Circle of Spores (2024)

Druids of the Circle of Spores find beauty in decay. They see within mold and other fungi the ability to transform lifeless material into abundant, albeit somewhat strange, life.

These druids believe that life and death are parts of a grand cycle, with one leading to the other and then back again. Death isn’t the end of life, but instead a change of state that sees life shift into a new form.

Druids of this circle have a complex relationship with the undead. Unlike most other druids, they see nothing inherently wrong with undeath, which they consider to be a companion to life and death. But these druids believe that the natural cycle is healthiest when each segment of it is vibrant and changing. Undead that seek to replace all life with undeath, or that try to avoid passing to a final rest, violate the cycle and must be thwarted.

Level 3: Circle Spells

3rd-level Circle of Spores feature

Your symbiotic link to fungi and your ability to tap into the cycle of life and death grants you access to certain spells.

At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Circle of Spores Spells table. Once you gain access to one of these spells, 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. The Chill Touch spell doesn’t count against the number of cantrips you know.

Circle of Spores Spells

Druid Level	Spells
3	Bane, Blindness/Deafness, Chill Touch, Gentle Repose, Inflict Wounds
5	Animate Dead, Gaseous Form
7	Blight, Confusion
9	Cloudkill, Contagion

 

Level 3: Halo of Spores

3rd-level Circle of Spores feature

You are surrounded by invisible, necrotic spores that are harmless until you unleash them on a creature nearby. 

When a creature you can see moves into a space within 10 feet of you or starts its turn there, you can force it to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take [roll]1d4[/roll] necrotic damage, or half as much on a success. Once you deal this damage, you can’t do so again until the start of your next turn. The necrotic damage increases to [roll]1d6[/roll] at level 6, [roll]1d8[/roll] at level 10, and [roll]1d10[/roll] at level 14.

Level 3: Symbiotic Entity

3rd-level Circle of Spores feature

You gain the ability to channel magic into your spores. As an bonus action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to awaken those spores, rather than transforming into a beast form, and you gain +{{characterlevel*4}} temporary hit points, 4 for each level you have in this class. While this feature is active, you gain the following benefits:

• When you deal your Halo of Spores damage, roll the damage die a second time and add it to the total.
• Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra [roll]1d6[/roll] necrotic damage to any target they hit.

These benefits last for 10 minutes, until you use your Wild Shape again, or until you have the Incapacitated condition.

Level 6: Fungal Infestation

6th-level Circle of Spores feature

Your spores gain the ability to infest a corpse and animate it. If a beast or a humanoid that is Small or Medium dies within 30 feet of you, you can take a reaction to animate it, causing it to stand up immediately with 1 Hit Point.

Statistics. The creature uses the Zombie stat block from Appendix A of the Player’s Handbook, except it uses your Spell Attack modifier for its attack rolls. 

Duration. It remains animated for 1 hour, or until it has 0 Hit Points, at which time it collapses and dies. 

Combat. In combat, the zombie’s turn comes immediately after yours. It obeys your mental commands, and the only action it can take is the Attack action.

Uses. You can use this feature a number of times up to your Wisdom Modifier (minimum once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. 

Level 10: Spreading Spores

10th-level Circle of Spores feature

You gain the ability to seed an area with deadly spores. As a bonus action while your Symbiotic Entity feature is active, you can hurl spores up to 30 feet away, where they swirl in a 10-foot Cube for 1 minute. The spores disappear early if you use this feature again, if you dismiss them as a bonus action, or if your Symbiotic Entity feature is no longer active.

If a creature is within the area when you create it, or if it enters the area or ends its turn there, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take your Halo of Spores damage. 

While the Cube of spores persists, you can’t use your Halo of Spores feature.

Fungal Body

14th-level Circle of Spores feature

The fungal spores in your body alter you. You gain the following benefits while you don’t have the Incapacitated condition. 

Condition Immunity. You have Immunity to the Blinded, Deafened, Frightened and Poisoned conditions. 

Critical Hit Immunity. Any Critical Hit against you counts as a normal hit instead.