Supernaturalist and shields

[pad300]

A supernaturalist druid loses armor proficiency:
"A supernaturalist is not proficient with any type of armor. This alters the druid’s weapon and armor proficiencies."

I would like to confirm that they retain shield proficiency (which a regular druid gets...)

[Pizza Lord]

I would say, by the wording, that they don't lose shield proficiencies (but keep other limitations, such as not using metal or such). While class proficiencies list shield use for the class under the Weapon and Armor heading, it doesn't seem that shields and armor are considered the same thing or category (just that they didn't want to make the name of the section 'Weapon, Armor, and Shield Proficiencies')

Armor and shields have their own AC bonuses, they have their own feat trees, they have their own AC penalties, a fighter's Armor Training doesn't apply to shields and their Armor Mastery ability calls out both, and the wording could easily have been, 'X loses all armor and shield proficiencies.'

Also, other archetypes seem to call out when shields are lost, such as the Lore Warden or Warlord where it specifies armor and shields.

[Azothath]

pad300 wrote:

A supernaturalist druid loses armor proficiency:

"A supernaturalist is not proficient with any type of armor. This alters the druid’s weapon and armor proficiencies."

I would like to confirm that they retain shield proficiency (which a regular druid gets...)

that's what the Druid archetype says on AoN, the online PRD.

[happykj]

As far as I know, the proficiency always differentiate between armor and shield.

eg: Wizards are proficient with blablabla, but not with any type of armor or shield.

[Melkiador]

"Any type of armor" is also strange language though. It's vague and the author intent isn't clear, but I'd side with saying they still have shield proficiency and general druid armor limitations.

Unfortunately, intent on these kinds of things can be as simple as the author forgot that druids normally have shield proficiency when writing this archetype.

[I grok do u]

Melkiador wrote:

"Any type of armor" is also strange language though. It's vague and the author intent isn't clear, but I'd side with saying they still have shield proficiency and general druid armor limitations.

Unfortunately, intent on these kinds of things can be as simple as the author forgot that druids normally have shield proficiency when writing this archetype.

I think the "any type of armor" wording was just reinforcement that the archetype loses access to druid-friendly armors as well (dragonhide, bulette, ironwood, etc).

I agree RAW they keep shield proficiency with normal druid prohibition against metal shields.

Interestingly, though not really relevant, the archetype is taking on class abilities of the medium, which has proficiency in light and medium armor, but not shields.

[TxSam88]

I know it's not a rule, nor an errata etc., but Herolab show the Supernaturalist Druid as not being proficient with shields. I know they aren't 100% accurate, but they do tend to go talk to the developers and get a ruling when they encounter something that's unclear.