Druidic Circle: Circle of the Shepherd

Druids of the Circle of the Shepherd commune with the spirits of beasts. While these druids recognize that all living things play a role in the natural world, they focus on protecting animals. Shepherds, as they are known, see beasts as their charges. They ward off monsters that threaten natural creatures, rebuke hunters who kill more prey than necessary, and prevent civilization from encroaching on habitats and paths needed for animal migrations. Many of these druids are happiest far from cities and towns, content to spend their days in the company of wild animals.

name = 'Shepherd'
description = "***Druidic Circle: Circle of the Shepherd.*** Druids of the Circle of the Shepherd commune with the spirits of beasts. While these druids recognize that all living things play a role in the natural world, they focus on protecting animals. Shepherds, as they are known, see beasts as their charges. They ward off monsters that threaten natural creatures, rebuke hunters who kill more prey than necessary, and prevent civilization from encroaching on habitats and paths needed for animal migrations. Many of these druids are happiest far from cities and towns, content to spend their days in the company of wild animals."

Spirit Bond

2nd-level Circle of the Shepherd feature

You gain the ability to call forth animal spirits and use them to influence the world around you. As a bonus action, you magically summon a Medium spirit to an unoccupied space you can see within 60 feet of you. The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around it, it doesn't occupy its space, it is immobile, and it counts as neither a creature nor an object.

The nature of the aura depends on the type of spirit you choose to summon:

  • Bear. The bear spirit grants you and your allies its might and endurance. You and your allies who are in the aura when the spirit appears each gain temporary hit points equal to 5 + your druid level. In addition, you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura.
  • Hawk. The hawk spirit is a consummate hunter, marking your enemies with its keen sight. You and your allies gain advantage on ranged attack rolls against targets in the spirit's aura.
  • Wolf. The wolf spirit lends you and your allies its precise senses, while your magic works to benefit the members of your pack. You and your allies gain advantage on all ability checks made to detect creatures in the spirit's aura. In addition, if you cast a spell with a spell slot that restores hit points to anyone inside or outside the aura, each of your allies in the aura also regains hit points equal to your druid level.

The spirit persists for 1 minute. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

def level2(npc):
    npc.defer(lambda npc: npc.bonusactions.append(f"***Spirit Bond (Recharges on short or long rest).*** You magically summon a Medium spirit to an unoccupied space you can see within 60 feet of you. The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around it, it doesn't occupy its space, it is immobile, persists for 1 minute, and it counts as neither a creature nor an object. The nature of the aura depends on the type of spirit you choose to summon: **Bear**. The bear spirit grants you and your allies its might and endurance. You and your allies who are in the aura when the spirit appears each gain {5 + npc.levels('Druid')} temporary hit points. In addition, you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura; **Hawk**. The hawk spirit is a consummate hunter, marking your enemies with its keen sight. You and your allies gain advantage on ranged attack rolls against targets in the spirit's aura; **Wolf**. The wolf spirit lends you and your allies its precise senses, while your magic works to benefit the members of your pack. You and your allies gain advantage on all ability checks made to detect creatures in the spirit's aura. In addition, if you cast a spell with a spell slot that restores hit points to anyone inside or outside the aura, each of your allies in the aura also regains {npc.levels('Druid')} hit points.") )

Beast Speech

2nd-level Circle of the Shepherd feature

You gain the ability to converse with beasts. Beasts can understand your speech, and you gain the ability to decipher their noises and motions into recognizable words and phrases. Most beasts lack the intelligence to convey or understand sophisticated concepts, but a friendly beast could relay what it has seen or heard in the recent past.

This ability does not grant you any special friendship with beasts, though you can combine this ability with gifts and other favors to curry favor with them as you would any other nonplayer character.

    npc.languages.append("Beast Speech")
    npc.traits.append("***Beast Speech.*** Beasts can understand your speech, and you gain the ability to decipher their noises and motions into recognizable words and phrases. Most beasts lack the intelligence to convey or understand sophisticated concepts, but a friendly beast could relay what it has seen or heard in the recent past. This ability does not grant you any special friendship with beasts, though you can combine this ability with gifts and other favors to curry favor with them as you would any other nonplayer character.")

Mighty Summoner

6th-level Circle of the Shepherd feature

You gain the ability to conjure forth powerful animals. Any beast summoned or created by your spells gains two benefits. Its hit point maximum increases by 2 per Hit Die, and the damage from its natural weapons is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks and damage.

def level6(npc):
    npc.traits.append("***Mighty Summoner.*** Any beast summoned or created by your spells gains two benefits. Its hit point maximum increases by 2 per Hit Die, and the damage from its natural weapons is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks and damage.")

Guardian Spirit

10th-level Circle of the Shepherd feature

You gain the services of a spirit that watches over you and protects you from harm. Whenever you finish a long rest, you gain the benefits of a death ward spell. The spell's duration is extended to 24 hours.

def level10(npc):
    npc.traits.append(f"***Guardian Spirit.*** Whenever you finish a long rest, you gain the benefits of a {spelllinkify('death ward')} spell. The spell's duration is extended to 24 hours.")

Faithful Summons

14th-level Circle of the Shepherd feature

The bestial spirits you commune with protect you when you are vulnerable. If you are reduced to 0 hit points or are incapacitated against your will, you can immediately gain the benefits of conjure animals as if it was cast with a 9th-level spell slot. It summons four beasts of your choice that are challenge rating 2 or lower. The conjured beasts appear within 20 feet of you. If they receive no commands from you, they protect you from harm and attack your foes. The spell lasts for 1 hour.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

def level14(npc):
    npc.traits.append(f"***Faithful Summons (Recharges on long rest).*** If you are reduced to 0 hit points or are incapacitated against your will, you can immediately gain the benefits of {spelllinkify('conjure animals')} as if it was cast with a 9th-level spell slot. It summons four beasts of your choice that are challenge rating 2 or lower. The conjured beasts appear within 20 feet of you. If they receive no commands from you, they protect you from harm and attack your foes. The spell lasts for 1 hour.")