Circle of the Beast (Forest)

Druids of the Circle of the Beast share a deep love and respect for the fauna of the natural world. When initiating into the circle, they bond with a life-long animal companion that embodies the spirit of the lands they call home. Their companion is an extension of themselves as well as their physical and emotional connection to nature. As a result, they are fiercely loyal and will fight to protect their druidic master and the lands they safeguard against any threat, no matter how dire.

Primal Companion

You magically summon a primal beast, which draws strength from your bond with nature. The beast is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. It uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. You determine the kind of animal the beast is, choosing a kind appropriate for the stat block. Whatever kind you choose, the beast bears primal markings, indicating its mystical origin.

In combat, the beast acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes 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. You can also sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Attack action. If you are incapacitated, the beast can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

If the beast has died within the last hour, you can use your action to touch it and expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The beast returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored. When you finish a long rest, you can summon a different primal beast. The new beast appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, and you choose its stat block and appearance. If you already have a beast from this feature, it vanishes when the new beast appears. The beast also vanishes if you die.

Beast of the Land
Medium Beast
Armor Class: 13 + PB (natural armor)
Hit Points: 5 + five times your ranger level (the beast has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your ranger level)
Speed: 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

STR          DEX          CON          INT          WIS          CHA
14 (+2)    14 (+2)     15 (+2)     8 (-1)       14 (+2)     11 (+0)

Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages: understands the languages you speak
Challenge: —
Proficiency Bonus (PB): equals your bonus

Charge: If the beast moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a maul attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra ld6 slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.

Primal Bond: You can add your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw that the beast makes.

Actions
Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 2 + PB slashing damage.

Circle Spells

Your mystical connection to the land infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells connected to the land where your primal companion is from. Choose that land — arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, swamp, or Underdark — and consult the associated list of spells.

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.

Arctic

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	hold person, spike growth
5th	sleet storm, slow
7th	freedom of movement, ice storm
9th	commune with nature, cone of cold

Coast

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	mirror image, misty step
5th	water breathing, water walk
7th	control water, freedom of movement
9th	conjure elemental, scrying

Desert

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	blur, silence
5th	create food and water, protection from energy
7th	blight, hallucinatory terrain
9th	insect plague, wall of stone

Forest

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	barkskin, spider climb
5th	call lightning, plant growth
7th	divination, freedom of movement
9th	commune with nature, tree stride

Grassland

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	invisibility, pass without trace
5th	daylight, haste
7th	divination, freedom of movement
9th	dream, insect plague

Mountain

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	spider climb, spike growth
5th	lightning bolt, meld into stone
7th	stone shape, stoneskin
9th	passwall, wall of stone

Swamp

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	darkness, acid arrow
5th	water walk, stinking cloud
7th	freedom of movement, locate creature
9th	insect plague, scrying

Underdark

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	spider climb, web
5th	gaseous form, stinking cloud
7th	greater invisibility, stone shape
9th	cloudkill, insect plague

Exceptional Training

Beginning at 6th level, on any of your turns when your beast companion doesn’t attack, you can use a bonus action to command the beast to take the Dash, Disengage, or Help action on its turn.

In addition, the beast's attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Bestial Fury

Starting at 10th level, when you command your beast companion to take the Attack action, the beast can make two attacks, or it can take the Multiattack action if it has that action.

Share Spells

Beginning at 14th level, when you cast a spell or 5th level or lower targeting yourself, you can also affect your beast companion with the spell if the beast is within 30 feet of you.