Bond of the Nymph - Soul Binder Subclass

# Soul Bonds (Soul Binder)

### Bond of the Nymph
There are times when nature needs an allies. Druids often fill these roles, taking time out of their lives to dedicate themselves to nature and protecting it. When the times ask for a further, deeper connection, a Dryad who has shown her potential will be asked to go find a partner. Whether this Dryad has found you to be a friend, useful ally, or even lover, you both can choose to cast a ritual, and become bound by soul.

___
> ## Dryad Companion
>*Medium fey, neutral (may change over time to reflect your allignment)*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 8 + its Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers + your proficiency bonus
> - **Hit Points** 1d8 (or 5) + its Constitution modifier per soul binder level
> - **Hit Die** 1d8 per soul binder level
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|10 (+0)|14 (+2)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|15 (+2)|16 (+3)|
>___
> - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft.
> - **Languages** Elvish, Sylvan, understands the language(s) of its binder, but can't speak it.
> ___
> ***Wild Walk.*** The Dryad Companion has advantage Stealth rolls while in a natural environment.
> ### Actions
> ***Attack.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* your proficiency bonus + its Dexterity modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 1d8 + its Dexterity modifier bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage
>
> ***Nature's Essence.*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* your proficiency bonus + its Charisma modifier to hit, range 30 ft., one target. *Hit:* 1d6 + its Charisma modifier force damage.

#### Nature's Ally
When you choose this bond at 1st level, you make a bond with a beautiful denizen of nature. The dryad is able to change her appearance to something that suits your preference (still resembling a Dryad) but they prefer their true form. The dryad uses the Dryad Companion statblock.

Also, once you have bonded with this Dryad, you can speak, read, and write Sylvan.

#### Disguised Form
Also when you choose this bond at 1st level, the only Hidden Form option available to you is Disguise, as a Dryad's shape and size should never change, and they shouldn't be locked away in another dimension.

#### Expanded Spell List
With the bond you and the Dryad have decided to make, you gain a further understanding of Nature's magic, learning new spells. These spells are always prepared and don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. They are soul binder spells for you.

##### Dryad Bond Spells
| Spell Level  | Spells |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  1st  | *charm person* |
|  2nd  | *pass without trace* |
|  3rd  | *speak with plants* |
|  4th  | *polymorph* |
|  5th  | *tree stride* |

#### Adopted Essence
Beginning at 3rd level, your companion can learn, and take from different beings' essence to add to her own. Your companion can have one of these essences active at a time. You can spend a bonus action to change your companion's currently active essence.

***Essence of Agility:*** Your companion has an additional 10 feet of movement speed, and opportunity attacks against her have disadvantage.

***Essence of Perception:*** Your companion's Nature's Essence attack's range increases to 60 feet.

***Essence of Power:*** Your companion's Nature's Essence attack will deal an additional 1d4 force damage.

#### Energy Conduit
Beginning at 7th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage, you can choose to cast it through you companion as long as she is conscious and no more than 60 feet away from you. When you do so, your Dryad is the origin of the spell, as if she were casting it.

After the spell resolves, she is imbued with magical energy. Your Dryad's attacks deal an additional 1d6 of the damage type the spell dealt (if the spell dealt two or more kinds of damage, choose one) until the end of her turn.

Also, choose one of the options from the Adopted Essence feature. That option is now always active.

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#### Edicts of the Preserver
At 11th level, you can command your Dryad from the multitudes of nature itself. The following commands are added to your Edict options:

***Wild Spring.*** You command your Dryad to use her magic to help others. Until the end of her turn, she can use her action to bring up beautiful plants and flowing water from the ground to make a sort of oasis, no matter where you are. This oasis has a 15 foot radius originating on where the Dryad stood when she used this, and lasts for 1 minute. You can only have one wild spring up at a time. The wild spring aids you:
- Upon entering the wild spring for the first time (per Edict use), friendly creatures gain temporary hit points equal to 2d4 + the Dryad's charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.
- Enemies that enter the wild spring are buffered by water and held down by overgrowth. They treat it as difficult terrain.

***Elegant Skip.*** Until the end of her turn, your Dryad can use 10 movement speed to step into a tree, and appear outside of another three that is within 60 feet of the first. Both trees must be size Large or larger.

Also, all Adopted Essence features are now always active.

#### Nymph's Prayer
At 15th level, you and your Dryad have become immensely close as your bond has strengthened. Your companion can use her action to pray to hidden forces of nature. After doing so, she becomes unfathomably beautiful as an avatar of nature, gaining these benefits:
- Your Dryad can target a creature with her Fey Charm. That creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (the DC is equal to your spell save DC), or  be magically charmed. A charmed creature regards her as a trusted ally and friend to be heeded and protected. The creature isn't under her control, but will do all that it can to obey her. Your Dryad must hold concentration on this effect, as if concentrating on a spell. This effect lasts for up to 1 minute, or until your Dryad becomes incapacitated, dies, or reverts back to her normal form. She can only charm one creature at a time. Any creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to her Fey Charm for 24 hours.
- Her *Wild Spring* Edict grants 2d6 + her Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus temporary hit points.
- After using the feature Energy Conduit, she deals an additional 2d8 of the damage type of the spell rather than 1d6.

The transformation ends after 1 minute, or if the Dryad uses her bonus action to end it. She can only transform again after finishing a long rest.

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## Credit

#### Creator:
This subclass was made by me, Etheraaz

([https://www.reddit.com/user/Etheraaz](https://www.reddit.com/user/Etheraaz "title"))

For u/FragSauce 's class, Soul Binder

([https://www.reddit.com/user/FragSauce/](https://www.reddit.com/user/FragSauce/ "title"))

(FragSauce also helped with the balancing of this subclass. Thanks!)

#### Artist:
* Forest Nymph by Galina Loky

([https://www.artstation.com/loky](https://www.artstation.com/loky "title"))

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