Circle of Dryads by

# Circle of Dryads

Druids of the Circle of Dryads are dedicated to the flora of the natural world. These Druids have a deep love and appreciation for plants of all kinds, and do what they can to to tend and enhance them.

### CIRCLE SPELLS

Your special attunement to plants grants you special access to certain magic. At 2nd level, you learn the Thorn Whip cantrip. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the circle spells outlined in the table below.

Once you gain access to a circle spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn't appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you.

| Druid Level  | Circle Spells |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  3rd  | Spike Growth, Barkskin |
|  5th  | Plant Growth, Speak With Plants |
|  7th  | Grasping Vine, Guardian of Nature |
|  9th  | Tree Stride, Awaken |

### VERDANT STEED

Starting at 2nd level, your attunement to the surrounding flora allows you to call on it for aid. As an action on your turn, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape to magically summon a Verdant Steed. It appears in an unoccupied space within 15 feet of you, and you may use your bonus action to mount it if it is close enough to do so. The Steed can have the appearance and statistics of any creature that you can Wild Shape into, provided that it can be ridden, with the following changes: it is a plant instead of a beast, it has an Intelligence of 6, and it understands Druidic but can't speak.

Your steed is friendly to you and your allies. In combat, it shares your initiative count, but takes its turn directly after yours. While within 1 mile of the steed, you can communicate with it telepathically. While you are riding the steed it acts independently, but will do its best to heed your instructions. If you are not riding your steed, you can use your bonus action to command it to use one of the actions in its stat block. If you don’t, it will act independently to defend you and itself.

Your steed disappears after a number of hours equal to half your Druid level (rounded down, minimum of 1), if it is reduced to 0hp, or if you fall unconscious. You can also dismiss your steed as an action.

### MIGHT OF THE FOREST

At 6th level, your Verdant Steed becomes more powerful. You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of Strength or Dexterity for its attack and damage rolls, and its attacks are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance and immunity. Your steed also has advantage on Dexterity saving throws so long as you are mounted on it.

### WARDING BRANCHES

Starting at 10th level, your continued devotion to plant life has caused your body to take on arboreal qualities. As long as you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is equal to 10 + you Dex. modifier + your Wis. modifier.

In addition, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks in forested areas, and can take the Hide action even if only lightly obscured by foliage.

### BLESSINGS OF OLD GROWTH

At 14th level, you have earned the respect of the most ancient of plant spirits, granting you and your Verdant Steed a greater bond. When you summon your Verdant Steed, you can have it assume the form of any beast with a challenge rating as high as 4. While mounted on your steed, you cannot be dismounted against your will.

In addition, while you are not riding your steed, you may cast spells as though you were in your steed’s place so long as your steed is within 30ft of you and you can see it.

> "Knight of Autumn" by Richard Pancoast