D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: Draconic Options

The latest Unearthed Arcana from WotC is called Draconic Options. It includes three variant Dragonborn races and a new kobold race, as well as a handful of new spells and feats. Dragonlance fans might do a double-take when they see Fizban's platinum shield (two Forgotten Realms dragons are referenced in the spells, too -- Icingdeath and Raulothim -- as is the FR god of fey dragons, Nathair).

Harness the power of dragons in this installment of Unearthed Arcana! This playtest document presents race, feat, and spell options related to dragons in Dungeons & Dragons.

First is a trio of draconic race options presented as an alternative to the dragonborn race in the Player’s Handbook, as well as a fresh look at the kobold race. Then comes a handful of feat options that reflect a connection to draconic power. Finally, an assortment of spells—many of them bearing the names of famous or infamous dragons—offer a variety of approaches to manifesting dragon magic.

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[Kobold Avenger]

Anyways with the idea of Good-aligned Metallic Kobolds and Evil-aligned Chromatic Kobolds, I thought of a valley and a mountain where there's a Silver Dragon and a Red Dragon locked in a bitter battle with each other. The Dragons both have Kobold minions/followers, and the Kobolds and locked in a bitter tunnel-by-tunnel trench warfare over the control of the region.

The Silver Kobolds being good, at least leave warning signs that say "Keep Out!" or "Danger, Traps Ahead" written in Draconic for their territory. They're willing to negotiate with adventurers, and will escort most people around their traps. And might provide a small Kobold war band if they find the party is willing to fight the Red Kobolds. The Red Kobolds have many trophies from their raids and piles of corpses marking their territory, and they are relentless in fighting back invaders.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Those weren’t the swords’ names though, they were what the goblins called them. Their names were Glamdring, the Foehammer and Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver.

How are those better than Icingdeath?

Look, I kinda hate Drizzt, and I definitely view JRRT as a vastly better author and worldbuilder than RAS, but Foehammer isn't an especially cool name. It's fine, but it's not any better than naming a sword forged of star+moonlight with a pommel that glows softly when danger is near, Twinkle.

 

[Hurin70]

And Drizzt named the frost brand scimitar he got from the fight after the dragon.

(Seriously, his scimitars are named Twinkle and Icingdeath)

Word on the street is he named another part of his anatomy 'Death by Chocolate'.

 

[Weiley31]

Does nobody miss the spellcales PC race from Races of Dragon?

Despite the fact that they were never really popular, I've always liked em.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Problem with that though, is that they did add stat increases for the dragonborn. They need to pick something and stick with it.

They also need to make these new dragonborn varieties subraces, speaking of picking a system and sticking with it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

An adventure that lets you punch Nazis?!

I don't know if Best of the Dragon vol. 1 and 2 are legally available anywhere, but the story is reprinted in one of them.

There's also a very funny story about how the nebulous OD&D language "rules" lead to a player character in an early game selecting Door as a language and interrogating every door he encounters about what's on the other side.

A rousing simulation of myth and folklore, it was not.

 

[Undrave]

I don't know if Best of the Dragon vol. 1 and 2 are legally available anywhere, but the story is reprinted in one of them.

There's also a very funny story about how the nebulous OD&D language "rules" lead to a player character in an early game selecting Door as a language and interrogating every door he encounters about what's on the other side.

A rousing simulation of myth and folklore, it was not.

"Speak with Door" would make for a nice spell

 

[Azzy]

Oh, misread that then. Still, I don’t like that it doesn’t match the shape of the parent dragon type’s breath weapon.

Yeah, that annoys the heck out of me, too.

 

[Charlaquin]

How are those better than Icingdeath?

Icingdeath sounds like a poisoned cake. It’s just goofy. Foehammer and Goblin Cleaver may be unsubtle, but at least they sound like weapons instead of baked goods.

Look, I kinda hate Drizzt, and I definitely view JRRT as a vastly better author and worldbuilder than RAS, but Foehammer isn't an especially cool name. It's fine, but it's not any better than naming a sword forged of star+moonlight with a pommel that glows softly when danger is near, Twinkle.

I disagree. Twinkle just sounds too cutesy to me. Call it something like starlight if you want to reference the fact that it sparkles, but twinkle... doesn’t sound like something you’d call a weapon.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I disagree. Twinkle just sounds too cutesy to me. Call it something like starlight if you want to reference the fact that it sparkles, but twinkle... doesn’t sound like something you’d call a weapon.

Even "Gleam" or "Glimmer" are more intimidating than "Twinkle."