Druid: Circle of Evolution

### Growth Focus

Starting at 2nd level upon choosing this Circle, you may choose a focus of either Flora or Fauna in which you gain *Advantage* to the first saving throw and skill check revolving an Animal or Plant that you have previously physically encountered due to careful study and firsthand experience.

In addition, you gain additional bonuses and access to spells according to your focus upon reaching certain levels. Once you gain access to one of these spells, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn’t appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you.

#### **Fauna Focus**

You began studying the various wildlife of the natural world, learning their habitat and routine. You may spend 10 minutes observing a creature in order to learn external information such as its eating habits, sleeping pattern, or just the general actions it usually does. You can cut the time in half by means of physically interacting with the creature, requiring a **Bonus Action** to make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) Check when in combat against it to gain deeper information such as its Attacks, AC, Senses, etc.

You gain the ability to cast Speak with Animals as a **Bonus Action** and you may use it up to 2 + half of your Druid level times between rests. At 11th level, this spell is now constantly active and you can use a **Bonus Action** to temporarily disable or re-enable this spell.

In addition you gain access to the following spells:

 5th
 7th
 11th

#### Druidic Companion

At 2nd level, based on your Growth Focus, you may choose an Animal or Plant no larger than Medium and with a Challenge Rating of 1/2 or lower to become your Companion. You add your proficiency bonus to your Companion's AC, attack rolls and damage rolls, as well as any saving throws or skills it is proficient in. Its Hit Points is maximum equal to its normal maximum or four times your your Druid level, whichever is higher.

Your Companion obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn’t take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the Companion where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one attack yourself and you can command the Companion to take an Attack action.

While traveling through your favored terrain with only the Companion, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. If the Companion dies, you can obtain another one by spending 8 hours magically bonding with another animal or plant that isn’t hostile to you, either the same type as before or a different one.

Like any creature, the Companion can spend Hit Dice during a short rest. If you are incapacitated or absent, the Companion acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. It never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.

Upon gaining a Companion roll a **d4** to apply a trait for your Companion's evolution in which they obtain once you level up, this is repeated at 5th level. At 9th and 13th level, roll a **d6**. At 17th level, roll a **d8** twice.

Alternatively, at 3rd level you can choose pick a trait of your choice from Rolls 1 to 4, but you no longer roll a trait at 5th level. At 9th level, you can instead choose a single trait between Rolls 1 to 6, but no longer roll a trait at 13th level. At 17th level, you can choose a single trait between Rolls 1 to 7.

**Evolution Traits**

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8

### Sentience

At 6th level, your pursuit of knowledge and growth allows you to find a way to gather information much quicker. Up to three times per day, you can cast Awaken with halved component cost and casting time. You must also finish a Short Rest after casting all of it in order to use it the following day.

#### Companion Shapeshift

At 10th level, your strong bond with your companion allows you Wild Shape either yourself or your companion to the other. If you choose to Wild Shape to your companion, you also gain any traits it has obtained but, your language is replaced to that of your companion and you gain +3 to Wisdom (Perception) against you while in this form. The same applies to your companion, replacing its language to that of your's.

If at any point you or your companion exhibits behavior that is outside of the other's usual behavior, the next Wisdom (Insight) check made against you or your companion gains *Advantage*.

### Synergistic Evolution

At 14th level, your talent for evolution has allowed you to take on a higher form with the aid of your trusted companion. Using your entire **Turn**, you combine with your nearby companion to temporarily transform into a new being. In this new form, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to that of your companions' current Hit Points, taking all of the Traits it has obtained so far and gain the ability to use your companion's attack.

While you have Temporary Hit Points from this feature, you can maintain this form as long as you want but, once you lose your Temporary Hit Points, your new form ends after a number of rounds equal to for 2 + Wisdom Modifier. You may choose to use your **Turn** in order to end the effects and revert to your normal form early.

Once you revert back to your normal form and your Hit Points is below half of your Hit Points at the time you activated this feature, divide it evenly between yourself and your companion. If you have remaining Temporary Hit Points upon reverting back to your normal form, your companion recovers Hit Points **2d6** + remaining Temporary Hit Points. If you become unconscious while in this form, the effect immediately ends and you and your companion becomes unconscious.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a Long Rest.