Circle of Twilight (Rework)
The Circle of Twilight seeks to exterminate undead creatures and preserve the natural cycle of life and death that rules over the cosmos. Their magic allows them to manipulate the boundary between life and death, sending their foes to their final rest while keeping their allies from that fate. These druids seek out lands tainted by undeath. Such places are grim and foreboding. Once-vibrant forests become gloomy, haunted places devoid of animals and filled with plants dying a slow, lingering death. The Circle of Twilight goes to such places to banish undeath and restore life.
Circle Spells
Your frequent association with the boundary between life and death has given you access to some of its powers, allowing you to cast certain spells. At the 2nd level, you learn the chill touch cantrip. At the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the corresponding spells listed in the Circle of Twilight spell table.
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 Twilight Spells
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Gentle Repose, Darkness |
| 5th | Bestow Curse, Vampiric Touch |
| 7th | Death Ward, Shadow of Moil |
| 9th | Antilife Shell, Hallow |
Harvest's Scythe
You have tapped into the forces governing life and death, and can harness them to your own ends. Starting at the 2nd level, you can fashion a bladed weapon known as the Harvest's Scythe from natural materials (such as wood and bone) and otherworldly energy. It is a versatile weapon that deals 1d8 magical slashing damage, or 1d10 in both hands. Your Wisdom stat is used for attack and damage rolls. If destroyed, this weapon can be reformed over the course of a short rest. The scythe is a druidic focus, and you can use it to cast druid spells. You are the only creature who can use Harvest's Scythe.
You can augment your magic to strike at the very souls of your targets. You have a pool of energy composed of a number of d8s equal to your druid level. Upon rolling damage for a druid spell or a melee attack made with the Harvest's Scythe, you can increase that damage by spending dice from the pool. You can spend a number of dice equal to half your druid level or less. Roll the spent dice and add them as damage to your original roll. The damage type is either necrotic or radiant, and can be changed after a long rest.
If you kill one or more hostile creatures with the augmented damage, you or an ally of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you regains 2 hit points per die spent, or 5 hit points if at least one of the slain creatures was undead.
You regain the expended dice when you finish a long rest.
Twilight Testament
At the 6th level, you understand the hidden secrets of death as ancient forces of nature understand them, and can put those truths to words. As an action, you can spend two uses of wildshape to speak dark words in druidic, a terrible incantation that speaks of forbidden things that exist beyond gods and demons, striking fear into the living and absolute terror in those who have blasphemously borrowed life.
All hostile creatures within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened of you for one minute The creature can repeat the saving throw at the start of its subsequent turns, ending the condition upon a success. If it succeeds on its saving throw, the target is immune to being frightened by Twilight Testament for the rest of its duration.
You can also temper that knowledge and kindly speak with those who have passed on. You can cast speak with dead without expending a spell slot or using material components. Upon using this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest. You can ask a corpse a number of additional questions equal to your Wisdom modifier.
Watcher at the Threshold
At the 10th level, you gain resistance to radiant and necrotic damage, and your presence wards against the void of death. While you aren't incapacitated, any ally within 30 feet of you has advantage on death saving throws.
Paths of the Dead
At the 14th level, your mastery of death allows you to traverse the boundary between life and death itself. You can see up to 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane, and you can cast etherealness without expending a spell slot. Once the spell ends, it cannot be cast again until you finish a long rest.
Artist Credits
Forest Spirit by Maéna
Living Dead by Eryk Szczygieł