Circle of Vermin

Druids of the Circle of Vermin specialize in the small creatures that most of civilization ignores or shuns. Where another druid might call forth or transform into a single beast, a Verminspeaker, as these druids are called, summons hundreds of rats from their hiding places to devour an enemy, or transforms into a cloud of flies to scout a fortress undetected. These druids, much like the creatures they're tied to, are typically shy and stealthy, hiding in the shadows and only coming into the open when they're certain there is no clear danger. However, if cornered, a Verminspeaker will fight with startling ferocity, using every available resource until either they or their foe is utterly destroyed.

Verminspeakers are commonly found in urban environments, where the creatures they live with gather in much greater numbers than they typically do in the wild. Most are the haunt of sewers and basements, eking out a living or working for some type of criminal gang. However, a powerful enough Verminspeaker can serve as a nigh-undetectable assassin, and such druids have been known to act as guild enforcers or even professional bounty hunters.

Master of Swarms

Starting at 2nd level, you gain the ability to affect swarms with your druidic magic. Wherever a spell or class ability specifies a beast, you can apply it to a swarm of beasts instead. The swarm must meet all other criteria for the spell or ability. 

For example, a Conjure Animals could be used with this ability to summon a swarm of beasts of CR 2 or lower, instead of a single beast. Alternatively, a 3rd-level druid could use this ability to use their Wild Shape to transform into a swarm of beasts with CR 1/4 or lower without a flying or swimming speed. 

Each individual member of a swarm must be within 5 ft. of another member to be considered part of the swarm. A swarm has members equal to the amount of HP it has left divided by the average hit points of the creatures it consists of (round up). If a member of a swarm leaves or is removed from it for a reason other than damage dealt to the swarm, the swarm loses hit points equal to the amount of hit points that creature had remaining.

Living Armor

Beginning at 2nd level, you gain the ability to call swarms to your defense. If a swarm of creatures is friendly to you, while it is in your space, you can choose to add its Constitution modifier to your armor class until.

Circle Spells

Your affinity with vermin gives you access to certain spells. At 2nd level, you learn the Infestation cantrip. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Circle of Vermin Spells table.

Once you gain access to a circle spell, 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.

 

Circle of Vermin Spells

Druid Level	Spells
3rd	pass without trace, spider climb
5th	animate dead, conjure animals
7th	giant insect, polymorph
9th	contagion, insect plague

Call the Multitudes

Starting at 6th level, you gain the ability to call reinforcements to replenish swarms of vermin. Swarms you summon, transform into, or create have twice as many hit points as they normally would. Additionally, you can use an action to expend a spell slot and heal one swarm within 60 feet of you hit points equal to the spell slot's level times your druid level.

Allies Everywhere

Beginning at 10th level, you can create a psychic connection with the vermin infesting a given area. You can use an action to see through the eyes and hear through the ears of each Small or Tiny beast within 1000 feet of yourself for 1 minute. You gain the benefits of any special senses the creatures have, though you can only use them to see what that specific creature sees. While using this ability, you can still use your own senses, but are considered stunned until the effect ends. Additionally, while using this effect, you can use an action to call each member of a given species whose sense you can access in this way to your location. Doing so doesn't end the effect. These creatures appear as 1d4 swarms of that creature, and arrive in 1d4 rounds. These swarms are friendly to you and your companions, but not under your control, and act on their own initiative.

Pestilent Resilience

Beginning at 14th level, you become as difficult to destroy as the vermin you are associated with. You are proficient in all saving throws, are immune to disease, and have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned or taking poison damage. These benefits extend to your wild shape form. Additionally, if you are reduced to 0 hit points while in your Wild Shape form in the form of a swarm, you revert to your normal form, and the swarm returns to full hit points in an unoccupied space adjacent to you. This new swarm acts immediately after you do and is under your control.