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

[mrpopstar]

I have found the metal armor restrictions to be rather disruptive, we have largely ignored this at my tables. To start with what defines "metal armor"? Is studded leather metal? Almost all middle age shields are primarily wooden IRL, maybe some bucklers were metal, but no other metal shields existed. In the far east IRL there was wooden armor that would most approximate half-plate, breast plate or splint mail.

Also in terms of story or theme, if a Paladin can go against his oath and become an oathbreaker or an asimar become fallen, why can't a druid wear metal?

Just a stupid rule IMO and it does not seem to add much flavor IMO since he can swing a metal scimitar and seems to have no problem adventuring with the guy wearing chainmail. Also as a tree-hugger I would find it somewhat silly to say - "sure you can cut down that tree and make me some armor, but no metal"

What do you think?

Druids in metal armor? Never!

 

[TwoSix]

... but if eating lutefisk improved your likelihood of survival from one day to the next, would you hold your nose and choke it down?

Eating a healthy diet would also improve my likelihood of survival every day, but here we are.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

No, they don’t even try. Plus, I don’t think they care since they can turn into bears and apes and all sorts of tankiness and stealthiness and extra-hitpointness.

Spore Druid sulks in the corner

 

[Oofta]

Spore Druid sulks in the corner

As long as they mold in peace.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Personally, I would have no problems with allowing a druid to wear metal armor. That said, followers of the old ways would be likely to look down on the druid for doing so, since the druid is breaking with tradition. Druids in my campaigns are often held in respect by creatures of nature (treants, dryads, etc) but they'd be inclined to believe that someone wearing metal armor is trying to (poorly) impersonate a druid, and therefore would be quite dubious of such an individual.

That said, it's entirely feasible in my campaign to obtain versions of metal armor that aren't made of metal, so it's not something that's likely to come up. I suppose a druid could also obtain glamoured metal armor, but that would likely be more work than simply acquiring armor made from alternative materials.

 

[Chaosmancer]

What do you think?

Metal comes from the earth. Metal is just as natural as wood or the carapace of a creature or bone.

Metal needs to be worked and shaped? So does wood to make a shield or a boat, yet druids are allowed to sail on a wooden boat and use a wooden shield.

Metal has to be processed? So do hides to make leather, a process that generally involves caustic chemicals that are not exactly forest friendly.

There is also no issue with Druids using metal weapons. A dwarven druid can use a battle axe, and elven druid can use a longsword, and if you don't care about proficiency then any druid can use a Greatsword, just with a penalty (things are heavy)

Metal rings? Metal Necklaces? Metal Bracers? Metal bowls? None of it is a problem.


So, I allow them to wear metal armor. There is no reason that makes sense to me that says they can't. Metal armor prevents the power of the natural world from getting to them? But a suit made out of abberation flesh like Slaadi leather, Beholder leather, or Aboleth leather don't? Things literally unnatural and not of this world, are more easy for natural magic to work around than something that is natural and part of the world? No. Doesn't make sense.

 

[DemoMonkey]

Not wearing metal armor is part of their covenant with the primal nature force.

Much like any restriction placed by any god or power-that-be, it doesn't have to make any logical sense. That's almost the point.

 

[Chaosmancer]

For a druid who wants high wisdom and con to tank in melee range, it's not a minor AC difference.

Agreed, and I wanted to pop this out for just a quick bit of number crunching.

Druid's aren't a dex based class, they are primary casters so Dex is probably 3rd concern at best. So, looking at around a 14 for Dex at best. Just to establish that I'm going to be using a +2 dex mod

Studded Leather and Hide become identical, a 14 AC. Add a shield and you have 16 AC. This is also, incidentally, the AC of a Paladin with Dex +0 at level 1 and this is the best a Druid can likely get without magic.

IF they can get Half-Plate? 17 to 19 AC. That is a +3 AC difference. That is the equivalent of finding Legendary Studded Leather Armor. That is a big difference.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

In all seriousness though, Padded armor and and ring mail are for NPCs you want to have wear crappy armor.

Which is wild because a cloth gambeson is good armor...

 

[ad_hoc]

That's fine for moon druids, or casters that want to put up a concentration spell and retreat to safety, but a druid with scale mail or half plate can make a pretty good melee tank. I think that option should be available. I like the idea of alternative materials.

You could say the exact same thing about a Wizard. A Wizard with full plate would be more difficult to hit.

Just because it is stronger for the class doesn't mean it should be part of the class.