D&D 5E What would the Dragonborn be like if they had the Dragon type instead of the Humanoid type?

[Corinnguard]

According to 5th edition lore, the dragonborn were shaped by the dragons themselves from dragon eggs. And yet despite their draconic origin, they are of the humanoid type. But what if they had the Dragon type instead of the Humanoid type in 5e? If they had appeared as they are now in 3e with the Dragon type, they would have had Darkvision 60', Low-light vision, and an immunity to magical sleep and paralysis effects. They would have been immune to any magic that targeted humans, and vulnerable to anything that targeted dragons.

So would a type change make them too powerful? Would it have granted them additional perks in 5e? I know that the core rulebook version has been considered underwhelming to most D&D players. Hence the improved versions in Unearthed Arcana and Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. But color me curious.

Slightly OT, for those of you who have played or will be playing a Dragonborn character, do you picture your Dragonborn with or without a tail? Mine has a tail.

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

I think that if they were of the Dragon Type, they wouldn't be a playable race. (Aren't all playable races humanoids?). <-- [edit] It was pointed out below that this isn't true.

And if it's an NPC monster, all bets are off and anything is possible.

In the OP, you grant the Dragon type dragonborn a bunch of extra traits, but no penalties compared to their humanoid equivalent (other than vulnerability against stuff that targets dragons). That means it's an easy conclusion that it's too powerful?

 

[Ixal]

Most of the time DMs would forget those immunities.

 

[Weiley31]

I think that if they were of the Dragon Type, they wouldn't be a playable race. (Aren't all playable races humanoids?).

Nope. Plasmoids are Oozes, Thri-Kreen are Monstrosities, Auto-Gnomes are Constructs, and then we have Fey like Satyrs/Centaurs, Hexbloods, and Changelings. All of which are currently playable PC options.

 

[Corinnguard]

I think that if they were of the Dragon Type, they wouldn't be a playable race. (Aren't all playable races humanoids?).

And if it's an NPC monster, all bets are off and anything is possible.

In the OP, you grant the Dragon type dragonborn a bunch of extra traits, but no penalties compared to their humanoid equivalent (other than vulnerability against stuff that targets dragons). That means it's an easy conclusion that it's too powerful?

Most of the races in the PHB and Monsters of the Multiverse are humanoid. There are four races in the latter that have the Fey type.

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

Nope. Plasmoids are Oozes, Thri-Kreen are Monstrosities, Auto-Gnomes are Constructs, and then we have Fey like Satyrs/Centaurs, Hexbloods, and Changelings. All of which are currently playable PC options.

I learned something today.

I've put in an edit into post #2.

 

[Corinnguard]

I learned something today.

I've put in an edit into post #2.

In Pathfinder 1st edition, there was one PC race that had the Dragon type- the Wyvarans, who reportedly are a fusion of kobolds and wyverns. They're slightly more powerful than an Aasimar in that RPG.

 

[Weiley31]

Honestly, I personally don't feel that making Dragonborn count as "Dragon" type would be a major OP/Imbalance type deal.

Fey/Monstrosity/Ooze/Construct already invalidates a number of spells/stuff. Darkvision is Darkvision and everybody and their aunt/uncle in the genepool has it at this rate in 5E. Blindsense would end up getting dwarven Tremorsensed probably or given a "up to 10 feet" type of deal if we're going by Bounded Accuracy's viewpoint/reliability of "giving PCs interesting stuff." Flying would get "Ardling'ed" or any of the other Flying Races. And finally, a serious urge to collect shiny things.

Which means you're a dragon. Or a crow. Hells, you're probably a Dragon Crow.

 

[Weiley31]

Also, if Dragons are immune to sleep/paralysis, no big deal. The Elf already nixes sleeping AND the Ghoul's paralysis. No paralysis means the DM just has to adjust a bit.

 

[jmartkdr2]

5e doesn't attach rules to creature type - just changing the type to dragon wouldn't automatically mean they get darkvision or immunities or anything like that - it would just mean hold person (etc) don't apply. That's a ribbon-level change by itself.