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?

 

[Weiley31]

If the subclass wants to have a dragon, give it a "real" dragon, not this mutt.

Odyssey of The Dragonlords is (points to the right) thatta way.

Specifically Oath of The Dragonlords subclass.

On a serious note, I guess handing a player a legit dragon might be seen as too much in WoTC's eyes. A Drake is much more controllable. A Dragon well....insert buddy cop movie moments.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Now I am thinking, and the subclases aren in player handbooks, not in monster compendium, and Draconomicon is closer to this. Maybe we will see something about "Eormmenoth's dragon tome". What do you think about "dracolyte" as a base class? It would work as a 20 level half-dragon monster template class, close to dragon disciple prestige class.

I love dragon-blood creatures as monster allies, but the drakes, without age categories, are boring monsters. And dragons are monsters who need lot of territory in the ecosystem to hunt. I wonder about dragons living in the feywild.

* We can't forget the linnords (as leaders of lovecraftian cults), other neutral dragons (amber, pearl, jacinth, jade, moonstone, cloud, electrum, mist, prismatic,), crystaline, The tlalocoats or rain dragons from Maztica should have got arms and wings, even if this means a retcon. I imagine cobra dragons as leaders of yuan-ti cults.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Last month we had two goth subclasses, and it was "oh, we are getting a Ravenloft book", now we have two dragon themed classes and it is "we are getting a Draconmicon book".

We are about to get Tasha's. There isn't going to be another splat book for three years/6e. We know there are only setting books and adventures coming in 2021. These subclasses are just being put out together because they have a related theme. They are not intended for any specific publication, they are just being put out to entertain fans, and so WotC has something in hand when the need a bit of extra crunch to pad something out.

 

[Rellott]

I would typically agree with you, but not for this book title. Other book titles (Iggwilv's Demonomicon, Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast, and the like), don't have much of a reason for being repeated, of course excluding the PHB, MM, and DMG. However, the Draconomicon is different from those other names. If they were to name the SCAG "Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast," that would paint WotC as copycats and unoriginal. If they were to do it for the Draconomicon, that would instead be viewed as honoring tradition, repeating a good name that has worked 4 times already, and creating a book for the creature type this game is named after. IMO, to reuse "Draconomicon" is recycling, while reusing Iggwilv's Demonomicon or a different title, would be just uninspired.

But they are intentionally going for books that are useful for both DMs and players. They could have made PHB/MM/DMG 2 at this point but have instead elected to split the material up and call them all X’s Guide to Y. Calling it Deekin’s Guide to Dragons (he could have written it before he died!) still clearly identifies the subject matter of the book and utilizes the naming format they’ve decided they like, while avoiding ties and expectations that come with recycling a name like Draconomicon (not to mention some potential confusion from new players regarding what the word means and which version of the Draconomicon they’re supposed to buy).

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I think we will see a sourcebook about gothic horror, but it will not have to be Ravenloft, but it may be Innistrad or for all settings, something as a new "Libris Mortis".

 

[Aldarc]

Main Thoughts: How about WotC just fix the 4 Elements Monk and the Beast Master Ranger instead?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

ooh... what other boss monster theme would there be to mine for subclasses?

The undead-themed warlock would be awesome for Lord Soth as THE death knight.
For dragons I'd go with the major chromatic elders for FR: Klauth, Imryth, Gnawbone etc
We could have a reprint of the Elemental Lords for Princes.
We could have a few missed devil/demon lords that werent in Mordy's. (I'd personally skip the demons and devils since they were a major part of MToF.
A few Archfeys: Titania, Oberon, Baba yaga
Prime Evils: that-one-yuggoloth-chief, Tarizdun/Gaunadaur etc

 

[Kurotowa]

ooh... what other boss monster theme would there be to mine for subclasses?

Depends what makes it into a hypothetical book on this theme, and that's the sticking point. MToF covered devils and demons. Volo's did mind flayers, beholders, hags, and giants. So that's some of the more obvious targets off the table. What's left?

As vincegetorix says, we might get archfey and elemental princes. They're a bit less well iconic but that leaves more room for new material. Maybe aboleths, or perhaps a more general chapter on ancient aberrations and terrors? All of those seem fertile ground for a subclass or two.

 

[Horwath]

Obvious strongly draconic flavors aside, these are in practice a Four Elements Monk and a Beast Master Ranger that don't suck.

Well, it's hard to make any new entries in Monk and Ranger class that will suck in comparison to original PHB work.

 

[Bacon Bits]

A Ratking

Something tells me people would complain about the "PC automatically grapples any ally within reach" restriction.