Dragonborn [revised]
“The fighter boy was down, the monk girl was overwhelmed, the
cleric girl had wet herself, and the wizard girl got stabbed. Fortunately for these beginners, most goblins were now in a narrow pathway, and he was a dragonborn. As he inhaled deeply, he wondered what roasted goblin would smell like.”
— Rhogar, Dragonborn veteran and savior of newbies
Born of dragons, as their name proclaims, the dragonborn walk proudly through a world that greets them with fearful incomprehension. Shaped by draconic gods or the dragons themselves, dragonborn were created with the essence of true dragons as a unique race, combining the best attributes of dragons and humanoids. Some dragonborn (reluctantly) serve true dragons, others form the ranks of soldiers in great wars, and still others find themselves adrift, with no clear calling in life.
The blood of a dragon runs strong through all dragonborn. A dragonborn’s color imparts many traits upon them, including varying types of breath weapon, as well as scales that closely match those of their dragon ancestor — bright red, green, blue, or white, lustrous black, or gleaming metallic gold, silver, brass, copper, or bronze.
In addition, each dragonborn possesses a fragment of what makes up a true dragon. Those whose fragment grants them a tail are often shunned, due to it being considered a bad omen for a dragonborn to have a tail.
Dragonborn Traits
Your draconic heritage manifests in a variety of traits you share with other dragonborn.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2. One score, based on your draconic ancestry, increases by 1.
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 (represented by Bahamut and Tiamat, respectively). 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.
Draconic Ancestry. You have draconic ancestry. Choose one type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestry table. Your breath weapon (shape, range and damage type), and damage resistance are determined by the dragon type.
Breath Weapon. You can use your action to exhale destructive energy. Your draconic ancestry determines the size, shape, saving throw type, 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 DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 + your proficiency bonus damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. You regain the use of your breath weapon after finishing a short or long rest.
The damage increases by an additional 1d6 at 6th level, 11th level, and 16th level.
Draconic Ancestry
| Dragon | Damage Type | Breath Weapon | Ability score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Acid | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) | Constitution |
| Blue | Lightning | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) | Constitution |
| Brass | Fire | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) | Charisma |
| Bronze | Lightning | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) | Charisma |
| Copper | Acid | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) | Charisma |
| Gold | Fire | 15 ft. cone (Dex. save) | Wisdom |
| Green | Poison | 15 ft. cone (Con. save) | Charisma |
| Red | Fire | 15 ft. cone (Dex. save) | Constitution |
| Silver | Cold | 15 ft. cone (Con. save) | Intelligence |
| White | Cold | 15 ft. cone (Con. save) | Constitution |
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestry. In addition, green dragonborn have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned.
Natural Weapons. You grow retractable claws from the tips of your fingers. Extending or retracting the claws requires no action. The claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the normal bludgeoning damage for an unarmed strike. You can also use your bite, which follow the same rules as your claws, but deal piercing damage instead.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic. Draconic is thought to be one of the oldest languages and is often used in the study of magic. The language sounds harsh to most other creatures and includes numerous hard consonants and sibilants.
Subraces. Choose one of the subraces below. Your choice will determine additional benefits.
Dragonborn Names
Dragonborn have personal names given at birth, but they put their clan names first as a mark of honor. Childhood names are often given by clutchmates as a descriptive term.
- Male Names: Arjhan, Balasar, Bharash, Donaar, Ghesh, Heskan, Kriv, Medrash, Mehen, Nadarr, Pandjed, Patrin, Rhogar, Shamash, Shedinn, Tarhun, Torinn
- Female Names: Akra, Biri, Daar, Farideh, Harann, Havilar, Jheri, Kava, Korinn, Mishann, Nala, Perra, Raiann, Sora, Surina, Thava, Uadjit
- Childhood Names: Climber, Earbender, Leaper, Pious, Shieldbiter, Zealous
- Clan Names: Clethtinthiallor, Daardendrian, Delmirev, Drachedandion, Fenkenkabradon, Kepeshkmolik, Kerrhylon, Kimbatuul, Linxakasendalor, Myastan,
- Clan Names: Nemmonis, Norixius, Ophinshtalajiir, Prexijandilin, Shestendeliath, Turnuroth, Verthisathurgiesh, Yarjerit
Subraces
In addition to being aligned to a particular type of dragon, dragonborn also possess fragments of what makes up a true dragon. These blessings cause them to be divided into four subraces, with Dreadcaller being the most common. Murkdwellers are the only ones with a tail, and are often shunned because of it. Even while half dragons, known for their long tails, are generally accepted within dragonborn society.
Dreadcaller
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Draconic Fear. You can roar as an action, forcing each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). They automatically succeed on the save if they can't hear or see you. On a failed save, a target becomes frightened of you for 1 minute. If the frightened target takes any damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. You regain the use of this trait after finishing a long rest.
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Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Murkdweller
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Darkvision. 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.
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Prehensile Tail. Your tail is prehensile and can manipulate objects up to a range of 10 ft. The tail can only lift a number of pounds equal to five times your Strength score. You can use it to do the following simple tasks: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or a creature; open or close a door or a container; grapple someone; or make an unarmed strike. Your DM might allow other simple tasks to be added to that list of options. Your tail can't wield weapons or shields or do anything that requires manual precision, such as using tools or magic items or performing the somatic components of a spell.
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Tail Lash. Your tail can be used to slap or trip up opponents. You can use your bonus action to shove an opponent within 5 ft of you. You can make shove actions to opponents within 10 ft, but if you do, you can only pull them 5 ft towards yourself. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Steelscale
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Hardened Scales. You gain a +1 bonus to your AC while not wearing heavy armor. Instead of this bonus, you can calculate your AC as 13 + your Dexterity modifier. A shield’s benefits apply as normal and on top of either option.
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Draconic Savagery. When you make a melee attack on your turn, or you use your action to use your breath weapon, you can use your bonus action to make a special attack with your bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and an additional 1d4 damage of the type associated with your Draconic Ancestry, and you can’t use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest. This additional damage increases to 2d4 at 6th level, 3d4 at 11th level, and 4d4 at 16th level.
Wayfarer
- Wings. You have draconic wings sprouting from your shoulder blades. When falling you can use your reaction to slow your descent, as if under the effects of a feather fall spell. However you can move one foot horizontally for each foot that you fall. At 6th level you can grant yourself a flying speed of 30 feet as a bonus action for a duration of 1 minute. Afterwards you must finish a long rest before you can use this flight again. At 14th level you can instead fly indefinitely at a speed of 30 feet. If you already possess a flying speed then this flying speed will instead increase by 20 feet. Your clothes and armor have to be modified to accommodate your wings, and you can't use your wings while wearing heavy armor.
- Hardened Resistance. You have an echo of the toughness of a true dragon. You can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can’t use this trait again until you finish a long rest.
Additional Options
At your DM's discretion, the following options may be available to dragonborn.
Feat: Draconic Heritage
Prerequisite: Dragonborn
You are blessed by Bahamut or Tiamat, granting you another fragment of what makes a true dragon.
- When you take this feat you gain the traits of one of the other dragonborn subraces which you didn't choose. You can take this feat multiple times, but each time you must choose a dragonborn subrace whose traits you don’t have yet. Your breath weapon’s damage is increased by 1d6 each time that you take this feat. If you possess both this feat and the traits of the Steelscale subrace, then you can increase the damage dice of your Natural Weapons and Draconic Savagery traits from d4 to d6.