Circle of Ancients (Homebrew, Restricted)

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Overview & Creation

  Far to the south of civilized lands, deep in the unexplored jungles and swamps of the world, lizardfolk are led by a feared Circle of Druids. They worship large reptiles that are now extinct in most of the world, the terrifying dinosaurs. As a member of this ancient and feared circle of druids, how do you use your power? Do you have the primal desire to hunt? Do you use your terrible forms to strike fear into the hearts of your enemies? or are you a scholar of the long forgotten creatures of the past.  

Ancient Forms

As a member of the Circle of the Ancients, your blood, whether by heritage or ceremony, now carries in it the memories of the ancient 'terrible lizards', the dinosaurs. As a bonus action on your turn, you can use your wild shape to take the form of any reptilian beast or Dinosaur with a CR as high as 1. You ignore the max CR column of the Beast Shapes table, but must abide by all other limitations. Dinosaur forms can be found on page 79 of the Monster Manual, and on page 139 of Volo's Guide to Monsters. However, the ability to Wild Shape into these powerful forms is not without cost. Your ability to Wild Shape ability is now restricted to Dinosaurs and their descendants, avian and reptilian beasts. Examples of Reptilian beasts from the Monster Manual include a Giant Frog, Crocodile, Constrictor Snake, or Giant Owl. Starting at 6th level, you can transform into a dinosaur with a challenge rating as high as your druid level divided by 3, rounded down.    

Ancient Spells

  Your link with the great lizards of the past grants you access to certain spells. When you reach certain levels in this level, you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Ancients Spells table. 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.  

Level	Spells
3rd	Alter Self, Enlarge/Reduce
5th	Fear, Haste
7th	Dominate Beast, Freedom of Movement.
9th	Commune with nature, Skill empowerment.

         

Primitive Adaptation

When you join this circle of druids at 2nd level, your body is permanently enhanced by the ancient creatures whose power you draw upon. You gain climbing and swimming speeds equal to your movement speed. Additionally, you have advantage on perception checks that rely on smell.  

Primal Strikes

At 6th level, your attacks in your Ancient Forms count as magical for the sake of overcoming resistances.  

Dreadful Wildshape

Beginning at 10th level, you can expend two uses of your Wild Shape at once to transform into a Dinosaur with a CR equal to your druid level divded by 2, rounded down.  

Monstrous Form

By 14th level, you have mastered the use of your Ancient Forms. You can cast Enlarge/Reduce spell as a bonus action, targeting only yourself, while in Wild Shape, without consuming a spellslot You can use this ability a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.