Circle of Peculiarity

Druids within the Circle of Peculiarity begin to study and observe how the odd existence of certain monstrous creatures like yeti, mimics, griffons, owlbears, piereces and more appear to thrive in the world. They both question and admire the defiance of the natural order these creatures exhibit from magical boosts in evolution that make them teeter between natural and magical. These druids try to understand this through their more direct research using Wild Shape.

They learn to mimic creating new and peculiar monstrosities by using their Wild Shape ability to combine different species of beasts together. The Circle of Peculiarity further embraces primal magic and the unsettling nature of the monstrosities to understand the uncertainties many have in dealing with them. This can often result in them being sighted in the world and cause villagers to speculate the existence of what they had seen, and to craft rumors of where the creatures came from and what they do among others.

Abnormal Shape

When you choose this circle at the 2nd level, you can use Wild Shape as a bonus action and combine two beasts and/or monstrosities with the combined challenge rating up to CR 1/2, or transform into a monstrosity that lacks a language with the CR 1/2. You ignore the Max CR Column of the Beast Shapes table, but most abide by the other limitations there.

Combining these creatures, you choose the following traits from the creatures:

• Size, Armor Class, Hit Points, and Str, Dex, Con from one creature
• Speed from both creatures (apply whichever is the highest)
• Skills and Senses from both creatures
• 3 abilities and 2 attack options from either creature; or 2 ability and 3 attack options from either creature.
• Multiattack and other abilities that are dependent on specific attacks being made counts as an ability and requires the attacks needed to perform it.

Example:

 

Starting at the 4th level, you can transform into a beast or monstrosity combining two beasts or monstrosities up to the combined challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 4. Alternatively, you can shift into a monstrosity with the challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 4 (rounded down) instead. Any selected monstrosity must lack a language entry. 

Unnerving Presence

At the 2nd level, there is something completely unnatural about the use of your Wild Shape forms that instinctively unsettles others. This unnatural presence is capable of causing doubt and hesitation from attackers, and often strikes fear when seeing attacks rendered useless. 

You can use a reaction and expend one spell slot to reduce damage taken from a source.  It's reduced by 1d10+Wisdom Modifier for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d10 for each spell level higher than 1st. If the damage is reduced to 0 then you can have the creature make a Wisdom saving throw against being Frightened for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to being Frightened by this ability for the next 24 hours.

Unexplainable Phenomenon

Starting at 6th level, you've become an unexplainable creature with supernatural abilities unlike anything close to what you appear to be. A monstrosity that people hear whispering haunting words from all around them before magical effects appear to be evoked. 

Your attacks are magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage while in Wild Shape form.

Additionally, while in a Wild Shape form, you can cast spells that have the range of "Self". You can ignore somatic component requirements to cast the spell, and material components only need to be in your inventory. Any spells that require consumed materials will have magically vanished from your inventory when you shift out of your Wild Shape form.

Horrific Shapes

Starting at the 10th level, you've closer to perfected the capability changing into these monstrous creatures, understanding the magical effects many of them have to be higher in the food chain through evolution and magical boons that allow them to defy normal capabilities.

When mixing two creatures equaling your CR limit for Wild Shape you take the preferred size, higher Armor Class, higher Hit Points, and higher Str, Dex, & Con between both creatures and select up to 4 abilities and 4 attack options from them.

 

Example:

Wandering Monster

Starting at 14th level, studying within this circle has caused you both to marvel at the understandings of monstrous creatures and and push your limits even further, unfortunately, it sometimes means unintentionally slipping into the comfort of being a monster.

You can expend 2 uses of Wild Shape at the same time to transform into a beast or monstrosity combining two beasts and monstrosities up to the combined challenge rating, or a monstrosity with the challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3 (rounded down).

There is no duration for staying in this wild shape form, but you still have all the limitations of being wild shaped.

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