What are the current options for non-metal armor for druids?

[Coidzor]

Including any kooky items from organized play in AL.

I know of padded, leather, and hide in the bog standard mundane equipment section and dragon scale mail from the magic items in the DMG. Also wooden shields.

I seem to recall an example of a possible houserule of stone breastplate being mentioned in the DMG but not presented as part of the ruleset, too.

Edit: Not playing in AL, I just knew that there were some examples of non-metal armor from AL but couldn't remember any specifics.

[hymer]

As a sort of pseudo-example, there's glamoured studded leather from the DMG, which has the mechanical properties of +1 studded leather, but can look like any sort of armour you like, or like normal clothes.

I hope someone will recall some real options here, but I kinda doubt it. Druids tend to get rather short thrift when it comes to magical items.

[busterswd]

Ioun Stone (debately works with wild shape), cloak/ring of protection, or maybe dabble with rules like "Alien Technology" (things like Kevlar Vests). There's not a lot of item support for mundane methods; multiclassing is generally the way to go to raise your AC. If you're including multiclassing, you can use the Monk's class feature to raise your AC to 18-20 (technically Barbarian too, although you'd have to have rolled incredibly high stats) or you can poach Mage Armor/Shield/Bladesong from 1 level of Wizard (or just use a feat for these) as the most straightforward 1 level dips.

[Arkhios]

From mundane armor, Spiked Armor is medium and isn't made of metal completely, only the spikes are, if I'm not completely mistaken.

From DMG there is Dragon Scale mail (+1 Scale mail made of dragon scales, which is definitely not metal)

Any normally metal-made armor with a Minor Magical Property (DMG pg. 143) - 'Strange Material' could be anything non-metal. (Although, that's probably irrelevant for AL)

[djreynolds]

I have hombrewed animal armor. A druid or really anyone can make armor out of different animal parts.

You can use the natural AC of a creature who's CR is half your level, its not bad and we had it that it lasts twice the days of the creatures CR, so CR8 would be 16 days.

So you could use the scales of a young dragon CR8 AC18, heavy armor proficiency required if you were level 16... its something. Perhaps someone else can take this idea an run with it.

Lots of giant crabs were killed

From another thread, we also do weapons as well

[some guy]

Princes of the Apocalypse has stone full plate.

[Captain Panda]

I don't know how AL works, but you can't get a set of leather studded with something other than metal? Bone spikes, shiny seashells, smiley stickers?

[hymer]

Any normally metal-made armor with a Minor Magical Property (DMG pg. 143) - 'Strange Material' could be anything non-metal. (Although, that's probably irrelevant for AL)

Yes, just what I was hoping for! I'll note that for my next update.


I don't know how AL works, but you can't get a set of leather studded with something other than metal? Bone spikes, shiny seashells, smiley stickers?

Druids can use studded leather (see quote below). Whether that's because the studs aren't made of metal, or because the studs aren't enough to consider the armour to be 'made of metal' I couldn't say.


A druid typically wears leather, studded leather, or hide armor

Link (http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/rules-answers-march-2016) to quote.

[jaappleton]

I just tell Druids "You can use any medium armor. If its made of metal, for you, its made of bone. Same with shields."

[Naanomi]

There is an AL adventure that has Halfplate of Poison Resistance made from fungus as a reward (quest for sporedrome?)

[Unoriginal]

I just tell Druids "You can use any medium armor. If its made of metal, for you, its made of bone. Same with shields."

But wooden shields and metal shields have no differences?

[jaappleton]

But wooden shields and metal shields have no differences?

Bone shields. Or scaled shields.

[Fishyninja]

But wooden shields and metal shields have no differences?
It's stated that Druids won't use armour made of metal so I would assume this would go with shields, however you are correct unless teh shiled is a magic item the abse wooden/metal shield ahs the same AC.

[Dalebert]

I will avoid spoilers about where they drop but I understand all teh following are available in AL somewhere

Crystal breastplate +1
magical stone breatplate
Wooden scale male +1
White dragon scale +1
Red dragon scale +1
Half-plate of Poison Resistance

It's worth noting that dragon scale mail requires attunement but that you can wear it without attuning and it's still scale mail. The attunement powers ain't bad though so maybe you won't mind attuning. My land druid has the red scale which is really nice but I'm thinking of getting my hands on another set of armor that's not attunement and just wearing that when I expect to fight dragons or otherwise need fire resistance. I might want another item attuned.

[Unoriginal]

Bone shields. Or scaled shields.

I've heard you the first time, but why? Wooden shields are no different stat-wise from metal shields.

Also the Druids are described as having a tradition of sacred woods for shields, but it depends on the campaign setting.


Come to think of it, can a Druid use a wooden shield as focus, if it's of the right wood?

[jaappleton]

I've heard you the first time, but why? Wooden shields are no different stat-wise from metal shields.

Also the Druids are described as having a tradition of sacred woods for shields, but it depends on the campaign setting.


Come to think of it, can a Druid use a wooden shield as focus, if it's of the right wood?

I say 'bone' or 'scaled' just so nobody pulls a "HA HA, YOU GOT HIT WITH A FIREBALL, YOUR SHIELD SHOULD BE CINDERS!" type of move. Because some people try that garbage.

I believe a Druid could use it as a focus, similar to how a Cleric can have their holy symbol emblazoned on their shield and use that as a focus.

[nickl_2000]

Spiked armor in the SCAG can be made with metal or wood spikes per the wording in the book. Also lizard folks in Volos can make shields for free from any medium sized animal. So, those could be pretty common in some campaigns.

Also a Dragon scale

[tkuremento]

I've heard you the first time, but why? Wooden shields are no different stat-wise from metal shields.

Also the Druids are described as having a tradition of sacred woods for shields, but it depends on the campaign setting.


Come to think of it, can a Druid use a wooden shield as focus, if it's of the right wood?

I like the notion of a cactus carapace shield, though probably specifically for a Land Desert Druid.

[Coidzor]

Ioun Stone (debately works with wild shape), cloak/ring of protection, or maybe dabble with rules like "Alien Technology" (things like Kevlar Vests). There's not a lot of item support for mundane methods; multiclassing is generally the way to go to raise your AC. If you're including multiclassing, you can use the Monk's class feature to raise your AC to 18-20 (technically Barbarian too, although you'd have to have rolled incredibly high stats) or you can poach Mage Armor/Shield/Bladesong from 1 level of Wizard (or just use a feat for these) as the most straightforward 1 level dips.

There's a section on Alien Technology? Nifty.


Any normally metal-made armor with a Minor Magical Property (DMG pg. 143) - 'Strange Material' could be anything non-metal. (Although, that's probably irrelevant for AL)

Well, I'm not playing in AL, just listing it as a source that I knew had some oddball and/or exotic items. Minor Magical Property, that's basically something that could be a rider effect on another magic item, right? Like, say, Mariner's Armor?


Princes of the Apocalypse has stone full plate.

As a mundane item with a price to buy or a magic one?

[hymer]

Well, I'm not playing in AL, just listing it as a source that I knew had some oddball and/or exotic items. Minor Magical Property, that's basically something that could be a rider effect on another magic item, right? Like, say, Mariner's Armor?

It can indeed. MMPs are small, flavourful quirks on a standard magical item.

[LudicSavant]

I say 'bone' or 'scaled' just so nobody pulls a "HA HA, YOU GOT HIT WITH A FIREBALL, YOUR SHIELD SHOULD BE CINDERS!" type of move. Because some people try that garbage. Especially silly given just how difficult it is to burn the more fire-resistant types of trees. I guess they're assuming druids don't know the difference between types of trees.

[Addaran]

Princes of the Apocalypse has stone full plate.
As a mundane item with a price to buy or a magic one?

It was forged by magic but it's mundane. There's no price to get it though. You kill someone that owns one or you join some evil cultist. =P

[BurgerBeast]

Nobody has mentioned chitin as a material, so there's also chitin.

Also, it's conceivable that some DMs might allow for particularly tough hides to grant higher ACs on armours made from them.

[Yuroch Kern]

I've heard you the first time, but why? Wooden shields are no different stat-wise from metal shields.

Also the Druids are described as having a tradition of sacred woods for shields, but it depends on the campaign setting.


Come to think of it, can a Druid use a wooden shield as focus, if it's of the right wood?

Yeeeeaaah, but realize that different materials have different properties which can become relevant in certain games. Metal doesn't burn, but wood floats, as a quick example. Also, metal can be Heat Metal'ed, which I sometimes view as one reason Druids don't like to wear it...

The sacred wood thing is interesting. I think I'll use that if you're cool with it?

[LudicSavant]

Yeeeeaaah, but realize that different materials have different properties which can become relevant in certain games. Metal doesn't burn, but wood floats, as a quick example. Also, metal can be Heat Metal'ed, which I sometimes view as one reason Druids don't like to wear it...

The sacred wood thing is interesting. I think I'll use that if you're cool with it?

If you've got the right type of wood, it's not going to burn either. At least, not before a point where you'd start burning other materials like concrete.

[Coidzor]

Nobody has mentioned chitin as a material, so there's also chitin.

Also, it's conceivable that some DMs might allow for particularly tough hides to grant higher ACs on armours made from them.

I suppose we'll have to see if we encounter any Drow, then. :smallamused: Granted, I'm not quite sure how stripperiffic armor for a lady elf is going to fit our Dragonborn Druid, but I'm sure life will, uh, find a way.

I don't think we've acquired any particularly tough hides, unfortunately.

Unless Hill Giant counts.


It can indeed. MMPs are small, flavourful quirks on a standard magical item.

Ahh, nice! Thank you.

We even have a set of Mariner's Armor that the DM hasn't defined as what kind of armor it is yet, so that might take care of that.

If not, we can probably just buy some wood-spiked Spiked Armor next time we hit a place to do some shopping, which, given the surprising amount of travel time it's taking us in the flying tower that's acting as our transportation, we'll have to do soon anyway just to refill on food. :V


It was forged by magic but it's mundane. There's no price to get it though. You kill someone that owns one or you join some evil cultist. =P

Ahh. Alas. The only evil cultists we encountered were some surprisingly polite evil wind cultists riding on giant vultures. Then again, they were trying to get a giant wizard to join them and he could have squashed them like bugs if they raised a stink, even without casting a spell or using his griffon-house cats on them.

None of us are particularly good at Deception(beyond our untrained Warlock with +4 Cha), so trying to pull one over on them by falsely joining them and pursuing quest leads from them or finagling an ambush to kill them and take their stuff or to kill and take the stuff of one or more evil wind cultist temples/hideouts probably wouldn't work.

[pwykersotz]

If you've got the right type of wood, it's not going to burn either. At least, not before a point where you'd start burning other materials like concrete.

I don't burn shields or anything, but this seems utterly wrong to me. I mean, there might be 'a' type of wood that doesn't do this, but can you name any? Or are you referring to magical sacred woods that exist only in the game?

[LudicSavant]

I don't burn shields or anything, but this seems utterly wrong to me. I mean, there might be 'a' type of wood that doesn't do this, but can you name any? Or are you referring to magical sacred woods that exist only in the game?

Yes, I can name some. Cumaru wood for example has a class A fire resistance rating. Here's an example of someone trying to burn down something with a class A rating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q2EhZrPfF4.

[pwykersotz]

Yes, I can name some. Cumaru wood for example has a class A fire resistance rating. Here's an example of someone trying to burn down something with a class A rating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q2EhZrPfF4.

Interesting. I definitely like knowing that, it could make a fun special material. Do you use largely or exclusively cumaru wood shields in your game?

[LudicSavant]

Interesting. I definitely like knowing that, it could make a fun special material. Do you use largely or exclusively cumaru wood shields in your game?

Cumaru wood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipteryx_odorata) isn't the only kind of wood that is hard to burn. It was just one example of a durable type of wood (boasting an A rating in fire resistance and a 3540 rating on the Janka hardness scale, which is why we use it for hardwood flooring and the like). That said, I would assume that druids are knowledgeable enough about plants to pick out a kind of wood for their shields that doesn't completely suck. I mean I would expect them to use wooden shields at least as fire-resistant as historical peoples used, and those things didn't all just burst into cinders when they got struck by flaming arrows and pitch.

It addition to choosing a durable type of wood, you can offer the shield various treatments to make it fire retardant, as well as wrap it in leather, hide, or other materials.

[pwykersotz]

Cumaru wood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipteryx_odorata) isn't the only kind of wood that is hard to burn. It was just one example of a durable type of wood (boasting an A rating in fire resistance and a 3540 rating on the Janka hardness scale, which is why we use it for hardwood flooring and the like). That said, I would assume that druids are knowledgeable enough about plants to pick out a kind of wood for their shields that doesn't completely suck. I mean I would expect them to use wooden shields at least as fire-resistant as historical peoples used, and those things didn't just burst into cinders when they got struck by flaming arrows and pitch.

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, I wouldn't even expect a more flammable wood to resist basic flaming arrows.

[Coidzor]

Cumaru wood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipteryx_odorata) isn't the only kind of wood that is hard to burn. It was just one example of a durable type of wood (boasting an A rating in fire resistance and a 3540 rating on the Janka hardness scale, which is why we use it for hardwood flooring and the like). That said, I would assume that druids are knowledgeable enough about plants to pick out a kind of wood for their shields that doesn't completely suck. I mean I would expect them to use wooden shields at least as fire-resistant as historical peoples used, and those things didn't all just burst into cinders when they got struck by flaming arrows and pitch.

Dragonfire would be the main sticking point, I'd think. Followed maybe by lava.

But then dragons' breath is kinda janky and goes back and forth over the evolution of the editions IIRC, and lava generally is a lot less deadly in RPG rules than it is in our real world frame of reference.

[tkuremento]

Cumaru wood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipteryx_odorata) isn't the only kind of wood that is hard to burn. It was just one example of a durable type of wood (boasting an A rating in fire resistance and a 3540 rating on the Janka hardness scale, which is why we use it for hardwood flooring and the like). That said, I would assume that druids are knowledgeable enough about plants to pick out a kind of wood for their shields that doesn't completely suck. I mean I would expect them to use wooden shields at least as fire-resistant as historical peoples used, and those things didn't all just burst into cinders when they got struck by flaming arrows and pitch.

It addition to choosing a durable type of wood, you can offer the shield various treatments to make it fire retardant, as well as wrap it in leather, hide, or other materials.

And if the druid dumps Int and Wis? Thatch shields and thatch armor for EVERYONE!

[LudicSavant]

Dragonfire would be the main sticking point, I'd think. Followed maybe by lava.

I mean, that poses problems for any kind of shield, not just wooden ones.


And if the druid dumps Int and Wis? Thatch shields and thatch armor for EVERYONE!

:smallbiggrin:

[pwykersotz]

lava generally is a lot less deadly in RPG rules than it is in our real world frame of reference.

I dunno, have you seen "Fire and Brimstone: A Comprehensive Guide to Lava, Magma, and Superheated Rock"?

[Coidzor]

I dunno, have you seen "Fire and Brimstone: A Comprehensive Guide to Lava, Magma, and Superheated Rock"?

Heck, that's why that supplement exists! :smallwink:

[Arkhios]

Well, I'm not playing in AL, just listing it as a source that I knew had some oddball and/or exotic items. Minor Magical Property, that's basically something that could be a rider effect on another magic item, right? Like, say, Mariner's Armor?

As Hymer said.

Additionally, nothing prevents a DM handing out seemingly mundane gear with only weak-ish magic, such as a simple plate mail made from stone, without any bonuses whatsoever :)

[BoogieFrights]

Ankheg plate types (breast plate, half plate ect) bullete scale shields
Old school style

[Addaran]

Ahh. Alas. The only evil cultists we encountered were some surprisingly polite evil wind cultists riding on giant vultures. Then again, they were trying to get a giant wizard to join them and he could have squashed them like bugs if they raised a stink, even without casting a spell or using his griffon-house cats on them.

None of us are particularly good at Deception(beyond our untrained Warlock with +4 Cha), so trying to pull one over on them by falsely joining them and pursuing quest leads from them or finagling an ambush to kill them and take their stuff or to kill and take the stuff of one or more evil wind cultist temples/hideouts probably wouldn't work.

I'm guessing you're playing SKT. I think don't the right cultist are in that adventure.
In PotA, there's 4 cultist groups. It's the earth cultists that have the stone armor. SKT is supposed to be after PotA, that's why the wind cultists are relatively polite and searching for new powerful allies, it's implied they got beaten in a previous adventure. To get one armor, you'd need to explore dungeons in the Redlarch/Bargewright Inn area. Or your GM could say some people found some at the surface, on the bodies of raiders.

[Tetrasodium]

Including any kooky items from organized play in AL.

I know of padded, leather, and hide in the bog standard mundane equipment section and dragon scale mail from the magic items in the DMG. Also wooden shields.

I seem to recall an example of a possible houserule of stone breastplate being mentioned in the DMG but not presented as part of the ruleset, too.

Edit: Not playing in AL, I just knew that there were some examples of non-metal armor from AL but couldn't remember any specifics.

Others have mentioned a few so far, but I didn't see these



This cave is a forest of glowing crystals, which grow like
foliage on slender stone columns that make it difficult to
gauge the chamber's true size. Slumped against one of the
columns is a dead man wearing a stone breastplate.






• These cult fanatics are neutral evil.
• They speak Common and Terran.
• They wear stone breastplates instead of leather armor,
giving them AC 16.
• They wield stone clubs instead of daggers that deal 4
(ld4 + 2) bludgeoning damage on a hit.


The cultists' stone breastplates are treated with magical
oil and weigh the same as metal breastplates. They are
worth 250 gp each.
[]
Oddly enough @DnD_AdvLeague recently suggested (https://twitter.com/JM13136849/status/845103477042925568) that it is magic due to not being in the phb despite neither pota or stk listing them in the magic items section & both being included in the text as if they were any other nonmagic mundane item but with a cost of either 25% more or 60% than stock given the "worth 250gp each" statement, probably +25%. What happens to this seemingly magical breastplate that has the stats of a mundane breastplate n an antimagic field is anybody's guess. I'm sure druids will be happy to learn that each gm will decide it works differently wjen encountering an AMF in AL play....