Okay its very unclear. Okay if you Have 2 characters that are 5th lvl. 1 multi class 2lvl fighter 3rd lvl druid do they get a feat? And can they use metal armor and weapons? Being that they are a fighter first, Compared to a 5th lvl in 1 class that does get the feat at lvl 4. Because it doesn't say total character lvl, not class lvl. Say do you have to be in 1 class lvl 4 and 1 in another class to get the feat or as long as all the classes add up to 4+lvl you get the feat
Easy lay back guy, 48 year old with 36 years experience in role playing, dnd i started back in Basic when monks hands were considered silver weapons lol, played 3.5, attempted 4 but i felt it was to much like a video game so stopped, now i hear great things for dnd 5E so here and I want to join a few games :)
Ability score improvements or feats are class features that you get at certain class levels. A Fighter 2/Druid 3 has not reached a level in any class that grants an ASI or feat, so they do not get an ASI or feat.
Druids, including multiclass druids, will not wear armor or use shields made of metal.
Ability score improvements or feats are class features that you get at certain class levels. A Fighter 2/Druid 3 has not reached a level in any class that grants an ASI or feat, so they do not get an ASI or feat.
Druids, including multiclass druids, will not wear armor or use shields made of metal.
JC has said (I think its actually in the SAC) that there is no penalty or mechanic preventing this; it's just part of the narrative of the class (like a warlocks relationship with its patron, or a paladin's fulfillment of its oath). That said, as a DM I would require a very convincing reason to allow a druid to break this restriction, and just being multiclassed with a martial class like fighter would not be enough for me to break the convention.
Ability score improvements or feats are class features that you get at certain class levels. A Fighter 2/Druid 3 has not reached a level in any class that grants an ASI or feat, so they do not get an ASI or feat.
Druids, including multiclass druids, will not wear armor or use shields made of metal.
JC has said (I think its actually in the SAC) that there is no penalty or mechanic preventing this; it's just part of the narrative of the class (like a warlocks relationship with its patron, or a paladin's fulfillment of its oath). That said, as a DM I would require a very convincing reason to allow a druid to break this restriction, and just being multiclassed with a martial class like fighter would not be enough for me to break the convention.
There is a mechanic preventing this: the explicit line in the class’s proficiencies. There’s nothing stopping a character from wearing metal armor, and they’ll still have access to all their spells and class features, but they’ll no longer be a druid, because a druid will not wear metal armor. Whether or not that’s a significant thing to a character is up to them.
For some people, having the features of a druid is just as good as being a druid, and it won’t bother them in the slightest if the DM rightfully has their world no longer treat the character as a druid. But for other people, the druid identity is actually meaningful.
Ability score improvements or feats are class features that you get at certain class levels. A Fighter 2/Druid 3 has not reached a level in any class that grants an ASI or feat, so they do not get an ASI or feat.
Druids, including multiclass druids, will not wear armor or use shields made of metal.
JC has said (I think its actually in the SAC) that there is no penalty or mechanic preventing this; it's just part of the narrative of the class (like a warlocks relationship with its patron, or a paladin's fulfillment of its oath). That said, as a DM I would require a very convincing reason to allow a druid to break this restriction, and just being multiclassed with a martial class like fighter would not be enough for me to break the convention.
There is a mechanic preventing this: the explicit line in the class’s proficiencies. There’s nothing stopping a character from wearing metal armor, and they’ll still have access to all their spells and class features, but they’ll no longer be a druid, because a druid will not wear metal armor. Whether or not that’s a significant thing to a character is up to them.
For some people, having the features of a druid is just as good as being a druid, and it won’t bother them in the slightest if the DM rightfully has their world no longer treat the character as a druid. But for other people, the druid identity is actually meaningful.
Nothing I said above contradicts the following from the SAC:
What happens if a druid wears metal armor?
The druid explodes.
Well, not actually. Druids have a taboo against wearing metal armor and wielding a metal shield. The taboo has been part of the class’s story since the class first appeared in Eldritch Wizardry (1976) and the original Player’s Handbook (1978). The idea is that druids prefer to be protected by animal skins, wood, and other natural materials that aren’t the worked metal that is associated with civilization. Druids don’t lack the ability to wear metal armor. They choose not to wear it. This choice is part of their identity as a mystical order. Think of it in these terms: a vegetarian can eat meat, but chooses not to.
A druid typically wears leather, studded leather, or hide armor, and if a druid comes across scale mail made of a material other than metal, the druid might wear it. If you feel strongly about your druid breaking the taboo and donning metal, talk to your DM. Each class has story elements mixed with its game features; the two types of design go hand in hand in D&D, and the story parts are stronger in some classes than in others. Druids and paladins have an especially strong dose of story in their design. If you want to depart from your class’s story, your DM has the final say on how far you can go and still be considered a member of the class. As long as you abide by your character’s proficiencies, you’re not going to break anything in the game system, but you might undermine the story and the world being created in your campaign.
There are a few aspects to the druid armor thing that result in widely different effects based on your table/DM.
First, as noted above, you can totally ignore the restriction and there are no repercussions. Just like a warlock can break its pact and have no repercussions. It is flavor-enforced mechanics which leave consequences entirely up to the DM.
Second, depending on your campaign setting you can have lizardscale and bonesplint armor that is every bit as accessible as the metal versions. A flavor solution for a flavor restriction. The availability of something like this makes a fairly big difference in the overall survivability of a druid that is not relying on Wild Shape to survive combat.
I think it is important to point out that Saga's initial point remains true: nothing about the druid's restriction is changed by multi-classing - the order which you take classes doesn't even matter. Interestingly, you don't gain all of the starting proficiencies of each class when you multiclass (which could possibly leave a loophole), but the metal restriction for druids is specifically mentioned in the multiclassing proficiencies table - which means you gain that particular restriction whenever you take your first level of druid and closes the possibility of that loophole.
How you deal with that restriction at your table (whether it is ignoring the restriction all together, abiding it with or without some DM imposed penalty, or finding some way to make alternate-material equipment) is up to the particular druid and their DM.
As far as AL is concerned, a druid can not wear metal armor (so the only medium armor they can buy is hide, but non-metal medium armors can be found in certain modules).
Outside of AL, I'd say any armor can reasonably be made out of non-metal (though they may cost more due to rarity/novelty). Or you can just house rule the druid metal thing out.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Okay its very unclear. Okay if you Have 2 characters that are 5th lvl. 1 multi class 2lvl fighter 3rd lvl druid do they get a feat? And can they use metal armor and weapons? Being that they are a fighter first, Compared to a 5th lvl in 1 class that does get the feat at lvl 4. Because it doesn't say total character lvl, not class lvl. Say do you have to be in 1 class lvl 4 and 1 in another class to get the feat or as long as all the classes add up to 4+lvl you get the feat
Easy lay back guy, 48 year old with 36 years experience in role playing, dnd i started back in Basic when monks hands were considered silver weapons lol, played 3.5, attempted 4 but i felt it was to much like a video game so stopped, now i hear great things for dnd 5E so here and I want to join a few games :)
Ability score improvements or feats are class features that you get at certain class levels. A Fighter 2/Druid 3 has not reached a level in any class that grants an ASI or feat, so they do not get an ASI or feat.
Druids, including multiclass druids, will not wear armor or use shields made of metal.
JC has said (I think its actually in the SAC) that there is no penalty or mechanic preventing this; it's just part of the narrative of the class (like a warlocks relationship with its patron, or a paladin's fulfillment of its oath). That said, as a DM I would require a very convincing reason to allow a druid to break this restriction, and just being multiclassed with a martial class like fighter would not be enough for me to break the convention.
There is a mechanic preventing this: the explicit line in the class’s proficiencies. There’s nothing stopping a character from wearing metal armor, and they’ll still have access to all their spells and class features, but they’ll no longer be a druid, because a druid will not wear metal armor. Whether or not that’s a significant thing to a character is up to them.
For some people, having the features of a druid is just as good as being a druid, and it won’t bother them in the slightest if the DM rightfully has their world no longer treat the character as a druid. But for other people, the druid identity is actually meaningful.
Nothing I said above contradicts the following from the SAC:
What happens if a druid wears metal armor?
The druid explodes.
Well, not actually. Druids have a taboo against wearing metal armor and wielding a metal shield. The taboo has been part of the class’s story since the class first appeared in Eldritch Wizardry (1976) and the original Player’s Handbook (1978). The idea is that druids prefer to be protected by animal skins, wood, and other natural materials that aren’t the worked metal that is associated with civilization. Druids don’t lack the ability to wear metal armor. They choose not to wear it. This choice is part of their identity as a mystical order. Think of it in these terms: a vegetarian can eat meat, but chooses not to.
A druid typically wears leather, studded leather, or hide armor, and if a druid comes across scale mail made of a material other than metal, the druid might wear it. If you feel strongly about your druid breaking the taboo and donning metal, talk to your DM. Each class has story elements mixed with its game features; the two types of design go hand in hand in D&D, and the story parts are stronger in some classes than in others. Druids and paladins have an especially strong dose of story in their design. If you want to depart from your class’s story, your DM has the final say on how far you can go and still be considered a member of the class. As long as you abide by your character’s proficiencies, you’re not going to break anything in the game system, but you might undermine the story and the world being created in your campaign.
There are a few aspects to the druid armor thing that result in widely different effects based on your table/DM.
First, as noted above, you can totally ignore the restriction and there are no repercussions. Just like a warlock can break its pact and have no repercussions. It is flavor-enforced mechanics which leave consequences entirely up to the DM.
Second, depending on your campaign setting you can have lizardscale and bonesplint armor that is every bit as accessible as the metal versions. A flavor solution for a flavor restriction. The availability of something like this makes a fairly big difference in the overall survivability of a druid that is not relying on Wild Shape to survive combat.
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
I think it is important to point out that Saga's initial point remains true: nothing about the druid's restriction is changed by multi-classing - the order which you take classes doesn't even matter. Interestingly, you don't gain all of the starting proficiencies of each class when you multiclass (which could possibly leave a loophole), but the metal restriction for druids is specifically mentioned in the multiclassing proficiencies table - which means you gain that particular restriction whenever you take your first level of druid and closes the possibility of that loophole.
How you deal with that restriction at your table (whether it is ignoring the restriction all together, abiding it with or without some DM imposed penalty, or finding some way to make alternate-material equipment) is up to the particular druid and their DM.
As far as AL is concerned, a druid can not wear metal armor (so the only medium armor they can buy is hide, but non-metal medium armors can be found in certain modules).
Outside of AL, I'd say any armor can reasonably be made out of non-metal (though they may cost more due to rarity/novelty). Or you can just house rule the druid metal thing out.