Circle of the Thousand Young

Druids of the Circle of the Thousand Young commune with creatures on the boundary between natural and unnatural. They listen to whispers in the trees that originate beyond the stars and share lore about aberrations. The circle is fractious and prone to infighting; some druids seek to understand Abhoth, Shub-Niggurath, and their ilk so that they can drive out alien influences, while others see allying with these Outer Gods and accepting their gifts as the only hope to preserve life at all in the face of the looming threats of other Great Old Ones and Outer Gods.

Preternatural Understanding

When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you learn to communicate with aberrations, oozes, or other strange lifeforms.

You learn Aklo. Whenever you cast a spell normally limited to targeting beasts, you can also use it to target aberrations with challenge rating lower than your druid level and with an Intelligence score of 5 or lower. Whenever you cast a spell normally limited to targeting plants, you can also use it to target oozes. Whenever you prepare spells, you can prepare two spells limited to relating to or targeting beasts or plants (such as animal friendship, locate animals or plants, or speak with plants) without it counting against your number of spells prepared.

Mutated Companion

The rites of your circle grant you the allegiance of a strange creature. It can be a degenerate Mythos satyr, immature slime mold, or a mutated beast. A degenerate Mythos satyr has regressed to animalistic intellect and lost some magical abilities, perhaps due to having been removed from Shub-Niggurath’s influence. It retains only a few features reminiscent of its former humanoid physique and more prominently displays aspects of a goat, cat, octopus, or unrecognizable alien species. A mutated animal is little different, bearing a warped physique that is recognizably unnatural, typically as a result of being near the influence of a Great Old One or Outer God. Treat a degen- erate Mythos satyr as the mutated beast it most strongly resembles.

To create a mutated beast or degenerate Mythos satyr, choose a beast of Medium or smaller size with challenge rating 1/4 or less. It loses one of its weapon attacks unless it has only one. When it hits a creature of its size or smaller with a weapon attack, it grapples the target (escape DC 10 + its Strength modifier). The mutant can’t wear armor or barding that isn’t designed for its unique form.

Add your proficiency bonus to the companion’s AC, weapon attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, Strength saving throws, Constitution saving throws, Wisdom saving throws, and Wisdom (Perception) checks.

If your companion dies, you can obtain another by spending 8 hours magically bonding with a mutated beast, Mythos satyr, or immature slime mold that is friendly to you. It need not be the same kind of creature as before.

Your companion can engage in combat and obeys you to the best of its ability. It takes its turn on your initiative, but if you don’t command it, it simply defends itself under the GM’s control and has disadvantage on any attack roll or ability check it attempts until the start of your next turn. You can issue verbal commands or command your companion by visible signs where to move without using an action. You can use your action to command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. If your druid level is at least 6th, you can use a bonus action to issue a command instead.

Hungering Companion

Starting at 6th level, when your companion damages a creature other than a construct or undead, the target loses 1d8 hit points from blood loss and your companion gains 5 temporary hit points.

Mighty Companion

Starting at 10th level, you add your proficiency bonus to the number of Hit Dice your companion has.

Immortal Companion

Starting at 14th level, your companion regains 10 hit points at the start of each of its turns as long as it has at least 1 hit point but fewer than half its hit point maximum. If it starts its turn with 0 hit points, it automatically stabilizes.

Slime Molds as Companions

Immature slime molds can become companions to druids of the Circle of the Thousand Young as well as to other characters that can form bonds with beasts.