Well, the PHB description of Druid spellcasting says "divine essence of nature itself" so I'd go with Divine magic. What exactly are you or your players trying to discern?
Arcana checks would cover the "is this magic?" question. Religion checks would be used to identify gods, rites, religious symbols...etc.
Short answer Divine; long answer neither arcane nor divine... If you divide the magic types into 1) energy from a more powerful source (divine) and 2) manipulating energy from the cosmos (arcane), then it's divine, as they gain their powers through spirits and other powerful beings. If you believe that Psionics and Arcana are two different types of magic, then you'd also have to believe that Divinity and Nature magics are different. Clerics/Paladins get their magics directly from a source. A cleric/paladin of Tyr prays to him and Tyr grants that player a portion of his power to wield. Druids and Rangers; however, are completely different. They worship nature itself and are granted their powers through the sheer power of the land. Now, that's not to say that a cleric can't call out to the pantheon of gods for their powers, or that a druid can't worship a god of nature and get their powers that way. But, for the most part, the two are usually separated in that regard.
You want a harder question: try figuring out why warlocks (who get their powerful abilities from a patron) are considered arcane and not divine.
When using the Barkskin spell . Do you add your dex bonus to the AC 16 of barkskin ?
Barkskin makes it so that your AC can not go below 16. What that means is if your armor + shield + dex bonus isn't 16, it becomes 16.
For example. A fighter with no armor and no shields (and no dex bonus) is granted barkskin. His AC is naturally a 10, and for the duration of the Barkskin, becomes 16. He finds a shield and puts it on. His normal AC is now 12, and barkskin still only raises it to 16. He now finds a magic item that increases his dexterity to 14 (+2 modifier). His normal AC is now 14, and barkskin still only raises it to 16. He finds a suit of studded leather armor, putting his normal AC to 17, barkskin is still on him for the duration, but no longer affects him as his AC is 16+. Should he lose his magical item or his shield and it drops him back to 15 AC, barkskin will set him at 16.
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
You want a harder question: try figuring out why warlocks (who get their powerful abilities from a patron) are considered arcane and not divine.
In case of the warlock, it is not the power of the patron that is used by the warlock, but the power of the planes which in turn is raw magic, a part of the Weave. The patron is just a via, a mean.
In case of clerics and druids, they kind of use the power of Gods and nature, respectively.
Well, that is the way I have always seen the differnce between divine and arcane magic.
When using the Barkskin spell . Do you add your dex bonus to the AC 16 of barkskin ?
Barkskin makes it so that your AC can not go below 16. What that means is if your armor + shield + dex bonus isn't 16, it becomes 16.
For example. A fighter with no armor and no shields (and no dex bonus) is granted barkskin. His AC is naturally a 10, and for the duration of the Barkskin, becomes 16. He finds a shield and puts it on. His normal AC is now 12, and barkskin still only raises it to 16. He now finds a magic item that increases his dexterity to 14 (+2 modifier). His normal AC is now 14, and barkskin still only raises it to 16. He finds a suit of studded leather armor, putting his normal AC to 17, barkskin is still on him for the duration, but no longer affects him as his AC is 16+. Should he lose his magical item or his shield and it drops him back to 15 AC, barkskin will set him at 16.
Nicely put.
You don't add anything to Barkskin. It just is 16. But it is only one option. If you have a different AC calculation (Armor+Dex+Shield+?) that is higher than Barkskin you can use that one.
It's really no different than all the other AC calculation options: Unarmored Defense (Monk and Barb), Natural Armor, Shield+Weapon+Dex or Mage Armor. no matter how many you qualify for you pick only one to use at a time, generally the one with the highest AC.
There are several GM's, including me, who think Shield stacks with Barkskin. To me Barkskin sets your Base AC to 16 (just like chain). Similar to how Mage Armor or Monk's Unarmored Defense is set. Bonus to AC that comes from shield is a bonus. Your mileage may vary. I don't recall if Sage advice was asked on this question.
EDIT: Found Sage Advice that says shield does not stack. Might change my mind or not. This ruling makes the spell somewhat useless except for Wild Shaped druids.
Nothing in the Barkskin spell indicates it's an AC calculation. It sets a minimum for the final number of your AC after adding in all relevant modifiers. A creature that normally has 14 AC will have 16 with Barkskin, and 19 with Barkskin + Shield.
Nothing in the Barkskin spell indicates it's an AC calculation. It sets a minimum for the final number of your AC after adding in all relevant modifiers. A creature that normally has 14 AC will have 16 with Barkskin, and 19 with Barkskin + Shield.
According to JC it is not an AC calculation. It is an AC limit. Is it badly written? Sure! They should have written it as AC calculation.
I agree that if shield and other bonuses stack with Barkskin is is useless except for Wild Shape druids. The fact that it is a concentration spell makes it more so.
I am considering a house rule for my game that would either allow stacking but keep the concentration, or not allow stacking but no concentration required. Have not decided which one to allow.
If others out there were going to allow one of the two versions of the above proposed house rule for Barkskin which would they chose?
I agree that if shield and other bonuses stack with Barkskin is is useless except for Wild Shape druids. The fact that it is a concentration spell makes it more so.
I am considering a house rule for my game that would either allow stacking but keep the concentration, or not allow stacking but no concentration required. Have not decided which one to allow.
If others out there were going to allow one of the two versions of the above proposed house rule for Barkskin which would they chose?
What? Why? Barkskin can be cast on anyone. It's not like Mage Armor. Why do you need a 20+ armor? You're a druid, you either heal very well or you can turn into an animal with a bucket of hit points. This isn't 3E, people aren't getting +10 bonuses to attack in tier 2 (when the spell is its most useful). The value of the spell is that you can buff wild shapes (this cannot be undervalued) and you can buff other people who may need it (like say, a wizard. or yourself when you've been captured and stripped of your weapons).
I agree that if shield and other bonuses stack with Barkskin is is useless except for Wild Shape druids. The fact that it is a concentration spell makes it more so.
I am considering a house rule for my game that would either allow stacking but keep the concentration, or not allow stacking but no concentration required. Have not decided which one to allow.
If others out there were going to allow one of the two versions of the above proposed house rule for Barkskin which would they chose?
I would say no stacking, Flat 16, but no concentration. And maybe longer duration with higher level slots?
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Are druid spells Magic or divinity lore wise?
Hell yeah I am going to Polymorph the boss into a Rabbit. I have always wanted a being a pure evil stuffed into a ball of fluff.
Well, the PHB description of Druid spellcasting says "divine essence of nature itself" so I'd go with Divine magic. What exactly are you or your players trying to discern?
Arcana checks would cover the "is this magic?" question. Religion checks would be used to identify gods, rites, religious symbols...etc.
Thanks for the help, but honestly i am just a lore nerd and it is a question i have had for some time now.
Hell yeah I am going to Polymorph the boss into a Rabbit. I have always wanted a being a pure evil stuffed into a ball of fluff.
A quick question.
When using the Barkskin spell . Do you add your dex bonus to the AC 16 of barkskin ?
You want a harder question: try figuring out why warlocks (who get their powerful abilities from a patron) are considered arcane and not divine.
For example. A fighter with no armor and no shields (and no dex bonus) is granted barkskin. His AC is naturally a 10, and for the duration of the Barkskin, becomes 16. He finds a shield and puts it on. His normal AC is now 12, and barkskin still only raises it to 16. He now finds a magic item that increases his dexterity to 14 (+2 modifier). His normal AC is now 14, and barkskin still only raises it to 16. He finds a suit of studded leather armor, putting his normal AC to 17, barkskin is still on him for the duration, but no longer affects him as his AC is 16+. Should he lose his magical item or his shield and it drops him back to 15 AC, barkskin will set him at 16.
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“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
There are several GM's, including me, who think Shield stacks with Barkskin. To me Barkskin sets your Base AC to 16 (just like chain). Similar to how Mage Armor or Monk's Unarmored Defense is set. Bonus to AC that comes from shield is a bonus. Your mileage may vary. I don't recall if Sage advice was asked on this question.
EDIT: Found Sage Advice that says shield does not stack. Might change my mind or not. This ruling makes the spell somewhat useless except for Wild Shaped druids.
Nothing in the Barkskin spell indicates it's an AC calculation. It sets a minimum for the final number of your AC after adding in all relevant modifiers. A creature that normally has 14 AC will have 16 with Barkskin, and 19 with Barkskin + Shield.
I agree that if shield and other bonuses stack with Barkskin is is useless except for Wild Shape druids. The fact that it is a concentration spell makes it more so.
I am considering a house rule for my game that would either allow stacking but keep the concentration, or not allow stacking but no concentration required. Have not decided which one to allow.
If others out there were going to allow one of the two versions of the above proposed house rule for Barkskin which would they chose?
What? Why? Barkskin can be cast on anyone. It's not like Mage Armor. Why do you need a 20+ armor? You're a druid, you either heal very well or you can turn into an animal with a bucket of hit points. This isn't 3E, people aren't getting +10 bonuses to attack in tier 2 (when the spell is its most useful). The value of the spell is that you can buff wild shapes (this cannot be undervalued) and you can buff other people who may need it (like say, a wizard. or yourself when you've been captured and stripped of your weapons).
I would say no stacking, Flat 16, but no concentration. And maybe longer duration with higher level slots?