The Circle of Symbiosis Druid out of Steinhardt’s Information to the Eldritch Hunt invitations you to develop into a factor of historical nightmare.
Of the numerous subclasses in Steinhardt’s Information to the Eldritch Hunt Participant Pack, newly obtainable on D&D Past, the Circle of Symbiosis Druid is sort of probably probably the most folk-horror coded one. It very a lot performs on the tropes of Druids who discover the aspect of nature with piercing thorns and rending fangs and worse in addition to. And within the Circle of Symbiosis, because the title suggests, it’s about changing into the horror your self.
These Druids don’t simply revere nature. They develop into it. A Circle of Symbiosis Druid embodies their rules by grafting on components of nature to their very own our bodies. However to be able to make room for nature, they minimize away their humanity, severing an arm to graft on a vine-covered tree limb, or changing their legs with cloven hoofs. Generally they sever their very own heads, changing them with animal heads. Yeah. I do know.
Circle of Symbiosis Druid – Sever Your Leg Please
Earlier than we get into the assorted options and skills that this subclass grants to these Druids daring sufficient to sever their very own leg to graft on animal or tree elements, a phrase about steadiness. The subclasses in Steinhardt’s Information are tuned in another way than the subclasses within the PHB. It’s not inherently dangerous, however there are some issues which may overshadow vanilla characters of the same Class.
For instance, that is very a lot the “gish Druid” subclass, if you’ll. It’s all about hitting your enemies together with your highly effective pure weapons and changing into a behemoth together with your Wild Form. And it does it extraordinarily effectively, full with its personal line of particular body-horror spells. So positively discuss together with your DM (or in case you’re the DM, learn by way of the subclass) earlier than deciding on the Symbiosis Druid.
Okay. Let’s get to the good things. First up, the aforementioned choice of physique horror spells which you get as part of the Circle of Symbiosis spells. There are 9 on the record of Bonus Spells, however I consider you get entry to much more in your record in case you decide them. Extra on why you’ll need to later.
Then we’ve got the marquee featre, so to talk, Wickerbone Behemoth. That is the creature from the subclass cowl artwork. You spend a Bonus Motion and a Wild Form (whereas not carrying armor or holding a defend) to develop into a horrifying, wrathful embodiment of nature, full with deer cranium, wood pores and skin, goat hooves, and extra. Whereas remodeled, you acquire quite a lot of highly effective advantages.
A Highly effective Possibility
And after I say highly effective, I imply it. The primary is that each of your arms depend as a Membership beneath the results of the Shillelagh spell. Golf equipment include Mild and Gradual and you should utilize each properties, which means you may make an additional assault as a bonus motion everytime you take the assault motion (and all the opposite common dual-wielding shenanigans). And since it’s the cantrip, the injury scales up as you stage. On account of this you get two Shillelagh spells for a single Bonus Motion, and the spells final till your Wild Form ends (10 minutes).
On prime of that, you might be beneath the results of a Concentrationless Barkskin spell. This units your AC to 17, and each time a creature damages you with an assault, you get to deal 1d4 piercing injury to every creature of your alternative inside 5 ft of you. However we’re not finished but! You additionally regain hit factors equal to half the injury you’ve taken since your earlier flip, with a “restrict” of 5 instances your proficiency bonus.
Consider It Or Not There’s Extra
One factor I truly actually like about Steinhardt’s Information is that it’s not afraid handy out the large cool highly effective toys. Working example, that’s most likely probably the most front-loaded battle transformation in 5.5E, not less than that I’ve seen. However it doesn’t essentially break the sport. You continue to solely get one Assault per Assault Motion. At the very least till stage 6 if you acquire Additional Assault and may assault twice as a substitute of as soon as. Additionally a type of assaults generally is a cantrip (like Shillelagh or True Strike), relying on what you want. You may inform this class was designed by somebody who actually needed Shillelagh to be higher than it’s, as a result of their Druid stored having to waste a Bonus Motion casting it.
At stage 10, you acquire Nature’s Wrath, which upgrades your physique with much more pure presents. Now you’re completely beneath the results of a Barkskin spell. Whilst you’re remodeled into the Wickerbone Behemoth, you develop into Massive and acquire resistance to regular injury everytime you take the Assault Motion.
Circle of Symbiosis Druid At Excessive Ranges
Lastly, at stage 14, Briarheart makes you right into a physique horror creature. You sacrifice your mortal human coronary heart, and acquire highly effective ailities. Now whereas remodeled right into a Wickerbone Behemoth, you acquire the Nick mastery property (for an additional assault together with your shillelagh arms). After which except for that, if you take the Assault motion in your flip (and also you don’t need to be remodeled for this), you should utilize a Bonus Motion to solid any of the particular ‘osteomancy spells’ in your record.
Which suggests you possibly can, on a single flip, Assault thrice for a single Assault motion, and a type of assaults generally is a True Strike. Then as a Bonus Motion, you possibly can solid a full on assault spell that will usually take an Motion. Is it damaged? Yeah, most likely just a little. However nonetheless not as highly effective as a number of the different combos individuals have discovered. Excessive stage play is a fragile balancing act. For those who play with Steinhardt’s Information stuff, I’d simply set my expectations to ‘it is a high-powered marketing campaign’, and put within the work of operating even tougher fights and worrying much less about pulling my punches.
What do you consider this horrifying symbiosis? Too damaged or simply damaged sufficient?
