Circle of the Waves

Druids of the Circle of the Waves are guardians of the sea, from briny shores to frigid depths. They watch over coral systems, tidal currents, and kelp forests, and they are as dedicated to protecting their brethren under the waves as they are to coastal settlements and tributaries.

Gifts of the Sea

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to converse with aquatic beasts. Beasts with a swimming speed can understand your speech, and you gain the ability to decipher their noises and motions.

Additionally, you gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

Combat Wild Shape

When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain the ability to use Wild Shape on your turn as a bonus action, rather than as an action.

Additionally, while you are transformed by Wild Shape, you can use a bonus action to expend one spell slot to regain 1d8 hit points per level of the spell slot expended.

Circle Forms

The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous aquatic forms. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as 1 (you ignore the Max. CR column of the Beast Shapes table).

Additionally, the limitations on the movement type of the beasts you can transform into are reversed. At 2nd level, you are able to transform into beasts with a swimming speed. At 4th level, this extends to beasts with a walking speed. The restriction on beasts with a flying speed remains the same.

Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down.

Thalassic Strike

Starting at 6th level, your attacks in beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Circle Forms

The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous aquatic forms. Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down.

Monstrous Wild Shape

At 10th level, you can expend two uses of Wild Shape at the same time to transform into an aldani (lobsterfolk), a decapus, a kelpie, a sea lion, or a shell shark.

In addition, you become amphibious even when not transformed. You are able to breathe both air and water.

Shoal Sharer

By 14th level, you can share your ability to transform with those around you. Once per day, you can cast the animal shapes spell. The animal forms you choose must be aquatic beasts with a swimming speed. The normal restrictions on creature challenge rating still apply, and the duration of the spell is reduced to 8 hours when you cast it with this feature.