Homebrew Draconblood HalfBlood (Half Yuan-ti Pureblood/Half Draconblood Dragonborn) Species Details
Playing A Draconblood Halfblood
Walking the line between both races, a Halfblood tends to either be shunned at best, enslaved at worst (if raised amongst Yuan-ti), with escaping to forge their own fates being the most common outcome. Amongst the dragonborn clans, they face a lifetime of either being outdone in physical merit by their loving family members, or they use their wits and smarts to become valued leaders, if they don't take to the adventuring life. The differences between their personalities and traits depends on who raised the halfblood. Is your halfblood a Dragonborn fledgling, setting out to learn and grow as a future leader? Or are they an exiled Yuan-Ti who is just trying to survive?
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
Emotionless Evil
During their ascension ages ago, the yuan-ti freed themselves from the yoke of their human emotions. Now they view the world from a pragmatic and dispassionate perspective. They understand emotional connections in a detached, intellectual way, and recognize that these feelings in others can be exploited through bribes, favors, or threats.
As creatures devoid of emotion, yuan-ti exhibit behavior and use tactics that exemplify that outlook (or lack of one). Whether in combat or in daily life, the following principles guide the yuan-ti in all they do.
Other Lives Are Cheap
Yuan-ti put little value on humanoid lives, even those of their own slaves and cultists. They would poison children to carry out a threat against their parents, or turn one person into a broodguard in order to show her family the consequence of resistance. They might refrain from provoking others’ feelings if doing so could adversely affect the yuan-ti’s plans, but they understand humanoid psychology well enough to know that they can get away with this casual disregard for life almost anytime.
Furthermore, in the yuan-ti caste system, a greater yuan-ti’s life is worth far more than a lesser one’s. Weaker citizens are expected to lay down their lives to protect their betters. Leaders rely on this zealotry in their plans, and although they don’t needlessly waste the lives of purebloods on futile actions, most strategies include a fallback option in which mobs of purebloods and slaves are thrown at opposing forces in the hope of allowing the malisons and abominations time to escape.
Survival First
Yuan-ti are likely to retreat or flee from conflict if they don’t believe they have a reasonable chance of success. This reaction isn’t out of cowardice, but practicality—yuan-ti value their own lives much too highly to risk them when the odds aren’t in their favor. A short retreat might be just the thing to reach a better tactical position, find allies, or to allow the yuan-ti the opportunity to study their opponents and implement better tactics. Any enemy who chases a group of fleeing yuan-ti might be on the victorious side of a rout or could be heading into a trap; if the enemy has been encountered before, it is likely that the yuan-ti have prepared a special ambush at the end of the pursuit.
Capture, Not Kill
The objective of the yuan-ti as a race is to conquer and enslave others; they don’t espouse the sort of evil that calls for them to butcher or eradicate all who oppose them. In keeping with their goal of domination, the yuan-ti would rather capture potentially useful opponents than kill them. They use many methods for capturing enemies, such as poisoning, knocking out an opponent instead of making a killing blow, throwing nets, using magic such as suggestion, or restraining them in the coils of a giant snake.
To force their compliance, enemies might be brainwashed, charmed, tortured, or transformed into broodguards. Those that prove intractable still have their uses, either as sacrifices to the gods or as food.
Depend on Deceit
Yuan-ti have no sense of honorable combat. They are naturally stealthy, and if they can sneak up on enemies, either in an ambush or to murder them in their sleep, the yuan-ti will do so—and they actually prefer these tactics to open warfare. Because abominations and malisons can change into the shapes of snakes, they can keep their presence hidden and get into places their normal forms couldn’t enter.
Their immunity to poison gives all yuan-ti a tactical advantage in dealing with other creatures. A pureblood serving as a food taster for a royal family could poison a meal and declare it “safe” after taking a bite.Halfbloods raised in Yuan-Ti societies
Yuan-ti are emotionless, yet feel completely superior to humanoids, in the same way that a human can feel superior to chickens or rabbits — in a matter-of-fact, completely objective way that doesn’t brook any second-guessing. To a yuan-ti, there are only three categories of creature: threat, yuan-ti, or meat. Threats are powerful creatures such as demons, dragons, and genies. Yuan-ti are any of their own kind, regardless of caste; although a rival yuan-ti might be dangerous, and a weak or dead one might be potential food, it is first and foremost one of the true people and deserving of some respect. Meat includes any creature that is neither a threat nor a yuan-ti, possibly useful for a base purpose but not worthy of other consideration.
Most yuan-ti consider it beneath themselves to speak to meat. Abominations and malisons rarely communicate directly with slaves except in emergencies (such as for giving battle orders); at other times, slaves are expected to constantly be aware of the master’s mood, anticipate the master’s needs, and recognize subtle gestures of hands, head, and tail that indicate commands.
Only purebloods — which walk among humanoids and therefore have to learn how to speak to them civilly — practice interacting with meat-creatures. Much of their training involves suppressing their innate annoyance at having to speak to lesser beings as though they were equals, or being obliged to kowtow to a humanoid ruler as if the pureblood were merely an advisor. Pureblood spies feel a sort of aloof contempt toward meat-creatures, but they can affect a pleasant tone, and speak to such creatures with a silver tongue that disguises their true feelings.
Under normal circumstances, yuan-ti are always calmly deferential to those of higher rank. They tend to be curt and formal with those of lower rank, for the differences between them aren’t a source of anger or disgust (emotions that the yuan-ti don’t feel anyway), merely a fact of the natural order, and their culture long ago realized that treating the lower castes with a measure of detached respect prevents rebellion and advances the cause of the entire race.
Yuan-ti Personality Traits
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I see omens in every event and action. The serpent gods continue to advise us. |
| 2 | I have very high standards for food, drink, and physical pleasures. |
| 3 | I prefer to be alone rather than among other creatures, including my own kind. |
| 4 | I sometimes become consumed by philosophy. |
| 5 | I believe I am superior to others of my caste. |
| 6 | I am driven by wanderlust and want to explore lands far from our cities. |
| 7 | I am interested in modern human culture, even as primitive as it is. |
| 8 | I await the day when we again conquer lands by force, as we did in the old times. |
Yuan-ti Ideals
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Greed. I display my wealth as a sign of my power and prosperity. (Evil) |
| 2 | Aspiration. I strive to follow the path toward becoming an anathema. (Evil) |
| 3 | Unity. No leader shall put personal goals above those of our race. (Any) |
| 4 | Kinship. My allegiance is to my caste and my city. Other settlements can burn for all I care. (Any) |
| 5 | Inspiration. My actions set an example for the lesser castes to emulate. (Any) |
| 6 | Power. Everything I choose to do is determined by whether it will make me smarter and stronger. (Evil) |
Yuan-ti Bonds
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I will see our empire rise again and, in so doing, win the favor of the serpent gods. |
| 2 | I am enamored with the culture and trappings of another society and wish to be part of it. |
| 3 | I respect my superiors and obey them without question. My fate is theirs to decide. |
| 4 | I have an interest in an unsuitable mate, which I can’t suppress. |
| 5 | I respect and emulate a great hero or ancestor. |
| 6 | An enemy destroyed something of value to me, and I will find where it lives and kill the offender. |
Yuan-ti Flaws
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I feel twinges of emotion, and it shames me that I am imperfect in this way. |
| 2 | I put too much credence in the dictates of a particular god. |
| 3 | I frequently overindulge in food and wine, and I am impaired and lethargic for days afterward. |
| 4 | I worship a forbidden god. |
| 5 | I secretly believe things would be better if I was in charge. |
| 6 | If I could get away with it, I would gladly kill and eat a superior yuan-ti. |
Yuan-ti Names
Yuan-ti names have meanings that have been passed down through the generations, although spellings and inflections have changed over time.
Some yuan-ti add more sibilants to their birth names to create an exaggerated hissing sound, based on one’s personal preference and whether an individual’s anatomy can more easily pronounce the name in this altered form. An adopted name of this sort is recognized as a variant of the birth name, rather than a unique name unto itself. A yuan-ti might refer to itself by its birth name, by its adopted name, or (especially among purebloods) by a name it borrows from the local populace.
The Yuan-ti Names table provides yuan-ti birth names suitable for any campaign.
Yuan-ti Names
| d20 | Name | d20 | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asutali | 11 | Shalkashlah |
| 2 | Eztli | 12 | Sisava |
| 3 | Hessatal | 13 | Sitlali |
| 4 | Hitotee | 14 | Soakosh |
| 5 | Issahu | 15 | Ssimalli |
| 6 | Itstli | 16 | Suisatal |
| 7 | Manuya | 17 | Talash |
| 8 | Meztli | 18 | Teoshi |
| 9 | Nesalli | 19 | Yaotal |
| 10 | Otleh | 20 | Zihu |
Draconblood HalfBlood (Half Yuan-ti Pureblood/Half Draconblood Dragonborn) Traits
Your half Yuan-ti Pureblood/half-Draconblood Dragonborn character — called a halfblood for short — has the following racial traits.Ability Score Increase
If raised amongst Yuan-ti, your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
If raised amongst Dragonborn, your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Age
Halfbloods grow quickly at first. They walk hours after hatching, attain the size and development of a 10-year-old human child by the age of 6, but around age 12, they begin to slow in their aging and development, eventually maturing at the same rate as humans and yuan-ti purebloods. They have similar longevity to humans.
Alignment
Purebloods are devoid of emotion and see others as tools to manipulate. They care little for law or chaos and are typically neutral evil.
Dragonborn tend to extremes, making a conscious choice for one side or the other in the cosmic war between good and evil (represented by Bahamut and Tiamat, respectively). Most dragonborn are good, but those who side with Tiamat can be terrible villains.
Halfbloods tend toward neutral, though there are those who choose to be good or evil.
Size
Purebloods match humans in average size and weight. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 40 feet, and your climbing speed is 20 feet.
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Forceful Presence
When you make a Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check, you can do so with advantage. Once you use this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Draconic Ancestry
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
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.
Innate Spellcasting
You know the poison spray
cantrip. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited number of times with this trait, but you can target only snakes with it. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast suggestion with this trait. Once you cast it, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.Poison Immunity
You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common, Abyssal, and Draconic.
Comments