YouCanTry
2017-01-21, 09:31 PM
First and foremost let me give credit to the one who inspired this HERE: (EDIT: I can not add links so his username is Das_Uberboat and he created the druid subclass based around dragons here on Giant in the Playground and I wanted to create my own based on his work)
I have tried to make what I believe is a balanced alternative to this, but I would really appreciate your feedback on balancing. I will be playtesting this in the near future and will most likely discover some things that are "too good" or "not good enough" (or at least I hope to)
If you have any advice, balancing issues, or suggestions, I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance! :smallsmile:
Circle of the Wyrm
The Circle of the Wyrm is a legendary druid circle that has fallen into myth. Not all druids are willing to bear the burden of the Wyrm, but those who are willing and capable enough, often pass into myth themselves.
Draconic - level 2
When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain Draconic as a language if you do not have it already.
Dragon Shape – Level 2
The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into draconic forms. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into creatures of the Dragon variety up to CR 1.
You follow the Wild Shape table's normal movement type restrictions only able to use the movement appropriate for your level may not utilize a dragons fly speed while in dragon form until you reach level 8. Additionally, while in dragon form, your breath weapon recharges on a short or long rest. Your Wild Shape also becomes particularly taxing; you may only recharge Wild Shapes on a long rest, and each Wild Shape used to transform into a dragon causes one level of exhaustion after reversion to your normal form. You may not cast spells through innate spellcasting or any other means until 18th level when spell casting becomes available to you through the Beast Spells Druid Class Feature, such as the faerie dragon's ability to cast certain spells once per day.
Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a form with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down.
Wyrm Heal – Level 6 Level 10
Starting at 6th level, during a short rest, you may attempt to reduce your exhaustion level by one level by rolling your Wyrm dye. You successfully lower your level of exhaustion by one level if your Wyrm die lands on a one or two. This ability has no effect if you are not affected by exhaustion. Once used successfully, Wyrm heal cannot be used again until completing a long rest.
Your Wyrm Heal dice is a d8 at 6th level, d6 at 10th level, and d4 at 14th level.
Favored Form Tooth and Claw – Level 6
While in dragon form, you are immune to any spell or effect that would alter your form.
Starting at 6th level, your attacks in dragon form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
True Dragon – Level 10Favored Identity - Level 6
You may add double your proficiency bonus to ability checks that involve conversing with, recalling information about, or identifying dragons.
True Dragon – Level 10
Starting at 10th level, you may spend both uses of Wild Shape to transform into a Young Dragon or Wyvern. However, Wild Shaping this way causes levels of exhaustion equal to half the dragon's CR, rounded down.
Dragon's Breath – Level 14
Starting at 14th level, you gain a 5-6 recharge on your breath weapon at the start of each round, while in dragon form.
Change Shape – Level 14
You always have the spells alter self and disguise self prepared; these do not count against your list of prepared spells, and may cast these spells even when in Dragon form; however, for the spells condition you are always considered a humanoid bipedal individual of medium or smaller size.
Main questions/ concerns I can come up with at the moment:
-Am I trying to pack too much in here?
-I feel as though reducing the Breath Weapon to only being able to use it once per encounter (at the most/ if the player are lucky enough to get a short rest between encounters) will be very effective in making the dragon shape more balanced.
-I feel like exhaustion will be a massive hit to the playability of this circle (and I might be over/under estimating how much exhaustion will limit the character)
-Should I limit or even illuminate the use of wild shaping into beasts? (I feel like this will be both good and bad. If I keep beasts, on one hand it provides more flexibility, but on the other you only get two wild shapes per long rest so it would be much more costly to wild shape [especially because you can not exceed 1 CR with beasts and that's once you reach level 8])
-I feel like another really big factor is that you only get two wild shapes per long rest which will really limit the use of wild shape and the user will have to be very cautious of when to use wild shape
Edit(s) will be underlined and italicized (or crossed out)
I have tried to make what I believe is a balanced alternative to this, but I would really appreciate your feedback on balancing. I will be playtesting this in the near future and will most likely discover some things that are "too good" or "not good enough" (or at least I hope to)
If you have any advice, balancing issues, or suggestions, I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance! :smallsmile:
Circle of the Wyrm
The Circle of the Wyrm is a legendary druid circle that has fallen into myth. Not all druids are willing to bear the burden of the Wyrm, but those who are willing and capable enough, often pass into myth themselves.
Draconic - level 2
When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain Draconic as a language if you do not have it already.
Dragon Shape – Level 2
The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into draconic forms. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into creatures of the Dragon variety up to CR 1.
You follow the Wild Shape table's normal movement type restrictions only able to use the movement appropriate for your level may not utilize a dragons fly speed while in dragon form until you reach level 8. Additionally, while in dragon form, your breath weapon recharges on a short or long rest. Your Wild Shape also becomes particularly taxing; you may only recharge Wild Shapes on a long rest, and each Wild Shape used to transform into a dragon causes one level of exhaustion after reversion to your normal form. You may not cast spells through innate spellcasting or any other means until 18th level when spell casting becomes available to you through the Beast Spells Druid Class Feature, such as the faerie dragon's ability to cast certain spells once per day.
Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a form with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down.
Wyrm Heal – Level 6 Level 10
Starting at 6th level, during a short rest, you may attempt to reduce your exhaustion level by one level by rolling your Wyrm dye. You successfully lower your level of exhaustion by one level if your Wyrm die lands on a one or two. This ability has no effect if you are not affected by exhaustion. Once used successfully, Wyrm heal cannot be used again until completing a long rest.
Your Wyrm Heal dice is a d8 at 6th level, d6 at 10th level, and d4 at 14th level.
Favored Form Tooth and Claw – Level 6
While in dragon form, you are immune to any spell or effect that would alter your form.
Starting at 6th level, your attacks in dragon form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
True Dragon – Level 10Favored Identity - Level 6
You may add double your proficiency bonus to ability checks that involve conversing with, recalling information about, or identifying dragons.
True Dragon – Level 10
Starting at 10th level, you may spend both uses of Wild Shape to transform into a Young Dragon or Wyvern. However, Wild Shaping this way causes levels of exhaustion equal to half the dragon's CR, rounded down.
Dragon's Breath – Level 14
Starting at 14th level, you gain a 5-6 recharge on your breath weapon at the start of each round, while in dragon form.
Change Shape – Level 14
You always have the spells alter self and disguise self prepared; these do not count against your list of prepared spells, and may cast these spells even when in Dragon form; however, for the spells condition you are always considered a humanoid bipedal individual of medium or smaller size.
Main questions/ concerns I can come up with at the moment:
-Am I trying to pack too much in here?
-I feel as though reducing the Breath Weapon to only being able to use it once per encounter (at the most/ if the player are lucky enough to get a short rest between encounters) will be very effective in making the dragon shape more balanced.
-I feel like exhaustion will be a massive hit to the playability of this circle (and I might be over/under estimating how much exhaustion will limit the character)
-Should I limit or even illuminate the use of wild shaping into beasts? (I feel like this will be both good and bad. If I keep beasts, on one hand it provides more flexibility, but on the other you only get two wild shapes per long rest so it would be much more costly to wild shape [especially because you can not exceed 1 CR with beasts and that's once you reach level 8])
-I feel like another really big factor is that you only get two wild shapes per long rest which will really limit the use of wild shape and the user will have to be very cautious of when to use wild shape
Edit(s) will be underlined and italicized (or crossed out)