Beast Walker Druid (5e Subclass)

The Beast Walker Druid

Druid Subclass
Some Druids truly embrace their animalistic nature and form deep bonds with the creatures they choose as their Beast Shapes. These druids are known as Beast Walkers. Some of them are rarely seen in their humanoid form and prefer to roam the land in the hide of a wolf, stay hidden in a lake in the shape of a fish or live high in the mountains as an eagle. As a Beast Walker Druid starting at level 2 you ignore the later features you would normally get from the Druid basics and instead use only the features listed for the Beast Walker Druid.

Beast Walker’s Shapes

When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain the ability to use Wild Shape on your turn as a bonus action, rather than as an action. Beasts with a CR under 1 can be used by expending a spell slot instead of a use of Wild Shape. The number of creatures you can choose as your shape is limited however and once you have chosen a creature as one of your Beast Shapes you cannot replace it with another one. The appearance of the beasts you transform into will always be the same if not influenced by an effect outside of the Beast Walker Druid’s features.

Beast Shapes

Level	Max. CR	Max. Beast Shapes known	Limitation
2nd	1	3	Only mammals and reptiles without the ability to fly Only one creature bigger than medium
4th	1	4	Only creatures without the ability to fly
6th	Your Druid Level divided by 3	5	Only one creature no bigger than small with the ability to fly
8th	Your Druid Level divided by 3	6	Only one creature with the ability to fly
10th	Your Druid Level divided by 3	7	none
12th	Your Druid Level divided by 3	8	none
14th	Your Druid Level divided by 3	10	none

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.

Stealth of the Beast (optional)

You can learn to use the natural stealth of your Beast Shapes. The Shapes used have to be those of creatures that would naturally use stealth as one of their natural tactics or behaviors, such as for example Snakes, Felines or Crocodiles (while in water). If you succeed on an attack while being hidden you deal an additional d6 of damage. The damage is increased by 1d6 per CR rate the beast shape possesses.

Spellcasting Limitations

As a Beast Walker Druid, you mainly focus on the use of your Beast Shapes instead of Spellcasting what comes at the price of the maximum number of Spells you can master. Unlike other Druids the number of Spells you can learn is limited.

Spells known

Level	Spells known
2nd to 3rd	4
4th to 5th	6
6th to 9th	8
10th to 13th	10
14th to 17th	15
18th to 19th	17
20th	20

Elongated Beast Shape

As a Beast Walker Druid, you have the ability to use Spell Slots to elongate the duration of your transformation into Beast Shapes. For each Spell Slot used you gain an hour of additional time before reverting to your usual form. Resting does not have any influence on the elongated duration and you regain Spell Slots and uses of Beast Shapes after the usually necessary time of rest. The effect can be staged until it reaches a maximum of 12 hours. If you actively revert to your usual form or are forced to change back by being reduced to 0 Hit Points or other means, you don’t get back any of the Spell Slots used.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Primal Strike

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

Unusual Beast Shape

At 10th level, you can expend one use of Beast Shape to transform into a creature outside of the beast category. You have to pick two forms that are either of the elemental, fey or monstrosity type, possess an animalistic appearance and have a CR according to the Beast Shape table. You can choose two forms you want to be able to use and cannot pick others after first transforming into them. You can also choose only one form at 10th level and an additional one at any later level. The forms do not count against the max. number of common Beast Shapes you can use.

Bestial Extra Attack (optional)

Beginning at 10th level, while in Wild Shape, you can attack one more time, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, even if the creature already has multiattack.

Second Self

With time Beast Walker Druids will fully adapt to the body of a certain Wild Shape they typically use. Starting at level 12 you can choose one of your Wild Shapes that will become your Second Self. When using this Wild Shape, you can choose to truly become the creature and add its hit points to your current hit points. There is no time limit tied to this transformation and you remain in the creature’s shape even if you die. Magic that would force shapeshifters to reveal their true self has no effect on you for your Second Self has become part of what you truly are. This transformation can be triggered once a day and does not count against your typical uses of Wild Shapes. However, you cannot change the shape of the creature once you have chosen it as your Second Self, just as you cannot change your character’s race.

Beast Magic

Beginning at 14th level, you learn to bind the use of certain Spells to one of your Beast Shapes. Each of your Beast Shapes can have up to three of these Spells bound to it. You only have access to these spells while in the Beast Shape they are bound to. Verbal or somatic components necessary for the spell can be performed in a way that suits the Beast Shape for example with roars or gestures the creature is capable of. If casting the Spell requires any material components you have to carry them with you before turning into Beast Shape. You still have to use Spell Slots while using Beast Magic and every Spell you bind to your Beast Shapes counts against your maximum number of known Spells defined by your current Druid Level as seen in the Beast Walker Druid table. If you already know the Spell you want to bind to one of your Beast Shapes you have to learn it a second time. A Spell bound to a Beast Shape is always prepared when assuming that form.
The Spells you can choose from can be found in the following table.

Beast Spells

Spell	Description
Asserting Dominance	When facing another beast that is the same or similar as your Beast Shape, you can use intimidating gestures that fit the behavior of the beast to cast the Spell Dominate Beast. Other than in the Spell’s description the beast has no advantage against the save if you are fighting it when it has already lost at least a fourth of its full hit points. If you have hit your target with an attack prior to casting the Spell that led to it falling under a fourth of its full hit points, it has disadvantage on the save.
Call Packmates	While in Beast Shape, you’re able to call for the aid of pack mates with a how, roar or a similar sound and cast the Spell Conjure Animals to summon creatures of the same species as your Beast Shape.
Coat of Flames	With a howl, snarl, roar or another sound that suits your Beast Shape you can ignite your fur, scales or feather and cover your body with fire, casting Investiture of Flame.
Coat of Ice	With a howl, snarl, roar or another sound that suits your Beast Shape you can cover your fur, scales or feather in a freezing cold, casting Investiture of Ice.
Eyes of the Beast	If the creature you have chosen as your Beast Shape doesn’t naturally possess Darkvision, you can cast that Spell by closing your eyes and open them with the eyes of another beast.
Healing Touch	If you nudge a wounded ally, lick their wounds or if they grasp your fur, you can cast the Spell Cure Wounds to heal them.
Tears of the Beast	While in Beast Shape, you can use the Spell Revivify by crying a tear of deep despair that drops on the spell’s target.

Timeless Body

Starting at 18th level, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.

Mightiest of Beasts

When you reach 20th level, your Wild Shapes are no longer limited by time and each have an additional 20 HP. Additionally you are able to cast Primal Savagery while in each of your Wild Shapes, making you a serious threat even in your minor Beast Shapes. You do not have to know the Cantrip already and it doesn’t count against your max. number of known Cantrips. Any of your Beast Magic Spells that require concentration can only be ended by forcing you to leave your Beast Shape and you no longer need to provide any components to use them. While in the shape of a predator you have advantage against all intimidation rolls and automatically succeed on those rolls against beasts with a CR under 5.

0.00

(0 votes)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Character Options → Subclasses