D&D 5E Druid Armor Restrictions

doctorbadwolf · Jan 30, 2019

Oofta said:
The druids I've played with were reasonably powerful the way they are, especially with the way wild shape and HP work. If you're not into that, just summon a herd of bunnies to do your bidding. I hear they go for the jugular.

They may not multi-class well because of a restriction, but nobody said life (or game rules) had to be fair. I agree it's a restriction that doesn't apply to any other class, but that has never been the focus of complaints about it from what I've seen. Then again, I only see this complaint online.

My point is that there's no reason a barbarian can't add their con modifier to their AC no matter what armor they wear. Are they any less tough because they have mail armor? Yet for some reason people get bent all out of shape about druids and metal armor because "it's only fluff".

The two cases are completely different. Add Con to AC no matter what armor you wear is a significant power boost. It's restricted for balance. "It's only fluff" is absolutely a valid point with regard to druids. It's silly to make that a rule. Just make it a bit of flavor text, clearly state that it's tradition not an actual rule, and be done. It's complete nonsense to make it an actual rule.

5ekyu said:
FWIW its likely been covered before but looking at the 2019 Sage compendium update he wrote this about the druid armor restrictions in 5e

A druid typically wears leather, studded leather, or hide
armor, and if a druid comes across scale mail made of a
material other than metal, the druid might wear it. If you
feel strongly about your druid breaking the taboo and donning metal, talk to your DM. Each class has story elements
mixed with its game features; the two types of design go
hand in hand in D&D, and the story parts are stronger in
some classes than in others. Druids and paladins have an
especially strong dose of story in their design. If you want to
depart from your class’s story, your DM has the final say on
how far you can go and still be considered a member of the
class. As long as you abide by your character’s proficiencies,
you’re not going to break anything in the game system, but
you might undermine the story and the world being created
in your campaign.

So...just don't make it a rule, then.

Also, the "rule" isn't even worded in a way that makes sense, as a rule. A druid won't don metal armor? So...they can, but they just won't do it. So, the game is deciding for me what my druid will and won't do. There is no "if you do, X bad thing happens", it just says, "druids will not do the thing". lol no.

cbwjm · Jan 31, 2019

I was just reading the latest Sage Advice and one of the old questions was about druids and metal armour. The D&D team specifically states that it is a flavour choice and that the druid could wear any armour they have a proficiency for without breaking the but that it might undermine the story and the world being created in the campaign. So if your DM is happy with a world where druids wear metal armour then go for it, there won't be any issues with game balance.

I think I might go back and review my WoW shaman class and just cram it in the druid chassis instead of the elemental analogue to the paladin that I was creating.

Li Shenron · Jan 31, 2019

I think that the sage advice "might undermine the story and the world being created
in your campaign" is seriously bad advice and a very nasty threat. It's basically saying that if you don’t follow their fluff you may have badwrongfun. This advice sounds very much off the usual tone of actually encouraging people to be free in their fluff and world-building... It would have been acceptable if they threatened about balance "if you don't follow our rule, you will have this mechanical problem", but here the tone is different, it's really like "your fantasy WORLD may suck". Because instead allowing chaotic evil Paladins or Wizards in heavy armor doesn't undermine anything?

You know what this tone reminds me of? A politician typical tactic when they screwed up big time and issue doomsday threats to call for others to back them up

cbwjm · Jan 31, 2019

Li Shenron said:
I think that the sage advice "might undermine the story and the world being created
in your campaign" is seriously bad advice and a very nasty threat. It's basically saying that if you don’t follow their fluff you may have badwrongfun. This advice sounds very much off the usual tone of actually encouraging people to be free in their fluff and world-building... It would have been acceptable if they threatened about balance "if you don't follow our rule, you will have this mechanical problem", but here the tone is different, it's really like "your fantasy WORLD may suck". Because instead allowing chaotic evil Paladins or Wizards in heavy armor doesn't undermine anything?

You know what this tone reminds me of? A politician typical tactic when they screwed up big time and issue doomsday threats to call for others to back them up

Sounds to me like you're reading too much into the statement. They are encouraging players to check with their DM because the DM might have a story or world building reason to keep the restriction and who knows what kind of penalties the DM will have for druids who wear metal armour. While I doubt in this day and age that there would be mechanical penalties, they [the DM] might have story based penalties for druids who break the metal armour taboo.

5ekyu · Jan 31, 2019

Li Shenron said:
I think that the sage advice "might undermine the story and the world being created
in your campaign" is seriously bad advice and a very nasty threat. It's basically saying that if you don’t follow their fluff you may have badwrongfun. This advice sounds very much off the usual tone of actually encouraging people to be free in their fluff and world-building... It would have been acceptable if they threatened about balance "if you don't follow our rule, you will have this mechanical problem", but here the tone is different, it's really like "your fantasy WORLD may suck". Because instead allowing chaotic evil Paladins or Wizards in heavy armor doesn't undermine anything?

You know what this tone reminds me of? A politician typical tactic when they screwed up big time and issue doomsday threats to call for others to back them up

That statement was directed to the player following a mention of gm final say.

To me it was adding reinforcement for that gm saying "no" for the world setting reasons, not warning you off the idea as badwrongfun.

S'mon · Jan 31, 2019

Druids aren't underpowered with the restriction.
Druids aren't overpowered without the restriction. Although a DEX 14 druid in half plate & shield (AC > 19) is certainly a power boost, it's not breaking the game.

So, do what you like. But if you're a player, be polite to your GM. GMs hate whiners.

Oofta · Jan 31, 2019

S'mon said:
Druids aren't underpowered with the restriction.
Druids aren't overpowered without the restriction. Although a DEX 14 druid in half plate & shield (AC > 19) is certainly a power boost, it's not breaking the game.

So, do what you like. But if you're a player, be polite to your GM. GMs hate whiners.

But, but I wannaaaa!!!! :rant:

200orcs · Jan 31, 2019

S'mon said:
Druids aren't underpowered with the restriction.
Druids aren't overpowered without the restriction. Although a DEX 14 druid in half plate & shield (AC > 19) is certainly a power boost, it's not breaking the game.

So, do what you like. But if you're a player, be polite to your GM. GMs hate whiners.

Here is the thing, Druids are not proficient in Heavy Armor, so in order to get it they need to multiclass or spend a feat. Which is why it's fine. That means they are sacrificing something else.

But DM whining sucks I agree.

Edit: I have been correct, half-plate is medium armor, my bad

ad_hoc · Jan 31, 2019

Li Shenron said:
I think that the sage advice "might undermine the story and the world being created
in your campaign" is seriously bad advice and a very nasty threat. It's basically saying that if you don’t follow their fluff you may have badwrongfun. This advice sounds very much off the usual tone of actually encouraging people to be free in their fluff and world-building... It would have been acceptable if they threatened about balance "if you don't follow our rule, you will have this mechanical problem", but here the tone is different, it's really like "your fantasy WORLD may suck". Because instead allowing chaotic evil Paladins or Wizards in heavy armor doesn't undermine anything?

You know what this tone reminds me of? A politician typical tactic when they screwed up big time and issue doomsday threats to call for others to back them up

The game is written story first.

WotC hasn't written a combat strategy game.

They've written D&D.

All throughout the game are story choices they have made. From the identity of the races, classes, backgrounds, etc. to the resolution systems are all in service of the story. Of the particular fantasy world of D&D. In every page they are telling the player what kind of fantasy world to play in.

As for mechanical balance, it is broad. Most people make decisions story first and as long as people feel like they get both spotlight time and the rules reflect the story of their character choices they feel there is mechanical balance.

The various classes could gain armour, weapons, hit dice, etc. and still be balanced. The D&D world may suffer though if all wizards have medium armour just as it may suffer if druids start wearing metal armour.

200orcs said:
Here is the thing, Druids are not proficient in Heavy Armor, so in order to get it they need to multiclass or spend a feat. Which is why it's fine. That means they are sacrificing something else.

But DM whining sucks I agree.

Half plate is medium armour

Satyrn · Jan 31, 2019

200orcs said:
Here is the thing, Druids are not proficient in Heavy Armor, so in order to get it they need to multiclass or spend a feat. Which is why it's fine. That means they are sacrificing something else.

But DM whining sucks I agree.

Psst - he said "half plate" :uhoh:

D&D 5E Druid Armor Restrictions

doctorbadwolf

Heretic of The Seventh Circle

cbwjm

Seb-wejem

Li Shenron

Legend

cbwjm

Seb-wejem

5ekyu

Hero

S'mon

Legend

Oofta

Legend

200orcs

First Post

ad_hoc

(they/them)

Satyrn

First Post

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