An ancient circle of honor-bound wardens, the Circle of Dragons subclass from The Griffon's Saddlebag: Book Two brings the fury of scale and wing to the Druid class. Often tied to royal legacies and powerful families of the world, Druids of the Circle of Dragons represent a unique synergy of druidic magic, connection to nature, and the nobility of dragons and their kin.
Draconic Lore
One of the first features the Circle of Dragons unlocks is knowledge of dragons and their lore and culture. This feature allows you to speak, read, and write Draconic. Also, whenever you make Intelligence (History) checks related to draconic history or lore, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to the check. If you're already proficient in the History skill, your Proficiency Bonus is doubled in these instances.
This feature turns your Druid into a veritable dragon expert, perfect if you find yourself parlaying with a ferocious red dragon or gossiping with a curious brass dragon.
Dragon Shape and Improved Dragon Shape
Circle of Dragon Druids can channel their connection with dragons to become dragon-like themselves! With the Dragon Shape feature, you're able to expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to take on a draconic form. While in this form, you gain natural armor, a Climb Speed, and Temporary Hit Points, but retain all your other statistics. You can remain in this form for a limited time or until you drop to 0 Hit Points.
When you assume this form, you can choose what type of dragon you become, which influences the nature of your Breath Weapon. This is a special action you can use in your draconic form, along with a vicious Bite action.
At later levels, you gain an improved version of this feature, which makes your dragon form even stronger. Your AC and damage from your Breath Weapon increases, and you gain an additional action in the form of a deadly Claw attack. You can also make multiple attacks and gain Darkvision or an improvement to your Darkvision if you already have it.
Draconic Magic
Your draconic form continues to grow in power, and now, with the Draconic Magic feature, you can cast spells while in your dragon shape. The spells must be Druid spells of level 3 or lower and can't use Material components.
Your dragon shape also gains further improvements to your AC, Resistance to the damage type associated with your Breath Weapon, and a Fly Speed.
Heart of a Dragon
When your Circle of Dragon Druids reaches the pinnacle of their draconic power, Heart of a Dragon grants the ability to use your Breath Weapon even when not in your dragon shape.
When you are transformed, your AC increases further, your Fly Speed increases, and you can now make three attacks when you take the Attack action–one bite and two claw attacks. You have truly become a dragon.
Enter the Dragon
With the Circle of Dragons subclass, Druids can channel the power of one of the most intimidating and awe-inspiring creatures in all of D&D, the titular dragon. Through a series of features, your draconic form grows increasingly powerful in this incredible thematic dragon-based subclass, a perfect partner to the Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk, Drakewarden Ranger, and Draconic Sorcery Sorcerer if you're aiming for a dragon-themed party.
You can get the Circle of Dragons Druid subclass in The Griffon's Saddlebag: Book Two, which is available today on the D&D Beyond marketplace.
Davyd is a moderator for D&D Beyond. A Dungeon Master of over fifteen years, he enjoys Marvel movies, writing, and of course running D&D for his friends and family, including partner Steph and his daughter Willow (well, one day). They live with their two cats Asker and Khatleesi in the south of England.
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Posted Apr 25, 2025Dragons are the best creatures in dnd, no contest. I would definitely play this class.
also first
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Posted Apr 25, 2025I also think that it is cool to have a subclass with a flying speed and possibly an alternative to 20th level druids begging their DM for an owlbear. (also 2nd)
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Posted Apr 26, 2025Can i select it as a subclass with the 2024 druid here on D&D Beyond. Or is it locked under 2014 rules like other 3rd party subclasses.
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Posted Apr 26, 2025You need to turn on the content in your character builder, but it should show up... It should...
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Posted Apr 26, 2025i just hope all the third party books get updated to the 2024 rules now that 5.2 is out
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Posted Apr 26, 2025Yes. Just yes. This is perfect.
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Posted Apr 26, 2025We just paid for the new players hand book and already having to pay for another book just to unlock subclasses. Get absolutely screwed wizards of the coast.
Why was this not added to the already updated books you just bloody released.
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Posted Apr 26, 2025Please learn what 3rd-party content is & how Partnered Content is arranged on Beyond before declaring greed in THIS case.
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Posted Apr 26, 2025One of my players is currently using this Sub. A fun Sub to have at the table. I wish you’d put book one on the market.
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Posted Apr 27, 2025Because its THIRD PARTY. There is money involved, copyright and distribution contracts that are adhered to. You don't have to buy anything, even the Free Rules are enough to start playing.
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Posted Apr 27, 2025I whole heartedly agree!
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Posted Apr 28, 2025from my reading and understanding (unless i missed something) this statement is wrong " You can remain in this form for a limited time or until you lose all your Temporary Hit Points."
it does talk about how you loose the form is you stay in it to many hours or if you run out of hit points but nothing says its temp hit points its just normal hit points. Unless it was copied wrong to dndbeyond which is fair mistakes happen tho i dont own the book irl to check but if someone else does id love to hear about it. It looks like they want you to really be the dragon for as long as you can with no real time limit. tho while i do love the subclass the amount of temp HP you gain is insane imo and id love to see the breath weapon gain more bc right now its damage is lack luster id personally talk to my DM and trade out the temp HP changing it to half of max and add in more power to the breath weapon since you are trading in 3 strong melee attacks for a 5d6 breath weapon its pretty mid the way i see the subclass is this
you have the AC of a young
HP of an ancient to adult
damage of a young
breath weapon of a wyrmling at 20th lvl
nerfing the THP and buffing the breath makes sense to me
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Posted Apr 28, 2025Here is a direct copy/paste from the book:
At 2nd level, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature as a bonus action to transform into a unique form: your dragon shape. You become a Medium dragon while in this form, standing on all fours, but retain your normal character statistics and senses. Your dragon shape’s AC is equal to 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum 2) and has a walking speed and climbing speed of 30 feet. In addition, when you take this form, you gain temporary hit points equal to your hit point maximum. When you return to your normal form, you lose any remaining temporary hit points.
You can remain in this form for a number of hours equal to half your druid level, rounded down. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.
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Posted Apr 28, 2025so i was right? it doesnt say anything about loosing the form if you loose your temp HP (unless my selective reading strikes again)
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Posted Apr 28, 2025I am reading "drop to 0 hit points" as a total loss of hit points, both temporary and regular. But it can also be ruled as losing all of you temporary HP. The wording is the exact same as the PHB 2014.
PHB 2024 states: When you assume a Wild Shape form, you gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to your Druid level.
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Posted Apr 28, 2025Probably because the book was primarily written for 2014.
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Posted Apr 28, 20255e normally says you loose something if you loose the temp HP this doesnt so im like 99% sure you keep the form unless you go to 0
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Posted Apr 29, 2025This has been fixed in the article!
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Posted Apr 29, 2025dope!
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Posted May 14, 2025So a druid can assume dragon form each time they use one of their wild shapes... and each time they get temp hp equal to their max health? Seems a bit OP