Circle of the Wild Flock (Shepherd Variant)

Druids of the Circle of the Wild Flock commune with the spirits of nature, especially the spirits of beasts and the fey, and call to those 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 sacred to the fey. Many of these druids are happiest far from cities and towns, content to spend their days in the company of animals and the fey creatures of the wilds.

Members of this circle become adventurers to oppose forces that threaten their charges or to seek knowledge and power that will help them safeguard their charges better. Wherever these druids go, the spirits of the wilderness are with them.

Level 3: Call of the Shepherd

You learn to speak, read, and write Sylvan. When you speak in Sylvan, beasts can understand your speech and you gain the ability to decipher their noises, motions, and other communication behaviors, which are all telepathically translated to you in Sylvan. Most beasts lack the intelligence to convey or understand sophisticated concepts, but a friendly beast could relay what it has seen or heard in the recent past. However, speaking to a beast in this way does not instantly grant you friendship with it. 

Additionally, as an action, you can touch a friendly beast within reach to create a magical bond between the both of you. If the beast is indifferent or hostile toward you, the bond fails to be created, but the use is not wasted. This bond considers any creature you summon through the Find Familiar or Find Steed spell as a beast. A bond made in this way lasts for up to one hour, until you dismiss the bond (no action required), until either bound by it becomes Incapacitated, or until you create a bond in this way with another beast. While the bonded beast is within 1 mile of you, both of you can telepathically communicate with each other in Sylvan, and you can use an action to see through its eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses it has. 

You can use this feature to create a bond with a beast up to a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all expended uses after finishing a Long Rest.

Level 3: Circle of the Wild Flock Spells

When you reach a Druid level specified in the Circle of the Wild Flock Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.

Circle of the Wild Flock Spells

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	Animal Friendship, Find Familiar, Find Steed, Summon Beast
5th	Conjure Animals, Summon Fey
7th	Conjure Woodland Beings, Polymorph
9th	Awaken, Mass Cure Wounds

Level 3: Menagerie of Guardians

As a bonus action, you can expend either a use of your Wild Shape feature or a spell slot of 1st level or higher. Upon doing so, you summon up to 2 beasts of CR 1/2 or lower of your choice (cannot be a swarm), each one appearing within an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 ft. of you. A beast summoned in this way is considered the beast and the fey creature type at the same time. If it is an animal that can be natively found in the current terrain or environment, the beast also gains a bonus to its AC equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +1) and a bonus to its Hit Point maximum equal to double your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +2). 

The beasts summoned in this way are friendly to you and your companions, act on your initiative, and obey any verbal commands that you issue to them in Sylvan (no action required by you). If you don't issue any commands to them, each beast defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no action. As a bonus action on subsequent turns of their presence, you can cause one or more of these beasts to teleport into an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 ft. of you.

A beast summoned in this way disappears after an hour has passed since it was summoned, when it drops to 0 hit points, or when you use this feature again.

You can expend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher to summon up to 4 beasts of CR 1 or lower, but only if you have reached your 9th Druid level. You can do so with a spell slot of 5th level or higher for up to 8 beasts of CR 2 or lower once you reach your 15th Druid level.

Level 6: Might of the Gathered Wilds

While present, your "Menagerie of Guardians" beasts each gain an aura. Each aura appears as a gathering of wild fey spirits that flit about and surround the beast in a 10-ft. Emanation. Each aura has one of the following effects of your choice:

Horde of the Hunters. The spirits within the aura take on the form of many predatory beasts--such as hawks, wolves, or sharks. In this form, they lend to you and your allies, a superb hunting prowess. At the start of your turns, one creature of your choice within the aura gains Advantage on one attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. When an attack roll granted Advantage in this way scores a hit, the target is dealt an additional 1d6 piercing or slashing damage (your choice).

Myriad of the Meek. The spirits within the aura take on the form of many unassuming beasts--such as squirrels, canaries, or butterflies. In this form, they lend to you and your allies, a swarm of protection against oncoming danger. At the start of your turns, up to two creatures of your choice within the aura can be forced to make a Strength saving throw against your Spell Save DC. Upon failing, they become Restrained. A creature Restrained in this way remains so as long as it is within the aura or until it uses an action on its turn to repeat the saving throw. On a success, it frees itself. Whenever a creature is hit by an attack while Restrained in this way, it is dealt 1d4 piercing damage.

Stampede of the Stubborn. The spirits within the aura take on the form of many massive or headstrong beasts--such as oxen, bears, or elephants. In this form, they lend to you and your allies, a relentless fortitude. At the start of your turns, up to three creatures of your choice within the aura gain an amount of temporary Hit Points equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your Druid level (rounded down), each. Once per turn, when a creature with these temporary Hit Points is hit by a melee attack, the attacker is dealt 1d8 bludgeoning or piercing damage (your choice).

As a bonus action or as part of the bonus action you use to teleport your "Menagerie of Guardians" beasts to yourself, you can change any of the current aura effects to a different one listed above.

Level 10: Sylvan Rejuvenation

When a creature of your choice either enters any Emanations caused by your "Might of the Gathered Wilds" feature for the first time on its turn or starts its turn in such an Emanation, the creature is healed for 1d4 Hit Points if it is Bloodied. The creature is instead healed for 3d4 Hit Points, regardless of whether or not it is Bloodied, if it is one of your "Menagerie of Guardians" beasts. 

Level 14: Keeper of the Flock

When you cast either the Find Familiar, Find Steed, Summon Beast, or Summon Fey spell, the creature summoned by the spell is considered one of your "Menagerie of Guardians" beasts and therefore gains an Emanation of one of the aura effects of your choice from the "Might of the Gathered Wilds" feature. Likewise, when you cast either the Conjure Animals, Conjure Fey, or Conjure Woodland Beings spell, the spell's area of effect gains one of the aura effects of your choice from that feature. 

Additionally, while you are maintaining concentration on any of the spells mentioned above, you are considered one of your "Menagerie of Guardians" beasts. You therefore also gain an Emanation of one of the aura effects of your choice from the "Might of the Gathered Wilds" feature while maintaining concentration on any of those spells. However, the Emanation originating from you is a 30 ft. radius instead of the normal 10 ft. radius. Whenever you teleport any of your beasts to yourself while considered one of them in this way, you can teleport into an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 ft. of you, immediately beforehand. 

As a bonus action or as part of the bonus action you use to teleport your beasts to yourself, you can change the current aura effect granted to you or your spell to a different one listed in the "Might of the Gathered Wilds" feature.