While all druids share a special bond with nature and all of its creatures, some strive for an even greater connection. Druids who wish to become one with nature itself, and to protect it from within. These druids have learned how to entangle themselves with the spirits of nature, leaving behind their birth forms to live among the beasts as one of them.
Druids of the Beast are wanderers; they choose to live as freely as beasts themselves, remaining in one area only so long as they wish before moving on to the next. These druids are led by no one, they simply inform local druids of their arrival and departure in an area. Those who wish to join the circle may seek a mentor out, or simply wait for one to wander through the area.
Eternal Shape
The rites of your circle grant you the ability to permanently alter your form. When you choose this circle at 2nd level, your Wild Shape ability is permanently altered, and follows new rules.
Eternal Wild Shape
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Your druid level determines the beasts you can transform into, as shown in the Beast Shapes table. At 2nd level, for example, you can transform into any beast that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower that doesn't have a flying or swimming speed.
| Beast Shapes |
| Level |
Max. CR |
Limitations |
Example |
| 2nd |
1/4 |
No flying or swimming speed |
Wolf |
| 4th |
1/2 |
No flying speed |
Crocodile |
| 8th |
1 |
|
Giant eagle |
You stay in a beast shape until you expend another use of this feature to assume the shape of a different beast. Your beast shape replaces your normal form.
While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
- Your creature type(s) are replaced with beast.
- Your armor class and movement speed are replaced by that of the beast. If the beast has a flying, climbing, swimming, or burrowing speed, this replacement applies to that speed as well.
- You retain all of your skill, saving throw, language, and armor proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. You retain your personality, alignment, ability scores, hit points, Hit Dice, and proficiency bonus. You lose all weapon and tool proficiencies.
- If the creature has any actions, or abilities, you can use them. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
- You cannot provide the material components, or perform the somatic components, of spells. Your ability to take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form.
- You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. This includes senses.
- You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, unless it is made of plant matter, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
While in beast form, your body is made from the materials of nature; your muscles are rootlike tendrils protected by wooden plates and leaves. It’s obvious to an observer that you are not a normal animal.
Commune with Beasts
Starting at 2nd level, beasts recognize you as one of their own. You gain the ability to converse with, and befriend, beasts. Speaking with a beast becomes as easy as with any other creature. Most beasts are simple minded, but they can share information about the surrounding environment, along with any recent, or present, dangers.
Nature's Wrath
Starting at 6th level, you gain the ability to imbue your attacks with the energy of nature itself. While in your beast form, the first time you hit a creature with a melee attack on your turn, you can expend one spell slot to deal extra damage to the target, in addition to the normal damage of the attack. The extra damage is 1d6 per level of the spell slot expended, up to a maximum of 6d6. In addition, your attacks in beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Your familiarity with beasts grants you the ability to transform into more dangerous animal forms. Starting at 10th level, you can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 4, rounded down.
Natural Protection
Starting at 14th level, while you are transformed by Wild Shape, you can’t be blinded, charmed, deafened, or frightened. In addition, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Base Class: Druid
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