Circle of the Hunt

The Circle of the Hunt is made of roving sentinels of the wilds who find beauty in the thrill of the hunt and honor those fallen in harmony with the wilds. These druids recognize that just as birth is a part of life, so too is predation and death, so long as it is metered with intention and necessity. The Druids of the Hunt are notable in that they very seldom meet in congregations of their own circle, but rather, walk along the paths of other circles and offer their services as druidic enforces and avengers of the wild. When they must meet with a conclave of the Hunters, they often do so in ancestrally significant places, where the spirits are most present, so they too may voice opinions. The circle's most accomplished hunter and the most steady headed tracker serve as a dual leadership for the circle, but often Druids of the Hunt operate wholly independently. The Druid's of the Hunt serve their communities often by taking out predators who have gotten too greedy or poachers and brigands who steal livestock. They also often serve as mediaries between civilization and the wild as a whole, encouraging each to stay within their own territories. As a member of this circle, your magic is influenced by the spirits and the desire to test your limits as a predator.

Predator

Your commitment to following the path of the hunter allows you increased ability and martial prowess. You hone your skills at taking down targets from a distance, acquiring proficiency with all ranged weapons. Your connection to the hunt also allows you to move swiftly and silently, granting you proficiency in stealth. Also, your connection to the way of the predator enhances your physical form to make it more suitable for the hunt. Your fingernails extend and strengthen forming powerful claws which do 1d4+ your dexterity modifier as slashing damage.

Spirit Tracker

You attract the favor of a spirit of the hunt, who binds themselves to you in service as your hunting companion. You gain the spell Find Familiar. However, when you cast the spell, the nature of the familiar changes.

You may not utilize the feature which allows you to see through your familiar's eyes, or hear is it hears. However, your familiar has increased telepathic capability and intelligence and can communicate not only with you but anyone with whom it is telepathically connected.

Additionally, your strong connection with your familiar allows you to sustain their form even when they take damage that would disperse their form. As a reaction, when your familiar is reduced to 0 hp, you may expend a spell slot to take hold of, and reform their essence in a safe space within 5 ft of you. When reformed in this way, your familiar may not change forms.

Aspect of the Hunt

Not all druids rely on transforming into animals to utilize their hunting techniques. As a Druid of the Hunt, you may invoke the Aspect of the Hunt, gaining a clarity and fervor that allows you to strike with wicked efficiency. As a bonus action, you may expend the energy normally reserved for adopting a wild shape, and instead invoke and embody the Aspect of the Hunt.

While in this form, you have Darkvision for 60ft and advantage on any Perception (WIS) or Survival (WIS) check made to track a target.

Additionally In combat, your familiar will, upon your command, take opportunistic attacks on your foes. When your familiar is within 5 ft of you, your first successful attack each turn will be empowered with spiritual power to deal an additional 1d6 slashing damage. This damage increases as you and your familiar grow in strength, increasing by 1d6 at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

Circle Spells

Your mystical connection to the hunt infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells connected to the power of the predator.

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	SPELLS
3rd	Acid Arrow, silence
5th	spike growth, plant growth
7th	freedom of movement, locate creature
9th	wall of stone, tree stride

 

Predatory Swiftness

Your training in the ways of the wild has left you lean and lithe, capable of astounding agility. Your natural walking speed increases by 10 ft.

Extra Attack

Your thirst for the thrill of the hunt allows you increased vigor. You can now attack twice any time you take the attack action.

Stalker's Resilience

Your connection with your Spirit Tracker has allowed you both to strengthen and grow. Your familiar now has much stronger defensive capabilities. Your familiar's AC calculation is now equal to 10+ your Wisdom Modifier + your Proficiency Modifier. Additionally, it may add your Wisdom Modifier to any and all saving throws made to resist damaging effects. Finally, the bond that tethers you to your Spirit Tracker invigorates your body, granting both you and your familiar +1 to Constitution Saving throws.

Wild Versatillity

You begin to hold greater sway with the greatest of the hunter spirits. When you invoke the Aspect of the Hunt, you may choose to invoke one of the following great spirits and gain additional benefits. You may not change which great spirit you invoke unless you reactivate the Aspect and consume another use.

The Alpha Wolf- The Alpha Wolf teaches you the power of pack cooperation. While invoking his image you don his mantle and when you cast a spell requiring concentration, you may instead pass the concentration on that spell to your familiar.

The Lithe Jaguar: The Lithe Jaguar teaches you how to go unseen in the dark. While invoking his image, you don his mantle and gain the ability to cast invisibility on yourself without consuming a spell slot. The spell otherwise functions as normal.

The Rampaging Bear: The Rampaging Bear teaches you how to brutally tear your prey asunder. Upon invoking his form, you don his mantle and gain temporary HP equal to your druid level. Then for the duration, your claw attacks are empowered with the fury of the grizzly, increasing their damage to a d8 and making them considered magical.

Alpha Wolf

For the duration, you may have your familiar concentrate on a spell for you.

Lithe Jaguar

During the duration, you gain the ability to cast invisibility on yourself without consuming a spell slot. The spell otherwise functions as normal.

Rampaging Bear

Upon activating this form, you gain temp HP equal to your druid level. For the duration, your claw attacks now deal 1d8 slashing damage and are considered Magical.