Some questions for the DM from the update -- more!
So in making the transition to the new druid, I asked about dropping Guidance and the background.
* questions:
1. drop Guidance for Poison Spray? (we've used Guidance a few times, but I'm happy to swap it out).
2. custom bkgd okay ("Investigator")? Stealth, Investigation; one language and Thieves' tools*; false background (from Charlatan).
*not part of the original bkgd, but part of the long-term character design (which was to dip into rogue to get this proficiency, which wasn't possible for a druid when we began). With this, the desire to dip goes down, but still might happen. As it happens, the character does not at present have any thieves' tools, but once he gets some...
We've used Guidance, and so I understand if you'd rather I kept it; if so I'll cast it now. But I think it's a spell neither of us particularly like, and with more choice for the druid's cantrips, I'm still happy to swap it out.
The background seems legit to me RAW, but I thought I'd confirm.
I've got a third question now, that I hadn't noticed before, that has emerged because of
this thread.
I see there's been a change in the Druid armour proficiency rules -- whereas i the play test, it was just select armours (light armours and hide), it now says proficiency in all light and medium armours but with the absolute proviso that no metal armours.
By my read, that's a big change, because it means that the dwarves proficiency in armours does not improve what the Druid can do. It also means that Bartleby's scale mail is no longer right. If that swaps for Studded Leather (which is apparently fine?), Bartleby's AC will go from
Scale 14 +2 (dex) +2 (shield) = 18
Stud 12 +3 (dex) +2 (shield) = 17
so that's another point off the AC. I'll make that change, if it's alright to swap studded for scale.
When the character started, there were two strengths with the Mountain Dwarf Druid that made it interesting -- the Wisdom bonus and the possibility of wearing armours. With the PHB, these are now gone.
Please let me know if you are seeing things differently, or if I'm missing something. Cheers!