D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: Drakewarden and Way of the Ascendant Dragon

We have a new UA available today, this time showcasing new monk and ranger dragon-themed subclasses, in the Way of the Ascendant Dragon and the Drakewarden, respectively.

Interesting to note that these are both dragon adjacent subclasses. Is this foreshadowing for an upcoming product? Or just coincidence?

 

[Kurotowa]

Hmm. A minor change I'm going to suggest when the feedback survey comes out. The Drakewarden's 15th level feature where the drake grows to Large size when summoned would be better as an option, not an automatic effect. There are situations where you're in tight interior spaces and you might want the drake to still be summoned in its Small version.

 

[Iry]

Drakewarden can change the essence of their drake every time they summon it.

• Fighting an enemy vulnerable to cold? Swap to a cold damage drake.
• Fighting an enemy that uses lots of fire? Swap to a fire immune drake.
• Elemental hazard standing between you and the Macguffin? Summon an immune drake to fetch the item.
• Need someone to test for traps? Summon a bag of HP for a 1st level spell.

Lots of flexibility here.

 

[cbwjm]

I like the subclasses, especially the fact that they have limited use abilities that lets the player expend an additional resource if they want more uses, letting the monk have a couple of uses and then using ki to gain more is a good idea, it's something I liked about the feats that came out a while ago that let you also expend a spell slot to cast the chosen spell once you've already used it.

I think for the ranger, I'd just let the animal companion (of the beast master and drake warden) have its own action rather than requiring a bonus action from the ranger to let them attack.

Still not sure how I feel about the number of uses being tied to proficiency bonus, I think mainly that earlier subclasses need updating to follow the same method if this is the way they are running with abilities from now on, though I expect that is work that I will have to do rather than WotC.

 

[Kurotowa]

Lots of flexibility here.

Let's also not overlook that the drake is an Int 8 creature that speaks a language and doesn't have a range tether to its master. That gives it a lot of options for independent action you don't normally get with familiars or companions, short of Chain Pact Warlocks.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Meepo's Draconomicon, or we riot.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Quote from shadowoflameth in the other thread

Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk​

IMHO Yes, likely connected to a dragon god. But not necessarily. Either way, lots of opportunity for role play.

Draconic Discipline: I like the idea of the damage type but my suggestion would be give the monk claws, and to have the claws do the damage type. and make the damage type additional and based on a chosen type of dragon. The Draconic Language is fine, and thematically makes sense. Maybe add a dragoncraft skill.

I think that the intimidation would do better and slow play less as a 1/encounter frightful presence. MAD but that's not terrible for a secondary ability. I would also give the optional rule that this monk qualifies as a dragon or dragonborn for racial feats, item use and the like.

Breath of the Dragon: I like it, but to keep up with Monk abilities, I say use ki points for the dice.

Wings Unfurled: I think it makes sense to give the monk a limited fly speed or a bonus to fly speed by spending ki points.

Aspect of the Wyrm: I would just go with a straight damage aura that requires ki to maintain.

Ascendant Aspect: Blindsight is fine and makes sense. I would do 10' like the half dragon. ongoing damage on your breath weapon say 1 point per die of damage would be nice and works for me.

Yes, it doesn't have to be connected to a dragon god. It just feels more Tiamat-connected to me, as they don't have to choose one damage type, they instead get all of the dragon damage types. Definitely a good subclass for roleplay either way.

I actually created a homebrew dragon patron warlock a bit ago that gets dragon claws. What do you mean by a "dragoncraft skill?"

I think the intimidation/persuasion ability is fine, it just doesn't fit monks that well, IMO. I would replace the weird aura level 11 ability with a frightening ability.

I would probably prefer for it to do either (1) an amount of damage dice equal to your proficiency bonus, or (2), three of your martial arts dice, scaling to 4 at higher levels.

I definitely agree that it makes sense for this subclass, I just think they executed it in a strange way, and that it could be better.

That would certainly be interesting, but I don't know what that has to do with dragons.

IMHO, reducing the blindsight would just be bad. Monk capstones need some love.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Still not sure how I feel about the number of uses being tied to proficiency bonus /snip/

I definitely agree. It feels like a good way to scale, but I feel like too many recent UA use this, and for too many features (especially this monk). It makes multiclass-dipping for SAD builds much better, and can end up to some exploitation. I like this scaling but I think it needs to be less common, and used more for later level features to avoid easy dipping to exploit the abilities.

 

[Weiley31]

Volo, Durnan, and Mirt manage to survive since the early days, and the Companions of the Hall get reincarnated, but a poor kobold can’t somehow manage to survive/get resurrected? Where’s the justice?!

Lets not forget that Deekin technically becomes a Dragon Disciple, IIRC, with Neverwinter Night's third major expansion pack: So that bad boy packing dragon blood in dem veins there! That's surely enough to make anybody live for a longer period of time.

 

[Weiley31]

Oh wait correction: I just read up that Deekin did eventually die from old age. However, there are still plenty in the Scalesinger lineage, so technically a Scalesinger could still pen said 5E Dragon book. Especially since the Scalesingers are adventuring Kobolds.

 

[MikalC]

Elo

Interesting (from Draconic Discipline):


Have we seen that particular mechanic, i.e. "use it until it succeeds", anywhere else? I like it.

The other thing to note is that the higher level abilities all get one or more free uses, and then you can use them additional times by spending Ki. This seems to address the criticism of Monks and Sorcerers (which I initially resisted, but now agree with) about sub-class abilities that drain base-class resources.

EDIT: Ok, I'm kinda jonesing to play this monk now.

Eloquence bard from Theros has this feature for Bardic Inspiration