Dragonborn
Race Details
Her father stood on the first of the three stairs that led down from the portal, unmoving. The scales of his face had grown paler around the edges, but Clanless Mehen still looked as if he could wrestle down a dire bear himself. His familiar well-worn armor was gone, replaced by violet-tinted scale armor with bright silvery tracings. There was a blazon on his arm as well, the mark of some foreign house. The sword at his back was the same, though, the one he had carried since even before he had found the twins left in swaddling at the gates of Arush Vayem.
For all her life, Farideh had known that reading her father’s face was a skill she’d been fortunate to learn. A human who couldn’t spot the shift of her eyes or Havilar’s would certainly see only the indifference of a dragon in Clanless Mehen’s face. But the shift of scales, the arch of a ridge, the set of his eyes, the gape of his teeth—her father’s face spoke volumes.
But every scale of it, this time, seemed completely still—the indifference of a dragon, even to Farideh.
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, though they lack wings or a tail. The first dragonborn had scales of vibrant hues matching the colors of their dragon kin, but generations of interbreeding have created a 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 6½ feet tall and weighing 300 pounds or more. Their hands and feet are strong, talonlike claws with three fingers and a 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—bright red, green, blue, or white, lustrous black, or gleaming 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.
Though all dragonborn strive to be self-sufficient, they recognize that help is sometimes needed in difficult situations. But the best source for such help is the clan, and when a clan needs help, it turns to another dragonborn clan before seeking aid from other races—or even from the gods.
Dragonborn Names
Dragonborn have personal names given at birth, but they put their clan names first as a mark of honor. A childhood name or nickname is often used among clutchmates as a descriptive term or a term of endearment. The name might recall an event or center on a habit.
Male Names: Arjhan, Balasar, Bharash, Donaar, Ghesh, Heskan, Kriv, Medrash, Mehen, Nadarr, Pandjed, Patrin, Rhogar, Shamash, Shedinn, Tarhun, Torinn
Female Names: Akra, Biri, Daar, Farideh, Harann, Havilar, Jheri, Kava, Korinn, Mishann, Nala, Perra, Raiann, Sora, Surina, Thava, Uadjit
Childhood Names: Climber, Earbender, Leaper, Pious, Shieldbiter, Zealous
Clan Names: Clethtinthiallor, Daardendrian, Delmirev, Drachedandion, Fenkenkabradon, Kepeshkmolik, Kerrhylon, Kimbatuul, Linxakasendalor, Myastan, Nemmonis, Norixius, Ophinshtalajiir, Prexijandilin, Shestendeliath, Turnuroth, Verthisathurgiesh, Yarjerit
DRACONIANS
In the Dragonlance setting, the followers of the evil goddess Takhisis learned a vile ritual that let them corrupt the eggs of metallic dragons, producing evil dragonborn called draconians. Five types of draconians, corresponding to the five types of metallic dragons, fought for Takhisis in the War of the Lance: auraks (gold), baaz (brass), bozak (bronze), kapak (copper), and sivak (silver). In place of their draconic breath weapons, they have unique magical abilities.
Dragonborn Traits
Your draconic heritage manifests in a variety of traits you share with other dragonborn.Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Age
Young dragonborn grow quickly. They walk hours after hatching, attain 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.
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 Ancestry
You have draconic ancestry. Choose one type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestry table. Your breath weapon and damage resistance are determined by the dragon type, as shown in the table.
Draconic Ancestry
Dragon | Damage Type | Breath Weapon |
---|---|---|
Black | Acid | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Blue | Lightning | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Brass | Fire | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Bronze | Lightning | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Copper | Acid | 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Gold | Fire | 15 ft. cone (Dex. save) |
Green | Poison | 15 ft. cone (Con. save) |
Red | Fire | 15 ft. cone (Dex. save) |
Silver | Cold | 15 ft. cone (Con. save) |
White | Cold | 15 ft. cone (Con. save) |
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 the 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. Draconic 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.
BUT I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think dragonborns should have dark vision
I play as a Dragonborn myself and i love its simplicity honestly. With that said however, i will say that the mechanics for the Dragonborn are arguable some of the worst compared to other playable races. Even the Kobold have more mechanics than the Dragonborn. No kind of vision abilities, very situational racial feats, no skills, no AC bonus for scales, no special or extra attacks for claws or mouth... The only good part is the +2 Str and +1 Chr, even then its not even that good vs most of the other races. The breath weapon with matching resistance to that damage type is 'neat', but not good and that is because;
The Dragons Breath spell is stronger than your racial trait dragons breath and it can be use as many times as you have spell slots to use it with and it can be different every time. Which makes it mechanically superior in every way to your racial trait save it does not give you resistance which is very situational. All the racial feats you can take are rather terrible for the fact that what they do just is not, in my opinion, worth it. Especially versus all the other feats available. i.e. why waste a feat on Dragon Fear that can simply change your breath attack to a fear attack but you still only get 1 breath and you have to pick between the two?
It's just terrible in my opinion. Also depending on your class(es) most of the racial feats are completely worthless. A sorcerer Dragonborne would have no use for the Dragon Hide feat since you get the exact same thing for being of draconic bloodline for free. Are you a Paladin? Great, you get tons of spells and abilities that cause fear and do it better so why would you ever get Dragon Fear? A lot of the classes have built in ability's or access to spells that are either identical or superior to all of their racial feats and abilities.
Honestly, just swap out Dragonborn with Half-Dragon and boom, done. If you want to 'fix' it though... It needs a lot more work.
To respond to both of your comments, it literally says this in the first paragraph: “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.”
Which is exactly how the Base Draconians from dragonlance, were created. They were created by the Dragon goddess Takhisis aka Tiamat herself from metallic dragon eggs. In short Draconians are the -first- Dragonborn race to come into existence in the D&D multi-verse. But like all the other core races, in the. 5.0ed, they got oversimplified and lumped in with the most common denominator of Dragonborn for the multiverse. Even if Dragonlance’s Draconians, are vastly different from what most Dragonborn are now. So it’s more accurate to say Draconians are a variant of Dragonborn specifically to the dragonlance setting. Which I wish Wizards would have published more established rules on by now. Especially given it’s evident in that excerpt it was their intent to create Draconian sub race for the dragonlance variants on Dragonborn. However as Linfield mentioned, earlier just like there’s one of every colour of Dragonborn for player characters, there’s also one of every colour for sub race of Draconians. With some major key differences to their Dragonborn cousins. One being all Draconians still have their tails, two in dragonlance they haven’t interbred so there’s still distinct differences and characteristics between each colour, three they’re an endangered species in dragonlance, by the time age of mortals happens. And three because the magic that created them is more unstable, than any other Dragonborn, they have what’s called “death throes.” I hope wizards will soon however publish some sort of variant for Draconians.
I would debate that about the “killing without prejudice.” Given a) Noble Draconians pretty much sworn allegiance to Paladine aka Bahamut, and b) Most Base Draconians went from being evil to neutral tealizing they’re on verge of extinction, all because they were victims in The Dark Queen’s experiments, to be used as nothing more but fodder for her evil devices, with no concern for their well being as a race (Which is 3.5 Ed cannon lore to dragonlance) That being said: I forgot Dragonborn were first introduced in 3.5 Ed, but it’s obvious the writers of 5.0ed retconned everything about Dragonborn, to try and streamline the D&D multiverse better.
Also Kobolds aren’t “glorified” lizard men in 3.5 Ed, if anything they’re more akin to Dragonborn and Draconians. And I imagine this wasn’t some the writers did at the drop of a hat. I even recall kobolds looking like hin sized dragon men, in Baldur’s Gate the computer game, which was also 2 Ed d&d. Just like gnolls looked more like hyenas in baldurs gate the video game. So it’s obvious it’s the direction that the writers for d&d were going in before 3.0 Ed came out. And they do that a lot. As an example going back to dragonlance, dragonlance has a lot of novels that take place in 3.5 edition, and that transition into 4.0 edition, and then only a scant few that actually take place during 4.0 Ed. But not only did 4.0ed lore tank majorly in Forgotten Realms, and the system for 4.0 Ed also tank, but the novels that take place during the “transition period” for dragonlance Ie from 3.5 Ed to 4.0 Ed ranked so hard, that there wasn’t even any official source material written for 4.0 Ed dragonlance. Now that I think on it the whole “War of Souls” era of Dragonlance’s transition point from 2.0 Ed to 3.5 Ed. (As they completely skipped 3.0 Ed, same way they skipped 4.0 Ed right into in 5.0ed)
However the only thing that changed lorewise for dragonlance is that Draconians got lumped in with being the same race as Dragonborn, just a variant of said race, that and it looks like they try and pretend that anything that happened post War of Souls, save minor story arcs that weren’t world changing in Age of Mortals didn’t happen. (Ie tying up lose ends of major characters from War of Souls and just completing their stories in Age of Mortals.)
However I wouldn’t be surprised if Kender at some point got lumped in as a Dragonlance variant on Halflings with their own “sub race” trait. That’s providing of course they decide to print more source material for dragonlance that isn’t already core books.
One retcon I didn’t like happening in 5th ed is that Ogre Magi are now officially called Oni. Where as in previous editions they simply were mistaken for such. (Albeit that was simply a minor change as I think racially they’re still classed as a sub race of giant? and not an actual demon?)
Anywho, the thing you need to remember about supplemental books, is unless they included said lore in novels, supplemental lore is one of the first things to get changed, or retconned, with little to no explanation. As another example, of supplemental lore that basically got completely ignored with one exception from it, is Thoon as an entity/philosophy for mindflayers.
He basically was hinted to being D&D’s equivalency of Cthulhu. In 5.0ed Thoon doesn’t exist nor does his entire mindflayer variant species.
(These variant species of mindflayers were either native to Far The Realm, or they’re later generations of mindflayers that hailed from another plane that had returned back to the home plane of their ancestors which is The Far Realm, and as a result them and their Elder Brain have become rattuned with Thoon.) However regardless of which ever was the case what both had in common is that unlike other mindflayer colonies, all the Elder Brains were unified in serving Thoon, and knew that eventually their entire species would conquer all the other planes beyond the Far Realms.
And that’s what made them vastly different from both astral plane and underdark mindflayer colonies. Which was that not only they have forgotten they originate from the Far Realms, but no one single illithid colony would cooperate with another. As they would see outside colonies as the equivalent of heretics to the ideals of their elder brain.
The only thing they kept from that lore in 5.0ed is that mindflayers were originally natives from “The Far Realm” and have all but forgotten such.
Anyways going back to Dragonborn, after doing extensive research on the topic, it looks as if they retconned 3.5 dragonkin and dragonborn into the same race in 4th ed calling them the same race. Then a writer for dragon magazine drew the uncanny similarities between 4th ed’s Dragonborn to Draconians from previous editions. As such it seems wizards decided to go with that line of thought and further retcon Dragonborn in 5th ed and lump in draconians as a variant species of Dragonborn as a result of such.
Yes, they share the same pantheon or dieties as Dragons. Infact they’re more likely to worship their Draconic dieties than Dragons themselves are.
I would appreciate it if WotC would include a snippet in the Dragonborn entry about the different races of dragonborn and how their colors are generally perceived in the world around them. Alignment histories about the different colors and the like. In other words, what's the difference between one of my players wanting to be a bronze dragonborn as opposed to a red one.
Kiljek - As far as Forgotten Realms goes, there's nothing really the difference. Most Dragonborn are actually a reddish color like the description says, but then they have an ancestry that ties them closer to one of the specific dragon typings. So you could have a dragonborn who looks more copper-ish but breathes a cold because of his White Draconic heritage. (Though honestly I think most people, myself included, tend to make them green for green, bronze for bronze, etc. just because they find it more appealing to do so.) If you want to run it as "chromatic dragonborn are jerks" in your games, go wild with it. There's no wrong way to go about it so long as you and your table are having fun.
Appreciate the feedback!
Well, there is a Dragonborn feat you can take for wings.
Anyone else think that since they have scales they should have a higher unarmored defense???? like the Draconic Sorcerer.
What feat is that? Looking at players handbook and. Xanathar’s but can’t find one that says they grow wings. Though Okira in Heroes of the Vale grew wings.
The Dragon Hide feat described in Xanathar’s gives a 13+DEX AC, but you can’t wear armor.
It's in Unearthed Arcana, you should be able to find it if you google search Unearthed Arcana feats. https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/RJSJC2017_04UASkillFeats_24v10.pdf
lol i want to FUS RO DAH
A grand total of two racial features, one of which is now outclassed by newer race's 1/short-rest racial features. I want to like dragonborn, because I love dragons, but... as the race currently stands, red/gold/brass dragonborn are just worse tieflings, and the other colors don't fare much better.
I hope a draconomicon-type splatbook is released that gives them some variant options. I kinda feel like the feats in Xanathar's Guide (Dragon Fear and Dragon Hide) would work better as race-variant substitutes for the breath weapon, for example. And hopefully such a book might go a little bit more into their society and relationship with true dragons, as well.
can dragon born turn into dragons
It is dnd so you can do any pairing but for classes i would go for a paladin as they need both charisma and strength as for backgrounds it depends on the lore that your dm has for dragonborn
Neat.