Dracon (5e Race)

Dracon

Physical Description

Dracons appear similar to dragonborn, though many possess tails, wings, or stronger scales. Their scale color corresponds to the color of one of their parents. Notably, scale color does seem to affect a dracon's preferences. Dracons of gold, red, and brass scales seem to enjoy warmer temperatures, having higher body temperatures, and disliking cold temperatures. White and silver dracons are familiar with colder climates and are known for being as cold as the dead... in body, of course. For those of bronze and blue scales, they are common around coastlines and areas with thunderstorms, though they hate dry places, especially deserts. Unsurprisingly, black and copper dracons also favor wet domains, though they like the brackish water of swamps, however, what is surprising is that they often have a sweet tooth. Finally, the green dracons are a bit odd in that they don't favor forests, but rather like areas with less than wholesome air quality. Scales aside, many dracons without tails or wings are often mistaken for dragonborn, often to their dismay. Dracons have a slight muzzle and pointed teeth. They find it difficult, though not impossible, to eat vegetable matter, but favor meats. They can eat fruits and often favor them as sweets.

History

Thousands of years ago, a human warlock released a curse on all dragons in revenge for her son's death. The innate magic of dragons lessened the curse, which is believed to have been intended to kill unhatched dragon eggs, but even that couldn't completely stop it. Most dragon eggs are unaffected by the curse, but rarely, one will hatch and reveal a humanoid. It is unknown as to why this would be. The resulting creatures believed themselves both dragons and not, and took the name 'dracon,' a corruption of the word dragon, signifying that they are dragons, but a sort of corrupted or different kind of dragon. However, by using 'Dracon' instead of 'Dragon,' they acknowledge that they are not true dragons. Life for the dracon is difficult, but they survive and thrive despite this. Many dragons look down upon dracons. Chromatic dragons often favor killing them on sight, with metallic dragons usually just as ready to disregard or kill dracons as they are to listen to one. Many humanoids fear dracons and some of the more "pure-minded" ones hunt down dracon "monstrosities" as well as dragonborn. On the other hand, dracons and dragonborn get along very well. Two dragons can rarely have a dracon hatch from a clutch. If they are chromatic, they barely raise them and eventually leave them to live or die on their own, usually after 20-40 years. Metallic dragons often raise them as regular dragons, with allowances for their statures, however, even metallic dragons will favor their normal dragon offspring to their dracon ones. Dracons almost always have a clutch of dracons, though rarely a dragon might hatch from their clutch. Having a dragon hatch is considered fortunate and a blessing. Such hatchlings are raised as close to normal dragon ways as possible, but usually with an acknowledgement (chromatic hatchling) or respect (metallic hatchling) for dracons. Chromatic dragons hatched this way often won't kill dracons on sight (but will still probably eventually kill them, unless they have a reason to keep one alive), but they aren't any more compassionate to their dracon offspring. Metallic dragons raised by dracons are usually just as accepting of dracons as they are of other dragons, they often favor their dracon offspring as they would their dragon ones. Intriguingly, a pair of dracons can have a clutch consisting of all kinds of dracons (that is, the type of dracon that hatches can be anything, though they favor their parent).

Society

Dracons, like their draconic ancestors, are solitary creatures. They rarely form small villages, but most live alone in the wilderness. A few have been known to live in non-dracon villages or even towns, but they only venture to cities if they have business and almost never stay longer than they have to. As this makes clear, dracons do have minor xenophobic tendencies, and this extends to dracons of other subraces as well. While they have been known to band together in times of trouble- they are all dracons, after all- they are mostly friendly only to their family and their own kind (their own subrace). They even have tendencies that can be seen in their everyday interactions with others. Winged dracons tend to be aloof and haughty, especially towards tailed dracons. Tailed dracon are aggressive and active, and act particularly aggressive with breath dracons. Scaled dracon are defensive and thoughtful and often get into arguments with tailed dracons. Breath dracons are energetic and all to willing to burn/freeze/electrocute/melt/poison something and love to get on winged dracons nerves with it. As for the near dracon... they avoid contact with others and are perpetual outcasts. They are often viewed with suspicion by other dracons, given their appearance and capabilities being similar to other dracons, but unlike them. They are even seen as an insult to all dracons and are often insulted in turn. Perfect dracons are considered myths and few think that they actually exist... but their very idea are a favorite means of insulting near dracons farther.

Dracon Names

Dracons usually have three names. One in Draconic and only used with a draconic creature (including dragons). One is in either common or draconic, usually common, and is used with any other race. The third is a childhood nickname. Usually, some trait about them when they were younger, nicknames are in either language. After adulthood, nicknames are only used as a term of endearment by family and lovers, and as an insult when used by anyone else, even friends.

These names were born from a combination of superstition and fear. Newly hatched dracon are known as hatchlings and are protected by their communities. In fear of their safety, outsiders are not allowed to even see a hatchling until the hatchling has reached their 27th year, when they are considered old enough to not accidentally tell a stranger something they shouldn't. Upon reaching this age, they are considered younglings and are given a name (or choose a name of their own) that they use with non-dracon creatures.

Upon reaching adulthood, at 101, dracons are encouraged to leave their childhoods in the past, save for significant achievements that inspire awe or terror. This is to allow them to start their adult life without the encumbrance of the guilt and foolishness of youth. AS such, nicknames given during childhood become references to that very childhood.

Examples

Male Draconic: Harix, Orgex, Valignat (Burn), Zibek

Female Draconic: Alinst, Aurix (Gold), Igress, Regis

Male Common: Bedel, Menen, Oren, Teliv

Female Common: Alina, Ciress, Nelim, Tevoon

Nicknames: Biter, Kosjoth (Smalltooth), Valiant, Woari (Wanderer)

Dracon Traits

Dracons are a race of dragons cursed in the egg to hatch in humanoid form.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength scores increases by 2.
Age. Dracons reach adulthood at age 101, but it is unknown how long they can live. Believed to have the same maximum age as a dragon, the oldest known dracon is well over 3,000 years old and is respected by dracons and dragons alike.
Alignment. Their alignments usually corresponds with scale color, and as such their draconic parent, though there are exceptions where dracon follow a different alignment or slightly altered alignment.
Size. Dracons average 6-7' in height and 280-330 lbs. in weight. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Dragon. Your creature type is both dragon and humanoid.
Draconic Ancestry. Choose a dragon type. Your scale color and draconic resistance are determined by the species you choose.
Draconic Resistance. You are resistant to the type of damage corresponding to your dragon ancestor; see the Draconic Ancestry table.
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.
Claws. You have a set of claws that augment your attacks. Your unarmed strikes may do slashing damage instead of bludgeoning damage.
Languages. You can read, write, and speak Common and Draconic.
Subrace. Pick one from, Winged, Tailed, Scaled, Breath, and Near Dracon. (If you wish for an overpowered version of a dracon for an overpowered session of D&D, or if you are a DM and wish for a more powerful version of a dracon for a challenging enemy, then there is a

Perfect Dracon subrace.

Winged Dracon

Dracons who hatched with wings. Winged dracons are quite capable of flight, but find doing so in most armor uncomfortable. Not that many like to wear armor since they also tend to be the vainest of all dracons, often cleaning themselves when not otherwise busy (and sometimes even while busy).

Design Note: See Flying Races (5e Guideline).

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Wings. You have a fly speed of 30 feet. If you are wearing armor you are not proficient in or any Medium or Heavy armor, you may not fly. You must be in a place wide enough to accommodate your wingspan to fly. Your wingspan is equal to twice your height. You may not fly in normal backpacks or armor. The cost to alter your gear to be suitable for flight is equal to half the cost of the gear.

Tailed Dracon

Some dracons hatched with a tail. As a result, they are usually heavier than other dracons. They are often the fiercest of dracons and are known for their astonishing power, strength, arrogance, and confidence. It is often joked that a tailed dracon would throw large boulders at even a Tarrasque, just because they could. Umm...here's one now! (See you later!)

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by an additional 1. As normal this cannot increase this score above 20.
Tail. You have a strong and powerful tail. When you take the attack action you can, as a bonus action, you make an attack using your tail, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage on a successful attack. You cannot wear leggings or armor not specially modified to accommodate your tail. When determining weight, add 20 lbs. to the result.
Imtimidating Form. Your strong form and unbreakable confidence terrify others. You are proficient with the Intimidation skill.

An image of Langdedrosa used by Wizards of the Coast as part of Hoard of the Dragon.

Scaled Dracon

Some dracon hatch with scales that are harder than a normal dracon's or dragonborn's scales. These dracon are often hard to injure, but their scales and skin are surprisingly sensitive. However, their dislike of injury causes them to always seek the best paths, making them amazing navigators.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Dragon Scales. When unarmored, your Armor Class is equal to 12 + your Dexterity modifier. If you drop to half of your hit points while unarmored, your Armor Class is equal to 11 + your Dexterity modifier. This returns to normal when you regain all lost hit points.
Traveller's Eye. You tend to notice things others do not. You have advantage on Perception checks to notice peculiarities about the nearby terrain you can see.

Breath Dracon

Some dracons show no outward sign of their abilities until they start lighting things on fire. Breath dracons love an excuse to breathe at things, but can be surprisingly tactical. Breath dracons tend to have a reckless youth that eventually fades with age. Due to their love of their breath, they have been known to continuously use it for incredible amounts of time, a fact that makes some dragons jealous. While all dracons love to collect treasures, art, and wealth, breath dracon tend to like it more, sometimes even being greedy about collecting things. To make things worse (or better), they can be surprising charismatic, making collecting easier.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Breath Weapon. You possess a breath weapon that corresponds to your draconic ancestor. When using your breath weapon, creatures in your breath must make a Dexterity or Constitution(depending on ancestry) saving throw against a DC that is equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. If they succeed, they take half damage, if they fail, they take full damage. Your breath weapon does 2d6 damage of the same type as your resistance damage type. This increase to 3d6 at level 6, 4d6 at level 11, 5d6 at level 16. The damage type, saving throw, area, and range correspond to draconic ancestor type (see Dragonic Ancestry table). You cannot use this again until you complete a short or long rest.
Wrath of Dragons. If you used your action to use your breath weapon, you may use your bonus action to continue to do so. Until your next turn, enemies that are within the area of your breath weapon must make the corresponding saving throw or take damage (see Breath Weapon) at the beginning of their turns. On your turn, if you used Wrath of Dragons on your last turn, you may use both your action and bonus action to allow the effects to persist until your next turn. While using your breath weapon this way your speed becomes 0 and you may change the direction you are using your breath weapon at the beginning of your turn. You may use your breath weapon this way for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1).

Near Dracon

Near Dracons are the outcasts and the paragons of the dracon. They possess some of the abilities of all other dracons but are inferior to them. They were given the name "Near Dracon" because their abilities are near those of other dracons. They are sometimes known as "Near Dragons" due to them being the closest any dracon can be to being a dragon albeit a weak one. They are very rare, a pair of dracons are more likely to have a dragon hatch than a near dracon. Because of this, and their obvious difference from other dracons, they often feel isolated and alone. As a result, they are a strong and independent, but not very social. They are sometimes seen as the hermits of the dracons. Their muzzles are much more pronounced, as are their teeth, which make eating vegetable matter incredibly difficult, they basically cannot eat such things. As such, meat is their preferred food. Fruits are not of any major difficulty to eat and, like most dracons, are favored as a kind of sweet. Near dracons usually tend to be solo adventurers, but many find themselves in (usually) grudging partnerships with fellow adventurers. Legend claim that near dracons only hatch when the world needs someone great.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Imperfect Paragon. You have the following abilities:

Wings You have a fly speed of 30 feet. If you are wearing armor you are not proficient in or any Medium or Heavy armor, you may not fly. You must be in an area large enough to accommodate your wingspan in order to fly. You have a wingspan equal to twice your height. You may not fly in normal backpacks or armor. The cost to alter your gear to be suitable for flight is equal to half the cost of the gear. Whenever you fly, you must return to the ground after your movement has been expended else you fall to the ground and are knocked prone at the end of your turn.

Tail When you take the attack action you can, as a bonus action, you make an attack using your tail, dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a successful attack. You cannot wear leggings or armor not specially modified to accommodate your tail. When determining weight, add 20 lbs. to the result.

Dragon Scales While unarmored, you have an Armor Class of 11 + your Dexterity modifier.

Breath Weapon You possess a breath weapon that corresponds to your draconic ancestor. When using your breath weapon, creatures in your breath must make a Dexterity or Constitution(depending on ancestry) saving throw against a DC that is 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. If they succeed, they take half damage, if they fail, they take full damage. Your breath weapon does 1d6 damage of the same type as your resistance damage type. This increase to 2d6 at level 6, 3d6 at level 11, 4d6 at level 16. The damage type, saving throw, area, and range correspond to draconic ancestor type (see Dragon Ancestry table). You cannot use this again until you complete a long rest.
Fangs. You have a set of fangs that can be used to make bite attacks. You are proficient with these bite attacks. They do 1d4 piercing damage. However, this attack can only be performed on a grappled target.

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)

Random Height and Weight

Table: Dracon Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
5 ′ 8 ″	+2d8	260 lb.	× 1d6 lb.

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