Circle of the City

Gameplay-wise, the subclass has been designed to take advantage of the druid’s unorthodox tanking abilities, giving it a completely different use of the signature wild shape ability as well as the capacity to don metallic armor.

Primal Fortress

When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you are able to benefit from mankind’s innovations without losing your connection to nature. You gain proficiency with heavy armor, and are able to don armor and use shields made of metal.

Terrain Tactician

At 2nd level, you are able to call on the power of nature and harness its effects. The effects you gain depend on whether you are standing on “natural” or “constructed” terrain. Natural terrain is any ground that has not been significantly shaped by civilization, such as soil, grass, or snow. Constructed terrain is the opposite: ground that has been fabricated or shaped by mankind’s hands, such as cut stone, metal sheets, or wooden boards. Standing on a rock in the forest would be considered Natural Terrain, whereas standing on stone bricks on a castle’s ramparts would be considered Constructed Terrain. Whether a terrain is considered natural or constructed does not depend on if the materials used are “natural” or not, but rather the amount of people’s involvement in giving it its current shape. If it is ambiguous, which ground you are standing on is at the GM’s discretion.

• While standing on Natural Terrain, you harness the healing energy of nature and become attuned to its consciousness:
• You gain 1d4 temporary healing at the beginning of each turn.
• You gain proficiency with the Perception skill.
• While standing on Constructed Terrain, you strengthen your body against harmful effects and are able to harness the wisdom of mankind:
• You add 1d6 to all dexterity saves you make.
• You gain proficiency with the Insight skill.

Wild Shaper

Also at 3rd level, you can strengthen your pull on the natural energies you gain from your environment. As an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to embolden the effects you gain from the terrain you’re standing on, rather than transforming into a beast form. While this feature is active, you gain the following benefits:

• While standing on Natural Terrain, you add your wisdom modifier to the temporary hit points you gain at the beginning of each turn.
• While standing on Constructed Terrain, choose one damage type between acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. You are now resistant to that damage type until the start of your next turn, upon which you may choose the same damage resistance or a different one.

These benefits last for 10 minutes or until you use your Wild Shape again. 

Land's Spoils

At 6th level, your influence over the terrain you walk on extends past yourself, allowing you to share the gifts of the land with your allies and encumber those who go against your vision. Any space within 10 feet of you becomes difficult terrain for any creature of your choice. Additionally, while your Wild Shaper feature is active, you can use a bonus action to choose a creature within 10 feet of you. While that creature is within 10 feet of you, they enjoy the same bonuses you derive from the Terrain Tactician feature.

Teeming Terrain

At 10th level, your influence over the environment surrounding you grows, harvesting stronger fruits from its effects. The temporary hit points and bonuses to saving throws given by the Terrain Tactician feature increase, rolling a d6 instead of a d4 for the temporary hit points gained when standing on Natural Terrain, and rolling a d8 instead of a d6 to add to Dexterity saving throws when standing on Constructed Terrain. Additionally, you can choose two creatures within 10 feet of you to enjoy the same bonuses from your Terrain Tactician feature while your Wild Shaper feature is active.

Terraformer

At 14th level, you are no longer constrained by the terrain you stand on, now able to change its nature to your will. When you expend a use of Wild Shape to gain the benefits of your Wild Shaper feature, you choose whether the terrain within 10 feet of you is considered Natural or Constructed, and transform it to match. For example, wooden floorboards grow vines and roots, or dirt covered in sand and rock turns to a cobblestone road. You can change the terrain around you again at the beginning of each subsequent turn as a free action for as long as your Wild Shaper feature is active.