Dragon Transformation
Now that my players have finally encountered this, I can show it off. Next session they will find out why they have this transformation.
My players were caught in an explosion during a battle between dragon armies. They have found themselves gaining strange draconic abilities alongside their regular class.
Draconic Ancestry: You are descended from one of the Dragon Patriarchs. Choose one type of damage: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, Thunder. Your breath weapon and damage resistance are determined by the damage type.
Damage Resistance: You have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestry.
Blindsight: Your senses are heightened to the point that you can perceive your surroundings without relying on sight, within a specific radius.
Damage Immunity: Starting at 10th level, you are immune to the damage type of your breath weapon
Darkvision: At 4th level you gain darkvision out to 30 ft. If you already had darkvision, your range increases by 30 ft.
Dragon Shape
You can use your action to magically assume the shape of a Dragonborn or Dragon that is unique to your heritage. You can use this feature twice at 4th level plus one additional time at 12th and 20th level. You regain expended uses when finish a Long Rest.
You can stay in a Dragonborn shape for a number of hours equal to half your level (rounded down), time spent in dragon form counts double. You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a Bonus Action on Your Turn. You automatically revert if you fall Unconscious, drop to 0 Hit Points, or die.
While you are transformed you choose whether your Equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn Equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of Equipment, based on the form's shape and size. Your Equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any Equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
Breath Weapon: You can use your action to exhale destructive energy based on the damage type chosen for your draconic ancestry. Choose either a line or cone as your breath shape. A line is 5 feet per level, up to a maximum of 100 feet at 20th level (cones are half this length with their final width being the same as their length). If your damage type is poison then you must choose cone as your breath shape.
When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a saving throw, Dex for lines & Con for cones. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes full damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one.
After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest. At 10th level you can use your breath weapon twice per short rest, but no more than once every 1d4 rounds. At 15th level your breath weapon has a recharge of 6, increasing to a recharge of 5-6 at 20th level.
Wings: Your dragon form has stunted wings that are not yet strong enough to fly. These wings grant advantage on athletics checks to jump and allow the dragon to glide.
Gliding: A dragon can use their wings to glide, negating damage from a fall from any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. The dragon glides at a speed of 30 feet. A dragon can’t glide while carrying a medium or heavy load.
If a dragon becomes stunned or otherwise helpless while in midair, their wings naturally unfurl, and powerful ligaments stiffen them. The dragon descends slowly in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter the actual distance of the fall.
Flight: When a dragon reaches 6th level, they gain a fly speed equal to twice their regular speed. A dragon can’t fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exhausted.
A dragon can safely fly for a number of consecutive rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They can double this length of flight but take one point of exhaustion. The dragon is likewise exhausted after spending a total of more than 10 minutes per day flying. Because a dragon can glide before, after, and between rounds of actual flight, they can remain aloft for extended periods, even if they can only use flight for 1 round at a time without becoming exhausted.
When they reach 12th level, a dragon has enough stamina and prowess to fly without tiring. They can fly with no more exertion than walking or running. A dragon with flight can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the dragon must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. If the dive attack hits, it deals double damage.
A dragon with flight can use the dash action while flying, provided they fly in a straight line.
Permanent Form: At 20th level your Dragonborn form no longer counts against your transformations per day. You can stay in this form indefinitely and do not automatically revert when unconscious, at 0 hp, or dead.
Natural Weapons: Depending on their size characters gain natural weapons in their dragon form. If they attack with their bite they can use a bonus action to make two claw attacks. They may make reactionary attacks with their tails.
About the Author:
Stephen Mayo lives in Montana with his wife, daughter, corgi, and three cats.
You can keep in touch with him on Facebook and Twitter. Find more on his podcast A Side of Mayo. If you enjoyed reading this consider buying him a coffee or supporting him on Patreon.
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