Am i severly disabling this character?

[Dankus Memakus]

So im building a hill dwarf druid 1/war cleric 19. I dont wanna play a nature cleric i wanna have the druid fluff but i dont want wildshape. Is this character useless? Im fine with no metal armor there are alternatives. I plan to just be in the fight charming animals and being a battle shaman. Tell me if this is stupid.

[Man_Over_Game]

So im building a druid 1/war cleric 19
I dont wanna play a nature cleric i wanna have the druid fluff. Is this character useless?

I'm...kinda confused?

You want someone with the Druid fluff, but not enough to invest into Druid, and Nature Cleric is considered not using Druid fluff.

Additionally, you want to use a heavy armor/heavy weapon specialist, but that also doesn't interfere with Druid fluff, but also isn't something that is solved by going Nature Cleric.


Is there a particular reason you couldn't just use a Nature Cleric....with Druid fluff? Or do you literally just want a nature person who just punches things really hard with a weapon?

[Dankus Memakus]

I'm...kinda confused?

You want someone with the Druid fluff, but not enough to invest into Druid, and Nature Cleric is considered not using Druid fluff.

Additionally, you want to use a heavy armor/heavy weapon specialist, but that also doesn't interfere with Druid fluff, but also isn't something that is solved by going Nature Cleric.


Is there a particular reason you couldn't just use a Nature Cleric....with Druid fluff? Or do you literally just want a nature person who just punches things really hard with a weapon?

I want the armor restriction, druidic and some spells the cleric doesnt have at level 1 and im kinda stuck with RAW so getting druidic and the druid spells would be hard. I wanna be a druid warrior preist. I like the idea of shelligah, war preist, divine favor and divine strike all together too, although not nessecary. Thats all essentially. I wont actually be using heavy armor, most likely ill have the stone breastplate from SKT

[Throne12]

Just play a war cleric and take ritual caster Druid and maybe MI for a couple of Druid cantrips and a first lv spell.

Ritual caster gives you " speak with animals, animal messager, beast sense,

[Dankus Memakus]

Just play a war cleric and take ritual caster Druid and maybe MI for a couple of Druid cantrips and a first lv spell.

Ritual caster gives you " speak with animals, animal messager, beast sense,

My problem is then ill be like level 8 when i could have all that at level 2, plus i really want druidic/no metal armor for in character reasons. Good solid RP

Edit: essentially, i want specific stuff so i can get the vibe early on but if its super terrible ill consider other builds

[Man_Over_Game]

I want the armor restriction, druidic and some spells the cleric doesnt have at level 1 and im kinda stuck with RAW so getting druidic and the druid spells would be hard. I wanna be a druid warrior preist. I like the idea of shelligah, war preist, divine favor and divine strike all together too, although not nessecary. Thats all essentially. I wont actually be using heavy armor, most likely ill have the stone breastplate from SKT

This should work out fine. Focus heavily on Wisdom, maybe go Dwarf so that the Strength requirement of your eventual heavy armor doesn't slow you down. Your damage may be a bit lighter than most people's but it should definitely work out fine.

[Dankus Memakus]

This should work out fine. Focus heavily on Wisdom, maybe go Dwarf so that the Strength requirement of your eventual heavy armor doesn't slow you down. Your damage may be a bit lighter than most people's but it should definitely work out fine.

Cool thanks, i was just a bit concerned for my party. I do plan on taking hill dwarf

[Throne12]

If you don't care about heavy armor. Then there is nothing wrong. They are both wisdom casters. Your not losing anything but the ability to wear metal armor.

[Man_Over_Game]

Interesting concept: Magic Stone.

Turn 1: Magic Stone, throw a stone.
Turn 2: Throw a stone, throw a stone.
Turn 3: Magic Stone, throw a stone.
Etc...

[RogueJK]

Interesting concept: Magic Stone.

Turn 1: Magic Stone, throw a stone.
Turn 2: Throw a stone, throw a stone.
Turn 3: Magic Stone, throw a stone.
Etc...

How are you throwing two stones in Turn 2? If you're relying on the War Priest ability to make a bonus action extra attack WISMOD times per long rest, that feature specifies that it has to be a weapon attack.

Throwing a Magic Stone is a ranged spell attack.


Even if your DM allowed it through House Rule, it'd still only be usable up to 5 times per day. So not that useful.

And past Tier 1, you'd be doing more damage simply by casting a scaling ranged cantrip each round. And it'd leave your Bonus Actions free for other things.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Sure; outside of Moon Druids, Wild Shape is just a utility option. A Shepherd Druid will be just as lethal if they never once change their shape.

You could also look at the Circle of Spores, which gives you an alternate use for your Wild Shape.

[stoutstien]

I want the armor restriction, druidic and some spells the cleric doesnt have at level 1 and im kinda stuck with RAW so getting druidic and the druid spells would be hard. I wanna be a druid warrior preist. I like the idea of shelligah, war preist, divine favor and divine strike all together too, although not nessecary. Thats all essentially. I wont actually be using heavy armor, most likely ill have the stone breastplate from SKT
I mean this works but there's a few other ways of doing it.
-you can enforce the armor striction on yourself you don't need a level of druid to do that.
-Shelligah works with pole arm master so you could use your bonus action to attack a lot more often then 5 max times a long rest.
-druidic language can be picked up from a background ( maybe ask your DM) because it's not a restricted language in 5e. Hermits Discovery feature would be a good fit. Or you can just memorize / prepare the comprehend language ritual and pretend 😃.

I'm curious of which first level druid spells that you are after if you don't mind me asking.

[Dankus Memakus]

I mean this works but there's a few other ways of doing it.
-you can enforce the armor striction on yourself you don't need a level of druid to do that.
-Shelligah works with pole arm master so you could use your bonus action to attack a lot more often then 5 max times a long rest.
-druidic language can be picked up from a background ( maybe ask your DM) because it's not a restricted language in 5e. Hermits Discovery feature would be a good fit. Or you can just memorize / prepare the comprehend language ritual and pretend 😃.

I'm curious of which first level druid spells that you are after if you don't mind me asking.

Beast bond and goodberry are definitely on my list and i was thinking absorb elements and then probably animal friendship

[Man_Over_Game]

I mean this works but there's a few other ways of doing it.
-you can enforce the armor striction on yourself you don't need a level of druid to do that.
-Shelligah works with pole arm master so you could use your bonus action to attack a lot more often then 5 max times a long rest.
-druidic language can be picked up from a background ( maybe ask your DM) because it's not a restricted language in 5e. Hermits Discovery feature would be a good fit. Or you can just memorize / prepare the comprehend language ritual and pretend ��.

I'm curious of which first level druid spells that you are after if you don't mind me asking.

That's actually a great point. Nature Cleric + Polearm Master would be a very elegant way of solving many problems.

Alternatively, Druid 1 and going Monk of the Long Death/4 Elements is a solid way of making a melee combatant who relies strictly on Wisdom.

Lastly, mixing Ranger and Druid makes a great combatant who uses spells in combat.

[JackPhoenix]

My problem is then ill be like level 8 when i could have all that at level 2, plus i really want druidic/no metal armor for in character reasons. Good solid RP

Edit: essentially, i want specific stuff so i can get the vibe early on but if its super terrible ill consider other builds

You do realize that you don't need mechanical reason to not wear metal armor if you don't want to?

It's not like druids have any mechanical reason to avoid metal armor either.

And for druidic, have you tried to talk to your GM? I'd have no problem with giving the language to a non-druid character, if it was appropriate.

[Ganymede]

Beast bond and goodberry are definitely on my list and i was thinking absorb elements and then probably animal friendship

I think rangers get access to all of this. A ranger as a druidic guardian is an out-of-the-box approach you could take.

[RogueJK]

A Ranger5/Cleric15 would make for an effective build for this concept.

Ranger's Extra Attack for an additional attack every round beats out War Priest's bonus action attack up to 5 times per day. And you'd get access to those Druid spells you want through the Ranger's spells known.

Nature Cleric gets even more of the nature-related spells you want, plus a free Druid cantrip, plus a nature skill.

You can fluff everything about a Nature Cleric as being Druid-related, and eschew metal armor like a Druid. Ask your DM if you can pick up the Druidic language from your Background.

Start out as Cleric 1 for baseline spellcasting, then go Ranger for the next 3 levels to pick up 3 of the Druid-related spells you want, plus a Fighting Style and a Ranger Archetype's features. After Ranger3/Cleric1, go up to Ranger3/Cleric3 for Channel Divinity and 2nd level Cleric spells. Then go to Ranger5/Cleric3 for an ASI, an Extra Attack, and a couple more Ranger spells known (including 2nd level spells). Finally, go straight Cleric from there.

Or, if your stats need the boost more quickly, go directly to Ranger5/Cleric1 to get the ASI and Extra Attack ASAP, and then go straight Cleric from there.

[thrdeye]

I plan to just be in the fight charming animals and being a battle shaman.

That is literally a Ranger. Some combination of Ranger/Cleric seems like it would work for you but I would strongly discourage a one level Druid dip. There's just nothing for you (or anybody) in one level. Others have suggested some good builds.

[Malifice]

I wanna be a druid warrior preist.

Druid + Ancients Paladin?

Much more fitting I would have thought.

[Lombra]

You're worrying too much. Go for it.

[Rhedyn]

You will basically be one level behind to gain access to rituals and first level spells that you want.

It's suboptimal but you are mixing druid with fullcaster cleric, so I do not see that big of an issue.

[GreyBlack]

I want the armor restriction, druidic and some spells the cleric doesnt have at level 1 and im kinda stuck with RAW so getting druidic and the druid spells would be hard. I wanna be a druid warrior preist. I like the idea of shelligah, war preist, divine favor and divine strike all together too, although not nessecary. Thats all essentially. I wont actually be using heavy armor, most likely ill have the stone breastplate from SKT

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but by RAW, druids don't lose their power because of a non-metal armor restriction. So either way, it's all just fluff. You could play a Nature cleric and just RP that armor restriction, maybe grabbing Magic Adept to get shillelagh. Druidic is tough though.

[Ganymede]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but by RAW, druids don't lose their power because of a non-metal armor restriction. So either way, it's all just fluff.

It isn't that druids lose their power or suffer any other in-game penalty when they don metal armor. It is that druids who would don metal armor simply don't exist; druids don't wear metal armor and those that would wear metal armor are not druids. Your DM can certainly loosen that restriction (they talk about it in a Sage Advice), but he or she could also just introduce armor made from exotic non-metal materials like dragonscale, bulette carapace, etc.

[GreyBlack]

It isn't that druids lose their power or suffer any other in-game penalty when they don metal armor. It is that druids who would don metal armor simply don't exist; druids don't wear metal armor and those that would wear metal armor are not druids. Your DM can certainly loosen that restriction (they talk about it in a Sage Advice), but he or she could also just introduce armor made from exotic non-metal materials like dragonscale, bulette carapace, etc.

I mean, that's fair, but the actual rules text just says, "Druids will not wear armor or use shields of metal." (PHB p. 65, emphasis mine). By explicit RAW, they don't lose anything by wearing metal armor; they just choose not to. And, seeing as the OP wanted to make his character have those restrictions by RAW, I just wanted to point out that the restriction doesn't necessarily work that way by RAW.

[stoutstien]

I mean, that's fair, but the actual rules text just says, "Druids will not wear armor or use shields of metal." (PHB p. 65, emphasis mine). By explicit RAW, they don't lose anything by wearing metal armor; they just choose not to. And, seeing as the OP wanted to make his character have those restrictions by RAW, I just wanted to point out that the restriction doesn't necessarily work that way by RAW. I'd think class proficiency would be a odd place to put purely flavor text. But at this point I have little idea of the intent of half of the PHB. Lol

[Ganymede]

I mean, that's fair, but the actual rules text just says, "Druids will not wear armor or use shields of metal." (PHB p. 65, emphasis mine). By explicit RAW, they don't lose anything by wearing metal armor; they just choose not to.

Yeah, I know. I referenced that in the quote you replied to.

[GreyBlack]

I'd think class proficiency would be a odd place to put purely flavor text. But at this point I have little idea of the intent of half of the PHB. Lol

Oh, come now. You know the exact reason for the 5e PHB. To ask forgiveness for 4e.

In all seriousness, I think the intent behind the line (as well as half the PHB) was to retain some flavorful connection to past editions of D&D while still allowing for enough interpretation wiggle room that people can modify it to suit their wants. Personally, I think it's weird that druids can use a metal sword, carry metal currency, and use other metal implements without a problem, but once they put on a metal shirt, "OH NO WOE IS ME!"

[Vorpalchicken]

I don't care if you found plus five adamantine plate of pandemonium. If you are a druid in my game, you aren't wearing it.

[Man_Over_Game]

I don't care if you found plus five adamantine plate of pandemonium. If you are a druid in my game, you aren't wearing it.

That's fair, but I'd still expect some kind of benefit for gaining Heavy Armor Proficiency.

Otherwise, that'd almost be like saying a Cleric can't use Healing Word unless you're worshipping a god related to life.

[GreyBlack]

I don't care if you found plus five adamantine plate of pandemonium. If you are a druid in my game, you aren't wearing it.

Wait, +5? Hot damn, that's, like, super legendary!

[stoutstien]

That's fair, but I'd still expect some kind of benefit for gaining Heavy Armor Proficiency.

Otherwise, that'd almost be like saying a Cleric can't use Healing Word unless you're worshipping a god related to life.
I agree with both of you. Honestly druids not allowed to wear metal armor is good way to introduce a side quest idea of turning that Uber hulk husk into armor class shield for the party druid.

Side question: if the rules state that a druid can not wear metal armor and you strap a helmet to them can they no longer wild shape? Or maybe just some bracers

[JackPhoenix]

I don't care if you found plus five adamantine plate of pandemonium. If you are a druid in my game, you aren't wearing it.

"So, yeah, I thought not wearing proper armor is stupid. Other druids called me a heretic and told me I'm not a druid anymore, but I can still change into animals and cast all the spells, so screw them."

[GreyBlack]

"So, yeah, I thought not wearing proper armor is stupid. Other druids called me a heretic and told me I'm not a druid anymore, but I can still change into animals and cast all the spells, so screw them."

"Sooo.... if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and casts spells as a duck, it's a druid?"

[JackPhoenix]

"Sooo.... if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and casts spells as a duck, it's a druid?"

Maybe. It could also be Shapechanged sorcerer 3 (for Subtle spell)/wizard 17. Though neither druid nor wizard can talk in duck form.