Quote Originally Posted by diplomancer View Post
In Xanathar's shared campaign rules(which I suppose is the best approximation we have of expected wealth by level) , gp reward for reaching level 2 is 75 gp. More than enough to buy scale mail. Dex characters are now getting their studded leather and reaching AC 17 if they are wearing a shield (many are ranged characters with no shields). Str characters are still at 18 (with stealth disadvantage).

With 2 short rests, a level 2 druid can remain in wildshape for 6 hours of the 8 hour day. Many campaigns work with shorter exploring hours.

And level 2 is the strongest relative point for Moon Druids, not so much for other druids. That is, unless you buff them by ignoring the rulebook and letting them wear metal scale mail. That might just enough to push all druids as the most powerful characters at level 2 (when bonus actions are still relatively unused, for what it's worth).
The cost of heavy armor has be noted as being put of line for a long time. Not an issue with druid or medium armor. If anything they are probably double of what they should be.
I figured that 75 gold has to cover, living expenses, any tools/ healing kits(druid start with herbalism kit proficiency but not the kit it self), consumables, transportation fees, and who knows what else. A few bad rolls and maybe the party is pooling gold to revive a party member or a NPC they failed to protect. it's just fair if you're going to assume the druid has an upgrade than the pseudo heavy armor wearer should have splint.

Lv 2 is a strong point I druid because like wizards they get a subclass. Forget moon druid, shepherd is the king of lv 2.

you keep coming back to wild shapes is the issue but the armor will have zero effect on it. It's like if I think fireballs too powerful so I take away mage armor.