D&D General Dragonborn In Your Game (A Poll)

[CleverNickName]

I was scrolling around EN World (like one does), and came across an interesting thread about Dragonborn: folks were discussing whether or not Dragonborn should/could have tails, and wings, and other draconic features. Well, I guess most people might not find that interesting, but I do. Ever since I was a kid, I've been interested in dragons and their mythology, and how they change from culture to culture. I love the wingless Chinese ones, the European wyverns, the feathered ones, the burrowing ones, the whole draconic catalog. So when I saw folks discussing the body types for different dragonborn, I thought it would be fun to put it to a poll.

Art credits: copper dragonborn by d0gtier (2019), blue dragonborn by Naara_Sakura (2020), white dragonborn by Anna Veltkamp (2018)​

So tell us about your game's dragonborn! What do they look like, what options do you present to your players, what changes (if any) do their wings or tails (or lack thereof) bring to the game? And if you want to help me measure popular opinion in a completely unscientific manner, vote in the poll.

A quick word about Dragonborn: I notice that these kinds of threads eventually branch off into two different distinctions: Dragonborn vs. Half-Dragons. And that's fine, comparisons can make for good discussion. But when you vote in this poll, keep in mind that you are only voting for the Dragonborn mentioned in the Player's Handbook (of your favorite D&D edition). Half-dragons and other draconic playable species are invited to the discussion, but they're not part of this poll.

 

[Scribe]

Currently no Dragonborn, no plans for Dragonborn.

When I was considering it and looking at them and generating art for them, the ones with Tails always look better.

So: Tails, Cosmetic only, no Wings.

 

[CleverNickName]

For my part: Dragonborn can have tails or wings if the player chooses, but I don't force the decision one way or another for all dragonborn. These wings and tails are purely cosmetic for the most part, but I'll usually allow minor things like using a tail to make an unarmed strike.

I like adding flavor and variety, but I don't like adding new rules all that much.

 

[CleverNickName]

That said: I can see how having a thick alligator-tail might give the character Advantage on rolls to resist being pushed or knocked prone, and wings could let the character ignore some falling damage. I'm not sure I'd go any further than that without some kind of trade-off....like, if a player in my campaign wanted her dragonborn to have a fly speed, I'd probably let her trade the breath weapon for it. But that's as far as I would push it.

 

[Minigiant]

In my game

Default Dragonborn don't have wings nor tails.

But Dragonborn of martial or physical fitness can grow wings, a functional tail, or a 2nd pair of arms. And a spell can grant it as well

 

[Charlaquin]

My dragonborn do have non-prehensile tails. A player can describe an unarmed strike with their tail or whatever, but can’t use it to hold or interact with objects. My Dragonborn don’t typically have wings, but if a player wants their dragonborn character to have vestigial wings, I’m ok with that. Again, they’re purely cosmetic - no fly speed and no ability to use them for holding or interacting with objects. Digitigrade vs plantigrade legs is also a cosmetic player choice.

The same is true for my tieflings.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Generally: can have non-prehensile tails, but don't have to, and do not naturally have wings.

Dragonborn that manifest wings have done something to make that happen. It isn't their natural form--but it could be a throwback or a magical alteration/enhancement of some kind.

 

[CreamCloud0]

given dragonborn in 24' have their daily flight i'd offer the possibility of wings, better that than the energy ones IMO, i'd also give them cosmetic tails as standard.

 

[RoughCoronet0]

Dragonborn in my world can commonly be born with or without tails. Vestigial wings are less common but can still happen. I have been workshopping racial/species feat trees for dragonborns that can allow them to have working wings and tails that you can attack with and even be prehensile depending on the species. A few things I have come up with.

• Yellow, Silver, Jade,and Tornado Dragonborns can gain the hover feature added to their flying ability on top of a faster fly speed.
• Gray/Fang, Crystal, Steel, Earthquake, and Avalanche Dragonborns can gain strong damage output with their tails, and an addition effect like a parry reaction, a tail attack as a bonus action, a bleed effect, or a push/prone effect.
• All dragonborn who with wins can gain a wing buffet attack to either deal some damage or push enemies away.
• Dragonborns with swim speeds like Blacks, Bronze, Topaz, Pearl, and Typhoon and have working wings can get a faster swim speed as their wings are designed to aid in underwater propulsion.

 

[Jaeger]

If Dragonborn had their ability to breath fire, and flight taken away, would they be as popular a character class as they are now?

The half-orc fighter used to be ubiquitous, but since ability score bonuses got flattened out they are far behind dragonborn and tieflings as current trends go..