By Max "Misanthrope" Ximenez

Druid Circle: Circle of the City

Wolves have packs, geese have gaggles, bees have hives. Humanoids tend to gather in cities, great nests of stone and metal, but a druid of the Circle of the City, or an "urban druid," does not see this as unnatural. Urban druids view cities as unique ecosystems unto their own that require protection and guidance.

At 2nd level, a druid of the Circle of the City may wear armor and shields made of metal. You also gain proficiency in simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers and shortswords.

Firearm Proficiencies The druid of the Circle of the City is well-suited to a setting that emulates almost any time period and stripe of fantasy with a focus on cities; an urban druid is just as home in ancient Athens as he would be on a space station in deep space. For settings in which firearms are present, consider the following rule of thumb: If a character has proficiency in hand crossbows, they also have proficiency in handguns like the pistol or revolver. If a character has proficiency in heavy crossbows, they also have proficiency in two-handed firearms, like the musket or shotgun.

Favored City

At 2nd level, select a city in your world with which you have a great, personal connection. You learn two languages commonly spoken in the city. When on the same plane as the city, you always know how far the city is from you and what direction it is in. When in the city, you are always aware of your position within the city and your position relative to major landmarks (such as important monuments, city hall or your favorite pub).

Urban Shape

Starting at 6th level, you may use your wildshape to transform into humanoid creatures, in addition to beasts. You may use your wildshape to transform into a humanoid creature, as long as members of that creature's race constitute a significant portion of your favored city's population. You may not transform into a specific individual. Your ability scores and proficiencies do not change when urban shaped. You gain effects of the humanoid's anatomy, but not features that are the result of education, culture or learned magic. Your equipment and clothing change shape with you when transformed into another humanoid.

For example, you would gain an aarakocra's flying speed, a dragonborn's Breath Weapon or a drow's Sunlight Sensitivity, but you would not gain a dwarf's Dwarven Combat Training or a high elf's Cantrip.

Urban Companions

Starting at 10th level, you can call the creatures of the city to your aid. By expending a spell slot as an action, you summon a swarm of beasts on your space. While the swarm occupies the same space as you, you have half cover in all directions. If the swarm occupies the same space as a creature you target with a weapon attack, you have advantage on the attack roll.

The summoned swarm is friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the summoned swarm, which has its own turns. All swarms that you summon during the same encounter share initiative. The swarm obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don't issue any commands to the swarm, it defends itself from hostile creatures, but otherwise takes no actions.

By expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher, you may summon a swarm of bats, rats or ravens. A spell slot of 2nd level or higher allows you to summon a swarm of insects or rot grubs. A spell slot of third level or higher allows you to summon a swarm of quippers or poisonous snakes.

Impersonate

Starting at 14th level, you may use your wildshape to transform into a specific humanoid or beast. You must have observed the creature for a cumulative hour, or observe it for ten minutes and possess an item of importance to it or a piece of its body. You may choose to adopt the creature's ability scores and proficiencies, but you do not gain any knowledge or spellcasting ability. This feature otherwise behaves like the Urban Shape feature, unless noted.

Your replication is physically perfect, an absolute copy of the creature at the end of your observation.

Image Credit: Joel DuQue