Circle of Monstrosities

Nature is not black and white. The natural order cannot be maintained by animals and plants alone, and in fact monsters play an important role in their ecosystems. Druids of the Circle of Monstrosities fully embrace this truth, becoming one with the monsters of the world. By doing so, these druids gain access to a plethora of unnatural powers, but also expose their bodies and souls to a ferocious and wild darkness.

 

Monstrous Shape

Starting at 2nd level, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape to transform into a monstrosity. Your druid level determines the monstrosities you can transform into, as shown in the Monstrous Shapes table.

Additionally, a creature cannot have an Intelligence score of 8 or higher, or be carrying equipment, in order to qualify as a valid Monstrous Shape.

             Monstrous Shapes                            

Druid Level	Max. CR	Limitations	Examples
2nd	1/2	No flying, burrowing or swim speed	Rust Monster, Worg
4th	1/2	No flying speed	Young Kruthik
6th	1	No flying speed	Death Dog
8th	2	–	Mimic
12th	3	–	Owlbear
16th	4	–	Girallon
20th	5	–	Bulette

Combat Shapeshifter

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to use Wild Shape on your turn as a bonus action, rather than as an action. Aditionally, while in your Monstrous Shape, you can use a bonus action to expend one spell slot to regain 1d6 hit points per level of the spell slot expended.

Dreadful Physiology

Starting at 6th level, your body begins manifesting physical traits resembling the monsters your transform into the most. Choose at least one manifestation from the Monstrous Manifestation table below.

             Monstrous Manifestation                                                                                 

d8	Phyiscal Manifestation
1	Dark scales being growing along your skin.
2	A copper-red chitinous shell develops around your body.
3	You start growing thick and long fur.
4	Your skin color permanently changes in an unnatural way.
5	You develop pseudopod like tentacles.
6	Your eyeballs change to resemble that of a feline or reptile.
7	Crystal-like protrusions begin growing from your skin.
8	Your teeth and nails begin growing into fangs and claws.

Monstrous Strikes

Also at 6th level, attacks you make in your monstrous form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Bestiary Entry: Resistance

Starting from 10th level, you choose one damage type from the following list, one to gain resistance to: acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison or thunder.

This resistance remains active even while you are in either a beast or monstrous form, regardless of that form's resistances.

Acid

You are resistant to acid damage.

Cold

You are resistant to cold damage.

Fire

You are resistant to fire damage.

Lightning

You are resistant to lightning damage.

Poison

You are resistant to poison damage.

Thunder

You are resistant to thunder damage.

Bestiary Entry: Vulnerability

Also at 10th level, you choose one damage type from the following list, one to become vulnerable against: acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison or thunder.

This vulnerability remains active even while you are in either a beast or monstrous form, regardless of that form's vulnerabilities.

Acid

You are vulnerable to acid damage

Cold

You are vulnerable to cold damage.

Fire

You are vulnerable to fire damage.

Lightning

You are vulnerable to lightning damage.

Poison

You are vulnerable to poison damage.

Thunder

You are vulnerable to thunder damage.

Empowered Monstrous Shape

At 10th level, you can expend two uses of Wild Shape at the same time to enter a more powerful Monsterous Shape. When you do so, the maximum challenge rating goes up by 1, but the minimum duration of your transformation is reduced to 1 hour.

Once you revert back from this form, you gain one level of exhaustion.

Mutated Anatomy

Your body has become intertwined with the monstrous shapes you use. You cannot be frightened, and have resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.