Primeval Guardians:
Primeval Guardians are a secret sect of unique druids and rangers who use their skills and abilities to protect nature by battling all that is unnatural. Dwelling in the Druidic Groves of elder forests, they have taken an oath to protect the beasts, the earth, the forests, the very essence of life itself. Not many know of their existence, and those that do have translated that knowledge into stories, and those stories eventually faded to legend.
The oldest Primeval Guardian faded into stories told in nomadic hunter tribes, with the importance on eagle feathers, the metaphorical power in an eagle itself, representing an inherent freedom, splendor, the ideals of honor and respect. It is said that an eagle will follow a chosen of Lemniscate and the Wildmother, to oversee the person's choices and bear witness to their failings, and their strengths. Not all Primeval Guardians are the Chosen of the respective deities, but all Guardians offer respect and undying loyalty to them. With the loss of some Tribal Elders, those legends are a heritage and legacy to honour and protect.
The oath itself is somewhat simple: to do all that you can to live and survive, and to survive and defend life.
The druids who choose the Primeval Circle find themselves developing ranger-esque abilities, being able to focus on an abberation, fiend, monstrosity and undead, dealing extra damage while learning to evade their attacks. They learn to use their wildshape to become something more, to attain a Guardian Form, allowing them to gain more earthly abilities, or more beastly prowess.
Find more about the lore of the Primeval Guardians here
Find the Primeval Ranger class here
Find magic items for Druids of the Primeval Circle and Primeval Rangers here
Primeval Circle
Primeval Foe:
At 2nd level, choose one of the following: Fiends, Undead, Monstrosoties or Abberations.
You gain the ability to add 1d4 extra damage against them, and you learn one language they speak, or one associated with the creature type.
Guardian Soul:
When you take this Circle at 2nd level, you gain the ability to expend a use of your wildshape to take a Guardian Form.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can choose from one of the forms below, which lasts until you end it as a bonus action or you are incapacitated.
Tree Guardian: You take on the appearance of a tree person, your skin covered in leaves and bark
• Your size becomes Large, unless you were Larger.
• You gain a number of temporary hit points at the beginning of your turn equal to half your Druid level. You lose these when you revert to your original form.
• A 5-foot radius sphere centered on you is difficult terrain for your enemies. This sphere moves with you.
• You can cast the Thorn Whip cantrip as a bonus action, and it does an extra 1d6 piercing damage on a hit.
Bestial Guardian: You manifest a natural weapon. It counts as a simple melee weapon for you, and you add your Wisdom modifier to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. You can use a bonus action to manifest a different weapon.
• Bite: Your mouth transforms into a bestial muzzle or great mandibles (your choice). It deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you damage a creature with this bite, you regain a number of hit points equal to your proficiency bonus, provided you have less than half your hit points when you hit.
• Claws: Each of your hands transforms into a claw, which you can use as a weapon if it’s empty. It deals 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you attack with a claw using the Attack action, you can make one additional claw attack as a bonus action on your turn.
• Tail: You grow a lashing, spiny tail, which deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit and has the reach property. If a creature you can see within 10 feet of you hits you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to swipe your tail and roll a d8, applying a bonus to your AC equal to the number rolled, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
•Additionally, you deal 1d6 extra damage once per turn against Fiends, Abberations, monstrosities and undead when you hit with a weapon attack.
Defensive/Offensive Tactics:
Tree Guardian
Bark Barrier
Starting at 6th level, whenever you assume your Tree Form:
• You are considered under the effects of the Barkskin spell.
• Your hit point maximum and current hit points increase by 10. You lose these effects when you revert to your original form.
• Your sphere of difficult terrain is increased to a 10ft radius sphere centered on you, and moves with you.
• Additionally, you can cast the Entangle spell at will without using a spell slot to ensnare creatures within 20ft of you.
Bestial Guardian
Primal Strike
Starting at 6th level, whenever you assume your Bestial form:
• You are considered under the effects of the Longstrider spell
• Your attacks in beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. You can also make 2 attacks when taking the Attack Action.
• Once per long rest, you can choose to gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, or a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.
• As bonus action, you may jump twice your jumping distance.
Hightened Defence/Offence
Tree Guardian
Rooted Defence:
Starting at 10th level, you can expend 2 uses of your wildshape to further strengthen your form.
• Your speed is reduced by 10ft, and you gain the ability to twist and turn the ground beneath you. While you are in your Tree Form, the ground within a 30ft sphere centered on you is under the effects of the Spike Growth spell. This has no effect on targets you choose to not be affected.
• Additionally, you can transfer the temporary hit points you regain at the start of your turn to another creature within 30ft of you as a bonus action.
Bestial Guardian:
Rabid Attack
Starting at 10th level, you can expend 2 uses of your wildshape to further strengthen your Form
• Your speed is increased by 5ft while in your Form
• As a bonus action, you can Mark an Abberation, Fiend, Monstrosity or Undead within 60ft of you. You gain advantage on saving throws against that creature.
• Once per turn, when you hit with a weapon attack, you can force the creature make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they take 2d12 poison damage, and they are under the Poisoned Condition until the start of your next turn.
Superior Defence
At 14th level, your Guardian soul is so closely connected to earth, you retain remnants of your forms.
Your skin toughens, and you are considered always under the effects of the Barkskin and Longstrider spells, even in your original form. You are under the effects of the Barksin spell without the bark covering you.
Additionally, your two Forms gains the following:
Tree Guardian:
Ancient Fortitude
• Healing energies radiate from your Rooted Defence. Whenever an ally starts their turn within your 30ft sphere, they gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. This has no effect on creatures with half or more hit points, or on constructs and undead.
• If an Abberation, Monstrosity, Fiend or Undead starts their turn within 30ft of you, they take radiant damage equal to your proficiency bonus.
Bestial Guardian:
Hunger of the Hunt
• A feirce ferocity emanates from your Rabid Attack feature. An ally that starts their turn within 30ft of you gains 1d6 to their next attack roll, as you bolster their spirit. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.
• Your poison damage increases to 3d12 damage if the target fails their saving throw