D&D 5E Metalic Dragonborn from D&D Celebration

[humble minion]

I'm still not convinced that the primary, damaging breath weapon will get much use. I'm playing a 9th level silver dragonborn paladin right now and 2d10 cold damage in a small area with Dex save for half isn't going to tempt me very often, when I could be making a weapon attack for more damage, maybe with smite, and possibly triggering an extra attack through great weapon master if I kill the sort of weak enemy that the breath weapon is intended to target. The special metallic options might be a useful get-out-of-jail option for PCs who don't want to be in melee though - however, they're Con-dependent, so you'd need to be playing a non-melee PC with a high Con to get the best out of them, which probably doesn't happen terribly often.

There would be situations it'd be handy - critters with energy vulnerability, or those with resistance to physical weapons, etc - but they're still very much edge cases. And you can't choose a line breath weapon any more, so that cuts down on your ability to use it as a quasi-ranged weapon too.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I'm still not convinced that the primary, damaging breath weapon will get much use. I'm playing a 9th level silver dragonborn paladin right now and 2d10 cold damage in a small area with Dex save for half isn't going to tempt me very often, when I could be making a weapon attack for more damage, maybe with smite, and possibly triggering an extra attack through great weapon master if I kill the sort of weak enemy that the breath weapon is intended to target. The special metallic options might be a useful get-out-of-jail option for PCs who don't want to be in melee though - however, they're Con-dependent, so you'd need to be playing a non-melee PC with a high Con to get the best out of them, which probably doesn't happen terribly often.

There would be situations it'd be handy - critters with energy vulnerability, or those with resistance to physical weapons, etc - but they're still very much edge cases. And you can't choose a line breath weapon any more, so that cuts down on your ability to use it as a quasi-ranged weapon too.

Maybe your paladin with a feat is not the best example.

On a standard fighter, replacing one attack woth 2d10 might clear the area from some minions. It is 5 damage on average if resisted. Enough to clear out some small creatures.

 

[humble minion]

Maybe your paladin with a feat is not the best example.

On a standard fighter, replacing one attack woth 2d10 might clear the area from some minions. It is 5 damage on average if resisted. Enough to clear out some small creatures.

Depends on the specific character of course, but I remain skeptical. A standard fighter of the same level is going to have twice as many feats/ASIs as my paladin, so has every chance of having great weapon master too. And at level 10 (which is only a combat or two away...) they'd get a third attack, which makes the minion-clearing capability of the breath weapon even less significant, and that's not even accounting for Action Surge. And how often at level 9 do you face 5hp enemies anyway?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Depends on the specific character of course, but I remain skeptical. A standard fighter of the same level is going to have twice as many feats/ASIs as my paladin, so has every chance of having great weapon master too. And at level 10 (which is only a combat or two away...) they'd get a third attack, which makes the minion-clearing capability of the breath weapon even less significant, and that's not even accounting for Action Surge. And how often at level 9 do you face 5hp enemies anyway?

Yeah. It could have started witg 2d10. Twice per long rest would not have been overpowered...

 

[Aldarc]

I wish that WotC would have given the Dragonborn something more than just "moar breath weapon," because I don't think that's ultimately the make or break for why Dragonborn were a bit lackluster. IMO, it had a lot more to do with a lack of bonus skills/proficiencies, improved vision or saves, or any other utility that rounded out their kit.

 

[Mind of tempest]

and brass continues to be a pointless dragon.

 

[NaturalZero]

Depends on the specific character of course, but I remain skeptical. A standard fighter of the same level is going to have twice as many feats/ASIs as my paladin, so has every chance of having great weapon master too. And at level 10 (which is only a combat or two away...) they'd get a third attack, which makes the minion-clearing capability of the breath weapon even less significant, and that's not even accounting for Action Surge. And how often at level 9 do you face 5hp enemies anyway?

I'm running the UA chromatic as a fighter now and i don't use the breath much. Of course, as you get more attacks it actually becomes more attractive because it now only replaces one attack. In the one instance where i blew through all of my daily uses, i spammed an area where guys where hiding in fog and hit 3 guys with 3 AOEs in one turn. I generally don't like using AOEs when I could use an attack roll but it's definitely a lot more useful than the PHB dragonborn.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I'm running the UA chromatic as a fighter now and i don't use the breath much. Of course, as you get more attacks it actually becomes more attractive because it now only replaces one attack. In the one instance where i blew through all of my daily uses, i spammed an area where guys where hiding in fog and hit 3 guys with 3 AOEs in one turn. I generally don't like using AOEs when I could use an attack roll but it's definitely a lot more useful than the PHB dragonborn.

so we have at least the breath working correctly.

 

[humble minion]

I wish that WotC would have given the Dragonborn something more than just "moar breath weapon," because I don't think that's ultimately the make or break for why Dragonborn were a bit lackluster. IMO, it had a lot more to do with a lack of bonus skills/proficiencies, improved vision or saves, or any other utility that rounded out their kit.

I understand why they focused on getting the breath weapon fixed, because the breath weapon is the iconic dragonborn ability and it was just useless after about level 3. But yeah, another little thing would be nice just to add flavour. Maybe Intimidation proficiency, as a reflection of the fear ability of dragons? Or perhaps something small that varied from colour to colour, just so it mattered whether you were a brass or gold again? Advantage on a certain skill in circumstances specific to your dragon colour or something like that.

 

[Ixal]

I wish that WotC would have given the Dragonborn something more than just "moar breath weapon," because I don't think that's ultimately the make or break for why Dragonborn were a bit lackluster. IMO, it had a lot more to do with a lack of bonus skills/proficiencies, improved vision or saves, or any other utility that rounded out their kit.

Lets see how the chromatic and gem versions look like.
Having alternative breath weapons was always something limited to metallics.