A note
I've always loved dragonborn conceptually, but felt that the version provided in the Player's Handbook was somewhat lackluster. The goal of this homebrew is to give the dragonborn a bit of a boost, as well as making it feel a bit more dragon-like.
The main changes I've made are adding darkvision, buffing the breath weapon, and adding subraces, each with its own distinct draconic flavor. This may be altered as I receive feedback.
Homebrew balance is a tricky subject, and people often have differing opinions. The Skyborn in particular is a controversial subrace because of its flying speed. I cannot stress enough that the DM's word is law, and if you want to run this in your game but don't like Skyborn, or if you want to use this as a player but your DM is uncomfortable with allowing flight, then don't use it. If you like it, go for it!
Dragonhearted: A Revised Dragonborn
Dragonborn Traits
Your draconic heritage manifests itself in a variety of traits you share with other dragonborn.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Age. Young dragonborn grow quickly. They walk hours after hatching, attain the size and development of a 10-year-old human child by the age of 3, and reach adulthood by 15. They live to be around 80.
Alignment. Dragonborn tend to extremes, making a conscious choice for one side or the other in the cosmic war between good and evil. Most dragonborn are good, but those who side with Tiamat can be terrible villains.
Size. Dragonborn are taller and heavier than humans, standing well over 6 feet tall and averaging almost 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Your draconic heritage grants you the ability to see in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Draconic Ancestry. You have draconic ancestry. Choose one type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestry table (PHB p.34). Your breath weapon and damage resistance are determined by the dragon type, as shown in the table.
Breath Weapon. Once per turn, you can use one of your attacks to exhale destructive energy. Your draconic ancestry determines the size, shape, and damage type of the exhalation.
When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a saving throw, the type of which is determined by your draconic ancestry. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. The damage of this breath weapon is a number of d6 equal to your proficiency bonus. A creature takes full damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful save.
You can use your breath weapon a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestry.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.
Subraces. The draconic ancestry of dragonborn manifests itself in slightly different ways among the four subraces: the earthborn, skyborn, beastmind, and bloodtouched dragonborn. Choose one of these subraces.
Earthborn
The Earthborn are hardier and stronger than their other dragonborn kin, and their draconic ancestry manifests itself in their hard, durable scales. These dragonborn tend to be taller and stronger, and their scales tend to be duller. They prefer to make their homes underground.
Ability Score Increase. Your Consitution score increases by 1.
Draconic Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Natural Armor. Your scales are tougher than those of other dragonborn, reminiscent of your draconic kin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Skyborn
The Skyborn are nimble and quick on their feet, and tend to be a bit shorter than other dragonborn. These dragonborn have powerful wings sprouting from their back, much like their draconic kin. They prefer to make their homes up high in the mountains, closer to the sky.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you can't be wearing heavy armor.
Beastmind
These dragonborn are more bestial and ferocious than their kin. Their draconic heritage manifests itself in ferocious claws and teeth, as well as powerful tails. These dragonborn tend to live in roaming packs.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Natural Weaponry. Your teeth and claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier.
Additionally, you have a powerful tail, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. Your tail has a reach of 10ft, and if you hit with it, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.
Bloodtouched
The power of the dragons runs strong in the bloodtouched dragonborn. These dragonborn have some of the inherent charisma of the dragons, as well as inherent spellcasting abilities. These dragonborn can be found sprinkled among tribes of other subraces, or in clans that make their home in urban areas.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Empowered Breath Weapon. Your draconic blood grants you a more powerful breath weapon. Your breath weapon's damage increases by 1d6.
Draconic Magic. You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. The cantrip must deal elemental damage of the same type as your draconic ancestry. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
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Credits
- Art: Goran Josic, Matias Trabold Rehren
- Revised Dragonborn by /u/JoanArdent.
- Subrace names by /u/eruantien_h.
- Some text taken from PHB p. 34.