS AND DEATH 
  “Most DMs have a monster die the instant it drops to 0 
  hit points, rather than having it fall unconscious and 
  make death saving throws. Mighty villains and special 
  nonplayer characters are common exceptions; the DM 
  might have them fall unconscious and follow the same 
  rules [for death saving throws] as player characters.” 
  (Player’s Handbook, page 198. Emphasis added.) 
   
   
  
   
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  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  creatures need 64 
  pounds of food per 
  day. A creature also needs 
  water, a number of gallons equal to its 
  daily required pounds of food. 
  The type of food different animals need 
  varies significantly. Omnivores can typically 
  eat any kind of feed, as well as rations. 
  Herbivores like equines can survive on grass, 
  hay, and other herbaceous plants. Properly dried 
  and stored, such feed can remain viable for years. 
  (High-value feed, like oats, is simply a luxury and is 
  unhealthy for such animals to eat all the time.) 
  Carnivores require meat for most of their diets. As feed, 
  this typically takes the form of dried meat scraps or meat 
  ground up with absorbent grains. Meat feed lasts for about 
  ten days before becoming spoiled and worthless. (Most 
  carnivores can eat meat that is far more spoiled than a 
  human’s stomach could tolerate.) On longer trips, these 
  animals will need to hunt, or they will need their handlers 
  to forage game for them. 
  The Dungeon Master is the final arbiter of each animal’s 
  exact needs, both for quantity and type of food. Creatures 
  who fail to get needed sustenance suffer levels of 
  exhaustion as described in the Player’s Handbook, in the 
  section titled “The Environment.” 
  Part of an animal’s care includes exercising its useful tricks 
  and roles to keep the animal in practice. Along with that, 
  animals need new training to realize their full potential. 
  Although practice is glossed over in these rules, training 
  new tricks and roles 
  uses the downtime 
  rules in a way that is 
  analogous to the creation of equipment. 
  In campaigns where downtime opportunities 
  rarely occur, the fast pace of play can leave 
  animals without vital training. For these 
  games, the Dungeon Master can invoke the 
  optional Uptime Activity rules provided in the 
  Variant: Uptime Activity sidebar. This option is 
  taken from Wraith Wright’s Expanded Wealth 
  Manual and adapted to the downtime activities found 
  in this book. This system allows animals to receive training 
  while out on the trail, not just between adventures. It can 
  also apply to the acclimation downtime activity for animals 
  brought along in captivity.
  Left to their own devices, most creatures can forage or 
  hunt for themselves. Even domestic animals can adapt 
  with enough range to roam. Feed is only needed if an 
  animal lacks the time to find its own food. 
  Creatures that can graze, like horses, mules, and other 
  equines, can consume food in a small area. They can even 
  eat periodically throughout the day, given access to the 
  right plants. However, other creatures must travel a great 
  distance to find food. These creatures might become lost, 
  as most have no sense of timing nor the notion to return to 
  their handlers immediately after eating. A very smart 
  animal might hunt and return quickly, using the foraging 
  rules, but other animals must be trained to do so as a trick. 
  VARIANT: UPTIME ACTIVITY 
  This variant allows players to access the normal downtime 
  rules while adventuring. Downtime is an integral part of 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, but when stories are too fast paced, 
  players might have no access to these essential functions. 
  For players wanting to use the new animal training and 
  animal acclimating downtime activities, this variant may 
  provide the only opportunity. 
  With this rule, characters make use of their free time 
  during normal adventuring days to complete downtime 
  activities. After traveling, adventuring, sleeping, eating, and 
  performing other miscellaneous tasks, characters typically 
  have about four hours left to themselves. Using this free 
  time is therefore half as efficient per day as a devoting eight 
  hours to downtime activity. 
  To complete activities this way, record half a day of 
  downtime when the party takes a long rest. This is the 
  usual point at which players record healing, mark off rations, 
  and resolve other daily bookkeeping. If the party can’t take a 
  long rest on a specific day, it is probably because the 
  characters are too busy, and such distractions tend to get in 
  the way of uptime activity as well. Alternately, if long rests 
  aren’t taken because nothing is happening to deplete 
  resources in that time, it is likely that the party has enough 
  free time to spend true downtime days, adding accumulated 
  time to their activities. 
  To perform “uptime” activities while on the road, a 
  character must have paid any associated costs and have 
  brought along any tools, materials, or other resources the 
  Dungeon Master deems necessary. Particularly for a wild 
  animal being acclimated while out on the adventuring trail, 
  an animal might need restraints, a cage, hobble, hood, 
  muzzle, or some similar device. 
   
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Additionally, when animals are caged or stabled, when 
  they are worked or ridden longer than eight hours a day, 
  or when they are otherwise prevented from finding their 
  own daily sustenance, they must be provided with feed. 
  Keeping animals safe and calm is important when 
  adventuring. Some animals need special gear for these 
  purposes. Hunting hawks need hoods to remain docile. 
  Untrained creatures might need cages to restrain them. 
  These equipment needs vary based on the animal, its 
  intelligence, its degree of loyalty to its handler, and its 
  degree of training. The Dungeon Master will determine 
  what is necessary for each animal. 
  Some animals are adapted to survive in a range of weather 
  types, but others are not. While the presence of rain, cloud 
  cover, or direct sunlight can make animals uncomfortable, 
  they are more often sensitive to changes in temperature. 
  Even mild temperature changes from the animal’s natural 
  environment can result in behavior changes. Exposure to 
  stronger changes can be dangerous. 
  Even mild changes in ambient weather can trigger 
  behavioral changes in animals, particularly those with 
  instinctive seasonal behaviors. Birds may seek to migrate 
  and become agitated when their training prevents it. Bears 
  may require additional food, fattening up in preparation 
  for hibernation. Some animals try to seek out a mate. 
  Such changes can be alarming for a handler who does 
  not expect them, particularly if the animal is not well 
  understood, but most animals will eventually adapt to mild 
  temperature changes and act normally. 
  When changes in climate are more severe, animals can 
  suffer or die, sometimes without real warning. A bird taken 
  into cold climates may shiver imperceptibly, eventually 
  dying from exposure. Only a handler aware of the danger 
  or carefully watching the animal will have any warning. 
  The Dungeon Master may assign a range of temperature 
  survivability for any given creature. For example, the 
  human range is between 0 and 100 degrees, Fahrenheit. 
  While a human is not comfortable at either extreme, 
  serious harm is unlikely. The same is true of an animal that 
  stays within its assigned range of survivable temperatures. 
  Whenever the temperature is at or below a creature’s 
  lowest survivable temperature, the exposed creature must 
  succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end of 
  each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with 
  resistance or immunity to cold damage automatically 
  succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures who are 
  bundled against the cold or otherwise equipped with cold 
  weather gear. 
  Likewise, extreme heat can be dangerous for animals. 
  When the temperature is at or above a creature’s highest 
  survivable temperature, the exposed creature must 
  succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end of 
  each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures that 
  have consumed double their daily water requirements 
  have advantage on the saving throw. Creatures with 
  resistance or immunity to fire damage automatically 
  succeed on the saving throw. 
  Taking animal companions into certain environments can 
  be problematic. Most animals are fine in open terrain if 
  there are no nearby threats. Outside of these 
  circumstances, things can get complicated. 
  Some animals are unsuitable to certain adventuring 
  locations, particularly places with narrow, constraining 
  terrain. The larger the creature, the less adaptable it is. 
  For example, an elephant or stegosaurus probably won’t 
  fit in the goblin caves. It may also have difficulty moving 
  through thick forests unless it can find a wide enough trail. 
  An elephant handler who encounters a ruined monastery 
  must leave the elephant behind unless the monastery was 
  built by giants or was otherwise constructed in a large, 
  grand style. A Huge creature simply won’t fit through 
  narrow halls and doorways made for Medium creatures. 
  Large-size creatures have less difficulty indoors than do 
  Huge creatures. An area that is comfortable for a Medium 
  creature to move through can be navigated by a Large 
  creature, but the squeezing rules must be used during 
  combat in those areas. (See the “Squeezing into a Smaller 
  Space” sidebar.) 
  Managing Large creatures is a common task for 
  handlers, since most mounts are Large-size, and mounts 
  are ubiquitous features of many adventures. A few 
  moments taken to pull a reluctant animal down a narrow 
  connecting hallway or to get it to duck under a low 
  doorjamb are easy enough events to handle. However, 
  unless most of the environment is large enough for the 
  creature to move around in comfortably, with only a few 
  smaller portals or passageways to squeeze through, 
  bringing such a creature indoors is impractical. 
  
   
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  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  A handler will find that Medium, Small, and Tiny animals 
  serve best in these locations, since most adventures won’t 
  occur where the adventurers themselves (who are 
  Medium- or Small-size) cannot go. The Medium-size 
  mounts of Small-size adventurers have a tremendous 
  advantage in this regard; a halfling cavalier typically has 
  no trouble bringing her mastiff steed into the ruined 
  temple and is thus able to make excellent use of features 
  and equipment that benefit from being mounted. 
  Coaxing an animal into a squeezing scenario may require 
  a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check if the creature is of a 
  claustrophobic type, one accustomed to traveling on open 
  ground or roaming the skies. 
  Like size problems, many animals are not shaped in ways 
  that allow them to navigate humanoid habitats or other 
  terrain that humanoids might easily pass over. 
  Small obstacles, like broken terrain, rubble, or stairways, 
  can be dangerous for a horse or pony. When an equine 
  creature tries to navigate such terrain, the Dungeon Master 
  may call for a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. If the save 
  fails, the creature falls prone. An equine creature moving 
  through the area at half speed doesn’t need to make the 
  save. Although similar looking to horses, mules are famous 
  dungeon companions due to their Sure-Footed special 
  trait, which provides advantage on such saving throws. 
  Adventurers have long-admired mules for their ability to 
  navigate humanoid stairways and ruinous rubble, carry 
  great weights on their backs, and fit through spaces too 
  small for horses to pass. 
  Higher obstacles, like large boulders, may be completely 
  impassible to some creatures. Even without a climbing 
  speed, humanoid bodies are well-suited to scrambling over 
  objects that are about their own size. But trying to jump a 
  horse from boulder to boulder is a losing proposition; the 
  handler is likely to get hurt, and the horse is likely to break 
  all its legs. On the other hand, a dog or axe beak is nimble 
  enough to make such short leaps safely. The Dungeon 
  Master determines which obstacles each type of animal 
  can bypass based on its physicality. 
  In more-difficult terrain, ropes and vertical ladders are 
  impossible for most animals to climb. Getting an animal up 
  or down a steep cliff may require a handler to raise or 
  lower it using a rope, block and tackle, and a harness or 
  sling. These elaborate measures are time-consuming, not 
  likely to be worthwhile when attempting a casual 
  exploration of a small area. When terrain gets vertical, 
  creatures with flying or climbing speeds are far more 
  useful than normal animal companions or mounts. 
  Animals limited to swimming speeds or that breathe 
  only water are essentially useless outside of their 
  native environments. 
  Taking animals into dangerously populated adventuring 
  locations, the proverbial “dungeon,” inevitably brings it 
  into contact with enemies. Foes can also appear in 
  random encounters or other seemingly safe spaces, 
  making these considerations ever-present rather 
  than location based. 
  The challenge for animals in these areas is 
  survivability, a comparison of damage versus hit points. 
  Most animals are beasts. With rare exceptions, they have 
  few hit points, low Armor Class, and poor saving throw 
  SQUEEZING INTO A SMALLER SPACE 
  “A creature can squeeze through a space that is large 
  enough for a creature one size smaller than it. Thus, a 
  Large creature can squeeze through a passage that’s 
  only 5 feet wide. While squeezing through a space, a 
  creature must spend 1 extra foot for every foot it moves 
  there, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls and 
  Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the 
  creature have advantage while it’s in the smaller space.” 
  (Player’s Handbook, page 192) 
   
   
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  modifiers, making them susceptible to harm and thus 
  easily killed. 
  Regardless of how large a role they take in combat, 
  animals can’t reliably avoid damage. Even though animals 
  are usually minor threats, ones that monsters would not 
  prioritize as targets, they inevitably fall into moments of 
  vulnerability or find themselves in proximity to foes that 
  have nothing else to do than to attack what’s nearby. 
  As animals become more active in battle, perhaps using 
  the Help action to aid a handler’s attack, they become a 
  higher priority. Although the combat benefit this gives 
  could be small, an opponent may notice that the animal’s 
  advantage is easy to negate with a single attack. Then there 
  is the fireball; sometimes everyone just takes a dice-load of 
  damage, animals included. 
  While threats are not perfectly anticipatable, players 
  should particularly consider in 
  advance whether it is wise to 
  bring an animal into certain 
  scenarios and should take steps 
  to make the animal more 
  resilient or extractable if combat 
  should envelop it. 
  Foresight usually means 
  leaving an animal in a safe place, 
  as discussed in the “Safekeeping” 
  subsection below. If the animal 
  is to be brought along, an animal 
  can also be prepared with tricks 
  that allow it to avoid danger; an 
  animal trained to Heel or Hide 
  can be made safer in various 
  scenarios. Magic items and spells 
  can also provide for the animal’s protection, and a handler 
  can learn class features and feats that allow direct 
  intercession when attacks target nearby animal 
  companions. 
  A creature is suitable for urban environments based on 
  how it reacts to threats and stimuli found there, and how 
  resident people and animals react to the creature. 
  Domestic animals, even feral ones, are not likely to draw 
  attention at a mere glance. Humanoid races are used to 
  working and living side-by-side with such creatures and 
  don’t consider them dangerous or out-of-the-ordinary 
  until they start to exhibit strange behavior. However, 
  creatures that are not normally domestic, particularly 
  predators large enough to prey upon Small or Medium 
  humanoids, will not find a warm welcome in an urban 
  environment. Some places are particularly uninviting to 
  animals, including common places like eating houses and 
  public baths, and formal settings like the duke’s court. 
  Additionally, even calm animals can be unsuited to the 
  big city. Sudden, loud noises, the press of the market 
  crowd, or the barking of local hounds may spook an 
  animal, provoking it to flee or attack. 
  A dangerous animal can pass unremarked if disguised or 
  restrained. A wolf might not arouse the city watch if 
  leashed and muzzled, or if transported via wagon in an 
  iron cage. Likewise, specialized equipment like blindfolds 
  or blinkers that cover a horses’ eyes can keep a skittish 
  animal from being startled and running amok. 
  Because some creatures aren’t safe accompanying 
  characters in some areas, alternatives may be necessary to 
  explain where these animals go 
  when the game doesn’t suit their 
  presence. Although the Dungeon 
  Master can suggest or mandate 
  certain options, every player of 
  an animal-handling character 
  should be ready with a 
  suggestion when necessary. 
  Following are some examples 
  of how to manage safekeeping. 
  These are easier to work out if 
  the player is prepared to deploy 
  them ahead of time. This often 
  requires being mindful of 
  upcoming difficulties; the 
  Dungeon Master should be ready 
  to forecast the circumstances 
  with enough probability for players to make good choices 
  about what to do with their animals. 
  This assumes the characters cultivate relationships with 
  people who can keep and tend the party’s animals. For 
  example, if the characters met and befriended a druid who 
  lives in a remote hermitage, they might impose upon this 
  druid to look after their animals while the party takes on a 
  perilous sea voyage. Animals left with true allies are likely 
  to be well-treated and, if the characters die and never 
  return, the animals will have found a good home. 
  Some adventuring parties have a permanent home they 
  are based in, like a stronghold or manor house. Large or 
  rural homes may have facilities for animals, be they 
  stables, paddocks, dungeons, moats, or other animal-
  
   
  96 
  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  appropriate features. Adventurers should have hirelings 
  who tend the home in their absence, seneschals, cooks, 
  janitors, or other staff members who can look after 
  animals. However, these servants share such additional 
  duties and are probably only suited to maintaining the 
  animals’ care in the short term. Unless the characters 
  employ a groom or another trained hireling specifically for 
  animal care, this option is probably not good for more than 
  a fortnight. 
  This option may refer to any number of commercial 
  facilities designed to house and care for animals. In a busy 
  city, it is likely that 
  stables are available 
  near the gates or at inns 
  where horses can be left 
  indefinitely, so long as the 
  facility receives pay. The more 
  exotic the creature, the less likely that 
  such facilities will want to take on the 
  animal as a boarder. However, any domestic 
  animal can usually be stabled in any reasonably-
  sized city. 
  Minders are grooms or trainers that are 
  brought along on adventures specifically to 
  mind animals. These NPCs hang back when 
  combat occurs, keeping the animals out of 
  danger. Most minders are not trained for 
  battle or are expected to stay out of it. 
  Some minders may also be trained 
  hirelings, brought along to further train the animals during 
  a journey. 
  Minders also care for animals for short periods when the 
  party must go somewhere without their animal allies. For 
  example, when the players reach the ruined temple 
  following a long overland journey, the paladin’s NPC squire 
  may linger outside to tend the horses while the party 
  descends into the underground ruins where the passages 
  are too narrow for horses and the rubble too dangerous. 
  Some animals can simply be left to their own devices. The 
  efficacy of this method is based on the animal, the 
  environment, and other circumstances. 
  Many animals can be left outside for short periods. For 
  example, a business might have a hitching post, perhaps 
  with a watering trough, where horses can be left for short 
  periods. Likewise, adventurers might hobble their horses 
  and leave them to graze nearby while they explore the 
  abandoned castle. These short-term options are risky since 
  the animals are left untended and vulnerable; the Dungeon 
  Master may employ a random encounter roll to check such 
  animals’ fates when left this way. 
  For animals to be safely left alone for longer, they must 
  be more mobile and self-sufficient. An unusually intelligent 
  hawk could be loosed to hunt while 
  its owner has an audience with 
  the queen. A wolf companion 
  might run wild in the nearby forest 
  while the adventurers enter the city to 
  sell their loot, then allow itself to be 
  found by the handler the next day. 
  This section talks about how animals 
  should behave in the game. It 
  describes the duties and mechanisms 
  for controlling animals, as well as 
  giving advice as to the default behaviors 
  of creatures. It also explores roleplaying 
  animals as characters, utilizing their 
  characteristics. 
  As NPCs, animals fall under the Dungeon Master’s control. 
  It doesn’t matter if a creature is listed as equipment 
  on a player’s character sheet, like a mount 
  bought in a market, or is provided by an 
  aspect of the character’s class, like a 
  creature bonded with the Ranger’s 
  Companion feature. It is ultimately up to 
  the Dungeon Master to portray such animals in the game. 
  Although player characters control animals, sometimes 
  reliably and sometimes with checks, this is a function of 
  the character, not the player. When a player wants an 
  animal to move or act in a particular way, the player’s 
  character gives commands to the animal, and the animal 
  responds according to the applicable rules for its control. 
  In most cases, it’s more efficient for players to bypass 
  these in-game steps and dictate their animals’ activity 
  (preferably using the Golden Time optional rule described 
  in chapter 2 of this supplement). For example, while using 
  a battle mat, the player of a mounted character moves her 
  character’s miniature and its mount together. No check is 
  needed for the rider to command the controlled mount, so 
  talking about the in-game process of handling the animal is 
  a waste of time. 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  This shortcutting is usually preferred, particularly in 
  games with multiple animals that would otherwise 
  overburden the Dungeon Master. Placing this burden on 
  players is efficient. However, the players and DM should 
  keep sight of the fact that an in-game process of command-
  issuing occurs each time a player dictates an animal’s 
  activity. Under some circumstances, the Dungeon Master 
  may have a duty to step in to ensure that the animal is 
  being properly operated according to its rules and quirks. 
  In regular play, it falls to the Dungeon Master to referee 
  the players’ use of their characters’ traits and features. No 
  less so when players control other characters, like animal 
  companions. The DM has the duty of making sure animals’ 
  restrictions aren’t being ignored and that their traits and 
  features are being applied correctly. 
  Additionally, the Dungeon Master has a duty to interject 
  hurdles where they are needed, particularly when issuing 
  commands to an animal. In the core rules, magically 
  supplied or bonded animals have simple, predefined 
  methods of control that usually work automatically. 
  However, this supplement adds rules for mundane control 
  of animals; using these, it is more likely that an animal will 
  fail to understand or heed commands. Sometimes, the 
  Dungeon Master must direct the animal’s behavior in a 
  way contrary to the player’s intention. 
  The roleplaying of animals is something the DM shouldn’t 
  normally pass off to players. Although some players might 
  be adept at portraying their characters’ own animal 
  companions, providing an engaging roleplaying experience 
  for others in the game, doing so defeats the companionship 
  purposes of having an animal. Players who collect animals 
  want to build relationships with those creatures, and it’s 
  hard to have a relationship with yourself. 
  Because an animal companion is often part-and-parcel 
  to the concept of its player character handler, and players 
  very often have created specific personalities and quirks 
  for those animals, playing them appropriately can be 
  difficult. The Dungeon Master needs to remain aware of 
  the creature’s characteristics as well as its stat block to 
  create a consistent, immersive experience for the player. 
  Doing this with one or two animal companions in the party 
  is usually easy, but the task gets harder as more animals 
  are added. 
  In some cases, the Dungeon Master might invite a 
  different player to handle the roleplaying aspects of 
  another player’s animal companion, allowing the two 
  players to roleplay amongst themselves for such 
  interactions. Although this alleviates the DM’s role in 
  portraying animals, this must be done with care. Other 
  players are not as likely to remember a creature’s 
  idiosyncrasies; it’s not normally the players’ role to keep 
  track of anything but their own characters. 
  Portraying animals properly requires some knowledge of 
  their default behaviors. Animals have instinctive reactions 
  to circumstances and stimuli, some of which are 
  undesirable to their handlers. Animal training is not just 
  about getting animals to perform activities in the moment; 
  it also prevents some natural behaviors and makes 
  animals companionable. 
  When an animal is not trained to act a particular way in 
  a particular circumstance, it will default to the behaviors 
  discussed below. Even when trained, the animal may 
  resort to default behavior on occasion. If told to stay in 
  place, the animal will only do so until it knows the handler 
  has stopped paying attention to it or, in the handler’s 
  absence, for as long as the Dungeon Master believes the 
  animal’s attention span will allow. (Attention spans vary 
  between species and even between individual members of 
  the same species.) 
  Default behaviors are specific to the animals that 
  perform them; the following are generalized examples. 
  These apply to the most common animal types, 
  particularly to horses used for riding, and to dogs and 
  hawks used for hunting. The Dungeon Master should 
  design behaviors specific to any of the party’s more-exotic 
  animal companions. 
  In each of the following circumstances, the Dungeon 
  Master should also alter behavior to suit each animal’s 
  characteristics and may decide that trained tricks or 
  successful Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks can control 
  or suppress a creature’s behavior. 
  This activity is one where the animal handler is not 
  engaged in dramatic activity. It is a time of long-term 
  traveling or of rest, without danger and without direct 
  instructions to guide the animal’s behavior. 
  Most animals seek food during this time. Horses will 
  graze, predators will hunt, and domestic animals will beg 
  party members for scraps. When restrained, animals may 
  still try to pursue this activity, testing their confinements 
  unless fed. When food or hunting opportunities aren’t 
  available, or when the animal is well fed, it will become 
  idle or will sleep. 
  During a travel sequence, rider-trained creatures serve 
  as mounts and behave as mounts do. They are kept on task 
  
   
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  MANAGING ANIMALS 
  by constant contact with, and occasional instruction from, 
  their riders. If not constantly directed, a mount will follow 
  a trusted or familiar creature in front of it. Absent such a 
  leader, the mount will stay on the road or continue in the 
  same direction until its attention wanders or it finds an 
  opportunity to eat. 
  The guard-trained template particularly affects an 
  animal’s leisure behavior, converting the animal’s behavior 
  into a useful asset for the handler. Such a creature defaults 
  to a mode of alertness during leisure time, being trained to 
  watch for strangers, patrol an enclosed area, or guard a 
  specific person when its handler cannot. This role 
  also moderates an animal’s attention 
  span, conditioning it to stay 
  attentive or to maintain higher 
  degrees of alertness even when 
  its attention fluctuates. 
  The loud sounds of combat, 
  the fast, violent motions of 
  its participants, and the 
  smell of blood are all 
  alarming to animals. 
  Natural animals therefore 
  try to flee from combat, 
  with rare exceptions. The 
  exceptions are not usually 
  the sort that adventurers 
  care about; any threat to a 
  party is probably sufficiently 
  intimidating that even a 
  hungry bear will retreat from 
  it. However, some untrained 
  animals, particularly predators, 
  will fight to protect their young or their 
  pack, or try to kill an enemy for food when truly starving. 
  An animal may stick around if it is trained with an 
  aggressive trick like Attack, Defend, or Harry. 
  A mount that is rider trained (but not war-trained) 
  regresses to its default behavior in combat if allowed to. 
  Each round, the rider must make a Wisdom (Animal 
  Handling) check with a DC of 10, or a DC of 15 if the mount 
  is injured. If the check fails, or if the animal is otherwise 
  left to its own decisions, the mount does what its nature 
  dictates on its turn. 
  If suddenly unguided, most animals flee combat. A war-
  trained mount might stay near a fallen rider if it is not 
  directly threatened. An animal with a high loyalty score 
  might try to protect a handler, even if not trained to do so. 
  (While this is uncommon of skittish creatures like horses, 
  predators like wolves are sufficiently aggressive to fight 
  instinctively.) A giant lizard might snap up a fallen corpse 
  to consume later as it flees the battle. These behaviors are 
  all determined by the Dungeon Master. 
  This circumstance is like combat, except that what animals 
  consider dangerous varies. For example, a hawk does not 
  fear a fast-flowing river or a cliff’s edge. A solitary creature 
  might fear crowds or the noises of the city. Nearly every 
  animal fears a fire larger than a campfire, particularly large 
  wildfires. 
  Animals will flee from frightening 
  circumstances unless trained not to. Most 
  such training still requires the active 
  input of the handler to overcome 
  instinctive fears. Aggressive or 
  predatory animals may attack the 
  sources of their fear (or 
  bystanders) instead of fleeing. 
  Most creatures that are not 
  rider-trained will buck, roll, or 
  otherwise attempt to dislodge 
  a rider as default behavior. 
  They will continue to do so as 
  their highest priority until 
  exhausted. A more docile 
  animal might simply lay down 
  or roll over to dislodge a rider. 
  Chapter 2 provides optional 
  rules for staying on a bucking 
  mount and more details on how 
  animals may try to avoid being ridden. 
  Creatures with Intelligence ratings of 5 and 6 blend the 
  default behaviors of similar animals and of smarter 
  creatures. For example, a displacer beast may act like a cat 
  in many scenarios, but this behavior is moderated by its 
  understanding of complex circumstances and by its 
  personal agendas and motivations. 
  Creatures with Intelligence scores of 7 or higher are 
  sentient beings that have no default behaviors. They 
  respond to situations and stimuli in ways similar to 
  intelligent humanoids. Managing such creatures is no 
  different than managing humanoid NPCs. 
   
   
  
   
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  APPENDIX B: ANIMALS IN STORIES 
  N THIS APPENDIX IS ADVICE ON THE PLACEMENT OF ANIMALS IN 
  the game and a large list of seeds for managing their 
  appearances. Placement refers to the purposeful use 
  of animals as significant props to illustrate the 
  campaign world while avoiding the pitfalls of animals 
  relevant to parties that try to make pets of everything. 
  Seeds are small story ideas related to when the party 
  finds their animals or how they manage them. The first 
  seeds are generic, addressing acquisition methods, 
  caretaking, and other moments when animal companions 
  can take center stage. The rest of the seeds are taken from 
  official hardcover adventures; each adventure is examined 
  for circumstances that affect animal handling and for 
  instances of interesting animals that already appear in 
  those books and may be acquired. 
  The ability of player characters to acclimate and train 
  animals means the Dungeon Master must take special care 
  in the placement of such creatures in the game world, 
  placing the right creatures purposefully and not placing 
  the wrong ones accidentally. 
  Once players start to acclimate and train animals as 
  companions, they may begin to see every creature as a 
  potential friend. This can dramatically shift the nature of 
  encounters that the Dungeon Master believes will entail 
  combat, and the DM should be ready for this. 
  Animal-collecting behavior can take up valuable game 
  time and shift the focus of a game away from its intended 
  story. Trying to feed and befriend a random encounter’s 
  hungry wolves can be a slow process, particularly because 
  it forces the Dungeon Master to portray animal intentions 
  and personality at unexpected times. Additionally, the 
  party may end up with unexpected NPC animals, creating 
  logistical problems or shifting the game’s focus to caring 
  for the creatures rather than continuing the quest. 
  The Dungeon Master must therefore take special care 
  when using animals as antagonists and should expect that 
  players may see such creatures as real characters, more 
  than mere tools used to foster a sense of danger or tension 
  in the game. This may lead the DM to avoid sending 
  animals against the party, perhaps rerolling the type of 
  random encounter that comes up when the party tries to 
  rest. Avoiding the possibility of an acquisition scenario is 
  the easiest way to address a potential game slowdown. 
  When the Dungeon Master does use animals as 
  antagonists, a quick determination should be made at the 
  outset as to whether such creatures can be acquired by the 
  party. If the DM determines that they cannot be acquired, a 
  reason should be thought up and baked into the encounter. 
  Producing a reason after the fact can come across like an 
  excuse; a fast-talking DM’s reasoning may appear illogical, 
  a fiat designed to foil the players’ agency. 
  For example, the wolves that attack the party’s camp 
  might be so starved as to be unmoved by mundane 
  attempts to calm them; a successful Wisdom (Animal 
  Handling) check will only reveal that the animals’ hunger 
  has driven them past the point of being calmed. By 
  revealing the reason up front, the players won’t be 
  surprised by their inability to befriend these animals and 
  won’t waste too much time in the attempt. 
  Potential companions come in two types when placed, 
  those that the Dungeon Master expects the players to 
  acquire, and those the Dungeon Master is willing to allow 
  the players to acquire. The former type of creature is 
  designed to fill a need (or desire) within the party, while 
  the latter is probably a hostile encounter with creatures 
  whose acquisition merely would not upset the balance of 
  the party. 
  In the case of purposefully seeded opportunities to 
  acquire a companion, the Dungeon Master may wish to lay 
  some groundwork, particularly if the creature is one the 
  players my perceive as an antagonist to be fought. Local 
  villagers might pass rumors about the creature, giving the 
  players a chance to think over the possibilities ahead of 
  time. Or the party might observe the animal performing 
  some behavior that suggests possible acclimation, like 
  foraging in a useful manner or killing some dangerous 
  creature of a type that the party has previously fought. The 
  most compelling groundwork comes from observing the 
  creature in the role of an animal companion; perhaps it 
  serves the enemy knight as a mount or a guardian, or it is 
  caged in the dungeon of her castle. 
  If the Dungeon Master wants the party to acquire an 
  animal, the most compelling features to portray are the 
  animal’s intelligence and social behaviors. Players who like 
  pets feel a stronger connection to creatures that are cute 
  or smart; these factors form fast psychological connections 
  in players’ minds. At the same time, players who like 
  animals as mere tools to enhance their character sheets 
  will see intelligence and social behaviors as reflective of an 
  animal’s usefulness. Regardless of player type, these 
  factors universally signal a potential connection. 
   
  
   
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  The most effective way to portray social behaviors is to 
  mimic those of real-world domestic pets, like dogs and 
  cats. Most players have enough interactions with such pets 
  as to understand their social cues. The Dungeon Master 
  can quickly shift a potential combat into an acquisition 
  scenario by having the animal give an “inquisitive” tilt of 
  the head as the players approach. Tail wagging, turning in 
  circles, rolling over, and extending a front leg are all social 
  behaviors that players may recognize from their positive 
  interaction with dogs. Purring, offering small animal 
  carcasses to the party, and lying down in a patch of 
  sunlight are behaviors that may trigger the players’ 
  memories of interacting with cats. This domestic pet 
  behavior tells players that an animal can be acquired, 
  particularly if it shows some degree of trust or acceptance 
  of the party. 
  Social behaviors are probably not present in a hostile 
  encounter with animals. Players that turn 
  an animal attack into an acquisition 
  scenario need no real prompting 
  to collect animal companions, 
  whether the Dungeon Master 
  intends the acquisition or not. 
  However, if the Dungeon 
  Masters states that the 
  animal is not hostile at the 
  outset, or the animal cannot 
  threaten the party because it 
  is stuck in a trap or a cage, the 
  scene is set for an acquisition. 
  This part of the concept 
  ensures that each animal’s place 
  in the campaign is well 
  considered. 
  An animal’s concept is best 
  when it matches the 
  environment it is discovered in or 
  used in. Animals from distant, exotic 
  locations should be rare. Such 
  creatures create story dissonance 
  for a few reasons. 
  First, animals naturally stick to the 
  areas where the climate suits them and 
  where their food supply is abundant. An 
  exotic creature would have to be 
  purposefully transplanted; unless your 
  game is rife with exotic animal markets, finding multiple 
  exotic creatures for sale off the back of a trader’s wagon 
  seems unlikely. 
  Second, exotic creatures must contend with 
  uncomfortable (even dangerous) differences in climate, 
  particularly when moving from hot regions to cold ones, or 
  vice versa. Many animals are not prepared to weather 
  these changes in temperature and should never feel 
  comfortable short of magical intervention. 
  Third, such animals may be wholly reliant upon handlers 
  feeding them; it takes a long time to learn to hunt or forage 
  where the local flora and fauna are wholly foreign from 
  one’s home environment. 
  Unless the players are willing to engage deeply with 
  story elements about adaptation, or the campaign 
  purposefully ignores such logistics, avoid using animals 
  that don’t fit the local ecosystem. Fortunately, most 
  animals can be adapted conceptually. For 
  example, a player wanting a giant lynx 
  for a campaign set in a tropical climate 
  might be just as happy with a similar 
  creature, like a jungle panther. Likewise, 
  a savannah-loving dire rhinoceros might 
  be “reskinned” as a wooly rhinoceros 
  for a temperate or frigid climate. 
  If you want an animal’s concept to 
  include a truly exotic origin, make 
  that aspect a part of the story. One-off 
  events like a teleportation 
  malfunction or a liberated lab 
  experiment lack world-building quality. 
  Try broader, mundane systems of 
  relocation using the real world as 
  inspiration; perhaps a local trade 
  network exists to satisfy local interest in 
  that sort of exotic creature, using them 
  for high-status pets, folk-lore remedies, 
  or religious sacrifices. 
  Alongside considerations of 
  environment, consider also where 
  the animal fits into your campaign 
  world. Does the world have unique 
  creatures whose use could help to 
  distinguish it, better immersing the 
  players in the unique worldscape? If 
  so, try to use those creatures as often 
  as possible. 
  For example, the Eberron campaign has 
  magebred animals, domestic creatures bred with 
  
   
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  magical methods to produce outstanding quality and 
  unnatural coloration. Whenever an animal in Eberron is 
  encountered with the exceptional specimen template, 
  make that creature an oddly-colored magebred animal if it 
  can fit into such an origin. 
  Similarly, the Forgotten Realms campaign has native to 
  it some rabbits with unicorn-like horns and some cats with 
  wings. If a player wants a rabbit or a cat, make it an almiraj 
  or a tressym to emphasize the unique features of this 
  fantasy world. 
  In addition to placing animals adeptly, the Dungeon Master 
  should be prepared to remove them gracefully. 
  Particularly after allowing an acquisition scenario that was 
  not designed as an encounter of that type, there may be a 
  need to remove animals from the party. Perhaps the 
  creature is too potent, overshadowing one or more player 
  characters in combat or in skill scenarios. Perhaps the 
  animal is ill-suited to adventuring and needs too much 
  attention and protection. Whatever the case, the Dungeon 
  Master should be prepared with a few techniques to help 
  troublesome animal companions make their exits. 
  Some story ideas for removing animals are provided in 
  the next section as story seeds, but the Dungeon Master 
  should probably generate a few others, perhaps some that 
  are uniquely suited to the game world. The best exit 
  scenarios involve two factors. 
  First, the players should recognize that the animal is 
  causing a problem. In most cases, this will be apparent by 
  the difficulties that the animal engenders in play. However, 
  some difficulties affect only the Dungeon Master, making 
  the work of running the game harder. When the players 
  fail to recognize the problem, the Dungeon Master should 
  address it directly to the players, rather than relying upon 
  in-game events to get the point across. Until the players 
  realize that the animal is causing a problem with running 
  the game, they are likely to resist any exit scenario. 
  Second, the animal’s exit should be one that is beneficial 
  to the creature. If the animal dies, runs away, or leaves in 
  some manner representative of adversity, the players will 
  see this as a challenge to be overcome. They will carry the 
  creature’s body along to have it raised from death at the 
  next town, or will track down the animal to recapture it, 
  using magic if necessary. Instead, the animal should find a 
  peaceful and idyllic home, perhaps a secluded glade where 
  the animal can live in peace with plentiful food and others 
  of its kind. Alternately, the animal can be left at the party’s 
  headquarters or with a druid ally in the woods; the 
  animal’s exit only needs to remove it from the party; it 
  needn’t be a permanent exit from the story. 
  These small story ideas are directed at incorporating or 
  accommodating animals in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS games. 
  This section seeds ideas for the three standard methods of 
  animal acquisition: encountering, buying, and husbandry. 
  It also has ideas for getting rid of animals when the 
  Dungeon Master needs them to make an exit. 
  In these scenarios, the players have the least input on the 
  type of animals they acquire. 
  Random Encounter. The party notices an animal of an 
  interesting type, perhaps one that the Dungeon Master 
  knows that a player character is looking for. The animal is 
  too distant to perceive the party or to be immediately 
  attacked by it; this space creates a moment of 
  contemplation without rolling for initiative. The 
  encountered animal’s behavior is not one that suggests 
  hostility toward the party either. Perhaps the creature is 
  lounging, sleeping, or lapping water from a pool. The most 
  interesting behaviors are playful and frolicking, activities 
  that give the animal personality unrelated to its hunting or 
  combat capabilities. To signal the creature’s unique nature, 
  give the animal unusual coloration, scars, or other marks. 
  Rumors in the Night. The party hears a rumor of an 
  impressive animal specimen up in the hills. There is a 
  bounty on the creature, but a concerned local asks the 
  party to try to relocate the creature instead of killing it. 
  When they find the animal, it has already been wounded 
  by a hunter’s arrow and needs assistance. If the characters 
  help, the animal forms a bond and stays with them. 
  Remaining Young. After an encounter wherein the 
  characters slay an adult animal or mated pair of animals, 
  the characters discover that those creatures left mewling 
  young or untended eggs that the characters must either 
  adopt or abandon to die. 
  Strange Bedfellows. While traveling, a natural disaster 
  strikes, like a flood or fire. It forces animals to flee their 
  wilderness homes and come into close contact with each 
  other and with the player characters. For example, a 
  flashflood may strand animals and the characters on a high 
  peak, or a wildfire may force them to swim to an island in 
  the river. While the animals are huddling in fear, as far 
  from one another as possible, a character notices the 
  encountered animal. Alternately, when the threat has 
  receded, the encountered animal is found without its 
  parents, unable to fend for itself, or an animal curiously 
  follows the characters as they leave. 
  
   
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  Lost and Alone. While the party is camped, the animal 
  walks into their midst and begins to display performative 
  tricks, begging for food. It is obviously either domestic or 
  tamed, but it has been separated from its former handler. 
  It may show signs of hunger or neglect. The animal might 
  begin with a trick already trained, perhaps something it 
  demonstrates as a surprise, doing so at just the right 
  moment to be helpful to the party. For additional drama, 
  the animal’s original handler may come looking for it later, 
  perhaps after the party has gained a few levels and become 
  attached to the animal. 
  Experiment. The party encounters the animal caged in 
  the lair of an evil spellcaster. Experiments were performed 
  on the animal and it might now have magical properties. 
  Alternately, the animal may be a particularly intelligent 
  specimen from among a collection that were kept for 
  sacrifices or status. 
  Wounded Handler. The party finds an old (or terminally 
  injured) handler somewhere in the wild or out on the trail. 
  Knowing she will soon die, the handler begs the characters 
  to take care of her beloved animal companion. 
  Caught in a Trap. An animal is discovered with one leg 
  in a hunting trap. The creature should be put out of its 
  misery or rescued. If relieved of the trap, the animal might 
  follow the party, sensing the opportunity for kinship and 
  protection, at least while the injury heals. 
  Reluctant Aggressor. An antagonist attacks the party 
  with a bevy of trained creatures. However, one of the 
  creatures is reluctant and refuses to fight the party. This 
  raises the antagonist’s anger toward the creature, which 
  probably makes the party sympathetic to it. After the 
  battle, the party may find that this animal simply isn’t 
  combative by nature. More likely, as heroic animals are 
  likely to do, it simply recognizes the goodness of the party 
  and refuses to fight them on behalf of an abusive master. 
  Markets present an opportunity for players to have more 
  control over the type of animals they acquire. Most 
  markets, if of the appropriate size, will offer access to most 
  of the animals in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook.  
  Kismet. The animal is noticed in a common market, 
  perhaps in a cage or tied to a post at a market stall. The 
  character and this animal notice one another at the same 
  time, their eyes locking onto one another with an instant 
  sense of connection. The animal might be instantly 
  acclimated to the character who purchases it. 
  Exotic Wares. A traveling merchant has several 
  interesting and exotic animals on offer. The merchant 
  claims that these creatures are magical, part of the 
  menagerie of a distant ruler who recently sold them all in a 
  fit of pique. Unfortunately, most of these are only normal 
  animals, their appearances altered by such artifice as 
  bright-colored dye in the fur. One creature, however, is 
  truly a magical thing. Although the merchant doesn’t know 
  this, a perceptive character might spot this authentic 
  creature among the collection of fakes. This animal is 
  somehow magical, perhaps with the planar creature 
  template or possessing of a supernatural gift. 
  Twins. A local noble has put out the word that she wants 
  to sell her exotic pet. Perhaps the noble needs the money. 
  Perhaps the animal can’t be tamed, and the noble wants rid 
  of it out of frustration. Perhaps it was a gift for the noble’s 
  child, who now shows no interest in the animal and won’t 
  take time to clean up after the creature. The noble has even 
  provided a sketch of this animal, posted in the local 
  market. When the party sees this, they notice that the 
  creature is identical to a beloved animal they already have 
  in the party, right down to that strange physical feature 
  they thought no other member of the species would have. 
  Perhaps the beloved party animal itself notices the posted 
  sketch and shows inordinate interest in it. 
  A Circus Comes to Town. A large traveling band of 
  entertainers comes to town. While here, they set up a stall 
  in the local market or near their pavilions and offer to sell 
  some offspring of their exotic trained creatures. This is an 
  opportunity for the Dungeon Master to seed an exotic 
  creature, one wholly outside of its natural environment, 
  without the animal’s appearance seeming incredulous. 
  Celebrity Estate Sale. A famous singer recently died. His 
  many, many offspring have decided to sell his possessions 
  and split the proceeds evenly, but they are selling 
  everything at inflated prices to cash in on the singer’s 
  fame. Among the entertainer’s possessions is a useful or 
  interesting animal. However, other buyers are bidding on 
  it too. This story doubles as an opportunity to drain off 
  some of the party’s excess coin. 
  Characters with enough time (or who own facilities, and 
  who employ hirelings to run them), can acquire and keep 
  animals for breeding or can otherwise acquire young 
  animals and raise them to viable ages. This method 
  represents the greatest degree of control that characters 
  can exercise over the types of animals they acquire. 
  Last Will and Testament. The character has become 
  acquainted with another animal trainer, either in the same 
  area or raising the same type of animals. When that trainer 
  dies mysteriously, the player character is surprised to 
  inherit the dead handler’s large breeding stock. The 
  authorities (or disowned relatives) might investigate why 
  
   
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  the dead animal trainer included the player character in 
  the will. 
  Extra. The party’s breeding efforts produce more stock 
  than needed. A pregnant animal unexpectedly yields twins 
  or has a litter with extra members. If the players keep the 
  extra animals and bring them along on adventures, the 
  Dungeon Master may decide that the extra animals can’t 
  get along with one another in proximity. 
  Under a Dark Star. Breeding efforts produce an animal 
  of a different kind than its parents. The animal might be 
  totally incongruous, like an ape born of wolves, or it might 
  have a celestial or infernal template. Unless the party’s 
  husbandry operation occurs in absolute isolation, rumors 
  may spring up among the locals claiming that the creature 
  is a curse or the party may hear that all animals born that 
  day are somehow strange or marked as evil, perhaps the 
  result of an dark star that appeared in the night. 
  Mystery Eggs. The party found (or purchased) some 
  large, mysterious eggs. They identified the eggs as viable, 
  so decided to hatch them. Perhaps they believe the eggs 
  belong to a griffon, giant lizard, good dragon, or other 
  useful animal, either because they found them in such a 
  creature’s lair or because a merchant claimed the eggs to 
  be of that type. When the eggs hatch, they turn out to be of 
  an unexpected creature, maybe an intelligent and hostile 
  one like an evil dragon, a thri-kreen, or a peryton. The 
  parent of the eggs might also track down the party, adding 
  to the fun. 
  Breeding Requirement. If the party tries to breed 
  magical creatures and raise their young, those parent 
  creatures might have special dietary needs to be fertile. 
  For example, perhaps blink dogs don’t overrun the 
  Material Plane because they only mate after eating food 
  unique to the Feywild. The party must track down these 
  required foods or other materials to enhance their 
  animals’ chance of breeding true or to otherwise advance 
  their husbandry efforts. 
  Sometimes an animal is only a temporary member of the 
  party. Sometimes it needs to be retired because it is too 
  weak to continue adventuring with the player characters. 
  Sometimes the creature is too strong, acquired in a way 
  the Dungeon Master didn’t intend. 
  In these cases, a standard exit, the animal’s death, 
  probably isn’t practical. Magic allows the dead to be 
  brought back to life and the death of pets is a deeply 
  unpleasant notion for many players. Instead, these story 
  elements can provide interesting ways for an animal to 
  make its exit, one that is permanent. The best exits are 
  those where the animal finds a happier place to be, salving 
  the players’ sense of loss. 
  Polymorphed. At some point, a stray dispel magic spell 
  hits the animal or the animal falls to 0 hit points, at which 
  time it reverts to its true form. Once this “frog” becomes a 
  “prince” again, he is likely to want to return to his family 
  and life, despite still sensing some attachment to the party. 
  If the original creature is not a sentient humanoid, it might 
  instead be another animal, one better suited to the party’s 
  current level or needs. 
  Love at First Sight. The party encounters an animal of 
  the same type as one in the party. The two animals seem to 
  have an instant connection, and the party’s animal wants 
  nothing more than to go to that creature and live with it as 
  a mated pair in this idyllic setting, which is somewhere 
  away from civilization. If the party drags its animal away, 
  the creature might run off to seek its intended mate. The 
  other animal refuses or evades acclimation and won’t 
  leave its home, so the only option might be to leave the 
  party’s animal behind. Only the hardest-hearted party 
  would take extraordinary measures to bring the animal 
  away from this peaceful retirement, perhaps giving it the 
  reluctant creature template. If the party returns to visit the 
  pair, they may have the opportunity to acquire one of the 
  new offspring. 
  
   
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  An Offer You Can’t Refuse. A wealthy noble’s child has 
  recently lost his pet animal. By luck, one of the party’s 
  animals is a perfect duplicate in type and appearance. The 
  noble’s agent offers the party an exceptional amount of 
  wealth in exchange for the animal, promising that the 
  creature will receive the best care and attention an animal 
  could want and live on the noble’s grand estate. 
  Passing the Torch. A handler in a lower-level 
  adventuring party needs the assistance of an animal 
  companion of the type that needs an exit. The time might 
  be right for the animal to find a home in a less-strenuous 
  environment than the current party’s high-level 
  adventures provide. 
  Without some purposeful animal-including events, animals 
  can become obscured behind their stat blocks. These 
  scenarios emphasize both triumph and adversity, the 
  benefits and the drawbacks that animals bring to the game. 
  Beneficial scenarios will give animals a chance to come 
  out and participate as nonplayer characters outside of 
  mere die-rolling. Their special traits or modes of 
  movement can be advantageous, reminding some players 
  why having the animal along is a good thing. 
  Drawbacks are usually mild, but they force the players to 
  develop coping strategies for when harsher versions arise. 
  Without these, players may fail to think ahead, might bring 
  the wrong equipment, or might explore no alternative 
  places for animals to go when adventures will be 
  particularly difficult or dangerous for them to navigate. 
  These story ideas address non-combat roles that animals 
  can take. (An animal’s combat uses tend to get sufficient 
  stage time that additional story hooks aren’t needed.) 
  Hooks and Ladders. While in a dungeon environment, 
  the party encounters a cliff with a rope ladder rolled up 
  and hooked to the clifftop or some other arrangement that 
  makes the ladder unreachable from below. This is the 
  moment for a flying companion to shine! A clever flyer 
  could fly up and untie the twine or manipulate whatever 
  other restraint holds the ladder in its coiled position. A 
  flying familiar, with its telepathic connection to a smart 
  character, can easily manage the task. Otherwise, the 
  animal might need training in a trick like Fetch or the 
  handler might need to make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) 
  check to get the animal to perform this tricky task. 
  Cracks and Levers. In the giants’ temple, the party is 
  faced by massive stone doors with no exterior method to 
  open them. A Tiny creature could pass through the crack 
  between (or under) the doors and find the lever for their 
  opening mechanism. 
  Tracking Prey. A scouting party has discovered the 
  adventurers approaching the enemy fortress and engaged 
  them in battle, but one has escaped to bring a warning. One 
  of the party’s animals is needed to quickly track down the 
  fleeing foe before the alarm can be raised. This might 
  necessitate a quick chase, or the patrol might have been 
  encountered while days away from the fortification. 
  Camp Guardian. An animal trained for guarding, or just 
  a particularly alert and watchful creature like a canine, 
  keeps showing signs of having detected intruders when 
  the party camps. When the party can’t find any threats, it 
  must decide whether to take extreme measures, perhaps 
  with only half the adventurers sleeping at one time. 
  Alternately, the party can ignore the animal’s intermittent 
  growls. This might be a case of the animal alerting over 
  something that is not a threat, or something might be 
  stalking the party at a distance beyond the party’s ability 
  to perceive it. 
  Animals need food and water like any other creatures. 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS abstracts the feeding process; so long 
  as a creature gets its daily prescribed weight of food and 
  gallons of water, all is good. The following scenarios add a 
  bit of nuance to the process, reminding players that their 
  animals need attention from time to time. 
  Weed of Ill Omen. A grazing animal has consumed a 
  plant that is toxic to it and the creature begins to show 
  signs of illness. A character proficient with the Nature skill 
  may recognize the weed just after the animal has 
  consumed it, or perhaps another character may find the 
  strange weed much later, after making an Intelligence 
  check. If the weed type is identified, the party will need to 
  be vigilant wherever they camp in this area to find safe 
  grazing sites. If the weed goes unrecognized, all the grazing 
  animals continue to gain the poisoned condition day after 
  day, necessitating the use of party resources to cure them, 
  or just having to deal with sick animals until the party 
  leaves the area. 
  Parasites. The party’s stores of animal feed turn up 
  fouled, perhaps by mold or parasites. This won’t matter if 
  the party is in an area of plentiful grazing or hunting 
  unless there is danger or some other reason the animals 
  can’t be allowed to wander and fend for themselves. The 
  characters might have to turn back toward town or use 
  spells to provide sustenance for their creatures. 
  Catnip. The party encounters an area rife with food that 
  particularly interests one or more types of their animals. 
  Perhaps there is a plant that the horses go mad for, seeking 
  
   
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  it out, and then behaving in a highly spirited manner once 
  stuffed with it. Perhaps fat beetles or scurrying mice are 
  everywhere, prompting hunting creatures to keep leaping 
  into the bushes to pursue prey. Controlling the creatures 
  may require Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks or special 
  equipment like blinkers (or even cages). The party might 
  lose time recovering an animal that has gone off chasing 
  some tempting morsel. On the bright side, the party 
  doesn’t need to use any of that animal type’s feed stores 
  while traveling in this area. 
  Most terrain difficulties simply cost an unprepared party 
  some extra travel time to overcome. In the case of mounts, 
  which save the party travel time, the difference may be so 
  dramatic that the party loses more time than it saves. 
  The Cliff. An obstruction appears, one that humanoids 
  can navigate, but that other landbound creatures cannot. 
  The classic example is a cliff, or a steep slope covered in 
  loose shale, one that horses can’t pass by themselves. 
  Humanoids can climb the plentiful handholds or a rope in 
  the case of a cliff, or they can leap from boulder to boulder 
  to avoid creating a landslide of shale. The obstacle is one 
  that animals can be pulled up and over with ropes and 
  harnesses, assuming the party has them. Alternately, they 
  must find another route, perhaps losing days of travel, or 
  use magic to levitate the creatures or reform the terrain. In 
  extreme scenarios, the land may offer repeated instances 
  of this obstacle. 
  Tree Village. Like cliffs, some (usually indoor) features 
  are not passable by creatures that lack hands. Ropes and 
  ladders are prime examples. Perhaps the party encounters 
  a primitive village built high in the trees, abandoned or 
  otherwise. The buildings are reached by rope ladders and 
  connected by rope bridges, so the party’s horses must be 
  left on the ground. Perhaps the village was built in the 
  boughs because some terror stalks the ground when the 
  sun begins to set, a threat that appears when the party is 
  physically separated from their mounts. In the latter case, 
  the Dungeon Master should allow the party to see the 
  threat coming and react appropriately, but perhaps they 
  must defend the horses while at range. 
  The Gods’ Breath. While the party is on open ground, 
  like rolling plains, a raging windstorm blows up. It can 
  appear without warning, or it can grow out of other storm 
  conditions. The storm is so forceful that party members 
  must lean into the wind to avoid falling over. Terrible gusts 
  sweep Medium or smaller flying creatures away from the 
  party; the higher the animal, the farther it is carried. A 
  nature-wise character may recognize the coming threat in 
  time to find a sheltered area or to clutch onto a flying 
  creature. The party loses time hunkering down, waiting for 
  the flying animal to return, or traveling the wrong 
  direction to recover the animal. 
  Adversity can occur as “social friction” when animals don’t 
  have a good relationship with other creatures. 
  Crowds are Dangerous. When characters must go into a 
  crowded scenario, like walking a busy city street, and they 
  decide to bring an animal along, trouble ensues. Whether 
  wild or domestic, the proximity of so many other creatures 
  will cause rising tension until the animal finally flees or 
  attacks, causing property damage or injury. Perhaps the 
  final stressor is a loud noise, like the axle of a nearby 
  wagon breaking under its heavy load. The damage or 
  injury may require the party to pay reparations or may 
  invite trouble with the city watch. 
  Cats and Dogs. Some animals, by the differing nature of 
  their species or their personalities, refuse to get along with 
  one another. Some animals, particularly those with 
  hierarchal tendencies, won’t even get along with their own 
  kind. The party must devote attention to keeping two of 
  their animals separate while camping and traveling and 
  may find that long-term adventuring with both animals is 
  too difficult to do. 
  Animal License. While in a civilized area, even a small 
  town, a member of the watch or other local authority 
  demands to see the handler’s license for one of the party’s 
  animals. A local ordinance requires a fee but, even if the 
  party pays, the animal must be quarantined for a few 
  weeks of observation to make sure it isn’t diseased. 
  (Perhaps the town’s crop is under threat from some 
  animal-borne parasite.) The party must wait around to get 
  the animal back, bribe the right, people, or break their 
  companion out of “animal jail.” 
  This section examines the published hardcover adventures 
  to find areas where animals can be acquired or interacted 
  with and suggests ways to emphasize or improve the story 
  of that interaction. 
  If the Dungeon Master thinks the players may be 
  interested in one or more of these animals, rumors and 
  clues as to their existence are easily seeded into the 
  campaign ahead of time. Prewarned, players are more 
  likely to consider their options when they encounter the 
  creatures, rather than reaching for their swords. 
  Animal companions in Avernus, whether brought along or 
  found there, make excellent foils to illustrate the general 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  misery of the setting. (See “Life in the Nine Hells” in the 
  About the Adventure introduction.) Players may easily 
  discount the various miseries their characters must deal 
  with, particularly those that have no game effect, but 
  miseries visited upon animal friends feel very real. 
  The hells also create opportunities for hellish planar 
  creatures to appear. The abyssal chicken and the giant 
  craps in the High Hall event are excellent examples of 
  such animals; their flavor text particularly can 
  inform the creation of similar 
  creatures. Often cruel or 
  mischievous, such animals 
  may be ripe for redemption 
  and acquisition. 
  Bone Whelks. Although 
  their Intelligence ratings 
  place them in the 
  “cunning animals” 
  category, these monstrous 
  slugs have thought 
  processes so alien as to 
  give them the behavior of 
  instinctive animals. 
  Players wishing to acquire 
  them may find their 
  behaviors unsettling. 
  Baldur’s Gate. The 
  Garynmor Stables and 
  Menagerie is a great example 
  of city facilities where obtrusive 
  animal companions may be stored safely. (See 
  Safekeeping in appendix A.) 
  In Ravenloft, the Dark Powers make tools of animals, 
  embodying them literally or figuratively. The gothic horror 
  milieu casts animals as mysteriously dark and foreboding, 
  like everything else. Wolves stalk the shadowy forest, just 
  beyond the lights of the town. Ravens perch on the 
  hangman’s tree, staring silently. Bats swarm and scream, 
  heralding the night. Animals in this setting are meant to 
  raise tension and foreshadow unholy events with their 
  mere presence. 
  Here are some of the more interesting chances to 
  acquire animals or use them as story tools in this 
  adventure. These mostly occur in and around Vallaki. 
  Barovian Witch Allies. Barovian witches, although able 
  to use the find familiar spell, sometimes choose instead to 
  align themselves with fiendish animals found wandering in 
  the domain, cats, snakes, and toads with a fiendish planar 
  creature template. One of these magical (and probably 
  evil) animals may seek to befriend a party member after 
  the animal’s mistress is slain. To gain membership in the 
  party (and to adopt the party for protection), fiendish cats 
  in particular may attempt to play upon the party’s 
  unwillingness to hurt cute animals. 
  Beucephalus, the Wonder Horse. Strahd von Zarovich 
  keeps his beloved nightmare stabled in the crypts, deep 
  inside Castle Ravenloft. If it looks like 
  the party is at least a match for the 
  ancient vampire, Beucephalus may 
  opt to change his allegiance to assist 
  the party, particularly if the party 
  has an evil member in it and they 
  encounter the nightmare while it 
  is away from Strahd’s influence. 
  If this happens, it cements 
  Strahd’s hatred for the party. 
  Rictavio’s Beast. As part of 
  his plans for vengeance 
  against the Vistani, Rictavio 
  keeps a saber-toothed 
  tiger (wearing half plate 
  barding) in his carnival 
  wagon. The animal is 
  trained to be hostile to 
  Vistani but is otherwise 
  tame. If something happens to 
  Rictavio, or if the animal is found 
  or otherwise escapes, the characters 
  may encounter this creature and must 
  kill or capture it. 
  Roc of Ages. A thousand-year-old roc lives on the top of 
  Mount Ghakis, feeding on fish from the nearby lake. It is 
  attracted to horses and mules as potential snacks if 
  characters bring such creatures near the stone bridge on 
  route to or from the Amber Temple. This ancient beast is 
  almost certainly hostile (and hungry) when encountered, 
  but a persistent character might be able to interact with it 
  as an animal. The roc is one of the few creatures that flies 
  above Strahd’s influence and, although its memories are 
  those of an animal’s, it remembers a time before the Dark 
  Powers came to Barovia. Various spells might unlock the 
  creature’s ancient knowledge. 
  Sangzor the Goat. This beast is called Sangzor 
  (“bloodhorn”) by the local druids and berserkers. It is an 
  intelligent and thoroughly evil giant goat. Sangzor has a 
  supernatural gift from the Dark Powers that makes him 
  resistant to nonmagical weapon attacks. Although Sangzor 
  is hostile and mean-spirited, he could become a willing 
  (though stubborn) ally to the party. No explanation is 
  given for Sangzor’s presence here, leaving the Dungeon 
  
   
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  Master free to provide all manner of details to the goat’s 
  origin and purpose. 
  Unwitting Betrayal. The party’s animals may provide a 
  stark contrast to the native animals of this land. Where 
  native beasts are implements of suspense, allied animals 
  remain constant companions, reliable and true. However, 
  even friendly animals can represent a risk. The unique 
  forces in Ravenloft allow the Dungeon Master to use allied 
  animals creatively to drive the story, to guide enemies to 
  the party’s location or to reveal information about the land 
  to the players. Animal eyes can be secret portals for the 
  lord of the domain to spy out of. Or perhaps the Dark 
  Powers influence the party’s animals to lead the group into 
  dangerous areas of the land. Strahd himself might speak 
  through an animal’s mouth, challenging the party or 
  inviting them to meet him in his castle. 
  Vallakovich Hounds. The burgomaster of 
  Vallaki keeps a pair of black 
  mastiffs. Where did these 
  come from? Perhaps the 
  Vallakovichs (or the town) 
  has a large stable of 
  hounds, carefully bred 
  with pedigrees 
  meticulously tracked. 
  Exceptional specimen 
  mastiffs might be 
  acquired here, for a 
  significant price, so long as 
  the party is not hostile to 
  the burgomaster or not 
  causing trouble in town. 
  Wereraven Contacts. A 
  party that befriends the Keepers 
  of the Feather might use these contacts 
  to acquire semi-tamed ravens. The Keepers 
  probably cultivate normal ravens in and around Vallaki as 
  cover for their own comings and goings in raven form. 
  Some of the older of these normal ravens may know a few 
  tricks. 
  Wolf Hunters. Szoldar Szoldarovich and Yevgeni 
  Krushkin spend their days near Vallaki hunting wolves. 
  Despite hating these beasts, Szoldar and Yevgeni might 
  sometimes try to raise litters of wolf pups to serve as 
  trackers and hunters alongside the two men. The party 
  may encounter these two while they are in this process 
  and, owing to the hunters’ hunger for coin, be able to 
  purchase some or all the juvenile wolves. Alternately, the 
  party may find and befriend some juvenile wolves and 
  must hide them or protect them from the wolf hunters. 
  Keeping the animals alive may come at the cost of the 
  villagers’ goodwill. 
  This collection of adventures is one of the few times when 
  amphibious animals might well serve the adventurers. 
  Some purely aquatic creatures appear in these adventures 
  but, because acquiring such creatures is not useful to 
  surface dwellers, they are ignored in these pages. 
  The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Animals abound in 
  this adventure. Although presented strictly as antagonists, 
  these encounters are great opportunities to acquire useful 
  animal companions. The haunted house has four giant 
  weasels in the garden, two giant poisonous snakes in the 
  well, four giant centipedes in the kitchen, and six stirges in 
  the attic. For more interesting options, the smuggler’s ship 
  has a pseudodragon named Bimz, one 
  already accustomed to serving a 
  master, and a noisy parrot 
  named Cuppa, who may 
  randomly spout secret 
  codes and passphrases 
  that local pirates and 
  smugglers use. 
  Danger at Dunwater. 
  In this scaly adventure, 
  the Temple houses a pair 
  of unique two-headed 
  lizards called 
  amphisbaenae, useful 
  animals as guardians for 
  their doubled set of senses. 
  The Cave of the Giant 
  Lizard has six giant lizards, 
  just enough for a full party to train 
  as sure-footed mounts for this swampy 
  terrain. The Gate and Treasure Room houses five 
  giant poisonous snakes, and two giant constrictor snakes 
  live in the Lair of the Devourer. Speaking of the devourer, 
  this legendary crocodile, Thousand Teeth, is making 
  trouble for the lizardfolk. Capturing the animal is just as 
  useful to the lizardfolk as killing it, presenting an 
  opportunity to acquire a legendary animal companion. 
  Salvage Operation. Consistent with its infestation by 
  cultists of Lolth, the Emperor of the Waves houses giant 
  spiders, giant wolf spiders, and a phase spider named Roil. 
  Spider-loving handlers may have a chance to acquire them 
  magically, but the fast timing of this part of the adventure 
  and the fate of the Emperor means such alliances are 
  probably short-lived. 
  
   
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  The Final Enemy. The only animal in this adventure that 
  is not water-bound is Kysh’s pet sea lion. Approaching the 
  creature without the triton in tow makes the sea lion’s 
  starting attitude hostile. Even if Kysh survives, he might 
  leave the animal with the party when he returns home, if it 
  takes a liking to them. 
  Tammeraut’s Fate. The hermitage in this adventure 
  boasts a few creatures that might be acquired: five giant 
  rats roost in the midden and three giant coral snakes can 
  be found in the scriptorium. The location is one where the 
  party has plenty of space to acclimate such creatures in 
  their lairs.  
  Marsh Town. Around the town of Saltmarsh, the party 
  may randomly encounter blood hawks, crocodiles, dire 
  wolves, giant crabs, giant lizards, giant octopi, giant rats, 
  giant toads, owlbears, pteranodons, poisonous snakes, 
  rats, reef sharks, stirges, and wolves. The setting provides 
  no lack of animals for starting characters to acquire. If the 
  party is particularly suited to the companionship of one of 
  these animal types, the DM should select that encounter 
  instead of choosing randomly. 
  Sinker. This shipwreck encounter, of a small fishing 
  boat, provides an excellent opportunity to acquire an 
  amphibious animal companion. Giant crabs are versatile, 
  sturdy creatures that can breathe air and water. Because it 
  is part of a special encounter, the Dungeon Master can seed 
  the story with rumors of this giant crab’s location, perhaps 
  even upgrading it to a legendary creature. 
  The first of this two-part epic adventure appears in this 
  book, pitting the party against cultists bent on releasing 
  Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells. 
  Greenest in Flames. The party has the chance to acquire 
  pets belonging to the enemies; the kobolds and cultists 
  attacking the town of Greenest bring along useful ambush 
  drake companions and giant lizard mounts. Characters 
  used to domestic beasts may find these draconian allies to 
  be new and interesting. 
  Guard Drakes. At the raider camp, cultists employ guard 
  drakes to watch their tents day and night. Likewise, the 
  kobolds employ these creatures in their dragon hatchery. 
  These creatures are trained to be hostile to strangers and 
  resist any overtures of friendship. Although guard drakes 
  are incredibly loyal by nature, this last restriction can be 
  tossed out if the Dungeon Master wants a betters story; the 
  party might interrogate an enemy to find the command 
  words to bring these animals onside and allow them to 
  infiltrate the camp. Alternately, acquiring or interacting 
  peacefully with the creatures might require magic. 
  Animal Abuse. This Trade Way event encourages 
  players to come to the aid of a set of mistreated horses 
  among the traveling group. The ill-tempered noble who 
  owns them also wants to acquire some of the party’s 
  mounts and will pay a high price to get them. The party 
  may be inclined to make a profit by trading for the (now 
  fragile) horses the noble owns and a sack of gold, but they 
  will be subjecting their old mounts to terrible treatment. 
  Spider Woods. Some handlers, be they drow or just 
  arachnophiles, enjoy giant spiders for animal companions. 
  Those characters are in luck, since giant spiders appear in 
  quite a few hardcover adventures. In this one, a pair of 
  these creatures can be found in one of the smaller forests 
  dotting the Trade Way. The area might be known as the 
  territory of such creatures, giving interested players a 
  direction to go for finding giant spiders to acclimate. 
  North of Waterdeep. This part of the journey takes the 
  party through a swampy area north of Waterdeep and into 
  Castle Naerytar. This region has crocodiles, giant 
  centipedes, giant frogs, giant lizards, giant spiders, and 
  other swampy creatures that may be randomly 
  encountered. Seeing lizard folk make use of giant lizard 
  mounts in this area might make the party regret using 
  horses, which are ill suited for swamp travel. 
  Hunting Lodge. A pair of trolls that patrol around the 
  lodge is accompanied by three ambush drakes, and six 
  more of these animals can be found in the stables. Each of 
  these creatures is trained to track prey, hunting game and 
  intruders alike. If acquired, they may already know tricks 
  but might have some cruel behaviors that should be 
  trained out of them. 
  Skyreach Castle. This flying fortress has two rider-
  trained wyverns in the stable, along with riding harnesses 
  for both. The adventure provides a delightful set of rules 
  for trying to put the riding harnesses on these creatures 
  and trying to secure their cooperation as mounts. The 
  castle has nothing else in the way of interesting animals, 
  but for a pair of guard drakes in Rezmir’s chamber. 
  This story starts the party in the slave pens of the drow. 
  The adventurers collect an army of NPCs along their way 
  back to the surface, meaning that animal companions can 
  create an extra burden for the Dungeon Master, already 
  having to portray so many additional personalities. But, for 
  the players, this is an ideal story to have animal 
  companions in; a long trek through the Underdark can 
  otherwise feel very isolating, even alongside regular NPCs.  
  Animal Fodder. The Underdark has its own thriving 
  ecology, with unique flora and fauna providing sustenance 
  for adventurers and animals alike. Creatures normally able 
  
   
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  ANIMALS IN STORIES 
  to graze or hunt for themselves can do so without trouble, 
  so long as they are used to the Underdark. Surface 
  creatures must be provided regular animal feed or will 
  need help finding food in these areas. 
  Giant Spiders. The drow slavers in the starting area, 
  Velkynvelve, have half a dozen giant spiders. Some quick 
  magical control, like an animal friendship spell, could allow 
  the party to take one of these creatures with them. As the 
  party’s first animal companion, a giant spider also helps to 
  remind the players where the story began and what they 
  are fleeing from. More giant spiders can be found 
  randomly along the party’s route, particularly in the Silken 
  Paths and in areas frequented by drow. 
  Steeders. Common mounts for the duergar, steeders can 
  be acquired in Gracklstugh. The creatures bought here are 
  rider-trained and may know other tricks. Importantly, this 
  settlement allows the party to buy tack, saddles, and other 
  animal-related equipment. Acquiring mounts and beasts of 
  burden is important in this adventure because 
  of the amount of travel involved and, 
  being on the run, players otherwise 
  have no home base where they 
  can leave extra (heavy) gear 
  while they adventure. 
  More steeders can be 
  purchased in the duergar 
  enclave in Mantol-Derith. 
  The Spider King. 
  Characters interested in an 
  upgraded spider companion 
  might try to acquire the 
  legendary Spider King, a 
  two-headed giant spider in 
  Gracklstugh’s Whorlstone 
  Tunnels. 
  Cultists’ Death Dog. The derro 
  cultists in the Whorlstone Tunnels 
  have a death dog captured in a cage. Because 
  it comes with its own cage, this animal is easy to acclimate 
  over time if the party can find a way to drag the cage along. 
  Cave Badgers. The svirfneblin of Blingdenstone raise a 
  breed of giant badger that has tremorsense. The gnomes 
  use these digging creatures as part of their workforce, but 
  they might be convinced to part with one for a price, or gift 
  one to an adventurer as a reward for some service. Even 
  with a short range, tremorsense is an especially useful trait 
  to bring to the party. Training the badger to Seek invisible 
  creatures may well be worth the characters’ time. 
  The Beasts of Entémoch’s Boons. The adventure 
  suggests that the party can acquire and raise the three 
  basilisk eggs discovered in this cavern west of 
  Blingdenstone, providing a chart to measure their 
  maturation over time from infant, to young, to adult. The 
  DM can use this chart or use the juvenile template from 
  this supplement, whichever seems best for the game’s 
  needs. Enterprising and well-prepared adventurers may 
  also acquire the mated pair of basilisks that guard these 
  eggs, instead of killing them. 
  Giant Lizards. Characters that ally with the Emerald 
  Enclave while in Gauntlgrym can gain the service of giant 
  riding lizards. These creatures have the added Spider 
  Climb special trait, making them the perfect mounts to use 
  for exploring the Underdark. Because some characters 
  have features, feats, or spells that synergize with mounts, 
  the players should be made aware that mounts are 
  possible even underground. 
  More trained giant lizards can be taken from the 
  troglodytes that ride them in the Wormwrithings, or from 
  drow forces that ride out of Menzoberranzan. 
  Amarith’s Zoo. This dwarven member of the 
  Emerald Enclave keeps a variety of 
  interesting creatures in her menagerie, 
  including a rust monster and a fire 
  snake. Depending on alliances and the 
  party’s persuasiveness, they might 
  be able to talk Amarith out of one or 
  two creatures to serve as 
  companions. The Dungeon Master 
  can add more creatures to this area, 
  if desired. Because it is a zoo, exotic 
  creatures up to size Medium might 
  be found here, even surface animals. 
  This adventure takes place in a 
  familiar area of the Sword Coast, the 
  Dessarin Valley. There are plentiful 
  roadways and waterways in the area, 
  and many different areas for the party to 
  travel to between dungeon delves. Mounts will come in 
  handy, as will flying companions who can scout the trails 
  ahead. 
  Several towns provide opportunities to resupply. These 
  will have domestic animals available to buy, as well as feed 
  and equipment for animals. If need be, these towns can 
  provide stabling for mounts and some other (not-too-
  exotic) creatures. This is an important service for an 
  adventure filled with so many large, time-consuming 
  dungeons with so many levels to them. 
  Adding to the Temple. Throughout chapter 5, portals 
  connect the Material Plane to the various Elemental 
  Planes. This creates a myriad of opportunities for the 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Dungeon Master to add animals with various types of 
  elemental planar creature templates that the party may 
  encounter. These may appear as pets or guardians for 
  various denizens of temple areas near said portals. 
  Eternal Flame Chimera Lair. Less intelligent than the 
  hell hounds in the kennel, the chimera in area E30 may be 
  easier to acquire as an animal companion. While it is loyal 
  to the fire cult at large, creatures of this Intelligence rating 
  (3) don’t feel loyalty to large groups to a degree that 
  outsiders couldn’t sway them. 
  Eternal Flame Kennels. The kennel, area E19, holds four 
  hell hounds. These cunning creatures are loyal to their 
  mistress, Lyzzie, and hostile to everyone else. If the party 
  wants to acquire these evil creatures as companions, they 
  will need magical means, perhaps charming the animals to 
  sway them away from their current loyalties. 
  Feathergale Spire. The Feathergale knights ride giant 
  vultures and hippogriffs. If the party attacks Feathergale 
  Spire, they will find a half dozen of these creatures 
  occupying the stables, and more ridden by various knights. 
  Although these rider-creatures are initially aggressive 
  toward strangers, the party has an opportunity to calm 
  these animals in their enclosures and use them for mounts 
  or allies. Flying mounts are particularly useful in an 
  adventure with so much overland travel. 
  Into the Wilderness. A bandit lair near Red Larch 
  contains a stolen wagon with iron cages, their contents 
  once destined for the home of a noble in Waterdeep. The 
  bandits killed (and perhaps ate some of) the giant boar in 
  the cages, but the players might be able to return the 
  creature to life using some of the new magic in this 
  supplement. The cage now contains a captured black bear 
  that the characters may befriend if they handle it correctly. 
  The wagon cage may also be useful while acclimating the 
  bear to the party’s company, or for other efforts to acquire 
  wild animals in the region. 
  Knights Quest. If the party engages in the manticore 
  hunt on behalf of Thurl Merosska, they have a chance to 
  deal with a manticore. This intelligent, evil creature is 
  willing to make a bargain, particularly if it is surrounded 
  by Feathergale knights, has lost a lot of hit points, or has 
  depleted its supply of tail spikes. The manticore wants to 
  return to its mate in area V9 of the Sighing Valley. For even 
  characters, this is a chance to forge an alliance with the 
  creature, perhaps gaining its occasional assistance later. 
  Owlbear Greetings. If the players are fans of the 
  streamed D&D game, Dice, Camera, Action! with Dungeon 
  Master Chris Perkins, they may have been looking for a 
  chance to acquire an owlbear buddy of their very own. 
  This creature at the Halls of the Haunting Axe is not 
  hungry enough to attack on sight. Clever handlers may be 
  able to acquire it, giving the party their very own owlbear 
  mascot like Hootie McHootface or Waffles. 
  Plunging Torrents. These caverns hold several 
  interesting animals. The giant crabs in area P3 each 
  represent a massive source of wealth if sold for food at a 
  local market. Too heavy to carry away, these animals might 
  be magically controlled to walk themselves out of these 
  caverns. Likewise, the giant octopus in area P11 can be a 
  great source of seafood to market, but it can also become 
  an animal companion in the unlikely event that the party 
  spends a lot of time in watery environs. The hydra in area 
  P18 is smart enough to recognize individuals; it doesn’t 
  mind Gar Shatterkeel’s presence, meaning that it can be 
  acclimated to the presence of other individuals. Finally, 
  three trained crocodiles guard the water portal in area 
  P20. As already-trained creatures, they may be easier to 
  acquire than normal crocodiles and the Dungeon Master 
  may give them a range of useful, already-known tricks. 
  Sighing Valley. Giant vultures and blood hawks make 
  their homes here. Both useful birds make strong allies for 
  handlers seeking animal companions. The roost in area V7 
  is also home to a pair of mated griffons that could be 
  acclimated with some effort, although griffons don’t mix 
  well with horses or hippogriffs. The pair also has a nest 
  with two viable eggs. 
  This adventure incorporates elements of horror, 
  particularly from isolation and deprivation. In these icy 
  environs, the companionship of animal become more 
  important, sometimes lifesaving. 
  This adventure contains many animals, more than 
  previous adventures, and too many to call out in every 
  instance. Some of these have their own names, merely 
  mentioned in passing. Likewise, attention is being paid to 
  how animals react when player characters try to befriend 
  them, like the dire wolf in the Cauldron Caves. Hopefully, 
  this focus on animals and their potential companionship 
  represents a trend that continues in future adventures. 
  Awakened Animals. Evil frost druids have awakened 
  many animals the party can encounter. These druids seem 
  to possess a surplus of 1,000 gp-agates, such that each 
  druid can awaken animals for such pedestrian purposes as 
  carrying messages. To reduce the druids’ apparent wealth, 
  the DM can replace some of these awakened creatures 
  with normal animals controlled by simpler spells. 
  Dog Sledding. Since the publication of Jack London’s The 
  Call of the Wild (1903), numerous books and films have 
  portrayed sled dogs as loyal, useful companions. These 
  stories illustrate how entire adventures could focus on 
  dogs and sledding. 
  
   
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  Sled dogs are available at various places in the 
  adventure. Training and maintaining a team can become 
  an important aspect of the story. The DM can create rules 
  for specific roles on the team, like lead, swing, and wheel 
  dogs. Replacing dogs or finding unique dogs to enhance the 
  team might constitute a form of party treasure.  
  This supplement expands the rules for dog sledding in 
  chapter 4, contemplating the benefits of multiple dogs 
  pulling a sled. Contrary to the Overland Travel and 
  Dogsleds entries in Rime of the Frostmaiden, the best dog 
  teams can exceed 10 miles per hour while pulling a rider 
  and sled through a continuous eight-hour stretch. 
  Owlbear Whisperer. This “character secret” is a perfect 
  way to introduce the rules in this supplement, adventuring 
  alongside powerful creatures that are well-suited to the 
  cold environment. The “secret” represents one of the few 
  ways that a monster can be tamed like an animal. 
  Clever Beast. This encounter with the awakened 
  plesiosaurus in Maer Dualdon serves as an excellent 
  example of how player characters can interact with 
  animals they discover. The plesiosaurus can easily become 
  an important NPC in the story. 
  Foaming Mugs. The goblins in this encounter use a 
  trained hawk as a scout, probably one of the types that live 
  in arctic environments. If the goblins are slain, the hawk 
  might follow or adopt the party out of self-interest. 
  The polar bears that pull the sled might have training 
  too—it’s unclear how Izobai controls them. If the DM 
  decides the party can acquire these creatures, they might 
  have training already. Otherwise, the DM might provide 
  some magical (temporary?) means of keeping the bears in 
  their sled harness and not eating the goblins. 
  Arveiaturace. This encounter illustrates how dragons 
  can interact with humanoids as allies (see Monster 
  Markets in chapter 4). The illustration of this ancient white 
  dragon includes an example of a gargantuan exotic saddle. 
  Domesticated Crag Cat. Since their first appearance in 
  Storm King’s Thunder, crag cats have evolved from beasts 
  into monstrosities. However, they seem to be no less 
  trainable, as illustrated by Kaniaka’s domesticated crag cat 
  described in Skytower Shelter. 
  Griffon Taming. The Griffon Taming sidebar in the 
  description of Skytower Shelter allows goliaths of the 
  Akannathi clan to raise and train griffons using secret 
  techniques passed down through generations. This sidebar 
  allows even a character not trained in Animal Handling to 
  raise and train a companion. 
  Giant Lizards. As coldblooded creatures, these trained 
  mounts are nearly useless if taken outside of Sunblight. 
  They cannot become adapted to arctic conditions. 
  Chimeric Creator. This arcane device represents an 
  endless supply of loyal animal companions with mixed 
  animal features. Chimeric features may represent cosmetic 
  differences or they may justify one or more templates. 
  This slim sequel to Hoard of the Dragon Queen has a 
  draconic focus; the party will interact with dragons, 
  dragon cultists, a dragon deity, and other dragon-related 
  or Draconic-speaking creatures throughout. 
  Guard Drakes. Elite cultists bands operating from the 
  Gray Peaks to the Sunset Mountains are each aided by a 
  pack of three guard drakes. Seeking to find and sway allies, 
  the cultists might part with one or more of the creatures as 
  a gift. Alternately, if things turn hostile, magic might be 
  used to prevent these loyal animals from fighting to the 
  death, giving the party a chance to acquire some as 
  companions. Additional guard drakes may be found in the 
  Temple of Tiamat. 
  The Snow Bear. As a placed encounter while aboard the 
  Frostskimmer, the crew spots a polar bear stalking a 
  wounded hunter out on the ice. The party might be 
  inclined to save the hunter; a keen party might be inclined 
  to save the polar bear as well. 
  The Misty Forest. Seven giant spiders lair about a 
  quarter mile from Chuth’s lair, waiting to be slain or 
  acquired by handlers interested in such creatures. Given 
  the forest’s tending by a druid caretaker, this area would 
  be an excellent area for the Dungeon Master to seed any 
  other animals intended for the party’s use. 
  Nelvik the Pseudodragon. Archvillain Severin’s pet 
  pseudodragon stays out of the final fight and later 
  attempts to befriend its master’s killers. However, this 
  animal only seeks this alliance to find an opportune 
  moment for revenge. Only the kindest of characters have 
  any chance to melt this evil creature’s heart and avert 
  betrayal. 
  This sprawling sandbox adventure gives characters a 
  chance to encounter any and every creature found in the 
  entirety of the Sword Coast; the Dungeon Master has 
  unlimited locations and opportunities to seed useful 
  animals for the party. The encounters called out below are 
  limited to the more interesting or detailed animals or 
  animal-related locations. 
  Flying Mounts. Given the amount of traveling in this 
  hardcover, the adventurers are sure to need horses for 
  their quest, and they may soon advance to griffons, 
  hippogriffs, or other flying mounts out of necessity. Such 
  mounts can prove difficult when trying to keep other 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  animal companions. An animal like a tiger isn’t going to get 
  far trying to ride a griffon alongside the party. Animal-
  loving parties may therefore be forced to forego flying 
  mounts and travel by airship or teleportation. 
  In the fortified settlement that overlooks Silverymoon 
  Pass, Lord Cavilos raises hippogriffs, which the knights of 
  Hawk’s Rest use as mounts to patrol the road as far out as 
  Sundabar. Players looking for war-trained flying mounts 
  need look no further than the stables of this settlement, 
  although prices will reflect the number of extra hippogriffs 
  Lord Cavilos has on hand. 
  For characters who prefer griffons, these can be secured 
  in Mirabar, Waterdeep, Fireshear, and the Castle of the 
  Cloud Giants. 
  Boss Hark’s Cave. In the 
  introductory portion of the adventure, 
  designed to jump the party from 
  1st level up to the adventure’s 
  true starting level, the goblin 
  boss Hark keeps a 
  menagerie of seven 
  beloved giant rats. These 
  pets make ideal starters 
  for party members 
  seeking animal 
  companions. 
  Aerie. The cloud 
  giant who lives in the 
  Tower of Zephyros 
  treats the four griffons 
  that nest at the top as 
  cats, meaning they are 
  predisposed toward 
  some limited interaction 
  with other creatures, so long 
  as their nests aren’t threatened. The party probably has 
  time to acclimate these creatures while the flying tower 
  takes them to their destination. Along the way cultists 
  might attack the tower, leaving their giant vulture mounts 
  clinging to the outside. By dressing as cultists, the party 
  may trick these creatures into cooperation; these birds are 
  otherwise initially hostile to non-cult members. 
  Black Bears. Two bears, named Darlow and Tilbee, 
  frequent the Harvesthome Abbey in Goldenfields. They are 
  relatively accustomed to the presence of humanoids, and 
  they follow abbey workers around hoping to get fed. The 
  bears are rumored to be gifts from the Earth Mother, but 
  the abbot is worried they’ll eventually hurt someone so 
  would be perfectly happy for the adventurers to take the 
  beasts away. 
  Bear Cave. This cave, in the Canyon of the Stone Giants, 
  is home to two cave bears and their cub. (These animals 
  use the polar bear and black bear stat blocks, respectively.) 
  These creatures are already accustomed to humanoids; 
  they work alongside members of the Blue Bear tribe. If the 
  parents are killed, the cub will follow the adventurers, 
  demanding food. 
  Hulking Crabs. For characters interested in hulking 
  crabs, a new creature unique in this hardcover adventure, 
  a couple are available in the crab pens in the Maelstrom. 
  (Less aspiring characters may be satisfied with one of the 
  smaller giant crabs from the guard post.) A unique version 
  of the hulking crab, one with colored nodules and hollow 
  flutes of beautiful living coral growing out of its shell, can 
  be found in the great hall. This living 
  musical instrument may be a 
  great companion for a bard 
  or some other musical 
  character. 
  This hardback book 
  collects some of the 
  most famous adventures 
  of previous editions. Its 
  adventures have 
  opportunities to 
  acquire animals of 
  various sorts. 
  The Sunless Citadel. 
  The fortress level is the 
  right place for 1st-level 
  adventures to acquire level-
  appropriate companions; the ledge, 
  crumbled courtyard, old approach, and “mama rat” areas 
  have giant rats and a diseased giant rat. In the great 
  hunter’s abode (part of the lodge), more giant rats are 
  available. 
  Belak’s giant frog, in the gulthias tree area, also makes a 
  useful animal to acquire. It’s already used to the 
  companionship of the druid and may know a trick or two. 
  The Forge of Fury. For characters interested in stirges, 
  some can be found in the grand stair area of the Mountain 
  Door, and more can be found in the Glitterhame, in the 
  stirge colony and high cavern area. 
  Two dire wolves, named Vak and Thrag, are already 
  accustomed to handling by Ulfe the ogre, in the great Ulfe 
  area of the Mountain Door. They may appreciate the 
  gentler handling of player characters. The dire wolves try 
  
   
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  ANIMALS IN STORIES 
  to flee if Ulfe falls first, which may remind the players that 
  these creatures needn’t be fought to the death. 
  The chief of the troglodytes in Glitterhame keeps a giant 
  lizard as a pet. The creature may be trained for riding, 
  combat, or in other tricks. A larger version of this creature, 
  a giant subterranean lizard, is held captive nearby in the 
  scaly lair area and may be acquired too. (Be cautious here; 
  huge-size animal companions are difficult to incorporate 
  into parties, particularly for groups whose battles use 
  miniatures on a grid.) 
  The bear pen in the orc tunnel area of the Glitterhame 
  holds a black bear that isn’t trained but has become 
  acclimated to the troglodytes who feed it. The adventure 
  already lists a Wisdom (Animal Handling) DC to calm the 
  creature, basically setting up the party to take the bear 
  along with them. 
  The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan. The random 
  encounters table for the ruins is essentially a menu of 
  potential animal companions: baboons, bats, giant fire 
  beetles, giant frogs, giant wolf spiders, panthers, poisonous 
  snakes, and rats. Some of these can also be found in 
  numbered areas. 
  The amphisbaena, in the chamber of the second sun 
  area, uses the giant constrictor snake stat block as a stand-
  in. However, a more-recent publication, Ghosts of 
  Saltmarsh, has true stats for amphisbaenae. Feel free to use 
  whichever best suits your game. 
  White Plume Mountain. The terraced aquarium area 
  has giant crayfish, giant scorpions, and sea lions, a 
  menagerie of potential animal companions in one small, 
  compact area. The rest of the dungeon is remarkably light 
  on animals. 
  Dead in Thay. Some sectors of the Doomvault may put 
  potential animal companions in the party’s path; giant 
  centipedes and giant spiders randomly move through the 
  blood pens, cockatrices and a displacer beast inhabit the 
  forests of slaughter, and several giant crabs lounge in the 
  predator pools. 
  The egg chamber and hatchling pens areas of the blood 
  pens may hold eggs and live young of an assortment of 
  animals that may be acquired, including basilisks, carrion 
  crawlers, and wyverns. 
  In the forests of slaughter, the party may find a gorgon 
  lair and a cockatrice roost, two areas where they can 
  acquire rare and dangerous companions. A den holds a 
  pair of displacer beast, one of the most highly sought 
  animals to take as companions. 
  The spawn pools sector has six giant crabs in the sea hag 
  lair, useful animals to employ in this area. If the players 
  can quickly take control of the creatures (perhaps through 
  magic), they can exploit the giant crabs’ amphibious nature 
  to great effect in this watery zone. 
  Against the Giants. Many giants have pets, animals 
  already accustomed to working with creatures of different 
  sorts than themselves. Some advantage may apply to the 
  characters’ attempt to acquire such creatures since they 
  are already tamed to some degree. 
  In the Steading of the Hill Giant Chief, two dire wolves 
  can be found in a random encounter. Two cave bears are 
  also present, one in the chamber of the chief’s wife and 
  another in the great hall. Giant lizards and carrion crawlers 
  are wandering through the dungeon areas and can be 
  found in specific areas. The lizards’ lair area also holds 
  giant crocodiles. 
  In the Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, a band of yetis 
  keeps two snow leopards as pets in the misty ice cave area. 
  These use the stat blocks of tigers. The frost giant jarl has 
  polar bears, a hunting pack kept in the kennel cave area. 
  In the Hall of the Fire Giant King, Queen Frumpy keeps 
  giant weasels and poisonous snakes as pets and guardians 
  in the queen’s chamber. Hell hounds can be found in 
  multiple areas; the place is overflowing with them. A 
  chimera, loyal to the fire giants, resides in the chimera pen 
  area. A pair of cloud giant visitors keep two guard-trained 
  lions in their room in the guest chambers area. Finally, 
  what igneous compound would be complete without giant 
  fire beetles, like the twelve found in the glowing cave? 
  Most of the source material for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 
  supports a Eurocentric paradigm. In contrast, this 
  hardcover adventure gives players the chance to see a 
  different region, one lush with unusual fauna, like jaculis, 
  tigers, and kamadans. Unless they bring their own, the 
  party isn’t likely to encounter any horses, mules, or many 
  of the other domestic animals common to other regions. 
  Different animals take these roles in Chult. 
  This land is rife with dinosaurs, the most powerful of all 
  beasts. They can be bought and sold in markets. They are 
  raced for sport, driven for agriculture, and ridden in battle. 
  Druids may be eager to encounter such creatures, adding 
  new forms to their Wild Shape repertoires. Smaller 
  dinosaurs can be acquired anywhere to use as beasts of 
  burden or war mounts. The largest dinosaurs can be found 
  deep in the jungles, terrifying locals, and preying on their 
  smaller cousins. 
  Awakened Lizard. In the Tomb of the Nine Gods (area 
  46), players who search this hall will find a lizard affected 
  by the awaken spell. This creature has an Intelligence 
  rating of 10 and speaks Druidic. It might be able to advise 
  the party about the temple. Although the lizard wants to be 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  returned to Omu, it might also be convinced to stay with 
  the party. Since the player characters are not high enough 
  level to cast awaken on their own yet, the lizard represents 
  a unique opportunity for an intelligent animal ally. This 
  creature has a lot of potential, but it will come across as 
  mostly uninteresting unless the Dungeon Master provides 
  a personality for it. 
  Cute Beasties. Chult is home to cute animals as well as 
  terrifying ones. The almiraj, unicorn-horned bunnies, 
  make excellent familiars. Similarly, flying monkeys are 
  curious, inquisitive creatures that can learn tricks and 
  may also appear as familiars. Finally, zorbos, koala-like 
  monstrosities, make cute pets for those who can abide 
  their dour dispositions and fondness for human flesh. Each 
  of these creatures can be encountered in the wild or 
  purchased from merchants in Port Nyanzaru. They present 
  the Dungeon Master with an opportunity to contrast the 
  dangerous nature of most of this region’s animals. 
  Ifan’s Offerings. Ifan Talro’a, a merchant in the Port 
  Nyanzaru market, deals in beasts and beast training. He 
  will buy almost any creature the party can haul back to 
  Port Nyanzaru but will try to pay as little as possible for it. 
  Ifan is more interested in selling dinosaurs and other 
  exotic animals to the characters. Page 26 shows a table of 
  Ifan’s sale prices for many of these creatures. This 
  adventure expects the party to make use of such animals. 
  Merchant Princes’ Villas. Each of the merchant princes 
  in Port Nyanzaru has a private villa in the city. Like nobility 
  everywhere, the “princes” may be willing to purchase 
  exotic and dangerous creatures to use as status symbols. 
  The party may also refer to the princes’ stables to find 
  exceptional specimens of local domestic creatures. 
  Random Encounters. The many random encounter 
  tables (appendix B) represent the most likely way that the 
  party will find animals to take as companions in Chult. 
  Remember to assign a range of activities to animals found 
  randomly; they shouldn’t all be hostile or hunting for 
  humanoid meat! Animals should also be found sleeping, 
  foraging, playing, mating, and hiding. These unaggressive 
  activities may remind players that some animals can be 
  interacted with in non-hostile ways. 
  Snakes Everywhere. The jungles of Chult are filled with 
  snakes. There are many opportunities to acquire snakes of 
  various types, particularly the useful flying serpents 
  introduced in this adventure. However, the jungles are also 
  filled with yuan-ti, and the players will clash with these 
  creatures several times before the adventure’s conclusion. 
  Snake animal companions represent a significant 
  weakness for the party since yuan-ti can charm snakes at 
  will, using an innate spell that lasts 24 hours. In addition to 
  snake companions proving unreliable against yuan-ti in 
  
   
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  ANIMALS IN STORIES 
  battle, they might also slip away at quieter times and alert 
  their yuan-ti friends as to the party’s location. 
  The first hardback adventure to focus on urban 
  environments, Waterdeep: Dragon Heist will challenge 
  animal handlers in all the ways discussed in the “Keeping 
  Animals” section of this supplement, in appendix A. Large 
  animals will spend most of the adventure stabled, 
  disguised, or stuffed into the attic of Trollskull Manor. 
  Small and Tiny creatures are preferred in the city; animals 
  of the Lovable Lump archetype are ideal minions to deal 
  with public spaces and urban terrain. 
  Tavern Brawl. Speaking of Tiny creatures, the Troll and 
  Friends portion of the tavern brawl scene in chapter 1 is a 
  great opportunity to gather stirges to train. A troll attacks 
  the Yawning Portal with a dozen stirges in tow, but nine 
  are already stuffed with troll blood and retire back down 
  the well to sleep off their meal, positioning them for easy 
  acquisition later. 
  Corellon’s Crown. The druid who runs the herbal shop 
  in this three-story town house makes a great ally for 
  animal handlers. She sells potions of animal friendship, 
  ideal for acquiring animals with, and her shop makes a 
  convenient place to bring animals for healing and succor. 
  Gralhund Villa. Before the player characters become 
  aware of the Zhentarim connection, or even after, they 
  might seek out this villa to board or train their horses, 
  mastiffs, or hawks, or they might come here to buy such 
  trained animals. Characters with the right connections or 
  disposition may get along well with the residents here and 
  could be offered discount prices or special purchasing 
  opportunities. Perhaps they are offered flying snakes, the 
  messenger animals preferred by the Zhentarim. This can 
  make scenes in the villa more poignant if the party comes 
  here chasing the Stone of Golorr. A similar commercial 
  scenario may develop at the Cassalanter Villa or another 
  villa completely unrelated to the story. 
  The Heartbreaker. Jarlaxle keeps four highly trained 
  giant spiders in the hold of this ship. With their colorful 
  painted exoskeletons, these creatures are trained to guard 
  the area by pretending to be inanimate statutes or 
  decorations. Acquiring these creatures probably requires 
  magical compulsion due to their loyalty; Jarlaxle raised 
  them from hatchlings. However, their tamed nature makes 
  them easier to acclimate if the party can get them away 
  from the drow. 
  A couple of animal handler hirelings in area J20 watch 
  over a smorgasbord of potential animal companions: 2 
  apes, 1 rhinoceros, 1 tiger, 1 allosaurus, 2 panthers, 1 
  owlbear, 4 giant fire beetles, 1 hippogriff, 1 axe beak, 2 
  death dogs, 1 giant vulture, and 1 polar bear. Already 
  caged, these animals are ideally positioned to be 
  acclimated if the party can secure the ship, or the party 
  might try to buy an animal after they appear in the Sea 
  Maidens Faire parade. 
  Animals acquired while within the dungeon are more 
  monstrous than natural. Returning through the Yawning 
  Portal with such creatures in tow is likely to cause an 
  uproar at the very least, unprovoked attacks on the 
  creatures at worst. 
  Although most levels have an animal or two that can be 
  acquired by adventurers, a few of the most interesting 
  animals and related scenes are noted here. 
  Descending through the Well. Characters entering 
  Undermountain through the Yawning Portal tavern can 
  easily bring animals of Medium size or smaller. While 
  creatures as big as Large size could be lowered down the 
  well by harnessing them to the rope, each in turn, such 
  creatures cannot navigate through the crowded tavern to 
  get to the well. For a price, the proprietor, Durnan, could 
  be convinced to clear away the tables and make a path for 
  a determined handler to bring a Large animal through. 
  Animal Sustenance. A mega dungeon is a difficult place 
  to bring animal companions. Characters accustomed to 
  allowing such creatures to graze or hunt for themselves 
  will find that very few levels of the dungeon provide 
  animals with those opportunities. Instead, animal feed 
  must be carried to sustain the animals, adding to the 
  weight of the party’s carried gear. Carnivorous animals 
  might be able to feed on the flesh of fallen foes, but there 
  are few chances to find meat that is wholesome or 
  untainted. There are some levels that constitute 
  exceptions; the various fungi growing on level 4, for 
  example, provide sustenance for creatures of any kind. 
  Spider Town. Many of the levels of Undermountain are 
  rife with drow, and thus with spiders of various kinds. 
  Phase spiders can be found on level 3 (area 4b). Giant 
  spiders can be found on level 2 (area 19d), level 3 (areas 
  5b, 6, and 20), level 4 (area 10), level 10 (area 30a, a 
  unique set with wings), level 12 (area 18g), and in the 
  Tanor’thal Refuge in area 36 of Skull Port. A handler who 
  deals in such creatures will find a significant supply here 
  and may want to return to these levels periodically to 
  replaced slain spider allies. 
  Flyndol’s Giant Rats. A lazy wererat on level 1 (area 35) 
  prefers to surrender if it looks like he cannot escape a 
  hostile party. In parlay, he might offer the party some of 
  his ten giant rats, who do his bidding. Flyndol insists that 
  these creatures are clever and highly trained. Either or 
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  both claims might be true, or they might not. If the party 
  takes a giant rat or two and later loses them to the dangers 
  of the dungeon, they may return here to Flyndol to acquire 
  more.  
  Death Dogs. The five death dogs on level 13 (area 11a) 
  are purported to be “domesticated.” Whether this means 
  trained and docile, or part of a truly domesticated 
  subspecies, is up to the Dungeon Master. If the latter, these 
  animals might be bred to produce a bloodline that is highly 
  marketable as pets and guardians. 
  Hag’s Crab. On level 3, the coven of sea hags in area 10c 
  has a pet giant crab. The creature is tamed and obeys the 
  commands of one of the hags. If the party slays the hags, 
  the crab may follow them, hoping to get fed or adopted by 
  a new handler. 
  Trash Eater. The otyugh on level 3 (area 17e) is friendly 
  toward any goblinoids or creatures escorted by goblinoids, 
  so long as they don’t approach the creature’s trash pile. 
  Characters are not likely to be high enough level to acquire 
  this creature as a companion. However, the otyugh may 
  use its telepathy to arrange for the party to bring corpses 
  from time to time in exchange for knowledge of the 
  dungeon and its denizens. The creature is an excellent 
  source of information and a great way to get rid of corpses 
  and other garbage. 
  Wyllowwood. Level 5 of Undermountain is forested and 
  stocked with a variety of animals, including awakened 
  animals and trees. If the characters secure Wyllow’s 
  cooperation, this druid is well situated to take care of any 
  animal companions that the characters must leave behind 
  when they leave the dungeon or animals that are too weak 
  to take into the deeper levels of Undermountain. (See 
  “Safekeeping” in appendix A of this supplement.) 
  Wooden Donkeys. While not truly animals, the 
  constructs on level 6 (area 8a) have statistic similar to real 
  donkeys. The description lets these wooden creatures be 
  ridden by Small and Medium characters alike, allowing 
  adventurers to have mounts that are adapted to work in a 
  dungeon environment. The wooden donkeys become 
  inanimate when they aren’t ridden, meaning they won’t 
  run off if left a short distance behind the party during 
  exploration. They aren’t versatile enough to be pure pack 
  animals, since they must be ridden to be animate, but the 
  Dungeon Master may alter the description so that the 
  creatures are also animate when led by another creature. 
  Cave Bear Den. Two adult cave bears (as polar bears) 
  and their two cubs (as black bears) can be found on level 7 
  (area 14). The cubs represent an example of using 
  alternate stat blocks for animals at different stages of 
  growth. If acquired and kept long enough, these creatures 
  will eventually grow into adults, using the same stat blocks 
  as their parents. 
  Giant Lizards. The lizard mounts on level 10 (areas 25a 
  and 30a) are adapted to subterranean life and are already 
  trained and equipped for riding. The Spider Climb special 
  trait makes them particularly suited to the terrain of 
  Undermountain. If their riders are slain, these animals wait 
  around to be used by their next riders (perhaps snacking 
  on their old riders’ corpses while waiting). Additional giant 
  lizards can be found on level 11 (area 14) and on level 12 
  (area 12d). 
   
   
  
   
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  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  APPENDIX C: SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  HIS APPENDIX LISTS DOZENS OF SAMPLE ANIMALS CREATED 
  with the guidelines of the previous appendix. The 
  animals cover a range of challenge ratings and are 
  separated by archetype (although many could 
  qualify for multiple archetypes). 
  These animals are ready to drop into a game, as they are or 
  with modification. Each creature is assumed to be at least 
  level 0 in its related animal class, but no class features or 
  modifications are listed, allowing the DM to set a level that 
  is appropriate to the party. 
  Where a creature’s statistics would be altered by its 
  listed training or a template, those adjustments have 
  already been included in the stat blocks provided. 
  These creatures aren’t much help in battle, but they 
  provide valuable companionship, and some have a few 
  utilitarian functions. 
  HAZEL (CR 0) 
  This owl once belonged to a famous thief, the Ferrous Fox, 
  known for stealing jewelry out of secured manor houses 
  within large cities. Hazel learned several important tricks 
  while working for the Fox. Hazel is very keen-eyed and is 
  trained to keep watch while a lock is being picked, to seek 
  out valuables (jewelry) in a building’s interior, and to fetch 
  these for her handler. 
  Hazel is a mottled brown screech owl with yellow-green 
  eyes and stocky legs. Her trilling hoot is longer and more 
  distinctive than that of other screech owls. 
  The Fox released his pet animals before he retired to a 
  wealthy community on a secluded island. Hazel may 
  therefore be encountered in the wild. If the party is 
  traveling, she might drop gifts of dead field mice to them 
  night after night when they camp. Alternately, she may 
  perch on tents or horse saddles while the party is getting 
  ready to break camp, waiting for a scrap of food to be 
  thrown to her. 
   
   
  Base Creature: Owl MM 
  Template: None 
  Tricks: Hunt, Move, Scout 
   
  Personality Trait: I have a job to do and am impatient 
  with those who don’t keep up (and don’t keep quiet). 
  Behavioral Oddity: Coffin Sleeper. Hazel prefers to 
  sleep in enclosed spaces; if she can’t find a box to sleep 
  in, she will drag someone’s cloak over herself or 
  otherwise try to shut herself within something. 
  Physical Oddity: Stunted. Hazel is particularly small for 
  a screech owl of her age, with squat legs and a 
  squashed-looking face. 
  PIG-PIG (CR 0) 
  This ball of pink pork belonged to a litter of shoats that 
  was trained to sniff out rare plants in natural areas. He can 
  find dozens of different types of herbs that range in use 
  from spices to medicinal aids. (If not accompanied by a 
  trained herbalist, he is likely to consume the plants.) 
  Pig-Pig looks like a normal domestic piglet, with pink 
  skin and a curly tail. He is a tiny bit rotund for his size, 
  making his walk something akin to a waddling hustle. 
  When not using his prodigious sniffer, Pig-Pig is 
  accustomed to riding about in a satchel worn over 
  someone’s shoulder. If forced to walk at other times, he 
  makes intermittent squeals of complaint and may headbutt 
  his handler’s ankle until picked up. 
  Pig-Pig probably comes to the party from a merchant, 
  one who sells trained animals on behalf of several trainers 
  in the area. Alternately, a character who purchases 
  herbalism supplies may receive a tip on where to buy a pig 
   
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 11 
  Hit Points 1 (1d4 - 1) 
  Speed 5 ft., fly 60 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  3 (-4) 
  13 (+1) 
  8 (-1) 
  2 (-4) 
  12 (+1) 
  7 (-2) 
   
    
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth +3 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 0 (10 xp) 
    
  Flyby. Hazel doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when she 
  flies out of an enemy’s reach. 
  Keen Hearing and Sight. Hazel has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight. 
  Actions 
   
  Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 1 slashing damage. 
   
  
   
  120 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  that can aid in collecting wild herbs. Pig-Pig will be sold to 
  the party with his own traveling satchel, which he likes to 
  poke his head out of while riding in. 
   
  Base Creature: Unique creature (see stat bloc) 
  Template: None 
  Tricks: Hunt, Move, Perform, Use Skill (Survival) 
   
  Personality Trait: I want constant attention from, or at 
  least physical contact with, my handler.  
  Behavioral Oddity: Showman. When left without 
  attention for too long, Pig-Pig will perform little tricks 
  to draw attention to himself, like rolling over. 
  Physical Oddity: Prehensile. Pig-Pig has an extra-long 
  tail, which is hard to notice since it curls so tightly. 
  LAVENDER (CR 1/8) 
  Lavender was orphaned as a young spriteling. Soon after, 
  all her many siblings got killed off by an area-affecting 
  spell that young Lavender, being an exceptional specimen, 
  was barely strong enough to endure. To survive, she 
  followed the adventurers who were responsible and fed on 
  their horses while they slept. She is fortunate that they 
  never posted watches and carried no ranged weapons, so 
  were unable to stop her feasting. She took this failure to 
  kill her as acceptance of her presence and soon came to 
  like helping those (and other) flightless humanoids. 
  Although hungry by nature, Lavender takes care not to 
  feed on those she considers part of her flock. She is slightly 
  larger than other stirges, with a round belly and a short 
  proboscis. Her thick fur has a distinctive purplish hue, 
  from which her name is derived. 
  Lavender may join the party while they are in the 
  wilderness. She joins the fight and attacks their foes, then 
  flies off before the party can turn against her. After doing 
  this several times, the party might get the idea that she 
  likes them. 
   
  Base Creature: Stirge MM 
  Template: Exceptional specimen 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Go Home, Harry, Move, Scout 
   
  Personality Trait: I like to be near people and add my 
  buzzing hum to the sounds they make. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Bat Sleeper. As the party travels, 
  Lavender suspends herself upside down, like a bat, 
  from things people are wearing or carrying. 
  Physical Oddity: Missing Feature. Lavender’s proboscis 
  is short and jagged, the result of an injury. 
  CLEVER (CR 1/4)  
  This little ball of feathers looks a bit like a wingless turkey, 
  with sharp claws and a maw of deadly fangs. Smarter than 
  most animals, Clever may try to assert pack dominance 
  over the least-talkative party members, which she 
  expresses by fanning her plumage at them and gobbling up 
  their rations during mealtimes.  
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 11 
  Hit Points 3 (1d4 + 1) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  5 (-3) 
  13 (+1) 12 (+1) 
  2 (-4) 
  10 (+0) 
  6 (-2) 
   
    
  Skills Perception +2, Survival +2 
  Senses passive Perception 12 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 0 (10 xp) 
    
  Keen Smell. Pig-pig has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on smell. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage. 
   
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 14 
  Hit Points 7 (3d4) 
  Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  4 (-3) 
  16 (+3) 11 (+0) 
  3 (-4) 
  10 (+0) 
  8 (-1) 
   
    
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 xp) 
     
  Actions 
   
  Blood Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and 
  Lavender attaches to the target. While attached, the stirge 
  doesn’t attack. Instead, at the start of each of her turns, 
  the target loses 5 (1d4 + 3) hit points due to blood loss. 
  Lavender can detach herself by spending 5 feet of her 
  movement. She does so after she drains 10 hit points of 
  blood from the target or the target dies. A creature, 
  including the target, can use its action to detach her. 
   
   
  
   
  121 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Clever’s feathers are brown with gray and green tips; 
  this plumage serves as a fine mottled camouflage. She can 
  spread her long tail feathers over herself for extra 
  concealment. While hunting, Clever walks on her powerful 
  talons in a slow, smooth movement, keeping her head low 
  and her steps quiet. When not hunting, her movement is 
  more akin to a rabbit’s, with plenty of hops and inquisitive 
  head bobbing. 
  This creature is probably native to a region with dense 
  foliage, like a jungle. Because of Clever’s aggressive, 
  predatory nature, a normal encounter with her is likely to 
  lead to a fight. She might be encountered in distress, either 
  fighting off enemies or stuck in a trap, either of which 
  might endear Clever to the party if its members save her 
  from the threat. Alternately, a merchant or animal-fighting 
  arena might be looking to sell off this vicious creature. 
   
  Base Creature: Velociraptor VGM 
  Template: None 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Concentrate, Defend, Harry, 
  Move, Scout, Use Skill (Stealth) 
   
  Personality Trait: I am aggressive in the face of all 
  threats or adversity, throwing myself at challenges 
  without concern for personal safety. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Indiscriminate Hunger. When a 
  creature falls in battle, whether friend or foe, Clever 
  runs up to it then looks to her handler for permission 
  to start eating. 
  Physical Oddity: Long Tail. Clever’s long tail feathers 
  are double her body’s length. She can spread these 
  feathers like a peacock’s plumage. 
  SWEETIE BEAR (CR 1/2) 
  A ferocious defender in a pint-size package, this little 
  badger has no fear of larger creatures. It is aggressive in 
  combat and, despite tiny jaws, can ignore serious injuries. 
  Sweetie Bear has black-striped markings typical of a 
  badger, except that the portions of his fur that should be 
  white are instead a very pale yellow. 
  Sweetie Bear might be acquired from a druid who 
  trained him, but only if the party befriended the druid or 
  otherwise seems worthy to take this creature off the 
  druid’s hands. 
   
  Base Creature: Badger MM 
  Template: Legendary creature 
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  6 (-2) 
  14 (+2) 13 (+1) 
  4 (-3) 
  12 (+1) 
  6 (-2) 
   
    
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/4 (25 xp) 
    
  Pack Tactics. Clever has advantage on an attack roll 
  against a creature if at least one of her allies is within 5 
  feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) slashing damage. 
   
   
  Tiny beast, neutral 
   
  Armor Class 12 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 33 (6d4 + 18) 
  Speed 50 ft., burrow 5 ft. 
        
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  8 (-1) 
  11 (+0) 16 (+3) 
  5 (-3) 
  12 (+1) 
  5 (-3) 
   
   
   
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4 
  Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 xp) 
   
   
  Boon of Speed. Sweetie Bear can use a bonus action to 
  take the Dash or Disengage action. Once he does this, he 
  cannot do so again until he completes a short rest. 
  Keen Smell. Sweetie Bear has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell. 
  Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Sweetie Bear fails a 
  saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 1 (1d4 - 1) piercing damage. 
   
   
  
   
  122 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Comprehend (Common), 
  Concentrate, Defend, Harry, Hunt, Move, Scout, Use 
  Skill (Perception) 
   
  Personality Trait: I am incredibly aggressive toward 
  anything that looks dangerous or that I don’t 
  understand. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Herbivore. Sweetie Bear likes to eat 
  plants, particularly berries and nuts, and if allowed to 
  wander in the woods, his fur will be matted with berry 
  juice when he returns. 
  Physical Oddity: Colorful. Sweetie Bear has pale yellow 
  fur amidst his black stripes.  
  These creatures are dangerous flyers, with traits suited for 
  striking from the sky, often using hit-and-run tactics. 
  HISTOPHER RIBBON (CR 1/8) 
  This clever flying snake was trained by a cabal of yuan-ti 
  purebloods who were more interested in drinking and 
  debauchery than any of the sinister plans held by their 
  yuan-ti superiors. Although this group eventually came to 
  a bad end, their pet flying snake escaped to carry on his 
  own life. 
  Histopher is blue in color like a macaw, including the 
  scales of his body as well as the feathers of his wings. He 
  has a ridge of fluff and feathers down his spine, beginning 
  in a high feather crest on his head. 
  Histopher Ribbon may be encountered in the wild in 
  warm climates (he is accustomed to hot jungle regions). He 
  is probably on his way to deliver a message scroll 
  somewhere, or he has perhaps been injured in the attempt 
  to do so. 
   
  Base Creature: Flying Snake MM 
  Template: None 
  Tricks: Behave, Discriminate, Go Home, Hunt 
   
  Personality Trait: I am deeply loyal to anyone who feeds 
  me, or to the last person who fed me. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Mellow. Histopher has become 
  accustomed to consuming alcohol on the regular, but 
  not to the point of drunkenness. This preference is a 
  holdover from his time with the yuan-ti, who were 
  notoriously resistant to intoxication. 
  Physical Oddity: Parrot Plumage. Histopher is brighter 
  in coloration than other flying snakes. He takes great 
  care to keep his plumage clean. 
  NUGGET (CR 1) 
  Nugget belongs to a breed of large flying dinosaurs 
  domesticated by dragonborn tribes for use as hunters and 
  occasionally as mounts. She was raised and groomed to be 
  a gift, used to cement a political alliance in a land far from 
  her home. 
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 14 
  Hit Points 5 (2d4) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft., swim 30 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  4 (-3) 
  18 (+4) 11 (+0) 
  2 (-4) 
  12 (+1) 
  5 (-3) 
   
    
  Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 xp) 
    
  Flyby. Histopher doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks 
  when he flies out of an enemy’s reach. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target, Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 7 (3d4) poison damage. 
   
  Large beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 39 (6d10 + 6) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 
  2 (-4) 
  9 (-1) 
  5 (-3) 
   
    
  Skills Perception +1 
  Senses passive Perception 11 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1 (200 xp) 
    
  Flyby. Nugget doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when 
  she flies out of an enemy’s reach. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage 
   
  
   
  123 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Nugget has brown scales in various shades. These match 
  the barren, rocky terrain Nugget was raised in. She hunts 
  with her long, sharp beak, snatching up prey and bringing 
  it to her handler. She often delights in these successes, 
  becoming very animated for several minutes afterward. 
  Nugget may be found as a pet for a dragonborn tribe. She 
  might already have been given as a gift and is thus in the 
  hands of a noble or one of the noble’s household. As part of 
  a random encounter, the party may discover Nugget trying 
  to defend her terminally injured handler from whatever 
  threat the random encounter produces. 
   
  Base Creature: Pteranodon MM 
  Template: Dire animal 
  Tricks: Defend, Harry, Hunt, Move 
   
  Personality Trait: I am savagely aggressive, relentless 
  and violent in pursuit of any task given to me. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Hang Time. Nugget likes to stay in 
  the sky as long as possible. She flies all day, resting on 
  thermal updrafts while circling high overhead. 
  Physical Oddity: Smiler. Nugget’s beak curves slightly at 
  just the right place to make it look like she’s always 
  smiling. 
  TURTLEDOVE (CR 3) 
  This undead creature has the body of a lion and the head, 
  wings, and forelegs of an eagle. Once the much-beloved 
  mount of a heroic warrior, Turtledove and its rider were 
  attacked while far from their allies. After they fell to the 
  earth, Turtledove was unable to revive its rider, and 
  eventually starved to death watching over her corpse. 
  However, its sense of loyalty survived, driving Turtledove 
  to maintain its vigil even after death. As an undead 
  creature, Turtledove no longer requires air, food, drink, or 
  sleep, and it no longer ages. 
  Turtledove’s fur is thin and patchy, and its tail is entirely 
  hairless. Turtledove’s feathers are also falling out, 
  particularly in the wings where some bones might be 
  visible; the rest of the body is wrapped with enough old 
  bandaging to conceal much of the decay. 
  Turtledove might be discovered in the deep wilderness, 
  standing guard over the grave of its fallen master, just 
  waiting for someone to come along and end its vigil. It 
  prefers not to be ridden unless it establishes a strong bond 
  with a new handler. Turtledove might instead be caged in 
  the lair of some spellcaster, making cute animal noises 
  from the shadows. Getting a good look at Turtledove might 
  be a shock; best to have the animal make a good 
  impression before its true nature is revealed. 
   
  Base Creature: Griffon MM 
  Template: Undead creature, rider-trained, war-trained 
  Roles and Tricks: Assault, Concentrate, Defend, Special 
  Action (Slam), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: I am fearless and single-minded in 
  pursuit of my mission, whatever that might be. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Watchful. Turtledove is always 
  watching, always vigilant for threats. 
  Physical Oddity: Whistler. Turtledove’s beak is worn and 
  decayed, with several holes in it that make a whistling 
  sound when it dives with its beak open. 
  BITER (CR 5) 
  Biter is an unusual type of chimera, a rare mutation from 
  within a normal bloodline of these monstrosities. She is 
  just old enough to know she doesn’t fit in with her kind 
  and recently struck out on her own because of this. Biter’s 
  personality is both fickle, a product of her three brains, 
  and independent, making it difficult for anyone but a 
  dedicated handler to manage her. 
  Large undead, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 39 (7d10 + 21) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 80 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  18 (+4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 
  2 (-4) 
  13 (+1) 
  8 (-1) 
   
    
  Skills Perception +5 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 3 (700 xp) 
    
  Keen Sight. Turtledove has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces Turtledove to 0 hit 
  points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC 
  of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or 
  from a critical hit. On a success, Turtledove drops to 1 hit 
  point instead. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage 
   
  
   
  124 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  This monstrous creature has the wings of a dragon, the 
  front legs of a leopard, and the rear legs of a ram. She has 
  three heads; a silver-scaled dragon’s head, a gray-mottled 
  snow leopard’s head, and a white ram’s head with thick, 
  curved horns. 
  The party might free Biter from magical subjugation or 
  imprisonment, giving the players the idea that this animal 
  is useful and is accustomed to being controlled. If 
  encountered in the wild, a character proficient with the 
  Arcana skill might notice that this chimera is visually 
  different than others of its kind, particularly in that its 
  dragon head is metallic rather than chromatic, a clue as to 
  its different alignment. 
   
  Base Creature: Chimera MM 
  Template: Juvenile creature 
  Tricks: Assault, Concentrate, Special Action (Cold 
  Breath), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: I am faithful to a fault; when I give my 
  loyalty, it is for life… and beyond. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Biter. This creature is often testing 
  how strong things are… by biting them. Wagon wheels, 
  doorknobs, tree branches, and other items 
  occasionally suffer “testing.” 
  Physical Oddity: Missing Feature. Biter has no tail, 
  whether by some mutation or a simple mishap. 
  SPIKE (CR 7) 
  This draconic creature comes from the Shadowfell, where 
  shadow wyverns are common. Spike snuck into the 
  Material Plane, following some shadar-kai who were riding 
  older shadow wyverns, and who had refused to bring 
  Spike because he was too young. 
  Spike’s scales are not simply black, they are the color of 
  deepest night, magically dark, allowing him to hide 
  perfectly in shadows. 
  Medium monstrosity, chaotic good 
   
  Armor Class 14 
  Hit Points 114 (6d8 + 48) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  15 (+2) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 
  2 (-4) 
  12 (+1) 10 (+0) 
   
    
  Skills Perception +8 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18 
  Languages understands Draconic but can’t speak 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 xp) 
    
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 11 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage. 
  Horns. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 11 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage. 
  Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon head exhales an 
  icy blast in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must 
  make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) 
  cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one. 
   
   
  Large dragon, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 136 (16d10 + 48) 
  Speed 20 ft., fly 80 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  21 (+5) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 
  5 (-3) 
  13 (+1) 
  6 (-2) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4 (or +14) 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 xp) 
   
  Shadow Meld. Spike gains a +10 bonus to Dexterity 
  (Stealth) checks to remain unseen in darkness. 
  Slam. If Spike moves at least 20 feet straight toward a 
  Medium or smaller target and then hits it with a claw 
  attack on the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 
  15 Strength saving throw or also be knocked prone. If the 
  target is knocked prone, Spike can use a stinger attack 
  against that target as a bonus action. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage. 
  Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) 
  necrotic damage. The target must make a DC 15 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage 
  on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful 
  one. 
   
  
   
  125 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Spike is lonely since he lost track of the other creatures 
  from his plane. He wants to have friends, although he will 
  play it cool and aloof the whole time. 
   
  Base Creature: Wyvern MM 
  Template: Shadow creature, war-trained 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Concentrate, Defend, 
  Comprehend (Common), Harry, Move, Scout, Use Skill 
  (Stealth), Special Action (Slam), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: I am cooler than others of my kind, 
  and I’m just smart enough to be edgy about it. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Sneaker. Spike likes to sneak up on 
  enemies and allies alike and spy; you might be on 
  watch one night and be startled to realize he’s behind 
  a tree, watching you. 
  Physical Oddity: Misshapen. Instead of normal fangs, 
  Spike’s maw has narrow, needle-sharp teeth, layered 
  in redundant rows. 
  Bond: I am always on the lookout for my lost twin, who 
  is simultaneously my greatest friend and my greatest 
  rival. 
  Ideal: Nosiness. I like to know what everyone is doing, 
  but I don’t want my interest to be noticed. 
  These nonflying creatures are agile hunters that rely upon 
  speed, stealth, and occasional pack tactics. 
  PINKY (CR 1/8) 
  When he and his siblings ran afoul some adventurers in 
  their forest home, Pinky made a run for it rather than 
  fighting. Although an able combatant, this giant rat was 
  smart enough to know that the odds were against them. To 
  this day, Pinky has survived on being just a bit brighter 
  than the creatures around him. 
  Pinky is a well-groomed giant rat with an extra-long 
  pink tail. He has learned to imitate the posture and 
  socializing of domestic animals, which has proven a 
  valuable strategy for securing food and safety from 
  humanoids. He likes to wear clothes, should the chance 
  arise to do so. 
  Pinky could be found at the fringes of small village. The 
  residents might have stories about Pinky, and he might 
  have made friends with some of the residents by keeping 
  snakes and smaller vermin away from crops. Perhaps one 
  of the village children made a vest or collar for Pinky, 
  which he keeps as clean as possible. 
   
  Base Creature: Giant rat MM 
  Template: Exceptional specimen 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Defend, Fetch, Hide, Perform, 
  Scout, Use Item (clothes), Use Skill (Stealth) 
   
  Personality Trait: I am always curious to learn how 
  others act and pick up useful skills. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Copycat. Pinky likes to imitate the 
  rote behaviors of humanoids and other animals. 
  Physical Oddity: Long Tail. Pinky has exceptional 
  control of his long tail; it is almost prehensile. 
  WEBSTER (CR 1) 
  Of all the dangerous beasts in fantasy worlds, giant spiders 
  are among the most common. Smarter than normal 
  vermin, these creatures can form attachments with 
  handlers and learn to serve as pets and guardians. They 
  are a particular favorite of the drow. In Webster’s case, its 
  training by a goblin druid enhanced the creature’s combat 
  prowess and produced a versatile hunting companion. 
  prey. Webster is accustomed to wearing a riding harness 
  and saddle. 
  While few societies outside of the drow have a market 
  for spiders like this, this creature, or a variant of it, can be 
  encountered anywhere, in nearly any environment. Most 
  official hardcover adventures list one or more encounters 
  with giant spiders. For a handler interested in a giant 
  spider companion, the sources are endless. 
  Webster’s hairy body is dark brown with paler blond 
  stripes. It has long, spiny legs, which it can use to propel 
  itself in a jumping body slam to disorient opponents. 
   
  Small beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 14 (4d6) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  7 (-2) 
  15 (+2) 11 (+0) 
  3 (-4) 
  12 (+1) 
  6 (-2) 
   
    
  Skills Stealth +4 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 xp) 
    
  Keen Smell. Pinky has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on smell. 
  Pack Tactics. Pinky has advantage on an attack roll against 
  a creature if at least one of his allies is within 5 feet of the 
  creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 
   
  
   
  126 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  Base Creature: Giant spider MM 
  Template: Rider-trained, war-trained 
  Tricks: Assault, Concentrate, Defend, Special Action 
  (Body Slam), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: I am always creepy, hanging about 
  and randomly moving my mandibles. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Ball Sleeper. Webster rests by 
  bunching into a corpse-like ball, preferably in a 
  confined space. 
  Physical Oddity: Scars. Webster has a series of scars on 
  its thorax, evidence of battles against armed 
  adventurers. 
  STICKS (CR 3) 
  The dire wolf is an iconic loper, one popular among 
  rangers and other heroes who have strong connections 
  with the wilderness. Wherever this particular dire wolf 
  goes, her legend follows her. She was once known for 
  organizing unrelated wolves and dire wolves, asserting 
  dominance across large geographical areas and organizing 
  multi-pack hunts that terrorized animal and humanoid 
  alike. Now, her home encroached upon once too often by 
  civilization, this legendary creature has given up on going 
  deeper into the wilderness and is looking for a new way of 
  life. 
  Sticks is a large, powerful dire wolf with the antlers of an 
  elk and a ridge of bony protrusions down her spine. Her 
  eyes are yellow, and her fur is light gray. In battle, she will 
  briefly stand erect on her hind legs before plunging 
  forward with a charge of her antlers. 
  If the party is attacked by hungry wolves in the 
  wilderness, Sticks may show up and drive the animals 
  away, hoping to save the lives of her fellow wolves. Sticks 
  might also be encountered in battle with winter wolves or 
  worgs; these cruel, wolf-like races are Sticks’ bitter 
  enemies, and she has clashed with them more than once 
  before. In either case, the party may be impressed with the 
  creature’s help in combat. Alternately, a druid in the party 
  or a cleric with the Nature Domain might perceive Sticks to 
  be an embodiment of nature’s divinity and seek to make an 
  alliance on that basis. 
   
  Base Creature: Dire wolf MM 
  Template: Legendary creature 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Comprehend (Winter Wolf, 
  Worg), Concentrate, Defend, Hunt, Scout, Use Skill 
  (Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Survival) 
   
  Personality Trait: I am the alpha of this pack; even if I 
  follow a handler, I do so only to learn new things and to 
  form alliances with these two-legged hunters. 
  Large beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 26 (4d10 + 4) 
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 
  2 (-4) 
  11 (+0) 
  4 (-3) 
   
    
  Skills Stealth +7 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1 (200 xp) 
    
  Body Slam. If Webster moves at least 20 feet straight 
  toward a Medium or smaller target and hits it with a bite 
  attack on the same turn, it can forego inflicting its poison 
  damage and opt for a knockdown. The target must succeed 
  on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone in 
  addition to the bite’s damage. If the target is knocked 
  prone, Webster can use a (normal) bite attack against that 
  target as a bonus action. 
  Spider Climb. Webster can climb difficult surfaces, 
  including upside down on ceilings, without needing to 
  make an ability check. 
  Web Sense. While in contact with a web, Webster knows 
  the exact location of any other creature in contact with the 
  same web. 
  Web Walker. Webster ignores movement restrictions 
  caused by webbing. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target 
  must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 
  (2d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces 
  the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned 
  for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed 
  while poisoned in this way. 
  Web (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  range 30/60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained 
  by webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a 
  DC 12 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. 
  The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; 
  hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to 
  bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage). 
   
   
  
   
  127 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Behavioral Oddity: Wagger. Sticks shows affection by 
  thumping creatures with her wagging tail. 
  Physical Oddity: Rack. Sticks got her name from her 
  rack of antlers, a very unusual feature for her kind. 
  Bond: More than protection, I provide my kind with 
  organization, showing them a better way to live. 
  Ideal: Society. I believe we are stronger together, 
  standing higher on the food chain. 
  PRINCESS (CR 4) 
  This basilisk was raised from an egg by kobold handlers 
  who trained her to serve as a guardian for their 
  underground stronghold. Although she is trained not to 
  use her Petrifying Gaze without instruction to do so, 
  Princess typically wears exotic blinkers that contain 
  smoked glass lenses over her eyes. Princess’s training also 
  includes regurgitating her valuable stomach fluids when 
  induced and allowing her fangs to be milked of venom. 
  Princess has spikes along her spine from head to tail, 
  characteristic of all basilisks, but the spikes on her head 
  form a vaguely circular pattern resembling a crown. Her 
  eyes glow a brilliant green. 
  Basilisks are solitary creatures. Princess might therefore 
  be encountered in the company of a kobold handler who is 
  in the process of relocating her because she is now full-
  grown and is seen as a rival to her former brood mates. If 
  encountered alone (perhaps because she ate her handler), 
  Princess will be wearing tack and harness, along with her 
  exotic blinkers, signs of her use as an animal companion.  
  Large beast, chaotic neutral 
   
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 95 (10d10 + 40) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  21 (+5) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) 
  6 (-2) 
  12 (+1) 
  7 (-2) 
   
    
  Skills Athletics +7, Insight +3, Perception +3, Stealth +4, 
  Survival +3 
  Damage Resistances cold 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages Winter Wolf, Worg 
  Challenge 3 (700 xp) 
    
  Keen Hearing and Smell. Sticks has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. 
  Pack Tactics. Sticks has advantage on an attack roll against 
  a creature if at least one of her allies is within 5 feet of the 
  creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Sticks fails a saving 
  throw, she can choose to succeed instead. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite or Antlers. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage. If the 
  target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength 
  saving throw or be knocked prone. 
   
  Medium monstrosity, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  16 (+3) 
  8 (-1) 
  15 (+2) 
  2 (-4) 
  8 (-1) 
  7 (-2) 
   
    
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 
  Damage Resistances poison 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 xp) 
    
  Exotic Blinkers. While wearing this equipment, Princess 
  cannot use her Petrifying Gaze. She also has disadvantage 
  on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. An 
  adjacent handler can use an action to open the blinkers, 
  moving aside the shaded lenses, or to close the blinkers 
  again. 
  Petrifying Gaze. If a creature starts its turn within 30 ft. of 
  Princess and the two of them can see each other, the 
  basilisk can force the creature to make a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw if Princess isn't incapacitated. On 
  a failed save, the creature magically begins to turn to stone 
  and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the 
  end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a 
  failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater 
  restoration spell or other magic. 
  A creature that isn’t surprised can avert its eyes to avoid 
  the saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it 
  can’t see Princess until the start of its next turn, when it 
  can avert its eyes again. If it looks at her in the meantime, 
  it must immediately make the save. 
  If Princess sees her own reflection within 30 ft. of herself 
  in bright light, she mistakes herself for a rival and targets 
  herself with her gaze. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) 
  poison damage. 
   
  
   
  128 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  Although the Monster Manual description of basilisks 
  says they are commonly trained as guardians or 
  companions, it is unlikely that the characters will 
  understand the extent of Princess’s training without some 
  serious investigation or the use of magic. 
   
  Base Creature: Basilisk MM 
  Template: Fey creature 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Defend, Special Action 
  (Petrifying Gaze) 
   
  Personality Trait: I get fussy when I am not 
  acknowledged for correctly performing tricks or if I go 
  long enough without attention. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Guardian. If the party is idle, 
  princess seeks to explore and patrol every room of a 
  structure or cave complex she is in, whether she is on 
  guard or not. 
  Physical Oddity: Crown of Flowers. Princess’s head 
  spikes have a growth of intertwining vines that flower 
  in different colors depending on the season. 
  AMANDA (CR 5) 
  Amanda is a miniature giant crocodile, a creature stunted 
  by the harsh, hellish bog it was spawned in. Amanda was 
  summoned to the Material Plane in a complex ritual gone 
  awry, after which she escaped into a local swamp area and 
  has lived ever since, terrorizing the local crocodilian 
  population. 
  Given her “miniature” status, Amanda is the same size as 
  a normal crocodile. She otherwise resembles a crocodile 
  except that when she opens her mouth, she releases a 
  swirl of acrid black smoke. 
  Amanda might be encountered somewhere in the wild, 
  particularly in a bog or other swampy region. She might 
  appear to the party while serving as a messenger for some 
  fiendish power; perhaps arriving to deliver a message to a 
  warlock who has the Fiend as an otherworldly patron. 
  Then she simply never leaves. 
   
  Base Creature: Giant crocodile MM 
  Template: Juvenile specimen (miniature), planar 
  creature (The Nine Hells: Minauros) 
  Tricks: Assault, Special Action (Frightful Roar) 
   
  Personality Trait: I am a scourge to my enemies; I never 
  show mercy or back down. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Juggernaut. Amanda will bite or 
  shoulder aside anything that gets in her way instead of 
  going around. 
  Physical Oddity: Scar. Amanda has a long, hook-shaped 
  scar on her shoulder. 
  These creatures dominate the battlefield with their 
  placement, standing strong between their handlers and the 
  foes. Most Heavy Bulwarks wear barding to maximize their 
  defensive abilities or have their own natural armor. 
  LOLLIHOP (CR 1/2)  
  Lollihop was trained by his former sea elf handlers to 
  serve as part of a ranging force capable of exploring 
  surface regions. As part of these duties, Lollihop was 
  Large beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 52 (7d10 + 14) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 50 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  17 (+3) 
  9 (-1) 
  15 (+2) 
  1 (-5) 
  10 (+0) 
  7 (-2) 
   
    
  Skills Stealth +5 
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 xp) 
    
  Hold Breath. Amanda can hold her breath for 30 minutes. 
  Regeneration. Amanda regains 5 hit points at the start of 
  her turn. If she takes necrotic or radiant damage, this trait 
  doesn't function at the start of her next turn. If Amanda 
  starts her turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate, 
  she stops regenerating until she heals at least 1 hit point. 
  During this time, she makes death saves as normal. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 16 (3d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target is 
  grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target 
  is restrained, and Amanda can’t bite another target. 
  Frightful Roar. Each creature of Amanda’s choice that is 
  within 120 feet of her and can hear her must succeed on a 
  DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 
  minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end 
  of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 
  If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends 
  for it, the creature is immune to Amanda’s Frightful Roar 
  for the next 24 hours. 
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target not grappled by Amanda. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) 
  bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must 
  succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked 
  prone. 
   
  
   
  129 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  trained to defend his allies and disarm enemies of their 
  weapons. 
  This giant toad’s bumpy, spotty hide is several shades of 
  green and brown. He wears a fitted vest of barding made of 
  a mysterious metal that resembles fish scales. This 
  iridescent alloy seems immune to the rusting depredations 
  of water. iridescent alloy seems immune to the rusting 
  depredations of water. 
  Lollihop might be encountered in a coastal region, near a 
  port or large river crossing, or in an underwater location. If 
  he is on his own, that means Lollihop got separated from 
  his ranging group or is perhaps its only surviving member. 
  Otherwise, a group of sea elves and trained amphibious 
  creatures might be encountered together. They could offer 
  the party the assistance (or purchase) of this toad for some 
  shared purpose or mission. 
   
  Base Creature: Giant toad 
  Template: Juvenile creature 
  Tricks: Defend, Disarm, Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: My purpose is to defend others; I don’t 
  like to go anywhere by myself. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Practice. Lollihop likes to practice 
  his Disarm trick by picking up random things with his 
  tongue and dropping them in other locations; any 
  loose objects left around the camp are likely to end up 
  some distance away from where they were placed. 
  Physical Oddity: Big Tail. Lollihop still has a long tail in 
  this late stage of growth, transitioning from giant 
  tadpole into giant toad. 
  WILLFUL (CR 3) 
  This massive bull comes from the Elemental Plane of Fire. 
  Willful answers the magical summons of a sorcerer on the 
  Material Plane who uses a drop of royal blood to bind the 
  creature to an embattled ruler. Willful’s purpose is to 
  wanders the ruler’s lands, serving as an extension of his 
  master’s dominion and dragging terror in his wake. 
  Willful’s fur is a deep russet color. His eyes are red and 
  animated like flickering fire. His breath is a bellow of 
  smoke, and when Willful gets angry, fire wreathes his 
  massive horns. 
  The ritual that summons Willful to this plane might be 
  found in an ancient manuscript. It requires the 
  expenditure of costly material components and a drop of 
  royal blood, although the blood of a character with the 
  noble background may suffice. Willful has the charmed 
  condition relevant to the person whose blood is used in the 
  ritual. Alternately, Willful may be encountered on this 
  plane doing the bidding of some other master; acquiring 
  Willful this way first requires that his master be killed (or 
  his master’s charm be dispelled). 
   
  Base Creature: Aurochs VGM 
  Template: Planar creature (Plane of Fire) 
  Tricks: Harry, Hunt, Scout, Use Skill (Perception) 
   
  Personality Trait: I am a nightmare, chained by hatred. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Restless. Willful is constantly 
  moving. Even while “inactive,” he stalks about, circles, 
  or paces back and forth. 
  Physical Oddity: Red Eyes. Willful’s eyes glow red, 
  shedding dim light in a 5-foot radius around him. 
  Medium beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 15 (scale mail barding) 
  Hit Points 16 (3d10) 
  Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (+0) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 
  1 (-5) 
  10 (+0) 
  3 (-4) 
   
    
  Skills Stealth +1 (disadvantage) 
  Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 xp) 
    
  Amphibious. Lollihop can breathe air and water. 
  Long Tongue. Lollihop can attempt his Disarm trick while 
  at a range of 10 ft. 
  Standing Leap. Lollihop’s long jump is up to 20 ft. and his 
  high jump is up to 10 ft., with or without a running start. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison 
  damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 11). Until 
  this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Lollihop 
  can’t bite another target. 
  Swallow. Lollihop makes one bite attack against a Small or 
  Tiny target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is 
  swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is 
  blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks 
  and other effects outside the toad, and it takes 7 (3d4) acid 
  damage at the start of each of Lollihop’s turns. The toad 
  can have only one target swallowed at a time. 
  If Lollihop is reduced to 0 hit points, a swallowed 
  creature is no longer restrained by him and can escape 
  using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone. 
   
  
   
  130 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  STAMPY (CR 4) 
  Like many of her kind, Stampy was raised in captivity and 
  trained for labor in an environment where predators are 
  common. In addition to carrying heavy loads, Stampy’s 
  training includes fending off the attacks of land-bound 
  predators that may stalk her or her handlers. 
  This elephant is accustomed to bearing a howdah of 
  riders when she isn’t performing other labor. In battle, 
  Stampy wears a protective coat of chain mail links. Her 
  thick, gray hide is scarred from long-clawed predators, or 
  from the spears of ivory hunters or enemy soldiers. 
  Stampy may be found in a limited range of warm 
  habitats, including savannahs, forests, deserts, and 
  marshes. She is representative of elephants that can be 
  purchased with additional useful training. Owing to her 
  loyalty and usefulness, she is not likely to be found 
  wandering without minders or handlers. 
   
  Base Creature: Elephant MM 
  Template: Rider-trained 
  Tricks: Behave, Concentrate, Defend, Move, Use Skill 
  (Athletics), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: I am serene and resigned to my labor, 
  both in mundane work and in battle. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Skittish. Stampy is afraid of Tiny-
  sized rodents like badgers, rats, and weasels. 
  Physical Oddity: Scars. Stampy’s hide shows the 
  ravages of working in predator-filled environments, 
  and of operating alongside soldiers and adventurers. 
  ROTFANG (CR 6) 
  Rotfang lived a happy life in a cavernous dungeon, 
  disposing of waste thrown into its lair. That is, until one 
  fateful day when adventurers came. They slew the cultists 
  who had been supplying Rotfang’s food. Although the 
  creature did not mind eating the cultists’ corpses too, the 
  creature eventually starved to death. Having been raised 
  on a steady diet of bodies used as evil sacrifices, Rotfang 
  eventually rose from the dead, suffused with necromantic 
  energy. 
  Large beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 57 (6d10 + 24) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  20 (+5) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 
  2 (-4) 
  12 (+1) 
  5 (-3) 
   
    
  Skills Perception +3 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 3 (700 xp) 
    
  Fiery Impact. If Willful moves at least 20 feet straight 
  toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the 
  same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) fire damage. If 
  the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 
  Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. 
  Actions 
   
  Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage. 
  Terrifying Approach (Recharge 5-6). When Willful takes a 
  Dash action, all creatures of his choice within 30 ft. of him 
  at the end of his turn’s final movement must succeed on a 
  DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 
  minute. A creature that fails its saving throw by 5 or more 
  is also panicked while frightened this way; a panicked 
  creature must take the Dash action and move away from 
  Willful by the safest available route on each of its turns, 
  unless there is nowhere to move. If an affected creature 
  ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of 
  sight to Willful, the creature can make a Wisdom saving 
  throw. On a successful save, the effect ends for that 
  creature. If a creature’s saving throw is successful, the 
  creature is immune to Willful’s Terrifying Approach for the 
  next 24 hours. 
   
  Huge beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 16 (chain mail barding) 
  Hit Points 76 (8d12 + 24) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  22 (+6) 
  9 (-1) 
  17 (+3) 
  3 (-4) 
  11 (+0) 
  6 (-2) 
   
    
  Skills Athletics +8, Stealth -1 (disadvantage) 
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 xp) 
    
  Actions 
   
  Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) piercing damage. 
  Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  prone creature. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  
   
  131 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Rotfang’s rocklike skin, normally quite sturdy, is lately 
  showing signs of chips and flaking. This three-legged 
  chonker smells like decay; whether because of its undead 
  nature or because it loves eating rubbish.  
  Rotfang might follow a dangerous party at a distance, 
  cleaning up after the corpses they leave behind. It might be 
  weeks before they notice its presence, at which point it can 
  use its telepathy to present itself as friendly, expressing 
  familiarity with individuals in the party and flattering 
  them at their ability to leave a trail of delicious corpses. 
   
  Base Creature: Otyugh MM 
  Template: Undead creature 
  Tricks: Attack, Behave, Comprehend (Common, 
  Draconic), Concentrate, Defend, Desist, Disarm, Fetch, 
  Guard, Harry, Heel, Hide, Shove, Subdue, Use Skill 
  (Athletics, Perception, Stealth) 
   
  Personality Trait: I am implacable, regardless of 
  circumstances or threats. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Annoying. Rotfang watches people 
  eat, waiting to take care of scraps and waste. 
  Physical Oddity: Tree-Toed. Rotfang’s toe-like claws are 
  spaced around the circumference of each of her feet, 
  like tree roots, rather than being on the front. 
  Bond: I have no need to kill anything; everyone gets 
  eaten too early in life. 
  Ideal: Fragrance. I love the smells of baking bread, the 
  earth after a rainfall, or a bed of wildflowers; these 
  scents (and garbage) are what I live for. 
  PRETZEL (CR 7) 
  Pretzel was bred and trained by magical means, which was 
  a necessity given the amount of effort needed to train all 
  five brains. 
  This juvenile has an unusual pattern of subtle colors. 
  Each of its long-necked heads has a different tinge 
  overlaying its green scales: purple, yellow, blue, orange, 
  and red. In the right light, this sheen is visible on Pretzel’s 
  body too, forming an unusual pattern of spots, stripes, and 
  whorls. 
   Pretzel might be encountered in any location where a 
  hydra can find enough food. It is cooperative if not 
  currently hungry and is willing to make friends. 
   
  Base Creature: Hydra MM 
  Template: Juvenile creature 
  Tricks: Behave, Guard 
   
  Personality Trait: I need constant reassurance to know I 
  am doing what I am supposed to do. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Symmetrical. While on guard duty, 
  Pretzel aims its heads in different directions, necks 
  straight, like a five-pointed compass star. 
  Physical Oddity: Clumsy. Pretzel’s heads often get in 
  one another’s way. It can only use one at a time for any 
  Large undead, neutral 
   
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 114 (12d10 + 48) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  16 (+3) 11 (+0) 19 (+4) 
  6 (-2) 
  13 (+1) 
  6 (-2) 
   
    
  Saving Throws Constitution +7 
  Skills Athletics +6, Perception +4, Survival +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Otyugh 
  Challenge 6 (2,300 xp) 
    
  Limited Telepathy. Rotfang can magically transmit simple 
  messages and images to any creature within 120 ft. of it 
  that can understand a language. This form of telepathy 
  doesn't allow the receiving creature to telepathically 
  respond. 
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces Rotfang to 0 hit 
  points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC 
  of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or 
  from a critical hit. On a success, Rotfang drops to 1 hit 
  point instead. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a 
  creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving 
  throw against disease or become poisoned until the 
  disease is cured. Every 24 hours that elapse, the target 
  must repeat the saving throw, reducing its hit point 
  maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure. The disease is cured on 
  a success. The target dies if the disease reduces its hit 
  point maximum to 0. This reduction lasts until the disease 
  is cured. 
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) 
  piercing damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is 
  grappled (escape DC 13) and restrained until the grapple 
  ends. Rotfang has two tentacles, each of which can grapple 
  one target at a time. 
  Tentacle Slam. Rotfang slams creatures grappled by it into 
  each other or a solid surface. Each creature must succeed 
  on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (2d6 + 3) 
  bludgeoning damage and be stunned until the end of 
  Rotfang’s next turn. On a successful save, the target takes 
  half the damage and isn't stunned. 
   
  
   
  132 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  complex task. When it tests this limitation, its necks 
  might get tied in a knot. 
  Although these creatures fit into the loyal mounts 
  archetype, some match more than one archetype. 
  SABLEFOOT (CR 1/8) 
  In her youth, this aging horse won performative 
  competitions (“dressage”) where she was scored for both 
  acrobatic movement and grooming. Now, long past her 
  prime, this quirky mount prefers a high trot to any normal 
  movement and performs every turn with a flourish of her 
  tail. This dramatic movement may surprise an 
  unaccustomed rider and it draws a lot of attention from 
  those nearby. 
  When a rider dismounts from Sablefoot, she always 
  bends her front legs and dips her head to perform a low 
  bow toward the rider. The Dungeon Master may provide 
  other acrobatic flourishes to Sablefoot’s behavior, the 
  remnants of performance routines learned long ago. 
  Unfortunately, Sablefoot only does these things for herself 
  now; getting her to perform on command is a difficult task. 
  Sablefoot may be placed in a campaign for low-level 
  characters, perhaps at a discount rate at a local market. 
  Alternately, she might be a gift from an ally who values 
  Sablefoot based on her past fame. 
   
  Base Creature: Riding horse MM 
  Template: Rider-trained [Sablefoot gains the reluctant 
  creature template while she is not properly groomed.] 
  Tricks: Go Home, Move, Perform, Use Skill (Acrobatics) 
   
  Personality Trait: I’m always performing, wherever I go 
  and whatever I do, it’s for the crowd. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Dancer. Sablefoot moves with high, 
  dressage-like steps. It’s difficult for a handler to get 
  this horse to move normally. 
  Large monstrosity, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 76 (8d10 + 32) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  16 (+3) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 
  1 (-5) 
  8 (-1) 
  7 (-2) 
   
    
  Skills Perception +5 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 xp) 
    
  Hold Breath. Pretzel can hold its breath for 1 hour. 
  Multiple Heads. Pretzel has five heads. While it has more 
  than one head, Pretzel has advantage on saving throws 
  against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, 
  stunned, and knocked unconscious. 
  Whenever Pretzel takes 25 or more damage in a single 
  turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, Pretzel’s 
  heads stop re-growing until it heals at least 1 hit point. 
  During this time, Pretzel makes death saves as normal. 
  At the end of its turn, Pretzel regrows two heads for each 
  of its heads that died since its last turn, unless it has taken 
  fire damage since its last turn. Pretzel regains 10 hit points 
  for each head regrown in this way. 
  Reactive Heads. For each head Pretzel has beyond one, it 
  gets an extra reaction that it can use only for opportunity 
  attacks. 
  Wakeful. While Pretzel sleeps, at least one of its heads is 
  awake. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. 
   
  Large beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 9 
  Hit Points 11 (2d10) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  14 (+2) 
  8 (-1) 
  11 (+0) 
  2 (-4) 
  10 (+0) 
  5 (-3) 
   
    
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 xp) 
    
  Unreliable. Apply disadvantage to any Wisdom (Animal 
  Handling) checks made to control this mount in battle or to 
  get it to perform tricks or difficult maneuvers. 
  Unstable. This animal gains 1 exhaustion level for each 
  hour of a forced march; this is additional to any exhaustion 
  from failing the Constitution check. 
  Actions 
   
  Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  
   
  133 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  Physical Oddity: Lustrous. Sablefoot’s mane and tail 
  remain long and beautiful, despite her showing other 
  signs of advanced age. 
  HAIZUM (CR 1) 
  This ageless, winged warhorse is native to Mount Celestia. 
  It came to the Material Plane long ago at the behest of a 
  good-aligned deity to aid adventurers in their holy quests. 
  Haizum is a pure white horse with large wings of white 
  feathers. It cannot make use of equine saddles and 
  barding; it needs exotic versions that are specifically 
  crafted to facilitate the creature’s wings. 
  Haizum is not a sentient creature like a true pegasus, so 
  it doesn’t judge the worthiness of a particular handler. 
  However, as a tool of some good deity, Haizum might come 
  into the possession of good-aligned adventurers through a 
  series of unlikely coincidences, as though guided by fate. 
  He might be found with his own saddle and barding. 
   
  Base Creature: Warhorse MM 
  Template: Planar creature (Mount Celestia), rider-
  trained, war-trained 
  Tricks: Assault, Concentrate, Defend, Special Action 
  (Trampling Charge), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: I will work for my handler, tirelessly, 
  to the point of exhaustion and beyond. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Wrathful. Haizum acts fearless of, 
  and behaves aggressively toward, creatures that have 
  hurt it or its rider. 
  Physical Oddity: Bright Eyes. Haizum’s eyes are golden 
  orbs with no discernable pupils. 
  SHADOW FLOOF (CR 3)
  This displacer beast was taken from its parents as a kitten 
  and trained to be a potent ally in combat. It can carry a 
  rider or fight independently, stalking or flanking foes, often 
  attacking from surprise. Shadow Floof is cunning in 
  combat and considers battle and tactics to be games it 
  particularly enjoys. It knows far more tricks than a 
  mundane animal could learn and uses them to great effect. 
  Because it was raised in isolation from others of its kind, 
  this creature does not have a displacer beast’s default 
  alignment, but Shadow Floof’s nature means it has a few 
  cruel tendencies. The animal shows little empathy for 
  other creatures and is likely to toy with foes, hoping they 
  will flee so they can be chased down. 
  Shadow Floof is an impossibly fluffy, longhair displacer 
  beast. It has a single white stripe down the middle of its 
  face, a stark contrast to its midnight-black fur. When 
  Shadow Floof sleeps, it likes to do so on top of things, often 
  hanging partly off them as though poured onto such 
  uneven surfaces with limbs, tentacles, and tongue lolling. 
  Because Shadow Floof was raised around intelligent 
  humanoids and is accustomed to living with them, this 
  creature is unlikely to be encountered alone in the wild; it 
  is probably encountered in the company of humanoid 
  allies. The animal is smart enough that it won’t be sold 
  unless it is willing to work with the purchasing character 
  or party. Shadow Floof is more likely to join a party whose 
  quest aligns with the displacer beast’s personal goals, 
  letting an old “owner” negotiate a “service fee” on the 
  animal’s behalf, instead of a purchase price (of which, 
  Shadow Floof expects to get most of the proceeds). 
   
  Base Creature: Displacer beast MM 
  Template: Rider-trained, war-trained 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Concentrate, Defend, 
  Discriminate, Guard, Harry, Move, Scout, Special 
  Action (Clothesline), Use Skill (Perception), Wear 
  Armor 
   
  Large beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 11 
  Hit Points 32 (5d10 + 5) 
  Speed 60 ft., fly 60 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  18 (+4) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 
  2 (-4) 
  12 (+1) 
  7 (-2) 
   
    
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Skills Perception +3 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1 (200 xp) 
    
  Celestial Wings. Haizum has a fly speed equal to its normal 
  speed. 
  Blessed Hooves. Haizum’s hooves count as magical 
  weapons. The creature has a +1 magical bonus to attack 
  rolls and damage rolls with its hooves. 
  Trampling Charge. If Haizum moves at least 20 ft. straight 
  toward a creature and then hits it with a hooves attack on 
  the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 14 
  Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is 
  prone, Haizum can make another attack with its hooves 
  against the target as a bonus action. 
  Actions 
   
  Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage. 
   
   
  
   
  134 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  Personality Trait: I am casually aloof, uninterested in 
  socializing… until I demand attention. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Lazy. When not stressed, 
  particularly after Shadow Floof has eaten, it wants to 
  sleep. Absent some danger, the displacer beast can be 
  hard to wake or to get moving. 
  Physical Oddity: Marked. Shadow Floof has a prominent 
  white blaze on its forehead. Displacer beasts normally 
  have purely black fur. 
  Bond: I am a consummate competitor and devoted to 
  the notion of testing and comparing my abilities 
  against other, similar creatures. 
  Ideal: Leisure. I work hard and I expect to rest hard. 
  Relaxing is my ideal existence, and I refuse to be 
  roused until my requisite rest time has passed. 
  WOOLY (CR 5) 
  This young mammoth died over a decade ago, in a faraway 
  place, but his body was recently acquired by a local cult, 
  meaning he is probably far from his native environment. 
  Wooly was then raised from the dead as part of a 
  mysterious experiment. 
  This animal is trained to be ridden with an exotic saddle. 
  Wooly is also trained to hold a lantern with his trunk, 
  raising it and aiming it to dispel darkness as a humanoid 
  carrier would, particularly to illuminate his direction of 
  travel. When combat occurs, Wooly will gently drop the 
  lantern on his first turn. 
  Wooly is about the size of a horse. He looks very much 
  like a young elephant, but has long, shaggy fur. His fur 
  tends to get matted with dirt and twigs if he has no one to 
  brush him. Although he has a large-handled brush of his 
  own, which he is trained to hold with his trunk and use on 
  himself, his back half cannot be groomed without 
  assistance.  
  Large monstrosity, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 63 (6d10 + 24) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  23 (+5) 
  9 (-1) 
  19 (+4) 
  2 (-4) 
  9 (-1) 
  6 (-2) 
   
    
  Senses passive Perception 9 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 xp) 
    
  Trampling Charge. If Wooly moves at least 20 feet straight 
  toward a creature and then hits it with a gore attack on the 
  same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength 
  saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, 
  Wooly can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus 
  action. 
  Actions 
   
  Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) piercing damage. 
  Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  prone creature. Hit: 23 (4d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Large monstrosity, lawful neutral 
   
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 93 (11d10 + 33) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  20 (+5) 17 (+3) 17 (+3) 
  6 (-2) 
  13 (+1) 
  8 (-1) 
   
    
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Skills Perception +3 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 3 (700 xp) 
    
  Avoidance. If Shadow Floof is subjected to an effect that 
  allows it to make saving throw to take only half damage, it 
  instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving 
  throw, and only half damage if it fails. 
  Displacement. Shadow Floof projects a magical illusion 
  that makes it appear to be standing near its actual 
  location, causing attack rolls against it to have 
  disadvantage. If Shadow Floof is hit by an attack, this trait 
  is disrupted until the end of the creature’s next turn. This 
  trait is also disrupted while Shadow Floof is incapacitated 
  or has a speed of 0. 
  Clothesline. If Shadow Floof moves at least 20 feet straight 
  toward a Medium or smaller target and then hits it with a 
  tentacle attack on the same turn, the target must succeed 
  on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or also be knocked 
  prone. If the target is knocked prone, Shadow Floof can 
  use another tentacle attack against that target again as a 
  bonus action. 
  Actions 
   
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) 
  piercing damage. 
   
  
   
  135 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  The party may acquire Wooly directly from secret 
  members of the cult who are tired of having to feed him. 
  Alternately, Wooly may have had any number of owners 
  between the cult and the party, each quickly discovering 
  Wooly’s eating requirements the hard way and selling him. 
  A handler who purchases Wooly will acquire his exotic 
  combat saddle and a large brush suitable for grooming his 
  coarse fur. 
   
  Base Creature: Mammoth MM 
  Template: Juvenile creature [Wooly can eventually 
  advance CR by losing this template], rider-trained 
  Tricks: Concentrate, Special Action (Trampling Charge), 
  Use Item (Lantern), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: I am constantly aware of my 
  surroundings; whenever I get a chance to stop 
  somewhere, I explore every inch of the area, sniffing 
  things out with my trunk. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Generous. If anyone is around when 
  Wooly is eating, Wooly picks up his own fodder with 
  his trunk and tries to feed it to those people. 
  Physical Oddity: Misshapen. Wooly’s droopy ears are 
  noticeably larger than a normal mammoth’s ears 
  would be at this age. 
  SVEN (CR 7) 
  This legendary sea lion was born on a rocky, deserted 
  island where an ancient magical artifact was taken for 
  destruction. The artifact left behind a magical residue, 
  remnants of its own power and sentience. This infected 
  Sven and warped his growth into the legendary creature 
  he is today. 
  Monstrous sea lions are green and dun colored, but Sven 
  is not. His scales are white with a pearly sheen. 
  Additionally, everything about Sven’s posture and features 
  speaks to his nobility and wisdom. At least Sven is 
  convinced of this, a side effect of the destroyed artifact’s 
  ego, which now influences Sven. 
  Sven is a social creature and may join the party when 
  they encounter him in any aquatic or seaside adventure. 
  Sven is smarter than his fellow monstrous sea lions, and he 
  finds little kinship with them; he prefers the company of 
  smarter humanoids. Sven will signal his peaceful intent by 
  showing himself to the party from time to time, trumpeting 
  a greeting to them, and occasionally leaving fish for them, 
  the inverse of a normal acclimation process. 
   
  Base Creature: Sea lion TYP (This is the monstrosity sea 
  lion from Tales of the Yawning Portal, not the beast sea 
  lion from Ghosts of Saltmarsh) 
  Template: Legendary creature, rider-trained, war-
  trained 
  Tricks: Assault, Behave, Concentrate, Defend, 
  Discriminate, Harry, Move, Scout, Special Action (Slam, 
  Swimming Leap), Use Skill (Athletics), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: My nobility shines through in 
  everything I do. Even when I just stand about, I do that 
  with the poise and grace befitting my nobility. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Water Slapper. Whenever possible, 
  Sven greets other creatures by using his tail to splash 
  water onto them. 
  Large monstrosity, neutral good 
   
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 189 (18d10 + 90) 
  Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  23 (+6) 17 (+3) 20 (+5) 
  6 (-2) 
  13 (+1) 
  8 (-1) 
   
    
  Skills Athletics +8, Perception +4, Stealth +5 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 xp) 
    
  Amphibious. Sven can breathe air and water. 
  Keen Smell. Sven has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on smell. 
  Legendary Movement. Sven gains a normal speed 
  equivalent to his swim speed. 
  Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Sven fails a saving throw, 
  he can choose to succeed instead. 
  Pack Tactics. Sven has advantage on an attack roll against 
  a creature if at least one of Sven’s allies is within 5 feet of 
  the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Slam. If Sven moves at least 20 feet straight toward a 
  Medium or smaller target and then hits it with a claw 
  attack on the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 
  15 Strength saving throw or also be knocked prone. If the 
  target is knocked prone, Sven can use a bite or claw attack 
  against that target again as a bonus action. 
  Swimming Leap. With a 10-foot swimming start, Sven can 
  long jump out of or across the water up to 25 feet. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage 
   
  
   
  136 
  SAMPLE ANIMALS 
  Physical Oddity: Pearlescent. Unlike others of his kind, 
  Sven is pure white with a pearlescent sheen that 
  enhances his legendary appearance. 
  Bond: I seek to suppress hostility in my vicinity, my 
  allies and are wise and noble enough to temper 
  aggression with discretion. 
  Ideal: Peace. I work to provide peace to my fellow 
  creatures, even if I must be violent to do so. 
  ERFONAIR (CR 9) 
  This creature once belonged to an elite fighting force that 
  guarded Mithrendain, an eladrin citadel deep in the 
  Feywild. This force opposed uprisings by the fomorian 
  kings and their foul minions from the Underdark. 
  Erfonair is a scaled dinosaur. Its scales are shaped like 
  jagged rhomboid leaves and they change colors to match 
  the seasons as leaves do. The creature wears a huge exotic 
  military saddle and huge exotic splint barding fitted for a 
  tyrannosaurus rex. 
  Erfonair may be found in an ancient temple bound in a 
  state of magical slumber, still equipped and preserved for 
  the day he will be called to serve again. Alternately, the 
  creature may appear as the mount of an eladrin or another 
  native of the Feywild, acquired as one of the spoils of 
  battle, though this will be difficult given the creature’s 
  aggressive nature. 
   
  Base Creature: Tyrannosaurus rex MM 
  Template: Fey creature, rider-trained, war-trained 
  Tricks: Assault, Concentrate, Defend, Special Action 
  (Slam), Wear Armor 
   
  Personality Trait: I fight for my allies, whatever the threat. 
  Behavioral Oddity: Crooner. While idle, Erfonair tends to 
  sing to himself with a low, crooning whine. 
  Physical Oddity: Scar. Erfonair has a terrible scar from its 
  left cheek down its neck to its left shoulder. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Huge beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 17 (splint barding) 
  Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
         
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  27 (+8) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 
  2 (-4) 
  13 (+1) 
  9 (-1) 
   
    
  Senses passive Perception 14 
  Skills Perception +4 
  Challenge 9 (5,000 xp) 
    
  Slam. If Erfonair moves at least 20 feet straight toward a 
  Large or smaller target and then hits it with a tail attack on 
  the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 18 
  Strength saving throw or also be knocked prone. If the 
  target is knocked prone, Erfonair can use a bite or tail 
  attack against that target as a bonus action. 
  Actions 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 34 (4d12 + 8) piercing damage plus 6 (1d12) 
  poison damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller 
  creature, Erfonair can automatically grapple it (escape DC 
  18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and 
  the tyrannosaurus can’t bite another target. 
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  
   
  137 
  ANIMAL HANDLERS’ MANUAL 
  TAME NEW FRIENDS AND  
  TRAIN YOUR OWN ALLIES  
   
  Players! Are you wondering where your furry 
  companions are? Are you tired of riding a horse 
  with no name? Do you want ferocious pets and 
  fabulous animal allies? If so, this is the book for you! 
  The Animal Handlers’ Manual teaches you how to 
  acquire animals, train them from a long list of tricks 
  and roles and handle them in a variety of scenarios. 
  These pages also host new character options, from 
  the Beast Whisperer Roguish Archetype and 
  upgrades to the warlock’s Pact of the Chain feature, 
  to new feats, spells, and magic items, plus ways for 
  animals to use old magic items. It also has a chapter 
  of equipment for animal use and prices for buying 
  and selling mounts and monsters. 
   
  Dungeon Masters! Do your players refuse to fight 
  the animal antagonists in your adventures? Do they 
  try to feed and tame them instead? If so, this is the 
  book for you! The Animal Handler’s Manual provides 
  guidance for creating unique animal companions 
  and portraying them in your stories, all while 
  regulating and managing them in a way that won’t 
  disrupt the game. It also dedicates a chapter to 
  decrypting mounted combat and provides a host of 
  optional rules for using mounts. 
   
   
   
   
  For use with the fifth edition 
  Player’s Handbook ®, Monster Manual ®, 
  and Dungeon Master’s Guide ® 
   
  Best when used with these additional 
  supplements: Volo’s Guide to Monsters ® 
  Storm King’s Thunder ®, and  
  Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes ® 
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Wraith Wright/Animal Handlers Manual Revised {180718}.pdf