course, he wasnt 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 all but a small
child, abandoned by his fleeing parents. Frozen in
fear, the boy can only shut his eyes and wait to feel
the wolves sharp teeth close around his neck.
Dont worry, they aint gonna bite ya. 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 wolfs head. After a moments
hesitation, the boy reaches out with a trembling
hand of his own and pats the wolf on its pewterfringed snout. The wolf licks the boys 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 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
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 bugbears face freezes as an
indigo panther bursts into existence with a sharp
crack, landing gracefully on its six legs beside the
woman. The last thing the bugbear ever sees is the
spiked tendrils on panthers back whipping towards
his eyes.
The shafts of sunlight danced above the
swimming humans head to the rhythm of the
churning cerulean waves. This shifting mix of lights
and shadows spotlighted twin shapes against the
darkness of the deep water, drawing the elfs 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
+2
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6
+6

Features
Monster Control, Starter, Pocket Monsters, Monster Empath
Capturing, Pocket Dimension Improvement
Control Level Improvement, Trainer's Route
Ability Score Improvement
Trainer's Route Feature
Trainer's Route Feature
Power of Teamwork
Ability Score Improvement
Control Level Improvement
Trainer's Route Feature
Trainer's Route Feature
Ability Score Improvement
Control Level Improvement
Trainer's Route Feature
Control Level Improvement
Ability Score Improvement
Trainer's Route Feature
Control Level Improvement
Ability Score Improvement
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
characters 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 trainers 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.
~2~

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 only
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 monsters initial level, take the
monsters 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 monsters level
to remain the same.
You can also choose to direct the growth of your
monster. At every odd level your monster reaches,
your monster can receive two different permanent
bonuses. Choose between increasing your monsters
AC by 2, increasing your monsters hit points by 11
and adding two d10 hit dice to your monsters hit
dice pool, increasing your monsters to hit roll by 2,
and adding 1d10 damage to a single one of your
monsters 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 dungeoneers pack or (b) an explorers
pack
Leather armor
~3~

monster has 21 AC and you choose to increase AC,

your monsters 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 monsters 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 monsters
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
monsters HP must be below half but above zero. If
a monsters HP drops to zero, it is considered dead
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 monsters 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.

Trainers 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

~5~

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 monsters melee attacks with a venomous
substance. After determining whether your
monsters attack hits, you can choose to activate
this rune. The creature your monster hit must make
a Constitution saving throw (DC equal to 10 + your
monsters 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 monsters 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 monsters 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.

~6~

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 monsters
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 been
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
allys 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 level.
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 action.
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.
~8~

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
monsters 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 monsters 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 names, 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 other authors. Such material is used
with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters 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~