Gnome Circle of the Sea Druid Build Guide
Combining Gnomish resilience with the tempestuous tides of the Circle of the Sea creates an incredibly hardy ocean controller who commands the battlefield safely.
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Why Circle of the Sea?
The Gnome Circle of the Sea Druid is a fantastic option for players who want to control the battlefield while remaining safe from harm. By prioritizing Wisdom (WIS 15), you ensure that your spell saving throws are difficult for enemies to beat, while your Gnomish Cunning trait grants you advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saves against magic, making you incredibly resilient against enemy spellcasters.
As a controller, your main goal is to dictate where enemies can move and stand. The Circle of the Sea's signature Level 3 feature, Wrath of the Sea, allows you to manifest an aura of ocean mist that can blast enemies backward. This is especially helpful for a small Gnome, as it prevents heavy bruisers from trapping you in close-quarters combat. Additionally, your innate Darkvision ensures you can see and target foes in dark caverns or deep underwater trenches without needing to hold a torch.
With a solid Constitution (CON 14) to maintain concentration on your powerful control spells, this build allows you to summon storms, manipulate water, and push enemies around the map, all while shrugging off their magical retaliation with ease.
Circle of the Sea Features
Circle of the Sea Spells
Level 3When you reach certain levels as a Druid, you gain spells based on the Circle of the Sea.
Wrath of the Sea
Level 3As a Bonus Action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape to manifest a torrent of water in an Emanation centered on you. The Emanation is 5 feet.
Aquatic Affinity
Level 6The size of the Emanation created by your Wrath of the Sea increases to 10 feet. In addition, when you use Wrath of the Sea, you can move up to your Speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Stormborn
Level 10Your Wrath of the Sea grants you two additional effects while active. Flight: You gain a Flying Speed equal to your Walking Speed. Tempest: When a creature starts its turn in your Wrath of the Sea Emanation, it takes Lightning damage equal to your Druid level.
Oceanic Gift
Level 14Instead of manifesting the Emanation of your Wrath of the Sea around yourself, you can manifest it centered on a point within 30 feet of you.
Recommended Ability Scores
Gnome Traits That Benefit Circle of the Sea Druid
Gnomish Cunning
Extra saving throw advantages protect against debilitating spells and effects.
Darkvision
Gnome Darkvision helps Druids scout ahead and fight in darkness without needing a torch.
Combat Effectiveness
| Level | HP | Melee DPR | Spell DPR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 | 38 | 3.9 | 7.8 |
| Level 11 | 80 | 3.58 | 10.18 |
| Level 17 | 122 | 3.58 | 13.2 |
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Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- ♦ Circle of the Sea grants Circle of the Sea Spells at level 3
- ♦ Darkvision for dungeon exploration
- ♦ Versatile spellcasting options
Weaknesses
- ♦ May require careful feat selection to optimize
Pro Tips
Use Wrath of the Sea to push enemies into your Druid hazard spells like Spike Growth for extra damage.
Lean on Gnomish Cunning when positioning close to enemy spellcasters; your mental saving throws are naturally superior.
Once you unlock Aquatic Affinity at level 6, use your swim speed to drag combats into deep water where you excel.
Keep your WIS 15 high to increase the DC of your watery aura's knockback effect, keeping foes at bay.
Other Druid Subclasses for Gnome
Other Races for Circle of the Sea Druid
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Circle of the Sea a good subclass for Gnome Druid?
What makes Circle of the Sea different from other Druid subclasses?
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