What rarity would you give to a set of wildshaping armor?

[Coidzor]

That is to say, armor that transforms into barding to fit whatever creature a druid wildshapes into.

My initial thought was to say Rare or Very Rare, along with the minor ability to negate Disadvantage to Stealth ala Mithral or just negate Disadvantage to Stealth in natural terrain.

[nickl_2000]

Honestly I would go uncommon or rare. There is no way I would go very rare with it. Especially since natural armor that animals have and armor/barding do not stack

[Jobogz]

I think it should be based on the type of armor/barding but the baseline should be no lower than rare. Wildshape is balanced around using the natural armor of beast shapes that is generally going to be lower than using armor. And having armor that magically conforms to each wildshape? Rare at minimum. Putting better armor on some shapes has the potential to break the game at certain levels.

[Coidzor]

Putting better armor on some shapes has the potential to break the game at certain levels.

Any examples that come to mind?

[Arkhios]

Assuming that Natural armor doesn't stack with an Armor's AC (as some have said earlier in this thread), I really don't see the issue.

In most cases, natural armor isn't very high to start with. Black/Brown Bears for example have Dex 10, and AC only 11 with natural armor. With an armor that a druid can wear without a DM's special permission, Black/Brown Bears with, say, a hide "barding" would have at most AC 12. Not very game breaking if you ask me...

Even the Polar Bear has Dex 10, and with an Armor Barding its AC would remain unchanged at 12.

[nickl_2000]

Any examples that come to mind?

The bears would make a difference at the early levels. The giant elk would make a difference as well. I guess I was wrong, it should be a rare, not uncommon.

From my quick look at the animal tables though. You would be giving a bonus of 1 or 2 AC to most animal assuming you are giving hide

[Joe the Rat]

A Druid can attempt to be AC16 with barkskin, so it's not likely to give them a huge boost in potential (unless you waive the no metal restriction). With required attunement, Rare seems fair. If you were to add this to another magic suit - say dragon scale - you might consider upping the rarity. ("Wyvern scale" could be an nonmetal scale armor without other properties to use as a base for "druid barding".)

Rather than waive stealth disadvantage, give them the option to absorb or wear as barding - making defense vs. stealth a tradeoff. Of course, Medium Armor Master still applies, if it is an issue.

[Jobogz]

Any examples that come to mind?

Well I guess my assumption was based on what type of armor is being given. I still think rare is the best rating but if we're talking about hide armor where for most forms will be getting a 1 to 2 boost to AC its not a big deal. But my understanding is that any armor can be recreated into barding given enough money so some could definitely be game breaking.

What type of armor are we looking at specifically?

[Mandragola]

I'd avoid it and just give out bracers of defence. They ought to work while wildshaped.

[Coidzor]

Well I guess my assumption was based on what type of armor is being given. I still think rare is the best rating but if we're talking about hide armor where for most forms will be getting a 1 to 2 boost to AC its not a big deal. But my understanding is that any armor can be recreated into barding given enough money so some could definitely be game breaking.

What type of armor are we looking at specifically?

Since there don't seem to be many high-Dex beast forms, it'd be the range of Medium armor from Hide to Half-Plate in this instance. The eventual goal being to get a set of Half-Plate at some level. I think for right now, probably starting with finding a druid-friendly chain shirt version and working up from there.

Although without a +1, it seems that's worse than Barkskin on a lot of forms, so that might adjust desires once that sinks in, and instead lead to shifting gears to looking for an Insignia of the Claws or whatever that item is that lets a wildshape form's natural weapons be magical so they can put the hurt on enemies with resistance to non-magical attacks.

No multiclass Fighter/Druids or Cleric/Druids or Paladin/Druids in this case, so no desire for a reverse Sir Bearington.

[Arkhios]

Spiked Armor is a druid friendly "chain shirt" (except for the stealth part). 13+dex (max 2)

It's important to note, that wearing spiked armored doesn't require you to be a dwarf nor battlerager. Being a battlerager just lets you do a bit extra with those spikes (which can be made of bone).

[Citan]

That is to say, armor that transforms into barding to fit whatever creature a druid wildshapes into.

My initial thought was to say Rare or Very Rare, along with the minor ability to negate Disadvantage to Stealth ala Mithral or just negate Disadvantage to Stealth in natural terrain.
I'd say it really depends on the AC it provides in the end.

Rather than burn my mind trying to anticipate any combination of Natural Armor / DEXorSTR modifier with light/medium/heavy armor (although normally Druid wouldn't wear any heavy), I would rather make it an array of "sanctified" armors made of wood/stone/leather, that would act as normal "+1 Hide Armor" in human form, and would provide a AC bonus while wild shaped.
+2 bonus: uncommon.
+3 bonus: rare.
+4 bonus: very rare.
+5 bonus: legendary.

That way, your lowlevel Druids can get a hand on an item that is accessible at their level and still provide a good benefit, and as soon as they progress they can try and find better armors by following quests to find the original crafter for example, all the long while accessing better Wild Shapes.

So you should avoid any "suprise AC break" in your campaign but still give something good Druids can strive for. ;)

As for "negating disadvantage", well that should be a given considering the base armor. ;)

[Maxilian]

The same as a normal armor (The DMG set the raririty of items depending on the buff it gives, if it have the Mithril armor advantage -no disadvantage on stealth-) then just use the Mithril armor raririty based on the +X

[Vogonjeltz]

Since there don't seem to be many high-Dex beast forms, it'd be the range of Medium armor from Hide to Half-Plate in this instance. The eventual goal being to get a set of Half-Plate at some level. I think for right now, probably starting with finding a druid-friendly chain shirt version and working up from there.

Although without a +1, it seems that's worse than Barkskin on a lot of forms, so that might adjust desires once that sinks in, and instead lead to shifting gears to looking for an Insignia of the Claws or whatever that item is that lets a wildshape form's natural weapons be magical so they can put the hurt on enemies with resistance to non-magical attacks.

No multiclass Fighter/Druids or Cleric/Druids or Paladin/Druids in this case, so no desire for a reverse Sir Bearington.

So you'd be giving them the AC of a Giant Crab in all forms? Seems about as extreme as giving them the hit points of a Mammoth in all forms.

I'd say that would probably be Legendary given how many norms it screws with.