D&D 5E Druid Natural Scale Mail Sources CR0-6 for starting characters lvl 1-4

[ClaytonCross]

The idea is these are medium or larger creatures with natural armor minimum AC14 (without the dexterity bonus) that might be obtained by druids as “Scale Male” for the sake of character creation using starting wealth for levels 1-4. It can be higher but I am working on the premise that you could reduce and cut down making it weaker easily enough but making it stronger than the original creature means its something your adding to a stronger existing armor as decoration or for a special feature not basing the armor off of it. I am allowing sources of PHB, DMG, MM, and VGtM since they would be most widely used and verified by groups. The list is CR0-6 because those are the creatures you might expect hunters to trap for hunt in large groups even with lower level NPCs making them available enough to be reliable choices and also not so dangerous that they would be hunted out to protect the area. CR5 Giant Crocodiles for example might be hunted and trapped but would generally not be wiped out as long as their territory did not encroach on a village, town, or city. A CR7 Grick Alpha nesting in the local forest however might be something that people would actively try to hunt to clear out send adventure quests and offering extermination rewards because they represent a significant threat to a village/town/city even if remotely close. That’s my take on it anyway. Preferred creatures with scales, but not required as chitin or creatures with a shell, extremely hard skin could be used to make scales of a sort. I also tried with the exception of Dragons and the Umber Hulk to avoid creatures with an intelligence of 6 or higher. With all options I would suggest checking with your GM of course but it might be nice to have a place to start.

Dragon Wyrmlings of various color CR1 – CR4
CR2
Ankheg (forest, grasslands)
Guard Drake’s of various color
CR3
Basilisk
Cave Fisher
Flail Snail
Giant Scorpion
Hook Horror
CR4
Chuul
CR5
Bulette
Umber Hulk
CR6
Chimera
Young White Dragon

 

[Weiley31]

I saw somebody on here saying they got a Half Plate made out of Petrified Mushroom.

 

[Ancalagon]

or... you know... pangolin scale armor? There are historical references.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Giant insectoids, such as ankheg, usually make plate rather than scale. Breastplate for druids.

Some beasts, such as Alligators, might be used to make scale, possibly with a -1 penalty.

 

[Quartz]

Rhino armour is also historical.

 

[Coroc]

Giant crocodile, eventually some fish, sharkskin (not scaly that one though). Maybe wood, formed into scales.

 

[ClaytonCross]

Giant insectoids, such as ankheg, usually make plate rather than scale. Breastplate for druids.

Some beasts, such as Alligators, might be used to make scale, possibly with a -1 penalty.

There are a several on the list that would qualify for plate, but I figure you could make scale mail using smaller pieces. Druids are proficient in medium armor so that comes up alot more though you could go human variant with the Heavily Armored feat or pick it up at 4th level.

In that case: Medium Armor is something that reaches AC12-15, Heavy armor is AC14 to 18 the odd thing is heavy skips AC15 which you could allow or if you just wanted it to be a favored official item you end up making heavy AC15 equivalents AC14 ring mail.

Dragon Wyrmlings of various color CR1 – CR4 (AC15-17 Could be medium half plate up to heavy splint mail.)
CR2
Ankheg (forest, grasslands) (AC14 Breastplate or AC14 ring mail)
Guard Drake’s of various color (AC14 Scale mail or AC14 ring mail)
CR3
Basilisk (AC16 medium weakened to AC15 half plate or AC14 breast plate to make it functional or AC15 Heavy, I would go with AC14 ring mail)
Cave Fisher (AC15 medium half-plate or AC16 Heavy)
Flail Snail (AC19 medium which one could argue is weakened to AC15 half plate or AC14 breast plate to make it functional or AC16 Heavy Chain mail)
Giant Scorpion (AC14 medium scale mail or breast plate or AC15 Heavy, I would go with AC14 ring mail)
Hook Horror
CR4
Chuul (AC17 medium weakened to AC15 half plate or AC14 breast plate to make it functional or AC17 heavy splint mail)
CR5
Bulette (AC17 heavy splint mail)
Umber Hulk (AC17 medium weakened to AC15 half plate or AC14 breast plate to make it functional or AC18 Heavy Plate)
CR6
Chimera (AC14 Scale mail or AC14 ring mail)
Young White Dragon (AC17 medium weakened to AC15 half plate or AC14 breast plate to make it functional or AC17 heavy splint mail)

Do what you want of course, this is just for the mental bug so next time your playing a Druid your consider medium armor and options of what it might be made of. Is there a story behind it? ..or is there a Druid swap meat where you just happened across something in your size and picked it up as better protection? Its kind of a mechanics providing a hook for back ground and your characters story IF you feel like pulling on it.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I figure you could make scale mail using smaller pieces.

Chitin tends to break if you try cutting it up or making holes in it. It's more effective used in whole pieces. Breastplates are medium armour so it's not a problem.

 

[ClaytonCross]

Giant crocodile, eventually some fish, sharkskin (not scaly that one though). Maybe wood, formed into scales.

Ya wood is and interesting thing for druids, since there are some really hard woods out their that have been used for knives and even axes. Ebony for shields. I would not be opposed to a druid in tied on wood armor that looked like Groot but was actually in "druidic half-plate".

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Knucklehead trout head scalemail FTW.