Circle of Growth

Druids of the Circle of Growth follow a truly ancient path, one that came before languages and civilization. It is the path of root and stem, under the guidance of the plants who predate us all. Druids of this Circle have been known to meditate among the plants for months or even years, secluded deep in ancient groves, or tucked deep in the trunk of a great tree. Some have even been known to bury themselves in the ground. Doing so allows them to slow their minds and bodies down to the speed of plants, communing and conversing with them in a way that other creatures simply can't do. Once they emerge, they carry with them the ability to become like the plants again if they so choose.

These Druids typically worship a deity of nature or plants, although they have also been known to worship the force of nature or life itself. They prefer the wilds to cities, but love to see a well cared for garden or field. They make fast friends with Dryads & Treants.

Circle Spells

Your link with plant life grants you access to some spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown below. Once you gain access to one of these spells, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Some of these spells have additional effects when you cast them, as listed below.

Druid Level        Spells
      2nd               Thorn Whip*, Entangle
      3rd                Summon Beast*
      5th                Plant Growth, Conjure Animals*
      7th                Summon Elemental*
      9th                Tree Stride

Thorn Whip: You may cast this spell while transformed into a plant with Wild Shape, using your spell attack modifier.
Summon Beast: The beast is made from writhing vines, roots, and other plant life. The beast is summoned with temporary hit points equal to twice your druid level, and a vulnerability to fire damage.
Conjure Animals: Plants of equal number and CR are summoned rather than beasts.
Summon Elemental: You may only choose the earth elemental. The elemental is made up of writhing writhing vines, roots, and other plant life that hold the earth and stone together. It is summoned with temporary hit points equal to twice your druid level, and a vulnerability to fire damage.

Branching Forms

When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain the ability to use Wild Shape on your turn as a bonus action, rather than as an action.

The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous plant forms. Starting at 2nd level, You can use Wild Shape to transform into a Vine Blight or a Thorny Vegepygmy. You gain additional plant transformation options as you level up.

Level 6: Awakened Tree
Level 9: Needle Lord, Brackish Trudge
Level 12: Kelpie, Treant Sapling
Level 15: Shambling Mound, Wood Woad
Level 18: Tree Blight

If a plant you transform into with this feature has a speed of less than 30 feet, it becomes 30 feet.

One with Nature

At 6th level, you are always under the effects of the Speak With Plants spell. Altering the terrain as described by the spell still requires an action, and can only be done twice per long rest with this feature.

Additionally, while you are transformed into a plant by Wild Shape, you can use an action to expend one spell slot and regain 2d6 hit points per level of the spell slot expended.

Force of Nature

At 10th level, while you are transformed into a plant with your Wild Shape, you may cast the Entangle spell without spending a spell slot and using your spell save DC. You may do so twice per use of Wild Shape.

Additionally, while you are transformed into a plant by Wild Shape, your attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Abundant Magic

By 14th level, you have learned to passively gather the magic of nature all around yourself at all times, drawing upon it in a moment of need. If you start combat without any uses of Wild Shape, you may take a 0 for your initiative, and immediately transform into a plant Wild Shape of your choice.