Druid Circle
Circle of Consumption
In the depths of the wood and bog, there are secrets no mortal is meant to know. One such is the Circle of Consumption - druids who long ago pledged themselves, body and soul, to serving the cause of rot and decay. Their humanity is questionable, at best, as they seek to ensure the cycle of decay and rebirth is preserved.
Circle of Consumption druids are rarely good-aligned, though they may come from any background. Even when they have noble goals, their methods are often brutal. They tend to revile civilization, and often ally themselves with so-called "shadow druids", in opposition to settled societies. Their ideals often include ensuring ample fodder for the next generation to grow upon.
Circle of Consumption Features
| Druid Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Circle Spells, Swarmshape |
| 6th | Decay and Rebirth |
| 10th | Hunger of the Swarm |
| 14th | All-Consuming |
Circle of Consumption Spells
At 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Circle of Consumption Spells 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.
| Druid Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | fearsome visageSDS, latching beetleS |
| 3rd | poison dartK, protection from poison |
| 5th | rain of spidersK, wasp barrageK |
| 7th | giant insect, stinging swarmK |
| 9th | insect plague, wall of insectsS |
Spells marked with SDS were created as part of the Spells That Don't Suck project. Spells marked with K were created by KibblesTasty and used with permission.
Swarm Shape
At 2nd level, when you use your Wild Shape feature, you can assume the form of a Swarming Menace, using the statistics printed here. While you are in your Swarming Menace form, you can cast your Circle spells. When you do so, you lose 2 hit points per level of the spell slot expended.
When you use your Wild Shape in this way, you can do so as a bonus action.
Decay and Rebirth
At 6th level, your Swarming Menace form gains the following traits.
- Magic Strikes. Your attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
- Multiattack. When you take the Attack action, you can make two attacks.
- Corpse Consumption. When you end your turn in the same space as a corpse of size Small or Medium, you can consume it as a bonus action to refresh your swarm. You recover 1d6 hit points, and may expend a spell slot to recover an additional 1d6 hit points per level of the slot.
Swift Swarming
At 10th level, assuming your Swarm Shape is second nature to you. When you Wild Shape into your Swarming Menace form, you can do so as a reaction before you suffer damage. If you Swarm Shape as a reaction, you gain resistance to all damage until the start of your next turn.
Hunger of the Swarm
At 14th level, when you use your Swarm Shape feature, you may choose three of the following traits for your Swarming Menace form.
- Buzzing. You gain a 30-foot fly speed, with hover. Creatures within your Consuming Cloud are deafened.
- Overwhelming. You are size Large, your attacks do an additional die of damage, and your melee attacks gain a 10-foot reach.
- Ravenous. Your Corpse Consumption trait now can consume Large and Huge corpses. You recover 2d6 and 3d6 hit points, respectively, and the corpse is simply reduced one size category, rather than being entirely consumed.
- Enveloping. Creatures within your Consuming Cloud are blinded, and Consuming Cloud's damage is doubled.
- Poisonous. Enemies damaged by your Sting and Stinging Bolt abilities must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take 1d8 poison damage and be poisoned until the end of their next turn.
Swarming Menace
Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, Unaligned
- Armor Class 13+PB (natural armor)
- Hit Points 4+4 times your druid level
- Speed 30 ft.
12 14 16 STR(+1) DEX(+2) CON(+3)
- Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
- Condition Immunities grappled, restrained
- Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 11+PB
- Languages Understands Druidic
Traits
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect. It cannot be healed or receive temporary hit points except through your subclass features.
Consuming Cloud. Anytime a creature starts its turn in your space, they immediately take piercing damage equal to your PB, and you recover hit points equal to half the damage dealt.
Actions
Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 0 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + your Wisdom modifier piercing damage. If you are below half your maximum hit points, this deals 1d6 + your Wisdom modifier piercing damage.
Stinging Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + your Wisdom modifier piercing damage.
Circle of Consumption quirks
The following are some optional quirks for a player of this Domain to choose from.
| d6 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | You address most humanoids as "meat". |
| 2 | You are more excited for spoiled food than fresh. |
| 3 | You prefer to take meals while Swarm Shaped. |
| 4 | You forget to blink unless reminded. |
| 5 | You refer to other druids as "squirrel-huggers". |
| 6 | You think others' burial practices are barbaric, and insist on using the meat. |
Appendix: Spells
Fearsome Visage
1st-level illusion
- Classes: Warlock, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 90 feet
- Components: V, M (a dead spider)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You bewitch a creature's mind, terrifying it. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for the duration. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A target that is more than 90 feet away from you has advantage on its saving throw.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.
Latching Beetle
1st-level conjuration
- Classes: Druid, Ranger
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 ft.
- Components: V, S, M (a small beetle husk)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You create a poisonous beetle, which attaches itself to a creature you can see within range. The target makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the beetle takes hold, dealing 3d4 piercing damage. At the end of each of its turns, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 3d4 poison damage and become poisoned until the start of its next turn.
Poison Dart
2nd-level transmutation
- Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 ft
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Instantaneous
You conjure a dart of pure poison and hurl it at a creature you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 3d12 poison damage and must succeed a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the start of your next turn.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 2nd.
Rain of Spiders
3th-level conjuration
- Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a spider leg)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
A vertical column of spiders begins to rain down in a 20-foot radius, 40-foot high cylinder, centered on a location you specify. A Swarm of Spiders (Basic Rules , pg. 391) descends onto each creature within the cylinder when the spell is cast.
This swarm is considered to be climbing on the target creature and moves with it, even if they leave the affected area, and takes its turn immediately after that creature's turn. A creature can make use its action to attempt to remove the spiders, making a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the spell save DC of the caster.
The swarm uses the caster's spell attack modifier when attacking (if it is higher than their attack modifier). A swarm will attack the creature it fell on if it can, or move to chase the creature if it has been knocked off of them. Any spiders that remain when the spell ends disappear.
Stinging Swarm
4th-level conjuration
- Classes: Druid, Warlock, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You conjure a magical swarm of flying insects that fill a 5 foot cube within range. For the duration of the spell, the swarm is magically replenished and cannot be destroyed. As a bonus action, you can direct the swarm to move up to 30 feet. If the swarm enters another creature's space, it stops and swarms them, stinging repeatedly, and cannot be moved until the start of your next turn. The creature takes 2d4 piercing damage and must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d12 poison damage on failure.
Wall of Insects
5th-level conjuration
- Classes: Druid, Ranger
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 120 ft.
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
A wall of churning bugs appears on a solid surface you can see within range. You can make the wall up to 60 feet long, 20 feet high, and 10 feet thick, or in a ring up to 20 feet in diameter, 20 feet high, and 10 feet thick. The wall is opaque and lasts for the duration. Moving through the wall costs 3 feet of movement for each foot.
A creature that starts its turn in the wall or enters the wall on its turn must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 2d8 poison damage and 2d8 piercing damage, and is poisoned until the end of its next turn. On a success, it takes half as much damage and is not poisoned.
If a creature ends its turn in the wall, some insects cling to it, and it continues to be affected as if in the wall until it or another creature within 5 feet spends an action to brush the insects off.
Wasp Barrage
3rd-level conjuration
- Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (40-foot cone)
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Instantaneous
You conjure a swarm of magical wasps zip out to sting creatures of your choice within a 40 foot cone. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1 piercing damage + 4d12 poison damage. After they attack, the magic wasps fade away.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each second slot level above 3nd.
Changelog
v1.2
- Expanded spell list
- Replaced spider bite with rain of spiders
v1.1
- Replaced cause fear with fearsome visage
- Removed saving throw proficiencies
v1.0
- Updated art and license
v0.3
- Replaced rain of spiders with spider bite
- Moved bonus-action swarmshaping from 10th to 2nd level
- Buffed Hunger of the Swarm (added Poisonous option, and made it 3/5 options instead of 2/4)
v0.2
- Fix some formatting issues
- Remove Skills from the Swarming Menace's statblock
v0.1
- First Draft
Credits & References:
Circle of Consumption created by somanyrobots Discord | Patreon
Inspiration from DrGoo282
Spells
- Poison Dart, Rain of Spiders, and Stinging Swarm created by KibblesTasty
- Latching Beetle, Wall of Spiders by somanyrobots
Art
- Circle of Consumption Druid, by Duong Thanh Lam
License
- © 2023 somanyrobots, CC BY-NC 4.0
5E SRD Content
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available here.
The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available here.
