So druids can use ANY weapon they want?

[mkletch]

Re: Re: Re: So druids can use ANY weapon they want?

Or it could mean what it says.

I'd vote for allowing druids to use ironwood weapons. I for one think that an ironwood scythe would be an awesome weapon for a druid. You could probably make it permanent with some magic item creation feat or other; house rule that one.

-Fletch!

 

[Drawmack]

I'm going to attempt a cross reference of the rules to see what happens here.

First the spell from the SRD:

Ironwood
Transmutation
Level: Drd 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute/lb. transformed
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: An ironwood object weighing up to 5 lb./level
Duration: 1 day/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Ironwood is a magical substance created by druids from normal wood. While remaining natural wood in almost every way, ironwood is as strong, heavy, and resistant to fire as steel. Spells that affect metal or iron do not function on ironwood. Spells that affect wood do affect ironwood, although ironwood does not burn. Using this spell with wood shape or a wood-related Craft check, the character can fashion wooden items that function as steel items, such as weapons and armors. These items are freely usable by druids.
Further, if the character made only half as much ironwood as the spell would normally allow, any weapon, shield, or suit of armor so transmuted is treated as a +1 magic item.
Material component: Wood shaped into the form of the intended ironwood object

This version already includes all of the changes from the rules corrections and the rules clarifycations. There is nothing in the FAQ about this spell.

Now let's look at the class from the SRD:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, halfspear, longspear, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, and sling. Their spiritual oaths prohibit them from using weapons other than these. They are proficient with light and medium armors but are prohibited from wearing metal armor (thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor). They are skilled with shields but must use only wooden ones.

So from these two sources we seem to have a rules conflict. The class says Their spiritual oaths prohibit them from using weapons not listed. However the ironwood spells states These items are freely usable by druids. You do not have to go one way or the other with this. I propose a subtelty that most have overlooked it is the club.

Here is the information on the club from the SRD:

Club: A wooden club is so easy to find and fashion that it has no cost.

The SRD lacks flavor text, so I will look up club from an external source (http://www.dictionary.com).

A stout heavy stick, usually thicker at one end, suitable for use as a weapon; a cudgel.

Okay now if I carve, or woodshape, a bastardsword from wood then what I have is a heavy stick whose handle is thicker then its blade. This is a club it is simply an elaboratly prepared club. The druid can fight with this since a druid can fight with a club going by their class description. Now if I were to take this club and cast ironwood on it I still have a club. Granted I have a club that functions like a bastard sword, but it is still a club. Therefor the druid can fight with any ironwood item because they are all clubs, they are just magically enhanced clubs.

 

[mkletch]

My optinion is a bit more simple than this thesis outlined by Drawmack (which is very complete, by the way). I would say that the weapon and armor proficiency is the base ruling. The ironwood spell specifically sets out an exception to that rule, which should be followed since it is a druid-only spell. Granted, the druid will need to have the appropriate proficiencies, either through multiclassing or burning feats, or suffer the corresponding penalties.

I'm picturing a high-level druid NPC with full plate armor that, at first appears to be richly and expertly engraved, but is later recognized as permanent ironwood construction. Very cool.

-Fletch!