Circle of the Land, Renewed
The original Circle of the Land subclass found in the Player's Handbook was intended to be a caster focused option for druids. Circle of the Moon was a more viable and interesting choice within and outside of combat, and this problems have only been exacerbated with the release of other interesting druid sublasses in Xanathar's and Tasha's.
The goal main goal of this revision is to create a viable full caster subclass for druids, especially when compared with Circle of the Moon within combat. The secondary goal is to make a plant based subclass, which is oddly absent from all official 5e content.
Circle Spells
2nd-level Circle of the Land feature
Your mystical affinity to the land infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. This link with the essence of nature grants you access to some spells when you reach certain levels in this class, connected to the land that you have a spiritual connection to. Choose a land – arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, swamp, or Underdark – and consult the associated list of spells.
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.
You gain access to one additional land affinity as you reach certain levels in this class: 8th, 14th and 20th. You gain all circle spells your level allows when you gain this new affinity.
Arctic
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Ray of Frost |
| 3rd | Hold Person |
| 5th | Slow |
| 7th | Ice Storm |
| 9th | Cone of Cold |
Coast
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Shape Water |
| 3rd | Augury |
| 5th | Water Walking |
| 7th | Control Water |
| 9th | Scrying |
Desert
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Minor Illusion |
| 3rd | Blur |
| 5th | Major Image |
| 7th | Hallucinatory Terrain |
| 9th | Mislead |
Forest
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Druidcraft |
| 3rd | Barkskin |
| 5th | Lightning Bolt |
| 7th | Divination |
| 9th | Tree Stride |
Grasslands
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Gust |
| 3rd | Invisibility |
| 5th | Haste |
| 7th | Freedom of Movement |
| 9th | Steel Wind Strike |
Mountain
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Mold Earth |
| 3rd | Maximilian's Earthen Grasp |
| 5th | Meld into Stone |
| 7th | Stone Shape |
| 9th | Wall of Stone |
Swamp
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Infestation |
| 3rd | Melf's Acid Arrow |
| 5th | Stinking cloud |
| 7th | Vitriolic Sphere |
| 9th | Cloudkill |
Underdark
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Chill Touch |
| 3rd | Darkness |
| 5th | Gaseous Form |
| 7th | Blight |
| 9th | Contagion |
Rootbound Consecration
2nd-level Circle of the Land feature
You gain the ability to channel the energy of the lands through your Wildshape feature. As a bonus action when you are on solid ground, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to transform into a plant form, rather than a beast, and you gain 3 temporary hit points for each level you have in this class. While this feature is active, you gain the following effects:
- Your creature type is plant.
- Your movement speed is reduced to 0, and cannot be increased while this feature is active.
- You gain advantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain your concentration.
These effect last for 10 minutes, until you lose all these temporary hit points, or until you use your Wildshape again.
Aspect of the Lands
2nd-level Circle of the Land feature
Your chosen lands influence the appearance of your Aspect of Nature form and grants you an additional effect. You choose one land affinity when activating this feature, and can change between these aspects using a bonus action on your turn, activating its effect:
Arctic. You take on the appearance of a compact collection of frost covered flowers, growing amidst scaly lichen. When you assume your aspect of nature, and as a bonus action on subsequent turns while it lasts, you can cause icy pollen to coat a creature within range, granting them a number of temporary hit points equal to half your druid level, rounded up. A number of creatures can benefit from these temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus, and they last until you exit this form.
Additionally, you can use your reaction when a creature benefiting from the temporary hit points granted by this feature is the target of an attack, granting them a bonus to their AC equal to your Wisdom modifier until the end of their next turn.
At 10th level, the number of hit points you can grant
increases to your druid level.
Coast.
You take on the appearance of a mystical grouping of
kelp and algae, sway gracefully as if underwater. When you
assume your aspect of nature, and as a bonus action on
subsequent turns while it lasts, you can make a ranged spell
attack to cause a wave of water to rush across the ground
towards a creature within 30 feet. On hit, you deal 1d6
bludgeoning damage and can choose to either push the
creature 10 feet away from you in a line, or pull the creature
10 feet towards you in a line.
If you are fully submerged in water you can activate this aspect of nature without being on solid ground, the range of this ability increases to 60 feet, and you can target any creature within that range.
At 10th level, the bludgeoning damage increases to 2d6. Desert. You take on the appearance of a bulbous cactus, with thick needles poised to defend from oncoming attacks. When you assume your aspect of nature, and as a bonus action on subsequent turns while it lasts, you can cause your needles to shoot out, forcing all creatures within a 10 foot area around you to succeed on a Dexterity saving throw vs your spell save DC or take 2d6 piercing damage. You can also make this needle attack as a reaction when you take damage from a creature within 10 feet of you.
At 10th level, the piercing damage increases to 4d6.
Forest.
You take on the appearance of a tall and sturdy tree,
flush with leaves and strong roots extending out beneath
the earth. When you assume your aspect of nature, and as a
bonus action on subsequent turns while it lasts, you may
make a melee spell attack targeted at a creature on the
ground within 20 feet of you. On a hit, the creature is
grappled (escape DC equal to your spell save DC). You can
grapple a number of creatures this way equal to your
proficiency bonus.
Additionally, your size increases by one category, and your height triples, attaining the maximum possible size in the available space.
At 10th level, you can use your reaction on your turn to
deal 2d6 bludgeoning damage to each creature you have
grappled.
Grassland.
You take on the appearance of dense and reedy
grass, with colourful flowers growing amidst the stems.
When you assume your aspect of nature, and as a bonus
action on subsequent turns while it lasts, you can disappear
beneath the ground and reappear on a solid surface
connected to the surface you originated on within 30 feet,
including walls or ceilings. You do not provoke opportunity
attacks when you move in this way.
Additionally, when you use this movement, you can use your reaction to cause all creatures within 5 feet of your starting position to succeed on a Dexterity saving throw vs your spell save DC or take 1d8 slashing damage.
At 10th level, the slashing damage increases to 2d8, and
you can travel to a surface within 60 feet.
Mountain.
You take on the appearance of a dense and
shrubby bush, with hearty succulents sprouting up at your
base. When you assume your aspect of nature, and as a
bonus action on subsequent turns while it lasts, you can
cause your leaves and bark to harden, granting you a +1 to
your AC and a bonus to the next saving throw you make
equal to your Wisdom modifier until the end of your next
turn.
Additionally, when you are hit by a melee attack when benefiting from this bonus AC, you can use your reaction to lash out at the attacker dealing 1d6 bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage (your choice).
At 10th level, the bonus AC increases to +2 and the reaction damage increases to 2d6.
Swamp You take on the appearance of a grand carnivorous plant, whether that be a trumpeting pitcher plant or menacing venus flytrap. When you assume your aspect of nature, and as a bonus action on subsequent turns while it lasts, you can secrete a sickly sweet scent forcing a creature within 30 feet to succeed on a Constitution saving throw vs your spell save DC, or be charmed for one minute. A creature charmed in this way can only use their turn to move towards you by the safest route, including using your dash action. A charmed creature may repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn, and this effect ends if they take damage.
Additionally, you can use your bonus action to make a melee spell attack at a creature within 10 feet of you, dealing 2d4 acid damage.
At 10th level, the acid damage increases to 4d4.
Underdark
You take on the appearance of a large fungal
bloom, with smaller mushrooms springing up around you.
When you assume your aspect of nature, and as a bonus
action on subsequent turns while it lasts, you can target a
number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus within
30 feet of you and force them to succeed on a Constitution
saving throw vs your spell save DC or be poisoned until the
end of their next turn.
At 10th level, once per turn you can cause one creature that would become poisoned by this effect to become stunned instead.
The plants used in the Aspect of the Lands descriptions are examples for plants in those terrains. If you have a specific flower or plant that is important to your druid, talk to your DM about using that instead of those listed.
Natural Recovery
6th-level Circle of the Land feature
By sitting in meditation and communing with nature, you can regain some of your magical energy. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your druid level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
For example, when you are a 6th-level druid, you can recover up to 3 levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 3rd-level slot, one 2nd-level slot and one 1st-level slot or three 1st-level slots.
Land’s Influence
10th-level Circle of the Land feature
The essence of nature grants you benefits while you are not using your aspect of the land. These benefits are based on the land affinities you chose for your Circle Spell feature.
Arctic
You gain resistance to cold damage.
Coast
You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking
speed, and can breath both water and air.
Desert
You gain resistance to fire damage.
Forest
You gain proficiency in 1 of the following skills:
Athletics, Nature, Perception, or Survival. If you already
have proficiency in the chosen skill, you instead gain
Expertise in it.
Grassland
Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
Mountain
You gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws.
Swamp
You gain resistance to acid damage.
Underdark
You gain Darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already
have Darkvision, it instead increases by 30 feet.
Whenever you gain a new land affinity, you also gain the corresponding benefit from land's influence.
Nature’s Ward
14th-level Circle of the Land feature
At 14th level, creatures of the natural world sense your connection to the land and become hesitant to attack you. You cannot be charmed or frightened by beasts, dragons, elementals, fey, or plants.
In addition, whenever such a creature attacks you, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your druid spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. The creature is aware of this effect before it makes its attack against you
Art Credit
Flesh-Eating Plant Man of War Saporoling Token Shreya Shetty Scavenger character design Alexandru Negoiță