True Dragon Class (V1.6.1)

Is this a race or a class?

Well... Yes!

This is a combination of a race and a class. This means that a dragon can choose to take levels in any class he desires or choose to just focus on bringing out his natural talents. In either case, most other races can not take levels in this class due to it being a focus on innate abilities that other races simply don’t have.

Racial information

Ability score increase. Your Strength and Charisma scores both increase by one. Choose one other score to increase by one, as well.

Age. You should start your adventure at around age 1-10, but dragons can live upwards of 1,000 years or more.

Alignment. Dragons widely vary in alignment, with metallics usually falling into good aligments, chromatics in the evil alignments, and gems tending towards neutrality.

Size. Your size is medium.

Speed. You have a walking speed of 30 feet and a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You cannot fly in heavy armor and fly at half speed in medium armor.

Darkvision. You have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.

Type. Your creature type is dragon.

Language. You can speak Common and Draconic.

Resistance. Choose one Dragon type from the list below. You have resistance to the element of your dragon type.

Dragon Type

Unique Physiology. You are unable to wear normal armor and have disadvantage on attack rolls using weapons not designed for you unless polymorphed, shapechanged, or otherwise transformed into a humanoid. Barding may be purchased at 4 times the cost of regular armor of the same stats. You still use Dexterity to determine your AC while wearing barding. Magic armor that resizes to fit the wearer will still adjust to fit your form.

Natural Weapons. You have access to a host of natural weapons: Teeth, wings, claws, and even your tail are all at your disposal.

Your bite and tail attacks deal 1d10 piercing or bludgeoning damage, respectively.

Your claws and wings have the Light and Finesse properties, may be used to make unarmed strikes, and deal 1d6 slashing or bludgeoning damage.

Breath Weapon. You can use your action to exhale destructive energy. Your dragon type determines the size, shape, and damage type of the exhalation.

The DC for this Saving Throw equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.

On a failed save, any creature hit by your breath weapon takes 2d8 damage, and half as much damage on a success. The damage increases to 3d8 at 6th level, 4d8 at 11th level, and 5d8 at 16th level.

If you have levels in the True Dragon class, the damage is equal to the matching amount on the chart if that damage is higher.

You may use your breath weapon a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. You regain all uses of this ability upon finishing a long rest.

Homebrew Content

Ask your Dungeon Master before using this class. A dragon adventurer may or may not fit in a normal campaign. As always, check to see if any homebrew content you are using fits the game before running it.

True Dragon

Creating a dragon

To build a dragon, start with the race described earlier and take 1 level of this class.

Dragons are diverse creatures, with a wide variety of skills and personalities. Your character should reflect this. Are you greedy and hungry for more than just power, or are you helpful by nature, or maybe just curious? Maybe you were hatched by a traveler that got adventurous or maybe you hatched on the side of a mountain and, seeing the world, decided to explore it.

Expect fear and mistrust to follow you, regardless of your alignment or intentions. Many humanoid races will misunderstand your actions and likely even be hostile toward you until you prove yourself to them.

Quick build

You can quickly make a dragon by following these suggestions. First, Strength or Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Hermit background.

Class Features

As a dragon, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

modifier per dragon level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Barding
Weapons: Simple weapons (in alternate forms)
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance. Persuasion, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with 5d4 x 10 gp in funds, a satchel, and a saddle if you choose.

Wyrm's Might

Beginning at 1st level, the power of your ancestors begins to take effect. Your scales and natural aura are all you need to protect yourself.

While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Strength modifier + your Charisma modifier.

Resilient Lungs

You have become more focused in combat and have learned to mix more of your natural weapons into your fighting style.

At level 2, at the start of each turn that you have no uses of your breath weapon remaining, roll a d6. On a roll of a 6, you regain one use of your breath weapon.

Draconic Classification

At level 3, you begin to show signs of your true abilities, and start to settle into different classifications called Drives. You gain a Drive, such as the Drive of Adrenaline.

Your classification grants you abilities at 3rd level and additional ones at 7th, 11th, and 17th level.

Additionally, you gain a number of Vigor points equal to your class level, which are used to fuel your Drive abilities. All expended Vigor points are recovered upon finishing a short or long rest.

Extra Attack

Your physical vigor has increased to the point that you are able to swing more wildly and effectively.

Beginning at 5th Level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.

Magic Strikes

The strength of your mighty blows has increased beyond the physical capabilities of your peers.

At 6th level, your melee attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Heightened Senses

Your senses have been sharpened through constant use.

At level 9, you gain Blindsight with a range of 10 feet.

This increases to 20 feet at level 12, and 30 feet at level 15.

Growth (Large)

Beginning at 10th level, your body has increased in size and power.

You are considered Large for the purposes of determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift, and for determining the size of creature you can grapple. Your Bite and Tail attacks gain the reach property.

Additionally, your base movement speed increases to 40 feet.

Keen Interest

You have developed a fascination or curiosity with certain skills that you already possess.

At 13th level, you gain one skill proficiency of your choice. Additionally, you may choose one skill you have proficiency in. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check that uses that skill.

Frightful Presence

You have awakened the ability known to your ancestors as “The Dragon’s Right” in their native tongue.

Beginning at 14th level, you gain a frightful presence. On your turn, as an action, you may attempt to frighten creatures of your choice whithin 30 feet of you. They must make a Wisdom save equal to 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Charisma modifier. On a failed save, they become Frightened of you for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, Ending the Effect on itself on a success. Creatures that are immune to fear or charm effects are unaffected by this ability.

After you use your frightful presence, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Lucky Save

At 15th level, you gain the uncanny ability to shake off effects that would leave others defenseless.

When you fail a saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. You may use this ability 3 times and regain all spent uses when you finish a long rest.

Robust Defenses

At 18th level, you have grown completely comfortable in your own element and suffer no adverse effect from it.

You gain immunity to your breath weapon's damage type.

Growth (Huge)

Beginning at 20th level, you have become a titanic beast, full of raw energy and power.

Your size increases to Large and you are considered Huge for the purposes of determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift, and for determining the size of creature you can grapple. Your base movement speed increases to 50 feet.

Legendary

At 20th level, when a creature ends its turn within 5 feet range of you, you may use your reaction to make a single melee attack against them.

Draconic Drives

At 3rd level, you gain a focus of your innate abilities. This focus is called a Draconic Drive.

Your drive grants you an ability at level 3 and additional features at 7th, 11th, and 17th level.

Drive of Adrenaline

Adrenaline class dragons focus on getting in and out of a fight as quickly as possible. Their natural inclination toward pure speed makes them an incredible assest as an ally and a nightmare as an enemy.

A dragon that focuses on this drive will be dipping in and out of combat as quickly as a duelist and hitting harder than a bear. Their fangs bared as they head straight towards the enemy, they pull up and slash with their claws instead, a ruse designed to take the enemy by surprise.

Cunning Flight

When you take this Drive at level 3, your guile in battle is sharpened and you learn to be more crafty in how you approach your enemy.

You can spend 1 Vigor point to take the Disengage or Dodge action as a bonus action. If you do, you your flying speed is doubled until the end of your turn.

Sudden Retaliation

At 7th level, when enemies attack you, you can retaliate by kicking sand and rocks into the air or twisting out of the way.

When a hostile creature makes a melee attack against you, you can spend 1 Vigor point as a reaction to give them disadvantage on all melee attack rolls against you until the start of their next turn, including the triggering attack.

Overhead Advantage

Starting at 11th level, you are a masterful combatant while airborne. The first attack you make each turn while flying is made with advantage.

In addition, if you take the Dash action on your turn, you may make a melee attack as a bonus action. This special melee attack scores a critical hit on a roll of a 19 or 20.

Iron Grasp

At level 17, when you move, drag, or carry a grappled creature with you, your movement speed is not reduced if the creature you are grappling is your size or smaller. This bonus can only apply to one creature at a time.

Drive of Devastation

Devastation class dragons focus on bringing out the full destructive potential of their breath weapons, but are also adept at using it in ways that aren't strictly brute force.

They are usually seen above a battlefield raining destruction down with their empowered breath, laying waste to whatever may be foolish enough to be caught in front of it.

Ignition Spark

When you take this Drive at level 3, you gain the ability to change your breath weapon in various ways when you use it.

You gain two metabreath abilities that you can choose to use when you use your breath weapon: Shape Breath and Shifting Breath.

You may only use one metabreath option at time on your breath weapon and most require a small number of vigor points to use.

Additionally, when you roll for your Resilient Lungs feature, you regain a use of your breath weapon on a 5 or 6, instead of only on a 6.

Shape Breath (no cost): Your breath weapon may take the form of a 30 foot line or a 15 foot cone, as you choose. This ability can be used in combination with other metabreath options.

If your breath weapon increases in size, the bonus applies to your to your alternate breath weapon form as well.

Shifting Breath (1 vigor point): You may designate a number of targets equal to your Charisma modifier to automatically succeed on the save against your breath weapon and take no damage from it.

Elemental Engine

At 7th level, you may add your Charisma modifier to the damage of your breath weapon.

Additionally, when you use your breath weapon, you may move up to 10 feet. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Forceful Breaths

At 11th level, you gain two new metabreath abilities: Repelling breath and Hurl breath

Repelling Breath (2 vigor points): Creatures who fail the save of your breath weapon are pushed back 10 feet.

Hurl Breath (2 vigor points): When you use your breath weapon, you may instead fling it to a point you choose within 50 feet. It detonates, damaging every creature in a 15 foot radius of the point you designate.

Mastered Potential

At 17th level, you have gained superb control of your breath weapon and have learned new metabreath abilities: Targeted Breath and Overwhelming Breath

Targeted Breath (3 vigor points): You may choose to make an attack roll instead of a saving throw for your breath weapon. If you choose an attack roll, you make a spell attack roll using charisma against each target instead of the targets rolling saves. As your breath is now an attack, it can now crit. When you use this ability, the size of your breath weapon is doubled.

Overwhelming Breath (3 Vigor Points) When you use your breath weapon, it ignores resistance and treats immunity as resistance.

Drive of Invulnerability

Invulnerability class dragons focus all of their strength into their scales and magical defenses. They shrug off attacks that would cleave a normal creature in two without the slightest thought.

An Invulnerable on the battlefield is a sight to behold in its own right. Arrows bouncing off their scales like chaff, axes breaking upon their hides as if they were twigs, this class of dragon strolls through a warzone with no more thought than walking in the rain.

Ironscale

Starting at 3rd Level, you can spend 1 vigor point to use your Reaction when you are hit by an attack to gain resistance to the damage from that attack.

In addition, when you do, you may choose 1 creature within 5 feet of you if it was a melee attack or within 15 feet of you if it was a ranged attack. The target takes damage equal to your Strength modifier + your dragon level. The damage is of the same type as the attack that triggered ironscale.

Protective Aura

At 7th level, friendly creatures of your choice other than yourself within 10 feet of you add your Charisma modifier to their AC against the first attack made against them each round.

Adamantine Body

Your scales have hardened to a strength that rivals the hardest metals.

Starting at 11th level, any critical hit against you counts as a normal hit instead, unless you are incapacitated.

In addition, when an ally within 10 feet of you suffers a critical hit, you may use your reaction and spend 2 vigor points to turn it into a normal hit.

Assault Bastion

At 17th level, you may choose to become the target of any attack you can see that an enemy makes (no action required) unless you are incapacitated, blinded, or unconscious. You must be within 5 feet of the intended original target if it is a melee attack, or within 30 feet if it is a ranged attack.

In addition, you may spend up to 3 vigor points to increase your AC against the triggering attack equal to the number of vigor points spent.