TAMER OF HORRORS — FIGHTER SUBCLASS
Salorras Paragon: Tamer of Horrors · Path: Armsman (Fighter) · Subclass type: Fighter Subclass, chosen at 3rd level The beast-bonded armsmen of Laernoctus, blessed by the Druids of Horrors.
The Tamers of Horrors are renowned beast-masters whose fame is known across Salorras. When humans first settled the region of Laernoctus, they found the surrounding lands thick with new and dangerous beasts and monsters. Some tried to purge them as a threat — but a circle of druids of the Mother found another way: by the divine grace of their goddess they could pass her blessings to chosen beast-tamers, strengthening them until they could master even these magical beasts. The sect took the name Druids of Horrors from the awe and terror such beasts inspire, and the elite of their blessed warriors of Laernoctus were named Tamers of Horrors.
Drawn to wild nature from a young age, a Tamer undergoes special training and learns everything of beasts and magical beasts. Their gifts let them keep magical beasts as loyal companions, forging deep bonds and sharing power with them. Most are faithful to the Mother — or simply to the power of mother nature — and their morality shades with whichever face of the threefold goddess they revere. They often wear trophies of a magical beast bested in single combat: leather capes, tooth necklaces, clawed gauntlets. The number, size, and kind of beasts at a Tamer’s side mark their seniority in the order.
The beast bond ritual (roleplay, not a mechanical prerequisite)
You choose this subclass at 3rd level with no in-game prerequisites. In the fiction, a Tamer is admitted to the order at Laernoctus, trains three months among wild and magical beasts, then passes the beast bond ritual of the Druids of Horrors to gain the goddess’s blessing. The first magical beast a new Tamer masters is usually assigned as a quest.
Design note. Core 5e has no beast companion for Fighters. This subclass uses the existing 2024 Beast Master (Ranger) “Primal Companion” rules as its chassis, reflavored: the companion is a tamed magical beast, and “Beast or Monstrosity” stands in for the old “magical beast” creature type throughout.
Tamer of Horrors Features
| Fighter Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3 | Bonded Horror, Horror Tamer |
| 7 | Horror’s Anatomy, Exceptional Training |
| 10 | Bonded Senses, Bonded Attributes |
| 15 | Beast Lord’s Command |
| 18 | Beast Lord |
Level 3 — Bonded Horror
You gain a loyal magical beast companion, summoned through the beast bond ritual. Use the Primal Companion rules of the 2024 Beast Master: choose a Beast of the Land, Sea, or Sky statblock (reflavored as a magical beast such as a worg, displacer beast, hippogriff, or shocker lizard). The companion:
- adds your Proficiency Bonus to its AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, and any saving throws and skills it is proficient in, and its Hit Point maximum equals its statblock value or five times your Fighter level, whichever is higher;
- shares your Initiative and acts on your turn. It takes the Dodge action unless you use a Bonus Action to command it to take another action (Attack, Dash, Disengage, Help, etc.). When you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to command the companion to make one attack with its Reaction.
If the companion drops to 0 Hit Points it can be revived with a spell or restored over an hour at the end of a Short or Long Rest; you can perform the ritual again to bond a different magical beast.
Level 3 — Horror Tamer
The Mother’s blessing makes you a natural master of monstrous creatures. You gain proficiency in Animal Handling and Nature (or Expertise in one if already proficient), and you have Advantage on Charisma (Animal Handling) checks to calm or influence any Beast or Monstrosity.
Level 7 — Horror’s Anatomy
You know the vital points of monstrous flesh. Once on each of your turns when you hit a Beast or Monstrosity with a weapon attack, you deal an extra 2d6 damage. You have also taught your companion to weather such blows: your Bonded Horror gains resistance to one damage type of your choice (you can change it when you finish a Long Rest).
Level 7 — Exceptional Training
When you use a Bonus Action to command your Bonded Horror, it can also take the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action with that command. In addition, its attacks count as magical for overcoming resistance and immunity.
Level 10 — Bonded Senses
While your Bonded Horror is within 5 miles of you, you can use your action to perceive through its senses until the start of your next turn, and you gain any special senses it has (such as Darkvision, Blindsight, Tremorsense, or Keen Smell) while doing so. If you have more than one companion, you can be bonded to only one at a time; switching is an action.
Level 10 — Bonded Attributes
The psychic bond lets you draw on your companion’s primal might. While your Bonded Horror is within 60 feet of you, you have Advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws (or Dexterity, if your companion’s chosen statblock is more nimble than strong — decided when you gain this feature).
Level 15 — Beast Lord’s Command
You can bend any beast to your will. You can cast Speak with Animals at will (extending to Monstrosities), and you can compel obedience like Dominate Beast: as an action, target one Beast or Monstrosity you can see within 60 feet; it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier) or be Charmed and commanded by you for 1 minute (repeating the save at the end of each of its turns). You can use the compulsion a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, regaining all uses on a Long Rest. Your Bonded Horror also makes two attacks instead of one whenever you command it to take the Attack action.
Level 18 — Beast Lord
Once per Long Rest, you call up the raw energies of untamed nature and pour them into yourself and your bonded beasts. For 1 minute, you and each of your companions within 30 feet of you gain the fury of the wild (a Rage that causes no Exhaustion when it ends):
- Advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws;
- a bonus to melee damage rolls equal to your Proficiency Bonus;
- resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage;
- a −2 penalty to Armor Class for the duration.
Ability Note
The Tamer leans on Wisdom as a secondary ability (the beast bond, Bonded Senses, and the save DC of Beast Lord’s Command) atop the Fighter’s Strength or Dexterity. Charisma aids the Animal Handling side of taming.