Druid Subclass - Circle of the Mist
Druids of the Circle of the Mist are so deeply connected to the lands they protect that they become inseparable from the other defensive measures of nature. These druids seek to repel the oncoming tide of “civilization” and establish a firmer border between the wild and the tame. Their magic confuses, befuddles, and stupefies. At every turn, they seek to turn back attackers or leave them defenseless and distraught. They weave illusions out of thin air, and call upon the powers of mist to let them roam wherever they please.
| Druid Level | Class Feature |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Bonus Cantrip, Misty Circle, Circle Spells |
| 6th | Mist Form, Confounding Mist |
| 10th | Vapor Clad |
| 14th | Misty Domain, Gift of the Fog |
Bonus Cantrip
As your first line of defense against mortals, you gain some power to deceive their senses. When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain the Minor Illusion cantrip, and it is a druid spell for you. This cantrip does not count againsty your number of cantrips known.
Misty Circle
In order to confound and mislead your enemies, you summon thick, pearly mist. When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you can use your action to expend one use of your Wild Shape feature and create mist in a 20 foot radius sphere around yourself. This radius increases to 30 feet at level 9, and 40 feet at level 17. The mist fills the area as long as it can reach all areas through passages or small cracks. Liquid or airtight walls block the mist. Inside the circle, the following effects apply:
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Creatures not allied to you must make an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC when they enter the circle or start their turn in the circle. On a failed save, they have disadvantage on Wisdom and Intelligence checks within the circle. If a creature succeeds on their save, they do not need to repeat the save unless they exit and reenter the sphere.
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Effects that disperse gas or vapor, such as Gust of Wind, remove the effects of the mist in their area. At the start of your turn after the effect ends, the mist returns to that area if it can move into the space and is not blocked by liquid or solid walls.
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If a creature fails their save against the mist by 5 or more, the area within the circle is difficult terrain for them.
You can dispel your Misty Circle as a bonus action. This feature has a duration of 2 minutes times your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1 minute if your Wisdom modifier is 0 or lower). It also disappears early if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. If you use your Misty Circle feature again while it is active, the first one disappears.
Circle Spells
At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle 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. Though none of these spells are on the druid spell list, they nonetheless count as druid spells for you.
| Druid Level | Circle Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Mirror Image, Invisibility |
| 5th | Major Image, Enemies Abound |
| 7th | Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer |
| 9th | Mislead, Seeming |
Mist Form
At 6th level, you can expend one use of your Wild Shape to take on your Mist Form. The duration of mist form is one hour and you revert to your normal form at the end of the duration unless you expend another use of your Wild Shape. You can revert earlier using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. While in Mist Form, the following rules apply:
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You are a medium size misty cloud. You are considered lightly obscured for the purposes of hiding. You are immune to nonmagical weapon attacks (such as swords or arrows) and resistant to other forms of nonmagical damage (such as fire or explosions not created by spells). Attack rolls against you have disadvantage, and your AC is 12 + your Wisdom Modifier. Your hit points do not change when entering or exiting Mist Form.
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You cannot cast spells in this form, though you can use Misty Circle. All gear you were holding or wearing when you transformed became part of your Mist Form. You cannot use weapons or make melee attacks in this form. If you cast a concentration spell before entering Mist Form, it does not disrupt your concentration, as per Wild Shape.
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You have advantage on Dexterity checks and saving throws. You can enter or occupy the space of another creature. You can pass through small holes, narrow openings, and even mere cracks, though you treat liquids as though they were solid surfaces.
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Your movement speed in this form is half your normal speed. Your falling speed is 60 feet and you do not take fall damage. You cannot be slowed by difficult terrain, nor can you be grappled or restrained. If you are grappled or restrained when you transform, that effect ends. Within your Misty Circle, your movement speed becomes doubled, instead of halved.
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You can manipulate objects, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial. You can’t activate magic items, but you can carry one object which weighs no more than 5 pounds. You can speak, and have all the senses that you have in your normal form unless you are still influenced by effects that would alter your senses.
If your mist shape ends while you are in a
space you cannot occupy, such as the space of
another creature or a crack in a wall that cannot accommodate you, you reappear in the nearest
unoccupied space. If there are no spaces large
enough for you within 10 feet, then you take force
damage equal to twice the number of feet you
were moved. If you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit
points or die in Mist Form, you revert and
maintain that condition. Once you reach 8th level,
you gain a flying speed of 20 feet and can hover
within your Misty Circle.
Confounding Mist
At 6th level, your mist can have a greater influence over the tide of battle. When you use your Misty Circle feature, choose one of the following options, which takes effect within the mist. You cannot change which effect is active, except by creating mist again.
- When a creature fails their Intelligence saving throw against the mist, they have disadvantage on attack rolls while they remain within the circle. Additionally, ranged attack rolls against allies within the circle have disadvantage.
- When a creature fails their Intelligence saving throw against the mist, they have disadvantage on Wisdom and Intelligence saving throws.
- Allies in the mist can use the Hide or Disengage actions as bonus actions anywhere in the circle. For the purposes of hiding, allies count as lightly obscured.
Vapor Clad
At 10th level, if you are in your Mist Form in the space occupied by another creature, you can use your bonus action to envelop the creature. You can use a bonus action to remove yourself from the creature to an unoccupied space within 5 feet. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1), and regain all expended uses on a long rest. This feature has a maximum duration of 1 minute. If the creature falls unconscious, is reduced to 0 hit points, or dies, this effect ends early. Enveloping a creature counts as a spell for the purposes of Dispel Magic, and has a spell level equal to half your druid level, rounded down (maximum of 9th level spell).
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If the creature is an ally, you grant it +2 to its AC. As your reaction, you can expend an additional use of this feature to give the creature advantage on any attack, saving throw, or ability check. You cannot use this feature to grant advantage on death saving throws.
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If the creature is not an ally, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or suffer -2 to its AC. If the creature succeeds on its saving throw, there is no effect and you are moved to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the creature. If an enemy takes an action while you are enveloping it, you can use your reaction to spend a use of this feature and contest it. You and the creature make competing Wisdom checks. If you win the check, the creature takes no action. If the creature wins the check, the action proceeds as normal, and you are removed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the creature. If you successfully stop the creature from taking an action, you can take no actions, bonus actions, or reactions until the start of your next turn. This feature can only be used to contest actions, not bonus actions or reactions.
While you are enveloping a creature, attack rolls against it also count as attack rolls against you (and vice versa). When an attack roll is made against one of you, it can hit one or both of you if the attack roll surpasses the AC of you or the creature. Attacks against you made this way do not have automatic disadvantage as they do when you are in Mist Form and not enveloping a creature. When targeted by attacks that require a saving throw, your saving throw is separate from the creature you are enveloping if the attack is targeting you both. If you are enveloping a creature and choose to contest its action or provide advantage on a roll, you must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 12) to maintain concentration on a spell.
Misty Domain
Starting at 14th level, while in your Misty Circle, you can draw power back from the mist you create to heighten your spellcasting prowess. Within your Misty Circle, you can choose to cast Illusion and Enchantment spells using a spell slot one level below the level that the spell is cast at. Cantrips can be cast for a bonus action if they would normally be cast as an action. 1st level spells can be cast as cantrips. 2nd level spells can be cast for a 1st level spell slot, et cetera. Casting a spell for a higher level than its base level works the same way, you expend a spell slot of one level below the level at which the spell is cast. When you cast a spell of 5th level or higher this way, the radius of your Misty Circle decreases by 10 feet. You can choose to cast spells with their normal spell slots, which does not reduce the radius of your Misty Circle.
Gift of the Fog
Starting at 14th level, while not in Wild Shape of Mist Form, you can use an action to expend one use of your Wild Shape feature and touch a willing creature within 5 feet of you. They take on the Mist Form for 30 minutes. Within your Misty Circle, they have a flying speed of 20 feet and can hover. They cannot use Vapor Clad unless they themselves also have access to the feature.
Circle of the Mist for D&D 5e
Created by /u/NotTheDreadPirate
With edits and suggestions by /u/boktebokte
Artist Credits:
Ivan Laliashvili - Concept Art 4
Magic the Gathering - Fog
Magic the Gathering - Insidious Mist
Wizards of the Coast - Misty Forest
