Circle of Swarms

Druids of the Circle of Swarms understand that every mind, no matter how seemingly simple, is connected to every other. A hive of bees, school of fish, or flock of birds may be a gathering of individuals on the surface, but as a collective they form a single entity that moves and acts in tandem with one another. Members of this circle have practiced in order to take this understanding to its natural conclusion; they are able to form symbiotic relationships with these colonies, and can shape and separate their own bodies to become one themselves.

Level 3: Gathered Swarm

Starting at 3rd level when you choose this circle, you magically attract a swarm of fey spirits that look like Tiny beasts of your choice. The swarm remains in your space, crawling on you or through your clothing, or flying and skittering immediately around you within your space. As a bonus action, you can agitate the swarm for 1 minute. For the duration, some of the swarm clings to your weapons or follows your strikes when you attack: once during each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can deal an extra 1d6 force damage to that creature, and the swarm moves the creature up to 5 feet toward you or away from you (your choice). In addition, you learn the mage hand cantrip if you don’t already know it. It counts as a druid spell for you and doesn't count against your number of known cantrips. When you cast it, the hand takes the form of swarming nature spirits.

Level 3: Hive Form

Starting when you choose this circle at 3rd level, you can use your Wild Shape feature to transform into a swarm of beasts rather than a single beast. In order to transform into a swarm, you must have seen at least one of the type of beast the swarm represents. You start able to transform into a swarm of rats and any swarm of insects that does not have a fly speed. At 4th level you can transform into a swarm of poisonous snakes and a swarm of quippers. At 8th level you can transform into a swarm of bats, a swarm of ravens, and all swarm of insects variants. Your DM may allow you to transform into other swarms, as long as the swarm is a beast and you abide by the Max. CR and Limitations columns of the Beast Shapes table on page 66 of the Player's Handbook. Unlike normal swarms, you can gain temporary hit points and regain hit points while transformed, and while transformed you can still gain the benefits of activating your Gathered Swarm. The individual creatures that make up your new form must remain within a single swarm; your form cannot be split into multiple smaller swarms. If an individual is separated from the swarm by more than 5 feet for any reason or is killed, it ceases to be part of you and dissolves into magical nothingness. When you transform back into your normal form, willingly or otherwise, all the individuals in the swarm's space and within 5 feet of the swarm are magically forced to rejoin into your normal form; an individual that cannot do this also ceases to be part of you and dissolves.

Level 6: Writhing Tide

At 6th level, you can condense part of your swarm into a focused mass that lifts or sweeps you along. Whenever you activate your Gathered Swarm feature, choose one of the following additional benefits:

Your walking speed increases by 10 feet, and you can take the Disengage action as a bonus action.

You gain a climb speed equal to your walking speed, or your climbing speed increases by 10 feet. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without making an ability check.

You gain a flying speed of 10 feet and can hover, or your flying speed increases by 10 feet.

Level 10: Scuttling Eyes

At 10th level, as an action, you can cast the find familiar spell without material components, summoning a fey spirit that takes the form of a Tiny beast similar to your Gathered Swarm. The spirit you summon lasts for 1 hour, at which point the spirit disappears. The spirit has your senses and telepathically relays what it sees and hears to you as long as you are both on the same plane of existence, and you can communicate with it telepathically if you are within 120 feet of it. It can Hide using your bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and its AC is 18. If the spirit would disappear due to taking damage, you can make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 10, or half the damage dealt, whichever is higher). On a success the spirit does not disappear and remains with 1 hit point. As an action, you can dismiss the spirit early. If you do, you can magically teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of where the spirit disappeared so long as the spirit was within 120 feet of you and on the same plane of existence as you. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also use it again by expending a spell slot of 3rd level or higher.

Level 14: Eye of the Swarm

At 14th level, your swarm can expel a seething storm of spirits that drains life from others. As an action, you create a magical sphere filled with an enraged swarm centered on a point you can see within 120 feet of you. The sphere has a 10-foot-radius and lasts for 1 minute. The sphere is difficult terrain for creatures other than you. A creature other than you that starts its turn in the sphere’s area must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d8 necrotic damage and is blinded until the start of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn’t blinded. At the start of your turn, if any number of Small or larger creatures took necrotic damage from the swarm, you regain 1d8 hit points. On subsequent turns, you can use a bonus action to move the sphere up to 30 feet. When you activate this feature, you can choose any number of creatures you can see to be unaffected by it. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest unless you expend a spell slot of 4th level or higher.