Draconic Options
Redrafted by Okra the Bugbear
This homebrew content was created in response to the Draconic Options UA released by WotC under the same name. This document offers an alternate designs for the materials in the aforementioned UA and how I believe they should have been presented.
Ability Scores. While I understand that WotC doesn't desire to assign ASI to racial options, I will still be posting my suggestions for them.
No Spells Included. While I enjoy the new spells, I don't have enough interest to go through each one and try to balance them, if needed at all.
Power Level. The material here aims to be in line with previously designed options. Options may be scaled down from the original document to achieve this balance.
Text appearing in this box provides insight into my design choices.
Dragonborn
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.
I condensed the various overlapping traits to prevent repeating the same material and preserve space.
The current balance for base dragonborn is 27.
Dragonborn Traits
You have the following racial traits.
Suggested Ability Score Increases. Your Constitution increases by 2.
Size. You are Medium.
Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Thanks to your draconic heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
We all found it odd that those who've inherited the blood of dragons failed to receive their senses (minus truesight).
I was tempted to give them blindsight out to 10 feet (predicted +3 using detect greater balance) as with the half-dragon template in the MM, but I couldn't justify it to the power budget. If your willing to swapout your unique trait from your choice of ancestry, you could obtain blindsight as a variant trait.
Breath Weapon. As an action, you release an exhalation of a magical energy in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide or 15-foot cone (your choice when you exhale). Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 3d8 damage of the type associated with your draconic ancestry on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. This damage increases by 2d8 when you reach 5th level (5d8), 11th level (7d8), and 17th level (9d8).
Once you use this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
While I was an advocate for sacrificing a single attack for your breath weapon for many years (and it is still practical), I've found an issue with it too, plus a second issue specific to this draft.
Using it as a substitute for an attack instead of an action implies a quicker release. Meaning this mechanic is informing us it isn't a build-up of power that is spewed forth with all our breath, but more a spitball of energy or puff of wind, something that won't take us out of breath and pause before continuing our next strike(s). I find this conflicts with the narrative intent of the design. This point has made me revert to the action cost, even if it's not cost-effective in the martial action economy.
Allowing you to use it to replace an attack instead of an action would go over my budget. This point is fixable by sacrificing your darkvision trait or your unique trait from your choice of ancestry; however, this still conflicts with the first point.
So how do we make it worth this action cost, especially for a fighter? After discussing it with multiple homebrewers on the DoMT server, we arrived at the consensus that the damage output of your breath weapon should equate to 70% of the fighter's DPS (DPR). Assuming we have at least two targets within our AOE, this would make it a viable option to replace our flurry of attacks. I wish to add that this particular power scaling for the breath weapon was created by /u/InfKore.
Lastly, the topic of proficiency bonus uses. This spike in power is WAY too much for the power budget to handle. To accommodate for it, I would need to drop both darkvision and either your resistance or unique trait from your choice of ancestry. This mechanic could be presented as a feat though the Intensified Dragon's Breath created by /u/TheArenaGuy being a good example.
Draconic Resistance. You have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconcic ancestry.
Draconic Ancestry. Your draconic ancestry influences your characters appearance and your natural dispositions towards certain types of magical energies. Choose an ancestry from one of the options below.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.
Chromatic Dragonborn
Dragonborn with chromatic ancestry claim the raw elemental power of the chromatic dragons. The vibrant colors of the chromatics—black, blue, green, red, and white—gleam in their scaled skin and in the deadly energy of their breath weapons. Theirs is the raw elemental fury of the volcano, of biting arctic winds, of raging lightning storms; theirs also is the subtle whisper of swamp and forest, corrosive and toxic.
Suggested Ability Score Increases. Your Strength or Charisma score increases by 1.
Chromatic Ancestry. You trace your ancestry to a chromatic dragon, granting you a special magical affinity. Choose one type of dragon from the Chromatic Ancestry table. This determines the damage type for your other traits as shown in the table.
Chromatic Ancestry
| Dragon | Damage Type |
|---|---|
| Black | Acid |
| Blue | Lightning |
| Green | Poison |
| Red | Fire |
| White | Cold |
Desolating Breath. Your breath weapon lingers as it engulfs all it touches. When a creature fails their saving throw against your breath weapon, they take an additional 1d8 damage at the start of their next turn.
While the 3rd level traits were fun, they were too over budget. Though I've replaced them here, the Chromatic Warding and some other traits can be found reworked in the feats section.
The Desolating Breath is a trait used to represents the destructive power imbued within the blood of the chromatics.
Metallic Dragonborn
Dragonborn with metallic ancestry lay claim to the unflinching tenacity of the metallic dragons—brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver—whose hues glint in their scales. Theirs is the fire of hearth and forge, the cold of high mountain air, the spark of inspiration, and the scouring touch of acid that cleanses and purifies.
Suggested Ability Score Increases. Your Wisdom or Charisma score increases by 1.
Metallic Ancestry. You trace your ancestry to a metallic dragon, granting you a special magical affinity. Choose one type of dragon from the Metallic Ancestry table. This determines the damage type for your other traits as shown in the table.
Metallic Ancestry
| Dragon | Damage Type |
|---|---|
| Brass | Fire |
| Bronze | Lightning |
| Copper | Acid |
| Gold | Fire |
| Silver | Cold |
Soothing Breath. You can use the magical energy of your breath to revitalize your allies. Instead of exhaling destructive energy when you use your breath weapon, you can exhale soothing mist in a 5-foot radius. Each creature within this area (including yourself) regains a number of hit points equal to 2d8 + your constitution modifier as they inhale this magical gas.
A second breath weapon is on-brand for metallic dragons, though it was out of the budget. To keep within my budget, I had to make it expend your primary breath weapon.
The original options, while okay, didn't feel worth using over the primary breath weapon. Heck! Little would beat it in combat. So I pulled inspiration from the Metallic Dragon feat and gave them a cure wounds breath. It's situationally better, but great if your healing options are limited in the party.
Gem Dragonborn
Dragonborn with gem ancestry partake of the heritage of all gem dragons, who claim to be heirs of the ruby dragon, Sardior—the firstborn of all creation, made by Bahamut and Tiamat in the first days of the First World. The colors and mysterious powers of the gem dragons— amethyst, crystal, emerald, sapphire, and topaz—gleam in their scaled skin and course through their veins. Theirs are the wonders of the mind, the force of will, the brilliant light of insight, the resounding echo of discovery, and the desiccation of despair.
Suggested Ability Score Increases. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Gem Ancestry. You trace your ancestry to a gem dragon, granting you a special magical affinity. Choose one type of dragon from the Gem Ancestry table. This determines the damage type for your other traits as shown in the table.
Gem Ancestry
| Dragon | Damage Type |
|---|---|
| Amethyst | Force |
| Crystal | Radiant |
| Emerald | Psychic |
| Sapphire | Thunder |
| Topaz | Necrotic |
Psionic Mind. You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. You don’t need to share a language with the creature, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language. Your communication doesn’t give the creature the ability to respond to you telepathically.
Kobolds
Kobolds often are dismissed as cowardly, foolish, and weak, but these tiny reptilian creatures have a strong social structure that stresses devotion to the tribe, are clever with their hands, and viciously work together to overcome their physical limitations.
I respect the ability for the designers to discard their previous work and start from scratch, but the UA version was a head-scratching overcorrection leaving them with none of their previous identity.
The current balance for kobold is 24.
Kobold Traits
You have the following racial traits.
Suggested Ability Score Increases. Your Dexterity increases by 2, and your Intelligence or Charisma increases by 1.
Size. You are Small.
Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Thanks to your draconic heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
Cunning Trapmakers. As part of a short or long rest you can use nearby materials to craft a single use of caltrops, ball bearings, oil, or a hunting trap. With DM permission you can craft your own traps, provided you have the right tools and materials.
This mechanic originally was pitched here by /u/chagdoo, and when I read it, I loved it! I made some minor tweaks to it, but still very much a fun application for these tiny critters.
Pack Tactics. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. You cannot use this trait if you have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Perception checks that rely on sight while you are in direct sunlight.
Tribe Calling. Each kobold is born with a calling to best serve their tribe or their dragon patron. Choose one of the following options when you select this race:
- Trap Specialist. You gain proficiency with the tinker's tools or theives' tools.
- Scale Sorcery. You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for that cantrip (choose when you select this race).
- Heart of the Dragon. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened or paralyzed condition on yourself.
- Dragonwrought. You gain resistance to one of the following damage types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning or Poison
Draconic Legacy I liked conceptually, but wanted to keep them from just being small dragons. Also, the tail attack was...odd. This now flavors it as a special skill or trait inherited upon hatching or by upbringing.
For balance reasons I can't offer it, but I'd suggest picking up the shield master feat if you choose Heart of the Dragon for the full Dragonshield experience.
Weak Frame. You count as one size smaller when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
The opposite of the traditional Powerful Build trait, this trait allows the kobold to be mechanically weak without just placing negative ASI on them off the bat. I forget where I had heard this idea originally, but I've used it in my home games for a while now.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.
Feats
A feat represents a character achieving mastery in one of their capabilities or discovering the ability to do something completely new. When this mastery arises from a draconic source— whether it’s the gift of a true dragon, the manifestation of some draconic heritage, the blessing of a draconic god, or as a consequence of slaying a true dragon—it can have dramatic supernatural effects.
Chromatic Warding
Prerequisites: chromatic dragonborn
As an action, you can channel your draconic energies to protect yourself. For 10 minutes, you become immune to the damage type associated with your Chromatic Ancestry. Once you use this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Dragon Wings
Prerequisite: dragonborn or kobold
You sprout draconic wings. With your wings, you have a flying speed of 30 feet as long as you aren't wearing medium or heavy armor, and aren't exceeding your carrying capacity. If you already have a flying speed, increase it by 10 feet instead.
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon
You’ve manifested some of the power of chromatic dragons, granting you the following benefits:
- Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- As a bonus action, you can touch a simple or martial weapon and infuse it with one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. For the next minute, the weapon deals an extra 1d6 damage of the chosen type when it hits. After you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Gift of the Metallic Dragon
You’ve manifested some of the power of metallic dragons, granting you the following benefits:
- Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You can manifest protective wings that can shield you and others from attacks. When you or another creature you can see within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to manifest spectral wings from your back. Roll a d6 and grant a bonus to the target’s AC equal to the number rolled, potentially causing it to miss. When you use this reaction to shield another creature, you also gain the bonus. This bonus lasts until the start of your next turn, or the target moves more than 5 feet from you. After you use this reaction, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Gift of the Gem Dragon
You’ve manifested some of the power of gem dragons, granting you the following benefits:
- Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- When you take damage from a creature that is within 10 feet of you, you can use your reaction to emanate telekinetic energy. The creature that dealt damage to you must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + the ability modifier of the score increased by this feat) or take 2d8 force damage and be pushed 10 feet away from you. After you use this reaction, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Greater Calling
Prerequisites: kobold
You have been given a greater role to play within the tribe, granting you the following benefits:
- Increase one of your ability scores by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- Select a second option from the Tribe Calling trait when you gain this feat.
- You gain one skill, tool, or language proficiency of your choice.
Metallic Breath Weapon
Prerequisites: metallic dragonborn
You gain a second breath weapon. You can use your action to exhale a magical gas, choosing from the same shapes when exhaling your original breath weapon. If an effect requires a saving throw, use the same DC for your original breath weapon. You can expend a use of this breath to use your Soothing Breath trait.
When you exhale this magical gas, choose one:
- Each creature in the area must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 20 feet away from you and be knocked prone.
- Each creature in the area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become incapacitated until the start of your next turn.
Once you use your Metallic Breath Weapon, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Special Thanks & Credits
I wanted to give a give a special thank you to Harvist over in the MCDM servers as well as the wonderful people over in the Discord of Many Things server who discussed and reviewed this material with me.
All art credits are pinned with their respective images.
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the material used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast L.L.C.