Circle of the Beast

The Circle of the Beast is what legends are made of. This ancient and legendary circle is rarely attained by any but those who have been chosen by either Melora or Malar to become beasts of legend and incomparable power. It is said that once every 100 years a divine blessing occurs where two are born with the capability of following this path, to lead their tribes. 

Unlike many other druid circles, those under the Circle of the Beast almost soley respect and worship creatures both magical and natural, rather than the force of nature itself. They passionately use their instincts and physical abilities rather than their innate power over nature itself. In this way they are the most adept of all circles at transforming themselves.

The Beast

At 2nd Level you change into a beast of unrivaled power, that even monsters fear and become more adept at transformation in general. This will allow you to use Wild Shape as a bonus action instead of an action. In addition to your normal Wildshape options you can also change into 'The Beast'. While in the form of The Beast, your form changes into a physical representation of the force of nature, a chimera mix of various beasts bound together as one being. The duration of your Beast transformation matches your Wildshape ability. The amount of uses is once every Long Rest and increases by 1 at level 10 and level 18.  

Whilst in the form of The Beast you gain the following:

• Your type becomes Monstrosity, your size becomes Large, your base speed becomes 40.
• You grow sharp claws that deal 1d8 slashing damage which scales as you rise in level in this class. [6th] 2d8 [10th] 3d8 [14th] 4d8 [18th] 5d8.
• While not wearing armor, your AC as The Beast is equal to 11 + your Wisdom modifier + your Constituion Modifier, otherwise you retain the Armor Class you have in your normal form.
• You gain Temporary Hit points equal to double your druid level on top of your usual hit points. Unlike Wildshape, you do not revert to your normal form when these are depleted, instead you only revert if you lose consciousness or if your regular hit points hit 0.

Circle Forms

The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous animal forms. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as 2 (You ignore all the Beast Shapes table limitations except for flying speed which will only be attainable for this circle at 6th Level). You also gain 2 additional hit points per druid level gained.

Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 2, rounded down.

True Alpha

Starting at 3rd level, your attacks in beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Also, since you represent all the ferocity of nature and its beasts, both predator and prey now struggle against the force of your will, even in humanoid form. Once per Long Rest you can adjust your appearance to reveal your bestial side without fulling transforming, each creature within range that can see you must make a Charisma Saving Throw against your Spellcasting DC or else become frightened of you for 1 minute.

At 8th Level you gain the Apex Predator ability in addition to this one.

Circle Forms

The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous animal forms. Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 2, rounded down.

Bestial Traits

Starting at 6th level you can choose one of the following traits which improves your beast form. You can choose further abilities at level 11 and 16. Additionally, attacks in your beast form now count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities. 

Aquatic

Your beast form can now breathe underwater as well as has a swim speed of 60 feet. 

Avian

Your Beast form now has wings and now has a flight speed of 60 feet. You also no longer suffer from breathing in at high altitude. 

Bone Armour

Your Beast form gains bone-like armor which raises your AC by 1 and gives you resistance to all non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.

Breath Weapon

Your beast form now has a breath weapon. As an action you exhale acid in a 30 foot cone, creatures in range must make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Spellcasting DC or on a failure take damage equal to your claw damage. Also, because of this you are also resistant to acid damage.

Camouflage

You can now blend almost perfectly with your surroundings to the point where you are practically invisible. The affects are identical to the invisibility spell, the only difference is that you can only do it once per short rest and it lasts until you use a bonus action to willingly drop it or use an action which will break it.

Hunter's Ambush

While in your Beast Form,  during your first turn in an encounter, you have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn. Any hit you score against a surprised creature is a critical hit. Also once per Long Rest you can cause extra damage, in a Rending Flesh attack, to any creature you have advantage on. Rending Flesh damage is 1d12 + your Dexterity modifier.

Multiattack

When you take the attack action on your turn in your beast form, you can attack twice rather than just once. 

Stunning Charge

If you move in a straight line towards a target, Large or smaller, for at least 20 feet and hit with an attack in the same turn the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your Spellcasting DC or be both knocked prone and stunned until the end of your next turn. On a success they are only knocked prone. 

Thick Skin

When you change into your Beast form you gain temporary hit points equal to four times your druid level rather than double.

Trample

After you take the attack action on a creature, if they are Prone, you can use your Bonus Action to trample on the same creature, the damage for this is the same as your claws, except the damage is bludgeoning instead of slashing as you are using your Beasts rear hooves. 

Kin And Kind

You can now use your innate knowledge of the beasts in nature to gain temporary companionship whether for menial tasks or to assist you in battle. You gain the ability to cast Conjure Animals at 5th level once per long rest for double the length of time with no concentration required.

To Be A Monster

You know from experience that the best way to fight fire is with fire, so in order to battle the numerable monstrosities that also inhabit the land, you can now take on some of their forms. You can now spend all uses of your Beast Form ability and both of Wildshape ability to transform into a monstrosity under certain conditions.

• Monstrosity can only be Large or smaller
• Challenge rating cannot be higher than 7
• Shapechanging monstrosities are exempt. e.g. Mimic, Doppleganger
• Ignore Monstrosities HP, instead you gain temporary hit points equal to 3 times your druid level. Once reduced to 0 you revert back to your normal form and any more damage is carried over.
• You must have encountered the monstrosity before.