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

[Maxperson]

Would it be better if the rule said, "Can not"? "Shall not"? No?

As long as it was the can not of 1e, 3e and 4e where the druid could still choose to wear metal armor, then sure. Otherwise I like the "will not" of 5e that allows my druid to choose.

Okay, what if the rule was written with consequences? If it had the worst consequences ever, would that make a difference to you? If the effect of wearing metal armor was the same as getting hit with a (no save) disintegrate spell for 500 hit points, is that better? Or do people want manageable consequences?

I'm a fan of choices having consequences. Let the metal armor stop druid magical abilities like it had been done in the past and be done with it.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

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?

You ... will not drink tequila?*

Because if you do, YOU'LL EXPLODE!

See, it always comes around full circle, doesn't it?


*I cook with tequila. Sometimes, I even add it to the food.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Wrong edition.

Spoiler: here is the thread we are discussing this in

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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

View attachment 141782
View attachment 141783

"Druids will not wear armor or use shields made of metal."​

 

[tetrasodium]

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?

Rising from the Last war introduce prosthetic limbs, Keith Baker's Dread Metrol takes the concept & builds on it in a few horrific ways fitting ravenloft. It absolutely can happen. Nothing in Eberron or Ravenloft bars druid PCs & they actually have a more significant role in eberron than FR

"Druids will not wear armor or use shields made of metal."​

This again? All it takes is "Yes I will"

 

[Crimson Longinus]

This again? All it takes is "Yes I will"

Then you're not following the rule. This is not hard.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

As long as it was the can not of 1e, 3e and 4e where the druid could still choose to wear metal armor, then sure. Otherwise I like the "will not" of 5e that allows my druid to choose.

You keep saying that, and it's not true. I know you like to quote the Gygaxian flourish in Druid description, but (as you like to put it) that's not a rule, that's Gygaxian fluff. Gygax loved tables, remember?

Character Classes Table II. (PHB 19)

ARMOR AND WEAPONS PERMITTED

Druid
Armor: Leather
Shield: Wooden

You can also cross-reference the DMG (generated druids cannot have anything more than leather armor); or Eldritch Wizardry (p. 2).

 

[Maxperson]

"Druids will not wear armor or use shields made of metal."​

Big bold doesn't change "will not"(choice) to "cannot."

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Big bold doesn't change "will not"(choice) to "cannot."

Your choice happened when you made a druid.

 

[Maxperson]

You keep saying that, and it's not true. I know you like to quote the Gygaxian flourish in Druid description, but (as you like to put it) that's not a rule, that's Gygaxian fluff. Gygax loved tables, remember?

Character Classes Table II. (PHB 19)

ARMOR AND WEAPONS PERMITTED

Druid
Armor: Leather
Shield: Wooden

You can also cross-reference the DMG (generated druids cannot have anything more than leather armor); or Eldritch Wizardry (p. 2).

It is absolutely true. Gygax listed penalties for Druids who wore metal armor. Look it up. Penalties for wearing it can only come into play if they can choose to ignore the "cannot." of 1e.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

It is absolutely true. Gygax listed penalties for Druids who wore metal armor. Look it up. Penalties for wearing it can only come into play if they can choose to ignore the "cannot." of 1e.

Max, seriously- I have no idea what you are smoking or how much tequila you might have drank. I have come across almost ... every ... single ... variant .... and bizarre misunderstood rule for OD&D and 1e. And yet, I have never in the history of ever come across someone who said, "Yeah, we used to play druids in plate. By the RAW. No big deal. Guys in my school did it all the time."

I have resisted the urge to correct you before this given that you tend to ... argue vociferously over bizarre points (from my P.O.V.). But this is truly weird.

The rules are clear in OD&D. They are clear in 1e. I even looked at 2e (why did you make me do that?). Near as I can tell, Zeb's take ("Unlike the cleric, the druid is allowed to use only 'natural' armors -- padded, hide, or leather armor and wooden shields, including those with magical enhancements. All other armors are forbidden to him.) is the exact same.

And no, bards and rangers (who cast druid spells) don't count as Druids. I would hope that this point doesn't need elaboration, but I will go ahead and state it.