Dragonborn

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 originally hatched from dragon eggs as a unique race, combining the best attributes of dragons and humanoids. Some dragonborn are faithful servants to true dragons, others form the ranks of soldiers in great wars, and still others find themselves adrift, with no clear calling in life.

Proud Dragon Kin

Dragonborn look very much like dragons standing erect in humanoid form. The first dragonborn had scales of vibrant hues matching the colors of their dragon kin, but generations of interbreeding have created more uniform appearance. Their small, fine scales are usually brass or bronze in color, sometimes ranging to scarlet, rust, gold or copper-green. They are tall and strongly built, often standing close to 6 ½ feet tall and weighing 300 pounds or more. Their hands and feet are strong, talon-like caws with three fingers and thumb on each hand.

The blood of a particular type of dragon runs very strong through some dragonborn clans. These dragonborn often boast scales that more closely match those of their dragon ancestor. Standard colorations are red, green, blue, white, black, metallic gold, silver, brass, copper or bronze.

Self Sufficient Clans

To any dragonborn, the clan is more important than life itself. Dragonborn owe their devotion and respect to their clan above all else, even the gods. Each dragonborn’s conduct reflects on the honor of his or her clan, and bringing dishonor to the clan can result in expulsion and exile. Each dragonborn knows his or her station and duties within the clan, and honor demands maintaining the bounds of that position.

A continual drive for self-improvement reflects the self-sufficiency of the race as a whole. Dragonborn value skill and excellence in all endeavors. They hate to fail, and they push themselves to extreme efforts before they give up on something. A dragonborn holds mastery of a particular skill as a lifetime goal. Members of other races who share the same commitment find it easy to earn the respect of a dragonborn.

Through all dragonborn strive to be self-sufficient, they recognize that help is sometimes needed in difficult situations. But the best source of such help is the clan, and when a clan needs help, it turns to another dragonborn clan before seeking aid from the other races; or even from the gods.

Dragonborn Traits

Your draconic heritage manifests in a variety of traits you share with other dragonborn.

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

Age. Young dragonborn grow quickly. They walk hours after hatching, attaining 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 Heritage Options. Dragonborn come in a diverse array of appearances and some have features that stand out from whatever can be said to be typical among them. If you DM allows, additional variants are available: Gem and Planar heritage types.

Breath Weapon. You can use your action 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 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. 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.

Damage Resistance. you have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestry.

Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and Draconic. Dragonic 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.

Dragon Born Traits continued:

Chaos Heritage. If you are of Chaos Dragon heritage, your scales are multi-colored. You suffer Disadvantage on Lawful social interactions within dragonborn society. After each long rest roll a d6 to determine which element you use that day.

Chaos Heritage

d6 roll	element type
1	Fire
2	Cold
3	Lightning
4	Thunder
5	Acid
6	Force

Dragonborn Feats

Your draconic heritage manifests itself further and you find your natural gifts grant you more power. This manifestation may be part of intensive study on your part or a natural manifestation of your growing power, or even some kind of totally unplanned and even painful transformation.

Draconic Diplomat

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race.

Your affinity for diplomacy shines through, courtesy of an ancestor with similar traits. Many beings are fascinated by dragons, and you find you can often charm them more readily than most.

• you gain +1 bonus to your Charisma score
• you have advantage on Charisma checks against dragons and other dragonborn.
• once per long rest, you can re-roll one Charisma check that does not succeed. You must use the new result.
• you learn one additional language

Draconic Fortitude

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race

Draconic indomitability flows through you and you become much more difficult to take down.

• You gain a +1 bonus to your constitution score
• you gain +1 bonus to your AC from natural armor
• You gain advantage on saving throws against fatigue.

Draconic Magician

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race.

The blood of dragons has always resonated with magic and yours has begun to show more noticeably

• You gain a +1 bonus to your Charisma or Intelligence score
• You learn two additional cantrips, chosen from the Sorcerer or Wizard class. Use the attribute associated with spellcasting for the class you select the spell from
• You gain advantage on saves vs. spell and damage effects that come from element associated with your heritage.

Racial Feature Substitutions.

If your DM allows it you can substitute the standard dragonborn racial feature of Dragon Breath with one of the options listed below.

Frightful Presence. Rather than gaining a breath weapon, you have instead inherited your ancestor’s naturally ominous presence. As an action, you can cause all enemies that can see or hear you within 30 feet to become frightened, if they fail a Wisdom save against a DC equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. This effect lasts for 1 minute. You must complete a short rest to recover the use of this ability.

Natural Weaponry. Your draconic heritage manifests outwardly in a more dangerous way. Your body has several forms of natural weaponry, such as claws, fangs, horns, boney protrusions, or other natural weapons that can be used in combat. You are considered proficient with these natural weapons and they do 1d8 damage if you use them to attack, the damage becomes 1d10 at 12th level.

Wings. You have wings. Though you can keep them folded and basically out of harm’s way, they are noticeable and hard to disguise. You have disadvantage on checks made to disguise your wings under bulky clothing or other ruses.

• At 1st level: you can only glide when you fall, creating an effect equal to the slow fall spell for up to 120 feet. Within this distance, you take no falling damage when you land.
• At 3rd level, you can fly at a speed of 35 for a number of minutes equal to your constitution modifier, you must complete a short rest to use this flight again.
• At 8th level, you can fly at a speed of 40 for a number of minutes equal to your constitution modifier + your level, you must complete a short rest to use this flight again

Empowered Breath

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race.

Your Dragon Breath has lingering effects that you can apply in multiple ways. When you use your Dragon Breath, choose one of the following effects:

• Countering Breath: when facing another dragonborn's Dragon Breath, you can release your own, subtly altering your Dragon Breath to negate your enemy's attack.
• Scorched Earth: your exhalation of Dragon Breath creates a 15 foot zone around you and any creature that enters this area takes damage of the breath weapon type equal to your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. This effect lasts for 1d4 rounds.
• Sunder: you exhale your Dragon Breath onto your weapon. When you hit a target with that weapon, it deals additional damage of your elemental type equal to your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. This effect lasts for 1d4 successful attacks.

Mighty Breath

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race.

The gift of Dragon Breath is more prevalent in your blood or you have practiced to make its effects more potent.

• Add your constitution modifier to the damage caused by your Breath Weapon
• Add +2 to the Save DC for the damage caused by your Breath Weapon
• You can use your Breath Weapon a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain any spent uses after a long rest.

Potent Progenitor

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race.

You are descended from a notably powerful draconic line. In addition to your normal dragonborn racial traits, you gain two substitution options. Choose from Frightful presence, Natural Weaponry or Wings.

Undeniable Presence

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race and Frightful Presence.

Your personality in the room brings a hush to the crowd. You exude an aura of power and/or menace.

• Targets of your Frightful Presence have disadvantage on saves against it.
• Your Frightful Presence now extends to 60 feet.
• You gain proficiency in the Intimidate skill if you do not already have it, and can double your proficiency bonus when using this skill.

Vicious Weaponry

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race and Natural Weaponry.

Your natural weaponry grows more savage and dangerous

• Damage caused by your natural weapons increases to the next dice level: 1d6 > 1d8 > 1d10
• When you score a critical hit with an unarmed strike or your natural weaponry, add an additional 1d4 damage to the total damage done.

Winged Menace

Prerequisite: Dragonborn race

You are even more dangerous when on the wing.

• if you approach a target using your flying ability, and remain flying while attacking, you may Disengage as a bonus action after the attack. Your movement away from the target must be by flying.
• Your flight speed increases to 50

Credit

albino-Z, Gido, Remton

Edit Log

• edited for typos and fixed some spacing 3/26/17.
• Moved Chaos Heritage trait to section before feats, looked too confusing - like all gained this trait 3/26/17.
• added Empowered Breath feat.