Base Class: Druid
Druids of the Circle of the Shepherd commune with the spirits of nature, especially the spirits, for aid. These druids recognize that all living things play a role in the natural world, yet they focus on protecting animals and fey creatures that have difficulty defending themselves, Shepherds, as they are known, see such creatures as their charges. They ward off monsters that threaten them, rebuke hunters who kill more prey than necessary, and prevent civilization from encroaching on rare animal habitats and on sites secret to the fey. Many of these druids are happiest far away from cities and towns, content to spend their days in the company of animals and the fey creatures of the wild. Members of this circle become adventurers to oppose forces that threaten their charges or seek knowledge and power that will help them safeguard their charges better.
Speech of the Woods
You learn to speak, read, and write Sylvan. Beasts can understand your speech, and you can decipher their noises and motions.
Spirit Totem
As a bonus action, you can magically summon an incorporeal spirit to a point you can see within 60 feet of you. The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an object, though it has the spectral appearance of the creature it represents. As a bonus action, you can move the spirit up to 60 feet to a point you can see.
The spirit persists for 1 minute. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
The effect of the spirit’s aura depends on the type of spirit you summon from the options below.
Bear Spirit. The bear spirit grants you and your allies its might and endurance. Each creature of your choice in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points equal to 5 + your druid level. In addition, you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura.
Hawk Spirit. The hawk spirit is a consummate hunter, aiding you and your allies with its keen sight. When a creature makes an attack roll against a target in the spirit’s aura, you can use your reaction to grant advantage to that attack roll. In addition, you and your allies have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks while in the aura.
Unicorn Spirit. The unicorn spirit lends its protection to those nearby. You and your allies gain advantage on all ability checks made to detect creatures in the spirit’s aura. In addition, if you cast a spell using a spell slot that restores hit points to any creature inside or outside the aura, each creature of your choice in the aura also regains hit points equal to your druid level.
Mighty Summoner
- The creature appears with more hit points than normal: 2 extra hit points per Hit Die it has.
- The damage from its natural weapons is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Guardian Spirit
Beginning at 10th level, your Spirit Totem safeguards the beasts and fey that you call forth with your magic. When a beast or fey that you summoned or created with a spell ends its turn in your Spirit Totem aura, that creature regains a number of hit points equal to half your druid level.
Faithful Summons
Starting at 14th level, the nature spirits you commune with protect you when you are the most defenseless. If you are reduced to 0 hit points or are incapacitated against your will, you can immediately gain the benefits of Conjure Animals as if it were cast with a 9th-level spell slot. It summons four beasts of your choice that are challenge rating 2 or lower. The conjured beasts appear within 20 feet of you. If they receive no commands from you, they protect you from harm and attack your foes. The spell lasts for 1 hour, requiring no concentration, or until you dismiss it (no action required).
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Bonus Cantrip
When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you learn one additional druid cantrip of your choice. This cantrip doesn’t count against the number of druid cantrips you know.
Natural Recovery
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.
For example, when you are a 4th-level druid, you can recover up to two levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level slot or two 1st-level slots.
Circle Spells
Your mystical connection to the land infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells connected to the land where you became a druid. Choose that land — arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, swamp, or Underdark — and consult the associated list of spells.
Once you gain access to a circle spell, 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.
Arctic
| Druid Level | Spells |
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Coast
| Druid Level | Spells |
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Desert
| Druid Level | Spells |
|---|---|
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Forest
| Druid Level | Spells |
|---|---|
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Grassland
| Druid Level | Spells |
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Mountain
| Druid Level | Spells |
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Swamp
| Druid Level | Spells |
|---|---|
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Underdark
| Druid Level | Spells |
|---|---|
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3rd |
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5th |
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7th |
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9th |
Land’s Stride
Starting at 6th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the entangle spell.
Nature’s Ward
When you reach 10th level, you can’t be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey, and you are immune to poison and disease.
Nature’s Sanctuary
When you reach 14th level, creatures of the natural world sense your connection to nature and become hesitant to attack you. When a beast or plant creature attacks you, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your druid spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
The creature is aware of this effect before it makes its attack against you.