Armor Proficiency Feats

[Nagog]

So I've noticed that there are quite a few feats one could take to gain different armor proficiencies. Is there any mechanic in place to prevent a player from being a VHuman Wizard that takes Heavy Armor Proficiency with this?

Alternately, what sort of drawbacks are there for wearing armor you aren't proficient with? I know Pathfinder had things like debuffing base stats while wearing different armors (debuffs were increased without prof), but I haven't seen anything of the sort in 5e, and unlike weapons armor doesn't use Proficiency in any of it's stat calculations.

[nickl_2000]

Yes.

Heavily Armored requires Prof with Medium armor
Moderately Armored require Prod with Light armor


If you wear armor you aren't prof with you get disadvantage on ability checks, saving throws, or attack roll involving Strength or Dex and you can't cast spells (phb 144)

[Zetakya]

It's generally not worth going for more than one additional armour type through Feats.

This is one of the things that makes Mountain Dwarves good for some classes you wouldn't normally think of for them. You can just go "oh yeah, I have Medium Armour"

Shield Proficiency is another matter.

[Nagog]

Good to know! I typically use sites like DnD Beyond and I couldn't find it referenced anywhere.

[Man_Over_Game]

It's generally not worth going for more than one additional armour type through Feats.

This is one of the things that makes Mountain Dwarves good for some classes you wouldn't normally think of for them. You can just go "oh yeah, I have Medium Armour"

Shield Proficiency is another matter.

On this note, there's a few reasons it's not that good of an idea.

2+ steps means that you're either:

Upgrading to Light Armor to Heavy Armor, meaning you'll have 4-8 levels where you're using an inappropriate stat for AC (as you'll switch from Dex to Heavy Armor), which is bad considering you're taking two feats and are likely low on stats.
Upgrading to No armor to Medium Armor, meaning you'll be getting virtually nothing from your first investment. The classes that get no armor are the ones that also have access to Mage Armor, which is better than Light Armor and is a lot cheaper than a feat (a Sorcerer, for instance, can take Magic Initiate for Mage Armor instead, and get more out of that feat than getting Light Armor).


Sure, you get a shield, but considering you might also want to be using a staff as a focus out of turn, it might get in the way of spellcasting.

[Bjarkmundur]

vHuman are still broken and should get their bonus feat at level 3 or 4.

[Zetakya]

Sure, you get a shield, but considering you might also want to be using a staff as a focus out of turn, it might get in the way of spellcasting.

Side Note: As a serial Mountain Dwarf Player it has occasionally really annoyed me that the only way to get Shield proficiency without multi-classing per RAW is the Moderately Armoured Feat, which I don't need 3/4s of the benefits of because I'm a Mountain Dwarf.

The only other way you end up in that situation is with Swords Bard. In every other case than those two, Medium Armour automatically comes with Shield Proficiency. Even Ranger.