I could use some help developing my homebrew druid subclass--- the Circle of Mire. Or at least, I made it a while back, and figured I should put it under further review before I run it. Is it viable? Balanced?
Circle of Mire
Druids of the Circle of Mire seek beyond the surface of nature; studying the deeper, eldritch powers within it. They hail from hidden groves and regions where no travelers pass. Viewing the natural world around them as a shadow of its true self, these druids possess the ancient knowledge to alter its form. Many druids see this circle as twisted beings seeking to be rid the traditions and connection to nature that they hold so dear. Yet, it is through the depths of the arcane that these druids redefine the limits to their potential.
Eldritch Paths 2nd level Circle of Mire feature You have delved into the occult knowledge of nature, procuring fragments of a forgotten world. The fruits of your labor has manifested as eldritch invocations. You know one eldritch invocation of your choice from the warlock class. If the invocation has a warlock level prerequisite, you may use your druid level instead. Otherwise, you can choose it only if you're a warlock who meets the prerequisite. Additionally, whenever it allows you to use your Charisma modifier as part of an invocation's ability, you may substitute it with your Wisdom modifier. You learn another eldritch invocation at 5th, 10th, and 17th level. Whenever you gain a level, you can replace an invocation you know with another one from the warlock class.
Druidic Avatar {stat block at the end} 2nd level Circle of Mire feature As an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to summon your druidic avatar, rather than transforming into a beast. The avatar appears in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you. It is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. See this creature's game statistics in the Druidic Avatar stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. The avatar is composed of shifting roots and dark plant life, which usually takes on your shape. Otherwise, you determine the avatar's appearance. In combat, the avatar shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. The only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the avatar can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge. The avatar manifests for a number of hours equal to half your druid level (rounded down), until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to create the avatar again, or until you die.
Unearthed Bond 6th level Circle of Mire feature Starting at 6th level, you can communicate telepathically with your druidic avatar and perceive through its senses as long as you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, while perceiving through your avatar's senses, you can also speak through your avatar in your own voice.
Twisted Cantrip 10th level Circle of Mire feature At 10th level, you learn how to manipulate familiar forces of nature to suit your forbidden powers. Choose a druid cantrip you know. The cantrip is changed by one of the following aspects of your choice: - Awakened. After casting it, you gain advantage on any Wisdom ability check or saving throw you make until the end of your next turn. - Concentrated. This cantrip gains a +2 bonus to each dice rolled. - Distant. This cantrip's range is doubled. - Hastened. The casting time of this cantrip is reduced to one bonus action. - Twinned. This cantrip can affect one additional target within range. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace the druid cantrip you've changed with another one you know.
Overgrowth 14th level Circle of Mire feature Starting at 14th level, you can cause your druidic avatar to root within the ground and enact chaos on those above. As a bonus action, you can command your avatar to burrow and release a portion of your eldritch power. When it does so, it expends all of its movement as burrowing speed on its turn, unraveling its form in the ground. All creatures of your choice within 30 feet of it must make a Strength saving throw against your druid spell save DC or be restrained by eldritch roots and swift vines. If a creature moves into the effected area, it must make the same Strength saving throw or be restrained as well. Huge and larger creatures have advantage on this saving throw, and creatures that are immune to being grappled or restrained automatically succeed. A restrained creature that starts its turn in the area takes 4d8 piercing damage. This effect lasts for 1 minute before the overgrowth withers. After you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Druidic Avatar medium plant, unaligned
Armor Class: 13 (natural armor) Hit Points: 5 + (5 × your druid level) Speed: 40 ft., 10 ft. burrow
STR 8 (-1) DEX 16 (+3) CON 12 (+1) INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 7 (-2)
Saving Throws: DEX +3 plus PB, CON +1 plus PB Skills: perception +0 plus PB ×2, stealth +3 plus PB Damage Immunities: poison Condition Immunities: exhaustion, grappled, poisoned, prone, restrained Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 10 + (PB × 2) Languages: understands the languages you speak Challenge Rating: --- Proficiency Bonus (PB): equals your bonus
Evasion. If the avatar is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. It can't use this trait if its incapacitated.
ACTIONS
Eldritch Thorn. Ranged Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, range 30 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d4 + PB force damage.
REACTIONS
Channel Magic. The druidic avatar delivers a spell you cast that has a range of touch. The avatar must be within 120 feet of you.
Every ability in this subclass can be accomplished by a sorcerer/warlock multiclass - what do you want the fantasy of this subclass to be? It sort-of reads as a druid with warlock tendencies, but utilizing the druidic avatar instead of Wild Shape really makes it that you're playing a warlock without pact spellcasting. There's not much left of druidic identity beyond having druid spells.
The 14th level ability seems neat, but it's a little odd in execution. Why does your spirit avatar gain a burrowing speed if it disperses itself? Why is your 14th level ability the only one that has anything to do with nature (thorns/roots)?
Overall I like the vibes of the class but I'd never play this. To me, the point of a new subclass is to fill a niche that isn't already in the game - if I wanted to do what this subclass does, I'd just play a warlock/druid multiclass and still gain basically every feature listed in the subclass.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
I'm not really sure what the fantasy is that this druid is supposed to embody? Is it supposed to be a creepy evily/corrupted druid? Or is it a blasty druid keeps up with martial damage just by spamming cantrips? Because warlock invocations mostly aren't creepy, they are either utility or cantrip-buffs, druid is already massively utility focused so I don't know why they would take the utility warlock invocations, they'll probably just take the cantrip-boosting ones and be a cantrip spamming blaster.
It really feels like "druid" but with a little sor-lock tacked on. Sorlock is already a very problematic build, adding it almost for free on top of druid is rather terrible idea. Plus it muscling in on the specialty of other characters in the party. Classes should be distinct and keep their uniqueness, it's usually a bad idea to give another class the iconic features of one of a different class.
Also is this for 2024 rules? or 2014 rules? Because the DPR is completely off the charts if it is 2024, since you can stack Agonizing Blast + Hasted Cantrip to deal (4d12+WIS)x2 just with cantrips + BA to command your buddy for 1d4+6 + Conjure Animals which moves with your movement for another buttload of damage. In general, you should avoid giving full caster classes buffs to cantrips because the whole balance to full casters is that they have spells much more powerful than anything anyone else has but they have a limited number of them and when they run out they do less damage than everyone else - to make up for how powerful levelled spells are. If you give a full spellcaster a way to deal damage just as high as any other character without using their spell slots it gets OP super easily.
- Hastened. The casting time of this cantrip is reduced to one bonus action. - Twinned. This cantrip can affect one additional target within range.
Both of those are massively OP when not costing sorcery points.
Starting at 6th level, you can communicate telepathically with your druidic avatar and perceive through its senses as long as you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, while perceiving through your avatar's senses, you can also speak through your avatar in your own voice.
This one is basically useless since Tasha's b/c Druids can already summon a familiar with WS that they can do all these things (except talking) that is much more inconspicuous.
Hi, thanks for the input. My train of thought with the fantasy of this subclass was to embody characters such as Poison Ivy and Swamp Thing (harbingers of the "true nature" of the world, twisting plant-life for their own and nature's gain at whatever cost, and trying to find their place in the role of protector or destroyer), as well as what it might look like if forsaken druids were in World of Warcraft, or Radagast the Brown had been corrupted rather like Saruman... they wield immense knowledge and see the forbidden as just another means to expand their "protection" of nature. In some cases, the "eldritch beings" that the warlock class gains power from have direct connection to the forces of nature (the Archfey, Fathomless, Genie) or ancient knowledge that very well could. So, why couldn't druids seek this ancient or powerful knowledge via a different route? It isn't necessarily evil. Just eerie.
Overall the subclass is meant to lean more as a caster that can dip into the damage-field, but mostly leans as a support and scout. Builds could be done where you lean into a melee playstyle up front with your evasive avatar and smack around enemies with shillelagh, taking either the Awakened or Concentrated twisted options, or a ranged cantrip wielder, using Twinned or Hastened on thorn whip or produce flame.
Every ability in this subclass can be accomplished by a sorcerer/warlock multiclass - what do you want the fantasy of this subclass to be? It sort-of reads as a druid with warlock tendencies, but utilizing the druidic avatar instead of Wild Shape really makes it that you're playing a warlock without pact spellcasting. There's not much left of druidic identity beyond having druid spells.
I agree there is a lot there that can be nearly replicated by a sorlock, disappointing in hindsight and needs to be edited a bit, but there are also opportunities for unique play here as well that fulfills a support-scout role. Also, Wild Shape and the druid spell list (which is overlapped a lot by the ranger list) are essentially the only two notable things about playing a druid at all... oftentimes it is mostly the spells anyway (Spores, Stars, Wildfire, etc). In other words, wild shape is only part of the equation, and the Mire can still use it if they choose. what this subclass seeks to do is give a little bit of eldritch flare/options while also granting a combat asset and an option to deliver blight, contagion, cure wounds, guidance, etc. from a distance.
Also, when I look at the warlock invocations, I see several options that fit the druid class much better: Beast Speech, Cloak of Flies, Eldritch Mind, Gaze of Two Minds, Gift of the Depths, and others. They get to choose options such as Mire the Mind, gaining Slow, or Devil's Sight, that could fit the subclass very well.
The 14th level ability seems neat, but it's a little odd in execution. Why does your spirit avatar gain a burrowing speed if it disperses itself? Why is your 14th level ability the only one that has anything to do with nature (thorns/roots)?
If you look, the druidic avatar already has a burrow speed (a unique scouting tool also). Its mention in Overgrowth is merely flavor. I would disagree here regarding "having anything to do with nature." Warlock invocations have several options that work very well in that area, and the druidic avatar itself represents a dark plant servant, such that Poison Ivy might summon or the like (granted that's mostly flavor).
- Hastened. The casting time of this cantrip is reduced to one bonus action. - Twinned. This cantrip can affect one additional target within range.
Both of those are massively OP when not costing sorcery points.
I actually disagree here. The sorcerer's Quickened and Twinned metamagic options can be applied to any spell...with only Twinned having different sorcery points per spell level. In other words, applying it permanently to only a single cantrip (without that versatility that the sorcerer has) means that it has far less potential to be abused. Not to mention Twisted Cantrip is a 10th level feature that is supposed to compete with the likes of Elemental Wild Shape, Hidden Paths, Cauterizing Flames, or other classes' powerful features.
Starting at 6th level, you can communicate telepathically with your druidic avatar and perceive through its senses as long as you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, while perceiving through your avatar's senses, you can also speak through your avatar in your own voice.
This one is basically useless since Tasha's b/c Druids can already summon a familiar with WS that they can do all these things (except talking) that is much more inconspicuous.
That's a really good point. I think I will move Unearthed Bond and merge it with the Druidic Avatar feature...so that it will always have that option, then either grant a feature with a new action option for the druidic avatar that could impose difficult or damaging terrain to enemies within 15 feet of it, or a grapple ability that still leaves it open to attack. Does that sound better? Suggestions?
I definitely appreciate the advice from you both, thx.
The druidic avatar idea is neat, and seems to be the main focus of the subclass. But it's not as mechanically interesting as e.g. the Wildfire Druid's fire companion, or the Starry Druid's Star Form, or Shepherd Druid's Totems, or even some of Tasha's Beastmaster companions. It's mostly just another body on the field doing a little bit of damage. It could definitely be worth spicing it up a little.
I'm still not convinced that just giving them a Warlock invocation is the best way to go. A lot of those invocations aren't creepy or aren't going to work well with a druid's play style. They are designed for warlocks. Why not come up with your own set of options for them to pick from that are more relevant to Druids?
Same for twisted cantrip. It just turns them into a "I concentrate on X spell then spam cantrips" and can easily make them excessively powerful with e.g. Poison Spray or Primal Savagery. It also doesn't feel particularly thematic, if my druid took it with Produce Flame then how are they like Poison Ivey or a corrupted Radagast? I'm just a flame-thrower druid now...
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I could use some help developing my homebrew druid subclass--- the Circle of Mire. Or at least, I made it a while back, and figured I should put it under further review before I run it. Is it viable? Balanced?
Circle of Mire
Druids of the Circle of Mire seek beyond the surface of nature; studying the deeper, eldritch powers within it. They hail from hidden groves and regions where no travelers pass. Viewing the natural world around them as a shadow of its true self, these druids possess the ancient knowledge to alter its form.
Many druids see this circle as twisted beings seeking to be rid the traditions and connection to nature that they hold so dear. Yet, it is through the depths of the arcane that these druids redefine the limits to their potential.
Eldritch Paths
2nd level Circle of Mire feature
You have delved into the occult knowledge of nature, procuring fragments of a forgotten world. The fruits of your labor has manifested as eldritch invocations. You know one eldritch invocation of your choice from the warlock class.
If the invocation has a warlock level prerequisite, you may use your druid level instead. Otherwise, you can choose it only if you're a warlock who meets the prerequisite. Additionally, whenever it allows you to use your Charisma modifier as part of an invocation's ability, you may substitute it with your Wisdom modifier.
You learn another eldritch invocation at 5th, 10th, and 17th level. Whenever you gain a level, you can replace an invocation you know with another one from the warlock class.
Druidic Avatar {stat block at the end}
2nd level Circle of Mire feature
As an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to summon your druidic avatar, rather than transforming into a beast.
The avatar appears in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you. It is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. See this creature's game statistics in the Druidic Avatar stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. The avatar is composed of shifting roots and dark plant life, which usually takes on your shape. Otherwise, you determine the avatar's appearance.
In combat, the avatar shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. The only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the avatar can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
The avatar manifests for a number of hours equal to half your druid level (rounded down), until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to create the avatar again, or until you die.
Unearthed Bond
6th level Circle of Mire feature
Starting at 6th level, you can communicate telepathically with your druidic avatar and perceive through its senses as long as you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, while perceiving through your avatar's senses, you can also speak through your avatar in your own voice.
Twisted Cantrip
10th level Circle of Mire feature
At 10th level, you learn how to manipulate familiar forces of nature to suit your forbidden powers. Choose a druid cantrip you know. The cantrip is changed by one of the following aspects of your choice:
- Awakened. After casting it, you gain advantage on any Wisdom ability check or saving throw you make until the end of your next turn.
- Concentrated. This cantrip gains a +2 bonus to each dice rolled.
- Distant. This cantrip's range is doubled.
- Hastened. The casting time of this cantrip is reduced to one bonus action.
- Twinned. This cantrip can affect one additional target within range.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace the druid cantrip you've changed with another one you know.
Overgrowth
14th level Circle of Mire feature
Starting at 14th level, you can cause your druidic avatar to root within the ground and enact chaos on those above. As a bonus action, you can command your avatar to burrow and release a portion of your eldritch power. When it does so, it expends all of its movement as burrowing speed on its turn, unraveling its form in the ground.
All creatures of your choice within 30 feet of it must make a Strength saving throw against your druid spell save DC or be restrained by eldritch roots and swift vines. If a creature moves into the effected area, it must make the same Strength saving throw or be restrained as well. Huge and larger creatures have advantage on this saving throw, and creatures that are immune to being grappled or restrained automatically succeed. A restrained creature that starts its turn in the area takes 4d8 piercing damage.
This effect lasts for 1 minute before the overgrowth withers. After you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Druidic Avatar
medium plant, unaligned
Armor Class: 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 5 + (5 × your druid level)
Speed: 40 ft., 10 ft. burrow
STR 8 (-1)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 7 (-2)
Saving Throws: DEX +3 plus PB, CON +1 plus PB
Skills: perception +0 plus PB ×2, stealth +3 plus PB
Damage Immunities: poison
Condition Immunities: exhaustion, grappled, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 10 + (PB × 2)
Languages: understands the languages you speak
Challenge Rating: ---
Proficiency Bonus (PB): equals your bonus
Evasion. If the avatar is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. It can't use this trait if its incapacitated.
ACTIONS
Eldritch Thorn. Ranged Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, range 30 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d4 + PB force damage.
REACTIONS
Channel Magic. The druidic avatar delivers a spell you cast that has a range of touch. The avatar must be within 120 feet of you.
Every ability in this subclass can be accomplished by a sorcerer/warlock multiclass - what do you want the fantasy of this subclass to be? It sort-of reads as a druid with warlock tendencies, but utilizing the druidic avatar instead of Wild Shape really makes it that you're playing a warlock without pact spellcasting. There's not much left of druidic identity beyond having druid spells.
The 14th level ability seems neat, but it's a little odd in execution. Why does your spirit avatar gain a burrowing speed if it disperses itself? Why is your 14th level ability the only one that has anything to do with nature (thorns/roots)?
Overall I like the vibes of the class but I'd never play this. To me, the point of a new subclass is to fill a niche that isn't already in the game - if I wanted to do what this subclass does, I'd just play a warlock/druid multiclass and still gain basically every feature listed in the subclass.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
I'm not really sure what the fantasy is that this druid is supposed to embody? Is it supposed to be a creepy evily/corrupted druid? Or is it a blasty druid keeps up with martial damage just by spamming cantrips? Because warlock invocations mostly aren't creepy, they are either utility or cantrip-buffs, druid is already massively utility focused so I don't know why they would take the utility warlock invocations, they'll probably just take the cantrip-boosting ones and be a cantrip spamming blaster.
It really feels like "druid" but with a little sor-lock tacked on. Sorlock is already a very problematic build, adding it almost for free on top of druid is rather terrible idea. Plus it muscling in on the specialty of other characters in the party. Classes should be distinct and keep their uniqueness, it's usually a bad idea to give another class the iconic features of one of a different class.
Also is this for 2024 rules? or 2014 rules? Because the DPR is completely off the charts if it is 2024, since you can stack Agonizing Blast + Hasted Cantrip to deal (4d12+WIS)x2 just with cantrips + BA to command your buddy for 1d4+6 + Conjure Animals which moves with your movement for another buttload of damage. In general, you should avoid giving full caster classes buffs to cantrips because the whole balance to full casters is that they have spells much more powerful than anything anyone else has but they have a limited number of them and when they run out they do less damage than everyone else - to make up for how powerful levelled spells are. If you give a full spellcaster a way to deal damage just as high as any other character without using their spell slots it gets OP super easily.
Both of those are massively OP when not costing sorcery points.
This one is basically useless since Tasha's b/c Druids can already summon a familiar with WS that they can do all these things (except talking) that is much more inconspicuous.
Hi, thanks for the input. My train of thought with the fantasy of this subclass was to embody characters such as Poison Ivy and Swamp Thing (harbingers of the "true nature" of the world, twisting plant-life for their own and nature's gain at whatever cost, and trying to find their place in the role of protector or destroyer), as well as what it might look like if forsaken druids were in World of Warcraft, or Radagast the Brown had been corrupted rather like Saruman... they wield immense knowledge and see the forbidden as just another means to expand their "protection" of nature. In some cases, the "eldritch beings" that the warlock class gains power from have direct connection to the forces of nature (the Archfey, Fathomless, Genie) or ancient knowledge that very well could. So, why couldn't druids seek this ancient or powerful knowledge via a different route? It isn't necessarily evil. Just eerie.
Overall the subclass is meant to lean more as a caster that can dip into the damage-field, but mostly leans as a support and scout. Builds could be done where you lean into a melee playstyle up front with your evasive avatar and smack around enemies with shillelagh, taking either the Awakened or Concentrated twisted options, or a ranged cantrip wielder, using Twinned or Hastened on thorn whip or produce flame.
I agree there is a lot there that can be nearly replicated by a sorlock, disappointing in hindsight and needs to be edited a bit, but there are also opportunities for unique play here as well that fulfills a support-scout role. Also, Wild Shape and the druid spell list (which is overlapped a lot by the ranger list) are essentially the only two notable things about playing a druid at all... oftentimes it is mostly the spells anyway (Spores, Stars, Wildfire, etc). In other words, wild shape is only part of the equation, and the Mire can still use it if they choose. what this subclass seeks to do is give a little bit of eldritch flare/options while also granting a combat asset and an option to deliver blight, contagion, cure wounds, guidance, etc. from a distance.
Also, when I look at the warlock invocations, I see several options that fit the druid class much better: Beast Speech, Cloak of Flies, Eldritch Mind, Gaze of Two Minds, Gift of the Depths, and others. They get to choose options such as Mire the Mind, gaining Slow, or Devil's Sight, that could fit the subclass very well.
If you look, the druidic avatar already has a burrow speed (a unique scouting tool also). Its mention in Overgrowth is merely flavor. I would disagree here regarding "having anything to do with nature." Warlock invocations have several options that work very well in that area, and the druidic avatar itself represents a dark plant servant, such that Poison Ivy might summon or the like (granted that's mostly flavor).
Sorry for the confusion this is definitely 2014 rules. Otherwise all the feature levels would be off too.
I actually disagree here. The sorcerer's Quickened and Twinned metamagic options can be applied to any spell...with only Twinned having different sorcery points per spell level. In other words, applying it permanently to only a single cantrip (without that versatility that the sorcerer has) means that it has far less potential to be abused. Not to mention Twisted Cantrip is a 10th level feature that is supposed to compete with the likes of Elemental Wild Shape, Hidden Paths, Cauterizing Flames, or other classes' powerful features.
That's a really good point. I think I will move Unearthed Bond and merge it with the Druidic Avatar feature...so that it will always have that option, then either grant a feature with a new action option for the druidic avatar that could impose difficult or damaging terrain to enemies within 15 feet of it, or a grapple ability that still leaves it open to attack. Does that sound better? Suggestions?
I definitely appreciate the advice from you both, thx.
Oooh.... hm......
The druidic avatar idea is neat, and seems to be the main focus of the subclass. But it's not as mechanically interesting as e.g. the Wildfire Druid's fire companion, or the Starry Druid's Star Form, or Shepherd Druid's Totems, or even some of Tasha's Beastmaster companions. It's mostly just another body on the field doing a little bit of damage. It could definitely be worth spicing it up a little.
I'm still not convinced that just giving them a Warlock invocation is the best way to go. A lot of those invocations aren't creepy or aren't going to work well with a druid's play style. They are designed for warlocks. Why not come up with your own set of options for them to pick from that are more relevant to Druids?
Same for twisted cantrip. It just turns them into a "I concentrate on X spell then spam cantrips" and can easily make them excessively powerful with e.g. Poison Spray or Primal Savagery. It also doesn't feel particularly thematic, if my druid took it with Produce Flame then how are they like Poison Ivey or a corrupted Radagast? I'm just a flame-thrower druid now...