As filcat says. Breath attack includes the wording "as an Action". Extra Attack says you can attack twice, instead of once, when you use the Attack Action.
Abilities/features that grant extra actions, such as Fighter's "Action Surge" can do that, but Extra Attack only increases the number of attacks you can make, not the number of Actions you can take.
A (kind of) exception is Grappling, which mentions that if you have multiple attacks, it replaces one of them. Perhaps that's the source of the doubt?
You could always ask your DM to consider making the breath weapon a bonus action, as it was in 4th edition. Personally I'd be on board with that as a DM; Dragonborn are a weak race from an optimization standpoint, and are only compensated by a cool (but not super-powerful) breath weapon.
I could definitely see it as bonus action without breaking anything (unless the Dragonborn is a spellcaster. Things may potentially get more iffy then). I'd consider it a more appropriate home rule to give it the grappling handling, though, as mentioned above. "If you can attack multiple times, your breath weapon replaces one of them".
Breath Weapon is useful for breaking concentration on spellcasters when you'd have disadvantage (e.g. they cast Invisibility, you've been blinded, or you need to avoid looking at them). Unless they're immune to the damage type, they're going to take damage and have to make a concentration save whether they succeed on your saving throw or not. Since it's not a spell, it's not subject to Counterspell, and since it's not an attack, it's not subject to Shield. It also doesn't require sight, unlike many spells. The only other non-spell ability I can think of that's unavoidable damage and doesn't require sight is the Way of the Four Element Monk's Fist of Unbroken Air.
Resistance to elemental damage is also useful, and not just for combat reasons. Resistance to cold and fire automatically means you can survive extremely low/high temperatures. Endure Elements doesn't exist in 5e; the next best thing is Protection From Energy which is a 3rd level spell and only lasts for 1 hour. Poison damage is common among monsters so resistance to that is cool too. Acid resistance isn't as useful unless you're fighting oozes or get swallowed, but an acid breath weapon is way less likely to be resisted than fire, ice, poison or lightning. Lots of monsters are fire-based and fiends resist or are immune to all of those elements.
I actually hate using my breath weapon - because I'm generally way more effective with my weapons in my attack round - plus I only have a DC of 12
so I've begun to question my need to play a dragonborn at all
Is your +2 Strength not a significant part of the being more effective with your weapons?
+2 Strength races are a dime a dozen. Mountain dwarf, half-orc, goliath, bugbear, variant human with the right feat. . . If you're clever, you can make a +1 Strength/+2 something else race work just as well.
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+2 Strength races are a dime a dozen. Mountain dwarf, half-orc, goliath, bugbear, variant human with the right feat. . . If you're clever, you can make a +1 Strength/+2 something else race work just as well.
I'm not sure that "a dime a dozen" is an appropriate phrase when talking about a thing which only a handful of races from the PHB actually get - especially because anything that comes from another source is less likely to be available to someone (because not every group gets every supplement, even the free ones), and anything which is labelled as a variant or optional rule is less likely to be allowed than the options which are presented as the default rules.
The point I was trying to make with my question was this: A race - any race - is a lot more than just a single feature, so there are more reasons for someone to be playing a dragonborn than because their breath weapon is a universal improvement to their offensive capabilities.
I've always liked dragonborn for strictly the coolness factor, I mean you're a freakin' dragon man! Stats boost are pretty great for a pally too which is my preferred class, lot of RP potential too I feel. Back to the topic though, I hadn't considered using the breath weapon as a bonus action but now that you've brought it up I'm certainly going to talk it over with my group. I find I don't use my breath weapon as often as I should/could do to there being other things that do more damage etc. that take it's place. If it's a bonus action that makes it much more appealing, plus it does scale damage with level, granted the DC isn't a high as I would like but it's still a cool trick to have. Plus you can breathe freakin' fire man, no one else gets to do that.
+2 Strength races are a dime a dozen. Mountain dwarf, half-orc, goliath, bugbear, variant human with the right feat. . . If you're clever, you can make a +1 Strength/+2 something else race work just as well.
I'm not sure that "a dime a dozen" is an appropriate phrase when talking about a thing which only a handful of races from the PHB actually get - especially because anything that comes from another source is less likely to be available to someone (because not every group gets every supplement, even the free ones), and anything which is labelled as a variant or optional rule is less likely to be allowed than the options which are presented as the default rules.
The point I was trying to make with my question was this: A race - any race - is a lot more than just a single feature, so there are more reasons for someone to be playing a dragonborn than because their breath weapon is a universal improvement to their offensive capabilities.
I knew I should've added a disclaimer; "figuratively speaking".
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You could always work with your DM to create a feat to add some improvement/evolution of the dragonborn breath weapon. There were quite a few feats from 4E that improved the dragonborn. Here is my take for a new feat:
Improved Breath Weapon Prerequisite: Dragonborn, Breath Weapon You were born with more dragon qualities then other dragonborn which manifest in your breath weapon.
Increase your STR, CON, or CHA +1
Your have the ability to speed up your breath weapon attack and now it can be used as a Bonus action.
You can now use your breath weapon twice before needing a short or long rest. You are still limited to only 1 use of your breath weapon per round.
You can get the same plus 2 in strength about 4 other ways that have more utility than the Dragonborn breathweapon
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Hello guys!
Can a Dragonborn use his(her) breath weapon as an extra attack?
I'm wondering to use a Dragonborn as Paladin, and level 5 combo the Breath with the Attack
What do you guys think?
Thanks
Technically, no, the breath weapon requires an action, as does extra-attack.
As filcat says. Breath attack includes the wording "as an Action". Extra Attack says you can attack twice, instead of once, when you use the Attack Action.
Abilities/features that grant extra actions, such as Fighter's "Action Surge" can do that, but Extra Attack only increases the number of attacks you can make, not the number of Actions you can take.
A (kind of) exception is Grappling, which mentions that if you have multiple attacks, it replaces one of them. Perhaps that's the source of the doubt?
You could always ask your DM to consider making the breath weapon a bonus action, as it was in 4th edition. Personally I'd be on board with that as a DM; Dragonborn are a weak race from an optimization standpoint, and are only compensated by a cool (but not super-powerful) breath weapon.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
I could definitely see it as bonus action without breaking anything (unless the Dragonborn is a spellcaster. Things may potentially get more iffy then). I'd consider it a more appropriate home rule to give it the grappling handling, though, as mentioned above. "If you can attack multiple times, your breath weapon replaces one of them".
I actually hate using my breath weapon - because I'm generally way more effective with my weapons in my attack round - plus I only have a DC of 12
so I've begun to question my need to play a dragonborn at all
Tabaxi with a penchant for shenans. He will....shenan again...
Breath Weapon is useful for breaking concentration on spellcasters when you'd have disadvantage (e.g. they cast Invisibility, you've been blinded, or you need to avoid looking at them). Unless they're immune to the damage type, they're going to take damage and have to make a concentration save whether they succeed on your saving throw or not. Since it's not a spell, it's not subject to Counterspell, and since it's not an attack, it's not subject to Shield. It also doesn't require sight, unlike many spells. The only other non-spell ability I can think of that's unavoidable damage and doesn't require sight is the Way of the Four Element Monk's Fist of Unbroken Air.
Resistance to elemental damage is also useful, and not just for combat reasons. Resistance to cold and fire automatically means you can survive extremely low/high temperatures. Endure Elements doesn't exist in 5e; the next best thing is Protection From Energy which is a 3rd level spell and only lasts for 1 hour. Poison damage is common among monsters so resistance to that is cool too. Acid resistance isn't as useful unless you're fighting oozes or get swallowed, but an acid breath weapon is way less likely to be resisted than fire, ice, poison or lightning. Lots of monsters are fire-based and fiends resist or are immune to all of those elements.
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I've always liked dragonborn for strictly the coolness factor, I mean you're a freakin' dragon man! Stats boost are pretty great for a pally too which is my preferred class, lot of RP potential too I feel. Back to the topic though, I hadn't considered using the breath weapon as a bonus action but now that you've brought it up I'm certainly going to talk it over with my group. I find I don't use my breath weapon as often as I should/could do to there being other things that do more damage etc. that take it's place. If it's a bonus action that makes it much more appealing, plus it does scale damage with level, granted the DC isn't a high as I would like but it's still a cool trick to have. Plus you can breathe freakin' fire man, no one else gets to do that.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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You could always work with your DM to create a feat to add some improvement/evolution of the dragonborn breath weapon. There were quite a few feats from 4E that improved the dragonborn. Here is my take for a new feat:
You can get the same plus 2 in strength about 4 other ways that have more utility than the Dragonborn breathweapon
Hello PackManMax! This discussion ended in 2017. We would recommend creating a new thread, as opposed to casting Necromancy spells on concluded discussions, as Thread Necromancy violates our Site Rules & Guidelines. Thank you!
I will be locking this thread now.