Druids within the Circle of Thorns hold to the belief that being beautiful does not mean being helpless. Just as a rose, an example of the true beauty that can be found in nature, defends itself with thorns, so do the members of this circle surround themselves in beauty, and are willing to fight to defend it. The magic of this circle is largely protective, based around defending nature when required without needing to be forceful and aggressive. After all, one who admires a rose suffers no harm from it, it is only one who tries to grasp it without regard who gets hurt.
The Circle of Thorns meets in secret enclaves, hidden away from the rest of the world in order to protect all that lies within. They have become guardians of these havens, and their magic and skill has preserved them for hundreds of years.

Armor of Thorns

2nd-level Circle of Thorns feature

As an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to wreath yourself in thorn-covered vines which protect you like a suit of armor, rather than transforming into a beast.
When you activate this feature, you gain temporary hit points equal to ten times your proficiency bonus. At the start of each of your turns while the armor of thorns is still active, your temporary hit points are restored to five times your proficiency bonus. All of these temporary hit points are vulnerable to fire damage. In addition to this, you gain the following benefits:

• You grow one size larger.
• You gain a melee weapon attack that deals 1d10 magical piercing damage on a hit and has a reach of 10 feet, as you are able to lash out with the thorns and vines. You are proficient with this attack, and you add your Wisdom modifier to the attack and damage rolls.
• You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
• If a creature hits you with a melee attack while the armor is active, the creature takes magical piercing damage equal to your Wisdom modifier.

These benefits last for 10 minutes, until you use your Wild Shape again, or until you lose all of the temporary hit points. If your temporary hit points are reduced to 0, the armor of thorns falls apart, and is no longer considered active.

Circle Spells

3rd-level Circle of Thorns feature

Your magical training within your enclave grants you the ability to cast certain spells. This bond grants you access to some spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Circle of Thorns 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.

In addition, when you cast ensnaring strike or hail of thorns, you can cast it on a creature you can touch instead of being limited to yourself.

Circle of Thorns Spells

DRUID LEVEL	SPELLS
2nd	thorn whip, ensnaring strike, hail of thorns
3rd	barkskin, spike growth
5th	glyph of warding, plant growth
7th	grasping vine, guardian of nature
9th	wrath of nature, hallow

Mystic Enclave

6th-level Circle of Thorns feature

You gain the ability to designate an area as a protected haven. The area can have a radius up to 60 feet, and must be enclosed with a definable entrance, such as the door to a room, or the mouth of a cave. You can spend 10 minutes to magically ward the area, after which thorn covered vines spread over the entrance. When you or creatures you designate approach the thorns, they part like a curtain, allowing entry. When a creature you have not designated attempts to pass through the thorns, they take 1d10 magical piercing damage, and must make a Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC in order to make it through. The vines have an AC of 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus, have hit points equal to five times your proficiency bonus, and are vulnerable to fire damage.

When you set up the enclave, you can cast glyph of warding without requiring material components, specifically placing the glyph within the vines that cover the entrance. You may cast it using a spell slot of your choice and choose the effects as normal, but the trigger is always that the glyph activates if the vines take any damage. If the vines take any damage, all creatures within the enclave are magically awoken.

The enclave persists for as long as you remain within it. After you leave, it lasts for a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus.

Bulwark of Thorns

10th-level Circle of Thorns feature

You can cast the wall of thorns without expanding a spell slot once per long rest. You and creatures you designate can move through the wall without being hindered or damaged.

Guardian Shroud

14th-level Circle of Thorns feature

Your magic can protect those you care for in their most vulnerable moments. As a reaction when a creature you can see within 100 feet of you drops to 0 hit points, you can enshroud them in thorn covered vines. The vines form a cocoon around the creature, giving them total cover from any attacks or other effects. The vines have an AC of 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus, and have hit points equal to five times your Wisdom modifier. If a creature attempts to break through the vines or attack them, all creatures within 5 feet of the cocoon must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take 2d8 magical piercing damage. A creature inside the vines is considered stable while they persist, not needing to make death saving throws. If the vines persist for 1 minute, they shrivel and fall away, and the creature inside regains 1 hit point. If the creature inside wakes up before the minute passes, they can effortlessly tear through the shroud of vines from within. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.