Can a mountain dwarf wear medium armor while bladesinging?

[Bioberserkr2]

Since mountain dwarves have proficiency with medium armor would they be able to use the bladesong feature of the bladesinger?

[druid91]

Since mountain dwarves have proficiency with medium armor would they be able to use the bladesong feature of the bladesinger?

Isn't bladesinger elf only?

[Naanomi]

Since mountain dwarves have proficiency with medium armor would they be able to use the bladesong feature of the bladesinger?
Assuming they can be Bladesinger a because you removed the racial restriction...

Still no, because Bladesong specifically excludes medium and heavy armor

[Zanthy1]

Isn't bladesinger elf only?

Technically, though a DM may waive that (as stated in the text)

However, the Bladesong ends when you wear medium or heavy armor, are incapacitated, use a shield, or use two hands to make a melee weapon attack

[darknite]

If your DM is willing to remove the Elf-only restriction I would say the armor restriction would become fair game, too. That DM probably lets you use Strength as your Mtn Dwarf's casting stat, too... :smalltongue:

[RickAsWritten]

If your DM is willing to remove the Elf-only restriction I would say the armor restriction would become fair game, too. That DM probably lets you use Strength as your Mtn Dwarf's casting stat, too... :smalltongue:

Now we're gettin' somewhere. Needs a new name though. There'll be no prissy singin' and dancin' about for this melee wizard. Dwarven Bladechanter.

Gnomes also have a tradition, similar in style, though they call it Gnomish Bladewhistling.

[MThurston]

Call it axe or hammer slamming.

[FringeJacket]

Call it axe or hammer slamming.

Slamming Axes might mean something else in Dwarvish

[dejarnjc]

If your DM is willing to remove the Elf-only restriction I would say the armor restriction would become fair game, too. That DM probably lets you use Strength as your Mtn Dwarf's casting stat, too... :smalltongue:

The elf-only restriction really only makes sense for a game placed in Faerun

[VonKaiserstein]

Swords are for elves too. What you want is a Dwarven Axeskurler.

Specially crafted and enchanted axes, which may be swung with all of the beauty and majesty of a set of bagpipes blaring away at full volume.

And the missing link between them is a type restricted to the relatively more soft hill dwarves who began importing the art- the warhammer wielding Bodhran Boppers.

[Willie the Duck]

The elf-only restriction really only makes sense for a game placed in Faerun

Or anyone who played second edition...

[RedMage125]

Or anyone who played second edition...

Ah yes, the Fighter/Mage kit. From the Complete Book of Elves Are Better Than You At Everything, Ever.
:wink:
Joking aside, I did like that book back in the day, and the kit was one of the more well-known and remembered ones.

[Willie the Duck]

Ah yes, the Fighter/Mage kit. From the Complete Book of Elves Are Better Than You At Everything, Ever.
:wink:
Joking aside, I did like that book back in the day, and the kit was one of the more well-known and remembered ones.

There's no denying that the book was written with an eye towards making elves even more 'the coolest thing in AD&D.' If all the other race handbooks had been written in that manner, it would have been a cute running gag. Alone, it was glaringly sophomoric. Still, the Kit has been over-hyped for it's supposed OP-ness, it was merely strictly better than a normal elven fighter-mage (which in 2e were not strictly all that good, being fighters who couldn't wear armor much of the time, or wizards with even greater xp requirements), excepting for roleplaying requirements that the player could easily circumvent.

Regardless, it is the inspiration for the Bladesinger, and isn't Faerun-specific, so it deserves mention.

Edit: wait, as a Red Mage, you undoubtedly know all this. :wink:

[BlackRose]

Slamming Axes might mean something else in Dwarvish

This guy gets it.

Let's just call them dwarven axe yodelers

[Naanomi]

This guy gets it.

Let's just call them dwarven axe yodelers
Looking at the 2e Bard book... Dwarves make 'chanters', Gnomes make 'professors', and Halflings make 'whistlers'

More realistically, the medium-armor could come up if you were trying to adapt the class to model classic Githyanki Gish (the original actual Gish)

[BlackRose]

Looking at the 2e Bard book... Dwarves make 'chanters', Gnomes make 'professors', and Halflings make 'whistlers'

More realistically, the medium-armor could come up if you were trying to adapt the class to model classic Githyanki Gish (the original actual Gish)

I thought 2e made the bard a "prestige" class, and only humans/half elves could be bards?

[Willie the Duck]

I thought 2e made the bard a "prestige" class, and only humans/half elves could be bards?

That was 1e. 2e a bard is a normal class under the rogue class group that behaves like any other class. You are correct that halflings, gnomes, and dwarves could not normally be bards. The Complete Bard's Handbook had various workarounds.

[Callak_Remier]

Rules as Written thats a Hard NO.

But if your not playing adventure league.
The sky's the limit to homebrew alterations.

[BlackRose]

That was 1e. 2e a bard is a normal class under the rogue class group that behaves like any other class. You are correct that halflings, gnomes, and dwarves could not normally be bards. The Complete Bard's Handbook had various workarounds.

I learn so much in these forums :)

[RedMage125]

There's no denying that the book was written with an eye towards making elves even more 'the coolest thing in AD&D.' If all the other race handbooks had been written in that manner, it would have been a cute running gag. Alone, it was glaringly sophomoric. Still, the Kit has been over-hyped for it's supposed OP-ness, it was merely strictly better than a normal elven fighter-mage (which in 2e were not strictly all that good, being fighters who couldn't wear armor much of the time, or wizards with even greater xp requirements), excepting for roleplaying requirements that the player could easily circumvent.

Regardless, it is the inspiration for the Bladesinger, and isn't Faerun-specific, so it deserves mention.
Oh, absolutely. And I openly confess that, during my high school years in the late 90s, that I was [I]absolutely[I] guilty of being the kind of elf fanboy that had no problem with the book at the time. To be honest, I still lean towards elves with a lot of my characters because I like them, but at THAT time, I totally bought into all the hype from that book, lol. Shortly after that, though, I moved away from AD&D altogether, favoring systems that did not involve such byzantine mechanics. At least until 3e finally came out.


Edit: wait, as a Red Mage, you undoubtedly know all this. :wink:

...what do you mean? I've ALWAYS had cross-class ranks in Animal Husbandry, and OF COURSE it can be used to give medical aid. Most Humanoids are basically mammalian, right? :wink:

(Cookie if you get the reference)

[Snowbluff]

...what do you mean? I've ALWAYS had cross-class ranks in Animal Husbandry, and OF COURSE it can be used to give medical aid. Most Humanoids are basically mammalian, right? :wink:


The Character Sheet Pen is mightier than the Sword.

[Ignimortis]

Ah yes, the Fighter/Mage kit. From the Complete Book of Elves Are Better Than You At Everything, Ever.
:wink:
Joking aside, I did like that book back in the day, and the kit was one of the more well-known and remembered ones.

Somehow I'm not even surprised that such a book existed. Sure, it might have a fancier name, but the concept doesn't seem surprising at all.

[JackPhoenix]

Somehow I'm not even surprised that such a book existed. Sure, it might have a fancier name, but the concept doesn't seem surprising at all.

Not even fancier. It's just "Complete Book of Elves". The rest of the description certainly fits, though.

[DrowPiratRobrts]

I'd like you to houserule this and call it "Hammerdirging."

[MThurston]

You can home brew whatever you want.

You can say that they can't mosh pit while not holding 2 axes.

[Pleh]

If your DM is willing to remove the Elf-only restriction I would say the armor restriction would become fair game, too. That DM probably lets you use Strength as your Mtn Dwarf's casting stat, too... :smalltongue:

Dwarven Drumbreaker. They pound their shields with their hammers to cast spells.

[Helldin87]

Now we're gettin' somewhere. Needs a new name though. There'll be no prissy singin' and dancin' about for this melee wizard. Dwarven Bladechanter.

Gnomes also have a tradition, similar in style, though they call it Gnomish Bladewhistling.

I lost it at "bladewhistling"

[ZorroGames]

Ah yes, the Fighter/Mage kit. From the Complete Book of Elves Are Better Than You At Everything, Ever.
:wink:
Joking aside, I did like that book back in the day, and the kit was one of the more well-known and remembered ones.

That (real life version) was the first “”Complete Book...” to go. Sold it for like $5 when I decided 2e was the doom of D&D and quit playing until 5e came out.

I bought and read 3.x and 4th but never considered playing. Sold those off for $10...

Horses for Courses. Elves were one of my least played or liked classes (OD&D) or races (1st) and only now do I consider them as an option.

[Toofey]

Slamming Axes might mean something else in Dwarvish

It's like hoisting the arch but you don't high five.

[pdegan2814]

Since mountain dwarves have proficiency with medium armor would they be able to use the bladesong feature of the bladesinger?

As written, no. Bladesinger description specifically says that it you can't start your Bladesong while you're wearing Medium or Heavy Armor. It isn't a question of whether you're proficient in those armor types. It's just like how the PHB specifies that you don't get the benefits of Raging while wearing Heavy Armor, even though the Barbarian class doesn't give you proficiency in Heavy Armor. The class descriptions were written to allow for the possibility of getting proficiencies from other sources, such as racial features, feats, multiclassing, etc.

[djreynolds]

Fell singer, just because of the feat.
Fell handed

I think it'd be fine, because you are using strength with a non-finesse weapon.

Mage armor and dex is an 18AC,
half plate and 14 dex is, A.C. 17

And the bladesinger dumped strength.

It's actually pretty MAD, and flavorful.

Go for it

[Malifice]

No. How is this even a question. The rules are...

Sigh

[greenfunkman]

The name has to be a 'Skald'!

[ZorroGames]

No. How is this even a question. The rules are...

Sigh

One word.

Home-brew.

Sigh indeed.

And I really want to ruń a campaign in my built from scratch 5e AL compatible world 🌎 but some things should not be changed.

No Medium Armor.

Half-elf or Elf only unless you have a great backstory that does not make you a snowflake.

[Misterwhisper]

You could do it with a glaive or a pollaxe.

Call yourself a Polldancer.

You have a special dance move called the Axe Grind.

[ZorroGames]

You could do it with a glaive or a pollaxe.

Call yourself a Polldancer.

You have a special dance move called the Axe Grind.

Pole dancer? Though I like and am trying to justify polldancer...

[n00b]

No. How is this even a question. The rules are...

Sigh

Right!?!? Next thing you know folks will be wanting to have their Druids wear metal armor.

[Illven]

One word.

Home-brew.

Sigh indeed.

And I really want to ruń a campaign in my built from scratch 5e AL compatible world 🌎 but some things should not be changed.

No Medium Armor.

Half-elf or Elf only unless you have a great backstory that does not make you a snowflake.

Where's my gnome only subclass!

This calls for a riot! >:V