<div> # Assorted Druid Subclasses </div> At 2nd level, a druid gains the Druid Circle feature. Here are new options for that feature: Circle of the Eclipse, Circle of Reefs, Circle of Sands, Circle of Starlight, and Circle of Wastelands. ### Circle of the Eclipse Druids of the Circle of the Eclipse walk the thin line between the sentient and the primal. By channeling the mystic magic of the natural through their own body, the druid can assume the corporeal manifestation of the unfettered, sheer force of the savage wilderness. Circle of the Eclipse is less of a circle in conventional senses and more of a common understandings among the fellow druids who share their participation in one of the oldest druidic tradition. Often a druid of the Circle of the Eclipse lives and works alone, preferably secluded from the civilization and even from other druis, lest a split second of loose control risks the safety and life of any others around themselves. #### Eclipse Shape Starting at 2nd level when you join this circle, you can spend one use of your Wild Shape as a bonus action to assume the form of a monstrous half-humanoid. You take the appearance of your choice; you can be a hybrid of a wild animal, plant, or mineral. The new form lasts for 1 minute or until you choose to dismiss it on your turn (no action required). While you are in the Eclipse Shape, you retain all your normal statistics, as well as benefits of any features from your class, race, or other sources, except for the following rules: - Your strength and build improves as mystic energy flows throughout your body. You gain advantage in Strength ability checks and saving throws, and you add your proficiency bonus to the damage roll you make with a weapon you are proficient in. - You grow claws, fangs, spines, or any different natural weapon of your choice. Your unarmed strike deals 1d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, as appropriate to the natural weapon you chose, and you add your proficiency bonus to the damage roll. - You grow thick fur and hide or hard bark and skin, as appropriate to your appearance. While you are not wearing armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier. - You cannot cast spells, and you can only speak in Druidic. Transforming into the Eclipse Shape does not break your concentration on a spell you have already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell that you have already cast. - When you transform into the Eclipse Shape, and again as a bonus action on your turn while you are in the Eclipse Shape, you can expend one spell slot to gain 1d8 temporary hit points per each level of the spell slot expended, to a maximum of 5d8. You lose all temporary hit points gained this way when the Eclipse Shape ends. \columnbreak > ##### Optional Rule: Eclipse Shape Traits > At the DM's discretion, while you are in the Eclipse Shape, you can gain one or two of the following traits, as appropriate to your new form. The DM can limit taking one or more traits if it is considered inappropriate for the form. > > ***Amphibious.*** You can breathe both air and water. > > ***Darkvision.*** You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, the range of your darkvision increases by 30 feet. > > ***Fast Movement.*** While you are not wearing armor, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. > > ***Keen Sight and/or Smell.*** You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight and/or smell. > > ***Natural Camouflage.*** While you stay motionless, you have advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks made to disguise yourself as a plant or inanimate object, such as a tree or a rock. > > ***Spider Climb.*** You gain 10 feet of climbing speed, if you do not have it already. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceiling, without needing to make an ability check. > > ***Swimming.*** You gain swimming speed equal to your walking speed. <br><p> When you transform into the Eclipse Shape, you choose whether your equipment falls into the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but it does not change size or shape to match your new form, and any equipment that the new form cannot wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form. When you reach 18th level and gain the Beast Spells feature, you can cast druid spells while you are in the Eclipse Shape. #### Ecliptic Resolve Also starting at 2nd level, whenever you finish a long rest, you gain one additional uses of your Wild Shape. You can use this use only for the purpose of using your Eclipse Shape. You lose all unspent uses gained this way when you start a long rest. You gain one additional use of Wild Shape with this feature when you reach 6th level, and again at 10th and 14th level. #### Primal Strikes Starting at 6th level, while you are in the Eclipse Shape, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Additionally, your unarmed strikes in the Eclipse Shape count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. \pagebreakNum #### Ecliptic Instinct When you reach 10th level, you are always under the effect of the *speak with animals* spell, and you can cast *animal friendship* as a 1st-level spell at will, without expending a spell slot or material components. Additionally, whenever you finish a short rest, you regain up to two expended uses of your Ecliptic Resolve. #### Full Eclipse Shape At 14th level, when you transform into the Eclipse Shape, you can choose two of the following options, which is applied to you until the Eclipse Shape ends: ***Aggression.*** Your unarmed strike deals 1d10 damage, instead of 1d6. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. ***Fortitude.*** You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. ***Flight.*** As long as you are not wearing armor, you gain 30 feet of flying speed. ***Resilience.*** You gain proficiency in all saving throws. ***Resistance.*** You gain resistance against the damage of spells. ### Circle of Reefs Druids of the Circle of the Reefs are protectors and watchers for the nautical ecosystem. The druid observes and understands the circle of life underwater, as well as the water itself, endlessly extending toward the horizon and into the depth, sheltering everything it embraces, while showing no mercy to those who dare revolt against the tides. Druids who participate in the Circle of Reefs gather at shores, ocean rocks, or even underwater, whispering and chanting the wonders of the ocean and its denizens. In the most extreme case, a druid may choose to live entirely waterborne or underwater, where they find companion from aquatic creatures and elementals. #### Ocean's Gift Starting at 2nd level when you join this circle, you gain proficiency in nets and tridents. Additionally, you learn the *shape water* cantrip, if you do not know it already. This cantrip does not count against the number of druid cantrips you know. #### Nautical Affinity Also starting at 2nd level, you adapt yourself to better suit the life underwater. You can hold your breath for a number of hours equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier, to a minimum of 30 minutes. Additionally, while you are not wearing medium or heavy armor, or while you are in the beast form from your Wild Shape, you gain swimming speed equal to half your walking speed. When you reach 10th level, the swimming speed equals your walking speed. #### Circle Spells Your mystical connection to the ocean grants you ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, you gain access to the circle spells, as described on the table below. Once you gain access to a circle spell, 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. ##### Table: Circle of Reefs Circle Spells All spells are found in the supplement *Elemental Evil Player's Companion.* | Druid Level | Spell | |:---:|:---| | 3rd | *warding wind* | | 5th | *tidal wave* | | 7th | *watery sphere* | | 9th | *maelstrom* | #### Ocean's Stride Starting at 6th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement, and you can swim through nonmagical tides and currents without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against tides and currents that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement. #### Waterborne Protection When you reach 10th level, while you are waterborne or underwater, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration on a druid spell.s Additionally, as long as you are fully immersed in water, you gain resistance against all damage except cold, force, and lightning damage. #### Caretaker of the Reef At 14th level, you are favored by the lifes of the ocean, as well as the ocean itself. You are always under the effect of the *water walk* spell. Additionally, you can cast either *control water* or any of your circle spells once, without expending spell slot or material components. Once you cast a spell this way, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest. ### Circle of Sands Druids of the Circle of the Sands finds the toughest life in one of the harshest place of the world — the deserts. Fascinated at how life finds a way to survive and thrive in the barren lands, the druid contemplates the tenacity of life, bathing in the scorching sun and roaring sandstorms. Like the shifting sands and winds of the desert, most druids of Circle of Sands prefer nomadic lifestyle over settling into a fixed location. However, archeological excavation has discovered that some ancient civilization in the desert have kept a group of druids of Circle of Sands as caretakers and protectors. #### Bonus Cantrip Starting at 2nd level when you join this circle, you gain the *gust* cantrip, if you do not know it already. This cantrip does not count against the number of druid cantrips you know. \pagebreakNum #### Shifting Sands Also starting at 2nd level, when you cast a druid spell of 1st level and higher that requires concentration, you can conjure a gust of wind that surrounds you for 1 minute or until your concentration on the spell is broken. The gust of winds creates a small vortex centered on you, out to a range of 5 feet. When a hostile creature first enters the area within the vortex or starts its turn there, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your druid spell save DC or is knocked prone. You can expend one use of your Wild Shape as a bonus action to use this feature, without casting a druid spell. If you use this feature this way, the wind lasts for 1 minute or until your concentration is broken (as if concnetrating on a spell). #### Circle Spells Your mystical connection to the desert grants you ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, you gain access to the circle spells, as described on the table below. Once you gain access to a circle spell, 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. ##### Table: Circle of Sands Circle Spells All spells are found in the supplement *Elemental Evil Player's Companion.* | Druid Level | Spell | |:---:|:---| | 3rd | *dust devil* | | 5th | *wall of sand* | | 7th | *storm sphere* | | 9th | *control wind* | #### Sprinting Sands When you reach 6th level, while you are surrounded by the wind from your Shifting Sands, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement, and you ignore obstacles and hazards on the ground, such as caltrops and the *grease* spell. Additionally, when you use an action to cast a druid spell of 1st level and higher, you can use a bonus action to take the Dash or Disengage action. #### Howling Sands Starting at 10th level, when a creature fails on a saving throw against your Shifting Sands, you can apply one of the following options: - The creature takes slashing damage equal to half your druid level plus your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). - The creature is blinded and deafened while in the vortex. - The creature's speed is halved until the end of its next turn. #### Raging Sands By 14th level, your Shifting Sands no longer requires concentration, and you can use your Shifting Sands when you cast a druid spell of 1st level and higher that does not require concentration. Additionally, while you are surrounded by the wind from your Shifting Sands, you gain flying speed equal to your walking speed. ### Circle of the Starlight Druids who participate in the Circle of the Starlight seeks their wisdom from the stellar lights. Like the stars guide the stranded travelers to the right direction, the druid would guide the disturbed to the solace. One notable aspect of the druids of Circle of the Starlight is, while it is common for a druid to despise undeath as a violation of natural order, their hatred is more active and fierce even compared to other druids. In fact, a large number of the circle collaborate with urban priests and crusaders to track down and eliminate the restless dead, as well as their reanimators. #### Agent of the Stars Starting at 2nd level when you join this circle, your body and armor radiates dim light out to a range of 10 feet. You can toggle this light on or off as a bonus action. Additionally, when you hit a creature with a melee attack while you are in the beast form from your Wild Shape, you can expend one spell slot to deal radiant damage against the target. The damage equals 2d6 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d6 per each spell slot level above the 1st, to a maximum of 6d6. The damage increases by 1d6 if the target is an undead. #### Purging Starlight Also starting at 2nd level, when you cast a druid spell of 1st level and higher or transform into a beast form with your Wild Shape, you can let out a blinding flash out to a range of 10 feet. When you do so, each creature that can see you within the range must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your druid spell save DC or becomes blinded until the end of your next turn. If the creature is an undead, on a failed save, it is also turned for the duration or until it takes any damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it cannot willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also cannot take reaction. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there is nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action. After you reach 6th level, when an undead fails its savihg throw against your Purging Starlight feature, it is instantly destroyed if its Challenge Rating is at or below a certain threshold, as shown in the table below. | Druid Level | CR | |:---:|:---:| | 6th | 1/2 | | 10th | 1 | | 14th | 2 | #### Guiding Starlight At 6th level, when you use your Purging Starlight, you can choose a number of creatures in the area up to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. The chosen creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws, and they suffer no harmful effect of your Purging Starlight. \pagebreakNum <p> Additionally, when you use your Purging Starlight, you can choose one of the creatures that have failed their saving throw. The chosen creature is outlined with starlight for the duration, illuminating dim light in a 10-foot radius. All attack rolls against the illuminated creature has advantage, and the illuminated creature cannot become invisible. #### Dispelling Starlight When you reach 10th level, when a creature fails its saving throw against your Purging Starlight, you can choose to end any cantrip or 1st-level spell that affects the creature. Additionally, when you transform into a beast form from your Wild Shape, you can choose to end any spell of 3rd level or lower that affects you. #### Herald of the Stars At 14th level, you emanate bright light out to a range of 10 feet, and dim light out to 10 feet beyond that. You can toggle the light on or off as a bonus action. When a creature first enters the area within the bright light from this feature or starts its turn there, you can use your reaction to apply your Purging Starlight against the creature. ### Circle of Wastelands Druids who belong to the Circle of Wastelands do not necesarily hail from the eponymous wastelands; more often, they seek the barren realms, formerly lusty and flourished, but now stricken with a calamitous event such as forest fire, plague, magical anomaly, or civilization. The druids settle in the nearly uninhabited land, scavenging the abandoned land for what food and water is scarcely left for them. Often, druids of the Circle of Wastelands are shunned from civilization and even from other druids for their esoteric practices, which involves study on the matter of death and even undeath. However, these druids consider that death is but a natural course of life, not as a final destination, but as a foundation for a new life that will one day flourish from the dead soils and revitalize the world. #### Envoy of the Wasteland Starting at 2nd level when you join this circle, you learn the *toll the dead* cantrip. This cantrip does not count against the number of druid cantrips you know, and it is a druid cantrip for you. When you kill a humanoid creature with your *toll the dead* or an attack while you are transformed with your Wild Shape, you can raise its corpse as a zombie at the start of your next turn, which is permanently under your control, following your verbal orders to the best of its ability. The zombie lasts for 1 hour, after which it is destroyed. You can control only one zombie with this feature; if you raise a second zombie when you already control one, the first zombie is destroyed. The zombie raised with this feature crumbles to dust when it drops to 0 hit points or is otherwise destroyed. #### Circle of Life and Undeath Also starting at 2nd level, you can fuel your vitality from deceased humanoids. As an action on your turn, you can touch one corpse, pile of bones, or a willing undead creature. The corpse, pile of bones, or creature is destroyed into dust, and you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d8 plus your druid level plus your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). \columnbreak #### Circle Spells Your mystical connection to the wasteland grants you ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, you gain access to the circle spells, as described on the table below. Once you gain access to a circle spell, 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. ##### Table: Circle of Wastelands Circle Spells | Druid Level | Spell | |:---:|:---| | 3rd | *ray of enfeeblement* | | 5th | *animate dead* | | 7th | *blight* | | 9th | *danse macabre* ^* | <Sup>*</sup> This spell is found in the supplement *Xanathar's Guide to Everything.* #### Undead Thralls When you reach 6th level, when you cast a druid spell that creates an undead from a corpse or a pile of bones, you can target one additional corpse or pile of bones, creating another zombie or skeleton as appropriate. Additionally, whenever you create an undead using a druid spell or a druid class feature, it has additional benefits: - The creature’s hit point maximum is increased by an amount equal to your druid level. - The creature adds your proficiency bonus to its weapon damage rolls. #### Herald of the Wasteland Starting at 10th level, when you transform with your Wild Shape, you can choose up to two corpses or piles of bones and raise as undead creatures. A corpse becomes a zombie; a pile of bone becomes a skeleton. The undead creatures are permanently under your control, following your verbal orders to the best of its ability. The undead creatures raised this way lasts for 1 hour or until your transformation ends, afer which it is destroyed. The undead creature raised with this feature crumbles to dust when it drops to 0 hit points or is otherwise destroyed. #### Walking Wasteland At 14th level, you always walk among the wasteland, which follows wherever you go. While you are concentrating on a spell or transformed with your Wild Shape, the area within 10 feet of you becomes barren and counts as difficult terrain for creatures hostile to you. When a humanoid creature within the area dies, you can raise its corpse as a zombie at the start of your next turn, which is permanently under your control, following your verbal orders to the best of its ability. The zombie lasts for 1 hour, after which it is destroyed. You can control up to four zombies with this feature; if you raise a fifth zombie when you already control four, one zombie chosen by the DM is destroyed. The zombie raised with this feature crumbles to dust when it drops to 0 hit points or is otherwise destroyed. \pagebreakNum > ##### Roleplaying Assorted Druid Circles > Here are some tips you can refer to when roleplaying a druid that belong to one of the circles described in this document. > > ***Circle of the Eclipse.*** The most distinguishing feature of the Eclipse druids is their preference to solitude. This is not because they are natural-born loners, but because they fear themselves as much as they fear others — compared to the Moon druids, the Eclipse druids often have less confidence and control over their transformation. As such, an Eclipse druid may seek to form a strong bond with others but has less courage to actively do so. You can also roleplay as if you are a highly functional lycanthrope. > > ***Circle of Reefs.*** One easy way to stylize yourself as a Reefs druid is to dress your character in entirely nautical fashion: Decorated in coral, seashells, and pearl, wielding a trident, and a perpetual stride as if walking on a rocking ship. Because of their affinity to the oceanic life, it would not be so out of place if a Reefs druid finds problem in earthen lifestyle, such as firm ground beneath them, the absence of buoyancy, or even the very existence of trees. > > ***Circle of Sands.*** You might want to make some research on real-life desert nomads, such as the Bedouins, and their lifestyle to emulate your Sands druids. A stereotypical Sands druid may be carefree like the winds, but there are always exceptions: Nothing prevents you from being a Sands druids who, after years of taking high authority of a tribe and calming sandstorms, has gone stubborn and dull, like the rocks that stands still even in the sandstorm. > > ***Circle of Starlights.*** A typical mindset and behaviour of a Starlight druid would resemble more like a cleric or a paladin than a traditional druid. This is mostly because of their hatred against the living dead, but this stems from a traditional druidic worldview that the natural order of life and death must be secured. Maybe your Starlight druid has a personal grudge against the undeads from personal experience or ideology, which acts as a stronger cause of their path as a Starlight druid. > > ***Circle of Wastelands.*** The Wastelands druids are probably one of the most unconventional practice of druidic tradition. Delving into necromancy is often considered as taboo in many cultures, especially in druidic cultures. Despite the obvious misunderstandings toward them, a Wastelands druid may strictly follow the code of druids in their heart, and the odd practice is but one of the means that would be justified by the end. \columnbreak ## Credits All contents are created by [Weirdo Whoever](https://weirdowhoever.blogspot.com) unless noted otherwise. Special thanks to [D&D Wiki](https://www.dandwiki.com), [NaturalCrit Homebrewery tool](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com), and [GM Binder](https://www.gmbinder.com) for providing the templates for my imaginations. I did the [Circle of the Eclipse](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LDKTCFP95KEcWPI2a63) a while ago; the revised version is documented here. As is the original document, the Circle of the Eclipse is inspired by Circle of the Moon from *Player's Handbook* and many combat-oriented druid subclasses, especially the [Green One](http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/HyE5lKp3z) subclass by [u/knowledgeoverswag](https://www.reddit.com/user/knowledgeoverswag). The initial brainstorming of the Circle of Starlights started with the Balance druid in the videogame *World of Warcraft*, although I have never played that game myself. The final version greatly differs from where I started, however. The bit about the perpetual rocking-ship stride of the Circle of the Reefs druid is, of course, a reference to one Captain Jack Sparrow in the *Pirates of the Carribean* franchise. Many thanks to [u/pygmybatrider](https://www.reddit.com/user/pygmybatrider) for critique and suggestions.