Asking for a friend... what is the original reason for druids' metal aversion?

[JonBeowulf]

Depends on how far you want to go back to find the original reason. In BECMI, it was simply to create a character class that was similar to clerics but entirely nature-based. I figure the rationale went something like this:

1. I think a nature-cleric-thing would be cool. (sets about making a list of really cool nature cleric spells)
2. Hmm... this new class needs to be similar to clerics but also different.
3. Clerics can't use edged or pointed weapons... how about druids can't wear metal armor or use metal weapons? (group goes "hells ya!")
4. Justification: Working with metal requires industry far more advanced than working with wood and leather does. Druids are focused on the balance of nature while industry is focused on bending nature to the will of man (or something like that). Druids will use metal tools because they can use those tools to care for nature but they will not use metal weapons or armor.

Heck, you couldn't even be a druid until you reached level 9 as a neutral-aligned cleric. Quite a feat back in those days.

[GeoffWatson]

Because Getafix from the Asterix comics (the main source for Druid information) didn't wear armour.

[2D8HP]

What it said in the 1976 Eldrich Wizardry supplement was:

Druids are able to employ the following sorts of weapons: Daggers, sickle or crescent-shaped swords, spears, slings, and oil. They may wear armor of leather, and use wooden shields. They may not use metallic armor.

In the 1978 Player’s Handbook it said:

Druids are unable to use any armor or shields other than leather armor and wooden shields (metallic armor spoils their magical powers).

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Citation needed.

Metal armor does not provide general protection against spells in any version of D&D that I'm aware of. Spells with metal components can still be cast by wizards/druids. The 2E PHB explicitly said metal does not interfere with magic.

Very few spells actually channel elemental energy. Most don't. Hold Person. Charm Person. Levitate. Tongues. Teleport. Polymorph. Telekinetics. ESP. Power Word Stun/Blind/Kill. Enlarge/Reduce. Strength. Maze. I could go on. None of those involve fire, lightning, acid, cold, or any other damaging energy, and none of them are affected at all by the target wearing metal. There's nothing stopping Explosive Runes from being written on a metal surface. Even back in 1E, it was explicitly called out that the metal in armor was not the reason wizards couldn't wear armor.

Wizards aren't prohibited from wearing metal armor, but are prohibited from wearing armor period.

I'm pretty sure back in 1E this was purely for balance reasons, and later editions give their own spin on it. But if metal blocked magic, then by that same logic you should wield a spiked chain and wrap that around enemies to keep them from casting.

IIRC in an issue of The Dragon there was a lengthy essay explaining that the close by mass of metal armor did interfere with the arcane magic employed by magic-users (but not cleric’s magic), something to do with magnetism?

I can’t recall why elves were exempt (maybe elves used special alloys as was mentioned in the foreword to Poul Anderson’s 1970’s revision of his The Broken Sword?).

I don’t remember seeing any later similar reasoning for metal interfering with spell casting, I think that it was just a one off essay.

[KorvinStarmast]

IIRC in an issue of The Dragon there was a lengthy essay explaining that the close by mass of metal armor did interfere with the arcane magic employed by magic-users (but not cleric’s magic), something to do with magnetism?

I remember that Poul Anderson's works had something in it about the degaussing effect of iron/steel on magic. It might have been in Operation Chaos or in Three Hearts and Three Lions. Or both. Three Hearts and Three Lions was one of the books (Appendix N, yadda yadda) that formed the pulp/SF context of early D&D.

[Segev]

The ultimate reason is the same as why wizards can't wear armor (under 'normal' circumstances ): aesthetics.

The druid is supposed to be wearing hide and chitin or the like, while his look is still fine if he wields a sickle.