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

[Plaguescarred]

A druid in dark naga scale mail is much cooler though, plus, it's unaffected by heat metal spell, rust monsters etc

Sure you still want a metal armor?

 

[tetrasodium]

Just want to jump in on a detail.

Did you know that Barbarians can use metal half-plate and a shield (Sarcasm)? In fact, I've actually found that because of how the priorities work, a Barbarian is better off in half-plate unless their con and dex modifier is +8 combined, meaning either a 20 con/16 dex or an 18/18 split. And even then, magical armor has benefits.

A classical Barbarian is seen not using armor, but they absolutely can, and people do go unarmored and without a shield for barbarians. But the option also exists to do the opposite. And... they still feel like a barbarian.

That's a good point. I once gave out

Spoiler: this

there was an immediate "how does tat dr3 work with rage's resistance?" & nobody voiced a word of concern when the barbarian was dancing in his chair while putting it on. a few minutes later when they found

Spoiler: this

One of the previously silent players poke up telling the druid player that she could not use that on her character because its metal. Mind you said player was very much not the GM who gave it out and now had to stop the game to explain that 5e was not 3.5 so it was perfectly fine and even normal for her to wear something like that.

 

[TwoSix]

When a person demands rules to be changed so that they can powergame better it has definitely gone too far.

Hardly. In one of my current games, I wanted my character to be a dual-wielder because they had apprenticed under a ranger. I liked the thematics, but I know for long discussion on these boards that dual-wielding is underpowered, so I asked the DM to house rule the Dual Wielder feat for me.

Ergo, rules being changed so I could powergame better in the pursuit of character theme. If the DM hadn't been on board, I simply would have gone Polearm Master and gone staff + shield instead,

 

[Chaosmancer]

Right. So this is about powergaming. You just have to have that best AC.

No.

No
No
No

How many times do I have to say it?

What this is about is the utterly stupid idea that somehow metal isn't natural. That somehow, somewhere, someone got it into their heads that the literal core of the planet earth is an unnatural force and therefore druids should reject it. That is stupid nonsense.

But you like it, so you won't change that.

The second thing it is about is how utterly arbitrary it is. Druids will never pick up a metal shield, but they have no restriction on a metal prosthetic limb. They reject civilization... but have no stipulations or issues using thousands of gold to buy metal armor for someone else to wear. It makes no possible sense.

But you don't care that it doesn't make sense, because you ignore that.

The Third thing is that it is a mechanical burden, despite being not actually required for game balance per the word of the designers, it is a source of druids having a lower AC than they otherwise should.

But you don't care about that.

The Fourth thing is that the only way to deal with the 3rd point in many games, is to go on a special quest. One that you have to repeat, because your armor wouldn't be magical, so you'd need to go out again later to find a way to enchant it as well. A burden of time and effort no other class has to go through.

So, if you refuse to get rid of the rule. Even though it is a stupid rule that makes no sense. Even though it is an arbitrary rule that isn't consistent in the slightest. Even if it is a mechanical burden. Then the very very least you could do is ease that mechanical burden and bot do so by having a stupid fetch quest.

So, is this about powergaming? NO. No. no. no. no. no. no. no. no. no. NO! But I can't seem to get people to understand how utterly inane the rule is because they think that tradition is just the bees knees, so at a minimum I'd like people to stop forcing druid's who don't want to follow this rule, but are given no choice to at least not have to also waste their time on questing for armor if they don't want to.


I mean, you do understand the concept of compromise right? That a person can have multiple levels of goals, and is willing to settle for a lesser goal if at least that much is as far as they can get?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Yes. Because then it becomes about ability and proficiencies, and not gets into the mind of the player's character!
I am fine with Druids not getting to wear Armour better than Hide as a default, but if a PC wants to there should be way for them to gain such proficiency.
I absolutely hate the way that is implement in the game because it doesn't look like a rule at all. If it was ANYWHERE else in the Druid class section but the Proficiency list, it would NEVER be considered a rule. It's that simple. It's only a "rule" because it happens to be placed right next to the actual rule about what the Druid is proficient with.
Exactly. It's all about making choices in how you build your character and the rules basically creating a 'path of least resistance' toward the thematic archetype. Nothing says "A Rogue will not use a halberd": they can gain that proficiency and swing the weapon around... but they don't get to use their signature Sneak Attack with it, so they don't do it.

I don't disagree with anything you say- just getting back to the point that there is a difference between saying that we don't like the implementation (wording) of a rule, and saying that it's not a rule.

Fundamentally, I go back to the thing I said ... oh, 700 comments ago? I'm sure other people have said the exact same thing. The reason this particular rule stands out (as you correctly note) is because it's kind of weird in the context of 5e; it's a throwback to the older days of class restrictions.

I'm telling you- topiaries and tequila. Much, much more productive than druids and metal armor. Unless, of course, you're trimming your topiaries while drinking the tequila. That never ends well. ...um, so I hear. From, you know, a friend.

 

[Chaosmancer]

A druid in dark naga scale mail is much cooler though, plus, it's unaffected by heat metal spell, rust monsters etc

Sure you still want a metal armor?

Trust me, I agree, the Dark Naga Scale mail is epic. I'd love to have that stuff.

I still think it is beyond stupid to try and say that a druid would reject metal armor as being unnatural

 

[tetrasodium]

When a person demands rules to be changed so that they can powergame better it has definitely gone too far.

Wrong edition.

Spoiler: here is the thread we are discussing this in

Your posts may not show much distinction between your own house rules and the rules themselves, but no rules need to be changed for druids to decide they will wear metal armor because the words don't support your absolute interpretation and the only rule that applies when they do is

Spoiler: this one

 

[Undrave]

I'm telling you- topiaries and tequila. Much, much more productive than druids and metal armor. Unless, of course, you're trimming your topiaries while drinking the tequila. That never ends well. ...um, so I hear. From, you know, a friend.

Augh... tequila is awful and I don't understand how people can ever drink that stuff and how it can be even a friggin' industry.

But I don't drink alcohol in general, so what do I know?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Hardly. In one of my current games, I wanted my character to be a dual-wielder because they had apprenticed under a ranger. I liked the thematics, but I know for long discussion on these boards that dual-wielding is underpowered, so I asked the DM to house rule the Dual Wielder feat for me.

Do you think druids are underpowered like dual wielding?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

No.

No
No
No

How many times do I have to say it?

What this is about is the utterly stupid idea that somehow metal isn't natural. That somehow, somewhere, someone got it into their heads that the literal core of the planet earth is an unnatural force and therefore druids should reject it. That is stupid nonsense.

But you like it, so you won't change that.

The second thing it is about is how utterly arbitrary it is. Druids will never pick up a metal shield, but they have no restriction on a metal prosthetic limb. They reject civilization... but have no stipulations or issues using thousands of gold to buy metal armor for someone else to wear. It makes no possible sense.

But you don't care that it doesn't make sense, because you ignore that.

The Third thing is that it is a mechanical burden, despite being not actually required for game balance per the word of the designers, it is a source of druids having a lower AC than they otherwise should.

But you don't care about that.

The Fourth thing is that the only way to deal with the 3rd point in many games, is to go on a special quest. One that you have to repeat, because your armor wouldn't be magical, so you'd need to go out again later to find a way to enchant it as well. A burden of time and effort no other class has to go through.

So, if you refuse to get rid of the rule. Even though it is a stupid rule that makes no sense. Even though it is an arbitrary rule that isn't consistent in the slightest. Even if it is a mechanical burden. Then the very very least you could do is ease that mechanical burden and bot do so by having a stupid fetch quest.

So, is this about powergaming? NO. No. no. no. no. no. no. no. no. no. NO! But I can't seem to get people to understand how utterly inane the rule is because they think that tradition is just the bees knees, so at a minimum I'd like people to stop forcing druid's who don't want to follow this rule, but are given no choice to at least not have to also waste their time on questing for armor if they don't want to.


I mean, you do understand the concept of compromise right? That a person can have multiple levels of goals, and is willing to settle for a lesser goal if at least that much is as far as they can get?

Yes, I don't think the limitation is stupid. You bizarre strawmen about druids wielding iron stave and having four metal prosthetic limbs are utterly unconvincing as they simply are not things that would happen in the first place, at least not commonly enough that it would matter.

Furthermore, I don't think druids are underpowered, they don't need a AC buff. They're one of the most powerful classes in the game.

But hey, if it is not about powergaming, then certainly you would be fine with you druid getting to wear a metal armour that has rules of hide armour? Good compromise?