I am DMing for a group in which my wife is playing for the first time. She decided on a Druid, and I'm trying to help her play the best character she can. The big problem is, I'm not terribly familiar with Druids and how to optimize them.
The group just broke 2nd level and they have a little cash to spend. Right now I have her in wood armor (A&EG), but with about 200 gold to spend I'm wondering if there is something better out there. We're working to keep her in the Light encumbrance catagory which is a bit difficult as she only has a 12 str. This seemed like a good balance of protection vs. weight for the time being, but I wanted to make sure there wasn't something clearly better out there.
We're running Rise of the Runelords and I looked long and hard at the Hide Shirt from the Player's Guide. I think that is probably the best choice, but it's a bit too heavy right now. Maybe once we can afford some extra-dimensional storage and such we can make it work.
Thoughts?
I would agree that the hide shirt is probably the best choice at this point, but also can't do much to relieve the weight concerns.
That said, armor should not be terribly important just yet. Really she should be either staying back using spells like produce flame and letting her animal companion mix it up, or using Aspect of the Wolf when she wants to get in and mix it up (SC). The other option would be to buff up her staff and run in a swingin', but this does indeed put her at more risk.
Sean Mahoney
Are there any options to piecemeal armor in D&D?
Reinforced leather armor : AC+3, no penalty, 160gp.
Masterwork studded leather armor : AC +3, no penalty, 175gp.
Reinforced studded leather armor : AC+4, penalty -1, 175gp.
And the best is that all are natural armors, made of leather, not metal, so they fit better a druid's image.
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Serpent Kingdoms has serpentscale armor. It's a medium armor made from giant snake scales that provides a +5 Armor Bonus. It's a little expensive for a 1st level character but, if I remember correctly, it's lighter than hide and has a lower armor check penalty. That and a hide shield from Sandstorm will net her druid a +8 to AC. A hide shield is slightly smaller than a tower shield and made from thick animal hide and a wood or bone frame. It provides a +3 shield bonus and cover like a tower shield , but only incurs a -1 penalty to attack because it isn't as big. Also, since it isn't a tower shield, the druid should be proficient with it.
From Page 211 of the Campaign Setting:
Leaf Armor: Druidic elves use secret alchemical compounds to treat special leaves used in crafting armor for their warriors. Stitching the overlapping leaves into a leather jerkin, bracers, and leggings provides great flexibility while deflecting blows as well as metal armor. Leaf armor is always masterwork. It cannot be constructed
from other special materials.
Armor--Leaf
Armor Cost--500 gp
Maximum Bonus--+3
Armor Dex Bonus--+8
Arcane Check Penalty--0
Spell Failure Chance--10%
—Speed—
(30 ft.)--30 ft.
(20 ft.)--20 ft.
Weight--10 lb.
My druid took this in Second Darkness (having taken the trait that gave her a lot of starting cash <G>)
Monk's Belt....if your DM interpets it to allow you to add your Wisdom bonus to AC.
My mistake for the studded leather. Indeed it is not allowed for a druid.
In that case the reinforced leather armor is still valid (CA+3, penalty 0, 160gp), being only made of leather, with no metal.
Also, many of the other suggestions posted would not be acceptable, as the original post mentions a limit of 200gp.
My mistake for the studded leather. Indeed it is not allowed for a druid.
In that case the reinforced leather armor is still valid (CA+3, penalty 0, 160gp), being only made of leather, with no metal.Also, many of the other suggestions posted would not be acceptable, as the original post mentions a limit of 200gp.
True, the one I suggested is more than the player has ... take a level in rogue, lighten the purses of others, and then buy the armor you really want? :)
I believe in Frostburn, there is a special material called blue ice. Since it isn't metal, it is usable by druids. It is statistically the same as mithral, but because it is concentrated non-melting ice, you must have cold resistance of some sort to wear it or take cold damage each round. That's a lot of rounds when not in combat.
A druid in one of my games got it and enhanced it to have cold resistance built in. I don't remember the cost but it wasn't too bad.
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My mistake for the studded leather. Indeed it is not allowed for a druid.
In that case the reinforced leather armor is still valid (CA+3, penalty 0, 160gp), being only made of leather, with no metal.Also, many of the other suggestions posted would not be acceptable, as the original post mentions a limit of 200gp.
Where is 'reinforced' from? I haven't seen that option.
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Are you using Character Traits? Becasue there are two that help with the amount of gold you start with.
Duskwalker Agent (Katapesh): You spent a portion of
your childhood working for the Duskwalkers, the guild
responsible for policing and watching over all trade that takes
place in Katapesh’s notorious Nightstalls. You have quite a bit
more spending cash than most others of your age as a result,
and start with twice the normal amount of starting gold. In
addition, your reputation remains strong in the Nightstalls,
and any transactions you make there are always beneficial
to you; items you sell net you an additional 10% profit, and
items you purchase there are 10% cheaper than normal. This
discount also applies to your starting gear.
Rich Parents: You were born into a rich family, perhaps
even the nobility, and even though you turned to a
life of adventure anyway, you enjoyed a one-time benefit
to your initial finances and your starting cash increases
to 900 gp.
Combining them gives you a bunch of gold(correct me if I'm wrong please).
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My mistake for the studded leather. Indeed it is not allowed for a druid.
In that case the reinforced leather armor is still valid (CA+3, penalty 0, 160gp), being only made of leather, with no metal.Also, many of the other suggestions posted would not be acceptable, as the original post mentions a limit of 200gp.
What if just the studs were made from Ironwood? That would work I think, and only be slightly more expensive than normal studded, since the studs would be small...
I miss the old days when we have lots an lots of different types of armor.Ringmail and Brigandine, Lamelar, etc.
How about +5 Dragonhide Full Plate? With that enchantment out of one of the complete books that let it stay on you when you shape shifted?
Pick a color and go.
They don't have heavy armour proficiency, so let's use a breastplate. And wild is in PF, so you don't need a splatbook.
Hiya.
Not sure if this will work in 3.x....but a little trick in 1e AD&D is to find a HIGH level wizard. Get him to cast Crystalbrittle on a suit of Full Plate, then cast Glassteel on it. Now the druid has crystal armor as strong as steel.
Of course, no DM in their right mind would likely let a druid get away with this, but *shrug*...it's still fun to try! ;)
Hiya.
Not sure if this will work in 3.x....but a little trick in 1e AD&D is to find a HIGH level wizard. Get him to cast Crystalbrittle on a suit of Full Plate, then cast Glassteel on it. Now the druid has crystal armor as strong as steel.
Of course, no DM in their right mind would likely let a druid get away with this, but *shrug*...it's still fun to try! ;)
Yeah those spells were never brought over from 2nd ed. However druids have a spell that can do something similar already in the Ironwood spell. It lasts for days/ level, and if they use it on something less than half the weight they can change with it that thing becomes +1 too. It's a 6th level spell.
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My mistake for the studded leather. Indeed it is not allowed for a druid.
In that case the reinforced leather armor is still valid (CA+3, penalty 0, 160gp), being only made of leather, with no metal.Also, many of the other suggestions posted would not be acceptable, as the original post mentions a limit of 200gp.
Where is 'reinforced' from? I haven't seen that option.
Anyone? I like the idea but I don't know where it is from.
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Since darkwood can be crafted into a shield, I also allow it to be crafted into a breastplate (and halfplate and fullplate, also large-piece armors, but the druid will need proficiency in heavy armor to take advantage of those). It's pricy, and I house-rule that it's 1 AC weaker than metal armor (even after alchemical lacquering), but it's also light and druid-friendly.
I also allow studded leather for druids, with 'studs' of bone, stone, ivory or coral, in place of metal studs. No extra cost.
I just houserule and let Druids wear studded leather. Iron is natural right? and it isn't in a band around any body part that might stop the druid from feeling the lay lines or whatever other reason they can't use full metal armor.
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My mistake for the studded leather. Indeed it is not allowed for a druid.
In that case the reinforced leather armor is still valid (CA+3, penalty 0, 160gp), being only made of leather, with no metal.Also, many of the other suggestions posted would not be acceptable, as the original post mentions a limit of 200gp.
Where is 'reinforced' from? I haven't seen that option.
Anyone? I like the idea but I don't know where it is from.
its from a dragon mag. that had the master craft feat. dont know which one though.
I can only state that for 3.5 the best armor combo for druids is hide but since encumberance is a factor here go with studded leather(we allow rock,wood,bone studs) a regular heavy wooden sheild and the barkskin spell followed by the aspect of the wolf when combat is ensuing.
Low level it isnt that bad for a druid they still have better AC than the mage and rouge. Higher level they are using their shapechange to change their AC totally, plus when you factor in any of the were spells from the spell compendium then use a shapechange OMG the druid is a melee killing machine. My wizard used the same tactic with polymorph and were spells.
Hello guys this is actualy my first post on the messageboards.My name is Mario, from Monterrey Mexico
taken from the PFRPG SRD
"This suit of full plate is made of dragonhide, rather than metal, so druids can wear it. It is otherwise identical to masterwork full plate. "
I think this gives the Druids the oportunity to use them, it doesnt states thou that you need the needed proficiency to use heavy armor.
Welcome to the Paizo forums. Have some virtual cookies.
Use of heavy armour requires a feat.
Armor Proficiency, Heavy
You are skilled at wearing heavy armor.
Prerequisites: Light Armor Proficiency, Medium Armor Proficiency.
Benefit: See Armor Proficiency, Light.
Normal: See Armor Proficiency, Light.
Special: Fighters and paladins automatically have Heavy Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. They need not select it.
Most mithral armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations. Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. This decrease does not apply to proficiency in wearing the armor. A character wearing mithral full plate must be proficient in wearing heavy armor to avoid adding the armor's check penalty to all his attack rolls and skill checks that involve moving.
Because dragonhide armor isn't made of metal, druids can wear it without penalty.
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Alright thanks for the info. need to figure out what to wear now, darkwood breastplate seems a nice choice, its almost the same price as the dragonhide plate, that combined with a large darkwood shield.
Darkwood breastplates, while every bit as likely to exist as a darkwood shield, aren't officially in-game. Make sure your DM is okay with the idea first.
I have another question, if I cast barkskin on my self, does the NA bonus stack with the Darkwood armor and shield bonus?
Natural armor bonuses do stack with armor and shield bonuses (which is why a troglodyte with a breastplate is such a beast to hit).
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What about an Ironwood Breastplate, do I need ranks in craft wooden armor before I Ironwood it? Or wrap/bend wood and other spells are more than enough for my character to create one for his own? I would have to be casting the spell but hell, its days per level.
According to the spell, using Wood Shape (Drd 2) *or* a Craft skill will be sufficient to make Ironwood into armor. If you can cast Ironwood anyway, there's no reason not to use Wood Shape and save on skill points.
Note that Ironwood, unlike Darkwood, becomes as heavy as metal armor.
Hate to bring this up, but ironwood is a spell that has a duration now.
It's 1day/level, but it's not permanent anymore.
Hate to break it to you, but in the SRD, Ironwood was also limited to 1 day/level. Also, in the 3.5 PHB Ironwood had a duration of 1 day/level.
What happens if you cast Ironwood on darkwood armor? Does it still weigh half as much as the metal version of the armor?
Also, a darkwood shield has an armor check penalty of 2 less than a normal shield of the same size. How does this translate to darkwood armor? Since it's not actually in the rules, would it be reasonable for the armor to also have its armor check penalty lessened by 2?