Author Topic: Druids and Metal Armor?  (Read 30686 times)

HellsPanda

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #50 on: July 18, 2011, 01:54:27 PM »
Swords are weapons of destruction, with no other purpose, while Scimitar in this case looks like a tool

ethinos

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #51 on: July 18, 2011, 01:59:37 PM »
I think Gary Gygax didn't know what he was doing, when it came to the scimitar, per se. However, some scimitar-like tools were used for butchering and cutting grain. Think along the lines of a machete or the Greek kopis.
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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #52 on: July 18, 2011, 02:10:30 PM »
Swords are weapons of destruction, with no other purpose, while Scimitar in this case looks like a tool

Riddle me this Batman.... if that is the case then, why can't druids use scythes?  Can't get more harvesting tool-like than a scythe. (Kamas too if you want to really want to get technical)
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ethinos

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #53 on: July 18, 2011, 02:14:32 PM »
The weapon list has been pretty much constant since 1st edition AD&D, when I don't believe they even had scythes or kamas available. It probably could've been updated to include such items.
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HellsPanda

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #54 on: July 18, 2011, 02:17:44 PM »
because DnD developers rarely suffer from common sense?

ethinos

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #55 on: July 18, 2011, 02:21:13 PM »
Took a look at Pathfinder's SRD and they included the scythe in the druid's weapon proficiencies.
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Kagetora

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #56 on: July 23, 2011, 06:28:58 PM »
Maybe before you go ahead and pigeonhole every Druid into one tiny box, you should think about the RP side of this.  Not every Druid comes straight out of the forests of Faerun.

I, myself, have started dinking around with a druid (up to level 6 now) who uses *gasp* metal armor and different weapons...because thats what is common in her CULTURE.  Bronze/iron armors, spears, bows, maces, axes, some sword types...this is what the culture she grew up in uses.  As such, she uses them as well.  I even took proficiencies to do so.  Since the entire point of this is to RP the character (if I want to solo, I certainly don't play the druid) with others, I fail to see the problem with it.  She worships a specific deity, and Druid seemed a better fit than Cleric.  Even if I did manage to get a bunch of nice Chitin armor, I'd model it to look exactly like the scale/plate armor she is wearing now.  Get over it.

Not every Druid is a cookie-cutter copy of some freaking robe and cloak wearing, unwashed tree-hugger.

ethinos

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #57 on: July 23, 2011, 07:36:35 PM »
Get over it? Read the damned entry of Druid in the Player's Handbook for the last few editions. Druids (with the exception of followers of Mielliki?) are adverse to metal armor and non-druid weapons.

I'm not making this shit up. It's canon. You are the one making a very non-druid Druid that's probably violating every druidic code. You can only warp a class so much before you are no longer that class at all. Which it sounds is what's going on with your character.
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Elfric

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #58 on: July 23, 2011, 07:47:41 PM »
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Uses metal armor and different weapons not to druid code. Worships her culture's specfic god.
That's a cleric in any book. There's two domains called "Planet" and "Animal" that suits the role. Making the cleric a Shaman. Druids are not Shaman's in religious sense, but protectors of nature.

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #59 on: July 23, 2011, 08:28:51 PM »
If I play in a pathfinder game, one of the concepts I have for  a PC is a druid who is from an underground race, a dwarf is the main choice but any under ground race will do. This druid would wear metal,gems, rock and the earth itself. Allow me to explain before you go 'blasphemier!!!" the metal first is not going to be like any of the armor metal. It literally would be from the earth it self. ie that iron armor would be pure iron it wouldn't be forged it would not be smithed but it would be used as it is to make armor.  sort of how one uses ironhide to turn bark into armor, he would do the same for things from the earth itself. Mind you this druid would respect the nature and the enviorment of the underground. A druid of the underground enviorment.

Mind you it still would be a druid in every sense of the  word, worshiping nature itself, and uses druid weapons; save scimitars as I house rule that weapon for another in my games but that is a minor quible. won't teach druidic to non-druids, you know the story. I just found this concept to be unique and diffrent from the typical forest druid. There likely would be drawbacks to use this raw metal in game, like easier to break and bend.

just an idea, shoot me down if this is heretical and I should be burned for it.


Elfric

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #60 on: July 23, 2011, 08:42:59 PM »
Quote
Metal is facilitates industry and production which is against balance and nature.

^ The fact your dwarf druid uses raw materials, without forging them into armor, doesn't break the "Druidic code". Now if said raw ores were made into forged armor, it would be. Rather fun concept, and the thing with ores are... They're not 100% Metal, but mixed with impuraties of the earth. Which makes them rather weak to slashing, and bashing.

That, or you cop out to follow  Mielikki. Mielikki take on the abilities of rangers and unlike other druids, who are not allowed to wear metal armor, may use all kinds of armor usable by rangers.  Which means you'd only be allowed to wear chainmail, and the like. The funny thing is her sect has a "Knighthood of the woods" who seek to regrow the forest, and keep civilization at bay. I think they're called Shadoweirs? Which they're not evil, just green peace with swords.


« Last Edit: July 23, 2011, 08:55:14 PM by Elfric »

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MadMage99

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #61 on: July 23, 2011, 10:29:05 PM »
If I play in a pathfinder game, one of the concepts I have for  a PC is a druid who is from an underground race, a dwarf is the main choice but any under ground race will do. This druid would wear metal,gems, rock and the earth itself. Allow me to explain before you go 'blasphemier!!!" the metal first is not going to be like any of the armor metal. It literally would be from the earth it self. ie that iron armor would be pure iron it wouldn't be forged it would not be smithed but it would be used as it is to make armor.  sort of how one uses ironhide to turn bark into armor, he would do the same for things from the earth itself. Mind you this druid would respect the nature and the enviorment of the underground. A druid of the underground enviorment.

Mind you it still would be a druid in every sense of the  word, worshiping nature itself, and uses druid weapons; save scimitars as I house rule that weapon for another in my games but that is a minor quible. won't teach druidic to non-druids, you know the story. I just found this concept to be unique and diffrent from the typical forest druid. There likely would be drawbacks to use this raw metal in game, like easier to break and bend.

just an idea, shoot me down if this is heretical and I should be burned for it.


As Elfric said, unrefined ores are fine, but they're one not really workable into useable shapes, and kind of weak heh. of course if you can persuade the DM's to add in rock armor, then I'm all for it!


Also, "Underground Druids" are, if I'm not mistaken, called Gray Druids I think. and they tend to have more knowledge of underground eco-systems, fungi and the type of creatures who live down their, lizards and toads and buggy things. they're pretty cool concepts :p

Elfric

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #62 on: July 23, 2011, 10:44:55 PM »
I suppose someone could come up with an item like that. It'd be fragile, and offer weaknesses to very sharp, and pointy objects.
Spoiler: show
Rock armor

1 AC Bonus
-5% Against blunt dmg
+5 Against Slashing
+5 Against Peircing
10 extra pounds added on.

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Kagetora

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #63 on: July 24, 2011, 06:19:46 PM »
Get over it? Read the damned entry of Druid in the Player's Handbook for the last few editions. Druids (with the exception of followers of Mielliki?) are adverse to metal armor and non-druid weapons.

I'm not making this shit up. It's canon. You are the one making a very non-druid Druid that's probably violating every druidic code. You can only warp a class so much before you are no longer that class at all. Which it sounds is what's going on with your character.

This is the exact thinking that simply stifles creativity.  Every Druid must be an unwashed tree-hugger; every Paladin must wear shining armor and wield a longsword; every wizard must be an old man Gandalf-clone and wear a hat; every rogue must dress in black leather and run around with a shortsword; no one can deviate from "canon" in any way.  I'm terribly sorry that it ruins your immersion for my druid to run around with a longbow and a spear, and wear scale type metal armors.  The druid entry in the PH is a template for a very specific, Euro-centric, Celtic-type druid.  So, basically, no other culture type can have such a class, altered in some ways to adhere to that culture, without it being "warped" beyond recognition?  I'm calling BS.  Being a druid is a philosophy and a dedication to nature that grants some divine abilities.  If this wasn't the case, there wouldn't be (or have been) a Druid's Handbook detailing a few dozen other ways to play a druid.

If it makes you feel better, when you see my character, you can pretend her armor is chitin, which looks the same anyway.  Someday it might even be.  I'd love to save the weight.

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #64 on: July 24, 2011, 07:03:37 PM »
Get over it? Read the damned entry of Druid in the Player's Handbook for the last few editions. Druids (with the exception of followers of Mielliki?) are adverse to metal armor and non-druid weapons.

I'm not making this shit up. It's canon. You are the one making a very non-druid Druid that's probably violating every druidic code. You can only warp a class so much before you are no longer that class at all. Which it sounds is what's going on with your character.

This is the exact thinking that simply stifles creativity.  Every Druid must be an unwashed tree-hugger; every Paladin must wear shining armor and wield a longsword; every wizard must be an old man Gandalf-clone and wear a hat; every rogue must dress in black leather and run around with a shortsword; no one can deviate from "canon" in any way.  I'm terribly sorry that it ruins your immersion for my druid to run around with a longbow and a spear, and wear scale type metal armors.  The druid entry in the PH is a template for a very specific, Euro-centric, Celtic-type druid.  So, basically, no other culture type can have such a class, altered in some ways to adhere to that culture, without it being "warped" beyond recognition?  I'm calling BS.  Being a druid is a philosophy and a dedication to nature that grants some divine abilities.  If this wasn't the case, there wouldn't be (or have been) a Druid's Handbook detailing a few dozen other ways to play a druid.

If it makes you feel better, when you see my character, you can pretend her armor is chitin, which looks the same anyway.  Someday it might even be.  I'd love to save the weight.

You ruin your own creativity. If you can't think of a way to play a druid, which their are dozens of different ways to do it, following the correct Oaths that all druids play. If you want to play a uber-powered diviine caster in metal armor, play a Cleric. There are plenty of ways to play a druid.

Get over it? Read the damned entry of Druid in the Player's Handbook for the last few editions. Druids (with the exception of followers of Mielliki?) are adverse to metal armor and non-druid weapons.

I'm not making this shit up. It's canon. You are the one making a very non-druid Druid that's probably violating every druidic code. You can only warp a class so much before you are no longer that class at all. Which it sounds is what's going on with your character.

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Kagetora

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #65 on: July 24, 2011, 10:50:11 PM »
I guess thats the point.  I don't need to play an uber-powered divine caster in metal armor...I already have a cleric.  However, I also don't feel the need to have a slavish devotion to "canon."  And if I did want some uber-character, a druid would not be my first choice.  Hell, my straight fighter is far better than my druid, not to mention my cleric and wizard. 

I like a bit of creativity.  My druid wears some metal armor, doesn't use a shield (went with parry skill instead).  Cultural choices, no slavishly adhering to something written in a book somewhere.  When you play PNP games, do you yell at people for trying things that are outside the rules as well?  "YOu can't do that, the PH says so!"  Frankly, I find that more than a little narrow-minded.  Isn't the point to have fun and RP, not to simply follow a set of rules blindly like a bunch of drones?  I mean, NWN already imposes so many restrictions, by its very nature as a limited computer game, that its hard to "break out of the mold" for ANY class.  Do we need to stifle creativity even further?  Maybe some people don't WANT to play the same kind of druid as everyone else.  And now thats a crime worth reporting people to a DM over?  Pathetic.

What if someone made an "elementalist" druid, who took the ore from the Earth, stoked the Fire with Air, worked the ore into steel and quenched it in Water, and used it?  Would you scream at them for breaking "canon?"  Or would you praise them for some creativity?

Personally, I feel that forcing people to play one specific way because its written in a book somewhere smacks of several governmental types I won't mention here for fear of being banned.

ethinos

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #66 on: July 25, 2011, 12:46:41 AM »
How is it narrow-minded? The only way that you are getting away with doing what you are doing is because Bioware was too lazy to institute the metal armor ban. Any DM worthy of the title would smack you upside the head with a Players Handbook and tell you to create a new character.

Druids don't like metal armor.

Wizards can't wear any armor.

Paladins must be LG and cannot lie, cheat, steal.

Sometimes things aren't meant to be altered. If you want to ignore D&D rules, because "you don't feel like it", go play elsewhere.
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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #67 on: July 25, 2011, 01:28:47 AM »
Perhaps it would be wise to take a step back and remember the fundamental differences between D&D and NWN, the things that cannot be altered, the things that developers have no interest in altering, and that not every player has even played a PnP game let alone read any of the PnP rulebooks.

Quite a lot of the "rules" make no sense at all. In Second Edition only humans could be rangers. Does that mean we only had human ranger characters? No.! I don't know about third edition but one of the first "rules" in Second Edition is that the rules are guidelines and if they are causing more trouble than fun, fun is more important.
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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #68 on: July 25, 2011, 02:21:18 AM »
What I am curious about isif person doesnt want to follow druidic oaths and basics why would that person pick druid at all.
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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #69 on: July 25, 2011, 02:37:44 AM »
What I am curious about isif person doesnt want to follow druidic oaths and basics why would that person pick druid at all.

+1

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #70 on: July 25, 2011, 03:23:30 AM »
I can imagine a druid character who has not the slightest idea about principles  of her class. Because in Ravenloft there are not many druidic circles whom could have taught her what to do and what to not to praise nature.
She can be a simple herbalist with slumbering powers of  nature in her veins and when she's angered neither she can explain how the roots break the soil to shackle her pursuers. (well though a simple herbalist would not wear heavy armor).

On the other hand i understand the scenario. Only those wear heavy armor who walk into heavy battles. Forest walking in plates is not comfortable, you'd sink into the mud, every shallow creek threatens the plate wearer with drowning. (in the age of knights rivers and even puddles were a terrible enemy for mailed warriors). And even a chainmail is quite uncomfortable when spending time in rough terrain out of battle.

Out of topic: I'd like to see a feature that give bonuses to lightly armored characters in woods and mountains or penalties to armor wearing ones. (like a bit slowing them down.)


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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #71 on: July 25, 2011, 08:37:42 AM »
Quote
Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape.

Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.


I fail to see how these are hard to follow. Even "cultures" that have a druidic class provide the same bases of what a druid is. If if hampers the imagination of a character, how does it do so? If you want a free, no rules, no complicated armored spell caster... Roll a bard. Because Paladins, Clerics, Druids, and Monks ahear by certain principles in PnP, and NWN. Rangers suffer from wearing heavy armor by losing their duel-wield. The fact NWN allows druids to keep their abilities could have possibly of been 'Don't care" or "We forgot, but now it's 1.69! Bye NWN1!"

Want to have your character suited to a culture that revears nature? Yet don't wish to ahear to a drudic code because it "restricts an imagination in a fantasy world"? Play a  fighter, barbarian, ranger, or cleric. Each have their own restrictions and following to a culture. Druids don't hail from a culture, they are a culture all togather. Despite the diffrent lands all these druids hail from, majority of them will find, and befriend other druids. Bonding, and hopefully making a druidic circle, which so far i havn't seen one.

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #72 on: July 25, 2011, 09:30:08 AM »
Some classes are very restrictive by design - paladins, monks, barbarians and druids. Rping these classes requires specific philosophy and char should obide specific code ( or in barb case lack of). For those who do not like restrictions there are classes that far more flexible like rogues, fighters, wizards, sorcerers.
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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #73 on: July 25, 2011, 11:55:21 AM »
Personally, I try to stick to RPing my druids as canon as I can, without being slavish about it. However, I'm not particularly cool with the idea of people telling other people how to RP their characters, unless its a DM. That sort of attitude breeds negativity between players, imo.
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HellsPanda

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Re: Druids and Metal Armor?
« Reply #74 on: July 25, 2011, 11:58:40 AM »
so if a DM decides to say no metal for druids every druid will stop using metal? [I wont be trying to get a DM to say this, just asking a question]