On page 187 of the PHB it says you can spend 250 days training to gain proficiency in a tool or language. Does this count for armor and could you skip light and medium and just learn heavy? How would you rule this as the dm?
The easiest way to gain proficiencies without feats is to multiclass. If you have the downtime days and excess gold, you may be able to get more through training with an expert, as you've suggested, but it only works for tools and languages.
The best class to multiclass into for armor and weapons is cleric, specifically under the War or Storm domains. These grant all weapons and armor. Starting as a fighter or paladin also grants these, but going into them you'd miss out on heavy armors.
For skills, you get one for multiclassing into rogue, ranger or bard. Knowledge clerics also get 2 Intelligence skills at 1st level. Many classes also grant skills for investing more than 1 level. Starting as a rogue also gets more starting skills than any other class; 2 more than most others.
By RAW, there isn't a way to get proficiencies with Armor or Weapons without either Multiclassing or gaining a Feat. However, most DMs are pretty open to allowing this sort of equivalence. They may change the amount of time, or increase the cost, or both, or perhaps the only person able to teach you is "away" and requires a quest to locate and convince.
As for getting Heavy Armor without having Light or Medium first.... I'd be hesitant to do that, personally, but it would be something that varies by DM.
Ultimately, for the answer to both of these questions, ask your DM. If you are the DM, you're free to modify the existing rules however you like (as long as you don't do it maliciously).
As for getting Heavy Armor without having Light or Medium first.... I'd be hesitant to do that, personally, but it would be something that varies by DM.
I've actually figured out how to do this, but it was with weapons; start as something like a sorcerer or wizard (sorcerer is popular as a start for charisma casters for the constitution save proficiency). Multiclass into bard for 3 levels and take the College of Valor for medium armors, shields and martial weapons.
Multiclassing into bard gives light armor, a skill and an instrument, but not simple weapons. This character now has a select few simple and all martial weapon proficiencies. 👍
Whoa... did they make a change to MC proficiencies? Last time I remember looking, it was significantly fewer gains, and no MC granted proficiency with martial weapons...
One level in Ranger now gets a character: Light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons, one skill from the class's skill list... WTF
And the Sorcerer gets... nothing. FFS, you should at least get a skill out of it.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
I don't recall any changes to MC proficiencies, aside from the addition of subclasses and the artificer class. Rangers get a lot, although the base class is a somewhat lackluster when compared to fighters, paladins, rogues and druids.
What's probably adding to the confusion is what classes provide at what level. Wizards and sorcerers don't give any proficiencies, but they do grant spellcasting and either a subclass (for sorcerers) or book ritual casting and short rest slot regain (for wizards).
Clerics are probably the biggest offenders due to all the base proficiencies in addition to subclass goodies. They get a ton for a single level dip.
On page 187 of the PHB it says you can spend 250 days training to gain proficiency in a tool or language. Does this count for armor and could you skip light and medium and just learn heavy? How would you rule this as the dm?
It doesn't count for armor as it's its own class of proficiency, as are weapons. The types of proficiency are:
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The easiest way to gain proficiencies without feats is to multiclass. If you have the downtime days and excess gold, you may be able to get more through training with an expert, as you've suggested, but it only works for tools and languages.
The best class to multiclass into for armor and weapons is cleric, specifically under the War or Storm domains. These grant all weapons and armor. Starting as a fighter or paladin also grants these, but going into them you'd miss out on heavy armors.
For skills, you get one for multiclassing into rogue, ranger or bard. Knowledge clerics also get 2 Intelligence skills at 1st level. Many classes also grant skills for investing more than 1 level. Starting as a rogue also gets more starting skills than any other class; 2 more than most others.
By RAW, there isn't a way to get proficiencies with Armor or Weapons without either Multiclassing or gaining a Feat. However, most DMs are pretty open to allowing this sort of equivalence. They may change the amount of time, or increase the cost, or both, or perhaps the only person able to teach you is "away" and requires a quest to locate and convince.
As for getting Heavy Armor without having Light or Medium first.... I'd be hesitant to do that, personally, but it would be something that varies by DM.
Ultimately, for the answer to both of these questions, ask your DM. If you are the DM, you're free to modify the existing rules however you like (as long as you don't do it maliciously).
I've actually figured out how to do this, but it was with weapons; start as something like a sorcerer or wizard (sorcerer is popular as a start for charisma casters for the constitution save proficiency). Multiclass into bard for 3 levels and take the College of Valor for medium armors, shields and martial weapons.
Multiclassing into bard gives light armor, a skill and an instrument, but not simple weapons. This character now has a select few simple and all martial weapon proficiencies. 👍
Whoa... did they make a change to MC proficiencies? Last time I remember looking, it was significantly fewer gains, and no MC granted proficiency with martial weapons...
One level in Ranger now gets a character: Light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons, one skill from the class's skill list... WTF
And the Sorcerer gets... nothing. FFS, you should at least get a skill out of it.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
I don't recall any changes to MC proficiencies, aside from the addition of subclasses and the artificer class. Rangers get a lot, although the base class is a somewhat lackluster when compared to fighters, paladins, rogues and druids.
What's probably adding to the confusion is what classes provide at what level. Wizards and sorcerers don't give any proficiencies, but they do grant spellcasting and either a subclass (for sorcerers) or book ritual casting and short rest slot regain (for wizards).
Clerics are probably the biggest offenders due to all the base proficiencies in addition to subclass goodies. They get a ton for a single level dip.