Levelable dragon character

[Blue]

So my daughters have been wanting me to introduce D&D to them and we made characters but haven't played yet, and then they got my niece and nephew involved. Youngest is 12, all are bright, and they get the rules.

However, my nephew's creativity makes him really want to play a young dragon instead of a humanoid. He's already come up with a backstory. Also, he's not familiar with the D&D lore of dragons with it's colored & metalics, which is pretty unique to D&D, and wants a "traditional green scaled" dragon that eventually gets to breath all sorts of different effects starting with fire.

We talked about reskinning, which he gets, but the more I talk to him the more i think actually working up a dragon that we can level that will be on-par with 1st through 5th level characters will be good. Especially because the party needs some tanking, something a dragon should be able to conceptually do but hard to do with reskinning something that use a "breath weapon" as it's primary attack every round.

(The rest of the party is a Half-Elven Druid heading for Circle of Dreams (eldest daughter), a Drow Rogue heading towards assassin (youngest daughter) and I think a wild magic sorceress (niece, haven't mad the character yet).

So, what would you suggest for level 1 thru level 5 playable dragon, able to tank and breathe?

EDIT: Updated what my niece wants to play.

 

[cbwjm]

I'd suggest a "dragonborn" barbarian. Rather than the standard subclasses create a subclass that gives him more draconic abilities. Unarmoured defence is basically the strength of his scales.

He probably wants to be able to fly, you could say that his wings are still developing and that they give him jump bonuses until level 5 when he gains a flight speed.

Maybe also check out the dragonborn feats in Xanathar's, they can be used as is or used as part of the barbarian subclass.

 

[Satyrn]

I'd probably start with the aaracokra stats, so that the wings get handled. I'd also give him claws that function like short swords (light and finesse) and a bite that functions like a longsword. That'd be the "race."

For the class, I'd use the fighter, but tweak it so that the dragon "subclass" came online at 1st level, replacing the fighting style with Breath Weapon.

And I'd give him two breath weapons to start. Maybe three. One breath weapon would be the equivalent of a 1st level spell (and would be useable once pet short rest), the others would be balanced like cantrips, like a firebolt equivalent would be spitting on a single foe, while an acid splash equivalent would be a small cone. Then, at higher levels when the fight would get an archetype feature, his breath weapons would power up and he'd get more.

And if I came up with more dragon features I wanted to hand out, I'd replace other fighter features as desired.

I'd also write this up as a whole new race/class combo without reference to the aaracokra and fighter so that it would feel dragony.

 

[dave2008]

I'd probably start with the aaracokra stats, so that the wings get handled. I'd also give him claws that function like short swords (light and finesse) and a bite that functions like a longsword. That'd be the "race."

For the class, I'd use the fighter, but tweak it so that the dragon "subclass" came online at 1st level, replacing the fighting style with Breath Weapon.

And I'd give him two breath weapons to start. Maybe three. One breath weapon would be the equivalent of a 1st level spell (and would be useable once pet short rest), the others would be balanced like cantrips, like a firebolt equivalent would be spitting on a single foe, while an acid splash equivalent would be a small cone. Then, at higher levels when the fight would get an archetype feature, his breath weapons would power up and he'd get more.

And if I came up with more dragon features I wanted to hand out, I'd replace other fighter features as desired.

I'd also write this up as a whole new race/class combo without reference to the aaracokra and fighter so that it would feel dragony.

I think you nailed it - nothing really to add at this point

 

[aco175]

You should also come up with a few magic items specific for dragons. Something like a magical pool where it gives him +1ac or +1to hit with spells/ breath weapons. A pool can benefit all the PCs, but only once per lifetime or something.

 

[AnotQuiteSimpleSoul]

Hmmmm focus is on breathe weapons and tanking...

Hmmmmmm

Well the simple fact is that it's hard to justify a breathe weapon every round. Especially if it's got more than a 2-3 square area covered. Even monster dragons have breath weapon use limits. I know you're not looking for perfect mechanics but you still wanna avoid overshadowing the other players, and making the character's turn boring so you don't wanna make repeating the same thing every round the standard default.

Rotating breath weapons would help, but that doesn't address the overshadow issue.

Hmmmmm

Ok, my thinking is that you should use Barbarian HP, nix weapon profs in favor of monk unarmed damage, but call it a bite attack (add damage types as needed), nuke shield and armor profs, but give the character the ability to add constitution to their unarmored AC, also at first level give them a copy of the dragon born breath attack, but instead of being limited to once between rests, make it useable once every 3 or 4 rounds.

Final 1st level power should be dragon fear, as the xanthanar feat basically, but on the same recharge meter as the breathe weapon so each time it comes up the character can breathe fire or use fear.

at levels 3 and 5 allow it to pick another breath weapon damage type and shape from the dragon born list.

level 2, claw attack as a bonus action, claw attack is basically the bite attack, but class abilities can be specific to one or the other.

Level 4, ignore half the damage you take from the first effect to damage you in a round, refreshing when your turn ends.

Level 5 the BITE attack adds the effect of the last breath weapon used, but only to a target it hits so it's only hitting one per turn.

Racial features should probably be based on the aracokra, nuke talons and add dark vision, swap dex and wis bonuses for con and charisma.

So that's out to level 5.

 

[Li Shenron]

I would just let the kid play a Brass Dragon Wyrmling painted green. Then add class levels on top of it.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Hmm. Radiant Soul Monk?
That gives you a certain amount of tankiness and damage without needing to use weapons, and an at-will elemental attack that can be refluffed as gobs of fire. Plus jumping and falling capabilities that could be due to not-quite-flight-capable wings.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I'd go Green Dragonborn Barbarian with the Dragon Hide feat at level 1 replacing Weapon and Armor Proficiencies. Getting the Dragon Wings feat at level 4 and just let that be maturing enough to gain flight. Dragon Fear feat later is optional but is a cool breath weapon option.

For subclass I'd go Storm Herald, but let him pick between Desert, Sea, and Tundra at the end of a long rest. All Storm Herald abilities would just be refluffed breath weapons.

 

[jasper]

Use Dragon born. Breath weapon becomes 5 foot square and does long sword damage.