Druids and Armors

[nir390]

Hello all,
I have a 18/2 druid/barb which solves the steel weapon problem and the requierments for medium armor.
But it seems that i cant use steel medium/light armors.
My question is , will I be able to use dragonscale armor (red/green etc)?

In addition are there any decent named armors for epic lvling with a druid?

[FuzzyDuck81]

Metal weapons are abolutely fine, barbarian levels just give proficiency in all martial weapons, while druids normally get a more limited selection, but metal armour & shields are still in violation of the druidic oath, unless you have Force of Nature, found in tier 5 of the nature's protector tree.

Dragonscale armour is fine, it's not metal. There are also some other armours (annoyingly the heavy bronze dragonscale armour in the Hruit's set is copper so a metal, rather than actual dragonscale) that have non-metal material types - incidentally the level 6 core enhancement in nature's protector gives heavy armour proficiency so that can be an option too, you'll trade more AC & PRR from that for better dodge potential in medium.

If you have the feydark illusionist tree, the weapon imbue from illusionary weaponry makes weapons & shields immune to damage by changing their material type to force which hey, isn't metal! You'll need to cast it, then unequip & re-equip the shield each time but it'll let you use metal shields without breaking the oath, though won't do anything for armour. The second core ability in the divine crusader tree, confront any foe, does something similar but converts the weapon & shield to light as the material type, but that'll require level 23 & 6 points spent in the tree.

As for what named ones to use while levelling epics, terrorweb chitin is solid, though tbh I usually just roll with the hardened hide from good intentions until i hit high epics & can switch to one of the ml29/30 ones.

[TophatAces]

An unserious rant about druidic oath .

So it's ok for a druid to kill and wear the skin of other creatures but melting rocks is a disruption of nature !

[Aaabbbcccddd]

Dragonscale armour is fine, it's not metal. There are also some other armours (annoyingly the heavy bronze dragonscale armour in the Hruit's set is copper so a metal, rather than actual dragonscale) that have non-metal material types - incidentally the level 6 core enhancement in nature's protector gives heavy armour proficiency so that can be an option too, you'll trade more AC & PRR from that for better dodge potential in medium.

I'm 99% sure the Hruit's heavy armor is not made out of metal. I mean the set was pretty much made for druids.

[misterski]

I'm 99% sure the Hruit's heavy armor is not made out of metal. I mean the set was pretty much made for druids.

Yeah, well I'm 100% sure that Hruit's armor isn't made of metal. Its material type is blue dragonscale, which is odd since it's bronze dragonscale armor.

[FuzzyDuck81]

I'm 99% sure the Hruit's heavy armor is not made out of metal. I mean the set was pretty much made for druids.

Yeah my bad, i think i mixed it up with something else

[nir390]

Metal weapons are abolutely fine, barbarian levels just give proficiency in all martial weapons, while druids normally get a more limited selection, but metal armour & shields are still in violation of the druidic oath, unless you have Force of Nature, found in tier 5 of the nature's protector tree.

Dragonscale armour is fine, it's not metal. There are also some other armours (annoyingly the heavy bronze dragonscale armour in the Hruit's set is copper so a metal, rather than actual dragonscale) that have non-metal material types - incidentally the level 6 core enhancement in nature's protector gives heavy armour proficiency so that can be an option too, you'll trade more AC & PRR from that for better dodge potential in medium.

If you have the feydark illusionist tree, the weapon imbue from illusionary weaponry makes weapons & shields immune to damage by changing their material type to force which hey, isn't metal! You'll need to cast it, then unequip & re-equip the shield each time but it'll let you use metal shields without breaking the oath, though won't do anything for armour. The second core ability in the divine crusader tree, confront any foe, does something similar but converts the weapon & shield to light as the material type, but that'll require level 23 & 6 points spent in the tree.

As for what named ones to use while levelling epics, terrorweb chitin is solid, though tbh I usually just roll with the hardened hide from good intentions until i hit high epics & can switch to one of the ml29/30 ones.

Thank you kindly !!!!

[unbongwah]

I have a 18/2 druid/barb which solves the steel weapon problem and the requierments for medium armor.
But it seems that i cant use steel medium/light armors.
My question is , will I be able to use dragonscale armor (red/green etc)?

Druids don't have a problem with metal weapons but a pure druid has very few weapon proficiencies. The issue is Druidic Oath: "Druids are prohibited from wearing metal armour, using metal shields, and using rune arms. Doing so suppresses your Druidic abilities. Warforged Druids are forbidden from taking armour feats other than Composite Plating." IIRC this prohibition also includes metal Orbs.

So you have to either (A) wear non-metal armors (leather, hide, dragonscale, etc.) and equip non-metal shields / orbs (wood, gem, etc.); or (B) you need to take the tier-5 Nature's Protector enhancement Force of Nature: "You gain [10/15/20]% resistance against Force damage and +[1/2/3] Constitution. Your attunement to Nature is emboldened - Your Druidic Oath is no longer broken by wearing metal armor or shields."

[Akisohida]

An unserious rant about druidic oath .

So it's ok for a druid to kill and wear the skin of other creatures but melting rocks is a disruption of nature !

My guess:
When Druids kill and fashion an animal's hide into armor, they give thanks to the animal, and in some way honor it and are still a part of nature.

Mining & smithing, on the other hand, has usually been disruptive to the ecosystem; killing animals without using them (for food, clothing, or the like), destroying homes, and also poisoning the ground & water with metal shavings and slag. So armor made from this disruptive process weakens a Druid's connection to nature.
And yes; that should apply to weapons, but at some point you need to balance for balance's sake, and not for lore.