HI. I've made my first homebrew subclass and would like some help. I have no idea if this is balanced or not. I would appreciate some feedback or advices. I also look for other forums where I can post this and get some experienced feedback, if you know any. Thanks a lot!
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 origon 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.
Wildshape Restriction
Because of their connection to the water and its spirits and their strong culture, the druids of the Circle of Water are restricted to only shape into creatures with swim speed. Although they can do so already from the 2nd level.
Circle of Water Features
Druid Level
Feature
2nd
Circle Spells, Swimmer, Shape of Rain
6th
Semi-Aquatic, Shape of Rivers
10th
Shape of Lakes
14th
Waterbreather, Shape of Waves
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.
Shape of Rain
In addition to your wildshapes, starting at 2nd level you can shape into a watershape knowns as Shape of Rain as bonus action using one of your wildshape slots.
The watershape follow the same rules as a normal wildshape.
SHAPE OF RAIN
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +10
Speed Your walking speed, Swim 15 ft.
STR
10
DEX
10
CON
10
INT
10
WIS
10
CHA
10
Your ability scores are your standard scores.
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Passive Perception As in regular form.
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 spel 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.
Semi Aquatic
Starting at 6th level, you have an additional +15 swimming speed and you can hold your breath for up to 1 hour.
Shape of Rivers
At 6th level your watershape is now the Shape of Rivers.
SHAPE OF RAIN
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +20
Speed Your walking speed, Swim 30 ft.
STR
10
DEX
10
CON
10
INT
10
WIS
10
CHA
10
Your ability scores are your standard scores.
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Passive Perception As in regular form.
Reactions
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.
Bonus Actions
Disengage. You can use the disengage action as a bonus action.
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 4d6 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 spel you ignore verbal and material components.
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 3 absorption points.
Abilities
Absorption. If you take damage you gain 2absorption 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.
Shape of Lakes
Starting at 10th level, if you shape into your watershape while you are in water you automatically become invisible as if the invisibility is cast upon you.
At 10th level your watershape is now the Shape of Rivers.
SHAPE OF RIVERS
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +30
Speed Your walking speed, Swim 30 ft.
STR
10
DEX
10
CON
10
INT
10
WIS
10
CHA
10
Your ability scores are your standard scores.
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid, piercing
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Passive Perception As in regular form.
Reactions
Rain Walker. 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.
Bonus Actions
Disengage. You can use the disengage action as a bonus action.
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 5d6 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 spel you ignore verbal and material components.
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 4absorption points.
Abilities
Absorption. If you take damage you gain 3absorption 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.
Waterbreather
Starting at 14th level, you can breathe both air and water.
Shape of Waves
Starting at 14th level, while in watershape you can squeeze through any size of gap or hole that are not magically protected.
At 14th level your watershape is now the Shape of Waves.
SHAPE OF LAKES
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Passive Perception As in regular form.
Reactions
Rain Walker. 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.
Bonus Actions
Disengage. You can use the disengage action as a bonus action.
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 6d6 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 spel you ignore verbal and material components.
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 5absorption points.
Abilities
Absorption. If you take damage you gain 4absorption 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:
I know it’s not the in-depth review you wanted, but I would recommend doing something like Spores Druid does for their Wildshape instead of making a whole stat block that doesn’t change much. Also, you shouldn’t restrict their forms, just let them swim earlier.
Yeah restricting them to swim forever is pretty bad. There are some amphibious creatures, so it's still usable, but I don't think there are any beasts that swim and fly, so it would be pretty limiting at higher levels.
What if you just flip it: at early levels they have swim only. After wild shape improvement they get swim and non-swim.
An idea occurred to me while reading through this that it would be interesting to be able to wild shape into oozes, especially those that can split.
HI. I've made my first homebrew subclass and would like some help. I have no idea if this is balanced or not. I would appreciate some feedback or advices. I also look for other forums where I can post this and get some experienced feedback, if you know any. Thanks a lot!
Cricle of Water
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 origon 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.
Wildshape Restriction
Because of their connection to the water and its spirits and their strong culture, the druids of the Circle of Water are restricted to only shape into creatures with swim speed. Although they can do so 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.
Shape of Rain
In addition to your wildshapes, starting at 2nd level you can shape into a watershape knowns as Shape of Rain as bonus action using one of your wildshape slots.
The watershape follow the same rules as a normal wildshape.
SHAPE OF RAIN
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +10
Speed Your walking speed, Swim 15 ft.
Your ability scores are your standard scores.
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Passive Perception As in regular form.
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 spel 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:
Semi Aquatic
Starting at 6th level, you have an additional +15 swimming speed and you can hold your breath for up to 1 hour.
Shape of Rivers
At 6th level your watershape is now the Shape of Rivers.
SHAPE OF RAIN
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +20
Speed Your walking speed, Swim 30 ft.
Your ability scores are your standard scores.
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Passive Perception As in regular form.
Reactions
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.
Bonus Actions
Disengage. You can use the disengage action as a bonus action.
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 4d6 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 spel you ignore verbal and material components.
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 3 absorption points.
Abilities
Absorption. If you take damage you gain 2 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:
Shape of Lakes
Starting at 10th level, if you shape into your watershape while you are in water you automatically become invisible as if the invisibility is cast upon you.
At 10th level your watershape is now the Shape of Rivers.
SHAPE OF RIVERS
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +30
Speed Your walking speed, Swim 30 ft.
Your ability scores are your standard scores.
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid, piercing
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Passive Perception As in regular form.
Reactions
Rain Walker. 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.
Bonus Actions
Disengage. You can use the disengage action as a bonus action.
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 5d6 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 spel you ignore verbal and material components.
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 4 absorption points.
Abilities
Absorption. If you take damage you gain 3 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:
Waterbreather
Starting at 14th level, you can breathe both air and water.
Shape of Waves
Starting at 14th level, while in watershape you can squeeze through any size of gap or hole that are not magically protected.
At 14th level your watershape is now the Shape of Waves.
SHAPE OF LAKES
Elemental
Armor Class 10 + your Dexterity modifier (natural armor)
Hit Points Your hitpoint pool +40
Speed Your walking speed, Swim 60 ft.
Your ability scores are your standard scores.
Damage Resistances fire, cold, acid, piercing, slashing, blugeoning
Languages You understand your usual languages but you are mute.
Passive Perception As in regular form.
Reactions
Rain Walker. 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.
Bonus Actions
Disengage. You can use the disengage action as a bonus action.
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 6d6 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 spel you ignore verbal and material components.
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 5 absorption points.
Abilities
Absorption. If you take damage you gain 4 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:
I know it’s not the in-depth review you wanted, but I would recommend doing something like Spores Druid does for their Wildshape instead of making a whole stat block that doesn’t change much. Also, you shouldn’t restrict their forms, just let them swim earlier.
Every suggestion is good. Thank you! I will look into it!
Yeah restricting them to swim forever is pretty bad. There are some amphibious creatures, so it's still usable, but I don't think there are any beasts that swim and fly, so it would be pretty limiting at higher levels.
What if you just flip it: at early levels they have swim only. After wild shape improvement they get swim and non-swim.
An idea occurred to me while reading through this that it would be interesting to be able to wild shape into oozes, especially those that can split.
I see what you mean. Will look over the wildshape and get rid of the restriction. At least on higher levels. Thanks.
Like the ooze idea too. I'm a bit locked on the absorbing/strengthening spells idea though. Will edit this some more but have the oozes in mind.
Thanks a lot for your thoughts!