Ranger's Companion & Barding

[Tanarii]

A wolf (for example) with Dex mod +2 could wear Chain Shirt Barding (for 200 gp) or Breastplate Barding (for 1600 gp) and have AC 15/16 + Ranger's Porificiency Bonus. It's within their carrying capacity, it wouldn't slow them down, and it wouldn't interfere with their Stealth checks.

Do you allow it? Is it AL legal?

[treecko]

It's legal and RAW, so you could. However, you would need to find someone to make the barding, which costs some amount more than normal armor.

[Tanarii]

Also looking at the Giant Badger. I could wear Ringmail for base AC 14 instead of 10, or better Heavy Armors with a speed reduction. (It's Str is only 13.) +4 AC for 120 gp is a pretty good deal.

[Ruslan]

You will also have to make the animal companion proficient with the barding. Otherwise, it's not worth it.


If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with,
you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving
throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity

[Mjolnirbear]

So find steed is worthless without mounted combatant then? Sucky.

Okay not worthless. But part of the appeal is having an intelligent mount (which can fight) that's still largely under your control (cause spell). But if it fights, it needs armour or it will go poof quickly. Without armour, its only protection is the feat.

Ugh. Welcome to Find Steed: story-only option. I have plans for my three feats.

[Tanarii]

You will also have to make the animal companion proficient with the barding. Otherwise, it's not worth it.

Then how do horses wear Barding? The aren't proficiency in any Armor either.

[GlenSmash!]

You will also have to make the animal companion proficient with the barding. Otherwise, it's not worth it.

That text is for player characters and does not necessarily apply to Animal Companions or Steeds.

[Hawkstar]

You will also have to make the animal companion proficient with the barding. Otherwise, it's not worth it.

Animal companions are not Player Characters.

[Tanarii]

I take it Rusian's opinion is in the minority then?

Regardless, I better check with my local AL DMs likely to see the char before I spin it up. ;)

[Ruslan]

Then how do horses wear Barding? The aren't proficiency in any Armor either.
They wear barding by acquiescing to Disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity </captainobvious>


That text is for player characters and does not necessarily apply to Animal Companions or Steeds.
That's a convenient interpretation if I ever saw one. However, be aware that coming with this interpretation to the DM means basically giving your DM a carte-blanche to break the rules for anything-that's-not-a-player-character, and that is very likely to backfire. In summary, good luck with that.

[Tanarii]

They wear barding by acquiescing to Disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity </captainobvious>Okay. In that case, I don't think your interpretation could possibly be RAW or RAI.

[Hawkstar]

That's a convenient interpretation if I ever saw one. However, be aware that coming with this interpretation to the DM means basically giving your DM a carte-blanche to break the rules for anything-that's-not-a-player-character, and that is very likely to backfire. In summary, good luck with that.They already do. It works. Monsters don't have to worry about proficiency - just AC, damage, and HP, and a few other fiddly things... that are NOT affiliated with PC derivations of the same.

[JoeJ]

However, be aware that coming with this interpretation to the DM means basically giving your DM a carte-blanche to break the rules for anything-that's-not-a-player-character, and that is very likely to backfire. In summary, good luck with that.

Which is different from what the DM can already do... how?

[djreynolds]

In the MM there is picture of dog in armor. No reason your animal cannot wear that, or have mage armor cast on them. Or barkskin.

[Mjolnirbear]

Most mounts, it doesn't matter. If you control the mount, it can't attack. Use as much barding as you like. If your mount is intelligent its actions are up to the DM, which therefore has far more impact than the choice of what armour to give it.

I'd say pack tactics just got a whole lot more amazing. Bard a dire wolf and bye bye disadvantage to attacks.

Too bad my DM already nixed a dire wolf Find Steed result.