Unique Dragonborn: Lung
The dragonborn are a race of humanoids possessing the power of dragons. Their origins differ from world to world.
Dragon-Created. On some worlds, dragons ruled the land in ancient days and engaged in epic conflicts with each other. They turned to the young mortal races as a source of recruits. Dragons performed biomagical experiments to infuse the mortals with their blood or essence, creating a new race.
Dragon-Descended. On some worlds, dragonborn are the eventual product of a dragon mating with a humanoid. They may be the offspring of a half-dragon and another humanoid.
Ritual of Rebirth. On some worlds, dragonborn are not a true race. They instead are humanoids who have abandoned their original form and undergone a ritual of rebirth at the hands of either a draconic deity or a particularly powerful wyrm. They use their newfound power to serve as one of their transformer's elite agents.
The information given here is for Dragon-Created dragonborn. It may differ for Dragon-Descended or Rite of Rebirth dragonborn. For example, Rite of Rebirth dragonborn would be size Small instead of Medium if they were originally a halfling or gnome.
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength or Charisma score increases by 1, and one other ability score of your choice 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.
From left to right:
shen lung,
pan lung (top),
t'ien lung (bottom),
and tun mi lung dragons.
Alignment
Dragonborn have slight tendencies toward the alignment of their draconic progenitor. For example, shen lung dragonborn are more often lawful than chaotic. That said, dragonborn are free to choose their destiny.
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 Abilities
You are distantly related to a particular kind of dragon or otherwise wield their power. Choose a type of dragon from the below list; this determines the damage and area of your breath weapon, and the type of resistance you gain.
| Dragon Type | Damage Type | Breath Weapon |
|---|---|---|
| Li Lung | Thunder | 10' radius circle centered on you (CON save) |
| T'ien Lung | Fire | 15' cone (DEX save) |
Where are the breath weapons?
Few lung dragonborn have breath weapons. They have other abilities described below.
Breath Weapon
You can use your action to exhale destructive energy. It deals damage in an area according to the type of dragon whose powers you have. When you use your breath weapon, all creatures in the area must make a saving throw, the type of which is determined by the type of dragon whose powers you have. The DC of this saving throw is 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. After using your breath weapon, you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Starting at 3rd level, your breath weapon deals extra damage equal to your level.
Starting at 5th level, you can perform a quickened breath as a bonus action. A quickened breath deals only half as much damage as normal.
In addition, you can use your action to perform a very weak version of your breath weapon that affects a target within 5 feet of you. This creates a minor effect that deals no damage. For example, a t'ien lung dragonborn could light a torch.
Ritual of Rebirth Dragonborn
If you are a Ritual of Rebirth Dragonborn, you may work with your DM to identify "cultural" racial traits like rock gnomes' Tinker trait that you retain after becoming a dragonborn. As doing so increases the power of this race, it is recommended that you forego choosing a Draconic Aspect if you choose this option.
Draconic Aspect
In addition to wielding the power of a particular variety of dragon, dragonborn emulate dragons in several different ways. You have one of the following draconic aspects.
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.
Fierceness. Although all dragonborn have tough scales, yours are especially hard. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 12 + 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.
You also possess sharp claws and teeth which are natural weapons which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with a bite attack, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier. If you hit with a claw attack, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.
Some dragonborn have tails. If you have the Fierceness trait and a tail, you can use it as a natural weapon too. It deals 1d4 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage on a hit.
Water-Adapted. Compared with most of their chromatic and metallic cousins, lung dragonborn have strong ties to water. Chiang lung, pan lung, shen lung, t'ien lung, and tun mi lung dragonborn can select the Water-Adapted aspect. Choosing this aspect allows you to breathe water and gives you a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Wings. You have a pair of wings. Although they aren't strong enough for you to truly fly with, they are still quite useful. They give you a bit of lift when jumping. Your Strength score is treated as if it was 5 higher than it actually is for determining how far and high you can jump.
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your wings to glide. When you fall and are not incapacitated, you can subtract up to 100 feet from your fall when calculating your fall damage and can move horizontally 2 feet for every 1 foot you fall.
Starting at 5th level, when you fall and are not incapacitated, you take no damage from the fall.
Starting at 7th level, when you fall and are incapacitated, your wings naturally unfurl, and powerful ligaments stiffen them. You descend slowly in a tight corkscrew and take only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter the actual distance of the fall.
Of the lung dragonborn, only li lung dragonborn can actually have a physical pair of wings. However, chiang lung, pan lung, shen lung, t'ien lung, and tun mi lung dragonborn can still select the Wings aspect. Such dragonborn instead have a magical pearl embedded in their brains that gives them flying capabilities equivalent to the Wings aspect.
Languages
You can read, speak, and write Common and Draconic.
Unique Aspect
Dragonborn have one or more unique abilities depending on the type of dragon whose power they have.
Chiang Lung. Chiang lung dragonborn don't have a damage resistance, but they do have an ability similar to a breath weapon.
As an action, you can send forth a wave of water in a line 30 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 5 feet tall starting from you. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your breath weapon DC. Creatures that fail take bludgeoning damage equal to your breath weapon's damage and are knocked prone. Creatures that succeed take half as much damage and aren't knocked prone. The water then spreads out across the ground in all directions, extinguishing unprotected flames in its area and within 10 feet of it.
Once you use this trait, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. This trait counts as a breath weapon for the purpose of the Deep Breath feat.
Starting at 5th level, you can use this trait as a bonus action. If you do, it does half damage, and creatures aren't knocked prone even if they fail their saving throw.
In addition, you can breathe storm clouds. By spending 1 minute concentrating while outdoors, you can create a storm in a 1-mile radius circle centered on you that lasts for 1 hour. The storm doesn't move with you. Once you use this trait, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
From left to right: chiang lung, li lung, and lung wang dragons.
Li Lung. Li lung dragonborn appear radically different from other dragonborn. They closely resemble leonin. Those that are winged possess beautiful peacock-like feathers.
A li lung dragonborn's breath weapon is a fearsome roar that sounds like the scraping of rock against metal. Creatures that roll a 1 on the d20 on their saving throw against it are deafened until the end of your next turn.
Li lung dragonborn also have advantage on saving throws against the spells Earth Tremor, Earthquake, and similar earthquake-like effects (including real ones).
Lung Wang. Lung wang dragonborn also stand out from the crowd, possessing a formidable shell similar to that of tortles, but more streamlined. Lung wang dragonborn don't have a breath weapon or damage resistance. They all have the Water-Adapted Draconic Aspect.
Because of their shells, lung wang dragonborn have the Natural Armor and Shell Defense racial traits of tortles.
Pan Lung. Pan lung dragonborn don't have a breath weapon or damage resistance. However, you can select two Draconic Aspects instead of one.
Pan lung dragonborn have a natural talent with illusions. You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast Silent Image once between long rests. Starting at 5th level, you can cast Phantasmal Force once between long rests. You can cast these spells without verbal, somatic, or material components. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
In addition, when you are touching water, you can spend a bonus action to surround yourself with ghostly, flickering, multi-colored flames. These flames last for 1 minute or until you aren't touching water. While the flames are active, creatures that hit you with a melee attack take fire damage equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1). Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Shen Lung. Shen lung dragonborn don't have a breath weapon or damage resistance. However, they all possess the Fierceness Draconic Aspect plus one more aspect of their choice. They all have particularly long, spiked tails. Your tail attack deals 1d6 piercing damage, and has a range of 10 feet when you attack with it on your turn.
Shen lung dragonborn also possess subtler powers. As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the end of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Starting at 3rd level, you can cast Bless as a 1st level spell once between long rests. Starting at 5th level, you can cast Detect Thoughts once between long rests. You can cast these spells without verbal, somatic, or material components. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
T'ien Lung. T'ien lung dragonborn exude a pleasant aroma reminiscent of cherry blossoms. When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check and roll a 1 on the d20, you can reroll it. Keep rerolling until you roll something other than a 1; you take the new result.
Tun Mi Lung. Tun mi lung don't have a breath weapon or damage resistance. However, you have advantage on saving throws against air-based and water-based attacks and effects like Gust of Wind, Tidal Wave, and the special abilities of air and water elementals.
Tun mi lung dragonborn possess a fragment of their progenitor's power to summon typhoons. You know the Gust cantrip and can cast it as a bonus action and without verbal or somatic components. Starting at 3rd level, creatures that fail their saving throw against it are pushed up to 10 feet away, and you can affect Large creatures. Starting at 5th level, you can cast Gust of Wind once without verbal, somatic, or material components. You regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Racial Feats
Deep Breath
Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Your breath weapon is particularly strong and it recharges like that of a true dragon. You gain the following benefits.
-
Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
-
Your breath weapon deals extra damage equal to half your level.
-
At the start of each of your turns after you use your breath weapon, roll a d6. If you roll a 6, you regain your use of your breath weapon.
Double Dragonborn
Prerequisite: Dragonborn
You wield the powers of two types of dragons. You gain the following benefits.
-
Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
-
Choose one type of dragonborn. You gain its Unique Aspect and resistance to its breath weapon damage type, and you can use that dragonborn's breath weapon in place of your normal one. However, if you already don't have a breath weapon, you don't get one by choosing this feat.
Second Aspect
Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Your enhance your draconic abilities. You gain the following benefits.
-
Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
-
You gain a second Draconic Aspect. However, you can select the Water-Adapted aspect only if you are a chiang lung, pan lung, shen lung, t'ien lung, or tun mi lung dragonborn, or if you have selected one of those dragonborn types for the Double Dragonborn feat.
Double Dragonborn Notes
Chiang lung. Chiang lung dragonborns' ability to conjure a wave of water counts as a breath weapon for the purpose of this feat. Thus, a chiang lung dragonborn that selected red dragonborn as their second type could, once between rests, either conjure a wave of water or breathe fire. Similarly, a dragonborn without a breath weapon that selects chiang lung dragonborn as their second type doesn't gain the ability to conjure a wave of water. Lung wang. Other dragonborn cannot select lung wang as their second type; however, lung wang dragonborn can still select this feat. Pan lung. If you select pan lung dragonborn, you gain their spellcasting abilities and their power to surround themselves in ghostly fire, but not a second Draconic Aspect. Shen lung. If you select shen lung dragonborn, you gain their ability to turn invisible and spellcasting abilities, but not their improved tail attack or a second Draconic Aspect.
Art Credit
Wayne Reynolds