This post has been long delayed as I waited impatiently for the Monster Manual to arrive. You see, half way through thinking about and designing this sub-class for Druid I realized that I needed a better understanding of what aberrations and strange monster types, such as oozes, would look like in this edition of DnD. The idea for the sub-class came to me after reading the two names for the existing sub-classes. The Circle of the Land is very evocative of what its theme is, and the Circle of Moon immediately takes the mind to shapeshifting thanks to so much existing werewolf/skinchanger/shapeshifter lore out there currently. Based on these names, I immediately thought of the Circle of Stars. Druids that belong to the Circle of Stars are those that have learned the secrets history of the world and know that the gods were not the creators that many believe them to be. The gods banished the first inhabitants of the world to the Far Realms and the primordial planes. Druids have traditionally been tasked with preventing these first inhabitants from returning, calling them aberrants or abominations.
Druids who join the Circle of Stars take the view that the gods have unbalanced the universe from the very beginning of things, disrupting the natural order and imposing their own. While many would call the aboleth empire one of oppression and slavery, it is not as if many of the gods haven’t done exactly this same thing. The Circle of Stars wishes to help the next cycle of the universe begin, hoping that it will be one of true balance rather than segmentation and expulsion. A single world is not the concern of the Circle of Stars, but rather the mythos and cosmology as a whole. While the aboleth empire is one that would bring about a totality of the elemental plane of water, it is not unreasonable to have portions of that presence in any given world, the same as a place holy to a god of war might exist in a temple.
Circle of Stars
Forbidden Forms
The ancient knowledge imparted to you by your circle has granted you access to feats of transformation that others might call an affront against rational thought or a crime against nature. Either way, they just can’t comprehend the truth of the history of creation. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to transform into an aberration or ooze with a challenge rating as high as 1 (you ignore the Max. CR column of the Beast Shapes table, but must abide by the other limitations there). Additionally, you may turn into up to 4 of any aberration or ooze with a challenge rating of less than 1 as long as the total challenge rating does not exceed 1. You may only take an action as one of these creatures at any time, though your consciousness is shared with all of the creatures that you create from yourself. You only revert to your original form if all of the forms are unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. When one of the creatures created in this way reaches 0 hit points, it fades from existence.
Starting at 6th level, you may transform into an aberration or ooze with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down.
Eye of the Beholder
Beginning at 2nd level, you begin to manifest eye stalks. These eye stalks remain hidden inside your body until you spend a spell slot of the stated level to activate the eyestalk as an action. Once an eyestalk has been activated, it remains external and unusable until you complete a long rest.
1st-Level Spell Slot – Fear Ray: Choose a creature within 60 feet you can see and that can see you, the creature must succeed against on a Wisdom saving throw, or be frightened for 1 minute. The target may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if you are visible to the target, ending the effect on a success.
2nd-Level Spell Slot – Confusion Ray: Choose a creature within 60 feet you can see and that can see you, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or become restrained and unable to make reactions until the end of its next turn. On its turn the creature uses its action to make a melee or ranged attack against a randomly determined creature within range. If the target can’t attack, it does nothing on its turn. The target may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if you are visible to the target, ending the effect on a success.
3rd-Level Spell Slot – Paralyzing Ray: Choose a creature within 60 feet you can see and that can see you, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself.
4th-Level Spell Slot – Telekinetic Ray: Choose a target within 60 feet you can see. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw, or be moved up to 30 feet in any direction you choose. It is restrained by the ray’s telekinetic grip until the start of your next turn, ending immediately if you become incapacitated. If the target is an object weighing 300 pounds of less that isn’t being worn or carried, it is moved up to 30 feet in any direction. You can also exert fine control on objects with this ray, such as manipulating a simple tool or opening a door or container.
5th-Level Spell Slot – Enervation Ray: Choose a creature within 60 feet you can see and that can see you, The creature must succeed against on a Constitution saving throw, or suffer 8d8 necrotic damage and become poisoned until the end of its next turn, or half damage and is not poisoned on a successful saving throw.
Primordial Stride
At 6th level, you may move through magical difficult terrain at no extra movement cost. You also have advantage against hazards posed by magical terrain, such as being slowed, or suffering damage.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against aberrations and oozes that seek to impede movement, such as tentacles grabbing you, the Slowing Ray of a beholder, or similar.
Monstrous Shape
At 10th level, you can expend two uses of Wild Shape at the same time to transform into any aberration or monstrosity. Transforming into one of these shapes is limited to a CR equal to half of your druid level.
Follower of the First
Beginning at 14th level you may breathe both air and water. While underwater, you are surrounded by a miasma. Any creature that touches you or hits you with a melee attack while within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or become diseased for 1d4 hours. The diseased creature may only breathe water for the duration.
You also may transform your arm into a tentacle as a bonus action. The tentacle has a reach of ten feet, acts as a melee attack with which you are proficient, and deals 1d12 + your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier on a hit.
A creature hit by your tentacle must succeed against your on a Constitution saving throw, or become diseased. The disease has no effect for 1 minute, and can be removed by any magic that cures disease. After 1 minute, the diseased creature’s skin becomes translucent and slimy, the creature can’t regain any hit points unless its underwater, and the disease can be removed only by heal or another disease-curing spell of 6th level or higher. When the creature is outside a body of water, it takes 1d10 acid damage every 10 minutes unless moisture is applied to the skin before 10 minutes have passed.