Druid 101: Circle of Wildfire From Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

Druids are typically regarded as nature lovers who would much rather plant seedlings than embrace a potentially ruinous force like fire. But there’s one druidic subclass from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything that defies this expectation. The Circle of Wildfire druid knows that destruction and creation are intertwined, and only by burning dying shrubbery can new plants grow.

For players keen to defy stereotypes and introduce a little controlled flame into their repertoire, click below:

Circle of Wildfire features

  • Expanded Spell List: Upon choosing this circle at 2nd level, you form a special bond with a wildfire spirit that gives you access to an expanded spell list. These spells are always prepared and don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Most of them, like burning hands and flaming sphere are excellent offensive fire-based spells. Others, like cure wounds and revivify, are healing options that could be reflavored as the druid enveloping a body in invigorating, gentle warmth.
Druid Level Spells
2nd burning handscure wounds
3rd flaming spherescorching ray
5th plant growthrevivify
7th aura of lifefire shield
9th flame strikemass cure wounds
  • Summon Wildfire Spirit: Also at 2nd level, you get a new way to use your Wild Shape. You can expend one usage of it to summon a wildfire spirit, which takes on whatever appearance you like. The spirit appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet, and any creatures within 10 feet of it need to succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or suffer 2d6 fire damage. Barring the possibility of charring comrades upon summoning, the wildfire spirit is a handy ally that takes its turn immediately after you. You can command it with a bonus action. It exists for one hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, or until the druid dies. It also flies, is obviously immune to fire damage as well as most conditions, and utilizes both a ranged Flame Seed attack and a Fiery Teleportation skill that deals damage and can transport allies, granting a party immense battlefield mobility.

Wildfire spirit statistics

  • Enhanced Bond: This 6th-level feature neatly ties together your class features. Whenever you cast a spell that deals fire damage or restores hit points while you wildfire spirit is summoned, you can roll a d8 and gain a bonus equal to the number rolled to one roll of the spell. Additionally, upon casting a ranged spell, the druid can choose to have it originate from either themselves or the wildfire spirit.
  • Cauterizing Flames: The Circle of Wildfire’s 10th-level feature allows you to create spectral flames in the space of dead creatures sized Small or larger. This can only be done when the creature dies within 30 feet of either you or your wildfire spirit, and the flames last for one minute. If another creature enters the space, you can use a reaction to extinguish the spectral flames to either heal the creature or deal damage equal to 2d10 + your Wisdom modifier. This can be done a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. From a healer’s perspective, this feature is stellar, particularly if the party is facing down mobs. It is reminiscent of the healing spirit spell, except handier because it uses your reaction. It can also be used with the wildfire spirit’s Fiery Teleportation to transport weak allies to hit point recovery stations across the battlefield. Dealing damage with this ability might be tough, since it’s unlikely that enemies will willingly enter a flame, but you or a party member could try shoving them into those spaces.
  • Blazing Revival: At 14th level, the wildfire spirit can save you from certain death if it is within 120 feet of you. When you hit 0 hit points, you can choose to reduce your wildfire spirit to 0 hit points instead. This can be flavored as the spirit poofing away in a bright burst of smoke. You then regain half of your hit points to fight another round. Once this handy second chance is used, it can’t be used again until you finish a long rest.

Pros

In Dungeons & Dragons, fire is typically reserved for offensive magic. But the Circle of Wildfire subverts this in a thematic and versatile way.

Being able to switch between dealing damage and casting potent healing spells means that you'll fit into just about any party composition. While you might not be as tanky as your typical druid — since your Wild Shape uses will be spent summoning your wildfire spirit — the fire shield spell can deter enemies from attacking you and the Blazing Revival feature can keep you on your feet. Fiery Teleportation’s usefulness also can’t be understated when you or an ally are in a pinch.

Cauterizing Flames might only see a few uses in a combat encounter, but being able to litter the battlefield with what can only be described as traps and healing packs allow you to gain a tactical advantage over enemies. 

Cons

The Circle of Wildfire is highly dependent on its wildfire spirit, which is an easy target to take out when enemies play smart. Monsters with resistance or immunity to fire will also neuter or outright render a chunk of this subclass’ abilities useless. The Elemental Adept feat can be used to bypass resistance. This subclass also curiously lacks the most iconic fire spell in D&D: fireball. It was initially offered in Unearthed Arcana but was later dropped. Perhaps it simply didn’t match this class’ theme of "controlled destruction."

Meet Lorraine Rockgleam, dwarven protector of a volcano

The Eternal Flame cultist screamed curses as the dwarf parried his sword thrusts and knocked him backwards with a burning blast from her fingertips. As her enemy lay prone on the ground, the dwarf clapped her hands together and manifested a nimble fox out of thin air. Entirely made of flame, the fox swung its tail in an arc and shot off an array of sizzling embers that set the cultist’s robes ablaze.

“For one who supposedly worships fire, you know very little about its true nature,” the dwarf said, chuckling as the cultist ripped his robes off and ran screaming down the mountain trail.

Circle of Wildfire druid

Lorraine Rockgleam is a member of the Rockgleam dwarf family, which has lived in the shadow of the volcanic Mt. Vallatar for generations. Legend has it that a portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire swirls within the depths of Mt. Vallatar, which has not erupted in the last century but could burst at any moment.

All Rockgleam dwarves venerate the volcano’s power and the bountiful rewards that it offers, living in structures at the base of the mountain. The base can quickly be taken down and reassembled in the event of a lava flow. They forge weapons and armor from Mt. Vallatar’s sulphur deposits, use lava rocks to brew Vallatar Beer — a potent, world-renowned drink — and operate hot spring resorts at the mountain’s many geothermal pools, bringing in a steady flow of tourists year-round.

Lorraine is a member of a select group of Rockgleam druids who were forged in the intense heat of Mt. Vallatar’s caverns. A master in the art of controlling fire since childhood, Lorraine specializes in communicating with the occasional fire elemental that emerges from the volcano’s depths, and on duller days, patrols Mt. Vallatar’s trails to keep tourists from straying too far from the sanctioned hot springs.

Lately, members of the Cult of the Eternal Flame have been sighted poking their noses around the mountain, and Lorraine has taken it upon herself to defend her home against these evildoers who would pervert the power of fire for their own nefarious purposes.

Playing Lorraine

Lorraine is a chaotic good mountain dwarf with the Outlander background. She sports high Wisdom and Constitution scores, and has a decent Intelligence score that represents her knowledge of the region she lives in. She has proficiency in the follow skills and tools:

Feats

Lorraine has the Elemental Adept feat. Elemental Adept allows Lorraine to ignore resistance to fire damage with her spells. Further, when she rolls damage for a spell that deals fire damage, she treats any 1 on the die as a 2. 

Spells

Lorraine’s magic is largely themed around fire and healing, as befitting her Circle of Wildfire training. For cantrips, she relies on control flames, create bonfire and produce flame, and she has guidance at her disposal.

Faerie fire lets her identify any stray tourists who might wander too far on Mt. Vallatar’s trails. Flame bladeheat metal and wall of fire are all spells that she uses to bring the pain to cultists lurking in her territory. Lorraine can also use gust of wind in conjunction with Cauterizing Flames to push opponents into her spectral flames.

When facing an opponent immune to fire damage, Lorraine has a few spells at her disposal that mimic the bludgeoning quakes of a volcano, like earth tremor and erupting earth. She’s likely to transition to more of a support role in these instances, utilizing cure wounds, healing word, revivify, and aura of life. At higher levels, she’ll cast mass cure wounds to heal party members and wrath of nature to create obstacles for enemies.

Magic items

Like all Rockgleam dwarves, Lorraine wears Armor of Fire Resistance, Hide. She also possesses a number of Potions of Fire Breath and Potions of Fire Resistance, which she might lend out to friends who are less versed in pyrotechnics. Last but not least, she wears a Necklace of Fireballs forged from the sulfur of Mt. Vallatar that lets her use fireball when all else fails.

sample character sheet

Playing Lorraine as an NPC

Dungeon Masters who want to use Lorraine and the other Rockgleam dwarves in a campaign can advertise Mt. Vallatar’s hot springs as a rest stop for player characters eager to soothe their bones and heal their wounds. Both the hardy dwarf and her volcano could also be integrated into Princes of the Apocalypse, an adventure which features the Cult of Eternal Flame.

Druids with a burning passion

There are many different types of characters you can create with this subclass, from the likes of Lorraine Rockgleam to more unpredictable pyromaniacs. If fire’s your favorite element and you’re interested in a druid who’s best at burning everything down before building it back up again, then the Circle of Wildfire is perfect for you.

Fizban's Treasury of Dragons is now available for preorder on D&D Beyond! The book adds new player options, including draconic ancestries for dragonborn, dragon-themed monk and ranger subclasses, as well as feats and spells. Learn all about 20 different kinds of dragons and their minions. Dungeon Masters will enjoy the included lair maps and the rich lore behind the First World and more! Those with a Master-tier subscription can share books they've purchased with players in their campaigns.


Jeremy Blum (@PixelGrotto) is a journalist, gaming blogger, comic book aficionado, and fan of all forms of storytelling who rolled his first polyhedral dice while living in Hong Kong in 2017. Since then, he's never looked back and loves roleplaying games for the chance to tell the tales that have been swirling in his head since childhood.

Comments

  • To post a comment, please or register a new account.
Posts Quoted:
Reply
Clear All Quotes