Druid Circle of the Moon subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 heavily focuses on Wild Shape abilities like transforming into other creatures. Having a diverse option of animals to transform into, the Baldur’s Gate 3 Druid Circle of the Moon build allows you to become a decent hybrid between DPS and tank roles. And if you want your Druid to have a tank build in BG3, we have you covered in that regard as well.
As can be expected, the Circle of the Moon subclass relies on melee combat, but to offset that, you get a nice HP bonus when transforming. This build is also one of the best builds of Halsin in Baldur’s Gate 3. You can also use Circle of the Moon as a good build for Jaheira.
Starting Abilities and Skills for Druid Circle of the Moon
Race: The best race for the players who have selected Druid Circle of the Moon is Half-Orc. This race allows players to act as melee powerhouses without taking the help of Wild Shape effects. In this race, you will get Intimidation proficiency for various dialogue options.
Ability Point distribution: STR 14(+2), CON 15(+1), DEX 14, INT 8, CHA 9, WIS 15. Circle of the Moon druid scales with WIS but because of melee attacks, we are going to have a nice focus in CON and STR.
Skills: Animal Handling, Intimidation, Nature, Perception
Best Background
The best background for the Druid Circle of the Moon is Folk Hero. Selecting this background specifically will allow you to role-play along with different dialogue options. This background lets you choose the unique character of various animals in Baldur’s Gate 3.
With this selected background of Folk hero, you get proficient in Survival and Animal Handling. You are considered a champion of folks, and you help people from the challenging tyrants and make them secure from the monsters.
Best Feats for Druid Circle of the Moon build
Your Druid character has the option to choose one feat after every four levels. We have covered the best feats for you if you are playing in the Circle of the Moon in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Level 4: Mobile. This feat will give you enhanced movement speed specifically for the druid Circle of the Moon. You will become immune to Difficult Terrain. This feat helps your Circle of the Moon players to accomplish their aims much faster. This feat can be used on Wild Shapes, resulting in enhanced performance of your animal forms.
Level 8: Polearm Master. At this level, the Polearm Master feat gives you bonus action along with a bonus attack if you have the Quarterstaff weapon. This way you can enhance your character damage per turn.
Level 12: Ability Improvement. This feat will work best at level 12. You can bring up your wisdom and constitution points which will greatly help your Druid effectiveness. Besides that, you have an option to increase your strength points if you wish to increase the damage of your weapon.
Best Bonus Action for BG3 Druid Circle of the Moon build
Level 2: Lunar Mend is the only spell that Druid Circle of the Moon players can access. This spell gives you to expend spell slots to regenerate the hit points during the time period when you are in Wild Shape.
Rest of the spells or bonus action at your disposal are automatically unlocked as part of Circle of the Moon subclass progression which we will discuss below.
Best armor and weapons
Armor: Barkskin Armor: This piece of Medium armor automatically enables Barkskin effects on the character equipping this armor and ultimately enhancing their AC.
Boots: Disintegrating Night Walkers: By wearing these boots, you will not get Enwebbed, Entangled, or Ensnared on the ground where you experience grease or ice. Along with these effects, you will also get a Misty Step spell. Kill True Soul Nere to get these boots.
Melee: Nature’s Snare. This weapon is one of the Quarterstaves weapons in which players who select druid class receive proficiency. By choosing this two-handed melee weapon, there is a probability that you ensnare your opponent. The ensnare effect doesn’t work on beasts.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Druid Circle of the Moon build level progression
Level 2: Wild Shape, Combat Wild Shape, and Wild Shape: Bear are unlocked. Along with that, you will also unlock a Lunar Mend spell mentioned above.
With Wild Shape actions, you can magically transform your character into the wild shapes of animals. It starts with the shape of a beast. Once you are in animal shape, you are unable to talk and cannot cast any of your spells.
Wild Shape actions can let you transform into the shape of animals including Cat, Badger, Wolf, Spider, Deep Rothe, and owl bear.
The Combat Wild Shape feature gives you bonus action while you are in the form of any animal. With this feature, you can make a transformation two times when you take one short rest.
Wild Shape: Bear Bonus Action gives you the ability to transform into the shape of a polar bear. It can Goad opponents into targeting it. Additionally, this bear comes with 30 HP. The Hitpoints increase after every 2 levels.
Level 4: At this level, you will unlock Wild Shape: Deep Rothe and Wild Shape: Dire Raven. You can also unlock a new feat as Druid Circle of the Moon which is mentioned above.
Wild Shape: Deep Rothe action gives you the ability to transform into the shape of a Deep Rothe. In this shape of Deep Rothe, it will cast dancing lights and unleash on the opponents. This animal comes with 23 Health Points. These points will rise after every two levels of druid.
Wild Shape: Dire Raven bonus action lets you transform into the shape of a dire Raven. This bonus action is great for distracting your enemies. It can also blind your opponents. This dire raven comes with 13 Hit Points.
Level 5: Wild Strike class feature is unlocked. This feature allows you to deal with extra attacks. Keep in mind that your extra attack can be done once you create an unarmed strike during the time when you have transformed into a wildshape.
Level 6: Wild Shape: Panther, Wild Shape: Owlbear, and Primal Strike can be unlocked at this level.
Wild Shape: Panther action allows you to transform into the shape of a Panther. This panther is able to Prowl around and nobody can see him. It comes with 45 Hit Points. These hit points will rise after every two levels of druid.
Wild Shape: Owlbear action lets you transform into the shape of Owlbear. He has the ability to rupture the surface and become enraged. Owlbear comes with 65 Hit Points. These hit points will rise after every two levels of druid.
The Primal Strike feature can make your attacks work as magical because of the reason to have resistance to incoming non-magical damage.
Level 8: At this level, you can unlock Wild Shape: Sabre-Toothed Tiger. This bonus action will allow you to transform the shape of a Sabre-toothed Tiger. This tiger has the ability to shred armor along with regaining hit points. It comes with 62 Hit Points and will rise after every two levels of druid. A new feat can also be unlocked at this level as Druid Circle of the Moon which we have recommended above.
Level 10: Improved Wild Strike, Wild Shape: Dilophosaurus, Wild Shape: Air Myrmidon, Wild Shape: Earth Myrmidon, Wild Shape: Fire Myrmidon and Wild Shape: Water Myrmidon are unlocked.
The Improved Wild Strike class feature gives you the ability to deal extra 2 attacks. Always remember that your extra attack can be done once you create an unarmed strike during the time when you have transformed into a wild shape.
Wild Shape: Dilophosaurus action allows you to transform into the shape of dilophosaurus. His corrosive spit is so dangerous that it can bring down a target’s armor class.
Wild Shape: Air Myrmidon bonus action gives you the ability to transform into the shape of an air myrmidon.
Wild Shape: Earth Myrmidon bonus action allows you to transform into the shape of an Earth Myrmidon.
Wild Shape: Fire Myrmidon bonus action lets you transform into the shape of a Fire Myrmidon.
Wild Shape: Water Myrmidon bonus action gives you the ability to transform into the shape of Water Myrmidon.
Level 12: You can unlock a new feat as Druid Circle of the Moon which is mentioned above.
