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

[Crimson Longinus]

I saw as I was catching up, you really didn't say yes or no, you said it was something you didn't feel strongly about and got "into world-building territory"

Which, personally, I find hilarious. Because somehow constantly saying that all druids share the same religious taboo wasn't already getting into world-building territory, but I digress.

Yes, it definitely is in the world building territory. D&D classes are thematic archetypes and come with certain amount of implied setting. So I certainly can understand if someone wants to change things for some specific settings. But I feel the default druid should remain thematically representative of the classic D&D druid.

Since you don't feel strongly about it, then you would allow a Mountain Dwarf Druid to wear metal armor, then, yes?

Depends on the fluff of the setting. My default answer would be no, but I can imagine some setting where yes would make more sense and reinforce the themes of the world. My current setting has no dwarves, nor iron, nor is anyone playing a druid, so it is not super relevant at the moment.

 

[carkl3000]

And having them all wear metal armour doesn't make thematic sense either. Because that's the end result if you lift the limitation.

Still don't agree with that. Plenty of players will want to make Dex their secondary ability for all the things that dex does besides AC. Once you have a good dex score, you might as well use studded leather.

There are also plenty of players who would want to jump through hoops to get some weird bug armor because that's cool and because they don't want their druid to wear metal because lots of people, even if they disagree with the restriction, like the tradition.

Probably other reasons, too.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Then give them Unarmored Defense and lean into the shapeshifting nightmare that is what I'm pretty sure the only reason most people want to play a druid anyway.

Yes, that definitely would work.

 

[CleverNickName]

Re: Celtic druids, I always thought that the D&D druids were intended to model the Shannara druids. I am a big fan of that series of novels and that world setting, and I started reading the "Sword of Shannara" trilogy right around the time I started playing D&D, so I come by it honest.

Because of that association, the D&D druid's shapeshifting thing always felt weird and out of place to me. I'm here for the elemental forces of nature, baby! Druid fire! Gimme that Sage background and that Human (variant; Magic Initiate feat) and I'm off to the races.

When I think "wild shape," I immediately think of the Elfquest comics...something else I was reading around the time I started playing D&D. Consequently I associate that ability more with the Elf race than with the Druid class.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

And not every single druid will wear metal armor. Maybe the players, but it is such a minor thing you probably won't even notice it.

Heck, I've had more people forget they are wearing armor period when describing their characters than I could easily count. If the armor is important, they will will mention it. If they don't care, then they don't care. But let it be a player's choice to engage in that.

If it is such a minor thing, why you must have it?

I actually care about the thematic and visual implications of the gear.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Still don't agree with that. Plenty of players will want to make Dex their secondary ability for all the things that dex does besides AC. Once you have a good dex score, you might as well use studded leather.

Do the math.

There are also plenty of players who would want to jump through hoops to get some weird bug armor because that's cool and because they don't want their druid to wear metal because lots of people, even if they disagree with the restriction, like the tradition.

People will not know of the tradition if you remove it from the books.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I actually care about the thematic and visual implications of the gear.

Because of the thematic and visual implications of my character.

If I'm going to have to dance for nickels to get chitin or something else hard edged, then I better be able to just use what I can buy standard.

 

[Umbran]

Which is part of the problem with making this an universal standard for all "druids" for all time in all realities.

I think you are rather badly mis-characterizing the PHB. That book is designed to represent traditional D&D realities - vaguely European, dark ages to early Renaissance, pseudo-feudalism, heroic fantasy stuff. When WotC wants to deviate from that, they have to put out an entire book to handle it. So, yeah, not all realities are covered by the core game. And that's okay.

 

[carkl3000]

Do the math.


People will not know of the tradition if you remove it from the books.

Well... for one thing not everyone uses point buy. So there's that...

...and which is better, 17 AC with +2 on dex saves, initiative, acrobatics, stealth (with disadvantage), etc or 16 AC with +4 on all those things and no disadvantage on stealth?

...and I don't think it should be removed from the books. I think it should be elaborated on.

 

[J.Quondam]

I think we need to up the challenge level.

We need to all switch sides!

That's right. Whatever side of the debate you were on, do a 180 and argue the other way.

For my part, I will .... um ... let's see .... I know! I will make positive and serious contributions to advance the thread instead of just amusing myself!

If I've learned nothing else, I am beginning to understand why wrestlers in any Royal Rumble Arena™ wear spandex underpants in the ring*.

* Instead of, say, metal armor.