Summary
One of the most interesting mechanics inDungeons & Dragonsis Taming. Not many players of this TTRPG know that anyone can tame a wild beast, as long as some conditions are met. When fans think about Tamed Beasts, they almost immediately think about Rangers and Druids using Animal Handling or Speak To Animals.
But what about the Best Beasts to Tame? This list will cover the best Pets to tame and train throughout aDungeons & Dragonscampaign, and,as long as the Dungeon Master allows it, they can become powerful allies to accomplish players' objectives, or even become mounts for them to ride on.
10Dragon Wyrmlings
Cute When Young, Deadly When Full Grown
Dragon Wyrmlings are the most notorious and coveted pets in D&D. They’re smart, ferocious, and could become powerful allies. Dragons Wyrmlings grow quite fast into Young Dragons (1 to 6 years) depending on how long it has been since they hatched and if they have enough to eat, but to reach the later stages of their life they take hundreds of years.
Once they reach the Young stage, Dragons become Large Creatures and can be Mounted. But there’s a catch: Chromatic Dragons are most of the time Evil, and they will not recognize a master who is not aligned with them unless there’s a powerful motive for that. Depending on how players use their skills, they could theoretically tame one of these beasts.
9Owlbear
A Massive Killing Machine
The dream of every Ranger and Druid is an Owlbear partner. They’re strong, versatile, and ideal for tracking down prey in forests and wild environments in general. They’re also surprisingly good in battle once they are tamed. But, there lies the problem: taming an Owlbear is not easy, since these monstrosities are not fond of humanoids and will attack them on sight.
To add an extra layer of difficulty, the Owlbear has a low intelligence score (3) and this is a powerful barrier to make Druids and Rangers reach an understanding with such a creature, even if they have Speak with Animals cast on them. Imagine Paladins trying to tame this creature to make it their mount. That’s a recipe for disaster, but, depending on the goodwill of the DM, and if there is an importantbackground or lore reason for it, then the party could have a great ally that mixes all the good qualities of bears and owls.
8Blink Dog
A Loyal Companion For The Righteous
The Blink Dog is one of the many creatures of the Feywild that people from the Realms managed to take back with them. Mostly mages, though, since these Hunting Dogs are the preferred pets of High-Ranking Faë Nobility. Loyal to the core, Blink Dogs form perpetual bonds with their masters, especially those of Lawful Good alignment.
Paladins, Rangers, Clerics, Warlocks of the Archfey, and other naturally Good-Alligned (or Lawful Neutral) characters might find a great adventure partner in a Blink Dog. The problem is, how to keep it alive for long enough to make it worth the trouble of finding and taming one. That’s a tale for another day, but needless to say, the combat capabilities, especially in the support aspect of this creature, are top-notch.
7Displacer Beast
A Deadly Underdark Predator
The Displacer Beast is one of the most popular pets to have in any Underdark setting since these Predators are the preferred companions of the inhabitants of Menzoberrazam,particularly Drow nobility. Displacer Beasts also inhabit most Swamps, Deep Forests, and even Mountain Ranges. Powerful and fast, these feline-like creatures prefer hunting in groups and will treat their partners with extreme care, as if they were members of the same pack. The Displacer beast can cloak itself to prevent being hit and also takes half damage on every hit with a failed saving throw, or no damage at all if it passes the save.
It is said that a Displacer Beast will eat its master’s corpse if it has been dead for more than one day (even if the body is treated by Preservation Magic to be resurrected later). The bad thing is that this same loyalty makes it distrustful of others, and a Displacer Beast in the wrong place at the wrong time can jeopardize the party’s play. Since this is a Lawful Evil creature, it will only obey Masters of similar alignments (unless a Chaotic Evil Master mistreats it). This beast is moderately intelligent and will learn Common slowly but steadily until it can comprehend it perfectly.
6Fox
Underestimate This Creature, And It Will Make You Suffer
Greatly underestimated by a lot of players and DMs, the humble Fox is a force to be reckoned with, if trained properly. Foxes are cunning, agile, and despite their low intelligence, they can be tamed and trained. What’s more, Bards and Druids (with a little bit of help from a good DM) can Awaken this little creature to make them excellent companions, smart enough to fully comprehend languages and even speak one tongue of their choice.
The spell can last up to 30 daysand needs to be recast. But, a wise DM could grant a Permanency spell to the party if they find a willing spellcaster who wants to help them create the perfect animal companion. Once this is done, the Fox will be even more cunning and useful for non-combat tactics. Exploration and infiltration are the Fox’s strongest points, but an Awakened Fox can steal keys, send messages, trick people to make them fall from a guard post, kidnap certain targets (yes, remember there are evil-aligned players), activate mechanisms, and deploy certain traps. The possibilities are near endless, if players are wise enough to see the Fox’s potential, they won’t regret having it as a pet.
5Griffon
The Dream Mount Of Every Paladin
The Griffon is nature’s most proficient predator, equipped with the ferocity of a Lion, the keen senses and wings of an Eagle, all perfectly combined into a huge beast. This creature is the dream of all Paladins who want to ride them to battle, but Warriors and Mages covet this pet too.Rangers are not so inclined to tame these beasts, but it isn’t unheard of.
Griffons are also used by proficient spellcasters as summoned guard beasts, especially by those who keep their lairs in High Towers. Since Griffons are perfect for aerial combat and can transition to ground combat with extreme speed, they are the ideal partners of adventurers who enjoy roaming the world. But, these creatures are not easy to find, as they prefer the solitude of mountains and deep forests. And even when found, taming one can prove to be quite a challenge even for the most experienced Animal Handler.
4Flying Snake
Underrated, But Strong If Used Correctly
A Flying Snake is a great asset for Assassins and Sorcerers (or any other Spellcaster) who want to have the ideal Pet to help them conduct their activities. Since this beast is not as hard to tame as others, it is used by most classes as a companion, if they know where to find one. Flying Snake eggs can be bought for a price of 1200 Gold pieces in the Black Market, and tend to hatch in between 5 to 10 days.
They don’t recognize their master at first, and will attack anything that approaches them, but, with patience and dedication (and some good Animal Handling rolls) players can get a flying poison/potion delivery system for the price of three Acid Spray scrolls. Not a bad bargain!
3Raven
Ideal For Tricksters And Rogues
The good and honest Raven has always been one of the preferred choices of Mages,Sorcerers, Witches, and Warlocks, but also Rogues, Rangers, and even Inquisitors can greatly benefit from having them as their animal bond. Funnily enough, Ravens are smart (despite their low intelligence attribute) and can mimic simple sounds.
It’s not unheard of to see empires toppled by a scheming Rogue with an Awakened Raven as a pet, and even some crafty ones training them to steal precious jewelry and getting loaded real fast. It doesn’t have too many combat capabilities, but it is quite a useful beast to carry around in an Urban setting. More so with political intrigue in the mix: players never know when a Raven is going to steal a useful piece of information from unaware nobles.
2Guard Drake
A Loyal Draconic Best Friend
The Guard Drake is, curiously, not a Dragon, but a subspecies of sorts. Bred as treasure keepers and fortress sentinels, the Guard Drakes prefer to be in the company of others of their kind, or their masters if they’re fond of them. They’re especially loyal to a caring master and will bite off the arms of those who mistreat them.
They’re quite versatile in combat thanks to their powerful Tail Sweeps. They’re also good as mounts for Dwarven Warriors/Paladins, or Halfling Sorcerers/Rangers. Dungeon Masters that prefer to give these instead of War Horses to theirplayers will avoid prolonged sessionsif players need to go through difficult terrain since Guard Drakes can also Climb, Swim, and even Burrow depending on their sub-variants. Awakened Guard Drakes are among the most powerful Ranger/Druid companions players can get, and a nightmare for unprepared Masters.
1Faerie Dragon
An Extremely Smart Creature, Loves Candy, Shinies, And Pranks
Faerie Dragons are the small tricksters of the draconic world. They are the size of a medium cat (like the Pseudodragons) and boast beautiful color patterns in their butterfly-like wings and scales. As a Faerie Dragon matures, their color pattern changes, from Red (younger) to Purple (older), and so do its magical capabilities, mostly associated with the Illusion school.
Faerie Dragons are often good-willed, though prone to childish pranks and mischief, and smart players always carry some sweet treats and shiny valuables with them, so these species prefer approaching those who willingly share their precious things with them. But don’t let their size and quirky demeanor fool you: these are powerful magical creatures that will pursue vengeance on those who offend them, so be careful. A player that manages to befriend a Faerie Dragon enough to earn his trust and company will be settled for life with a powerful ally spellcaster, which can evolve until becoming a force to be reckoned with. If the campaign lasts enough for this creature to survive the passing of time, that is.
