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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Circle of Arcana Druid PEACH (updated)



Saelethil
2020-12-31, 09:04 PM
I thought that a Druid who studied arcane magic on top of their regular list was intriguing. I've been mulling it over for a while now and wanted to get some more input on it.
Any thoughts on balance and naming would be appreciated.

Circle of Arcana Druid

There are countless tales of reclusive arcane practitioners, hermits in the woods huddled over books and turning people into toads or granting healing to weary travelers. Many would have you believe that those in these stories are wizards, they do after all practice arcane magics, this is only true in the loosest of ways. Yes they practice wizardly magic but that is merely supplemental to their standard magic, woodland magic. Arcana Druids have spent time studying arcane magics in a way that most other druids do not which has resulted in their learning a number of spells traditionally associated with Wizards.

Student of the Arcane
When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you learn one cantrip from the wizard spell list and 2 1st level spells. These spells do not count against the number of spells you can prepare. Additionally, you gain proficiency in the arcana skill.

Natural Recovery
Starting at 2nd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your druid level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
For example, when you are a 4th-level druid, you can recover up to two levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level slot or two 1st-level slots.

Circle Spells
Your study of the arcane arts has granted you the ability to cast certain spells. At 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells connected to your study.
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 Arcana Spells
5th level: Counterspell, Fly
7th level: Banishment, Arcane Eye
9th level: Telepathic Bond, Animate Objects

Shared Shape
Starting at 6th level, you can expend 1 use of your wildshape ability as an action to transform another beast or humanoid. The beast that you transform them into must be one that you would have the capacity to wildshape into and follows all other wildshaping rules. If the creature that you are attempting to transform is unwilling it automatically fails. A creature can be transformed by this feature for up to an hour, until the new shape is reduced to 0 HP, or until you loose concentration as if concentrating on a spell.

Arcane Secrets
At 6th, 10th, and 14th level you may choose 1 additional spell from the Wizard spell list. The one that you choose at 6th must be of 3rd level or lower, the one you gain at 10th must be of 5th level or lower, and the one chosen at 14th level must be of 7th level or lower. Once chosen they cannot be changed. Spells chosen with this feature are always prepared and do not count against the number of spells that you can prepare.

Offensive Shape
At 10th level you can target an unwilling creature when you use your Shared Shape. The unwilling target must make a Wisdom saving throw against the transformation and if they succeed you still expend that use of wildshape.

Practiced Arcanist
At level 14th level a failed use of Shared Shape does not expend the use of your wildshape. Additionally, you now have advantage on all saving throws against spell effects that would alter your mind or transform your body.

supercereal
2021-01-03, 03:45 AM
I like it, I would sugest changing a few things.

Student of the Arcane: you learn one additional cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list and gain proficiency with the Arcana skill.

Circle Spells: add two spell for the 3rd level. Maybe two out of Arcane Lock, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Nystul’s Magic Aura, and Rope Trick. Also I would maybe change Cone of Cold.

In this way so far you are on par with the circle of the land druid and i think is less confusing overall.

Shared Shape: seems a little to strong. Basically at level 6 you have two semi-polymorph, that does not required concentration and could last for a really long time. I would probably move it as the 10th level feature and change it in a couple of ways.

Option 1: you can cast polymorph by expending 1 use of wild shape. Simple, easy, potentially broken at level 20 when you have unlimited use of wild shape, maybe have it that it can still be used only on humanoid and beast to balance it. This is my preferred option as it is clear and streamlined.

Option 2: keep it as it is but with a few changes. It is still the 10th level feature, it requires concentration, has a fixed duration (1 hour?), you expend the use of wild shape even if they resist your spell, but it has no automatic save roll or extra rolls as an action/reaction. It follows all the other rules for wild shape.

Option 3: change it into Arcane Wild Shape and leave it as a 6th level feature. Choose two Monstrosity of CR 1/2 or lower and add them to the list of creature you can transform into using wild shape. At the 10th level you also add another Monstrosity of CR 1 or lower to the list. Basically your study of the Arcane grants you the knowledge to trasform into more exotic forms. I think it would be a really cool feature as well.

As for the 6th/10th and 14th feature I'm not convinced about Arcane secret, expecially for the 10th level as at 9th level you gain 5th level wizard spell. Maybe I'll keep the 14th level feature as you wrote it but scrapping the minor spell savant, and the remaining feature should based on what you decide for Shared Shape but I think it should be a minor passive feature.

Saelethil
2021-01-03, 09:04 PM
Thank you for the recommendations.
I reworded Student of The Arcane to (hopeful) make it make less confusing. My problem with following to Circle of the Land too closely is that A: it is one of the weaker subclasses, especially early on. And B: (more important to me) there are so many amazing 1st level wizard spells that could really define a character and none of the 2nd level wizard spells jump out to me as "better" than them. I did think about it when I was first making this but I thought that shifting it back 1 level and giving more choice would allow for choices such as find familiar, shield, or catapult without breaking the flow too much especially since there are a lot of great 2nd level drud spells that they will be getting one level later.

I switched Cone of Cold for Animate Objects although I'm also considering Bigby's Hand, Modify Memory, or Telekinesis. Do you think one of them would be a better fit? I kind of like the imagery of the crazy haired hermit, nose in a spell book surrounded by a whorl of tea cups, brooms, and spoons.

As for Shared Shape, I agree that it should require concentration, now that you point it out it does seem too powerful without it. Do you think it would work to have a lesser version of it available at 6th level? I'm thinking that it would only work on willing humanoids and last for half the duration of your regular wildshape. At this point they can only transform into a beast of cr 1/2 without a fly speed so It would mostly be for utility and espionage. A t 10th level they could use it offensively against humanoids and beasts but the duration would be much shorter (an hour seems reasonable). I might switch it to a Wis. save though.

Sorry if I'm misunderstanding you but I didn't have Arcane Secrets at 6th level. Were you recommending that I shift the 10th level arcane secret to 6th? Because that might work too, although if I'm going to split the functionality of Shared sape I might have Arcane Secrets give 1 spell at 6th and 1 at 10th

Lastly, scrapping Minor Spell Savant seams reasonable, maybe this could be when you don't expend a use of wildshape if the target succeeds the save. Otherwise maybe extending the duration on a willing target to your regular wildshape duration.

Sorry for the long response, and looking forward to any feedback.