Circle of Thorns

Druids that join the Circle of Thorns are deadly predators, a militant group that bind themselves in service to the Primal Green – the force of nature that exists within every plant. They sacrifice their innate ability to take on the forms of animals, instead channeling their gifts into the growth and control of barbed vines that feed off the righteous rage of their creators.

There are three orders within the Circle of Thorns, each working to preserve the wild places and eliminating all who would threaten the natural order. The Knights of the Green stand in the front lines against those who would encroach upon or defile their charges; The Hunters of the Green track down and prey upon the Circle's more elusive foes; and the Witches of the Green focus on using raw magic to incapacitate their often supernatural targets.

Circle of Thorns Features

Druid Level Feature 2nd Thorn Magic, Verdant Form 6th Gifts of the Green 10th Primal Blood 14th Avatar of the Green

Thorn Magic

Starting at 2nd level, you always have the entangle spell prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Each time a that a target fails a saving throw against entangle spells you cast, they take 1d6 piercing damage. In addition, choose one of the following magical affinities below:

Knight of the Green: You learn the shillelagh cantrip. On a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you knock your target prone.

Hunter of the Green: You learn the thorn whip cantrip. On a critical hit with a ranged weapon attack or the thorn whip cantrip, you reduce the target's speed to 0 until the end of your next turn.

Witch of the Green: You learn the poison spray cantrip. If a target critically fails a saving throw against one of your spells, they have Disadvantage on their saving throws against your spells until the end of your next turn.

Verdant Form

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your action to infuse yourself with the Primal Green. Thorny vines sprout forth from your flesh as you will them to, protecting you and striking out at your foes. This class feature replaces the Wild Shape class feature and can be used twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

While in this form, you gain the following abilities:

You gain 3 temporary hit points per level you have in this class.

You can tear into your enemies with deadly thorns. To do so, you use your reaction on your turn to deal 6 piercing damage to one creature you can see within 10 feet of you. This damage increases to 12 at 6th level, 18 at 10th level, and 24 at 14th.

Successful attacks with weapons deal an additional 1d6 piercing damage. This increases to 2d6 damage at 14th level.

These benefits last for 10 minutes or until you use your Verdant Form again. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.

Gifts of the Green

At 6th level, your Verdant Form and entangle spells become entwined with your particular brand of Thorn Magic, as below:

Knight of the Green: When activating Verdant Form or casting the entangle spell, you can make a single melee weapon attack as part of the same action. In addition, if a creature within 5 feet of you hits you while in Verdant Form, the attacker takes 1d6 piercing damage. At level 14 the additional damage increases to 2d6 piercing damage.

Hunter of the Green: When activating Verdant Form or casting the entangle spell, you can make a single ranged weapon attack or cast the thorn whip cantrip as part of the same action. In addition, while in Verdant Form you ignore difficult terrain and your movement speed increases by 10 feet. At level 14 your movement speed bonus increases to 20 feet.

Witch of the Green: When activating Verdant Form or casting the entangle spell, you can cast the poison spray cantrip as part of the same action. In addition, while in Verdant Form you have Advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage.

Primal Blood

At 10th level, you can use your own blood and pain to fuel a reflexive embrace of the Primal Green. When you take damage from any source you may shift to your Verdant Form as a reaction. When your transformation is triggered in such a fashion, all allies within 30 feet gain a number of temporary HP equal to your Druid level.

Avatar of the Green

At 14th level, your Verdant Form reaches the pinacle of its power, depending on your particular brand of Thorn Magic, as below: