Druid
Description
Druids revere nature above all, gaining their spells and other magical powers either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of Transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient druidic traditions are sometimes called the Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of gods in temples and shrines.
Druid spells are oriented toward nature and animals—the power of tooth and claw, of sun and moon, of fire and storm. Druids also gain the ability to take on animal forms, and some druids make a particular study of this practice, even to the point where they prefer animal form to their natural form.
For druids, nature exists in a precarious balance. The four elements that make up a world—air, earth, fire, and water—must remain in equilibrium. If one element were to gain power over the others, the world could be destroyed, drawn into one of the elemental planes and broken apart into its component elements. Thus, druids oppose cults of Elemental Evil and others who promote one element to the exclusion of others.
Druids are also concerncd with the delicate ecological balance that sustains plant and animal life, and the need for civilized folk to live in harmony with nature, not in opposition to it. Druids accept that which is cruel in nature, and they hate that which is unnatural, including aberrations (such as beholders and mind flayers) and undead (such as zombies and vampires). Druids sometimes lead raids against such creatures, espccially when the monsters encroach on the druids' territory.
Druids are often found guarding sacred sites or watching over regions of unspoiled nature. But when a significant danger arises, threatening nature's balance or the lands they protect, druids take on a more active role in combating the threat, as adventurers.
Levels
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
1st
+2
Druidic
Spellcasting
2nd
+2
Wild Shape
Druid Circle
3rd
+2
—
4th
+2
Wild Shape Improvement
Ability Score Improvement
5th
+3
—
6th
+3
Druid Circle Feature
7th
+3
—
8th
+3
Wild Shape Improvement
Ability Score Improvement
9th
+4
—
10th
+4
Druid Circle Feature
11th
+4
—
12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement
13th
+5
—
14th
+5
Druid Circle Feature
15th
+5
—
16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement
17th
+6
—
18th
+6
Timeless Body
Beast Spells
19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement
20th
+6
Archdruid
Spell
Slots
per
Spell
Level
Level
Cantrips Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1st
2
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2nd
2
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
3rd
2
4
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
4th
3
4
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
5th
3
4
3
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
6th
3
4
3
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
7th
3
4
3
3
1
—
—
—
—
—
8th
3
4
3
3
2
—
—
—
—
—
9th
3
4
3
3
3
1
—
—
—
—
10th
4
4
3
3
3
2
—
—
—
—
11th
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
—
—
—
12th
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
—
—
—
13th
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
—
—
14th
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
—
—
15th
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
—
16th
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
—
17th
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
18th
4
4
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
19th
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
20th
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
Features
Hit Points
Hit Dice — 1d8 per druid level
Hit Points at 1st Level — 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels — 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per druid level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor — Light armor, medium armor, shields (druids will not wear armor or use shields made of metal)
Weapons — Clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, spears
Tools — Herbalism kit
Saving Throws — Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills — Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- A wooden shield or any simple weapon
- A scimitar or any simple melee weapon
- Leather armor, an explorer's pack, and a druidic focus
Druidic
You know Druidic, the secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can't decipher it without magic.
Spellcasting
Drawing on the divine essence of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape that essence to your will. See the spells page for the druid spell list.
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn additional druid cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Druid table.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Druid table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these druid spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of druid spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the druid spell list. When you do so, choose a number of druid spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your druid level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 3rd-level druid, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the lst-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level ar 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can also change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of druid spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your druid spells, since your magic draws upon your devotion and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast any druid spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells.
Wild Shape
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short ar long rest.
Your druid level determines the beasts you can transform into, as shown in the Beast Shapes table. At 2nd level, for example, you can transform into any beast that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower that doesn't have a flying or swimming speed.
Beast Shapes
Level
Max CR
Limitations
Example
2nd
1/4
No flying or swimming speed
Wolf
4th
1/2
No flying speed
Crocodile
8th
1
—
Giant Eagle
You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your druid level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if You fall unconscious, drop to O hit points, or die.
While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
- Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
- When you transform, you assume the beast's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to O hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.
- You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you've already cast.
- You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
- You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
Druid Circle
At 2nd level, you choose to identify with a circle of druids: the Circle of the Land or the Circle of the Moon, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th levek, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Timeless Body
Starting at 18th level, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.
Beast Spells
Beginning at 18th level, you can cast many of your druid spells in any shape you assume using Wild Shape. You can perform the somatic and verbal components of a druid spell while in a beast shape, but you aren't able to provide material components.
Archdruid
At 20th level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times.
Additionally, you can ignore the verbal and somatic components of your druid spells, as well as any material components that lack a cost and aren't consumed by a spell. You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and your beast shape from Wild Shape,
Druid Circles
Though their organization is invisible to most outsiders, druids are part of a society that spans the land, ignoring political borders. All druids are nominally members of this druidic society, though some individuais are so isolaled that they have never seen any high-ranking members of the society or participated in druidic gatherings. Druids recognize each other as brothers and sisters. Like creatures of the wilderness, however, druids sometimes compete with or even prey on each other.
At a local scale, druids are organized into circles that share certain perspectives on nature, balance, and the way of the druid.
Circle of the Land
The Circle of the Land is made up of mystics and sages who safeguard ancient knowledge and rites through a vast oral tradition. These druids meet within sacred circles of trees or standing stones to whisper primal secrets in Druidic. The circle's wisest members preside as the chief priests of communities that hold to the Old Faith and serve as advisors to the rulers of those folk. As a member of this circle, your magic is influenced by the land where you were initiated into the circle's mysterious rites.
Bonus Cantrip
When you choose this circle aI 2nd level, you learn one additional druid cantrip of your choice
Natural Recovery
Starting at 2nd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with nature. 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 mystical connection to the land infuses you with lhe ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells connected to the land where you became a druid. Choose that land—arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, swamp, or Underdark—and consult the associated list of spells.
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.
Arctic
Druid Level
Circle Spells
3rd
hold person, spike growth
5th
sleet storm, slow
7th
freedom of movement, ice storm
9th
commune with nature, cone of cold
Coast
Druid Level
Circle Spells
3rd
mirror image, misty step
5th
water breathing, water walk
7th
control water, freedom of movement
9th
conjure elemental, scrying
Desert
Druid Level
Circle Spells
3rd
blur, silence
5th
create food and water, protection from energy
7th
blight, hallucinatory terrain
9th
insect plague, wall of stone
Forest
Druid Level
Circle Spells
3rd
barkskin, spider climb
5th
call lightning, plant growth
7th
divination, freedom of movement
9th
commune with nature, tree stride
Grassland
Druid Level
Circle Spells
3rd
invisibility, pass without trace
5th
daylight, haste
7th
divination, freedom of movement
9th
dream, insect plague
Mountain
Druid Level
Circle Spells
3rd
spider climb, spike growth
5th
lightning bolt, meld into stone
7th
stone shape, stoneskin
9th
passwall, wall of stone
Swamp
Druid Level
Circle Spells
3rd
darkness, Melf's acid arrow
5th
water walk, stinking cloud
7th
freedom of movement, locate creature
9th
insect plague, scrying
Underdark
Druid Level
Circle Spells
3rd
spider climb, web
5th
gaseous form, stinking cloud
7th
greater invisibility, stone shape
9th
cloudkill, insect plague
Land's Stride
Starting at 6th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the entangle spell.
Nature's Ward
When you reach 10th level, you can't be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey, and you are immune to poison and disease.
Nature's Sanctuary
When you reach 14th level, creatures of the natural world sense your connection to nature and become hesitant to attack you. When a beast or plant creature attacks you, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your druid spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
The creature is aware of this effect before it makes its attack against you.
Circle of the Moon
Druids of the Circle of the Moon are fierce guardians of the wilds. Their order gathers under the full moon to share news and trade warnings. They haunt the deepest parts of the wilderness, where they might go for weeks on end before crossing paths with another humanoid creature, let alone another druid.
Changeable as the moon, a druid of this circle might prowl as a great cat one night, soar over the treetops as an eagle the next day, and crash through the undergrowth in bear form to drive off a trespassing monster. The wild is in the druid's blood.
Combat Wild Shape
When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain the ability to use Wild Shape on your turn as a bonus action, rather than as an action.
Additionally, while you are transformed by Wild Shapey you can use a bonus action to expend one spell slot to regain 1d8 hit points per level of the spell slot expended.
Circle Forms
The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous animal forms. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as 1 (you ignore the Max CR column of the Beast Shapes table, but must abide by the other limitations there).
Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down.
Primal Strike
Starting at 6th level, your attacks in beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Elemental Wild Shape
At 10th level, you can expend two uses of Wild Shape at the same time to transform into an air elemental, an earth elemental, a fire elemental, or a water elemental.
Thousand Forms
By 14th level, you have learned to use magic to alter your physical form in more subtle ways. You can cast the alter self spell at will.