Circle of the Hive

Druids of the Circle of the Hive identify with the small animals that work together for the success of the whole. These druids seek deep and profound connection with the creatures around them, and form tight-knit groups with any that share their goals. The circle's wisest members act as the centers of something like a hive mind, communicating with their comerades telepathically. Hive druids are far more confortable than their other bretheren in urban settings, and revel in the life that finds its place in any environment.

Heart of the Hive

When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you have gained an affinity for small beasts in large groups. You have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks and any Charisma checks made to interact with groups of beasts that operate in swarms, hives, flocks, colonies, or other, similar groups.

In addition, you can speak telepathically to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. You can only speak to one creature at a time in this way, and it must share a language with you to understand your telepathic speech.

Circle Forms

Also at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into a swarm of beasts (such as a Swarm of Rats or a Swarm of Insects), but you must still abide by the limitations in the Beast Shapes table when you do so.

In addition, when you use your Wild Shape feature to transform into a single beast, you can also transform a willing creature you touch into the same beast. You can use this feature once. When you reach 6th level in this class, you can use this feature twice, and at 14th level, you can use it three times. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

A creature transformed in this way is Wild Shaped and follows all rules and limitations of the Wild Shape feature. It uses your druid level to determine the maximum amount of time it can remain in beast form, but it can revert to its normal form early using a bonus action.

Hive Mind

Beginning at 6th level, you can begin to craft your own hive. When you finish a long rest, choose a number of willing creatures equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1 creature). Until you finish a long rest, you can speak telepathically to any number of the chosen creatures that are within 60 feet of you, even while in beast form. Such creatures cannot speak back to you, and must share a language with you to understand your telepathic speech.

In addition, you have achieved a connection between your spellcating prowess and your telepathic abilities. When you cast the conjure animals spell, you can summon swarms of beasts as well as single beasts.

Whenever you cast a spell that summons creatures, such as conjure animals, each creature you conjure with the spell is considered part of your Hive Mind. A summoned creature always understands your telepathic speech, regardless of its ability to understand any languages, so you can issue commands telepathically.

Hive Queen

At 10th level, you can bolster the mental strength of creatures in your hive mind. You have a number of d4s equal to twice your Wisdom modifier. When a creature in your Hive Mind within 60 feet of you makes an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can use your reaction to roll one or more d4s and add them to the saving throw. You can do so after seeing the die roll but before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

The range of this feature increases to 90 feet when you reach 14th level in this class. You regain all expended d4s when you finish a short or long rest.

Improved Hive Mind

At 14th level, your telepathic prowess improves. When you use your Hive Mind feature at the end of a long rest, you can affect a number of creatures equal to 2 + twice your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 2 creatures), and its range increases to 90 feet. Any affected creature within 90 feet of you can telepathically speak toy you or any other affected creature within 90 feet of you, but can speak to only one at a time.

In addition, creatures in the Hive Mind have advantage on saving throws against becoming charmed or frightened, and no longer need to share a language with each other to understand each other.

This is unofficial fan content, and was not created by or involved with Wizards of the Coast, LLC.

Credit: D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook pp. 253