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

[mrpopstar]

I played in a game like that once (lasted one session, then we told the Storyteller no) and read plenty of stories like this on r/rpghorrorstories--even if we are to assume only half of those stories are true and not made up for karma, it can get really bad at times.

I can very honestly say, in front of God and everyone, that I've been on Reddit literally twice. I'm careful about the media I consume. I'll take your word for it those stories are miserable.

 

[Faolyn]

Ah, fair enough. I don't think it is distinction that makes much sense in a fantasy world though. Besides, if the owlbear is a monstrosity then certainly platypus is one as well!

Owlbears and griffons are monotremes; prove me wrong.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

The "theme" is a misplaced virulent bit of misplaced setting specific trash.

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel!

Also your barkskin "improvement" is no better than said theme. I say that about your "improved" version because it displays the same profound lack of understanding of the class as your arguments about "will not wear metal armor".

It was not my barkskin improvement, it was @ad_hoc's, I merely reiterated it because I know they have several people who are active in the thread blocked. But you're certainly correct about the issue with concentration.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Owlbears and griffons are monotremes; prove me wrong.

Definitely agree on the owlbears. In my current setting they're naturally occurring monotremes. Our totem barbarian's totem animal is the owlbear.

Griffons have feathered wings and six limbs, so they really don't fit into any real world classification. My current setting doesn't have griffons, but I remember in one of my old setting there was an earlier era where all vertebrates had six limbs. Then there was a massive catastrophe and advanced life basically had to start from scratch, this time developing into familiar four-limb pattern. But some animals of the earlier phase survived in remote locations, such as griffons and dragons.

 

[FrozenNorth]

What if a player came to you, feeling differently. What if they felt that not only would their druid do exactly that, but that they have a lot of really cool ideas and aesthetics that they would want to implement.

Would you really tell that player "No, your ideas are bad, your druid wouldn't do that. Make a different character."?

What would you say if the DM responded:

“I can buy that. But traditionally, druids are restricted by a strong taboo that operates to reduce their otherwise considerable power (full spellcasting, shapechanging and decent martial skills). What restriction does your druid operate under that is equally limiting to not wearing metal armor?”

 

[J.Quondam]

Owlbears and griffons are monotremes; prove me wrong.

I'm reasonably certain that owlbears, griffons, and platypi are all just different phases in the lifecycle of one species.

 

[mrpopstar]

The "theme" is a misplaced virulent bit of misplaced setting specific trash. Also your barkskin "improvement" is no better than said theme. I say that about your "improved" version because it displays the same profound lack of understanding of the class as your arguments about "will not wear metal armor".

"Randomly improved" & "functionally improved" are two different things, here are some details.

Spoiler: 5e barkskin

View attachment 141855

Note that it's a 1 hour concentration second level spell. You proposed changing nothing but the highlighted bit to be ac18 & work with a shield. It's still a level 2 1hr concentration spell. That's important for several reasons

• a huge percentage of the druid's spell list is concentration, including most of their go to spells.
• A spell can't be cast unless it is first prepared & prepared spells is a very limited resource of class level+wis mod.
• Even if prepared, second level slots are already in conflict for Flaming Sphere, heat metal, hold person, lesser restoration, moonbeam & pass without a trace.
• Your talking about expending a limited prep slot and a high demand spell slot in order to get the benefit of 500go +1 half plate* the druid can already use or 1500gp plate for one hour if they maintain concentration & don't cast any concentration spells or spells with a cast time greater than one action.** This is an extremely important point because other classes who get their AC from equipment continue to improve it with better equipment that has none of the very real costs that go with barkskin (prep slot spell slot concentration). It's also the standing AC of a level 1 cleric paladin or fighter in starting gear showing up to their first session before they have had a chance to take a single action & you think that AC at a cost for a brief period is a fix... yeano
• The "improvement" is already bad even before noting the fact that it doesn't scale at all and the game continues beyond level 5, most of my campaigns run into the low to mid teens as an example.

* Like it or not, this is the nonsense wotc created in the dmg & doubled down on in xge. 5e's whole excuse may be an awful "rulings not rules", but if you want to argue RAW you need to take the good with the bad rather than just ignoring it when RAW is inconvenient.
**

Spoiler: longer casting times

View attachment 141856

I notice you often post screenshots of what looks to be a digitized core rulebook. Where did you find that available for purchase?

 

[Faolyn]

I'm reasonably certain that owlbears, griffons, and platypi are all just different phases in the lifecycle of one species.

It's like the Asian dragons that start out as carp before they leap into the sky.

Maybe it's more a sex thing. Owlbears are territorial males. Griffons are females who have to fly long distances to lay their eggs over a wide stretch of land.

 

[ECMO3]

Ah, fair enough. I don't think it is distinction that makes much sense in a fantasy world though.

It makes more sense than Druids not being allowed to wear metal armor.

 

[FrozenNorth]

So, name some other entirely fluff-based rules that have zero mechanical or social penalties for breaking them.

A cleric blaspheming against the deity they worship.

A warlock ignoring their patron.

Even paladins only suffer a consequence for violating their oath at DM’s discretion.