Circle of the Ravenous (Beta 1.2)

Druids of the Circle of the Ravenous are marked by an ancient curse, making them distinct from other druids. They embody chaos and a predatory nature, driven by an insatiable hunger. These druids are nomadic, often solitary wanderers, shunned by others due to their cursed heritage and unsettling transformations.

Unlike their traditional brethren, they do not protect nature's balance. Instead, they roam the realms, driven by their endless craving. Their existence is marked by bizarre adventures and dark rituals.

These druids have a deep connection to their bestial transformations and often prefer to be in their Wild or Feral Shape rather than their natural state. This practice estranges them further from society. And due to their chaotic nature and unnatural shapeshifting ability, they are estranged even from other druidic circles, often resulting in them being exiled or outright hunted.

Despite their perceived darkness, the druids of the Circle of the Ravenous embody a deep understanding of the primal cycle of predator and prey. Their journey is one of survival and discovery.

Curse of the Ravenous

2nd-level Circle of the Ravenous feature

Upon embracing the Circle of the Ravenous at 2nd level, the ancient curse of your lineage awakens, granting you a unique method to harness the forms of the wild. Unlike traditional druids, you must engage in the primal act of Consumption to assume the shape of a creature. 

Consumption: You can consume a portion of a creature that is alive or has been dead less than 48 hours (unless magically preserved). This can be done as an action on a corpse or as an attack action on a living creature. Dealing ( 1d6 + PB ) piercing damage, increasing to 2d6 at 6th-level, 2d8 at 12th-level, and 2d10 at 18th-level. You acquire the ability to shapeshift into the consumed creature type if it is either dead, or has half-HP or less.

Saving Throw: When consuming anything other than a beast, make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + target's CR). On a failure, you suffer 1 level of exhaustion for 1 hour and become incapacitated for 2 turns. Success negates these effects. Regardless of the outcome, you can shapeshift into the consumed creature. If you consume a creature type you do not have the appetite for, you automatically fail the save and are incapacitated for an additional 2 hours. You can still use the consumed creature's shape once you have the prerequisite appetite.

Unnatural Appetite: Starting at 2nd level, and again at 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 18th-levels, you gain the appetite for a new creature type from the following list: Aberration, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, and Undead. Obtaining the ability to shapeshift into and safely consume creatures of that type.

Player/DM Note: It is entirely your DM's decision which creature appetites should, and should not allowed in their campaign/adventure setting.

Appetite: Aberration

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Aberrations.

Appetite: Celestial

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Celestials.

Appetite: Construct

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Constructs.

Appetite: Dragon

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Dragons.

Appetite: Elemental

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Elementals.

Appetite: Fey

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Fey.

Appetite: Fiend

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Fiends.

Appetite: Giant

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Giants.

Appetite: Monstrosity

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Monstrosities.

Appetite: Ooze

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Oozes.

Appetite: Plant

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Plant based creatures.

Appetite: Undead

By choosing this option, you acquire an appetite for Undead.

Twisted Genetics

2nd-level Circle of the Ravenous feature

Upon embracing the Circle of the Ravenous at 2nd level, the ancient curse within you grants unique transformative abilities and restricts your ability to wield magic.

Cursed Spellcasting: Your curse has severely restricted your magical abilities. You can only learn and cast cantrips. However, if you assume a shapeshifted form that inherently has the ability to cast spells, you can cast those spells as long as you remain in that form. You do not gain any additional spell casts or the ability to learn or prepare new spells beyond what the shapeshifted form provides.

Primal Mantle: When you shapeshift into any form, you retain the essence of the beast within, and for the purposes of spells and effects, you are still considered a beast.

Rapid Metamorphosis: You can now shapeshift as a bonus action instead of an action.

Transformation Capability (Wild Shape): Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into a creature with a CR as high as 1 (you ignore the Max. CR column of the Beast Shapes table but must follow the other limitations).

At 6th level, you can transform into a beast with a CR as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down.

Regenerative Tissue

3rd-level Circle of the Ravenous feature

The ancient curse within you bestows remarkable resilience.

Savage Endurance: Once per long rest, when an attack would reduce you to 0 hit points, you instead drop to 1 hit point. This tenacity persists, no matter what form you do or do not take.

Regeneration: In any shapeshifted state, you can spend a spell slot as a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d6 per level of the spell slot used, plus your proficiency bonus.

Insatiable Appetite: Once per short rest when you use Consumption, you regain one charge of Wild Shape. If used as an attack action, the attack must hit for this effect to activate.

Feral Might

6th-level Circle of the Ravenous feature

At 6th level, your curse intensifies, enhancing your transformative abilities.

Feral Shape: You can shapeshift by expending spell slots equal to or greater than the CR of the target transformation. This advanced form of shapeshifting is known as Feral Shape.

Primal Might: While in any shapeshifted form, your attacks are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Transformation Capability (Feral Shape): When using Feral Shape, you can shapeshift into creatures with a CR equal to half your druid level, rounded down, plus one. You may also disregard all limits imposed by the Beast Shapes table.

Chimeric Savagery

10th-level Circle of the Ravenous feature

At 10th level, the Curse of the Ravenous amplifies, allowing you to harness savage Chimeric Shapes. This can be done once per long rest and shares its cooldown with Apex Chimeric Shape.

Chimeric Shape: Activate by expending two Wild Shape uses. Once transformed, you can maintain your Chimeric Shape for up to 30 minutes, which doubles to 1 hour with the Archdruid feature. Choose from these options:

• Stitchbeast: Hit & Run, Flight, Damage Dealer
• Hellsting Stalker: Burrowing, Ambush, Traps, Damage Dealer
• Stygian Chelonian: Barricade, Zone Control, Defender
• Malignant Ooze: Anti-magic, Zone Control, Support

Drawback: After the transformation ends, roll a d20 and a d6, subtracting the d6 from the d20. If the result is 1 or less, you fall unconscious for 1 turn and suffer 1-level of exhaustion for 1 hour.

Apex Predator

14th-level Circle of the Ravenous feature

At 14th level, the Curse of the Ravenous fully awakens within you, granting access to Apex Feral Shape and Apex Chimeric Shape.

Apex Feral Shape: Once per day, by spending spell slots totaling at least 2x the creature's CR, you can transform into any creature you have consumed with a CR up to your druid level. This transformation lasts 10 minutes, or 1 hour with the Archdruid feature, and reflects an average example of the creature, without class levels or spellcasting abilities.

Apex Chimeric Shape: Activate by expending two Wild Shape uses. Once transformed, you can maintain your Chimeric Shape for up to 15 minutes, which doubles to 30 minutes with the Archdruid feature.

• The Ravenous Predator: Agressive, Quick, Terrifying, Damage Dealer

Drawback: After the transformation ends, roll a d20 and a d8, subtracting the d8 from the d20. If the result is 1 or less, you fall unconscious for 1 turn and suffer 1-level of exhaustion for 1 hour.

DM's Discretion: In high combat campaign/adventure settings, consider removing the daily limitation on Apex Feral Shape.