Circle of the Claw

This circle emphasizes their connection with the beasts of their homeland, forging a bond closer than that of most druid circles. They are a circle of extremes, drifting in and out of their Wild Shape forms more often than they enter most towns or cities. They commune with their localized nature and wear their focused Claw Wild Shape forms as most mortals wear clothing.

You create special attunement with your Wild Shape forms, eschewing the diversity of choices for specialization in a small number of forms. You can enter a Circle of the Claw Wild Shape form as a bonus action.

At 2nd level you learn a Hunter Wildshape. At 6th level you learn a Stalker Wild Shape. At 13th level you learn a Predator Wildshape. At 18th level you learn an Apex Wildshape. These forms, seen below in the Circle of the Claw Wild Shapes, replace the Beast Shapes table on page 66 of the Player's Handbook. The remainder of the Wild Shape rules still apply.

Additionally, while you are transformed by Wild Shape, you can use a bonus action to expend one spell slot to regain 1d8 hit points per level of the spell slot expended.

Circle of the Claw Wild Shapes

Wild Shape Level Maximum CR Hunter 2 1/2 Stalker 6 3 Predator 13 6 Apex 18 10

Rend

Each of your Circle of the Claw Wild Shapes can instinctively use this ability when you learn that form. You may add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls.

Wild Vigour

Each of your Circle of the Claw Wild Shape forms gain one additional hit die for every Druid level you have achieved beyond unlocking that Wild Shape. For example, a 6th level Hunter Wild Shape would gain four additional hit dice.

Tough Hide

Hunter Wild Shapes gain this feature at level 6, Stalkers gain it at level 13, Predators at level 18, and Apex at level 20. You may add your Wisdom modifier to your Wild Shape Armour Class.

Primal Strike

Starting at 6th level, your attacks in any beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Spirit of the Beast

At 10th level, your Hunter and Stalker forms grant you one of the benefits from the enhance ability spell without needing material components or concentration. At 18th level your Predator Wild Shape also gains this benefit, while Apex gain it at level 20.

Resilient Hide

When you reach level 14, your mastery of your Circle of the Claw Wild Shapes allow you to maintain control over your body while shifted. When you are reduced to zero hit points and are Wild Shaped, you may spend your reaction and second use of Wild Shape to remain in that form.

You are resistant to the type of damage that brought you to zero hit points until the start of your next turn, and you regain the maximum hit points of that form. After you gain the resistance and hit points, you resolve any outstanding damage that you have been dealt. You may use this ability once per long rest.

Shred

Also at 14th level while in your Hunter or Stalker Wild Shape, you may expend one Druid spell slot when you make a successful attack roll. You add 1d8 of that attack's damage type per level of spell slot expended. You gain this ability in your Predator Wild Shape at 18th level, and your Apex Wild Shape at 20th level.

Changelog and Notes

I've noticed a number of people online discussing the need for a druid subclass that focused on one animal. This is the first draft, so it may yet get whittled down to that, but I thought this was a good first attempt (and also my first homebrew from scratch).

Dragon Variant

At your DM's discretion, you may select a dragon in place of a beast for your Cicle of the Claw Wild Shape(s). If that is the case, you gain the benefits in a delayed fashion, as though each form were the next level higher in the Circle of the Claw Wild Shape table.

For example, a Gold Dragon Wyrmling would be an acceptable Stalker Wild Shape. It would, however, gain at at level 13, and Spirit of the Beast at level 18.