Circle of the Claw v2.0

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, specialising in a single form. You are comfortable in this form, and create special relationships with the animals you interact with while in your Claw Wildshape form.

You gain proficiency with the Animal Handling skill. If you already have that skill, gain proficiency in another skill of your choosing. While Wildshaped, you have advantage on Animal Handling rolls.

Circle of the Claw Wild Shape

At 2nd level you learn a Claw Wild Shape form. Transforming into this form expends a use of your Wild Shape (two uses that you regain when you finish a short or long rest).

Your Claw Wild Shape may be any beast with a CR of 1 or lower, and is not restricted by having a flying or swimming speed. You may enter this form as a bonus action.

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.

Wild Vigour

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you add one addiitional hit die to your Claw form. For instance, a 5th level Claw druid would add five hit dice while in their Claw Wild Shape.

Rend

At 6th level you become more comfortable in your Claw Wild Shape. You may add half of your proficiency bonus to damage rolls in your Claw Wild Shape form. Furthermore, your attacks in any beast form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Tough Hide

Also at 6th level, you may add your Wisdom modifier to your Claw Wild Shape Armour Class.

Shred

At 10th level, you are as comfortable in your Claw Wild Shape as you are in your own skin. You may add your full proficiency bonus, rather than half, to damage rolls in your Claw Wild Shape form.

Primal Resilience

Furthermore, your ability to remain Wild Shaped improves when you reach 10th level. 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.

Spirit of the Beast

When you reach 14th level, you can call upon the Spirit of the Beast as an action while in your Claw Wild Shape form. This grants you one of the benefits from the enhance ability spell without needing material components or concentration.

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).

version 2.0: