Base Class: Druid
Most druids seek to preserve the natural world and revere the elemental forces of nature above all else, but a particular subset of druids, a secretive and isolated order known as the Circle of Horrors, believes that greater knowledge (and greater power) lies beyond the limits of nature. Unnatural creatures such as monstrous hybrids and alien aberrations do not cause these druids to recoil in fear, but instead serve as inspiration to further their study of druidic magic.
Druids of this circle are sometimes called antidruids due to their perceived opposition to what other circles stand for, but in reality they practice many of the same spells and traditions that other druids do, but simply go beyond the line that others dare not cross.
Aberrant Form
You gain the ability and knowledge required to harness the monstrous energies of your study into your very being. You can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to gain a trait of your choice, listed below in the Aberrant Aspect list. While in an Aberrant Form, you retain your game statistics, but gain the following benefits while transformed:
- You gain temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your druid level
- You are immune to the frightened condition, and cannot be charmed.
- You gain a trait of your choice from the Aberrant Aspect table.
Druids of the Circle of Horrors often have some control of how their Aberrant Form appears, and many are known for the particularly horrifying visages they adopt. Sometimes, they exhibit a consistent theme, like the tentacled mouth of a Mind Flayer or the spindly taloned legs of a Cockatrice.
Fearsome Stalks. Tendril-like growths emerge from your body, tipped with varying shapes and sizes of eyes. As a bonus action, you can cause a creature you can see to make a WIS saving throw against your Spell Save DC. On a fail, they are frightened for 1 minute. They can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.
Tentacled Reach. Your arms lengthen into giant tentacle growths that end in tentacle-like claws. Your grapple range is now 10ft and you use your WIS modifier to make the check. If the creature is 10ft away from you, the area directly between you and the creature is difficult terrain. As an action on your following turns, you can make a melee attack at advantage against the creature you are grappling with. On a hit, you deal 1d8 psychic damage. You roll an additional d8 for each turn that has passed.
Rancid Ooze. Your body becomes slightly malleable and gooey, causing you to become nimble and harder to pin down. You have advantage on DEX saving throws and ability checks. Melee attacks also have disadvantage against you. You can also occupy a space as narrow as 4 inches without squeezing.
Toxic Blood. Your veins become more noticeable and turn a sickening shade of green. Your blood appears green. Whenever you take damage from a melee attack dealing piercing or slashing damage, the blood sprays on them, causing them to take 1d10 poison damage. They must also make a CON saving throw, becoming poisoned for 1 hour on a fail.
Twisting Skin Shell. Spiraling growths of mutated flesh cover your skin, protecting you. Your AC is increased by 1 and you are resistant to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Brain Extractor. Your fingers become spindly claws. When you make a melee attack that reduces a creature to 0, you can use your bonus action to feed on their brain, regaining 2d6 hit points + the damage dealt by your attack.
Innumerable Maws. Your body becomes covered by seemingly uncountable mouths, all quietly whispering incoherent, babbling nonsense. Any creature that enters into or starts its turn within 5ft of you must make a WIS saving throw. On a fail, the creature uses its hands (if it has any) to cover its ears, and becomes unable to take any action that requires its hands. It also has disadvantage on Perception checks relying on hearing while affected.
Adhesive Cilia. Your skin becomes covered in extremely small cilia that secrete an adhesive substance. You gain a climbing speed of 20ft and can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down or on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. You also have advantage on grapple checks.
Warped Mind
Due to your training and the effect your magic has taken on your mind, you have developed a mental barrier, shielding your mind from attacks. You have resistance to psychic damage and have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Circle Spells
Your affinity for the unnatural infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to additional circle 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.
Circle of Horrors Spells
| Druid Level | Spells |
|---|---|
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Unnatural Scholar
Starting at 6th level, when an aberration or monstrosity forces you to make a saving throw or you attempt to make an ability check against them, add 1d4 to your roll.
Additionally, you are immune to psychic damage from aberrations and monstrosities.
Chimeric Form
Whenever you use your Aberrant Form feature, you can instead choose two options from the Aberrant Aspect list. This feature only expends one usage of your Wild Shape, and it also can be used while wild shaped into a beast. When that happens, you retain the statistics of the beast but gain the traits chosen.
Abhorrent Possession
When you reach 14th level, creatures affected by your Unnatural Scholar feature are susceptible to your psychic might. If they force you to make a WIS, INT, or CHA saving throw and you succeed by 5 or more, their mind is taken over by you until the end of their next turn. When it is their turn, you have full control of what they do.
You can only use this feature once per long rest.
Additionally, you gain immunity to psychic damage and cannot be frightened.
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