Druid
Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, druids are an embodiment of nature's resilience, cunning, and fury. They claim no mastery over nature, but see themselves as extensions of nature's indomitable will.
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 shape.
Building a Druid
Hit Dice. \(1d8\) per druid level.
Proficiencies
Armor. You gain proficiency with light armor, medium armor (non-metal only), and shields (non-metal only).
Weapons. You gain proficiency with clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, and spears.
Tools. Herbalism kit.
Skills. Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, and Survival.
Saving Throws. Intelligence and Wisdom are your saving throw proficiencies.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment:
- A wooden shield or any simple weapon,
- a scimitar or any simple melee weapon,
- leather armor, an explorer's pack, and a druidic focus.
Druid Table:
| Level | Class Features Gained | Proficiency Bonus | Cantrips | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Druidic, Spellcasting | +2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | Wild Shape, Choose Druid Subclass | +2 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 4th | Obtain Feat, Wild Shape Improvement | +2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 6th | Subclass Feature | +3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 8th | Obtain Feat, Wild Shape Improvement | +3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
| 10th | Subclass Feature | +4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| 12th | Obtain Feat | +4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| 14th | Subclass Feature | +5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| 16th | Obtain Feat | +5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 18th | Timeless Body, Beast Spells | +6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | Obtain Feat | +6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | Archdruid | +6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Subclasses
At 2nd level, you choose a druidic circle that shapes your connection to the natural world: Circle of Dreams, Circle of Spores, Circle of the Land, Circle of the Moon, Circle of the Shepherd, Circle of the Stars, and Circle of Wildfire. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Class Features
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 messages. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but cannot decipher it without magic.
Spellcasting
Drawing on the divine essence of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape that essence to your will.
Cantrips. 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.
Preparing and Casting Spells. The Druid table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your druid spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these 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 a 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.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your druid spells. Your spell save DC and spell attack modifier are calculated using your Wisdom modifier.
Ritual Casting. You can cast a 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 or 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.
| Level | Max CR | Limitations | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 1/4 | No fly or swim speed | Wolf |
| 4th | 1/2 | No fly speed | Crocodile |
| 8th | 1 | None | Giant eagle |
You can stay in 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 0 hit points, or die.
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.