TOPIC: Dragonscale Armor Too Tacky For Barbarians?

File this under "long dead token design controversy" - but I'm curious why Barbarian's can't equip Dragonscale Armor [TDb link] given that it seems like it is natural armor, and it's usable by Druids?

It is, based on my quick inspection at any rate, the only armor usable by Druids that is not also usable by Barbarians.

Is it possible that this was an error and has not been noticed before?

I think the reason was that it was too high an AC for Barbarians, they were designed to be high damage and low AC.

Mike Steele wrote: I think the reason was that it was too high an AC for Barbarians, they were designed to be high damage and low AC.

Thinking it over, that seems likely given that Rangers also can't use it and Rangers can wear anything a Druid/Barbarian can wear and also get Chainmail to boot.

If this was the rationale, I'm confused as to why Druids would be able to use this armor. At the time of printing it was 4 AC higher than the best Druid armor, 4 AC higher than the best Barbarian armor, and 2 AC higher than the best Ranger armor.

I having a hard time seeing the game balance or fantasy trope logic that lets Druids use it and not Rangers or Barbarians, unless at the time it was thought that Druids were under-powered and Rangers and Barbarians either were overpowered, or that putting their AC on par with Fighters would make them so.

Weird.

It was an aberration that the Druids would be able to use it, as they don't have any other armor with that high of an AC, but I think the decision was made that it was a very "Druid" type of armor. Plus, the Druids could already use the Dragonscale Shield from 2006.

Along the lines of this topic, what is a good armor for a Barbarian - looking at my tokens, I'm currently using the Troll Hide Armor, though this has seemingly fallen out of favor with the uber crowd?

Dragonhide Armor is +6 AC, but I'd wear Troll Hide if I had it. -1 AC for +4 Fort is a more than decent trade-off, especially this year, unless maybe you were sporting poison immunity. But that's just one opinion.

ravenshadow wrote: Along the lines of this topic, what is a good armor for a Barbarian - looking at my tokens, I'm currently using the Troll Hide Armor, though this has seemingly fallen out of favor with the uber crowd?

Barbarians UR armor choices aren't really worth it in my opinion, as Brad said you can get up to 6 AC with Dragonhide.

My Barbarian builds use the variety or rare level save boosting or damage resistance granting armors that are at +4 or +5 AC depending on what the dungeon looks like.

For example this year, Dire Spider Hide armor seems good unless you already have the free action effect.