
Dragonborn
Legacy
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Species 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.
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
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
That's my character right now!
While it sounded good, again Dragonborn got the short stick. Sure (if the implement it) they would get a flight speed.. of 20feet.. far worse then any other flyer out there, even tieflings can get it at 30.
A black, copper, or green Dragonborn Artificier that uses it's own breath fluids for its potions and spells.
Such an underutilized race.
My group and I have played for five years, cycling through at least eighty characters total, and only one of them was a Dragonborn.
I’ve always thought of Dragonborn as lacking something, such as possibly extra natural armour considering, y’know, SCALES. Also the breath weapon seems kinda crap for higher levels considering it takes your action to use when it does less damage than your basic attack does. I don’t know maybe it’s just me
Can a dragon born character be a female? If so, great!
I love dragons, and i love D&D. But, since i can`t play as a dragon... dragonborn seems to me the obvious choice.
Almost all of my characters have been dragon related (most of them in 3.5E) but, the traits of the dragonborn in 5E are sooo nerfed compared for example with the half-dragon template (+8 Str, +2 Con, +2 Dex, +2 Int, +2 Cha, +4 natural armor etc) that my dragonborn in 5E seems like a baby compared to my other characters.
They are DRAGONBORN, at least they must have dark vision, natural armor and claw and bite attacks. And i'm just naming the obvious traits that you can see in a creature that looks like a dragon... a DRAGON!! not to mention the not obvious ones.
If my Dragonborn dies, i'm not creating another one... thanks to this nerfed traits for the first time, i'm creating another character but with a different race.
Wotc, i humbly ask you to create a worthy descendant of the magnificent creatures that give the game its name.
That would be a m a z i n g
the dragonborns have to be one or the if not the best race because it fits every class but warlock really
I think you're forgetting one massive thing...Level Adjustments.
All of that fancy awesome shit that half-dragons got? +3 LA. OF COURSE the dragonborn race is toned down. A first level half-dragon is equivalent to a FOURTH-level dragonborn (or other base playable race). Do you expect to get all that for free?
Templates from 3.5 can easily be converted to 5e, and/or you can work with your DM to 'evolve' your dragonborn as you go--start as a first-level class, then stagger levels throughout where instead of advancing a level in your class you gain more of the traditional draconic abilities. Or perhaps your DM will let you use the template as-is when starting at level 4+. It's not WotC's fault that you don't get all these massive things at first level. If you were using the half-dragon template in 3.5 with no level adjustment, unless other characters got to have templates of similar LA, then you just got rather spoiled.
How is that crazy? Dragonborn Bard is one of my favorites.
When I posted that, I was relatively new to D&D and so for me, a dragonborn bard is unexpected. I still am because my group disbanded and I don't get to play a whole lot, though I enjoy making characters. When it comes to dragonborn, I see it as like a sorcerer, wizard, warlock, paladin, or barbarian. So for me, having something so brute and powerful be as something that I see as more side support was slightly crazy. But it makes me smile to see that other people do this as well.