Homebrew Undead (Dragonborn) Species Details

Life as we knew it is long gone. I, like you, look forward to the building of the new world based in our new normal.

— Bertrand Riel, Undead Rights Activist

Undead have no need for conquest or empire building. Typically, undead will seek out abandoned villages, towns or cities to inhabit, and will maintain the relevant infrastructures to their new normal. When an undead chooses to explore the world at large, the motivation is to gain knowledge or have an experience previously wanted when alive, but never got around to. The only reason for an undead character to collect currency or items are to interact with outside societies.

Diverse Xenophobia

Undead are largely considered by all common races as xenophobic, despite having a diverse and unique culture of their own. This perspective comes from the decentralized nature of undead society. Humans tend to have lordships, orcs tend to have chieftains, but undead tend to have a role for every individual. This has led to the misconception that undead are xenophobic of outside cultures by all common races. The undead perspective is that the decentralized communities that they have built function best when not influenced by outsiders. Undead culture was formed by a variety of spiritual, governing and philosophical underpinnings of all common races. Matters concerning divinity are handled by Divine Counsellors who adhere to outlines of clerics, druids and paladins; while adhering to a combined pantheon of deities. Likewise, this open minded approach to an inclusive hegemony extends to all aspects of undead society.

Undead Names and Ethnicities

Despite being viewed as xenophobic by other cultures, undead communities are quite diverse. This comes from their focus on similarities, rather than differences. This is most commonly seen in undead traditions around naming. Rarely does an individual, whom is undead, take on a new name. If an undead does take a new name, this is taken quite seriously, and requires the blessing of a Divine Counsellor. Typically, undead retain the names they were given in life.

Undead Traits

While similar to their living counter-parts, your undead character has differences in their traits. Undead characters maintain the speed at which their living counter-part can walk, burrow, climb, fly or swim. Additionally, undead characters maintain most of the traits of their living counter-parts, with the exception of languages. Undead characters are able to understand all languages know to their living counter-parts, however, undead can only speak in common.

Unlike their living counter-parts, some race specific traits can be lost. For instance, an undead dragonborn may lose the racial trait of Breath Weapon if the dragonborn's throat is damaged, as undead cannot regenerate. Despite being unable to regenerate, spells such as False Life are considered healing spells for undead.

All undead share the following traits:

Darkvision: 60 ft., passive

Resistances: Poison, Sickness

Feed: Can feed on target creature, once dead, to regain 1D4 HP

Slam (Reaction): Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage

Undead Fortitude: If damage reduces the undead human to 0 Hit Points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+ the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the undead human drops to 1 hit point instead

 

Undead (Dragonborn) Traits

While similar to their living counter-parts, your undead character has differences in their traits.

Feed

Once dead, can feed on target creature to regain 1D4 HP

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.

Alignment

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.

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.

Darkvision

60 ft., passive

Resistances

Poison, Sickness

Slam

Reaction: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage

Undead Fortitude

If damage reduces the undead human to 0 Hit Points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+ the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the undead human drops to 1 hit point instead