Driuds oath??

[R-Hero]

I was wanting to try something different, so I was considering a Druid.

My question is what is a Druids oath?? The PHB 3.0 is a little vague saying things along the lines of: 'druids avoid carring much worked metal' and 'using a two handed sword suppresses druidic powers'

If I can't use a two handed metal weapon, why would a one handed be ok?

Would a goliath druid using a wooden greatclub be ok since its mostly wood?

I was wanting to make a goliath druid/warshaper with a keen falchion but I don't think that is legal.

 

[Demoquin]

You could always get a keen scimitar to keep the Druid Oath. And i think the greatclub should be ok.

 

[Crothian]

the Druid Oath is just terrible written and does not make sense. I'd just redifine it for your own camapaign.

 

[cmanos]

Druid Oath...heh....I think the INTENT was that druids avoid utilizing 'refined' natural materials. Hide and leather armors are cool, cause they are close to nature, but refined metal armors are a bit unnatural. Greatclub would be fine. But then there is that bit about using a scimitar. I never understood why they could use a scimitar and not a sword....they're the same damn thing except one is curved...

 

[dcollins]

My question is what is a Druids oath?? The PHB 3.0 is a little vague saying things along the lines of: 'druids avoid carring much worked metal' and 'using a two handed sword suppresses druidic powers'

It's not vague at all. If you're playing by 3.0 rules, here's the quote from the SRD:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, halfspear, longspear, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, and sling. Their spiritual oaths prohibit them from using weapons other than these. They are proficient with light and medium armors but are prohibited from wearing metal armor (thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor). They are skilled with shields but must use only wooden ones.

The weapons & armor they are allowed to use are listed in boldface above. Everything else is prohibited by the oath. So: no greatsword, no longsword or shortsword, no greatclub, none of those are on the allowable list.

Now, the 3.5 revision removed the oath-prohibition from weapons, so 3.5 druids can branch out to other weapons (although they need to somehow pick up the proficiency). That's pretty reasonable, especially for multiclassing, and I use that modification in my own 3.0 game.

 

[R-Hero]

the Druid Oath is just terrible written and does not make sense. I'd just redifine it for your own camapaign.

I'm glad it wasn't only me that thought that.

"I can't wear steel armor but I can hack up my woodland buddys and wear their skin?"
"I can use a steel weapon as long as its small enough and shaped a cetain way?"
"Its ok to use a tree for weapons because it comes from the earth but not iron ore because its not alive?"

If I want to play a so-so fighter with divine spells, I'll go back to paladin. At least I can argue their code of conduct.

Thanx to all...

 

[R-Hero]

It's not vague at all. If you're playing by 3.0 rules, here's the quote from the SRD:
The weapons & armor they are allowed to use are listed in boldface above. .

I read the list and maybe vague wasn't the right word. Its the use of steel being fine if its used in small amounts, is what I did't agree with. One steel weapon from any list instead of a small limited list made more sense to me.

Now, the 3.5 revision removed the oath-prohibition from weapons, so 3.5 druids can branch out to other weapons (although they need to somehow pick up the proficiency). That's pretty reasonable, especially for multiclassing, and I use that modification in my own 3.0 game.

That sounds more like what I was thinking too.
Most of the people I play with have 3.5 books anyway and I haven't upgraded my books yet. (I'm afraid of a 4.0 version coming out after purchase )

 

[Corsair]

If I want to play a so-so fighter with divine spells, I'll go back to paladin. At least I can argue their code of conduct.

But if you want to be one of the better warriors in the group and STILL be a divine spellcaster, stick to druid. Most of your fighting will be with claws after level 5 anyways.

 

[dcollins]

I read the list and maybe vague wasn't the right word. Its the use of steel being fine if its used in small amounts, is what I did't agree with. One steel weapon from any list instead of a small limited list made more sense to me.

But note that the weapons sections says nothing about metal being issue, that's for armor only. The weapons are oath-approved for their own unique reasons that you'd have to dig into older rulesets or make up yourself to explain. For example, several of the weapons are used in agriculture, others are generally small and concealable, and apparently pole/staff-types are respected for some reason.

But it's all moot if you go 3.5 and remove the weapons-oath restriction anyway.