• Beastmasters in Depth

• Josh often uses them as pre-mades in his demo games!

• A “pet class” that can revolve around animal companions.

• Potential for added complexity and breaking the action economy.

• Inspired at least in part by the eponymous Beastmaster, Dar from film and TV.

• Animal companions are independent characters. While the player may roll dice and generally guide their actions, the GM should have veto authority.

• Object lesson in animal companion problems: Josh’s wife got a dyre!

• Karma Ritual and Important Attributes

• Both urban and wilderness, but still trend “feral”.

• Half-Magic

• No free talent, higher Durability.

• Novice Discipline talents.

• Unarmed Combat and Claw Shape is their combat style.

• Reason for the +3 bonus to Claw Shape.

• The awkward status of Dominate Beast.

• A character’s Discipline should inform the Narrative expression of their talents.

• Novice talent options.

• The weaknesses of animal companions in earlier editions.

• There is lots of conceptual space for the Beastmaster.

• Pet talents are options to avoid forcing people to take pets if they don’t want.

• Lots of unique and flavorful options, possible to swap Discipline talents for options.

• Enhance Animal Companion as a way of addressing previously mentioned weaknesses.

• Sidebar: Not everything is about animal companion combat prowess!

• Journeyman special ability: Cat’s Grace

• Journeyman Discipline Talents

• Animal Talk is a Journeyman talent?

• Claw Frenzy buzzsaw of death.

• Journeyman talent options.

• More pet talents as options.

• Beastmasters have higher Charisma, but aren’t really a social Discipline; they lack talents to support it.

• Animals don’t deal with artifice, white lies, and social lubrication.

• Beastmasters often take after animals and are blunt and forthright.

• Special and iconic in the world of Earthdawn.

• Decent fighters, but lack as many combat support talents as Warriors or Swordmaster.

• GM advice: Beastmasters often don’t need magic weapons, but armor and defensive items are valued.

• GM advice: Think of ways to leverage animals and the information that can provide to put the spotlight on the Beastmaster.

• GM advice: Reskin the stat block for one animal to make others.

• Cave crabs are NOT suitable animal companions.

Email: edsgpodcast@gmail.com

Twitter: @EarthdawnG

Josh on Twitter: @mataxes

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