Circle of Souls

In the vast symphony of existence, the Circle of Souls druids step into the enigmatic threshold between life and death, embodying nature's essential equilibrium. Their path is one of profound responsibility, where the transition from life to the afterlife is guided with unwavering care. These druids embrace the understanding that life and death are two facets of the same eternal dance, each dependent upon the other for the world's symphony to resonate in harmony.

As stewards of the delicate balance, Circle of Souls druids honor the passage of life into the realm beyond. They recognize that while the physical form may wither, the spirit endures, and it is within their power to ensure the transition is as serene as nature's cadence. Through their innate connection to the realms unseen, they serve as guides for souls and spirits, helping them navigate the labyrinthine path that leads beyond mortal existence.

The Circle of Souls druids are both sages and custodians, understanding the intricacies of both birth and rebirth. They recognize that their role is an integral part of nature's cycle – the bridge between life's embrace and the eternity that follows. With an affinity for the ethereal and the corporeal alike, they strike a balance that echoes through the very essence of the world. As agents of both endings and beginnings, they not only preserve the sanctity of existence but also the continuity of nature's boundless tale.

Circle Spells

2nd-level Circle of Spores feature

Your function as a guide for lost sould grants you the ability to tap into the endless cycle of birth and rebirth, this grants you access to certain spells. At 2nd level, you learn the spare the dying cantrip.

At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Circle of Souls Spells table. 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. 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 Spores Spells

Druid Level	Spells
2nd	spare the dying, bane, inflict wounds
3rd	misty step, augury
5th	animate dead, vampiric touch
7th	blight, banishment
9th	Enervation, danse macabre

Soul's Herder

2nd-level Circle of Souls feature

At 2nd level, you unveil the Soul's Herder transformation, a unique aspect of your connection with life and death. As a bonus action, you can expend a use of your wild shape feature to assume the guise of a Death emissary, forgoing the conventional shift into a beast.

While in the Soul's Herder form, your fundamental attributes remain unaltered, yet your presence takes on an eerie semblance of a being that straddles both realms. Whether your eyes turn pitch black or shadows weave around you, this transformation lasts 10 minutes or until you dismiss it, become incapacitated, perish, or use the feature again.

This transformation grants distinct beneficts:

• Undead nature: Your creature type shifts to undead.
• Grave's Regards: While in your Soul's Herder form, you can make a special attack. A tendril of dark essence grows from your body into a creature. Select a creature within 30 feet. roll for a spell attack. If you hit, the creature takes 1d8 necrotic damaged as the tendril connects and steal some of it's life force. Once per turn, if you hit a creature with you heal a number of hit points equal to your wisdom modifier. The number of tendrils you can use with this feature increases a higher levels: two at 5th level, three at 11th level, and four at 17th level. You can direct them at the same target or at different ones. Make a separate attack roll for each tendril.
• Undead Fortitude: allows you to make a Constitution saving throw when damage would drop you to zero hit points; success leaves you at 1 hit point instead, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. The Soul's Herder transformation underscores your unique role as a sentinel of the life-death cycle, intertwining both realms to uphold the delicate balance.

Guide the Fallen

3rd-level Circle of Souls feature

At 3rd level, you manifest the power to embrace the role of a benevolent guide for departing souls. When a creature dies within 60 feet of you, you can use your reaction to guide its departing soul, channeling its essence to restore life force. You or a chosen creature within 60 feet regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. The compassionate act can be performed a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses after a long rest. This feature demonstrate your role as a bridge between life and the beyond.

Life Within Death

6th-level Circle of Souls feature

At 6th level, you master the art of channeling the abundant energy of your spells into life-affirming force. Each time you cast a spell from your expanded spell list bestowed by this subclass, you have the capacity to convert its arcane potency into temporal vitality. You or a chosen creature within 30 feet gain temporary hit points equivalent to your Wisdom modifier. This newfound mastery epitomizes your role as a conduit between life and death, utilizing magic to infuse existence with rejuvenating essence.

Echoes of the Beyond

10th-level Circle of Souls feature

At 10th level, your connection to souls empowers you to beckon an undead spirit through a spectral call. As an action, you manifest a ghostly entity within a visible, unoccupied space within range. This incorporeal form uses the Ghost stat block. While you concentrate as if it was a spell, this spectral ally materializes, remaining until it drops to 0 hit points, you loses concentration, or an hour passes. In combat, it shares your initiative count, following your commands verbally (No action required), or defaulting to the dodge action if none are given. This ethereal bond, an emblem of your Circle of Souls, underscores your unique connection to the interplay of life and death. You can use this feature once. You regain all uses after a long rest.

Siphon of Life

14th-level Circle of Souls feature

Tapping into the fundamental essence of death, you unearth a means to reinvigorate your own life force. You have the harm spell prepared. It counts as a druid spell for you, and doesn’t count against the number of spells you can have prepared.

Additionally, when you deal damage with the spell, you can choose to gain hit points equal to half the damage dealt. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. You can gain an additional use of this feature at 17th-level.