Companion Traits

You can choose your character's starting Companion, which is a highly-emotionally-intelligent creature that is your lifelong partner. (It is possible to have two concurrent Companions, but you'll only get to design your first one. Any other Companion you acquire will be met and chosen in-game.)
Your Companion can be nearly anything in shape, color, animal heritage, and size. You can design something completely original or choose one or two prehistoric or modern-Earth animal inspirations. After all, after the Rupture, even "normal" wildlife spiraled chaotically into hyperevolution and localized adaptations.

Size Class

Many people in the world have two Companions: a smaller one for scouting and companionship, and a larger one for combat and riding. When choosing your Companion's size class, remember that there will be distinct advantages and disadvantages to you being much larger or much smaller than your companion.

Size Class

Tiny
Small
Medium
Large
Huge

Measurement*

less than 2'
2'-3'
4'-5'
5'-10'
10'-15'

Examples

cat, raven
coyote, eagle
wolf, goat
horse, grizzly
elephant, T-Rex

Harm Modifier**

x2
x4
x6
x8
x10

* Sizes mentioned are measured from nose to rump while standing normally.
** Your Companion's Maximum Harm is calculated by adding 1 to its current level, then multiplying that number by its Harm modifier in the table above.

Movement

Speed. Your Companion's walking speed is 30' per round of combat (which lasts 6 seconds).
Movement Bonus. Choose one:

Your Companion can fly (without burden/barding). Its flying speed is 40' per round.

Your Companion can climb trees and scale rocks as quickly as it can walk across regular terrain.

Your Companion can swim very well. Its swimming speed is 40' per round.

Your Companion has a fast gallop and can move 50' per round when not in combat and not crossing difficult terrain.

Cooperation. Depending on the size difference between you and your Companion, you may be able to carry each other:

Riding. You can ride your Companion on normal terrain if it's at least one size class larger than you.

Climbing. You can ride your Companion while it climbs trees or cliffs if it's at least two size classes larger than you.

Flying. You can ride on your Companion while it's flying if it's at least two size classes larger than you.

Swimming. Your can ride on (or be towed by) your Companion while it's swimming if it's not a smaller size class than you.

Carrying. You can carry your Companion if it's at least one size class smaller than you, but your movement will be reduced by 10 feet per round and you will make stealth checks with disadvantage. You can carry your Companion at full speed and while climbing if it's at least 2 size classes smaller than you.

Physical Features

Choose your Companion's boon:

Deft. Your Companion has advantage on rolls to Dodge incoming attacks or traps, usually lands on its feet unless prevented from doing so, and only takes half damage from falling. Your Companion is not impeded by most types of non-magical difficult terrain, such as bramble thickets or boggy swamp.

Powerful. Your Companion has advantage on rolls to resist being pushed, pulled, or knocked prone, and it has advantage on rolls involving grappling or breaking free of restraints. Your Companion can lift, carry, push, and pull as much as a creature of one size class larger.

Tough. Your Companion is heavily armored (naturally or artificially) and can add its Might to its Defense, and it can reduce its damage taken by half of its Fortitude (rounded down, minimum 1). Additionally, it makes any exhaustion or endurance checks with advantage.

Next, choose any two of the following options for your Companion.
1. Special Sense
Choose only one of these options:

Darkvision. Your Companion can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Your Companion can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Heat Sense. Your Companion can detect nearby sources of heat, from small flames to warm-blooded creatures, within 20 feet. Sources of heat larger than its size class can be detected within 30 feet. Sufficiently large or thick objects and walls can block its heat sense, depending on the strength of the heat source on the other side. Your Companion cannot sense anything behind a large fire, regardless of distance.

Electric Sense. While in the water, your Companion can sense any living creature or mechanical source of electricity also in the water within 30 feet. If lightning strikes or damages your Companion or the water, its Electric Sense is disabled for 1 round after the lightning ceases.

Tremor Sense. While on a solid surface (earth, rock, or most types of artificial flooring), your Companion can sense the movement of any creature or object that is touching the same surface within 30 feet. Your Companion can also sense any large-scale mechanical activity or moving water within 60 feet.

Echolocation. While either in the water or in the open air, your Companion can emit a cone of supersonic waves from its body to sense the presence of physical objects, creatures, and surfaces within 60 feet (if air) or within 90 feet (if water). Unlike other special senses, echolocation only provides a static impression of the shapes in the chosen direction, and it requires a bonus action to use during combat. Your Companion can determine the exact shape, macro texture, and general material (such as cloth, wood, stone, flesh, etc) of what it can sense via echolocation. Echolocation is audible within a 30 foot range by creatures with normal hearing and within a 60 foot range by creatures with superior hearing or their own sense of echolocation.

2. Keen Senses

One of your Companion's senses is especially sharp. Choose hearing, smell, long-distance vision, or short-range vision. When your Companion uses this sense, make its Perception rolls with advantage.

If your Companion has a different special sense, like echolocation or heat sense, you may choose that instead of hearing (etc) for Keen Senses.

3. Nimble

Your Companion's default movement speed is increased by 5 feet.

Your Companion can move through an occupied space of any creature one or more sizes larger than it.

Your Companion can fit through spaces that would only fit a creature one size class smaller than it.

4. Sturdy

Your Companion has advantage on any checks made to avoid being knocked prone and pushed or pulled against its will.

Your Companion has advantage on any checks made to avoid being picked up or otherwise knocked off its feet.

Your Companion has advantage on any rolls to push or shove an object or creature that is one size class larger than it or smaller.

5. Vicious

Your Companion has particularly devastating attacks and receives a damage bonus when it strikes. Your Companion's Martial Die begins as 1d4 instead of 1d2 and can reach a maximum of 1d10.

6. Stealthy

Your Companion rolls stealth and hiding checks with advantage.

7. Venomous

Your Companion's attacks are envenomed. On a successful strike with its venomous fangs or tail, the target receives an additional 1 poison damage. Targets that lack living blood do not suffer this additional damage.

Your Companion has advantage when making a saving roll against poison damage or the Poisoned condition.

8. Precise

Your Companion's accuracy is well-honed; double its accuracy bonus on its attacks and applicable skill checks.

If your Companion attempts a specific strike, such as aiming for a target's eyes or fingers, roll the attack with the normal non-doubled Accuracy bonus. On a hit, add its Accuracy bonus to the harm it inflicts on that body part.

Character Creation