Circle of Storms: Pushy Druid

[sandmote]

This page on the homebrewery (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/kPZjxVs5EpnI)

I initially tried to create a 4e-style controller capable of easily sliding targets, but I think my goal somewhat got away from me. If anyone has suggestions on how to bend my somewhat bland "create storm effects" features into that direction, I would be much obliged.

Fluff
Druid of the Circle of Storms teach of weather systems as the driving force behind nature and civilization. Where the rains pour spring up dense jungles; where the rain is scarce beasts, plants, and humanoids must struggle to eke out a living. Druid of the Circle of Storms meet on windy mountaintops and inside torrential rains to share secrets only another member of their order could distinguish from the surrounding noise and chaos.

Circle Spells
Druids of the circle of seeking train with the use of close range spells, and pass on a special technique for targeting creatures at larger distances with such spells. As part of this training, you learn special spellcasting techniques.

Once you gain access to one of these spells, 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 Storms Spells
Level Spell
3rd Gust of Wind, Shatter
5th Call Lightning, Defenestration*
7th Control Water, Storm Sphere
9th Arc of Lightning,* Maelstrom


Both spells have been posed on the forum before, but are repeated below. The homebrewery page includes a suggestion to use Wind Wall and Control Winds instead if excluding the homebrew spells, but I feel like I've written enough stuff that I'm comfortable including pervious homebrew in the new stuff.

5th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 ft
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
A stroke of lightning leaps in a 5 foot wide line between two creatures of your choice within range. Each creature in the line, including the two at the start and end of the line, must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 10d6 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 3rd.

(Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock)3rd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 ft.
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
One creature or loose object of your choice that you can see within range flies in an arc up to 60 feet in a direction you choose before falling to the ground, stopping early if it impacts against a solid surface or another creature. The spell can fling a target that weighs up to 500 pounds. An unwilling creature that succeeds on a Constitution saving throw is unaffected.

If the creature would impact against another creature, that creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature strikes the target and stops moving. When the creature strikes something, the creature and what it strikes each take 4d8 bludgeoning damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher the damage to each creature increases by 1d8, for each slot level above 3rd.

(Artificer, Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard)

Shuffling Gale
As a bonus action, you can summon a forceful wind in the space of a creature within 60 feet. If the target is large or smaller, they must make an Acrobatics (Dexterity) check or Athletics (Strength) check (their choice) against your spell save DC, or be pushed up to 5 feet in a direction of your choice. A creature can choose to fail this save.

As an action, you can summon a forceful winds. The powerful gust appears in the space of a creature within 60 feet. You can then create up to two additional gusts in succession, each within 15 feet of the space of the first wind. If a target is Large or smaller, it must make an Acrobatics (Dexterity) check or Athletics (Strength) check against your spell save DC or be pushed up to 5 feet in a direction of your choice. A creature can choose to fail its save against one or more gusts.


I am definitely granting cantrips or some equivalent way too often to druids at this level. Would making it an action and granting a number of pushes fit the original concept better?

Exarch of the Storm
Starting at 6th level, you can expend two uses of Wild Shape at the same time to channel the power of the storm into yourself, gaining the following benefits for 1 hour:

You gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed.
Once per round, when a target fails its saving throw against your shuffling gale, you can force the target to take 2d4 bludgeoning damage.
You gain resistance to lightning and thunder damage.
A wind with a strength of 10 miles per hour blows in a 5 foot radius around you, hedging out out vapor, gas, and fog that can be dispersed by moderate wind.
You are immune to the deafened condition.


Roaring Gale
By 10th level, the winds you summon have grown to new strength. When you use your shuffling gale feature, you may use your shuffling gale feature a second time against the same target or against another creature within 15 feet of where the first shuffling gale appeared. You may then use your shuffling gale a third time against either target or a third creature within 15 of where the second shuffling gale appeared.

By 10th level, the winds you summon have grown to new strength. When you use your shuffling gale feature, you can push each target up to 15 feet on a failed ability check, and the second and third gusts can appear up to 30 feet away from the first gust.


Was originally going to increase shove distance, before I tried to fit Shuffling gale in as a bonus action.

Stormcaller
At 14th level, you learn to cast the Control Weather spell and can cast the spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot. When you cast the spell in this manner, you can only change the the local wind and precipitation, not the temperature.

At 14th level, you learn the Control Weather spell. You can cast the spell as an action once without expending a spell slot, and regain the ability to do at the end of a long rest. When you cast Control Weather using a spell slot, you don't need to maintain concentration on the spell.


Felt necessary to include, but not fitting with the mechanical concept.

[Abuzorg]

Arc of Lightning
I would bump the damage of this spell to 8d8, to put it on par with cone of cold, as it has a smaller area.


Shuffling Gale
As a bonus action, you can summon a forceful wind in the space of a creature within 60 feet. If the target is large or smaller, they must make an Acrobatics (Dexterity) check or Athletics (Strength) check (their choice) against your spell save DC, or be pushed up to 5 feet in a direction of your choice. A creature can choose to fail this save.

I am definitely granting cantrips or some equivalent way too often to druids at this level. Would making it an action and granting a number of pushes fit the original concept better?

Exarch of the Storm
Starting at 6th level, you can expend two uses of Wild Shape at the same time to channel the power of the storm into yourself, gaining the following benefits for 1 hour:
You gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed.
Once per round, when a target fails its saving throw against your shuffling gale, you can force the target to take 2d4 bludgeoning damage.
You gain resistance to lightning and thunder damage.
A wind with a strength of 10 miles per hour blows in a 5 foot radius around you, hedging out out vapor, gas, and fog that can be dispersed by moderate wind.
You are immune to the deafened condition.


I love the thematics of these abilities but something feels off. Shuffling Gale is a good ability but it doesn't seem that impressive for a class defining ability. Exarch of the Storm feels like the class defining ability, but it's coming in late at 6th level.

If I were you, I would put Exarch at 2nd level and tone it down, have it cost only 1 use of wild shape but add the Shuffling Gale bonus action to its abilities. Then, as you level up, I would buff its effects and add some of its riders at 6th and 10th level.

At 2nd, it could ready this way :

Exarch of the Storm
Starting at 2nd level, you can expend one use of Wild Shape to channel the power of the storm into yourself, gaining the following benefits for 10 minutes:

You gain resistance to lightning and thunder damage.
A wind with a strength of 10 miles per hour blows in a 5 foot radius around you, hedging out out vapor, gas, and fog that can be dispersed by moderate wind.
When you active the ability and as a bonus action on subsequent turns, you can summon a Shuffling Gale in the space of a creature within 60 feet. If the target is large or smaller, they must make an Acrobatics (Dexterity) check or Athletics (Strength) check (their choice) against your spell save DC, or take 2d4 bludgeoning damage and be pushed up to 5 feet in a direction of your choice.
You are immune to the deafened condition.



Then, at 6th level, you could have an ability that gives you the flying speed with Exarch of the Storm :

Starting at 6th level, you gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed when you are under the effect of Exarch of the Storm.

Then at 10th level, you could have the effect you already have and bump Exarch's duration to 1 hour.

By 10th level, the winds you summon have grown to new strength. When you use your shuffling gale feature, you may use your shuffling gale feature a second time against the same target or against another creature within 15 feet of where the first shuffling gale appeared. You may then use your shuffling gale a third time against either target or a third creature within 15 of where the second shuffling gale appeared.

Additionally, your Exarch of the Storm ability last for 1 hour.


Stormcaller
At 14th level, you learn to cast the Control Weather spell and can cast the spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot. When you cast the spell in this manner, you can only change the the local wind and precipitation, not the temperature.

Buff it. Have it cast with an action only, have the effect come in faster and have it not require concentration when cast in this way.

[sandmote]

I would bump the damage of this spell to 8d8, to put it on par with cone of cold, as it has a smaller area. I usually aim my homebrew spells to be only slightly but distinctly below the power of 1st party published spells, to bias against them being used for powergaming. As Arc of Lightning is more flexible in where you can place it, I actually consider the -1 to average damage perfectly fine, despite the smaller area.


Shuffling Gale is a good ability but it doesn't seem that impressive for a class defining ability. Exarch of the Storm feels like the class defining ability, but it's coming in late at 6th level. Exarch grants damage resistances, and I'd rather not grant those for a 2 level dip, even when spending a resource.

Would it work to give the current benefits of Roaring Gale at 2nd level and provide additional buffs at 10th level instead?


Buff it. Have it cast with an action only, have the effect come in faster and have it not require concentration when cast in this way. This seems... excessive. To start I'll grant the "as an action" part, and have it remove the concentration requirement when cast using a spell slot.

[JNAProductions]

As usual, your work's pretty good, Sandmote. :)

I don't see anything that makes me go "That's broken" as either too powerful or too weak, but I am gonna link this to my Druid-playing friend. See what he thinks.

If someone asked for this in my game, I'd let it be played.

[Abuzorg]

I usually aim my homebrew spells to be only slightly but distinctly below the power of 1st party published spells, to bias against them being used for powergaming. As Arc of Lightning is more flexible in where you can place it, I actually consider the -1 to average damage perfectly fine, despite the smaller area.

Fair enough!


Exarch grants damage resistances, and I'd rather not grant those for a 2 level dip, even when spending a resource.
That is a fair point. If you were to go with my take on your (very nice theme and balance overall by the way) subclass, I would put the resistances either as an added bonus at lvl 6 or lvl 10.


Would it work to give the current benefits of Roaring Gale at 2nd level and provide additional buffs at 10th level instead?

I think it would go a long way to give it a more "class defining" feel, but then it might be too powerful. In that case, maybe you could have the ability start with the benefits of roaring gale and the damage components, but have shuffling gale be a "proficiency bonus times / long rest" ability. At level 10, you could buff the damage or the displacement distance.

[sandmote]

As usual, your work's pretty good, Sandmote. :)

I don't see anything that makes me go "That's broken" as either too powerful or too weak, but I am gonna link this to my Druid-playing friend. See what he thinks. I'm thankful both for the power check and the pass to someone with more expertise. :)

Hopefully the edit doesn't mess it up too much.


I think it would go a long way to give it a more "class defining" feel, but then it might be too powerful. In that case, maybe you could have the ability start with the benefits of roaring gale and the damage components, but have shuffling gale be a "proficiency bonus times / long rest" ability. At level 10, you could buff the damage or the displacement distance. I've moved it from being a bonus action to being an action, which should make this non-damaging option compete pretty heavily with using your action to cast a spell, use wild shape, or deal damage. So, power when it is used over the ability to use it most turns.