course, he he wasn’t worried. After all, the sharks were his. Screams echo through the market stalls as a trio of massive wolves, each weighing nearly half a ton, strides down the cobblestone street. All of the people turn and run for their lives – lives – all all but a small child, abandoned by his fleeing parents. Frozen in fear, the boy can only onl y shut his eyes and wait to feel the wolves’ sharp teeth close around his neck. “Don’t worry, they ain’t gonna gonna bite ya.” ya.” The The boy looks up in surprise to see a halfling now sitting astride the nearest wolf. The halfling smiles at the boy and pats the wolf’s head. head. After a moment’s hesitation, the boy reaches out with a trembling hand of his own and p ats the wolf on its pewterfringed snout. The wolf licks the boy’s face, its face, its tail begins to wag, and as the boy laughs, the villagers crowd back into the street to get a good look for themselves at the noble beasts and their tiny tin y tamer. Whether a trainer travels with an ever-changing pack of beasts or forms an unbreakable link with their very first, their monsters are always only a moment away from them. Through harsh training, ancient magic, or blind instinct, trainers forge bonds with their monsters that can bring them both untold u ntold power.
Monster Trainer A lone tiefling picks her way through the forest, unaware of the hungry bugbear watching her through the underbrush. Satisfied that his prey is alone, he leaps from his hiding place, bellowing a war cry. As he raises his morningstar to strike, the drooling smile on the bugbear’s face freezes as an indigo panther bursts into existence with a sharp crack, landing gracefully on its six legs leg s beside the woman. The last thing the bugbear ever sees is the spiked tendrils on panther’s on panther’s back back whipping towards his eyes. The shafts of sunlight danced above the swimming human’s head human’s head to the rhythm of the churning cerulean waves. This shifting mix o f lights and shadows spotlighted twin shapes against the darkness of the deep water, drawing the elf’s eyes to the sharks that slowly circled just below him. Of
Chosen Some trainers choose this life for themselves and gain their abilities through harsh training of their own. The way of training monsters is an ancient art, and while it is rarely practiced, it remains available to those who seek it out. Other trainers are chosen before birth, gifted with a deep wildness in their souls. Never content to stay in one place, they set forth to seek their fortune, tapping into their abilities by pure instinct and connecting, summoning, and dismissing monsters as their whim dictates. Still more are chosen in some sudden event, by a ceremony of blood, by activating runes of an unknown language, or through the pity of a ~1~
The Monster Trainer Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
Proficiency Bonus Features +2 Monster Control, Starter, P ocket Monsters, Monster Empath +2 Capturing, Pocket Dimension Improvement +2 Control Level Improvement, Trainer's Route +2 Ability Score Improvement +3 Trainer's Route Feature +3 Trainer's Route Feature +3 Power of Teamwork +3 Ability Score Improvement +4 Control Level Improvement +4 Trainer's Route Feature +4 Trainer's Route Feature +4 Ability Score Improvement +5 Control Level Improvement +5 Trainer's Route Feature +5 Control Level Improvement +5 Ability Score Improvement +6 Trainer's Route Feature +6 Control Level Improvement +6 Ability Score Improvement +6 Control Level Improvement, Undying Companions
Creating a Monster Trainer
powerful being after being abandoned in the wilderness as a child. These trainers’ abilities are instinctual, but they feel strange and alien.
As you make your trainer character, consider how you were chosen to receive the ability to control monsters. Who or what gave you this ability? How and where did you bond with your first monster? Did you bond with your first monster as part of your training? Did you bond with a wild beast, farm animal, or family pet at a young age? Is this monster the same as your bonded monster at the start of the campaign, or did you lose your first at some point along the way? If it is a different monster, what happened to your first and how did you bond with your current monster? Do you give your monsters nicknames? You may also wish to consider how your character’s background fits in with your abilities more generally. What is or was your station in life? Did you give this up to follow your current path, or is your quest related to your upbringing or training?
The Very Best Regardless of how they were chosen, most trainers seek to hone and harness their gifts, increasing their control of monsters and making their monsters more and more powerful. A trainer’s own physical and magical abilities will never be as strong as adventurers of other sorts, but they make up for this by making the terrifying variety of monsters in the world their own. This makes trainers both strong and versatile, only limited by the monsters that they find, but it also means that trainers have a glaring weakness: themselves. Most trainers will find a way to keep well out of combat while still remaining close enough to direct their monsters.
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Were your abilities seen as a blessing or a curse to those around you? Did you ever have to keep your abilities a secret, or were those around you always supportive?
Monster Control You have sufficient skill to command a single monster that you are bonded with in combat. As an action, you can tell your monster how to use its action, move action, and (if applicable) bonus action as part of your turn. Your monster may also make reactions in combat. In order to command your monster, your monster must be able to either see or hear your commands; otherwise, it will onl y act to defend itself. Note that monsters under your control follow the same rules when they drop to 0 hit points as you do. When you level up, your bond with your monsters can allow them to level up as well. For example, if your character levels up to level 7 and has a level 1 monster and a level 3 monster, you can choose to have both your monsters level up to 2 and 4, respectively. To determine a monster’s initial level, take the monster’s Challenge Rating, multiply it by 2 and then subtract 1. Thus, a monster with a Challenge Rating of 4 would start at level 7. Monsters with a Challenge Rating of less than 1 are considered to have a Challenge Rating of 1 for this calculation. However, there are limits to what monsters you can control. To start out, your control level is 2, meaning that you can control monsters that are up to, but no are no higher than, level 2. If your monster would become too strong for you to handle by levelling up, you can force your monster ’s level to remain the same. You can also choose to direct the growth of your monster. At every odd level your monster reach es, your monster can receive two different permanent bonuses. Choose between increasing your monster’s AC by 2, increasing your monster’s hit points b y 11 and adding two d10 hit dice to your monster’s hit dice pool, increasing your monster’s to hit roll by 2, and adding 1d10 damage to a single one of your monster’s attacks per action. There are a couple of limits to this. Firstly, your monsters’ AC cannot go above 22. Thus, if your
Quick Build You can make a trainer quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Charisma your highest score. Your next highest score should probably be Wisdom, but both Dexterity and Constitution can be important as well. Second, choose the folk hero background.
Class Features As a trainer, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d6 per trainer level Hit Points at 1st Level : 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels : 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per trainer level after 1st
Proficiencies Armor: Light armor Weapons: Daggers, quarterstaffs, darts, and slings. Tools: None Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Arcana, Insight, Nature, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, and Survival
Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment gained by your background.
(a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack Leather armor ~3~
monster has 21 AC and you choose to increase AC, your monster’s AC will only increase to 22. Secondly, if you select increased damage and your monster makes multiple attacks per attack action, the increased damage must apply to only one attack and must always apply to the same attack. The form that these bonuses will take changes depending on the monster in question. For example, an increase in AC could take the form of scaly armored plates, thick protective fur, sharper reflexes in combat, or something else entirely.
and in order to return a monster to its pocket dimension, you must be within 40 ft. of it. While in this dimension, your monsters are in stasis, needing neither food nor sleep. A monster can also use its own hit dice to restore hit points while in its pocket dimension. A monster’s hit dice are listed next to its hit point value in the Monster Manual . For example, a brown bear with hit points of 34 (4d10 + 12) has four 1d10 hit dice. However, attempting to return a monster that has 0 hit points and has not stabilized to its pocket dimension will cause it to die from the shock of the dimensional transfer.
Starter You have previously bonded with one of the following three monsters. (a) an animated armor (b) a death dog (c) a brown bear The stats for these monsters can be found in the Monster Manual . Unlike other monsters, the special bond between you and your starter makes it capable of evolving as it grows. The animated armor evolves into a helmed horror when it reaches level 7, which in turn evolves into a shield guardian at level 13. The death dog evolves into a displacer beast when it reaches level 5, which in turn evolves into an otyugh at level 9. The brown bear evolves into an owlbear when it reaches level 5, which in turn evolves into a chimera at level 11. Any bonuses from levelling up your monsters do not carry over when it evolves.
Monster Empath If you and any monsters under your control can see or hear each other, you can understand the thoughts and feeling of that monster and it can also understand yours, though the clarity of this communication is limited by your monster’s Intelligence.
Capturing Beginning at 2nd level, you may use an action to attempt to capture a single non-humanoid monster. In order to successfully capture a monster, the monster’s HP must be below half but above zero. If a monster’s HP drops to zero, it is considered dea d and can no longer be captured. You may make a Perception check as a bonus action to see if a single monster can be captured. The DC for this equals 10 + the monster’s CR value. If it can be captured, the monster must make a Charisma save with a DC of 10 + your Charisma modifier. If it fails this save, you have captured the monster, and it vanishes into one of your empty pocket dimensions. You may attempt to capture monsters a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, minimum of 1, per long rest. If you capture a monster but do not have an empty pocket dimension in which to store it, you
Pocket Monsters To start out, you have access to a single pocket dimension to store your starting monster in. Each monster you control must have its own pocket dimension. You can send out a stored monster from this pocket dimension as a bonus action and can return a monster to the dimension as an action. When sending out a monster, you can select any point within 40 ft. of your location to summon it, ~4~
must replace an existing monster with the new monster. When replaced, the existing monster reappears in a random place on your current plane of existence. Additionally, you may only attempt to capture a monster with a level equal to or below your control level.
purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Undying Companions At 20th level, your bond with your monsters has become stronger than even death itself. Any monsters that drop to zero hit points will instead only faint, become stable, and disappear back into their pocket dimensions. Additionally, all of your monsters will be restored to full health after you complete a long rest.
Pocket Dimension Improvement At 2nd level, you gain an additional pocket dimension, allowing you to be bound to up to two monsters at a time.
Trainer’s Route
Trainer Routes
At 3rd level, you choose a route to deeper your connection with your monsters: the Soul of the Brave, the Mind of the Rune, or the Heart of the Pack, all detailed at the end of the class description. The route you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 5th, 6th, 10th, 11th, 14th, and 17th level.
There are as many ways to be a trainer as there are monsters in the world, but no matter what monsters a trainer chooses, trainers follow three main routes to strengthen their monsters’ abilities.
Soul of the Brave The trainers who follow the route of the brave attempt to bring out the best in their monsters though sheer effort. They train in the morning, they train in the afternoon, and they train well into the night. To maximize the effectiveness of all this training, these trainers tend to stick with the same monsters for much longer than other trainers. Furthermore, they focus on controlling a single monster at a time in combat, believing that such focus and dedication can take a monster to the very limit of its abilities.
Control Level Improvement At 3rd level, and again at 9th, 13th, 15th, 18th, and 20th level, the level of monsters you can control increases by 2.
Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. Ability score improvements only apply to you, not your monsters. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Healing Cheer Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you have trained your monsters so that they will respond to your encouraging words in combat. As a bonus action, you can shout encouragement to your monster as long as it can hear you and is not unconscious. Your monster will restore hit points equal to 1d10 plus half your trainer level. Once you
Power of Teamwork Starting at 7th level, your bond with your monsters allows their attacks to count as magical for the
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use this feature, you must finish a long rest before using it again.
Runic Healing Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your runes tie the natural healing abilities of you and your monsters together. When you spend your own hit dice, you and all of your monsters recover hit points, and when one of your monsters spends its own hit dice, you recover the same amount of hit points as it does.
Control Level Improvement At 5th level, and again at 6th and 11th level, the level of monsters you can control increases by 2.
Trained Resistance Starting at 10th level, you have learned how to train your monsters how to better avoid the worst of harmful magical effects. Your monsters can now reroll a saving throw against a spell or other magical effect that they fail. Once this ability has been used, you must finish a long rest before using it again.
Control Level Improvement At 5th level, and again at 11th level, the level of monsters you can control increases by 2.
Combat Runes At 6th level, you have learned additional runes and may choose to add one of the following runes to each of your monsters. You may choose different runes for different monsters. You may also choose to add one of these runes to any monsters you capture from now on. Poison Point: This rune allows you to infuse one of your monster’s melee attacks with a venomous substance. After determining whether your monster’s attack hits, you can choose to activate this rune. The creature your monster hit must mak e a Constitution saving throw (DC equal to 10 + your monster’s Dexterity modifier) or become poisoned for one minute. Once this rune has been used, you must finish a short rest before using it again. Super Luck : Your monster’s attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20. Intimidate : Your monster can try to frighten enemy adjacent to itself as a bonus action. lf the creature can see or hear your monster, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your monster’s Charisma modifier) or be frightened of your monster for one minute. Once this rune has been used, you must finish a short rest before using it again.
Trained Senses Starting at 14th level, you have learned how to train your monsters to rely on more than just their sight. Your monsters now have 30 ft. blindsight and advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Trained Speed At 17th level, you have learned how to train your monsters to run faster than ever. Your monsters’ base movement speed increases by 30 feet.
Mind of the Rune The trainers who follow the route of the rune tap into ancient techniques of controlling and developing monsters. These trainers seek knowledge of ancient magical runes, which they paint, tattoo, or brand into their monsters’ bodies to give them an edge in combat. Trainers following the route of the rune can learn to control up to two monsters in combat and may even decide to apply different runes to each of their monsters, giving these trainers the greatest flexibility in combat.
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choose different runes for different monsters. You may also choose to add one of these runes to any monsters you capture from now on. Battle Armor: This rune shields your monster’s most vital spots. Your monster does not take any additional damage when hit by a critical hit. Speed Boost : With this rune, your monster can use a bonus action to take the dash, disengage, or hide action. Once this rune has been used, you must finish a short rest before using it again. Shed Skin: If your monster is affected by any conditions, you may choose to end one condition on its turn as a bonus action. Once this rune has been used, you must finish a short rest before using it again.
Teamwork Runes At 10th level, may choose to add one of the following runes to each of your monsters. You may choose different runes for different monsters. You may also choose to add one of these runes to any monsters you capture from now on. Big Guard: When an ally adjacent to your monster is targeted with an attack, you can use your reaction to activate this rune and force the attack to target your monster instead. Once this rune has be en used, you must finish a short rest before using it again. Helping Hand: This rune allows your monster to distract an adjacent enemy as a bonus action in order to grant the next attack roll against that enemy advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn. Once this rune has been used, you must finish a short rest before using it again. Telepathy : If your monster is targeted by an ally’s attack that grants a saving throw, you can choose to have your monster automatically succeed on the saving throw.
Elite Runes At 17th level, may choose to add one of the following runes to each of your monsters. You may choose different runes for different monsters. You may also choose to add one of these runes to any monsters you capture from now on. No Guard: When your monster makes its first attack on your turn, you can choose to have it attack with no concern for defense. Doing so gives your monster advantage on attack rolls during this turn, but attack rolls against your monster have advantage until the start of your next turn. Once this rune has been used, you must finish a short rest before using it again. Magic Bounce: If your monster is the target of an attack that requires a saving throw, you can choose to activate this rune. You gain advantage against this save. Additionally, if the lower of the two d20 rolls would also succeed on the saving throw, the attack rebounds and instead strikes the creature that targeted your monster. Once this rune has been used, you must finish a long rest before using it again. Static : Upon activation, this rune crackles with electricity. For one minute, any creature beginning their turn within 5 feet of your monster or entering
Extra Control Starting at level 11, your runes grant your further control over your monsters in combat. You can now use your action to command up to two monsters at the same time. However, the combined level of the monsters cannot be higher than your control lev el. For example, if your control level was 8, you could control a level 6 monster and a level 2 monster with a single action, but you could not control a level 6 monster and a level 4 monster with a single action.
Pocket Dimension Improvement At 11th level, you gain an additional pocket dimension, allowing you to be bound to up to three monsters at a time.
Defensive Runes At 14th level, may choose to add one of the following runes to each of your monsters. You may ~7~
this area takes 1d10 lightning damage. Once this rune has been used, you must finish a long rest before using it again.
Capture Bonus At 5th level, and again at 9th, 14th, and 17th levels, you gain one of the following capture bonuses of your choice. Repeat: If a monster is the same species as one you have previously caught, the monster makes its capture save at disadvantage. For example, if you have caught a dire wolf before, any other dire wolves would have to make a capture save at a disadvantage, but winter wolves would not. Type Advantage : Select two types of monsters from the list below. A monster makes its capture save at disadvantage if it is one of these types. This option may be taken multiple times, each time granting advantage against an additional two types. The possible choices are: aberration, beast, celestial, construct, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, giant, monstrosity, ooze, plant, or undead. In the Red : If a monster has less than one quarter of its health remaining, it must make its capture save at disadvantage. Fast Catching: You may use a bonus action to attempt to capture a monster instead of your actio n. Insightful Capturing : You may add half your Wisdom modifier to your capture DC. Dexterous Capturing : You may add half your Dexterity modifier to your capture DC.
Heart of the Pack The trainers who follow the route of the pack tap into the wildness within themselves, letting their monsters and themselves run purely on instinct during combat. These trainers focus on growing the size of their pack, eventually learning to control three monsters in combat and store up to six at a time. To make the most of the power of numbers, these trainers also learn to freely switch monsters during combat, overwhelming opponents with a constantly shifting foe.
Improved Switching Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, returning a monster to its pocket dimension now uses a move action instead of an action.
Improved Capturing Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, when attempting to capture a monster, the monster now must make a Charisma save with a DC of 10 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Pocket Dimension Improvement At 6th level, and again at 10th, 14th, and 17th levels, you gain an additional pocket dimension, allowing you to be bound to an additional monster at a time.
Extra Control Starting at 5th level, and again at 11th level, your path grants you further control over your monsters in combat, allowing you to use your action to command an additional monster at the same time. However, the combined level of the monsters you are controlling at any given time cannot be higher than your control level + 2. For example, if your control level was 8, you could control a level 6 monster and a level 4 monster with a single action, but you could not control two level 6 monsters with a single action.
Multiclassing options Multiclassing into the monster trainer class requires 13 Charisma and 13 Wisdom. You gain proficiency with light armor for doing so.
Items and Feats Feat: Shadow Pockets: Allows you to capture humanoids. This feat requires you to be of the evil alignment.
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Magic Item: Brightpowder: Wondrous item, rare (+1), very rare (+2), legendary(+3). Coating one of your monsters in this powder makes it harder to focus on, granting it a bonus to AC. Magic Item: Focus Band: Wondrous item, very rare. If a monster that is wearing this item is hit by an attack that would reduce its HP to 0, roll a d20. On a 19 or 20, it is instead reduced to 1 HP. Magic Item: Life Orb: Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement). If you wear this item, your monster’s attacks do 10 more damage. Each time your monster hits with an attack, your monster takes 5 damage. Magic Item: Magnet Charm: Wondrous item, rare. If your monster takes lightning or thunder damage while wearing this pendant, its attack bonus increases by 2 for one minute. If your monster takes lightning or thunder damage again before the minute is up, this effect is extended for another minute. Magic Item: Miracle Incense: Wondrous item, rare. If your monster takes radiant or force damage while wearing this pendant, its attack bonus increases by 2 for one minute. If your monster takes radiant or force damage again before the minute is up, this effect is extended for another minute. Magic Item: Never-Melt Pendant: Wondrous item, rare. If your monster takes fire or cold damage while wearing this pendant, its speed is increased by 20 feet for one minute. If your monster takes fire or cold damage again before the minute is up, this effect is extended for another minute. Magic Item: Poison Barb: Wondrous item, rare.
If your monster takes poison or acid damage while wearing this pendant, its damage bonus increases by 2 for one minute. If your monster takes poison or acid damage again before the minute is up, this effect is extended for another minute. Magic Item: Rare Candy: Wondrous item, uncommon. Increase a single monster’s level by one. Magic Item: Ring of Many Monsters: Ring, very rare (requires attunement ). Grants you an additional pocket dimension. This item does not grant the user the ability to capture or control monsters. Magic Item: Shell Bell: Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement). When you wear this item, any time one of your monsters deals damage, it restores 1d6 HP. Magic Item: Spell Tag: Wondrous item, rare. If your monster takes necrotic or psychic damage while wearing this pendant, its damage bonus increases by 2 for one minute. If your monster takes necrotic or psychic damage again before the minute is up, this effect is extended for another minute.
Credits This class was designed and written by Justin Knutter. His other D&D modules can be found at http://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Justi n%20Knutter Thanks to Chris Conte for reviewing this class. Be sure to check out his work at http://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Chri s%20Conte
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, the dragon ampersand, and all other Wizards of the Coast product na mes, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or o ther authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon M asters Guild. All other original material in this work is copyright 2016 by Justin Knutter and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. ~9~
