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

[Undrave]

The Druid is nonproficient with metal armor. A breastplate made out of a hypothetical adamant crystal (like made out of sapphire or ruby) is proficient. But a metal breastplate, no.

The penalty for nonproficiency would be no spellcasting.

In the case of the Druid class, the armor proficiency is explicitly material based. No metal.

Otherwise, the proficiency would have said, "light armor and hide armor". But other armors are proficient, as long as they are not metal.

You're the only one reading it that way.

 

[Oofta]

I feel that there is enough opinions from the other side so that there definitely is some ambiguity. If a significant portion of the players read the same text and come to a different conclusion, then I assume the rule could be clarified better.

How else could you even word it if you want to restrict druids to non-metallic armor but think medium armors made with alternative materials should be an optional variant? Other than a very wordy (and potentially confusing) explanation? Many, many rules could use additional explanation, I don't see a reason this one is any worse.

Whether or not you agree with druids not wearing metallic armor, they stated it in about the most clear and efficient way possible.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

The Druid is nonproficient with metal armor. A breastplate made out of a hypothetical adamant crystal (like made out of sapphire or ruby) is proficient. But a metal breastplate, no.

The penalty for nonproficiency would be no spellcasting.

The rules text says that will not wear armour made from metal, not that they lack proficiency with armour made from metal. The designers (hopefully) would have used the second phrasing if that is what they meant. But as the rules stand, Druids have proficiency with light and medium armour without qualifier, but will not wear metal armour for whatever reason. Doesn't mean they aren't proficient, and Crawford said that the RAI is that they are proficient with all medium armour.

 

[Oofta]

Most people agree, the Druid does not gain proficiency with metal armors from the Druid class proficiencies.

The debate (because of the poor wording) is whether a Druid character can get proficiency with metal armors by some other means.

The answer is obviously, yes, a Druid can take a feat, or so on, just like a Wizard can get armor proficiencies this way.

It's not a proficiency issue, they won't wear it.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

If you don't want Druid in metal armor, and I totally support that... then don't give them proficiency with them as a basic class feature... If that was the intent they went about it totally the wrong way.

Sure, that would be a better way to do it. I'm not really disagreeing with that.

 

[Yaarel]

The rules text says that will not wear armour made from metal, not that they lack proficiency with armour made from metal. The designers (hopefully) would have used the second phrasing if that is what they meant. But as the rules stand, Druids have proficiency with light and medium armour without qualifier, but will not wear metal armour for whatever reason. Doesn't mean they aren't proficient, and Crawford said that the RAI is that they are proficient with all medium armour.

Also @Undrave

The rule listing the "Armor Proficiencies" for the Druid class, specifies that these proficiencies dont include metal. The Druid "will not" be proficient with an armor of metal.

 

[Yaarel]

It's not a proficiency issue, they won't wear it.

If they dont wear, they never become proficient with it.

If they will never use a greatsword, they likewise will never be proficient with a greatsword.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

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.

So you agree it's a bizarre outlier and are just digging your heels in. Gotcha.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Why won't they do that?

There can be many different reasons for that. Ask the GM.

 

[Undrave]

How else could you even word it if you want to restrict druids to non-metallic armor but think medium armors made with alternative materials should be an optional variant? Other than a very wordy (and potentially confusing) explanation? Many, many rules could use additional explanation, I don't see a reason this one is any worse.

Whether or not you agree with druids not wearing metallic armor, they stated it in about the most clear and efficient way possible.

They should have expanded on the philosophical under pining. Or made variant material an ACTUAL rule explained in the Armour Section.

Also @Undrave

The rule listing the "Armor Proficiencies" for the Druid class, specifies that these proficiencies dont include metal. The Druid "will not" be proficient with an armor of metal.

It says no such thing.