Circle of Big Cats

A lioness lurks in the grass, stalking its prey. A leopard perched in a tree, ready to pounce. A tiger blends in with its surroundings as it searches for food. The Druids of the Circle of Big Cats find themselves following the lifestyles of various large cats. They may live a solitary lifestyle or in a large group, often with the type of cat they choose to emulate in their lifestyle. They seek only to live in peace with nature, and will defend it with their lives. They act on instinct and often don't find themselves in the presence of any advanced society.

Feline Characteristics

Upon choosing this circle, you can enhance a physical aspect of yourself to adapt more to your feline companions.

Choose one of the following benefits:

• Your base walking speed is increased by 10 feet.
• You count as one size category larger for your carrying capacity.
• You gain darkvision to a range of 60 feet.
• You gain a climbing speed of 30 feet.

You may decide to change this feature whenever you gain a level in this class.

Carrying Capacity

You count as large when determining your carrying capacity.

Climbing Speed

You gain a climbing speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision

You gain darkvision to a range of 60 feet.

Walking Speed

Your base walking speed is increased by 10 feet.

Animal Companion

At 3rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. For this subclass, your companion begins using the Panther stat block (you can flavor your companion to be any cat you wish, work with your DM on how you can make flavor adjustments). Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals 5 + 5 times your Druid level, and it has a number of Hit Dice (d8s) equal to your Druid Level.

The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). As a bonus action, you can command your companion to take the Attack action. If you choose not to issue a command, your companion takes the Dodge action.

If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.

As you gain levels, your companion also changes. At level 4, you can use the Tiger stat block for your companion. At 8th level, you may use the Sabre-Toothed Tiger stat block for your companion, although it retains its medium size.

If the beast dies, you can obtain a new companion by spending 8 hours magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements.

Feline Shape

Starting at 6th level, when you use your Wild Shape ability, you can transform into any cat-like beast of a CR equal to your druid level divided by 3.

Call of the Pack

Starting at level 10, once per long rest, you can cast Conjure Animals at 3rd level without expanding a spell slot. The animals you summon must be cats. Additionally, when you use this feature, you may choose to cast the spell at a higher level using the appropriate spell slot (5th, 7th, & 9th). You can also expend a spell slot of levels 4th, 6th, & 8th to enhance the spell in various ways: 

• 4th level: The animals you conjure are under the Magic Weapon spell.
• 6th level: The animals you conjure are under the Enlarge/Reduce spell (the 5th level spell ability still applies).
• 8th level: The animals you conjure are under the Elemental Weapon spell (the 7th level spell ability still applies).

Lastly, you and your animal companion, along with any animals you conjure, are under the effects of pack tactics with each other.

Apex Predator

At 14th level, the bond between you and your animal companion cannot be severed. Your companion grows one size category, their attacks deal an extra die of damage, and they gain an additional 20HP. Additionally, when you command them to make an attack, they can make two attacks instead of one.

You have learned to hone your ability to transform into these majestic creatures, so much so that you are able to become an empowered version.

When you Wild Shape, you can choose to transform into a cat but one size category larger. You deal an extra die of damage of the creature’s attacks, and your HP is double that of the base creature. You can maintain this form for 10 minutes, or until you are reduced to 0HP.

When this Wild Shape ends, you revert to the normal stats of the cat your are transformed into with full health of that creature with the remaining time of this use of Wild Shape. This feature can only be used once per day, and resets after a long rest.