I am not DM, just a player. In our party of newbies we have a (PHB) ranger who just recently got her beast companion (a panther if you're curious). The problem is our party also found a cat with wings – a tressym – and it was taken in by our bard. (Technically, it is part of a quest and meant to be returned to its rightful owner, but I doubt our party will actually do that.) The DM didn't really give her control over it; the bard just said something like, "I take the cat and put it in my backpack," and so now I guess it's hers.
After the session, the ranger confided in me that she didn't feel very special about having her own animal if other people are going to get them too. Now we're only level 4 and she only had her panther for 1 session that had 2 very quick fights so there hasn't been a lot of time to experiment and play with the panther. I know it will get more powerful and just better as time goes on but I'm wondering how I can convince her.
I guess I should mention that the ranger in question is also my wife so I really don't want her to feel sad about her panther.
How can I help our ranger feel special about her beast companion?
Best Answer
Since someone answered what the DM should do and how he should think about the ranger's animal companion VS other, normal, beasts, let me tell you what I would do as a player since that's the actual question here.
I believe that a lot of the "fun of RP" (for lack of a better term) is up to the players. The DM is NOT the only one responsible for it, so there is actually a lot you can do as a player to give more "spotlight" to the ranger and her animal companion.
There are many ways that I think you can shine the spotlight on the ranger's animal companion easily since it is smarter, stronger and more skilled than that flying cat will ever be, even if that bard comes to tame it.
The panther will always make a better scout than the cat. You should suggest, in character, than it is used this way which will allow the ranger to use its class feature to help the group. Or just have it there when you send the ranger to scout.
When the panther succeeds at something, anything, give it a reward. It can be giving a treat, but maybe the group's barbarian could play (aka wrestle) with it from time to time ?
Spellcasters could buff it during fights, so it has more survivability ... which should make your ranger happy.
The panther could also be used as a sentry. It could get its own guard shifts when the group is sleeping, for it would be smart/trained enough to wake up the ranger or raise the alarm if it smells/hears/sees something suspicious during the night. Of course, it wouldn't be smart enough to wake the next guard so maybe it should get the last shift of the night.
You could suggest than the panther may be used for hunting and when it brings back juicy morsels it gets a part of it like any other group member and the rest is cooked for supper.
A panther is also a lot more intimidating than a flying cat. Next time you interrogate a prisonner, make sure to ask the ranger to use its panther, have it licking its chops with a hungry stare to intimidate the interrogated party.
Hell, the panther could even be made a tracker (or the ranger's helper when she is tracking) ... I'm sure the ranger would realize how better the panther is compared to that cat who can't really help with anything other than "being cute".
Basically, what I'm saying is there are a lot more ways to "use" the animal companion than any other animal group members might have, tamed or not. If she doesn't feel like her panther (and thus her ranger) is useful enough, I would have my character suggest as often as possible that "This might be a good job for our panther and its mistress".