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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ohmyn" data-source="post: 7623103" data-attributes="member: 6999115">I'm bothered by everything about it as presented in the PHB, and then again bothered by how poorly it's addressed in Sage Advice. It's written in the PHB without any information or mechanical implications provided, and then when asked why that is, the Sage Advice states it to be a story element, but then words it in a way where you as a player have to ask your DM if you're allowed to break the rules and wear it despite the class restrictions. The issue here is that there's a section for story elements, but this "rule" is listed under the Class Features, and the Sage Advice didn't do a good job of indicating it's not a mechanical restriction. In my experience most DMs prohibit Druids from wearing metal armor for this reason, and even in AL it seems almost universally not allowed. At most a Druid has to get lucky in that the module used has armors of alternative materials, otherwise the DM rules you can't wear metal armor and be a Druid because that's what is says in RAW, and Sage Advice saying "ask your DM if you're allowed to ignore what the book says" doesn't really imply it's not a forced behavior on your character.I quite like the lore of Forgotten Realms, but the Sage Advice ignores the parts of the lore about Druids literally being allowed to wear metal, and as such gives people that read the Sage Advice the impression that Druids wearing metal breaks the lore, when in fact the decision to do so or not to do so is a major part of the lore that varies between sects, but has absolutely no ramifications on the Druid either way.The issue is that due to how it's written, it seems to imply that it's a prohibition and not a choice, and due to it appearing that way RAW, many DMs actually enforce it even in AL campaigns. Otherwise they force another character, or allow you to play a Druid with no class abilities, because "you can't do that", even if you're a Druid of the Old Faith that follows a patron that specifically says you can, all because the Sage Advice seemed to imply there are absolutely no Druids that are allowed to do so.I'd be fine with it if it were presented that way. If there were optional Druid sects that have different limitations, and so you may lose the benefits of that sect if you violate the oaths, that would be okay. Paladins choose an oath from a list of options, and it gives them tenants for how they should role play the oath, but it doesn't mechanically tell them any actions they absolutely will not perform. It just gives behavioral guidelines, as every class has in their story sections, but it just so happens to state the sort of things that should happen when a Paladin violates their oath. It also at least explains why they have those tenants in their story, and the PHB further specifies that it's not a mechanical restriction, so it's at DM discretion as to whether or not there are any penalties. It's added for role play options, and as such it specifically states it's there for that purpose.Druids, however, don't get it presented in such a way. Instead of being listed as an optional story feature for the character, it's listed under their base Class Features alongside their proficiencies, so RAW, Druid characters do not have the option to choose to wear metal armor, because the class rules seem to state they will not do so. It also does not provide any guidance for what to do mechanically if a Druid does choose to wear metal, so it has to be 100% homebrewed, unlike the Paladin options.Personally I would not enforce it this way, but I acknowledge that is the rule as written, and thus it's very poorly written. Sage Advice and errata has the opportunity to add onto this to add more explanation, but the response they did give didn't actually clarify anything further, and in fact misrepresented the lore of Forgotten Realms, so it's simply a poor response all around.</blockquote>

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