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

[Maxperson]

So, to you, the table on page 45 is "not a rule"?

No. It's a synopsis of the actual rules on page 65. One which shortens the fluff portion of druid metal armor wearing in a way that can mislead. Here are the real druid proficiency rules and fluff.

"PROFICIENCIES
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields (druids will not wear armor or use shields made of metal)"

There are the rules. Then there's some fluff in ( ).

 

[Crimson Longinus]

The problem is that the rule hearkens back to older AD&D style item prohibitions like "Magic Users can never wear armor" or "Cleric can only use Blunt Weapons"; those rules were problematic then and seem fundamentally atavistic in a modern game.

The problem is that those types of prohibitions are fundamentally gamist without even the shred of verisimilitude that a D&D style game requires. The characters are presumably human-type creatures capable of breaking rules and strictures placed on them, therefore, those type of prohibitions needs to have some in-narrative consequence for breaking the stricture to seem realistic. 5e has plenty of those types of rules in place, look at barbarian as a way to use the rules to maintain armor tropes without running into requiring metagame prescriptions to keep druids out of metal armor.

Yes, that is a valid criticism for why it is not a very well formulated rule. It in no way or form makes it 'not rule.'

 

[Oofta]

Hypothetical scenario. Bob joins the group and during our session 0 tells a quick story about how he's integrating into the campaign and that he grew up loving nature.

DM: cool, that works for everyone, what class are you thinking?
Bob: Druid.
DM: Awesome, that's a good addition to the group. By the way, I shouldn't have to say this but I follow the rules except for my house rules on my campaign intro page. Druids will not wear metal armor.
Bob: Too bad. My druid is going to buck the system and wear metal armor as soon as he can find some or afford it.
DM: No, druids will not wear metal armor.
Bob: Mine will. Freedom!!!
DM: You could play a nature cleric...
Bob: Nope. The rules don't say that the druid can't wear metal armor and you aren't the boss of me.
DM: The rules clearly state that they will not. I agree that I am not the boss of you, but the PHB is clear. I can go out to your car and pour a gallon of water into it's gas tank but I will not. I'm willing to work with you here, it's a fantasy game and alternative materials can be used. Non-metallic scale male is a thing, it's just slightly more expensive.
Bob. Armor made of shiny, shiny metal is all that will do.
DM: Well, sorry this isn't going to work out I'll have to let someone on the waiting list know they can join instead.

 

[Maxperson]

A rule. Not a suggestion, a rule. The consequence of not following is the same than me deciding to roll 2d12 for my attack rolls instead of d20, so likely people not wanting to play with me.

Well, the rules actually stop you from doing 2d12. Nothing stops the druid. Nothing.

 

[Maxperson]

Hypothetical scenario. Bob joins the group and during our session 0 tells a quick story about how he's integrating into the campaign and that he grew up loving nature.

DM: cool, that works for everyone, what class are you thinking?
Bob: Druid.
DM: Awesome, that's a good addition to the group. By the way, I shouldn't have to say this but I follow the rules except for my house rules on my campaign intro page. Druids will not wear metal armor.
Bob: Too bad. My druid is going to buck the system and wear metal armor as soon as he can find some or afford it.
DM: No, druids will not wear metal armor.
Bob: Mine will. Freedom!!!
DM: You could play a nature cleric...
Bob: Nope. The rules don't say that the druid can't wear metal armor and you aren't the boss of me.
DM: The rules clearly state that they will not. I agree that I am not the boss of you, but the PHB is clear. I can go out to your car and pour a gallon of water into it's gas tank but I will not. I'm willing to work with you here, it's a fantasy game and alternative materials can be used. Non-metallic scale male is a thing, it's just slightly more expensive.
Bob. Armor made of shiny, shiny metal is all that will do.
DM: Well, sorry this isn't going to work out I'll have to let someone on the waiting list know they can join instead.

That's the DM's choice. Some people would in fact go do that. And eat babies. And all the other hyperbolic and failed attempts at examples of why the druid "rule" is a rule. Those are all indeed choices than you can choose to do and nothing is really stopping you.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

No. It's a synopsis of the actual rules on page 65. One which shortens the fluff portion of druid metal armor wearing in a way that can mislead. Here are the real druid proficiency rules and fluff.

"PROFICIENCIES
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields (druids will not wear armor or use shields made of metal)"

There are the rules. Then there's some fluff in ( ).

So, to you, the brief summary on page 45 gets the rule... wrong?

Are there other rules in the PHB that aren't "real"?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Well, the rules actually stop you from doing 2d12. Nothing stops the druid. Nothing.

What is this I don't even...

I just pick 2d12, roll them and add that to my attack roll. What you gonna do, mate?

It is a rule printed in the book. What stops you breaking it is the same thing than stops you breaking any other rule: the social contract that we agreed to abide by the rules of the game.

 

[Chaosmancer]

...Has anybody in the History of D&D ever used Druidic?!

Druidic and Thieves' Cant are like "secret" language right? So a character would first need to be made aware those languages even exist before they can decide to learn it. After that it's more a question of finding someone willing to teach you. There's probably no book on the subject.

I've tried to use it, but it is incredibly difficult to use. The best case scenario is talking to the druid player and no one else can understand you. That or carved messages or trail signs.

It is very very difficult to get druidic to come up outside of those scenarios.

 

[Maxperson]

So, to you, the brief summary on page 45 gets the rule... wrong?

Clearly it does, because the actual rule on page 65 says something different.

Are there other rules in the PHB that aren't "real"?

No. All the rules are real. The druid metal armor thing just isn't a rule. It's a fluff option as stated by the language in the PHB and Sage Advice. It's just a strong fluff piece and one which the DM might decide to house rule in consequences for breaking(also per the Sage Advice).

 

[TwoSix]

Yes, that is a valid criticism for why it is not a very well formulated rule. It in no way or form makes it 'not rule.'

That's completely irrelevant to any one who's actually playing the game rather than discussing it on a forum. The only opinions that matter are those of the player and DM.

The only thing worthy of discussion are best practices around proper adjudication of the rule to make the game better for the participants at the table.