Art Credit : Wizards of the Coast
Primal Form
2nd-level Circle of the Moon feature, which replaces the Circle Form feature
The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous animal forms. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into a Primal Beast. When you do so, choose a Bestial Aspect : Great Strength, Horns/Tusks, Tail/Tentacles, Spider legs, Pact instinct or Shell. Use the Primal Beast stat block, you gain certain traits depending on the Bestial Aspect you chose. Those benefits last until you return to your normal form.
Starting at level 4th, you can choose to transform into a Primal Beast of the sea (a great shark, or a giant crocodile for instance).
Starting at level 8th, you can choose to transform into a Primal Beast of the sky (a giant eagle, or a pteranodon for instance).
Starting at level 14th, you can choose to become huge instead of large when you transform into a Primal Beast.
Primal Beast
Large Beast or Huge Beast (at 14th level)(your choice)
- Armor Class 11 + PB
- Hit Points 5 + five times your druid level (the Primal Beast has a number of hit dice [d10s] equal to your druid level)
- Speed 30ft. Swimming speed 30ft. (sea only) Flying speed 60 ft. (sky only)
- The Primal Beast has a Strength and Constitution both equal to your Wisdom, and a Dexterity of 10.
- Skills perception (wisdom modifier + PB)
- Senses dark vision 60ft.
- Amphibious can breath both air and water (sea only)
Actions
Primal Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: strength modifier + PB to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 slashing, piercing or bludgeoning (your choice) damage.
The Primal Attack's damage increases with your druid levels. It deals 2d8 instead of 1d8 when you reach 5th level, 3d8 at 11th level, and 4d8 at 17th level.
When you transforme into a Primal beast of the sea or a Primal Beast of the sky, the damage dice of your Primal Attack decrease by one rank and become d6.
Bestial Aspects
Horns / Tusks
Usually takes the shape of a boar, a rhinoceros, an elk, a triceratops or a mammoth
- Your speed increases by 20ft.
- Your maximum hit points increase by a number equal to your druid level.
- Charge. When you move at least 20 ft. straight toward a target and then hit it with a Primal Attack on the same turn, roll a number of d6 equal to half your druid level (rounded down). The target takes extra slashing damages equal to the result. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.
Great Strength
Usually takes the shape of a bear, a gorilla, a tyranosaurus or a crocodile
- Extra-attack : as an action, you can make your Primal Attack twice.
- The damage dice of your Primal Attack become a d10 (or d8 if you transform into a primal beast of the sea or a primal beast of the sky).
- You have advantage on strength checks.
- Your carry capacity is doubled.
Tail / Tentacles
Usually takes the shape of a giant snake or an octopus
- You gain a reach of 10ft.
- You gain proficiency in athletics.
- Constrict. When you hit a target with Primal Attack, the target is also grappled. Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and you can't attack another target.
Pack instinct
Usually takes the shape of a wolf, a lion, a raptor or a shark
- Your Dexterity becomes equal to your Wisdom.
- Your speed increases by 10ft.
- You gain proficiency in acrobatics and stealth.
- Your claws or teeth count as finesse weapons.
- Pack Tactics. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. Moreover, when you hit a creature with an attack, choose one of your ally within 30ft. If your ally attacks the target before your next turn, the first Attack roll is made with advantage and your ally can add your druid level to the damage of its attack.
Spider legs
Usually takes the shape of a giant spider, a scorpion or a wasp
- You gain a climbing speed of 30ft. It can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check and you ignore movement restrictions caused by webbing.
- You can disengage as a bonus action.
- Your claws, teeth or sting count as finesse weapons.
- Venom. When you inflict damages to a target with your Primal Attack, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC, or you roll a number of d8 equal to your proficiency bonus and the target takes necrotic damages equal to the result.
Shell
Usually takes the shape of a giant turtle or an ankylosaurus
- You gain +2 AC.
- Your maximum hit points increase by a number equal to your druid level.
- Bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage you take from non-magical weapons is reduced by 3.
Bestial Alteration
6th-level Circle of the Moon feature, which replaces the Primal Strike feature
Your Primal Attacks and Unarmed Strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Moreover, you have the Alter Self spell prepared. It counts as a druid spell for you, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can have prepared. When you cast this spell, you can choose one Bestial Aspect. For the duration of the spell, you gain the benefits of this aspect when you are in your normal form. Every time a Bestial Aspect refers to a Primal Attack, this effect also works with your Unarmed Strikes.
Ancestral Guardian
10th-level Circle of the Moon feature, which replaces the Elemental Wild Shape feature
You can expend two uses of Wild Shape at the same time to transform into an Ancestral Guardian. You become an elemental beast, like a lion made of raging fire, a gigantic rhino made of hard stone, or a giant falcon made of storming clouds. In addition to your Primal Beast stats and Bestial Aspect benefits, you gain the following benefits :
- You have resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks.
- You are immune to Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, and Unconscious conditions.
- Choose an Elemental Aspect from the list below (see next page). Your body is now made of the chosen element and you gain the respective benefits until you reverse to your normal shape.
Ultimate Predator
14th-level Circle of the Moon feature, which replaces the Thousand Forms feature
You can cast the Alter Self spell at will as a bonus action and you ignore the verbal and somatic components when you cast this spell. If you cast Alter Self when transformed by Wild Shape, you can change your Bestial Aspect to an other one of your choice.
Elemental Aspects
Magma
- Your speed is increased by 10 ft.
- You are immune to fire.
- Illumination. Your body sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light in an additional 30 ft.
- Fire storm. Each creature that starts its turn within 5ft. of you take 5(1d10) fire damage.
- Your Primal Attack now deals fire damage instead of bulgeoning, piercing or slashing damage.
Rock
- You have a burrow speed equal to your walking speed.
- Earth glide. You can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, you don't disturb the material you move through.
- You have Tremorsense 60ft.
- You gain a bonus of +1 to your AC.
- Siege Monster. You deal double damage to objects and structures.
- You can choose to increase your size by one category. If you do so, your reach also increases by 5ft.
Cloud
- You have a flying speed of 90ft.
- You are immune to Grapple, Prone and Restrained conditions.
- Air form. You can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. you can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
- Blowing. As a bonus action, you can blow away the creatures in front of you. All creatures in a 15ft. cone must succeed a strength saving throw again your spell save DC or be pushed 10ft.
Ice
- You have a swimming speed of 60ft.
- You are immune to cold damage.
- Freezing cold. Each creature that starts its turn within 5ft. of you has its speed reduced by 10ft. and can't use its reaction until the start of its next turn.
- Your Primal Attack now deals cold damage instead of bulgeoning, piercing or slashing damage.
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Intent of this optional features
Circle of the Moon Druids are really cool and have a great flavor, that's why it is without surprise one of the favorite subclasses of the D&D players. However, even if the subclass is really fun to play, it has some major flaws that can get frustrating at times.
First, it starts a bit too strong in early levels, eclipsing the rest of the party; but then quickly become weaker in mid to high levels. Moreover, at each level you only get one unique shape that is superior to any other, so you end up always transforming into the same beast over and over again.
The Optional Features suggested here are meant to widen the pool of the possible beasts you can wildshape into at each level, while providing stats that scale with your druid level for a smoother power progression.