Circle of Soul Eating - Druid Circle (PEACH)

[werescythe]

Have you wanted to play a druid with a more witchy feel that consumes souls in order to power enhance their spells... the answer is probably, no, however if the answer is yes, then here is a subclass that might scratch that itch.

Circle of Soul Eating (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K8PZMzfC19AxSPzuSHkO49e5qXf6qn_316jPz_sy3fQ/edit?usp=sharing)

Another of the Ethereal themed subclasses that I've been working on (the other one being my sorcerer subclass (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?636084-Ghost-Watcher-Sorcerer-Origin-(PEACH))). Aside from some potential wording changes, I feel that this subclass should be fairly balanced and hopefully enjoyable. Though any advice is welcome.

Also if there is a single word that can convey the concept of eating another creature's soul, please let me know (might sound a lot better than the Circle of Soul Eating).

Thank you all for reading this thread. I look forward to seeing your constructive feedback. :smallbiggrin:

[werescythe]

So not much in the way of feedback... Is that good or bad? :smalleek:

[JNAProductions]

So not much in the way of feedback... Is that good or bad? :smalleek:

It means that you posted a link instead of the subclass.

I clicked on this thread when it first came up, saw it was a link, and decided not to check it out.

It’s usually best to post the actual stuff to the thread-gets a lot more noticeable that way.

[werescythe]

It means that you posted a link instead of the subclass.

I clicked on this thread when it first came up, saw it was a link, and decided not to check it out.

It's a link... To a gdoc... With the subclass. A gdoc by the way that has comments enabled so people can easily point out any issues with the subclass precisely.

[Wintermoot]

It's a link... To a gdoc... With the subclass. A gdoc by the way that has comments enabled so people can easily point out any issues with the subclass precisely.

It may be. Like JNA said, I also saw it was a link and didn't bother clicking it. I can't access gdocs during the day because of VPN issues while working. *shrug* You'd get more feedback if you posted the detail in the post.

[werescythe]

It may be. Like JNA said, I also saw it was a link and didn't bother clicking it. I can't access gdocs during the day because of VPN issues while working. *shrug* You'd get more feedback if you posted the detail in the post.

I could, but the format's going to look bad (one of the many reasons why I prefer using the Gdocs).

[GentlemanVoodoo]

On the whole I am taking it you are basing this off the Soul Eater anime. Regardless there is some flavor to it. As to the mechanics:

Spell list: Seems fine and appropriate for what you are going for. There is a good mix of offensive, defensive and miscellaneous spells.

Soul Devourer: This one has some issues.
- 30ft looking into Ethereal Plane. Situational ability that only is useful in a setting where this takes place a lot. Only other functionality is perhaps to track foes using spells like Etherealness.
- Soul Consumption is find and has some versatility to be any creature that dies. Most similar abilities like this have it to where the player must score the killing blow to take effect.
- Spectral Fangs is weak. 1D8 necrotic damage can be fine but there is nothing else to this. I would add some other effect to justify why I am spending a use of Wildshape. One idea might be to allow the attack to bypass some immunities or resistances which would keep in line with your theme. Otherwise, the use of Wildshape amounts to benefits of just gaining a weak attack with a largely resisted damage type and some THP generating capabilities.

Enhanced Devourer: Needs some tweaks. The idea of random abilities after a triggered condition is not bad but some of the abilities pertain to spell casting. Is it assumed that while in Soul Devourer form you can cast spells? If so that needs to be specified. As to the abilities themselves:
- Fear: See no issue there.
- Remorse: See no issues
- Indifferent: See no issues
- Peace: Needs further clarification. Is the additional health based on the total rolled? Or is this applied to each individual creature?
- Rage: Like this one.
- Malicious: Unsure if intelligence is the state needed but it works.
- Increased Bite Attack: 2d8 bump is fine though lack luster.

Soul Vessel: Fluff needs clarification. Seems you are allowing the soul to be stored in an item which is my interpretation. Is this correct? More so, further clarification should be made if the other benefits applied are only in the form. I can see someone asking if the spirit can be released while in normal form.

Aether Parasitism: In all seems like a weaker version of Magic Jar but there is a lot of versatility to this. However some issues linger:
- While in the target’s body, what stats are being used for casting spells? The player’s or the targets?
- Is a player able to use other abilities of the druid while in this form or are they limited to spell casting? What if they player multiclasses? How are these abilities to be addressed?
- How long of a duration does this possession last?
- Do any spells that prevent possession negate this ability such as Protection from Good and Evil? Or is the power intended to override them?

I would reference the Magic Jar spell and revise accordingly once you have an idea to the extent of this feature’s power and other capabilities of it. Flavor wise and objectively for the mechanics I like it, but needs some tweaks.

[werescythe]

@GentlemanVoodoo thank you so much for your feedback, it has been very helpful. :smallbiggrin:

I made some changes based off of your feedback, hopefully clarifying things and improving on the class. I will say I actually didn't know how Magic Jar worked like that, if it was a 5th level spell and not a 6th one, I would have put it on the extended spell list. :smallwink:

Thank you so much for your feedback. :smallsmile:

[sandmote]

I was away, but was hoping to see this. Mostyl agree with GentlemanVoodoo but would like to go into a bit more detail.

I'd rewrite spectral fangs as follows:

Spectral Fangs: You gain a pair of spectral fangs which you can attack with as an action. The fangs use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls, have the reach property, and deal 1d8 necrotic damage on a hit. The fangs can also attack creatures you can see on the Ethereal Plane, as long as you are on a plane bordering the Ethereal. The damage of your fangs increases to 2d8 at 5th level, 3d8 at 11th level, and 4d8 at 17th level.

flat 2d8 damage would be pretty severe dip bait for those with Multiattack.

Soul vessel should maybe have a line specifying something like "If you have a soul inside the soul jar, it is released and lost if you attempt to insert a second soul." Not sure that's clear enough.

Also, should probably include an explanation of how to create the item. I suggest stealing from the Pact of the Tome:

If you lose your Soul Jar, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to create a replacement. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous jar. The jar shatters when you die.

I'll wait for the Soul Jar edit before commenting on Aether Parasitism.

[werescythe]

Thank you so much for the feedback, it's been truly quite helpful. I have made some changes based off your feedback. I look forward to your further input. :smallsmile:

[Mulletmanalive]

My sole [excuse me] thought is that D&D Druids wouldn't call their circle something like that.

Suggestions include:

The Circle Ouroboros [Warmachine but it really fits here]
Circle of Rapacious Numen
Circle of the White Hunt [or whatever colour might be associated with souls in setting]
Circle of Spiritual Predation
Circle of the Ultimate Predator
Circle of the [Grim] Harvest
Circle of Winnowing [breaking grain from its casings]

[werescythe]

My sole [excuse me] thought is that D&D Druids wouldn't call their circle something like that.

Suggestions include:

The Circle Ouroboros [Warmachine but it really fits here]
Circle of Rapacious Numen
Circle of the White Hunt [or whatever colour might be associated with souls in setting]
Circle of Spiritual Predation
Circle of the Ultimate Predator
Circle of the [Grim] Harvest
Circle of Winnowing [breaking grain from its casings]


I agree, which is why I was looking for suggestions for another title. I really like the Circle of the White Hunt, though ghosts/souls might differ in appearance in the setting.

What do you think of Circle of the Intangible Hunt?

[werescythe]

I'll wait for the Soul Jar edit before commenting on Aether Parasitism.

*Sits waiting with anticipation.* :smallsmile:

[sandmote]

*Sits waiting with anticipation.* :smallsmile:Whoops; I have the memory of dead gnat.

My first thought is that Aether Parasitism should probably use a resource to stop you from spamming it. Uses equal to your Wisdom modifier? Otherwise you can use it over and over again until the creature fails its save.


While the creature retains control of their body, you may whisper suggestions into the creature’s head. The creature can attempt to perform a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine if these thoughts are indeed their own or something else trying to manipulate them. You can also attempt to use a reaction to be more forceful and force the creature to make a Wisdom Saving Throw, if it fails you can act for the creature on its turn, for 1 minute, you can do this a number of times equal to your Proficiency Modifier. You can’t cast spells normally unless you do this, and when you cast spells it uses your spellcasting ability. If I follow this bullet correctly, I'd split it into two separate points for clarity. Off the top of my head:


You can telepathically whisper suggestions to the creature you have phased into. You do not need to share a language with the creature, but it must be able to understand at least one language for you to do so. If the suggestion is not what the creature would naturally think, the creature can make a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine your suggestions aren't its own thoughts.
As a reaction, you can force the creature you have phased into to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save you take total and precise control of the target for 1 minute. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn't do anything that you don't allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well. While controlling the creature directly, you can cast spells through the target, using your own spellcasting modifier. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Adding the clarification on language limitations and how often the "control creature" ability takes effect are intentional, but I'm not going to pretend to know what sort of limits you intended. And if I misunderstood how it is supposed to work, I think that it would strengthen the argument for clarifying it.

[werescythe]

Adding the clarification on language limitations and how often the "control creature" ability takes effect are intentional, but I'm not going to pretend to know what sort of limits you intended. And if I misunderstood how it is supposed to work, I think that it would strengthen the argument for clarifying it.

Actually this was great. Thank you so much for your feedback. :smallsmile:

Now I'm wondering if I should create a Monk subclass that focuses on communicating with and exorcising ghosts. Perhaps give them the ability to make Talismans as well as Soul Vessels (like the item mentioned in the Ghost Watcher subclass gdoc).

[sandmote]

Now I'm wondering if I should create a Monk subclass that focuses on communicating with and exorcising ghosts. Perhaps give them the ability to make Talismans as well as Soul Vessels (like the item mentioned in the Ghost Watcher subclass gdoc). I think you can get this with 6 levels of Whisper Bard (for Mantle of Whispers) and 2 levels of any cleric (for Turn Undead).

Maybe one that can cast the magic circle spell and restore one feature by using another feature on a celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead trapped inside the circle? Not sure how that would work exactly; it was my first idea on how to shake up your suggestion.

[werescythe]

I think you can get this with 6 levels of Whisper Bard (for Mantle of Whispers) and 2 levels of any cleric (for Turn Undead).

Maybe one that can cast the magic circle spell and restore one feature by using another feature on a celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead trapped inside the circle? Not sure how that would work exactly; it was my first idea on how to shake up your suggestion.

I guess that's fair. A multiclass of Astral Self Monk and Grave Cleric could really fit this concept fairly well.

One thought, what about a Ghost Buster/Luigi's Mansion themed Artificer that is focused around dealing with otherworldly beings, with bonuses toward ghosts and beings from the ethereal plane? A Spectre Blaster. :smallbiggrin: