Druids and longswords

[Cicciograna]

Does an Elf Druid violate his oaths if he wields a longsword? Or it's just a matter of armor?

[unre9istered]

Druids no longer have a code of conduct to violate. Their weapon selection is limited by training not vows. Their armor limitation is due to the fact that it somehow messes up their spell casting while wearing it and for 24 hrs after.

[Farlion]

In 3.5 the example druid build in the PHB uses a scimitar, which is also made of metal (as the longsword). The only thing that keeps a druid from using a longsword is the lack of martial weapon proficiency.

Cheers,
Farlion

[kamikasei]

Druids no longer have a code of conduct to violate. Their weapon selection is limited by training not vows. Their armor limitation is due to the fact that it somehow messes up their spell casting while wearing it and for 24 hrs after.

The language on the SRD is that they're prohibited from wearing metal armor, and I believe the PHB explicitly says it's due to their oaths. That's only their armor, though, not their weapons; they can wield whatever they feel like without penalty if they're proficient with it.

[Eldariel]

Indeed, Scimitar is a legal Druid weapon which is...well, not very far from a Longsword at all. So it would be pretty silly for the limitation to not prevent Scimitars, only Longswords.

[Cicciograna]

Okay, had my answer. Thank you all.

[Saintheart]

The language on the SRD is that they're prohibited from wearing metal armor, and I believe the PHB explicitly says it's due to their oaths. That's only their armor, though, not their weapons; they can wield whatever they feel like without penalty if they're proficient with it.

And if you're wandering around in the Forgotten Realms and worship Mielikki as a druid, you can wear any damn armor you like of light or medium size and not violate your spiritual oaths. I have a strong suspicion this is because a certain dual-wielding drow was shoehorned into worship of Mielikki by Bobby Salvatore, but that's another matter.

[Optimystik]

And if you're wandering around in the Forgotten Realms and worship Mielikki as a druid, you can wear any damn armor you like of light or medium size and not violate your spiritual oaths. I have a strong suspicion this is because a certain dual-wielding drow was shoehorned into worship of Mielikki by Bobby Salvatore, but that's another matter.

He's not a druid though, so their vows aren't very relevant to his situation.
Mielikki's dogma covers the metal armor exception - it's her attempt to make her druids live more closely with civilization than those of, say, Silvanus.

[unre9istered]

The only consequence to wearing armor is to lose the ability to cast spells while wearing it and for 24 hours after (and maybe other class features, I'm not sure). It seems like the 'spiritual oaths' that druids make are very forgiving of being broken.

[Greenish]

The only consequence to wearing armor is to lose the ability to cast spells while wearing it and for 24 hours after (and maybe other class features, I'm not sure).

You also lose Wildshape.

It seems like the 'spiritual oaths' that druids make are very forgiving of being broken.

Only the one about armour. Breaking any of the rest loses you all class features (bar proficiencies) and requires Atonement.

[Edit]:

Mielikki's dogma covers the metal armor exception - it's her attempt to make her druids live more closely with civilization than those of, say, Silvanus.

It's funny that the goddess of the Forests and Hunt is closer to civilization than the god of woods and fields.

[Optimystik]

[Edit]:It's funny that the goddess of the Forests and Hunt is closer to civilization than the god of woods and fields.

Not really. Think about it - hunting and exploration are the primary reason for outsiders to enter the wilds in the first place. As they are both under her portfolio, she thus has more reason to deal with outsiders than the others.

Think of her as the nature deities' outreach program - in order to connect with the city-dwellers more closely, she grants her druids concessions that the others do not.

Also, Silvanus is too much of a traditionalist to ever consider lifting that restriction, but it makes sense for his daughter to be a more progressive thinker.

[Greenish]

Not really. Think about it - hunting and exploration are the primary reason for outsiders to enter the wilds in the first place. As they are both under her portfolio, she thus has more reason to deal with outsiders than the others.

Because it's not like people ever go to work on fields.

[Edit]: And yeah, I was referring their mythological namesakes more than the FR deities.

[gbprime]

Because it's not like people ever go to work on fields.

Of course not, this is a magical economy. Your commoners plant the fields and harvest the fields. Between those two times, they never set foot in the fields at all, because the town has pooled tax money to pay a 5th level druid to cast Plant Growth for a bountiful harvest.

So the commoners instead spend all their time fixing up their farmhouses, which the sourcebooks say cost anywhere between 2000 and 14000 gp each. Clearly they have to use work-equity to get that.

[Optimystik]

Because it's not like people ever go to work on fields.

You don't typically need armor on them, unless you have pretty dangerous crops

[Machiavellian]

I actually burned a feat for Heavy Armor, and made a Shapeshifting Darkwood set of Fullplate. THAT was a riot.

[gbprime]

I actually burned a feat for Heavy Armor, and made a Shapeshifting Darkwood set of Fullplate. THAT was a riot.

They call him MISTER Turtlebear.

[dgnslyr]

You don't typically need armor on them, unless you have pretty dangerous crops

Have you ever heard of ultra-mahogany? The kind that breathes fire?

[Mando Knight]

In 3.5 the example druid build in the PHB uses a scimitar, which is also made of metal (as the longsword). The only thing that keeps a druid from using a longsword is the lack of martial weapon proficiency.

Being an elf solves that problem, of course.

[Eldariel]

Being an elf solves that problem, of course.

To apply certain famous quotes:
"Being an elf solves all problems. No humans, no problems."

[Optimystik]

To apply certain famous quotes:
"Being an elf solves all problems. No humans, no problems."

Except the problem of being an elf
My anti-elf opposition party has dwindled recently though...

[Knaight]

They all moved to Burning Wheel to celebrate its Grief mechanic driving elves to suicide.

[holywhippet]

He's not a druid though, so their vows aren't very relevant to his situation.

Kind of ironic since should have a high enough level to cast spells but he never does other than his innate powers.

[Optimystik]

They all moved to Burning Wheel to celebrate its Grief mechanic driving elves to suicide.

I meant here on the forums, though that is a suitably heartwarming image.

Kind of ironic since should have a high enough level to cast spells but he never does other than his innate powers.

Maybe he's a magicless variant... or maybe he just went to the Belkar school of Rangerdom

[holywhippet]

Maybe he's a magicless variant... or maybe he just went to the Belkar school of Rangerdom

I did consider that - he was made in 2nd edition so he could have taken a non-spell casting kit. However he is still around when the world switches to 3rd edition rules so to speak.

[Escheton]

Druid's are prohibited from wielding and wearing worked non-natural materials.
Scimitars are rather crude, thus they don't count.

[Optimystik]

I did consider that - he was made in 2nd edition so he could have taken a non-spell casting kit. However he is still around when the world switches to 3rd edition rules so to speak.

I'm sure you can reverse-engineer the magicless Ranger from CWar to 3.0.

Druid's are prohibited from wielding and wearing worked non-natural materials.
Scimitars are rather crude, thus they don't count.

Nah, just "wearing." Wielding is fine (except in the case of shields.)

[Escheton]

srd doublecheck:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below).

Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.


hmm, you are right

[The Cat Goddess]

Eh, the real reason he never casts Ranger spells is because he's got a Wisdom less than 11.

Many of the things he does are... not very wise.

[hamishspence]

The 3.0 version of Drizzt, while mediocre, does have access to ranger spells- but only very low level ones, since he's mostly fighter with ranger levels (and 1 barbarian level).

[2xMachina]

:( Too bad Mielikki doesn't allow heavy armor for some reason.

Adamantine Warforged Druid of Mielikki who wildshapes into a dinosaur would be so cool.

Also, add Dragonfire Adept.

Transforming construct animals who breathe fire anyone?