Crimson Longinus
Legend
Right. So that's why I find it a bit weird that people are so willing to waive the restriction like it was not a big deal. It kinda is. Do you also give other classes +3 to AC because they want it?
D&D 5E Can your Druids wear metal armor?
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Mage armor, a shield and +2 dex is better than any non metal medium armor and shield and same stats.
Barkskin is garbage.
Wildshape is only viable in melee combat for moon druids and it's not even that great in middle tiers of play.
A bladesinger with medium armor feat and +2 dex can have, what, 22AC?
Zubatcarteira
Now you're infected by the Musical Doodle
Mechanically, I don't see the issue, their best is 19 AC, and that's trivial to get for casters even without Shield, a level 1 Forge Cleric can have that with just starting equipment. Lore-wise, metal is part of nature, so I don't see the issue.
The only issue I'd see is aesthetics, but I wouldn't really imagine Clerics running around in plate either, so that's just life.
The only issue I'd see is aesthetics, but I wouldn't really imagine Clerics running around in plate either, so that's just life.
ad_hoc
(they/them)
Full Plate and a Shield is better than Padded Armour.
Barkskin is fine on a wild shaped Moon Druid. Going from 11 AC to 16 AC is pretty big and you get the bear's 16 Con to make your saves.
Wildshape is not supposed to be for combat for non-moon druids. The moon druid ability is literally called 'combat wild shape'.
Fighters have Strength saving throw proficiency. Rogues have a special ability called 'sneak attack'. Barbarians have a special ability to gain advantage on attacks called 'Reckless Attack'.
ad_hoc
(they/them)
Why not just say all PCs have at least 19 AC?
Zubatcarteira
Now you're infected by the Musical Doodle
Sure, everyone can be a Tortle with a shield,
No... why say that druids are THE ONLY class in the game that CAN'T get to AC 19?
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing
I didn't read the whole thread; I only read the OP and decided to comment. With six pages of comments in 24 hours, I suspect this might have already been covered, and if so, I apologize for the repetition. But anyway.
It's a complicated answer to a simple question, but here's the short of it:
So in my campaign, druids cannot wear Half Plate, because it's made of 'shaped metal plates' according to the PHB. But they could wear a suit of Medium armor made from, I dunno, 'shaped plates' of chitin that were harvested from the shell of a chuul. That armor would have a base AC of 15+Dex, weigh 40 pounds, and impose Disadvantage on Stealth checks. We just won't call it Half Plate.
So if that druid is willing to put in the work (hunt down a chuul or two, harvest enough chitin, carry it back to town, and hire someone to craft it into a suit of armor), that druid can be the envy of her entire enclave. It's a pretty good hook for an adventure, to boot.
I don't know if it's the right way to do it, and I wasn't in the room when the game designers were talking about stuff like "bounded accuracy" and "rules as intended" or whatever. But my players love it, and the game didn't explode when our druid crafted a breastplate out of the shell of a giant beetle.
It's a complicated answer to a simple question, but here's the short of it:
- Druids in my campaign cannot wear armor made of metal.
- Armor can be made of materials other than metal, though.
- Therefore, armor that is made of non-metal materials is just fine for druids to wear.
So in my campaign, druids cannot wear Half Plate, because it's made of 'shaped metal plates' according to the PHB. But they could wear a suit of Medium armor made from, I dunno, 'shaped plates' of chitin that were harvested from the shell of a chuul. That armor would have a base AC of 15+Dex, weigh 40 pounds, and impose Disadvantage on Stealth checks. We just won't call it Half Plate.
So if that druid is willing to put in the work (hunt down a chuul or two, harvest enough chitin, carry it back to town, and hire someone to craft it into a suit of armor), that druid can be the envy of her entire enclave. It's a pretty good hook for an adventure, to boot.
I don't know if it's the right way to do it, and I wasn't in the room when the game designers were talking about stuff like "bounded accuracy" and "rules as intended" or whatever. But my players love it, and the game didn't explode when our druid crafted a breastplate out of the shell of a giant beetle.
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Remathilis
Legend
Heck, why not just have all classes proficient in all weapons and armor?
ad_hoc
(they/them)
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