Circle of the Moon Subclass Guide and Build

The Circle of the Moon is a Druid subclass in Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3). Check out our guide for how to unlock the Circle of the Moon subclass, its features, as well as its best build.

Druid Subclasses Druid Class Guide
Circle of the Land	Circle of the Moon	Circle of Spores

Circle of the Moon Subclass Overview

Circle of the Moon Basic Information

Subclass Overview
	Circle of the Moon Druids sworn to the moon draw on its mercurial nature to transform into massive creatures and primal elementals.
Parent Class	Druid
How to Unlock	Reach Druid Level 2.
Spellcasting Ability	Wisdom
Starting Subclass Features
・Grants access to Wildshape Class Action 　┣ Spider Form 　┣ Badger Form 　┣ Cat Form 　┣ Wolf Form 　┗ Bear Form ・Granted access to Lunar Mend Spell ・All Druid Class Features and Proficiencies.

Druids belonging to the Circle of the Moon specialise in shapeshifting. They can access various forms unavailable to the other Druid subclasses, along with obtaining buffs and passives that benefit them while they're shapeshifted.

How to Unlock the Circle of the Moon Subclass

Available Once Your Druid Reaches Level 2

The Circle of the Moon subclass will become available once your Druid reaches Level 2. In order to earn EXP and level up in Baldur's Gate 3, players will need to complete quests, discover new areas, or defeat enemies they find in the world.

Circle of the Moon Subclass Features

Bonus Cantrips

Circle of the Moon Druids are allowed to learn up to 2 of the following 4 Bonus Cantrips as they level-up.

• Guidance (Divination)
  
• Poison Spray (Conjuration)
  
• Produce Flame (Conjuration)
  
• Resistance (Abjuration)
  

The first of these bonus Cantrips can be selected once the Druid hits Lv. 4, with the next Cantrip appearing much later at Lv. 10.

Selecting one Bonus Cantrip removes it from the selection list of your next milestone, meaning if you choose to take Poison Spray at Druid Lv. 4, you will only be able to select amongst the remaining 3 Cantrips at Lv. 10.

Remember that Cantrips are different from spells in that you do not consume spell slots to cast them. They only cost an action to cast each time your Druid takes a turn, making your first cantrip selection important.

Lunar Mend

Lunar Mend is a restorative ability only available to Circle of the Moon Druids. Typically, Druids are unable to utilize their spell slots while any Wild Shape is active.

Circle of the Moon Druids, however, can spend their spell slots and a Bonus Action to heal themselves while they are shapeshifted.

What this essentially does is lengthen the amount of time Circle of the Moon Druids can stay shapeshifted, because losing all of your HP while you are shapeshifted does not kill you.

Instead, Druids who lose all of their HP while shapeshifted return to their original forms. So being able to heal yourself while you are transformed means you can stay transformed for longer periods of time.

For a detailed look at which levels you can unlock Lunar Mend, check the table below.

Primal Strike

Primal Strike is a passive ability obtained at Lv. 6. This skill alters the properties of your attacks while you're shapeshifted.

Up until this point, the unarmed attacks made by your various beast forms have been physical damage. Primal Strike changes the physical damage to magical damage.

In essence, dealing magical damage allows your beast's attacks to shred enemies who otherwise would have been resistant to your physical attacks.

Circle Forms

Being the premier shapeshifters amongst the Druid subclasses, members belonging to the Circle of the Moon gain access to unique Wild Shape forms as well as all the normal forms Druids usually get.

Check out our table below for a full list of all the Wild Shapes that Druids and Circle of the Moon Druids can unlock!

Circle of the Moon Level Progression

Best Circle of the Moon Build

Circle of the Moon Early Game Build Overview

Equipment of Choice

Barkskin Armour

Medium Armor with Nature Equipment Features like the Barkskin Armour make for great armor for the Druid. The Barkskin Armour passively triggers the effects of Barkskin on the wearer, increasing their AC.

Disintegrating Night Walkers

Grants the Druid immunity to Enweb, Entangle, Ensnared, and stops them from slipping on surfaces like Ice or Grease. Additionally, these boots grant the Misty Step spell, that is essentially a short range teleport that can be used offensively for gap closing, or defensively for retreating.

Nature's Snare / Pale Oak

Quarterstaves are weapons that Druids are proficient with. Some notable Quarterstaves in the game include Nature's Snare and Pale Oak, both of which can be acquired fairly early into the game. These Quartersaves also have the added effect of being able to hold enemies in place, which can help our Druid catch up to targets. It's also worth noting that Quarterstaves are Versatile, meaning they can be wielded with one or two hands. This allows the Druid to equip a Shield when they find themselves playing on the frontlines.

Best Races to Use As a Moon Druid

Half-Orc

The Half-Orc Race allows Druids who belong to the Circle of the Moon to become melee powerhouses even when not under the effects of Wild Shape. Thanks to Savage Attacks and Relentless Endurance, Half-Orcs can commit to a melee-centric playstyle. While Druids normally rely on Wisdom to pass skill checks, Half-Orcs come with Intimidation Proficiency, which grants the Druid another dialogue option during decision-making prompts.

• Savage Attacks increases the damage dealt by critical hits. Effectively increasing the damage Druids deal with a Shillelagh empowered Quarterstaff.
• Darkvision allows you to see an extra 12m in Dark Areas. This can be helpful for ranged classes that want to see threats and targets as soon as possible.
• Relentless Endurance protects Druids from fatal blows, leaving the user at 1HP instead of incapacitating them.

Half-Orc Race Guide and Best Classes

Gold Dwarf

Gold Dwarves are the popular choice for Druids because they offer bonuses to survivability. The extra HP this Race offers allows the Druid to make full use of Wild Shape. Wild Shape ends prematurely and turns the Druid back into their original forms whenever the shapeshifted animal loses all its HP. This can often leave the Druid in the middle of multiple hostiles with no choice but to fight their way out. The extra HP can come in clutch during moments like these.

• Dwarven Combat Training grants Proifiency with Battleaxes, Handaxes, Light Hammers, and Warhammers.
• Darkvision allows you to see an extra 12m in Dark Areas. This can be helpful for ranged classes that want to see threats and targets as soon as possible.
• Dwarven Resilience grants Advantage on Saving Throws against Poison, as well as grants a resistance to Poison Damage.
• Dwarven Toughness increases Max HP by 1, and another +1 per Lv.

Gold Dwarf Subrace Guide and Best Classes

Best Circle of the Moon Ability Scores

Wisdom is the primary spell casting ability of Druids. Having this ability as high as possible will increase the damage Moon Druids deal with their spells.

Constitution and Dexterity are prioritized after Wisdom to provide our Druid with as much survivability as we can.

Strength is increased to the point where we can wear Medium armor without penalties, while also giving us some damage when we want to swing our Quarterstaves.

Intelligence is a dump stat for Druids as they don't get much use for it.

Charisma is the secondary dump stat since Druids don't typically use this stat for spells or during dialogue.

Best Circle of the Moon Feats

Mobile

Mobile increases your Druid's movement speed, and provides slowing immunity to Difficult Terrain. This allows your Circle of the Moon Druid to reach targets sooner.

It's worth noting that the Mobile feat also works on your Wild Shapes, increasing the effective reach of all your primal forms.

Polearm Master

Grants the Druid the Polearm Master: Bonus Attack Bonus Action when equipping a Quarterstaff. This increases the amount of damage your Druid can deal per turn while in their original form.

Ability Improvement

Pumping points into either Wis or Con increases the general effectiveness of your Druid since your spellscasting uses Wis, and extra Con is always nice on a Druid.

Alternatively, you could pump stats into Str to increase the damage you deal with your weapon attacks while in your original form.

Baldur's Gate 3 Related Guides

Druid Class Guide

All Druid Subclasses

All Druid Subclasses
Circle of the Land	Circle of the Moon	Circle of Spores