Dungeons & Dragons 5e
druid subclasses
There are currently 7 subclasses of druids in D&D 5E, each of which specialises in different aspects of nature.
Circle of Dreams
(Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.22) Circle of Dreams druids have ties to the Feywild and it shows. They get extra healing abilities which don’t use spell slots, they can create a mystical protective sphere around their camp at night to block prying eyes, they can teleport short distances, and without using a spell slot they can cast dream, scrying, or a variant of teleportation circle once a day.
Circle of the Land
(Player’s Handbook p.68) Circle of the Land druids worship particular types of habitats, and depending upon the habitat they gain extra spells which match that habitat’s feel and which don’t count against their prepared spell list. They also get an additional cantrip, they can recover some spell slots during a short rest, they can move through natural difficult terrain at a normal pace without taking damage, fey and elementals can’t charm or scare them, and they are immune to poison and disease. Also, beasts don’t like to attack them. It may be the way they taste. Not all druids bathe as regularly as they perhaps should.
Circle of the Moon
(Player’s Handbook p.69) Circle of the Moon druids have focused their energies on their wild shapes, and can do amazing things with it. Their wild shape only uses a bonus action versus an action as is normal, they are able to change into much more powerful beasts than other druids, and those beast shapes also have attacks which count as magical weapons. In addition, they can turn into elementals and can cast the spell alter self at will. If you want to turn into lots of different things, this Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition druid is right up your alley.
Circle of the Shepherd
(Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.23) Circle of the Shepherd druids have a special bond with the spirits of beast and fey creatures. They know sylvan and can speak with beasts, they can conjure a spirit totem (either bear, hawk, or unicorn) which grants powerful bonuses to them and their allies (and in particular their summoned allies), their summoned beasts and fey are more powerful than normal and their attacks also count as magical, and if the druid is knocked down to 0 hit points creatures are automatically summoned which will protect the druid’s unconscious body. The synergy between the totem and the druid’s summoned creatures is an especially powerful combination and makes this druid a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
Circle of Spores
(Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything p.36, Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica p.27) “All mushrooms are edible, but some only once in a lifetime.” Fungi are the name of the game for Circle of Spores druids. For all new life to exist, old life must be broken down and reformed into something new. These druids are protected by a sphere of damaging spores, they can use their spores to animate fresh corpses which must obey their wills, and they can hurl clouds of spores to damage their enemies.
Circle of Stars
(Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything p.38) Circle of Stars druids are bonded to the stars. They can wild shape into constellations, each of which has different powers, they can affect the rolls of others around you, and they become masters of the guiding bolt.
Circle of Wildfire
(Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything p.39) Circle of Wildfire druids, like the Circle of Spores druids, understand that things must be broken down before they can create life anew, but this group uses fire to accomplish that purpose. They get access to a wildfire spirit friend which takes whatever form the druid chooses. They also ramp up the power of their fire and healing spells substantially, and when a creature dies near them they can set that creature alight to deal extra fire damage to foes and give healing to friends who enter the space for the next minute. Pretty clutch, if you are into fire.
