How Do Subclass Spells Work For Druids?

Question

So, I'm making an 8th-level Spores druid for a campaign. I'm very confused on how circle spells work-specifically with the slots. Do I get extra slots? What spell level would, say, Blight be? Thank you for helping out!

Answer 1

Your circle spells are just added to your list of prepared spells.

The Circle Spells feature states:

Once you gain access to one of these spells, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

As a druid, at the end of each long rest you can prepare a list of spells that you can cast that day. The number you can prepare is equal to your Druid level plus your wisdom modifier. The Circle Spells feature adds its spells to your list of prepared spells without counting toward that total.

Prepared spells are different from spell slots.

Spell slots are not related to your prepared spells. Spell slots are the resource you expend when you cast a spell. If you want to cast a 3rd level spell, you must expend a 3rd level spell slot. It can be confusing, and you might be tempted to think of preparing spells as sticking them into your slots. Don’t think like this. Spell preparation and spell slots are mostly unrelated concepts.

Preparing spells means you look at the druid spell list and pick the spells you want to have access to that day. Then, when you cast a spell, you expend a spell slot of the appropriate level.

For example, when I wake up in the morning, I think I might want to cast the spell blight today, normally I would simply add blight to my prepared spell list for the day. However, since I am a Spores Druid, blight is one of my Circle Spells, so I don’t even have to prepare it, it is just always prepared. Later on, when I actually cast blight I expend a 4th level spell slot to do so, since blight is a 4th level spell.