One of my players is using Unearthed Arcana warforged with Tashas Bladesinger. Nothing in the rules say that the heavy plating is heavy armor, and I personally agree with that. However this build is just monstrous. At level 5 he'll have an AC of 16+3+4. And he can use shield.
Rule #1 of D&D : If the rules make the game unfun then change the rules.
If you think his AC will make the game unfun for you or the other players at the table simply tell them that and that they must come up with a different character instead.
Hit the other characters with AC attacks. Hit the Bladesigner in his dumped CHA or STR or CON saves. AC is only good if the enemies target your AC, and if it's too high then any intelligent enemies will switch to easier targets. Unless it's a solo game, his survival depends on their survival too.
Also, you probably want to read up on the rules around bladesingers and warforged. I don't know what you mean by "heavy plating" - all warforged get is +1 to AC. You should incquire about this heavy plating and make sure it isn't a homebrew item, or the player isn't using a homebrew warforged race. Also, bladesinging doesn't work with medium/heavy armor or shields, so his AC should be more like 13 (studded armor) + DEX + 1 (warforged) + INT during bladesong.
PS - quick Google search shows that Heavy Plating was from the Unearthed Arcana version of Warforged. The final version did not have this feature due to exactly this kind of ambiguity - it was intended to count as armor but it did not explicitly say that.
Warforge was changed from the unearthed arcana version for a reason. The integrated armor that was given to them in the main books does say that the armor they use is armor. If one of your players are using UA you should allow all your players to use the best version of things from the UA.
One of my players is using Unearthed Arcana warforged with Tashas Bladesinger. Nothing in the rules say that the heavy plating is heavy armor, and I personally agree with that. However this build is just monstrous. At level 5 he'll have an AC of 16+3+4. And he can use shield.
How is the player satisfying the Heavy Armor Proficiency requirement for Heavy Plating? Did he start as a Fighter for armor and shield proficiency?
It wouldn't be too bad if there wasn't the nonsense of adding their proficiency bonus to AC. Otherwise, it would be similar to the Tortle (AC 17 with no modifiers other than Shield; would also work with Bladesong for AC 23 with +4 Int modifier and a shield).
Edit: I would argue though that the warforged's Integrated Protection that count as armored and require specific armor proficiencies (medium and heavy) count as that category of armor.
One of my players is using Unearthed Arcana warforged with Tashas Bladesinger. Nothing in the rules say that the heavy plating is heavy armor, and I personally agree with that. However this build is just monstrous. At level 5 he'll have an AC of 16+3+4. And he can use shield.
Seems common sense that Heavy Plating is Heavy armor. That is the intent of the feature for Warforged.
Darkwood core (unarmored) None 11 + your Dexterity modifier (add proficiency bonus if proficient with light armor) Composite plating (armor) Medium armor proficiency 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of 2) + your proficiency bonus Heavy plating (armor) Heavy armor proficiency 16 + your proficiency bonus; disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks
Darkwood specifically says it is unarmored equivalent. Composite specifically calls for medium armor prof, making it MEDIUM ARMOR. Heavy plating specifically required Heavy armor proficiency, again making it HEAVY ARMOR. Again each above Darkwood, requires a proficiency, which as someone above stated, would not be granted by the Bladesinger class, and again medium and heavy are in conflict with the Bladesinger subclass. That player would have had to take it as a feat at 4th. And it literally conflicts with a core of the class:
"You can invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided that you aren’t wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus."
The Player is trying to pull one over on you. That armor is Heavy. The player needs to go back to the unarmored listing. Both of the other two DO NOT work with Bladesinger.
This would bug me as a DM if a player tried to deceive me this way. Doesn't mean you can't house rule it. But that does not work as written.
One of my players is using Unearthed Arcana warforged with Tashas Bladesinger. Nothing in the rules say that the heavy plating is heavy armor, and I personally agree with that. However this build is just monstrous. At level 5 he'll have an AC of 16+3+4. And he can use shield.
Seems common sense that Heavy Plating is Heavy armor. That is the intent of the feature for Warforged.
Darkwood core (unarmored) None 11 + your Dexterity modifier (add proficiency bonus if proficient with light armor) Composite plating (armor) Medium armor proficiency 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of 2) + your proficiency bonus Heavy plating (armor) Heavy armor proficiency 16 + your proficiency bonus; disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks
Pretty obvious each one fits light, medium, and heavy armored categories. And each requires a proficiency, which as someone above stated, would not be granted by the Bladesinger class. That player would have had to take it as a feat at 4th. And it literally conflicts with a core of the class:
Darkwood says "unarmored" and is therefore unarmored, not light armor. It requires no proficiency and would definitely stack with Bladesinger.
One of my players is using Unearthed Arcana warforged with Tashas Bladesinger. Nothing in the rules say that the heavy plating is heavy armor, and I personally agree with that. However this build is just monstrous. At level 5 he'll have an AC of 16+3+4. And he can use shield.
Seems common sense that Heavy Plating is Heavy armor. That is the intent of the feature for Warforged.
Darkwood core (unarmored) None 11 + your Dexterity modifier (add proficiency bonus if proficient with light armor) Composite plating (armor) Medium armor proficiency 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of 2) + your proficiency bonus Heavy plating (armor) Heavy armor proficiency 16 + your proficiency bonus; disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks
Pretty obvious each one fits light, medium, and heavy armored categories. And each requires a proficiency, which as someone above stated, would not be granted by the Bladesinger class. That player would have had to take it as a feat at 4th. And it literally conflicts with a core of the class:
Darkwood says "unarmored" and is therefore unarmored, not light armor. It requires no proficiency and would definitely stack with Bladesinger.
One of my players is using Unearthed Arcana warforged with Tashas Bladesinger. Nothing in the rules say that the heavy plating is heavy armor, and I personally agree with that. However this build is just monstrous. At level 5 he'll have an AC of 16+3+4. And he can use shield.
Rule #1 of D&D : If the rules make the game unfun then change the rules.
If you think his AC will make the game unfun for you or the other players at the table simply tell them that and that they must come up with a different character instead.
Hit the other characters with AC attacks. Hit the Bladesigner in his dumped CHA or STR or CON saves. AC is only good if the enemies target your AC, and if it's too high then any intelligent enemies will switch to easier targets. Unless it's a solo game, his survival depends on their survival too.
Also, you probably want to read up on the rules around bladesingers and warforged. I don't know what you mean by "heavy plating" - all warforged get is +1 to AC. You should incquire about this heavy plating and make sure it isn't a homebrew item, or the player isn't using a homebrew warforged race. Also, bladesinging doesn't work with medium/heavy armor or shields, so his AC should be more like 13 (studded armor) + DEX + 1 (warforged) + INT during bladesong.
PS - quick Google search shows that Heavy Plating was from the Unearthed Arcana version of Warforged. The final version did not have this feature due to exactly this kind of ambiguity - it was intended to count as armor but it did not explicitly say that.
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
Warforge was changed from the unearthed arcana version for a reason. The integrated armor that was given to them in the main books does say that the armor they use is armor. If one of your players are using UA you should allow all your players to use the best version of things from the UA.
How is the player satisfying the Heavy Armor Proficiency requirement for Heavy Plating? Did he start as a Fighter for armor and shield proficiency?
It wouldn't be too bad if there wasn't the nonsense of adding their proficiency bonus to AC. Otherwise, it would be similar to the Tortle (AC 17 with no modifiers other than Shield; would also work with Bladesong for AC 23 with +4 Int modifier and a shield).
Edit: I would argue though that the warforged's Integrated Protection that count as armored and require specific armor proficiencies (medium and heavy) count as that category of armor.
How to add Tooltips.
Seems common sense that Heavy Plating is Heavy armor. That is the intent of the feature for Warforged.
Darkwood core (unarmored) None 11 + your Dexterity modifier (add proficiency bonus if proficient with light armor)
Composite plating (armor) Medium armor proficiency 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of 2) + your proficiency bonus
Heavy plating (armor) Heavy armor proficiency 16 + your proficiency bonus; disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks
Darkwood specifically says it is unarmored equivalent. Composite specifically calls for medium armor prof, making it MEDIUM ARMOR. Heavy plating specifically required Heavy armor proficiency, again making it HEAVY ARMOR. Again each above Darkwood, requires a proficiency, which as someone above stated, would not be granted by the Bladesinger class, and again medium and heavy are in conflict with the Bladesinger subclass. That player would have had to take it as a feat at 4th. And it literally conflicts with a core of the class:
"You can invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided that you aren’t wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus."
The Player is trying to pull one over on you. That armor is Heavy. The player needs to go back to the unarmored listing. Both of the other two DO NOT work with Bladesinger.
This would bug me as a DM if a player tried to deceive me this way. Doesn't mean you can't house rule it. But that does not work as written.
Darkwood says "unarmored" and is therefore unarmored, not light armor. It requires no proficiency and would definitely stack with Bladesinger.
How to add Tooltips.
Yup Darkwood is unarmored, fixed.