Circle of Ashes

An avatar of smoke is the ultimate scout and guide to their party, they can be in and out without people knowing they were there. The best in their field and at their strongest in dark areas or in the wildfires of the plains and forests. A Druid or a Ranger can take this subclass.

Of Ash and Embers

2nd-level Circle of  the Ashes feature

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to speak with fire or a pile of ashes. As an action, you can call to the spirit of ashes within 10 feet of you, allowing it to communicate with you in Ignan and answer questions that you pose. You can ask the ashes up to three questions before the effect ends. The ashes know only what has occurred around it within 60 feet, since it was lit, though it can usually describe the individual who lit it and always knows the nature of objects and materials that it has burned. If a fire fully burned a corpse within 10 days of the creature's death, completely reducing it to ash, you can ask one question about what that corpse knew in life. Answers are usually brief, sometimes as short as one word or phrase, or in the form of images and shapes, but the ashes always answer honestly. 

If a fire that was extinguished is reignited within 10 minutes, it will remember what occurred before it was extinguished preserved in the ashes, but it’s memory afterwards is limited to a 5 foot range and is often hazy during the period between being extinguished and being reignited. A fire that is regularly extinguished and reignited, such as that in a fireplace or forge, may possess memories from previous times it was lit, even if it had been extinguished for more than 10 minutes. But will still have no memory of any period during which it was not alight. 

The ashes only retain their memories for up to 3 days if not reignited before the only memories that remain are of those who lit it.

Once you use this feature to speak with a fire, you cannot speak with the same ashes again for 24 hours.

Summon Ashen Beast

2nd-level Circle of  the Ashes feature

You can summon a primal spirit of smoke and ash. As an action, you can expend one use of your Wild Shape feature to summon your ashen beast spirit, rather than assuming a beast form. The ashen beast appears in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 15 feet of you. Each creature within 10 feet of the spirit (other than you) when it appears must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until their next turn.

The beast is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See its game statistics in the accompanying Ashen Beast stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. You can determine the cosmetic characteristics of the beast, such as its color, the beast it resembles, or any visible effect; your choice has no effect on its game statistics.

In combat, the beast shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. The only action it takes on its turn 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. If you are incapacitated, the spirit can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

The spirit manifests for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to summon the beast again, or until you die.

 

Ashen bEAST

Medium beast, elemental

Armor Class 11 + PB (natual armor)

Hit Points 5 + five times your druid level (the beast has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your druid level)

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

STR

15 (+2)

DEX

14 (+2)

CON

16(+3)

INT

8 (-1)

WIS

14 (+2)

CHA

10(+0)

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages understands the languages you speak

Challenge — Proficiency Bonus equals your bonus

Pack Tactics (Land Only). The beast has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the beast’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

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 1d6 fire damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.

Spiritual 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.

Burning Embers. Once per short rest, the beast can expel a burst of smoke and burning embers. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 2d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Billowing Smoke. Once per short rest, the beast can produce a 20-foot-radius sphere of smoke centered on itself and moves with the beast. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts for the duration or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.

Blessings of Flame

2nd-level Circle of  the Ashes feature

When you choose this circle at 2nd level you gain the control flames, create bonfire or produce flame cantrips which don't count against the number of cantrips you know. You also learn to speak, read, and write Primordial and gain proficiency in one set of artisan's tools of your choice.

Additionally you learn the following spells when you reach certain levels in this class.

Once you gain access to one of these spells, 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.

Circle of Ashes Spells

DRUID LEVEL	SPELLS
2nd	burning hands
3rd	heat metal
5th	gaseous form
7th	wall of fire
9th	immolation

 

Volcanic Hurricane

6th-level Circle of  the Ashes feature

Once per short or long rest, you can create a cloud of swirling smoke with red-hot embers floating through it centered on a point within 60ft. of you. The cloud has a 30 foot radius, spreads around corners and is heavily obscured. It lasts for up to 1 minute, you fall unconscious, or you use a bonus action to end it.

When the cloud appears, each creature in it must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 2d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature must also make this saving throw when it enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.

Within the Embers

10th-level Circle of  the Ashes feature

At 10th level, the bond you share with your ashen beast grows stronger, your connection to the ashes strengthens. While your ashen beast is summoned, you and the beast gain the following benefits:

• Ashen Guardian: The ashen beast grows to Large size. It is still incorporeal and thus cannot be used as a mount.
• Burning Ire: The ashen beast's Maul attack deals an extra 1d6 fire damage.
• Ashen Visions: When you use your Of Ash and Embers ability you can ask the spirits of the ashes for guidance. Once per long rest you can cast divination, when you cast the spell in this way your question must concern an event, goal or activity to occur within 3 days instead of 7.

Keeper of the Ashes

14th-level Circle of  the Ashes feature

Your connection to the ashes reaches the pinnacle of gain the following abilities:

• Spread the Ashes: When you use your wild shape feature to summon your ashen beast you can summon two ashen beasts instead of just one. If you do so the beast's size becomes Medium.
• Ashes to Ashes: Once per long rest, as a reaction when you are hit by an attack you can instead swap places with one of your ashen beasts, having them take the blow provided they are within 60 feet of you.