Circle of Necro-Botany

Members of the Circle of Necro-Botany see untapped potential with the spirits of the dead; that many others would easily miss. All it takes is some modifications. A druid can use their connection to nature to grant them special adaptations for their necrotic summons that are unique to members of the circle. These individuals tend to be prideful in their abilities, and seek out ways to perfect their control over the undead, and in turn discover more secrets about life in the process. 

Malevolent Aura

Starting at 2nd level, your delving into the dark arts of necromancy has caused a dark and sinister aura to manifest around your being. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation Skill (If you already have proficiency, then you instead gain expertise) and also permanently have advantage against all fear effects trying to affect you (If you already have advantage, then you instead have full immunity to fear effects).

However, as a side effect, people are not as trusting toward you making it harder to convince others to hear your perspective. If you have proficiency in persuasion, then your bonus to persuasion checks is halved. If you don't have proficiency in persuasion then you make persuasion checks at disadvantage. A DM ruling can be made in certain circumstances to remove this disadvantage.

Circle Spells

Your in-depth studies on necromancy, with your combined and extensive knowledge of nature allows you to cast certain spells on a whim. At 2nd Level, you know the "Thorn Whip" cantrip.

At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Circle of Necro-Botany 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 Necro-Botany Spells
Druid Level 2		"Thorn Whip"
Druid Level 3		"Barkskin" | "Ray of Enfeeblement"
Druid Level 5		"Animate Dead" | "Life Transference"
Druid Level 7		"Blight" | "Grasping Vine"
Druid Level 9		"Negative Energy Flood" | "Wrath of Nature"

Withered Grace

Starting at 6th Level, Your studies in necromancy and botany converge into shared knowledge as you wrap organic plant life around raised undead, strengthening the creature's abilities. As an action, any undead under your control within a 10ft radius around you gain the following benefits;

The protective plant life grants an increase to the undead's armor class by 1

The vines wrap around the undead's limbs and assist in the creature's mobility, granting an increase to their land speed by 10

Additionally, any time the affected undead is attempting to grapple a creature, or defending against a grapple, the undead is given advantage on their roll.

Undead must be within the range of Withered Grace when the ability was activated to be given the benefit; as entering the radius and starting a new turn within will not grant them the benefit. If an undead creature gains Withered Grace, they can leave the activation radius and retain the benefit for the duration.

Due to the undead's necrotic aura, the vines can only stay healthy for a minute's time (10 rounds) before withering away. Undead when they lose this effect are stunned for 1 round as they need to reorient themselves back to their decrepit bodies. This ability can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses on a long rest.

At 14th level, the range of this effect is increased to 30ft

Botanic Upgrades

Starting at 10th level, whenever you utilize your Withered Grace ability, you seize the opportunity to modify the botanical structuring of the plant-covered undead further. At the time when you use Withered Grace you also choose from the following below on what form the vines will take. These modifications cannot be changed during the duration of Withered Grace, but can be selected differently upon the next use of the ability.

     Durable: The twisting vines weave across the undead encasing them completely as if each creature were wearing a suit of armor. Withered Grace targets are given an additional +1 to their armor class and negate critical hits directed toward them (Still take regular damage). If creature has disadvantage imposed upon them, they lose their resistance to Critical Damage.

     Nimble: The twisting vines appear to beat and pulse in quick repetition as they display a more muscular form. Withered Grace targets are considered under the effects of Evasion, able to completely avoid damage from a successful Dexterity saving throw (or 1/2 damage if they fail).

     Hostile: The twisting vines wrap more tightly around the extremities of the undead, as sharp and jagged thorns begin to protrude from the plant's surface. For each affected undead, once per turn if they make a successful melee attack, the attack deals an additional 1d6 piercing damage. Furthermore the creature upon a successful melee attack may also as a bonus action attempt to grapple the target (being granted advantage from Withered Grace). If the grapple is successful, for every turn the target is restrained, the thorns continue to cause 1d6 piercing damage.

Necro-Symbiosis

Starting at 14th level, your mastery over plant life and unmatched necromancy prowess has rewarded you with the ultimate control of the undead. As a full round action, you gather your spiritual essence and transfer your soul into that of an undead creature 60ft away & is currently under the effect of Withered Grace. The targeted undead's eyes glow a bright & eerie violet light as you now command the creature as if it were your very self.

Once per round as a bonus action you can transfer all sensory information from the possessed undead to your main body. There is no travel time for this information; it is instantaneous.

For all intensive purposes, any attack the creature makes is an attack that you make. The targeted undead uses your modifiers for melee attack rolls (Unless the undead's modifiers are higher), and while possessed by you, the creature can cast a spell originating from its location. The spell must be of 3rd level or lower and cannot be overpowered to a spell slot higher than 3rd level. Casting a spell in this manner still uses up a spell slot as it is still your spiritual essence focusing to cast it. In addition, the possessed creature will not be able to move or attack until the start of your next turn if a spell is cast through it.

When you have possession of an undead, while Withered Grace would cause the benefits to disappear after 1 minute, the possessed creature will retain Withered Grace until the undead is destroyed or if the spiritual connection is severed (Like with Dispel Magic & Antimagic Field, if you personally break it to make a new connection, or choose to dispel the effect).

You can utilize this ability twice per long rest, and taking a long rest will replenish both uses of the feature.