Need some advice on choosing a circle.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

We're playing through Storm kings thunder and we're about to hit level two. I'm honestly torn on which circle i should choose so I'm looking for some advice from people who've actually played the game. This is my first time playing any tabletop RPG. We are using PHB, SCAG, and XGTE.

Here is our Party Composition.


Hexblade Warlock
Fighter (plans on going samurai)
Bard (plans on being College of Whispers.)
Druid Human Variant with the magic initiate feat. (Hex, Booming Blade, and Eldritch Blast)


My stats are 9,17,14,12,17,16.

Thanks in advance.

[MxKit]

With that party composition, it looks like your party could use a tank/damage sponge, a healer, and/or a battlefield controller. So let's take a look at your options:


Circle of the Moon is the most common Tank Druid, of course, and it lets you get right up in there and hit hard with a big pool of HP that you won't mind losing, and it's a popular choice for a reason. If you go up to high levels, it gets better, eventually culminating in being able to cast even while Wild Shaped, so if you continue on with the same characters after Storm King's Thunder, you'll have some neat places to go. However, even Moon Druids won't want to go toe to toe with giants, so this may not suit your particular campaign. I'd say this one isn't actually as good an option for you as Shepherd or Dreams, but it's likely better for your situation than Land.
Circle of the Shepherd is also a good "tanking" option, though one that people don't always immediately think of. You're not doing the tanking yourself, but your summons are damage sponges as well as sources of damage and utility. This option gives you some more battlefield control ability than Moon as well, since you can cast other spells even while concentrating on your summons; Shepherds and Bard also synergize well, ime, with the totems. Your summons will only get better at higher levels, as well, so if you continue on with the same characters after SKT, you'll get some good stuff. This one is, imo, tied with Dreams.
Circle of Dreams is the other option I'd recommend, and quite good for your particular case; while having a healer in 5e is not actually that important compared to other editions, it can still be nice to have, and your class features can help you with some healing while leaving your spells free to do other cool stuff. Your party's lack of a Wizard makes this class even better, since at 6th level your Hearth of Moonlight and Shadow ability is basically a free casting of Leomund's tiny hut every time you guys take a rest. And again, if you continue on with the same characters after SKT, you'll get a free casting of dream, scrying, or a special version of teleportation circle once per long rest, which opens up some pretty neat opportunities for you. As said, imo, this circle is tied with Shepherd.
Circle of Land I want to mention even though I don't recommend it in your case. It's not actually a bad subclass at all, but I don't think it suits your current party makeup for this particular campaign. That said, if you like the extra spells and getting some short rest spell recharge, and eventual immunity to being charmed and frightened, you can definitely make it work! If you're going to be continuing on with the same characters after SKT, Nature's Sanctuary can vary from pretty nice to really nice depending on how many beast and plant-based enemies you end up facing from that point on.

It's good to keep in mind various roles that party members can fill outside and inside of battle. There are lists in other posts that give a better breakdown, but basically for in-battle roles, you have melee damage dealing (both with a focus on DPR or with a focus on maneuverability), backline damage dealing (both archers and blasters can do this), tanking and defending (usually the same), buffing/debuffing, and battlefield control. A Hexblade has good melee DPR, and can also blast from the backline. Defending on your Fighter's weapon, armor, and style, they could be melee, backline, tanking/defending, or some mix of two of those roles. Bards are great at buffing/debuffing, they are basically the kings of it, so you're set there; they can also do decent melee or backline damage depending on subclass, I'd bet that yours (going Whispers) is planning on doing a bit of backline damage. That breakdown is why I said that tanking/defending and battlefield control might be the best places to focus.

(NOTE IF YOU DON'T GO MOON DRUID: Remember too that if you take a dip into Ranger at some point, it'll be both thematically appropriate and allow you to take giants as your Favored Enemy right from lv1. You'll also get access to better weapons, allowing you to participate more easily with damage dealing. I'd recommend focusing on archery, despite access to shillelagh. You have a strong Dex, and you're fairly squishy and almost certainly want to stay at range while casting your spells and/or letting your summons do their thing. That said, since this is your first time playing, you might want to avoid multiclassing for now, mostly ignoring damage dealing in lieu of turning the tide with your spells and summons.)

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

First of all, Thank you for such a detailed response this helps me out tremendously.


With that party composition, it looks like your party could use a tank/damage sponge, a healer, and/or a battlefield controller. So let's take a look at your options:


I kind of was thinking that tanking might end up being what I had to do with a dash of healing when necessary. I don't really feel like being a primarily healing class though. So I think I'll avoid CoD, Circle of the Shepard actually sounds awesome though I'm not sure if my dm will let me choose what to summon or if it will be a dm's choice kind of thing. If she let's me choose I'll probably do that. If not then it's time to be a bear.


(NOTE IF YOU DON'T GO MOON DRUID: Remember too that if you take a dip into Ranger at some point, it'll be both thematically appropriate and allow you to take giants as your Favored Enemy right from lv1. You'll also get access to better weapons, allowing you to participate more easily with damage dealing. I'd recommend focusing on archery, despite access to shillelagh. You have a strong Dex, and you're fairly squishy and almost certainly want to stay at range while casting your spells and/or letting your summons do their thing. That said, since this is your first time playing, you might want to avoid multiclassing for now, mostly ignoring damage dealing in lieu of turning the tide with your spells and summons.)

Ranger seems cool thematically Looking at it though it seems underpowered. With the way my party seems to be going I'm thinking that if I don't go moon druid I'll drop a level or two as a Warlock to Boost up my Eldritch Blast and possibly grab Devil's sight.

[hymer]

Sounds to me like you don't particularly need more melee. I'm here assuming both fighter and hexblade will be willing to step into the frontline.
SKT goes to level 9, which means that for a long while, your wild shapes as a moon druid would not cut it for going into melee on a regular basis. They will lack the damage, and likely also the defensive capabilities. Don't get your party hooked on you tanking at low levels.

The adventure takes place through the very highest peaks of Shepherd strength. If that appeals to you (and you're not worried about the other players feeling overshadowed), then from an optimization angle, I'd suggest that.
You could consider the Dreams druid, and simply have your healing be incidental. Let the Balm and maybe two spells (Goodberry and Healing Spirit) be all you do for healing, and just consider yourself a caster of whatever spells you want.
Personally, I'd go with a land druid. The exact circle may depend on what spells the bard takes. From my guide (link in signature):

The usefulness of land spell lists is mostly in what new spells they add. Another consideration is how commonly you would want to have the spells on the list prepared. Spells you would want to prepare anyway frees up a slot, while highly situational spells sit there all the time that you have no use for them. A quick rundown follows, and you can find analysis of each of these spells under the spoiler ‘Land Druid Circle Spells’ in post 7.

Arctic: Expands your options with Slow and Cone of Cold. Commune with Nature is not a spell you usually need at a moment’s notice.

Coast: Expands your options with Mirror Image and Misty Step. Has Water Breathing, Water Walk, Control Water and Scrying as spells you wouldn’t be preparing on a daily basis.

Desert: Expands your options with Blur, Silence and Create Food and Water. Hallucinatory Terrain and Create Food and Water are very situational spells, Silence less so.

Forest: Grants Spider Climb and Divination. Spider Climb, Divination, Commune with Nature and Tree Stride are spells you could probably prepare as needed.

Grassland: Expands your options with Invisibility, Haste, Divination and Dream. Daylight, Divination and Dream are spells that won’t be cast during most adventure days.

Mountain: Expands your options with Spider Climb, Lightning Bolt and Passwall. Spider Climb is the only one I’d single out as situational here.

Swamp: Expands your options with Darkness, Melf’s Acid Arrow and Stinking Cloud. Water Walk, Locate Creature and Scrying are spells not obviously prepared.

Underdark: Expands your options with Spider Climb, Web, Gaseous Form, Stinking Cloud, Greater Invisibility and Cloudkill. Spider Climb and Cloudkill are less than run-of-the-mill.

Arctic gets Slow, Coast gets Misty Step, Grassland gets Invisibility, Mountain gets Lightning Bolt and Underdark gets Web. All good additions, pointing to things you can do and roles you can fill with greater competence than otherwise.
Getting the extra spells on a short rest can mean a lot, and it gets you better in adventure-day sync with the fighter and especially the hexblade.