Circle of Evolution
Druids of the Circle of Evolution cater to the fauna and flora around them, watching and observing their growth as well as protecting them. Many of the druids took in animals and sentient plants as a familiar and the focus of their studies.
Their patience and keen perception allows them to grow a creature or plant with absolute care to the point that it can slowly evolve into a dominant or even stronger species.
Growth Focus
Starting at 2nd level upon choosing this Circle, you may choose a focus of either Flora or Fauna in which you gain Advantage to the first saving throw and skill check revolving an Animal or Plant respectively that you have previously encountered due to careful study and firsthand experience.
In addition, you gain additional bonuses and access to spells according to your focus upon reaching certain druid levels. Once you gain access to one of these spells, you always have it prepared, and it does not count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that does not appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you.
Fauna Focus
If you pick this Growth as your focus, you gain access to the following spells and always have them prepared:
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Animal Messenger, Beast Sense |
| 5th | Conjure Animals, Daylight |
| 7th | Dominate Beast, Locate Creature |
| 11th | Greater Restoration, Geas |
You began studying the various wildlife of the natural world, learning their habitat and routine. You may spend 10 minutes observing a creature in order to learn external information such as its eating habits, sleeping pattern, or just the general actions it usually does.
In combat, you can use your action and make an Animal Handling (Wisdom) check against a DC of 10 + the creature's CR. If you succeed, you learn two things of your choice: the creature's AC, resistance, vulnerability, lowest ability score, highest ability score, and speed. If you fail, you learn one thing about the creature and the information given is random (determined by your DM).
You gain the ability to cast Speak with Animals as a Bonus Action and you may use it a number of times equal to 2 + half of your Druid level without expending a spell slot every 24 hours.
At 11th level, this spell is now constantly active and you can use a Bonus Action to temporarily disable or re-enable this spell.
Flora Focus
If you pick this Growth as your focus, you gain access to the following spells and always have them prepared:
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Spike Growth, Barkskin |
| 5th | Plant Growth, Erupting Earth |
| 7th | Conjure Woodland Beings, Grasping Vine |
| 11th | Commune with Nature, Tree Stride |
You began studying the various species of plant life, may it be neutral or hostile to you and becoming adept in treating it with care. You may spend 10 minutes studying a plant in order to learn any properties as well as any information related to it.
In combat and against a magical creature, may it be hostile or not, you can use your action and make an Nature (Intelligence) check against a DC of 10 + the creature's CR. If you succeed, you learn two things of your choice: the creature's AC, resistance, vulnerability, lowest ability score, highest ability score, and speed. If you fail, you learn one thing about the creature and the information given is random (determined by your DM).
You gain the ability to cast Speak with Plants as a Bonus Action and you may use it a number of times equal to 1 + half of your Druid level without expending a spell slot every 24 hours.
At 11th level, this spell is now constantly active and you can use a Bonus Action to temporarily disable or re-enable this spell.
Druidic Companion
At 2nd level, based on your Growth Focus, you may choose an Animal or Plant no larger than Medium and with a Challenge Rating of 1/2 or lower to become your Companion. You add your proficiency bonus to your Companion's AC, attack rolls and damage rolls, as well as any saving throws or skills it is proficient in. Its Hit Point maximum is equal to its normal maximum or four times your Druid level, whichever is higher.
The companion obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own.
While traveling through your favored terrain with only the Companion, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. If the Companion dies, you can obtain another one by spending 8 hours magically bonding with another animal or plant that isn’t hostile to you, either the same type as before or a different one.
Like any creature, the Companion can spend Hit Dice during a short rest. If you are incapacitated or absent, the Companion acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. It never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.
Upon gaining a Companion roll a d4 to apply a trait for your Companion's evolution which is found at the end of this subclass. They obtain that trait once you gain a level in this class. This is repeated at 5th level. At 9th and 13th level, roll a d6. At 17th level, roll a d8 twice.
Alternatively, at 3rd level you can choose pick a trait of your choice from Rolls 1 to 4, but you no longer roll a trait at 5th level. At 9th level, you can instead choose a single trait between Rolls 1 to 6, but no longer roll a trait at 13th level. At 17th level, you can choose a single trait between Rolls 1 to 7.
If you choose to pick or roll the same evolution trait twice or more, you can choose to pick the 2nd Evolution.
Sentience
At 6th level, your pursuit of knowledge and growth allows you to find a way to gather information much quicker. You can cast the Awaken Spell a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You can cast it without a material component
You regain expended uses after you finish a long rest.
Focus Bond
At 10th level, your strong bond with your companion allows you communicate telepathically with your focus as long as you and your companion are within the same plane of existence. You and your companion understands each other, regardless of the language shared.
Synergistic Evolution
At 14th level, your talent for evolution has allowed you to take on a higher form with the aid of your trusted companion. You can use your Wild Shape feature to combine with your companion. In this new form you gain the following benefits:
- You gain temporary hit points equal to your companion's current hit points.
- You gain access to all traits, proficiencies and attacks unique to your companion. (If you and your companion share the same proficiency, use whichever is higher).
- If any of your companion's ability score is higher than your own (except Constitution), you temporarily replace your ability score with that of your companion's.
- If you roll a saving throw, you roll twice. Using your own and that of your companion's saving throw and you need to fail both rolls to be affected.
This new form lasts for 1 minute and can be ended early as a bonus action where your companion appears in an unoccupied space around you, or you become unconscious.
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Evolution Traits
| Roll | Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | Growing horns, spikes or even claws, your Companion develops a more lethal and predatory nature as it grows. Give your Companion +1 to its damage roll each time this trait is picked. If this trait has been picked three times or more, you may instead roll a d4 instead and add that to your Companion's damage roll. |
| 2 | Developing a hardened exterior or slippery skin, your Companion instinctively strives to survive against direct damage or outright avoid it with its elusiveness. You roll a d8 and add it to your Companion's Hit Point. If this trait has been picked three times or more, you may give your Companion +1 AC instead. |
| 3 | Your Companion develops a special organ or part that becomes a source of a new damage type. Choose one of your Companion's attacks and change its damage type to another of your choice. You may also choose to improve your Companion's attack instead, giving it +1 to the action's attack roll. |
| 4 | Your Companion has honed its senses to the point it develops its senses to perceive its surroundings through other means. You choose to grant your Companion Darkvision, or Blindsight of 15 feet. Alternatively, you may roll a d4 instead and gain either Darkvision (1), Blindsight (2), Tremorsense (3) or Truesight (4) of 30 feet. Each time you picked this trait, you may also choose not to pick a new Sense but instead double the range of one of your Companion's current Senses. |
| 5 | Being in your company has thought your Companion a few new tricks that its species normally couldn't perform. Choose a skill that you are proficient in and make your Companion also proficient with that skill. |
| 6 | Honing its strengths and weaknesses, your Companion takes an expeditious growth towards evolution. Choose one of your Companion's Ability Score and increase it by 2 or increase it by 1 which does not apply to the cap of 20. |
| 7 | Adapting to its environment, your Companion becomes more resilient and strong enough to live in hostile situations. Choose a damage type and whenever your companion takes that damage, you roll a d8 and you reduce the damage taken. If taken more than once and you choose the same damage type, your Companion also gains Resistance to that damage type as well. |
| 8 | Growing stronger to the point it has reached the next stage of evolution, your Companion can turn one of its regular action into a Legendary Action in which can be used once in battle with any attacks it has. |