D&D 5E Can your Druids wear metal armor?

[Chaosmancer]

I have to disagree with the idea that 'will not wear' is just fluff. It is in the rule section. The rule doesn't say why they will not wear metal armour, but they won't and that's the rule. If the rule says that a creature won't do something then them doing that thing is breaking the rule. Now it is weird rule so in that sense I can see people wanting to houserule it, but still.

Also, are druids generally considered underpowered? My impression was that they're one of the more powerful classes already.

Moon Druids are, because Combat Wildshape is very powerful at low levels.

Other druids aren't, because they don't have combat wildshape.

They aren't underpowered by any means, I'd say they are similiar to clerics.... who can wear metal medium armor and use a shield with no rules saying that that is a problem.

 

[Northern Phoenix]

This is a good example.

It makes sense because the rules aren't a reality simulator. They're there to create and enforce narrative tropes from popular fiction.

That's the stance i take too. Whenever this whole debate comes up, i prefer to just side-step the "RAW" or whatever, and instead think "why is having slightly more AC number more important than just playing the archetype the class represents normally? Unless you play some insane meatgrinder style games, you can have lower than max AC, you can get hit occasionally, and that's just how the game works, big deal. At least this character has a mechanic (razor thin as it is) that gives their class some sort of directed flavor that ties the player to their narrative role.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

So? I mean seriously - what difference does it make? Druids will not wear metal armor. Perfectly clear. There's no need for a mechanical penalty because they will not wear it.

There are plenty of ways for druids to wear heavier armor with or without house rules.

Druid is hit with a sleep spell and wakes up in metal armor. What happens?

Surely even you will admit that this is 100% a weird outlier, given that there's apparently no penalty for a druid who decides to foul nature, and paladins can elect to break their oaths and seek atonement.

 

[Li Shenron]

It's not really dumb. Gamers at home want to wear it, Druids in game wouldn't wear it for the same reasons vegans don't eat animal products.

Sure they could but they don't want to.

I don't think it's a good analogy. Given that there is no mention of Druid preferences about metal weapons, explosives, alchemical substances or even a freakin' full-metal mechanical apparatus of Kwalish (and if they multiclass into other spellcasters they can even create undead, how natural) then a more appropriate analogy would be to say they're a bit like a "vegan" who doesn't eat beef, but only pork, poultry, fish and cheese.

 

[Oofta]

Druid is hit with a sleep spell and wakes up in metal armor. What happens?

Surely even you will admit that this is 100% a weird outlier, given that there's apparently no penalty for a druid who decides to foul nature, and paladins can elect to break their oaths and seek atonement.

A poster makes up a strawman scenario, what do I do? I give it all the consideration I believe it deserves. It doesn't happen in my campaign because I'm not a dick DM and I don't care how you resolve it in your campaign.

 

[carkl3000]

Correct. Weapons are not armor. Next we'll discuss how being proficinct in weapons adds you proficiency bonus to hit but proficiency in armor doesn't add your proficiency bonus to your AC.

... but druids are proficient with half plate. So if they suit up in half plate none of the following penalties apply:

If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with,
you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving
throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity,
and you can't cast spells.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

why is having slightly more AC number more important than just playing the archetype the class represents normally?

Because the archetype relies on assumptions that may not be obvious to some of us who haven't played D&D as long or who aren't familiar with Western fantasy conventions or prefer the conventions of othercultures' fantasy; because the archetype doesn't universally apply in WotC's own settings and it also may not apply in our homebrew settings; or we simply don't like the archetype and would prefer official support for a more flexible and less specific vision of the class.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

Correct. Weapons are not armor. Next we'll discuss how being proficinct in weapons adds you proficiency bonus to hit but proficiency in armor doesn't add your proficiency bonus to your AC.

What precludes specific armour proficiencies be given out though? It would be more consistent that way.

 

[CleverNickName]

huh... I don't see any of that in mariner's armor either... It's sounding a lot like there is no rule that supports the "touching the metal armor made the druid feel uncomfortable, as if she was holding the slick carcass of a rotting fish." & "it made her skin crawl, as if she were wearing something lifeless ungraved from the earth." other than the gm fiat the druid player was twice threatened with

You're clearly looking for an argument. You don't like the "druids will not wear metal armor" rule, and you don't like how I enforced it in my game, and that's fine. But you seem to be far more bothered by it than anyone else, and that's...kinda weird, honestly. Have fun with the arguing and stuff, but you're gonna have to do it without me.

Anyway...right or wrong, that's how I handled it in my game, @Li Shenron. I hope I answered your question.

 

[Northern Phoenix]

Because the archetype relies on assumptions that may not be obvious to some of us who haven't played D&D as long or who aren't familiar with Western fantasy conventions or prefer the conventions of othercultures' fantasy; because the archetype doesn't universally apply in WotC's own settings and it also may not apply in our homebrew settings; or we simply don't like the archetype and would prefer official support for a more flexible and less specific vision of the class.

You can do what you like in your homebrew game, but i find the base game is stronger if the classes have distinct and clear identities, otherwise why have classes at all?