Circle of Overgrowth

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CONSIDERATIONS:

* Damage scaling on Digest? 2d6 at a higher level? Use PB or Level in damage?
* Free cantrip? Control plants? Thorn whip?
* Earlier free access to Speak With Plants? Allow free conversation with plants in Tree Form?

* Making scandent bloom into a limited-use ability (potentially with more powerful effects)
* Making tree form a bonus action transformation
* Rescaling the Arbor Guardian (setting attack # to be 1/2 PB rounded down instead of up?)
* Instead of choosing a second target for SB in Tree Form, making each effect more powerful (restrained while grappled, more damage, a second effect to go with the poison)
* Rework capstone, something more interesting design-wise than some free spells

CHANGELOG

V 1.3

Scandent Bloom
- Now works with any damage you deal, not just attacks and spells 
- wording adjustments

Oaken Terror
- Now when you use Scandent Bloom in Tree Form, you can forgo choosing a second target for the effect and cause the original target to suffer two effects.

Verdant Herald
- wording adjustments

V 1.2

Spell List:
- Guardian of Nature replaced with Living Armor

Sudden Growth
- Plants now have vulnerability to fire and slashing damage, and immunity to psychic damage, instead of being destroyed instantly by any fire damage.

Tree Form
- Now uses a bonus action to transform

Oaken Terror
- Now provides difficult terrain to creatures within 15 feet. You can use your reaction to gain resistance to damage dealt to you by a creature in this area. Replaces previous effect of rolling a d4 once per turn to gain resistance.

Verdant Herald
- Now lets you cast Speak with Plants at will instead of allowing you to communicate with plants

V 1.1

General:
- page 1 artwork changed from Druid's Deliverance by Rudy Siswanto to Cultivate by Billy Christian

Spell List:
- Awaken replaced with Tree Stride

Scandent Bloom: 
- Now requires a bonus action
- Irritate can now be ended early by a creature that uses an action to remove the oils from themselves or another creature

Sudden Growth:
- plants HP is now equal to 3 * PB instead of 3 * Wis
- Use limit is now Wis instead of PB
- bush now creates a 5 foot cube instead of a 5 foot diameter sphere

Tree Form:
- Rock damage die changed from a d12 to a d10
- Speed reduced from 30 feet to 25 feet

Verdant Herald: 
- minor wording changes
- Now allows you to communicate with plants as if you shared a language
- now allows you to cast Awaken (targeting plants only) with the stipulations of the second paragraph, instead of just Druid Grove

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### Circle of Overgrowth

Druids are extensions of nature's will, and above all nature has a will to expansion. In that sense, the notion of a thing being overgrown is entirely subjective. To each other, nature and civilization are both overgrown, always expanding their territory and encroaching on nearby borders.

Rather than contenting themselves with maintaining some small corner of untouched wilderness, druids of the Circle of Overgrowth prefer a more active approach. By commanding the dormant flora within the earth to rise as they desire, and eventually donning the armor of bark themselves, these druids serve as nature's colonizers.

#### Circle Spells
*2nd-level Circle of Overgrowth feature*
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Your connection to natural world manifests as an affinity for nurturing and controlling plant life, granting you access to some spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Circle of Overgrowth Spells table.

Once you gain access to one of these spells, 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 Overgrowth Spells

|   Druid Level    | Spells |
|:---:|:-----------|
|  2nd  | <i>entangle, thorn guard*</i> |
|  3rd  | <i>spike growth, web</i> |
|  5th  | <i>plant growth, summon plant*</i> |
|  7th</br></br>  | <i>black tentacles (appears as vines), living armor*</i> |
|  9th  | <i>tree stride, wrath of nature</i> |

#### Scandent Bloom
*2nd-level Circle of Overgrowth feature*
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At your command, the dormant energy within the earth springs forth to choke and scratch your foes. Once on each of your tuns when you deal damage to a creature within 60 feet of you and the creature is on the ground or within 5 feet of a plant, you can use a bonus action to cause vines or roots to erupt in an area around that creature. The tendrils create one of the following effects of your choice before vanishing:

<p class='negative-indent'><b>Constrict.</b> The creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or become grappled by the tendrils until the end of your next turn as the tendrils snag and catch them. A creature can use an action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. The tendrils immediately release the target if exposed to fire. </p>

<p class='negative-indent'><b>Digest.</b> The creature takes an extra 1d6 necrotic damage as the tendrils siphon away its life force. This damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 14th level in this class. </p>

<p class='negative-indent'><b>Inject.</b> The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be poisoned until the end of your next turn as tiny toxic needles extend from the tendrils. A creature can use an action to brush the needles off itself or a creature within its reach, ending the effect. </p>

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#### Sudden Growth
*2nd-level Circle of Overgrowth feature*
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The ground beneath your feet is always the sovereign territory of the wild, and it is your duty to expand it. As a bonus action, you can create plant life in an unoccupied space you can see within 60 feet. When you do so, you must choose the form this plant takes; Bush, Grass, or Tree. The plant has AC 5 and a number of hit points equal to three times your proficiency bonus. The plant disappears if it is reduced to 0 hit points. The plant has immunity to psychic damage and vulnerability to fire and slashing damage. After 24 hours, it becomes a normal plant and loses all magical properties, unless the area is unsuitable for plant growth in which case it withers away.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

<p class='negative-indent'><b>Bush.</b> A 5 foot cube of shrubbery appears in the space you chose. The bush's area is considered difficult terrain, and it is heavily obscured for all creatures outside the bush. For a creature inside the area, the bush is only lightly obscuring.</p>

<p class='negative-indent'><b>Grass.</b> Soft, lush grass or moss appears in a 10 foot radius around the point you chose. Creatures that take falling damage by landing in the area take only half the damage of the fall. If a creature finishes a short or long rest in the area, they gain temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). </p>

<p class='negative-indent'><b>Tree.</b> A solid tree with a trunk 5 feet wide and 15 feet tall appears in the space you chose, with thin branches spreading out in a 10 foot radius from the top of the trunk. Climbing the tree trunk requires no extra movement, and the tree can provide cover to targets behind it.  </p>

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#### Tree Form
*6th-level Circle of Overgrowth feature*
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The verdant fervor within you demands to be released. As a bonus action, you can use your Wild Shape to take the form of a powerful tree, instead of transforming into a beast. This creature uses the statistics in the Arbor Guardian stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. All the other rules of Wild Shape apply while in your tree form, as if you were in a beast shape.

You determine the exact appearance of this transformation. Some druids of this circle become gnarled with rough bark and thrashing branches, while others resemble blossoming fruit trees.

___
> ## Arbor Guardian
>*Large plant*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 + PB (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 5 + seven times your druid level (the guardian has a number of Hit Dice [d10s] equal to your druid level)
> - **Speed** 25ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|21 (+5)|9 (-1)|20 (+5)|— (—)|— (—)|— (—)|
>___
> - **Damage Vulnerabilities** Fire
> - **Senses** shares your Passive Perception
> - **Languages** shares your languages
> - **Challenge** — 
> - **Proficiency Bonus (PB)** equals your bonus
> ___
>
> ***False Appearance.*** While the guardian remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal tree.
>
> ***Magic Weapons.*** The guardian's weapon attacks are magical.
>
> ***Siege Monster.*** The guardian deals double damage to objects and structures.
>
> ### Actions
> ***Multiattack.*** The guardian makes a number of slam attacks equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded up).
>
> ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 2d6 + 5 + PB bludgeoning damage.
>
> ***Rock.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* your spell attack modifier to hit, range 60/180 ft., one target. *Hit:* 1d12 + 5 + PB bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.

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#### Oaken Terror
*10th-level Circle of Overgrowth feature*
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The protective bark of your tree form becomes thick and resilient, warding off any assault that would slow the march of the forest. While in your tree form, the ground within 15 feet of you becomes difficult terrain for your enemies. When a creature in this area damages you, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to that damage.

In addition, when you use your Scandent Bloom ability while in your tree form, you may choose one other creature within 60 feet of you. That creature suffers the same effect, provided they are on the ground or within 5 feet of a plant. Alternatively, you can cause the original creature to suffer an additional effect of your choice.

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#### Virulent Bloom
*10th-level Circle of Overgrowth feature*
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Donning the armor of leaves and bark strengthens your control over nature. While you are in your tree form, the effects of your Scandent Bloom ability each gain additional features.:

***Constrict.*** If a target fails their save by 5 or more, they are also restrained until the grapple ends.

***Digest.*** Choose another creature you can see within 60 feet. That creature regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.

***Irritate.*** If the target fails their save by 5 or more, they must use their reaction to make one melee attack against a random creature within range.

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#### Verdant Herald
*14th-level Circle of Overgrowth feature*
<div style="margin:-6px;"></div>

Your very body is within nature's domain. You manifest some small magical transformation about your body, such as patches of bark on your skin, leaves sprouting from among your hair, or antler-like branches extending from your skull. Your footsteps may sprout moss and grasses as you walk, or you may exude a smell of flowers and aromatic herbs. You can cast *speak with plants* at will, and you have advantage on Charisma checks to interact with Plants and vegetation.

In addition, you can cast the *awaken* spell (targeting plants only) and the *druid grove* spell as an action, without expending  spell slots or material components. Once you cast one of these spells in this way, you cannot cast either spell in this way again until you finish a long rest.

##### Circle of Overgrowth v1.4 for D&D 5e
**Created by:** [u/NotTheDreadPirate](https://www.reddit.com/user/NotTheDreadPirate "u/NotTheDreadPirate's profile")</br>
**Artist Credits:**</br>
[Billy Christian - Cultivate](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/w6ABb6 "Billy Christian - Cultivate")</br>
[Titus Lunter - Ancient Animus](https://www.artofmtg.com/art/ancient-animus/ "Titus Lunter - Ancient Animus")</br>
<i>Spells with asterisks (*) can be found in my [Portfolio Guide](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-MhqL38jF04szan02l7X "Portfolio Guide").</i>
</div>

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tree form buffs: resistance to physical damage? Difficult terrain aura?

enhancements to Scandent Bloom? secondary target? extra effects on fail by 5 or more? Heal ally for Digest damage?

flavor effects? photosynthesis? communication with plants and plant creatures?

some kind of giant plant creation?

bonuses to Thorn Whip

plant control abilities

peripherals - sapping strength, necrotic damage? Buff allies?

@Brewers looking for feedback on my new Druid subclass, the Circle of Overgrowth. My main area of concern is how Tree Form works and scales. Conceptually it is a melding of a few alternate uses for Wild Shape, its a new non-beast use of the ability that uses a built in statblock which scales as you level.

By my rough math, it roughly keeps pace with the damage/durability of the Moon druid, but lacks some of the attendant features (healing in Wild Shape via spell slots, bonus action transformation, access to high level flying/swimming forms, elemental options, etc) but on the other hand has its own dynamic options with Scandent Bloom.

Adjusting the stats of the Arbor Guardian statblock is easy to do, but I'm looking for thoughts on whether it needs changing. Any feedback on the other abilities or the spell list is appreciated as well. 
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