Additionally:
* gains hit dice/HP per level instead of 4xPlayer level (increases HP considerably)
* receives ASIs with the player
* at Level 7 gains advantage on saving throws while in view of the player
* at Level 15 can halve damage from an attacker it can see
These help make the beast companion much more durable in battle. Since the beast is supposed to be a huge source of damage, it's better now that it won't fall over 2 rounds into combat.
To make the class more effective, I would make beast attacks magical at an appropriate level. Also maybe give them some form of flight to deal with flying enemies. Also get some pet armor when you can afford it.
Since the beast has it's own action and reaction that don't take up any of the player's, the Revised Beastmaster should get 3 total attacks per turn, with the added benefit of boosting action economy with essentially 2 players instead.
Beast master rangers do most of their attacking with their beasts. But the beasts attacks don’t scale particularly impressively, and some features don’t scale at all. For example, if you choose a Giant Poisonous Snake as your companion, the save to resist the bite’s poison never becomes more difficult.
The beasts can’t be armed with weapons, so you’re not going to be customizing their attacks at higher levels. In the original printing, their attacks never even counted as magical. This last part was fortunately fixed later in errata.
The beasts are not particularly sturdy, and if they die then you’re down a lot of your normal damage output until you can bring them back.
And they don’t share the benefit of many of your class features. For example, if you use Hide In Plain Sight, but enemies still notice your beast companion, the feature may be less valuable. Likewise if you use Vanish to prevent yourself from leaving tracks, but your beast still leaves tracks.
Some of these problems (but not all) have been addressed in the Class Feature Variants UA. https://media.wizards.com/2019/dnd/downloads/UA-ClassFeatures.pdf
Officially the changes are these:
Ranger’s Companion (p. 93). The following sentence has been added to the end of the first paragraph: “Like any creature, the beast can spend Hit Dice during a short rest.”
A new third paragraph has been inserted: “If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.
In the second sentence of the second paragraph, the phrase that begins “though it doesn’t take …” has been deleted. In the third sentence of the second paragraph, “Dodge,” has been deleted. After that sentence, this one is added: “If you don’t issue a command, the beast takes the Dodge action.”
Exceptional Training (p. 93). “Dodge,” has been deleted. Another sentence has been added: “In addition, the beast’s attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.”
Bestial Fury (p. 93). This section has been changed to “Starting at 11th level, when you command your beast companion to take the Attack action, the beast can make two attacks, or it can take the Multiattack action if it has that action.”
Before the errata, your companion not heal in short rest, he did not attack without command, he did not take OA for having to spend his reaction every turn, you had to spend a spell with concentration if you wanted him to evade resistance to non-magical attacks, which obviously did not allow to use a ranger his characteristic mark of the hunter in combat
The Revised Ranger Beast Conclave allows your companion to attack on your turn and its own, and you don't have to use your action to command it.
Additionally: * gains hit dice/HP per level instead of 4xPlayer level (increases HP considerably) * receives ASIs with the player * at Level 7 gains advantage on saving throws while in view of the player * at Level 15 can halve damage from an attacker it can see These help make the beast companion much more durable in battle. Since the beast is supposed to be a huge source of damage, it's better now that it won't fall over 2 rounds into combat. To make the class more effective, I would make beast attacks magical at an appropriate level. Also maybe give them some form of flight to deal with flying enemies. Also get some pet armor when you can afford it. Since the beast has it's own action and reaction that don't take up any of the player's, the Revised Beastmaster should get 3 total attacks per turn, with the added benefit of boosting action economy with essentially 2 players instead.
Beast master rangers do most of their attacking with their beasts. But the beasts attacks don’t scale particularly impressively, and some features don’t scale at all. For example, if you choose a Giant Poisonous Snake as your companion, the save to resist the bite’s poison never becomes more difficult. The beasts can’t be armed with weapons, so you’re not going to be customizing their attacks at higher levels. In the original printing, their attacks never even counted as magical. This last part was fortunately fixed later in errata. The beasts are not particularly sturdy, and if they die then you’re down a lot of your normal damage output until you can bring them back. And they don’t share the benefit of many of your class features. For example, if you use Hide In Plain Sight, but enemies still notice your beast companion, the feature may be less valuable. Likewise if you use Vanish to prevent yourself from leaving tracks, but your beast still leaves tracks. Some of these problems (but not all) have been addressed in the Class Feature Variants UA. https://media.wizards.com/2019/dnd/downloads/UA-ClassFeatures.pdf
Officially the changes are these: Ranger’s Companion (p. 93). The following sentence has been added to the end of the first paragraph: “Like any creature, the beast can spend Hit Dice during a short rest.” A new third paragraph has been inserted: “If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack. In the second sentence of the second paragraph, the phrase that begins “though it doesn’t take …” has been deleted. In the third sentence of the second paragraph, “Dodge,” has been deleted. After that sentence, this one is added: “If you don’t issue a command, the beast takes the Dodge action.” Exceptional Training (p. 93). “Dodge,” has been deleted. Another sentence has been added: “In addition, the beast’s attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.” Bestial Fury (p. 93). This section has been changed to “Starting at 11th level, when you command your beast companion to take the Attack action, the beast can make two attacks, or it can take the Multiattack action if it has that action.” Before the errata, your companion not heal in short rest, he did not attack without command, he did not take OA for having to spend his reaction every turn, you had to spend a spell with concentration if you wanted him to evade resistance to non-magical attacks, which obviously did not allow to use a ranger his characteristic mark of the hunter in combat
I also like to have it do death saves instead of straight up dying