A member of the Circle of Scales is a Druid focused on the Combat pillar, with a few unique ways to interact with the Exploration pillar. Members of the Circle of Scales are normally aligned with either an Aryssan Temple or other organized portion of the church as they are divine berserkers. Those who dedicate themselves to this Circle learn how to armor themselves in the World Serpent's scales, feeling the Serpent's anger and pain to empower themselves as they wade into melee combat with the enemies of the World Serpent. Members of the Circle of Scales excel in the natural world and as a front line combatant. Other Druids may be more versatile or have a broader range of raw magical power, but few will match the pure durability of a Circle of Scales Druid garbed in the World Serpent's scales.

Play a member of the Circle of Scales if...

• You want to be dedicated to the World Serpent and in tune with divine forces.
• You want to play a warrior who uses both nature magic and martial skill to hold the line.
• You want to make offensive use of your Wild Shape ability.
• You imagine your Druid as an unmovable divine berserker.

Building a Circle of Scales Druid: Like all Druids, you should focus on Wisdom, especially as you will be relying on Shillelagh to deal damage much of the time. As your alternate use for Wild Shape does not change your form, a high Dexterity and Constitution will be needed to augment your survivability in melee more so than Druids that are more reliant on Wild Shape's alternate forms. Even though you are a full caster, you will be unlikely to use Wild Shape charges for utility instead of combat, and so your spells should focus towards augmenting your out of combat capabilities.

Arms of the World Serpent

When you take this Circle at 2nd Level, you immediately learn the Shillelagh cantrip, or another cantrip if you already know Shillelagh.

Armor of the World Serpent

You may use your Action to invoke the Armor of the World Serpent to clothe yourself in an armor crafted from the scales of Aryssa, the World Serpent. The Armor of the World Serpent provides the following benefits:

* This armor is the Lesser Armor of the World Serpent. On the turn that you invoke the Armor of the World Serpent, you may also use your Bonus Action to cast Shillelagh; if the weapon you are holding is already under the effect of Shillelagh, you may instead make an immediate Attack with advantage.

* You gain Temporary Hit Points and the following bonuses:

Level 2: 10 Temporary Hit Points plus Constitution Modifier. You may choose to also summon a Shield or gain an additional 5 Temporary Hit Points. The shield disappears whenever your Armor of the World Serpent disappears.

Level 4: 20 Temporary Hit Points plus Constitution Modifier. You now summon Armor of the World Serpent, which improves the Armor to grant Resistance to Poison and Immunity to the Poisoned condition and counts as a +1 Armor.

Level 8: 35 Temporary Hit Points plus Constitution Modifier. In addition to the previous effects, now summon Greater Armor of the World Serpent. This armor is improved to also gain proficiency in Constitution Saving Throw and Resistance to Fire Damage. In addition, when you summon your Armor of the World Serpent, you may immediately Save to remove any one Condition or Effect you are suffering from or immediately remove an effect from a Level 2 Spell or lower.

* The Armor of the World Serpent lasts for a number of hours equal to half your Druid level, rounded down or if you choose to use your Reaction to dismiss it. If you fall unconscious, drop to 0 Hit Points or Die, you automatically dismiss your Armor.

* While you are clothed in the Armor of the World Serpent, you are sent into a frenzy by the World Serpent's anger, becoming unable to cast spells or speak, though you maintain the ability to move as a normal creature of your type. However, so long as your Shillelagh remains within 10 feet of you, Shillelagh will not expire so long as you wear the Armor of the World Serpent. You retain all other features; any armor you were previously wearing is replaced.

Enhanced Shillelagh

Your Shillelagh deals additional damage when you are wearing your Armor of the World Serpent:

At Level 6: +1d4 Poison Damage.

At Level 8,: +1d4 Fire Damage.

At level 14: +1d4 Radiant Damage and your Shillelagh has Reach.

Primal Screams

Starting at 10th Level, when you choose your spells for the day, you automatically prepare Healing Word and Shatter. These do not count against your prepared spells list. Up to your Wisdom modifier per day, minimum of 1, you may cast these spells while under the effect of your Armor of the World Serpent.

Master of Scales

Starting at 14th Level, you now summon the Masterful Armor of the World Serpent. This adds Resistance to Radiant Damage and the bonus of the Armor increases from plus 1 to plus 2.

Level 3 Placeholder

Beyond requires a Level 3 Druid Feature (Druids, however, do not get a feature at Level 3.)