D&D 5E So what are the other druid subclasses?

Minigiant · Sep 24, 2016

So let's discuss a D&D class . I don't know. To celebrate the revival of the place.

Okay Mister Priest. Here's the corpse. Do your thang.

The Druid? Really?
That class rarely gets attention? Reincarnation is a cray spell.
Oh well.

It's not my favorite class but it has a long history in the game. Officially there are 2 subclasses (called circles) for this nature priest in D&D 5th edition.

The Circle of the Land: Focusing on spellcasting, gaining spells based on the type of climate the druid is associated with, and defeating the natural obstacles.

The Circle of the Moon: Focusing on the the Wild Shape class feature and enhancing its combat power and versatility.

So what other subclasses of the druid class? Which one are historic type of the druid? What about subclass of other D&D classes that the druid can cannibalize? What subclasses can the class absorb for other media?

As the TeeeCee, I will get us started with one of each.

Historic- The Circle of the Beast: A subclass to give the druid an animal buddy as a class feature. The Ranger has one. The druid could get one with the caster and pet image and not the warrior and pet format. Focusing on buffing the beast with magic.

Another Class- The Circle of the Shaman: A subclass based on the Golden Khan shaman, the Spirit shaman, and the 4e Shaman. The druid could gain the company of a spirit guide or companion and focus of spiritually magic.

Other Media- The Circle of the Sun: A subclass which represents the druids found in many video game rpgs. Focusing heavily on damage, rooting, and healing magics and not one versatility or melee combat. Displaying the vitality and wrath of the Sun.

So what are your thoughts on the druid's other ways of being? Am I off the mark on my ideas?

Jester David · Sep 24, 2016

I did a storm druid for my Giantslayer Companiion on the DMs Guild. Controlling weather seems very druidic.

A circle of blight would work as an evil option.

A circle of spirits could emulate the spirit shaman of 3e/4e.

A circle of the oak could focus on plant manipulation, becoming a plant via wild shape. The Swamp Thing subclass.

steeldragons · Sep 24, 2016

Circle of the Spirit, agreed on both name and concept. The Shaman class. Interestingly, I wrote up a shaman based on the Warlock (Patron: Spirit World) as well as one for the Druid. I think I liked the flavor of the warlock-base better, but the Shaman is, in almost all cases, obviously a druid archetype/subclass.

Circle of the Beast is a cool idea/name, but I wouldn't make it so much ABOUT the animal companion. They could certainly HAVE/gain one as a feature. But I think it should be more about the animal kingdom than specifically animal companion: talking to, summoning, bolstering and protecting with magic (of course), and/or commanding.

And thinking along the lines of what Jester Canuck brought up above, and running parallel to the Beast Circle, I'd do a Circle of the Green for the same style of druid but with plants/fungi/vegetation.

That would round out Druid options for me nicely, I think. Terrain-specific master/caster, Beast-master, Plant-master, Spirit-master/animist, and <rolls eyes> "Wildshaper."

A Circle of the Night [or some such] for the evil/mad/exiled Blight-Decay-Unbalanced Druid option...I'd put it in as an NPC option, myself. But some folks like that sorta thing for PCs.

rgoodbb · Sep 24, 2016

I would also love to see a Circle of the Oak style druid.

Wild-shape skewering with sharp branches ala Terminator and not being able to be moved with good roots etc.

I was disappointed when the PHB didn't have something like that.

The nearest we have is Ancients Paladin i think, but it doesn't quite hit it for me.

I think there is definitely room for one without stepping on toes, and it would be good for the Druid to get a little more love.

steeldragons · Sep 24, 2016

Maybe a "Circle of the Horizon" for a planar travelling, elemental-/planar-form shaping-taking, maybe a bit "Horizon-walker/ranger" flavored, Planar-themed druid?

Minigiant · Sep 24, 2016

steeldragons said:
Circle of the Beast is a cool idea/name, but I wouldn't make it so much ABOUT the animal companion. They could certainly HAVE/gain one as a feature. But I think it should be more about the animal kingdom than specifically animal companion: talking to, summoning, bolstering and protecting with magic (of course), and/or commanding.

And thinking along the lines of what Jester Canuck brought up above, and running parallel to the Beast Circle, I'd do a Circle of the Green for the same style of druid but with plants/fungi/vegetation.

I like the idea of a Animal druid and a Plant druid.

I agree that the beast druid shouldn't be focused on beasts but on casting spells on beasts and summoning them.

The plant druid should not simply get a plant shape as well.

Zardnaar · Sep 25, 2016

EN5ider has a decent Druid artile.

Elements
Life
and Beast type Druid.

Circle of Life 90's song lol.

Yaarel · Sep 25, 2016

One of my favorite characters adapted serendipitously. I started the character as a standard Druid. But our party ended up campaigning in the Underdark permanently, for all adventures. At first, the Druid was a bit of a fish out of water. But the DM encouraged personal ‘spell research’ to create new spells.

The Druid seachanged into a subterranean Druid focusing on the natural aspects of Earth and Metal, and Funguses.

Fun character.

Azzy · Sep 25, 2016

I've been wanting a shaman sub-class for the druid (but I'm too lazy to make my own), so I'd welcome a "circle of the spirit" druid.

steeldragons · Sep 25, 2016

Azzy said:
I've been wanting a shaman sub-class for the druid (but I'm too lazy to make my own), so I'd welcome a "circle of the spirit" druid.

Ask, and ye shall...well, ya know...
Circle of the Spirit: [a simple 5e Shaman]
The Circle of the Spirits druid is initiated into the mysteries of shamanic practices and animistic rites, communing and controlling the creatures of the spirit world. Be they nature spirits, demonic or angelic beings, revered ancestors or the recent dead, the shaman is the person a community looks to to interact with and make sense of the unseen worlds, often taken for granted by some cultures, dismissed as superstition by others.

2nd: Spirit Sense: You can detect (and see even if invisible or in the border ethereal plane, unless completely obscured by cover) the presence of celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead within 60’.

Spirit Guide: You gain a specific “spirit animal guide” that meets the criteria and has the abilities of a familiar, as per the Find Familiar spell, but takes on no physical form (normally). The Spirit Guide remains a “spirit creature” (celestial, fey or fiend in nature) and so can not interact/effect the physical world except that the shaman (and others that can see into the spirit realm) can see and mentally and/or vocally interact.
In addition to the normal abilities of a familiar, the Shaman can use a bonus action to entreat the spirit guide to one of the following commands. You may use the following features a total of 1 + Charisma modifier times before requiring a long rest. This feature increases to 2 + Cha. mod. times at 11th and 3 + Cha. mod. times at 16th level.

• Ghostly Manifestation: Your spirit animal takes on a glowing ethereal form, visible to normal sight, able to take the Help or Attack actions against one foe within 15’ of you. They attack in whatever normal mode of the creature, but deal 2d6 psychic damage with their attack.
• Unseen Guidance: Your connection to your spirit guide allows you advantage to a Wisdom or Charisma based skill or ability roll.
• Silent Guardian: You evoke your spirit guide (and/or other friendly spirits) to aid in your defense. Add 2 to your AC until the end of your next turn.

6th: Spirit Summoning: You can use a spell slot to summon spirit-form analogues of beings and creatures. The shaman can use this ability to simulate any “Conjure X” spell of 4th level or lower. This includes: Animals, Minor Elementals, or Woodland Beings.

10th: Commune with Spirits: You form a connection to an ancient spiritual entity who can share secret or unknown information, as per the Contact Other Plane spell. The shaman may use their Wisdom instead of Intelligence to make the DC15 roll to avoid the psychic damage of the spell. The shaman can not use this feature again without completing a long rest.

14th: Improved Summoning: You can now use a spell slot, as per the Spirit Summoning ability, to simulate any “Conjure X” spell of 6th level or lower. This adds Elementals up to CR 5 or Fey up to CR 6.