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Does the Wild Companion optional class feature for druids grant access to the find familiar spell?

Basically I'd rather hard cast it than waste the Wild Shape on it. The Circle of Stars druid's Starry Form feature lets them expend a use of Wild Shape to take on the Archer or Chalice starry forms, which are superior in every way. Both will let you become an asset in battle one way or another. However, familiars can do 1 thing to make both better: allow touch spells at range using the familiar.

I know that you can burn a Wild Shape on it. But does the Wild Companion feature let you cast find familiar using spell slots instead (in which case expending a use of Wild Shape lets you quick-cast and ignore material component costs)?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Note that Familiars are great scouts; neither archer nor chalice lets you scout an area remotely. Familiars can also do the aid another action, especially owls. Neither archer nor scout lets you do that either. \$\endgroup\$
    – Yakk
    Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 18:08
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    – V2Blast
    Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 21:08

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You cannot cast find familiar using a spell slot unless you learn the spell as usual

The Wild Companion optional class feature for druids states (TCoE, p. 35-36):

You gain the ability to summon a spirit that assumes an animal form: as an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to cast the find familiar spell, without material components. [...]

It states what ability you gain and then lists exactly how that ability manifests itself - the only way that you can summon a spirit is by expending a use of Wild Shape. If the feature also let you cast the spell using spell slots, then it would state that (likely by having the spell be always prepared, not count against your number of prepared spells, and count as a druid spell).

The Wild Companion feature gives you one specific way of casting the find familiar spell, and does not allow for casting the spell by any means other than expending a use of Wild Shape.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I'd like to note most ritual spells are prepared in a spell slot sure, but when ritually cast do not use a spell slot. Aka, you know how to do them. Find Familiar is a Ritual spell, this is why the question is being asked. How can one bypass needing a ritual without knowing said ritual. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sozenfo the Druid
    Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 11:45
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Sozenfo In order to ritual cast a spell, you must actually know the spell and have it prepared. The Druid neither knows nor has the spell prepared \$\endgroup\$
    – Exempt-Medic
    Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 11:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ Wild Companion: You gain the ability to summon a spirit that assumes an animal form: as an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to cast the find familiar spell, without material components. Pg 35 Incorrectly stated. You are casting it. How can one cast a spell they don't know? They know the spell, the only part that remains is the fact that they don't prepare it. The question is, how does one know a spell but do not have access to it. The wording is directly as I stated, not as you stated. Mine is directly from the book. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sozenfo the Druid
    Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 13:54
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    \$\begingroup\$ @SozenfotheDruid I have quoted the feature correctly. Being able to cast a spell through a special feature does not mean you know the spell. The Druid does not know the find familiar spell, and if they did, the feature would explicitly state this. The feature lets the Druid to cast the spell in a very specific way which is by expending a use of Wild Shape. There are plenty of ways to cast a spell without knowing it: Using magic items, having an Eldritch Invocation such as Bewitching Whispers, and more. If you have an answer that differs from mine, feel free to write one up \$\endgroup\$
    – Exempt-Medic
    Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 13:57
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    \$\begingroup\$ @SozenfotheDruid Just so you know: no spells in 5e are "prepared in a spell slot". Spell slots are a thing you expend to cast spells. No class associates specific spells with specific spell slots. \$\endgroup\$
    – Marq
    Commented Jun 15, 2021 at 18:23

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