Scale Mail is generally considered metal armor, but in the context of the Candlekeep Mysteries adventure where it appears, I think it's pretty clear that Serpent Scale Armor is intended to be made of Yuan-Ti scales and wouldn't count as "metal armor".
Also worth noting that in the 2024 rules, Druids are no longer prohibited from wearing metal armor.
I don't have access to the Candlekeep Mysteries where it seems this armor originates, but from what I can find online, it is a Scale Mail. Scale Mail is described as consisting of coat and leggings of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal (like the scales of a fish).
The Serpent Scale armor merely is described as being magical and being made from "shimmering scales". This is pretty ambiguous.
In general, druids can use any armor they are proficient in. It has been part of their lore that they choose not to use metal armor. One disadvantage of wearing metal armor would be if someone were to use "Heat Metal" on your character, which states "Choose a manufactured metal object, such as a metal weapon or a suit of heavy or medium metal armor, that you can see within range." Also if you are targeted by Shocking Grasp, there's "You have advantage on the attack roll if the target is wearing armor made of metal."
So I guess the question would be would it be unbalanced to flavor the armor as not having any metal? You absolutely could, as it does say it is "magical" and it is called "serpent scale" armor, so it could be that it is made from the hide of a giant magical serpent or something. However I would talk to the DM about if having your character who would normally be susceptible to Heat Metal and Shocking Grasp having those effects mitigated so that your druid can wear the armor "without metal" would be unbalanced in the campaign.
You could always say that it does not contain mined metal (for getting around the lore restriction on metal armor for your druid) but still have it susceptible to the above spells as "the hide has certain metallic properties to it."
According to the link to the armor, it is made from overlapping metal scales and would not be eligible for Druids (2014).
That's the generic text from the base Scale Mail item that D&D Beyond adds automatically to magic item listings. The actual descriptive text of the magic item from the actual Candlekeep Mysteries book doesn't mention metal, and again, in context it's implied they're snake or Yuan-Ti scales.
I think the druid armor rules are not enforced for reasons like this - it is entirely within the DMs power to provide any kind of armor made of scorpion carapace or dragon scales or bulette hide or whatever. Metal may be the default, but it is not unique in its ability to stop a sword.
2014 RAW, if a material is made of metal, Druids will not wear it.
Serpent Scale Armor is mechanically metal, despite it being organic-magical in origin.
Leather & Hide Armor continues to be the best RAW choices if your druid wants to wear armor.
What an armor is in narrative is usually overwritten by what it is mechanically. & if it isn't marked in the stat block as (Leather), (Hide), or (Studded Leather)...mechanics over lore.
Do I think the 2014 RAW is wrong to have this be a forced character trait? Thematically, no, it's in line with what is known about Druids, but mechanically...heck yes, you should be able to bypass this with armors made from durable things that just so happen to be metal from a mechanical view.
Glad they lifted that.
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DM, player & homebrewer(Current homebrew project is an unofficial conversion of SBURB/SGRUB from Homestuck into DND 5e)
Once made Maxwell's Silver Hammer come down upon Strahd's head to make sure he was dead.
Always study & sharpen philosophical razors. They save a lot of trouble.
Does not make any sense, if the item itself says it is made from organic materials, then it is not metal ergo you do not have the imposed penalties of it being metal. Serpent Scale Armor even removes the disadvantage on stealth, showing that it is not made of overlapping metal scales (the things that jingle making stealth harder).
So based off of it saying it is made of a different material, and does not impose the same mechanical benefits of metal scale mail, its easy to see them as different.
Unfortunately this game only has so many armor types. So in order to reference a base AC, they have to call it a specific armor.
What adventure is it in in CANDLEKEEP mysteries? I’m willing to look thru an adventure but not the entire book and saying p.98 doesn’t help with the digital version. The DDB listing says it’s scales of metal but the listings have occasional errors and if it’s a yan ti creation it could well be made from Naga scales that are AC14 to start with. Then it wouldn’t be a problem (and would add 1 more monster to harvest for those that do.
What adventure is it in in CANDLEKEEP mysteries? I’m willing to look thru an adventure but not the entire book and saying p.98 doesn’t help with the digital version. The DDB listing says it’s scales of metal but the listings have occasional errors and if it’s a yan ti creation it could well be made from Naga scales that are AC14 to start with. Then it wouldn’t be a problem (and would add 1 more monster to harvest for those that do.
The adventure is called "Book of Cylinders".
Again, the D&D Beyond listing for the magic item only mentions scales made of metal because it automatically includes the descriptive text from the mundane item it's based on. The actual description in the book doesn't mention it being made of metal.
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pronouns: he/she/they
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bonjour, je voulais savoir si la Serpent Scale Armor était considéré comme une armur en métal ou pas et si un druide pouvaid la porter ?
Hello, I wanted to know if the Serpent Scale Armor was considered metal armor or not and if a druid could wear it?
Scale Mail is generally considered metal armor, but in the context of the Candlekeep Mysteries adventure where it appears, I think it's pretty clear that Serpent Scale Armor is intended to be made of Yuan-Ti scales and wouldn't count as "metal armor".
Also worth noting that in the 2024 rules, Druids are no longer prohibited from wearing metal armor.
pronouns: he/she/they
I don't have access to the Candlekeep Mysteries where it seems this armor originates, but from what I can find online, it is a Scale Mail. Scale Mail is described as consisting of coat and leggings of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal (like the scales of a fish).
The Serpent Scale armor merely is described as being magical and being made from "shimmering scales". This is pretty ambiguous.
In general, druids can use any armor they are proficient in. It has been part of their lore that they choose not to use metal armor. One disadvantage of wearing metal armor would be if someone were to use "Heat Metal" on your character, which states "Choose a manufactured metal object, such as a metal weapon or a suit of heavy or medium metal armor, that you can see within range." Also if you are targeted by Shocking Grasp, there's "You have advantage on the attack roll if the target is wearing armor made of metal."
So I guess the question would be would it be unbalanced to flavor the armor as not having any metal? You absolutely could, as it does say it is "magical" and it is called "serpent scale" armor, so it could be that it is made from the hide of a giant magical serpent or something. However I would talk to the DM about if having your character who would normally be susceptible to Heat Metal and Shocking Grasp having those effects mitigated so that your druid can wear the armor "without metal" would be unbalanced in the campaign.
You could always say that it does not contain mined metal (for getting around the lore restriction on metal armor for your druid) but still have it susceptible to the above spells as "the hide has certain metallic properties to it."
That's the generic text from the base Scale Mail item that D&D Beyond adds automatically to magic item listings. The actual descriptive text of the magic item from the actual Candlekeep Mysteries book doesn't mention metal, and again, in context it's implied they're snake or Yuan-Ti scales.
pronouns: he/she/they
I think the druid armor rules are not enforced for reasons like this - it is entirely within the DMs power to provide any kind of armor made of scorpion carapace or dragon scales or bulette hide or whatever. Metal may be the default, but it is not unique in its ability to stop a sword.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
2014 RAW, if a material is made of metal, Druids will not wear it.
Serpent Scale Armor is mechanically metal, despite it being organic-magical in origin.
Leather & Hide Armor continues to be the best RAW choices if your druid wants to wear armor.
What an armor is in narrative is usually overwritten by what it is mechanically. & if it isn't marked in the stat block as (Leather), (Hide), or (Studded Leather)...mechanics over lore.
Do I think the 2014 RAW is wrong to have this be a forced character trait? Thematically, no, it's in line with what is known about Druids, but mechanically...heck yes, you should be able to bypass this with armors made from durable things that just so happen to be metal from a mechanical view.
Glad they lifted that.
DM, player & homebrewer(Current homebrew project is an unofficial conversion of SBURB/SGRUB from Homestuck into DND 5e)
Once made Maxwell's Silver Hammer come down upon Strahd's head to make sure he was dead.
Always study & sharpen philosophical razors. They save a lot of trouble.
Does not make any sense, if the item itself says it is made from organic materials, then it is not metal ergo you do not have the imposed penalties of it being metal. Serpent Scale Armor even removes the disadvantage on stealth, showing that it is not made of overlapping metal scales (the things that jingle making stealth harder).
So based off of it saying it is made of a different material, and does not impose the same mechanical benefits of metal scale mail, its easy to see them as different.
Unfortunately this game only has so many armor types. So in order to reference a base AC, they have to call it a specific armor.
What adventure is it in in CANDLEKEEP mysteries? I’m willing to look thru an adventure but not the entire book and saying p.98 doesn’t help with the digital version. The DDB listing says it’s scales of metal but the listings have occasional errors and if it’s a yan ti creation it could well be made from Naga scales that are AC14 to start with. Then it wouldn’t be a problem (and would add 1 more monster to harvest for those that do.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
The adventure is called "Book of Cylinders".
Again, the D&D Beyond listing for the magic item only mentions scales made of metal because it automatically includes the descriptive text from the mundane item it's based on. The actual description in the book doesn't mention it being made of metal.
pronouns: he/she/they