Path of the Natural Dragon

Inspired by the "Path of the Dragon" by Xanotoz, "Path of the Hungry Dragon" and it's alternate, "Path of the Natural Dragon", are still developing. Chat with your DMs, test and balance it for yourself! And have fun!

A tradition of instilling fear from their very presence has been maintained by dragons through the ages. Because of it, many look to avoid encountering them, seeing them as the deadly ferocious creatures of legend. In the times where dragons have attacked various races across the world, land and sea, only the most ravenous warriors have reveled in the opportunity to engage in combat with these ferocious beasts. Some of them managed to be lucky enough to escape with their lives, while others, have found themselves at the stepping off point of life into whatever lies beyond. Of the ones that survived the deadly encounters, they forsook their chosen paths to chart a new one. One that leads the right into the clutches of a dragon. Upon those forsaking Barbarians, there were two brothers, Yusemal and Dama, who one day decided to scour an uncharted region to the east of their edge of the world, untouched by everything but the force of nature, in hopes of discovering a dragon in the absence of other beings. They sailed for three days over treacherous waves, and on the evening of the third day, without notice, an opalescent mist began to fill the air as the water calmed. They began to pick up speed, and within the hour a land mass was visible, but to their avail, they could not slow down for a safe landing. Thus, they sought to jump ship once they were close enough to shore to swim. On the count of One, two, three! They leaped with all their might to the safety of the nearly shallow waters, nearly opaque in the now night sky. Oddly enough, the ship seemed to slow to a gentle stop on the shore after they had abandoned it. Swimming until they could stand, they approached the half submerged in water, wading until finally, they had taken their first dry step on land. In that instant, a voice, clear as their own thoughts entered their heads. As though it were a dying whisper, it spoke, saying "Should you enter, I warn you that on the path you walk, in time you will no longer see each other". Confused and slightly threatened by the voice of which they could not see, they link arms, determining that they will not be separated, and enter the island.

Traversing deeper into the forest of the island, the air becomes warm honey as if the whole island were in soothingly sweet slumber. Soon it becomes too dark to see. So dark that one could not tell if the darkness was that absence of light in the open sky or from their blocking the light with their own eyelids. Their eyes slothful, blink for an instant, and in the next, a cave appears to them. Stepping into it, they enter in and after not too long find themselves in a chamber. Yusemal and Dama spot a darkened figure towards the back of the room. As they step closer, a soft sparkling pattern appears as their eyes move to study it. Enthralled by the pattern captured in his vision, Dama does not realize the massive size of the creature, who steps forward to face them. On instinct, Yusemal reaches for a weapon to draw on the dragon, but in the next moment, Dama is face to face with what looks to be a golden dragon. Dama, as if in a trance, becomes almost frozen as the dragon moves its face within a breath of Dama. Yusemal, terrified of the dragon's closing distance on his brother, looks to strike the dragon in the head. Yusemal, enraged rushes forward to swing at the open neck as the nose of the dragon touches the tip of Dama's forehead, and from the swing, the life of the dragon slips out through its neck......

For you, much like Dama, the power is in the touch......learn it, and practice.

To choose which elemental type you would like to have first, roll a 1d20+ Con mod. What you roll determines what options are available to you. Below 10 = Acid; Above 10 = Acid, Poison & Lightning; Above 16 = Acid, Poison, Lightning & Cold; Above 20 = Acid, Poison, Lightning, Cold & Fire. Afterward, pick a color matching your element of choice. White/Silver - Cold; Black/Copper - Acid: Blue/Bronze - Lightning; Green - Poison; Red/Brass/Gold - Fire. Note: Excluding Flowing Draconic Strikes, all other elemental damage scales as follows - at lvl 3 is 1d4; lvl 6 is 1d6; lvl 10 is 1d8; lvl 14 is 1d10;

*Saves are DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + (ability) modifier

(Additionally, to drink another dragon's blood would unlock their elemental option for you)

 **Also check out alternate Path of the Hungry Dragon**

Flowing Draconic Strikes

Beginning at level 3, having learned at the feet of dragons, you come to move as they do, with fierce quickness in the flow of combinations, looking to attack with both weapon and body in rhythm. In rage, when swinging a melee weapon, you follow through with an unarmed strike of immediate speed in the same trail of your original swing. The unarmed strike receives it's own rage bonus separate from the weapon's. If your melee weapon attack hits, then the unarmed strike automatically hits. However, if you miss your initial attack, you may use your bonus action to redirect your unarmed strike. If you miss both your initial attack and your unarmed bonus action attack, the enemy then has advantage to hit on their first attack against you during their next turn. 

Beginning at level 5, upon gaining extra attack, you must land at least one melee weapon attack during your turn to avoid giving enemy advantage.

Beginning at 6th level, you have perfected the Dragon's flow in rage, and are now able to use a bonus action of two fiercely fast unarmed strikes charged with rage bonus + elemental damage [2d4], simulating a devastating multi attack.  

Beginning at 10th level, elemental for bonus action increases to 2d6.

Regional Spirits

Beginning at level 6, studying how dragons have interacted with nature to guard their regions, you practice attuning yourself to nature, receiving its elemental protection. The element of your studied dragon temporarily permeates the ground wherever you step in a 10ft radius. For the first 5 rounds of rage, enemies inside the radius can act normally, with no disregard for safety, and take 1d6 elemental damage for every first attack made against you or any ally inside the radius. Alternatively, they can choose to take their first attack at disadvantage for the first five rounds of your rage, and avoid elemental damage.    

Strengthened attunement: Beginning at level 10, any enemy attempting to leave your radius in the first five rounds of your rage. The trail is five feet wide and travels the distance of your movement speed. At the end of their movement, any enemy in the trail must make a Dex save. On a failed save they take half the elemental damage they would have received inside the circle, after which, the trail fades. Enemies who successfully save take no damage as the trail fades. 

Perfect attunement: Beginning at level 14, nature will protect you for as long as you rage. Enemies inside your radius can still choose to take their first attack at disadvantage beyond the first five rounds of your rage as well.

*Check elemental damage scale*

   

Draconic Wisdom

Beginning at 10th level, you learn to channel the legendary wisdom and sharpness of senses that all dragons possess. Your heightened sense give you blindsight up to 30ft. In combat, if you have a successful ability save against an attack from an enemy you are engaging, from that success you gain advantage on the next save against that same attack the next time it occurs. This ability can stack continuously, meaning if you keep saving, you keep gaining advantage against that attack the next time it occurs). Advantages can be held for up to two different attacks at once. If you fail to save against an attack, you loose advantage. If you disengage/leave that enemy,  you lose all advantages gained on all saves against that enemy's attacks. At level 14, advantages can be held for up to three attacks made against you.  

Elemental Flight

Beginning at 14th level, you recall the times when you watched dragons spar in the sky, attacking with great agility. You have learned to do the same. Once per rage, you may use a reaction to perform an elemental charge against an enemy who has attacked you up to 10ft away. This involves your draconic element manifesting as elemental wings you use to rush out in any direction. If you reach that enemy, and the enemy is your size of smaller, they must make a Con save. If they fail, they are knocked prone. If in the air, they take 1d8 elemental damage. If they succeed nothing happens, however, the wings remain and you now have the ability of flight equal to your movement speed till the end of your rage. *Note: You cannot fly prior to performing an elemental charge.