Dragon Whelp

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT?"

Two nails the size of stalagmites pinced together, lifting a tiny, squirming wyrmling into the air for inspection.

"My queen, it appears to be cursed. I have read of a curse that Bahamut worked against Tiamat. I believe that is the only reason your grand majesty could have spawned such a squalling runt."

"Will it get better?"

"I am not certain, my queen. Certainly it will never grow as large or as powerful as you. It is a disappointment, I am sure, but it will also never threaten your sovereignty over these mountains."

There is a dismissive huff, sending a number of small pebbles dancing across the cavern floor.

"Dispose of it."

The eternal struggle between the draconic god-siblings Bahamut and Tiamat is ceaseless, each diety seeking means to gain the upper hand and finally bring all the races of dragonkind under their sway. The Dragon Whelps are an undesired side effect, collateral damage in their epic, ceaseless war. Dragon Whelps have been infused with a divine mutation, natural growth stunted and replaced with a need to seek new experiences. A Dragon Whelp does not mature with time, but with memories.

Scorned Legacy

Even the most benevolent metallic dragon has a hard time accepting a 'defective' hatchling among their spawn. Chromatic dragons often kill them outright, viewing the dragon whelp's existence as a perverse insult.

Those dragon whelps that survive often grow up jaded, resentful of their 'whole' relatives and the parents that discarded them. A brass dragon whelp is often to be just as distrustful of an ancient brass dragon as any human or elf. They're easily provoked by comments regarding their heritage or their 'handicaps'.

Indepedent and Driven

A dragon whelp is innately aware of its need to expand its knowledge of the world and will seek out adventure to do so. Even a selfish dragon whelp may help an impoverished hamlet drive off goblins, if only for the fact that he's never fought goblins before. Likewise, dragon whelps grow easily restless and view boredom and stagnation as a slow death.

If treated well, dragon whelps get along with a wide variety of people, eager to glean insights into the life and experiences of others. A dragon whelp craves variety and information like a true dragon craves gold.

Dragon Whelp Names

Dragons whelps generally give themselves a boastful draconic name, usually lacking one from birth. On occasion they'll instead choose a name that fits in with the community they find a home in. There is no significant difference between male and female dragon whelp names.

Sample Names: Arcath, Arogohua, Chojiqagro, Dasnlesil, Fekipar, Filkiati, Thesekar, Thurkeatu, Vilklvi, Yigmeshar, Zaneun

Dragon Whelp Traits

As a young but growing dragon, there are a number of traits you share with your more conventional dragon cousins.

Ability Score Increase: Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age: Dragon whelps range wildly in chronological age and maturity. They walk hours after hatching and usually attain the mental development of a 10-year-old human child by the age of 6, but are only considered by other dragons to be an adult after their first century of life. Most are no older than 400 years old, but they rarely die from old age.

Alignment: Dragon whelps tend to vary considerably depending on whether they are spawned of Tiamat or Bahamut. Metallic dragon whelps (brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver) tend to be of good alignments, while chromatic dragon whelps (black, blue, green, red, and white) tend to be of evil alignments.

Size: Dragon whelps grow as they gain power and reach for their birthright. A beginning dragon whelp stands roughly three feet at the shoulder, seven feet from snout to tail tip, and averages almost 300 lbs. Your size is Medium.

Draconic Nature

Dragon	Damage Type	Breath Weapon
Black	Acid	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. Save)
Blue	Lightning	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Brass	Fire	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Bronze	Lightning	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Copper	Acid	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Gold	Fire	15 ft. cone (Dex. save)
Green	Acid	15 ft. cone (Dex. save)
Red	Fire	15 ft. cone (Dex. save)
Silver	Cold	15 ft. cone (Dex. save)
White	Cold	15 ft. cone (Dex. save)

Darkvision: Thanks to your dragon senses, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Draconic Nature: You’re a dragon of a particular color. You're considered a dragon instead of a humanoid. Your breath weapon and damage resistance are determined by your color, as shown in the table above. Furthermore, the curse that permeates your soul persists despite a new body. If you are subject to a reincarnate spell, you automatically return as a dragon whelp but your DM determines your color, which may be different than your original color. If, for any reason, you find yourself as a race other than dragon whelp (not including temporary spells like Polymorph) you may create a new body for your soul to inhabit. This requires a long rest as well as 500 gp worth of gems and rare oils. At the conclusion of the long rest, your current body and the ritual materials are consumed and your soul inhabits the new dragon whelp, the size and age of which are appropriate for your Apex Draconis class levels. The DM determines the color.

Breath Weapon: You can use your action to exhale destructive energy. Your draconic nature 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 color. The DC for this saving throw equals 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. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level.

After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest. Staring at 2nd level you may use it twice per short or long rest.

Damage Resistance: You have resistance to the damage type associated with your color.

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.

Apex Draconis

A regal gold wyrm presides over the court, while the magistrate presents the case. All onlookers watch the procedings with bated breath and awe, and the ogre on trial finds itself unable to move a muscle.

A ravenous white predator roars as it leaps from high above a snowy mountain pass. The orcish warband marching through his territory has made a dire mistake.

A scarlet behemoth rumbles in defiance as the goblin hordes' flaming arrows rain ineffectually around her. A gout of dragonfire decimates them and sends the survivors scurrying for cover.

These dragons, as different as they might be, are connected by the shared heritage of ancient power. Dragons have long been known across the Material Plane as one of the oldest and most potent races to ever walk the realms. Though their means of aquiring it vary, all dragons lust for wealth, power, and respect.

Majestic Destroyers

Apex Draconi are rightfully feared by the common folk - the arrival of a dragon in town means chaos and destruction are not far behind. Even if the dragon means well, their size and uncontrollable breath weapon often result in collateral damage - to say nothing of the reckless dragon slayers or glory seekers who might follow in their wake.

Those willing to face the danger alongside such a creature find them valuable allies. Just as competent in battle as any swordsman, with scales as tough as metal, the Apex Draconis can mow down lesser enemies and go toe-to-toe with some of the greatest threats ever known.

Limitless Potential

Scholars believe that millenia ago, the ever-warring god-siblings Tiamat and Bahamut attempted to work powerful magic against one another to undermine the divine status of one another and gain the upper hand. This magic did not succesfully tilt the balance of their struggle, but instead seeped into the blood of all dragons, afflicting newly hatched dragons seemingly at random. These cursed dragons are known as Apex Draconi.

The curse that afflicts an Apex Draconis keeps them from growing more powerful with time, but it also allows them to take control of their own destiny. An Apex Draconis thrives on conflict, as each drop of blood spilled, each new tale spun, fuels their magical growth and takes them ever closer to the realization of their colossal might.

An Apex Draconis actually grows slowly over the course of an adventuring career. While they begin the size of a large dog they eventually grow to the size of an elephant. Thus, the common wisdom of handling dragons continues to hold true - the bigger they are, the more dangerous.

Creating an Apex Draconis

As you create your Apex Draconis character, spend some time thinking about the personality and motivations of your character. What drives you to seek a life of adventure and danger? What makes you different than other dragons, who prefer to hoard their treasures and stay cooped up in a lair? How do you view the other races of the world? Are they worth the same amount of respect, or are they tools to be used?

Talk with your DM about how you will be viewed by others in the world. Should you expect to be confronted by armed guards in every town? Will other dragons view you with suspicion and hostility? An Apex Draconis stands out even more than most well-armed and wealthy adventurers, which can provide for a rich story-telling and roleplaying experience.

Quick Build

You can make an Apex Draconis quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity or Constitution. Second, choose the hermit background.

Class Features

As an Apex Draconis, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d10 per Apex Draconis level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Apex Draconis level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: Light and medium armor.
• Tools: None
• Weapons: None

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• Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
• Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Perception, and Persuasion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) chain mail barding or (b) leather barding
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a scholar's pack
• saddlebags

Teeth Like Swords

At 1st level, you may use your Attack action to make a bite attack that deals 1d8 piercing damage plus your Strength modifier and an additional 1d4 damage of the type corresponding to your racial Draconic Nature trait.

At 5th level your bite improves to 2d6 piercing damage plus your Strength modifier and 1d8 elemental damage, and all damage you deal with this feature is considered magical.

At 11th level, when you take the Attack action you may also make a claw attack that deals 2d6 slashing damage plus your Strength modifier in addition to your bite attack.

At 20th level level your bite improves to 2d10 piercing damage plus your Strength modifier and 2d8 elemental damage.

Tenfold Shields

At 1st level, you’re covered in a sheet of armor-like scales. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.

At 6th level, your AC equals 14 + your Dexterity modifier.

At 19th level, your AC equals 15 + your Dexterity modifier.

My Breath is Death

At 2nd level, you may unleash a particularly powerful elemental attack. Treat this feature like your racial Breath Weapon, but deal twice as many damage die as usual. Once used, this feature cannot be used until you take a long rest.

At 6th level, the range of your breath weapon increases. If it is a line, it increases to a 5x60' line. If it is a cone, it increases to a 30' cone.

At 13th level you may use this feature one additional time per long rest.

Draconic Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose a specific Draconic Archetype (either Apex Magi or Apex Praedatoris) which gives you a specific feature, and you gain additional features at levels 7, 10, 15, and 18.

Legendary Resilience

At 9th level, when you fail a saving throw, you may choose to reroll it. You must use the new result, even if it is lower. Once you use this feature, you may not use it again until you complete a long rest. At 17th level you may use it twice per long rest.

Wolf Among Sheep

At 11th level, the slow but steady growth you have experienced accelerates and pushes you into the large size category. Your magical nature allows you to shrink your size down to medium, but you incur a -2 penalty to weapon damage rolls while in this reduced form. Reducing your size or resuming your natural size requires a bonus action.

At 20th level, your size becomes Huge. Your damage penalty for shrinking to medium remains -2.

Wings Like a Hurricane

At 14th level, your wings are finally strong enough to lift you airborne. You gain a fly speed equal to your regular overland movement speed.

At 19th level, your fly speed improves to twice your regular movement speed.

Draconic Archetypes

Apex Magi

An Apex Magi knows that true arcane power pulses through their veins. You have chosen to call forth this power, casting spells much like a sorcerer does, supplementing your melee prowess with the ability to burn or dominate your opponents.

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you augment your physical power with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the sorcerer spell list.

Cantrips: You learn two cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn an additional sorcerer cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots: The Apex Magi Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell chromatic orb and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast chromatic orb using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher: You know three 1st-level sorcerer spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the enchantment and evocation spells on the sorcerer spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Apex Magi Spellcasting table shows when you learn more sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an enchantment or evocation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the sorcerer spells you know with another spell of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 20th level.

Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to project your will into the world. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Armor Bond

At 3rd level, you learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and a suit of barding. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The armor must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the armor and forge the bond.

Once you have bonded a suit of barding to yourself, it cannot be removed unless you wish it or you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon it to you as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to instantly appear on your body.

You may only have one bonded suit of barding at a time. If you attempt to bond with a second suit, you must break the bond with the previous one.

Arcane Maw

At 7th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make a bite attack as a bonus action.

Draconic Will

At 10th level, you may spend an action undermining a creature’s resistance to your spells. If you do, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.

Arcane Breath

At 15th level, when you use your Breath Weapon (but not My Breath is Death), you may cast a spell of 2nd level or lower as a bonus action. The spell must target at least one creature affected by your Breath Weapon or be centered in the area.

Improved Arcane Maw

At 18th level, when you use your action to cast a spell, you can make one bite attack as a bonus action.

Apex Praedatoris

An Apex Praedatoris knows that dragons are the most dangerous creatures to walk the Material Plane. You are a particularly violent and athletic example of the Apex Draconis.

Living Destruction

At 3rd level, when you hit a creature with your bite or claw attacks, you deal an additional 2 damage. You also gain proficiency with heavy barding. At 4th level your damage bonus increases to 4 damage.

Scaled Alacrity

At 7th level your regular walking speed increases to 40 feet. You also gain a speed of 30 feet for your choice of Burrow, Climb, or Swim speed.

Clawed Consistency

At 10th level, whenever you roll a 3 or lower on any of your attack damage die, you may reroll that die, accepting the new result.

Superior Living Destruction

At 15th level the damage bonus granted from Living Destruction increases by 2 damage, to a total bonus of 4 damage.

Unslayable Monstrousity

At 18th level, when you are brought to half hit points or fewer, you gain resistance to all damage until the end of combat. Once used, this cannot be used again until after a short rest.

Credit

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