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.

News Archive | Dungeons and Dragons

Read the full archives of Dungeons & Dragons news, Sage Advice, Unearthed Arcana, and D&D Studio Blogs.

dnd.wizards.com

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Other fun stuff from genetics was finding out eternal "Its a wolf, but bigger" the Dire Wolf was not actually a wolf at all, but instead even more outside of wolves than jackals. Funtimes.

Jokes aside, if they were not extinct it would probably have been much more apparent by observing it's behaviour. It takes more than fur and teeth to make a wolf, just as it takes more than scales and eggs to make a reptile.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Jokes aside, if they were not extinct it would probably have been much more apparent by observing it's behaviour. It takes more than fur and teeth to make a wolf, just as it takes more than scales and eggs to make a reptile.

a wolf is a type of canine, a reptile is a category that is completely different.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

a wolf is a type of canine, a reptile is a category that is completely different.

And a dire wolf is not a wolf.

Superficial similarities in appearance can be very misleading.

 

[dave2008]

Jokes aside, if they were not extinct it would probably have been much more apparent by observing it's behaviour. It takes more than fur and teeth to make a wolf, just as it takes more than scales and eggs to make a reptile.

Of course behavior too can be misleading. Closely related animals can behave very differently and ones that aren't closely related can behave very similarly. It is complex.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

And a dire wolf is not a wolf.

Superficial similarities in appearance can be very misleading.

Especially when convergent evolution exists. Our eyes are fairly similar in appearance and function to the eyes of squid, but that doesn't make us closely related.

 

[Knight-of-Roses]

So, I guess allowing Dragonborn to take breath weapons that deal necrotic, psychic or radiant damage in my campaign was not so big of a deal then.

 

[Mind of tempest]

So, I guess allowing Dragonborn to take breath weapons that deal necrotic, psychic or radiant damage in my campaign was not so big of a deal then.

yeah, it seems so.

 

[Xeviat]

So, I guess allowing Dragonborn to take breath weapons that deal necrotic, psychic or radiant damage in my campaign was not so big of a deal then.

I suspect they think less resistances is balanced by less vulnerabilities? But there aren't many vulnerabilities in the game anyway.

 

[Weiley31]

Dragonborn to take breath weapons that deal necroti

Heck you could say that your Dragonborn is a Shadow Dragonborn and it would be just refluffing a Gem Dragon or just allowing one of the Chromatics options use Necrotic instead.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I suspect they think less resistances is balanced by less vulnerabilities? But there aren't many vulnerabilities in the game anyway.

It's the less common damage type for the dragonborn to take that balances the less commonly resisted breath weapon damage.