Circle of the Pine

Author's Note: Hello all! I have wanted to create a powerful home-brew subclass for a long time for my favorite dnd class, but I am inexperienced in creating things like this and wanted to get some feedback. I know some of the features are strong, but that was the point. I wanted to make a strong subclass for the druid, but I want to make sure it's balanced. Any constructive criticism is welcome. For background, this is a subclass that I made for a specific character I have in mind. I also hope to continue making themed subclasses like this to fit with a group of druids I have in mind. Again, any constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks in advance! (P.S. please go easy on me:) )

Druids of this circle have a deep connection to the Pine. They embody all of its ideals and focus on ensuring their allies persist through any destruction. Because of these requirements, Druids of this circle are very rare. Majority of the Druids that are a part of this circle are Treants and Dryads, as their connection to the particularly tree is a part of their very nature. 

Circle Spells

2nd-level Circle of the Pine feature

Your embodiment of the Pine has granted you access to some spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Circle of the Pine Spells table.

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 the Pine Spells

Druid Level	Spells
2nd	sanctuary, shield of faith
3rd	aid, [spell]warding bond
5th	beacon of hope, remove curse
7th	aura of life, death ward
9th	greater restoration, mass cure wounds

Embrace the Green

2nd-level Circle of the Pine feature

As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Wild Shape feature to empower yourself with the energy of the Green. While you have this form active, your AC becomes 13 + your Wisdom Modifier and any healing spells you cast heal an additional 2 + the spell's level.

Natural Recovery

2nd level Circle of the Pine feature

Starting at 2nd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with nature. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your druid level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Pine's Persistence

6th-level Circle of the Pine feature

Protect yourself and allies from harm. As a reaction, you can cause yourself or an ally you can see within 30 feet to take half damage from an attack and reflect half the damage back at the attacker. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier and regain all uses on a short rest. 

Pine's Protection

10th-level Circle of the Pine feature

Whenever you heal a creature using a spell slot and you have your Embrace the Green feature active, you can grant that creature the effects of the death ward spell. This effect goes away if you heal another creature and grant them this feature. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. 

Green's Grace

14th-level Circle of the Pine feature

You can now share your bond with the Green with others, protecting the lives around you. If you have your Embrace the Green feature active, you can select one creature you can see within 30 feet (this can include yourself) and inure them to pain. As an action, you can grant this creature resistance to all damage for 1 minute. While they are under this effect, any blow that would reduce them to 0 hit points instead reduces them to 1 hit point. If they suffer another attack, you must make a spell casting ability check with a DC equal to the amount of damage taken or 10 (whichever is higher). On a success, the creature remains at 1 hit point. On a failure, the creature takes the damage as normal. You can use this feature once and then must complete a long rest to do so again.