Dragonborn are the only core race in Dungeons & Dragons that allows players to live out their dreams of becoming something that resembles the game’s namesake. Yet, they’ve received criticism over the years, whether due to their lack of darkvision or the limits of their signature breath weapons.

Unearthed Arcana, which is playtest material, updates the dragonborn found in the Player's Handbook and adds the option to play a dragonborn descended from gem dragons, including the legendary sapphire dragon. Let's take a look at how these variants compare to their older counterparts.

Changes to the dragonborn's breath weapon

All three dragonborn lineages found in Unearthed Arcana receive breath weapons replicating the damage dealt by their ancestors, and they have resistance to this damage type. For example, the chromatic white dragon has a Cold Breath and is immune to cold damage. The metallic brass dragon and the gem amethyst dragon do the same for fire damage and force damage, respectively.

The similarities to the standard dragonborn end there, however. Note the following changes:

• The damage dealt by breath weapons has increased. The Unearthed Arcana dragonborn deal 2d8 damage with their breath weapons when targets fail a Dexterity saving throw. This damage is halved if the targets succeed on their saving throw. This damage increases at 5th level (3d8), 11th level (4d8), and 17th level (5d8). Comparatively, dragonborn in the Player’s Handbook deal 2d6 damage with their breath weapons, and the damage increases at 6th level (3d6), 11th level (4d6), and 16th level (5d6). 
• Breath weapons can now be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, with uses refreshing on a long rest. Standard dragonborn only get one use of their breath weapon but can recharge it on a short or long rest. The design choice for the original breath weapon might have been intended to mirror how a dragon's breath weapon recharges after each use. Nevertheless, the limiting nature of such a signature feature has long been a point of criticism and the inspiration behind homebrew workarounds.
• Breath weapons can now be used as part of an Attack action. The wording in Unearthed Arcana states, “when you take the Attack action, you can replace one of your attacks with an exhalation of a magical energy.” This is a big change that opens the door for classes with Extra Attack to make weapon strikes and use their draconic breath on the same turn. The standard dragonborn's breath weapon requires an action. This limitation has resulted in many a dragonborn player breathing on an opponent, dealing low damage, and then having to wait until their next turn to attack with a weapon, cursing their dice all the while.

Other chromatic, metallic, and gem dragonborn features

In addition to these breath weapon tweaks, dragonborn receive abilities based on their respective ancestry:

• Chromatic dragonborn gain Chromatic Warding at 3rd level. Once per long rest, this ability allows you to use an action to gain immunity to your ancestry's damage type. This ability can be a lifesaver in the right situations — such as if the party wizard wants to cast burning hands at enemies you're surrounded by, or if you're caught in the vast cold landscape of Icewind Dale.
• Metallic dragonborn gain Metallic Breath Weapon, a second type of breath weapon, at 3rd level. It allows dragonborn to exhale a magical gas that can have one of two effects (your choice). The first effect requires a Strength saving throw and, on a failure, pushes creatures back 20 feet and knocks them prone. The second effect requires a Constitution saving throw and, on a failure, causes creatures to become incapacitated until the start of your next turn. This breath weapon can only be used once per long rest but is a useful feature for any dragonborn trying to control the battlefield.
• Gem dragonborn gain Psionic Mind at 1st level. It allows them to telepathically speak to any creature within 30 feet. The telepathy is limited in that the target cannot respond. Gem dragonborn also gain Gem Flight at 3rd level, granting them temporary gemstone wings. The wings only last for one minute, but flight at low levels can still be a game changer.

Draconic feats in Unearthed Arcana

Also featured in Unearthed Arcana are feats related to the three dragonborn lineages. Each of these feats offer reactions that can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, with expended uses replenishing after a long rest.

• Gift of the Chromatic Dragon allows you to use your reaction to give yourself resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage. Further, once per long rest, you can spend a bonus action infusing a weapon with elemental magic. Doing so causes the weapon to deal an extra 1d4 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage for one minute. 
• Gift of the Metallic Dragon allows you to use your reaction to give yourself or an ally within 5 feet of you a bonus to AC equal to 1d4 against an attack. The feat also allows you to cast cure wounds once per long rest. You can use spell slots to cast this spell additional times.
• Gift of the Gem Dragon allows you to use your reaction to force a nearby enemy who has dealt damage to you to make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, you deal 2d8 force damage to them and push them 10 feet away from you. The feat also increases your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1, up to a maximum of 20.

There are no restrictions that might prevent a dragonborn of one lineage from choosing the feat of another lineage. Theoretically, a chromatic dragonborn could wind up with all three feats over the course of a lengthy campaign, turning them into a jack of all trades powerhouse that would make their winged forefathers proud.

Using the new dragonborn and draconic feats

Since their debut as a playable race in fourth edition, dragonborn have often been depicted as a fine choice for martial characters. The Unearthed Arcana reinforces this trend, and dragonborn barbarians, fighters, monks, paladins, and rangers will benefit massively from the ability to use their breath weapons as part of an Attack action.

Chromatic Warding lends itself well to any tanky character, while the Metallic Breath Weapon is reminiscent of the Battle Master fighter’s maneuvers. If you prefer a spellcaster dragonborn, though, consider utilizing the bladesinging wizard subclass from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. It gains Extra Attack at 6th level, allowing you to take advantage of the dragonborn's breath weapon while also granting the wizard's spellcasting progression. 

The gem dragonborn’s Psionic Mind and Gem Flight abilities, on the other hand, could work well for scouting purposes. Imagine a dragonborn rogue who can scout ahead in a dungeon and telepathically warn the rest of their party of upcoming hurdles. They could even intimidate an unsuspecting enemy with mental taunts while hiding in the shadows.

The emerald gem dragonborn, which can breathe and resist psychic damage, also pairs astonishingly well with a Path of the Totem Warrior barbarian who chooses the bear totem spirit. Normally, these barbarians have resistance to all damage types except psychic damage while raging. But pair this subclass feature with the emerald gem ancestry, and you suddenly have resistance to everything!

Meet the Toovir Trio, dragonborn mercenaries

The dragonborn trio careen into combat, their battle cries reverberating throughout the catacomb’s corridors! One of them somersaults through the lich’s fireballs, embers catching on his chromatic green scales. Another dragonborn, this one a bronze-colored bruiser, stretches his jaws and lets loose a billowing gas cloud that knocks the undead spellcaster backwards. The third dragonborn takes advantage of the opening. She manifests gem-encrusted wings and flies to the lich, wedging her amethyst-encrusted axe into its skull.

The Toovir Trio are a group of neutral dragonborn mercenaries named Mathos, Vorthos, and Garamis. These soldiers of fortune sell their services to the highest bidder and make a great point of boasting about how they hail from noble dragonborn families. In reality, the trio are misfits who each abhorred the rigidity of their clans and left to travel the world, bonding over their similar devil-may-care attitudes. The trio decided to form a mercenary company, choosing “toovir” — the draconic word for “adventurer” — as the name of their squad to represent their love for wandering the realm with their weapons at the ready.

Playing the Toovir Trio

These ne’er-do-wells have names strikingly reminiscent of the Three Musketeers and can be played as such, offering their services to player characters or even appearing as an enemy’s hired muscle. (For a goofier route, consider portraying them like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.) Their lust for life and freewheeling ways mean that they will bond with neutral and chaotic characters.

Each member of the trio has their own unique fighting style:

• Mathos, the eldest member of the trio and de facto leader, is a monk with chromatic green dragon ancestry. He follows the Way of the Astral Self. In combat, he judiciously uses his acid breath weapon and relies on Chromatic Warding, as well as his astral self’s Deflect Energy ability, to shrug off and absorb a wide variety of damage.
• Vorthos, the group’s tactician, is a fighter with metallic bronze dragon ancestry who rebelled against the politics of his clan’s military hierarchy. He combines Battle Master maneuvers with his gas breath weapon to push and prod enemies around the battlefield.
• Garamis, the youngest and wildest Toovir Trio member, is a Path of the Totem barbarian with emerald gem ancestry. With her stunning ability to endure all types of punishment while raging, Garamis barrels herself into combat using her emerald wings, occasionally using telepathy to intimidate foes who are usually already stunned senseless by her onslaught.

Level up your dragonborn

While the Unearthed Arcana dragonborn might still lack darkvision, their impressive repertoire of fresh abilities establish a deeper connection with their ancestors, emphasize their battle prowess, and give fans of these scaled champions much to experiment with! What do you think of the new dragonborn?

Jeremy Blum (@PixelGrotto) is a journalist, gaming blogger, comic book aficionado, and fan of all forms of storytelling who rolled his first polyhedral dice while living in Hong Kong in 2017. Since then, he's never looked back and loves roleplaying games for the chance to tell the tales that have been swirling in his head since childhood.