Do you think my sub-class would work? I'm trying to make it more balanced before I publish it. Do you have any thoughts on it? Is it workable? Don't need a big review, just your spontaneous thoughts would be nice. Especially on which things works and more so the things that doesn't work. Thanks!
Circle of Water is a subclass based on ice and water magic. The druids of the Circle of Water are rare but occasionally is found around and in the cold lakes and oceans and origin from the glacial lakes in the southern mountains of Volirap. They have found a way to use their ability the shapechange to shape into a water avatar of themselves and through it hone their magic abilities.
Marine Wildshape
Because of their connection to the water and its spirits and their strong culture, the druids of the Circle of Water can shape into creatures with swim speed already from the 2nd level.
Circle of Water Features
Druid Level
Feature
2nd
Circle Spells, Swimmer, Watershape
6th
Semi-Aquatic, Watershape Improvement
10th
Watershape Improvement
14th
Waterbreather, Watershape Improvement
Circle Spells
Your mystical connection to water infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells connected to the sea where you became a druid.
Once you gain access to a circle spell, 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.
Druid Level
Spells
2nd
ice knife, cure wounds
3rd
spike growth, hold
5th
sleet storm, wall of water
7th
elemental bane, watery sphere
9th
cone of cold, maelstrom
Swimmer
Starting at 2nd level, you gain a +15 swimming speed and you can hold your breath for up to 30 min.
Watershape
In addition to your wildshapes, starting at 2nd level you can shape into a Watershape as bonus action using one of your wildshape slots.
The watershape follow the same basic rules as a normal wildshape.
WATERSHAPE
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +10
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Actions
Frost Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: You can use your action to make a melee spell attack with the frost blade. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 cold damage.
Spellcasting. While in this shape you can cast spells as usual except that you are restricted to your Circle Spells. When casting a spell you ignore verbal and material components.
Abilities
Absorption. If you take damage you gain 1absorption point.This point you can use to strengthen your attacks.These points can stack but once you lose your watershape you lose your current absorption points. You can use the point to:
Add +1 to hit with an melee or spell attack
Add an additional dice when dealing damage
Add an additional dice when healing.
Stats that don't appear on the sheet above are equal to your regular stats.
You improve the watershape stats at 6th, 10th, and 14th level as follows.
Druid level
2nd
6th
10th
14th
HP
+10
+20
+30
+40
Absorption Points when hit
1
2
3
4
Frost Blade damage
3d6
4d6
5d6
6d6
Absorption Points from Channel Energy
-
3
4
5
New Resistances
fire, cold, acid
-
piercing
blugeoning, slashing
Semi Aquatic
Starting at 6th level, you have an additional +15 swimming speed and you can hold your breath for up to 1 hour.
Watershape Improvement
Starting at 6th level while in your watershape you gain following feats.
Liquid Defender If an ally within 5 feet gets attacked, you can use a reaction to move in between the attacker and the ally and take the incoming damage.
Disengage You can use the disengage action as a bonus action.
Channel Energy You sacrifice some of your health to mend another creature’s injuries. You take 4d8 radiant damage, which can’t be reduced in any way, and one creature of your choice that you can see within range regains a number of hit points equal to twice the radiant damage you take. You get 3absorption points.
Watershape Improvement
Starting at 10th level, while in your watershape you gain following feats.
Blend In If you shape into your watershape while you are in water you automatically become invisible as if the invisibility is cast upon you
Rain Walk If an ally within 30 feet gets attacked, you can use a reaction to teleport in between the attacker and the ally and take the incoming damage.
Waterbreather
Starting at 14th level, you can breathe both air and water.
Watershape Improvement
Starting at 14th level, while in your watershape you gain following feat.
Liquid State You can squeeze through any size of gap or hole that are not magically protected.
Druid generally do not get spell at 2nd level, only at third as they gain access to 2rd level spell. I would also like to point out that i do not understand the connection to some of those spell and the water theme.
Swimmer, and its +15 bonus is also unusual, generally it would be the gain of a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, maybe with a +10 feet of swimming speed in addition to that first gain.
Watershape. Insead of providing a table later explaining the gain, you should make them appear, and dependant on the level directly on the statblock (you may want to take inspiration on the summon spell in tasha's book, or the circle of wildfire druid and its companion).
Semiaquatic. Once again, generally, bonus are +10 to movement speed. at least from what i can recall.
Both lvl 14th feature are quite underwhelming in myopinion. Also ability to squeeze, even for ooze, generally precise gap as small as 1 inch.
Druid generally do not get spell at 2nd level, only at third as they gain access to 2rd level spell. I would also like to point out that i do not understand the connection to some of those spell and the water theme.
In regards to this, I'd say NeyaIno is fine, but the only option I thought was a but weird was elemental bane. WotC has done this method before with wildfire druid. And honestly at this point, I'm sold on the fact that druid doesn't get ONE method of bonus to spellcasting like other classes do. but this is what WotC has done so far for different bonuses;
1 bonus cantrip, with spells known list 2nd-5th level (ex. Land Druid, and Spore Druid)
No bonus cantrip, or spells know list (ex. Circle of Dreams, Shepard Druid)
1 bonus cantrip, with 1 spell known with free casting (ex. Stars Druid)
No bonus cantrip, with spells known list 1st-5th level (ex. Wildfire Druid)
Hmm. I will look over the elemental bane. Since the main feature is the Water Shape and you only can cast circle spells there is another point of getting a lvl 2 spell except just because. Thanks a lot for you input!
Since the main feature is the Water Shape and you only can cast circle spells in that shape, there is another point of getting a lvl 2 spell except just because. Then because the healing boost is also a main feature in the Water Shape i added cure wounds. Spike Growth I thought of a ice-spike version and Hold I originally homebrewed a "freeze" version of it. But I would gladly replaced them. I will look for better themed spells. :)
Since the main feature is the Water Shape and you only can cast circle spells in that shape, there is another point of getting a lvl 2 spell except just because. Then because the healing boost is also a main feature in the Water Shape i added cure wounds. Spike Growth I thought of a ice-spike version and Hold I originally homebrewed a "freeze" version of it. But I would gladly replaced them. I will look for better themed spells. :)
litterally no one asked for a different spell list just to get rid of one single spell.
Yeah. This is my 4th draft...so I'm getting closer...but not close enough still. It's nice to get some feedback and ideas before publishing. It's sometimes hard to see the flaws and problems on your own.
Thanks
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Do you think my sub-class would work? I'm trying to make it more balanced before I publish it. Do you have any thoughts on it? Is it workable? Don't need a big review, just your spontaneous thoughts would be nice. Especially on which things works and more so the things that doesn't work. Thanks!
Circle of Water is a subclass based on ice and water magic. The druids of the Circle of Water are rare but occasionally is found around and in the cold lakes and oceans and origin from the glacial lakes in the southern mountains of Volirap. They have found a way to use their ability the shapechange to shape into a water avatar of themselves and through it hone their magic abilities.
Marine Wildshape
Because of their connection to the water and its spirits and their strong culture, the druids of the Circle of Water can shape into creatures with swim speed already from the 2nd level.
Circle of Water Features
Circle Spells
Your mystical connection to water infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells connected to the sea where you became a druid.
Once you gain access to a circle spell, 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.
2nd
ice knife, cure wounds
3rd
spike growth, hold
5th
sleet storm, wall of water
7th
elemental bane, watery sphere
9th
cone of cold, maelstrom
Swimmer
Starting at 2nd level, you gain a +15 swimming speed and you can hold your breath for up to 30 min.
Watershape
In addition to your wildshapes, starting at 2nd level you can shape into a Watershape as bonus action using one of your wildshape slots.
The watershape follow the same basic rules as a normal wildshape.
WATERSHAPE
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +10
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Actions
Frost Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: You can use your action to make a melee spell attack with the frost blade. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 cold damage.
Spellcasting. While in this shape you can cast spells as usual except that you are restricted to your Circle Spells. When casting a spell you ignore verbal and material components.
Abilities
Absorption. If you take damage you gain 1 absorption point.This point you can use to strengthen your attacks.These points can stack but once you lose your watershape you lose your current absorption points. You can use the point to:
Stats that don't appear on the sheet above are equal to your regular stats.
You improve the watershape stats at 6th, 10th, and 14th level as follows.
Semi Aquatic
Starting at 6th level, you have an additional +15 swimming speed and you can hold your breath for up to 1 hour.
Watershape Improvement
Starting at 6th level while in your watershape you gain following feats.
Watershape Improvement
Starting at 10th level, while in your watershape you gain following feats.
Waterbreather
Starting at 14th level, you can breathe both air and water.
Watershape Improvement
Starting at 14th level, while in your watershape you gain following feat.
Druid generally do not get spell at 2nd level, only at third as they gain access to 2rd level spell. I would also like to point out that i do not understand the connection to some of those spell and the water theme.
Swimmer, and its +15 bonus is also unusual, generally it would be the gain of a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, maybe with a +10 feet of swimming speed in addition to that first gain.
Watershape. Insead of providing a table later explaining the gain, you should make them appear, and dependant on the level directly on the statblock (you may want to take inspiration on the summon spell in tasha's book, or the circle of wildfire druid and its companion).
Semiaquatic. Once again, generally, bonus are +10 to movement speed. at least from what i can recall.
Both lvl 14th feature are quite underwhelming in myopinion. Also ability to squeeze, even for ooze, generally precise gap as small as 1 inch.
Feel free to check out my hombrew: Magic Items, Spells, Monsters, Species, Feats, Subclassses, and Backgrounds. More detail in my Homebrew Compendium.
If you have any comments, suggestions, or ways to improve my homebrew, tell me, I'm always looking to improve!
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In regards to this, I'd say NeyaIno is fine, but the only option I thought was a but weird was elemental bane. WotC has done this method before with wildfire druid. And honestly at this point, I'm sold on the fact that druid doesn't get ONE method of bonus to spellcasting like other classes do. but this is what WotC has done so far for different bonuses;
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Thanks! I hear you and I will look it over. Thanks a lot!
Hmm. I will look over the elemental bane. Since the main feature is the Water Shape and you only can cast circle spells there is another point of getting a lvl 2 spell except just because. Thanks a lot for you input!
all i have to say is the capstones are both things you can get at level 1.
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
Since the main feature is the Water Shape and you only can cast circle spells in that shape, there is another point of getting a lvl 2 spell except just because. Then because the healing boost is also a main feature in the Water Shape i added cure wounds. Spike Growth I thought of a ice-spike version and Hold I originally homebrewed a "freeze" version of it. But I would gladly replaced them. I will look for better themed spells. :)
litterally no one asked for a different spell list just to get rid of one single spell.
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
I'm sorry if I offended you. I got one comment about the themes of the spells so that's what I was refering to, not the elemental bane comment.
And I'm sorry, I don't get what you mean with the capstones. Which "both things"?
Thanks for your input :)
the capstone features allow you to breath underwater and fit into holes.
these are things you can get at 1st level
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
Well in that case I will change it. Thanks!
It is always best practice to wait until you are 1,000% sure that all playtesting and revisions have been completed prior to publication.
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Yeah. This is my 4th draft...so I'm getting closer...but not close enough still. It's nice to get some feedback and ideas before publishing. It's sometimes hard to see the flaws and problems on your own.
Thanks