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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Druid Archetype - Circle of the Lycan [PEACH]



Oramac
2016-10-17, 12:58 PM
I'm aware there's a lot of Lycan based classes/archetypes out there, but frankly, I don't care for them. So I decided to make my own. I'm currently also working on a full-fledged Lycan class, but wanted to make a druidic archetype as well.

Note: my thoughts on each feature are in after the description.

[b]Circle of the Lycan

Druids following the Circle of the Lycan are generally renegades. Though other druids will usually accept them, they are still watched with caution for fear of the ancient Curse they dare try to control.

These druids are usually more primal than their counterparts in the Circle of the Moon or the Circle of the Land. They take it upon themselves to contract and control the Curse of Lycanthropy, viewing it as a way to further enhance their understanding of nature, as well as a way to greatly increase their ability to defend both themselves and the forests in which they typically live. Through use of ancient druidic magic, those that follow this Circle learn to free their mind from the influence of the moon and to control the primal fury of the Curse, though there is still the chance for them to lose control.

Hybrid Transformation: When you take this archetype at 2nd level, you take advantage of your primal nature to learn to control the Curse of Lycanthropy. Using a bonus action, you may transform into a hybrid of a wolf and your chosen race. You may transform twice, and you regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. While in hybrid form, you gain the following benefits, which supercede the rules of Wild Shape and those of Lycanthropy in the Monster Manual. [the focus here is more martial than with the Land or Moon Circles, thus the increases to Str/Con and dedicated weapons with claw/bite]

You gain a +2 bonus to your Strength and Constitution scores, and your hit points increase accordingly. Your other game statistics remain the same as they are outside of hybrid form. Additionally, your claws and bite function as weapons. Your claws deal 1d4 damage, and your bite deals 1d6 damage. This damage increases at 5th (1d6/1d8), 11th (1d8/1d10), and 17th level (1d10/1d12). Both your claw and bite use Strength as their relevant ability for attack and damage rolls.
You may speak in hybrid form, but you can’t cast spells. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
You gain Darkvision to a range of 60 feet.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
You gain vulnerability to damage from silvered weapons.
You are immune to any new applications of the Curse of Lycanthropy.
When you take damage while in hybrid form, you must make a Wisdom saving throw or go berserk. The DC for this throw is 5 + half the damage taken, rounded down. If you fail the save, you must spend your next turn attacking the creature closest to you.

Wrath of the Moon: Starting at 2nd level and when in hybrid form, when you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can expend one druid spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the normal damage. The extra damage is 2d4 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d4 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 10d4. [this is basically Divine Smite. Since the druid is a full caster, I dropped it to a d4 per spell slot instead of a d8. If my math is right, average damage should be roughly the same.]

Primal Strike: Starting at 6th level, your attacks in beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. [identical to the Moon Druid feature]

Resilient Hide: Beginning at 10th level, your hide becomes more resilient. While in hybrid form, you have resistance to magical and non-magical piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage from weapons that are not silvered. Additionally, you have advantage on the saving throw to avoid going berserk. [only applies in hybrid form, and does not apply against spells. Since this Circle does away with the "onion" concept, this is an effort to maintain a bit of tankiness.]

Unnatural Fortitude: Beginning at 14th level, when you take damage while in hybrid form that would not reduce you to zero or fewer Hit Points, and you are conscious, you may use your reaction to immediately heal for half the damage received, rounded down. You may not use this feature if the damage was dealt by a silvered weapon. Once you use this feature you may not use it again until you have completed a long rest. [I see this being used to make the Berserk save much easier at a time when attacking an ally would be especially inconvenient]

Oramac
2016-10-17, 01:13 PM
Reserved, just in case.