Dragon Disciple (5e Class)
Dragon Disciple
As some of the most ancient, powerful, and capricious creatures in existence, dragons occasionally enter into trysts with unsuspecting mortals or sire offspring with exceptional individuals. Likewise, the great power wielded by these creatures has long intrigued wizards and alchemists who have sought various magical methods to infuse their bodies with draconic power. As a result, the blood of dragons runs through the veins of many races. For some, this heritage manifests as a sorcerous bloodline and a predilection for magic; for others, however, the power of their draconic ancestors becomes an obsession.
Prestige Class: Dragon Disciple
Spellcasters who embrace their draconic heritage and learn to channel their abilities can become dragon disciples, fearsome warriors who possess not only the repertoire of an accomplished sorcerer but also the ability to unleash the furious power of dragons upon their foes. As dragon disciples discover the power of their forebears, they can learn to breathe fire, take flight on leathery wings, and—at the pinnacle of their abilities—assume the form of a dragon. Although they are rare, dragon disciples can be found in any land where dragons interact with mortals.
Prerequisites
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To qualify for multiclassing into the dragon disciple class, you must meet these prerequisites:
- 5th level or higher.
- Able to cast 1st-level spells from an arcane spellcasting class (see above).
- Proficiency with the Arcana skill.
- Able to read, write, and understand Draconic.
Additionally, if you are a sorcerer, you must be of the draconic bloodline, and if you take levels in the sorcerer class after taking levels in the dragon disciple class, you must choose the draconic bloodline.
Class Features
As a Dragon Disciple you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d12 per Dragon Disciple level
Hit Points per Level: 1d12 (or 7) + Constitution modifier per Dragon Disciple level
- Proficiencies
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Sorcery Points | Features | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | ||||
1st | 1 | Draconic Ancestry, Dragonskin, Dragon Claws | — | — | — | — | — | |
2nd | 2 | Arcane Spell Progression, Font of Magic | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
3rd | 3 | Dragon Breath, Dragon Fear | 3 | — | — | — | — | |
4th | 4 | Ability Score Improvement, Dragonskin improvement | 3 | — | — | — | — | |
5th | 5 | Blindsense, Extra Attack, Dragon Claws improvement | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | |
6th | 6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | |
7th | 7 | Dragon Breath improvement, Dragonskin improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | |
8th | 8 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | |
9th | 9 | Dragon Wings | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
10th | 10 | Blindsense improvement, Dragon Claws improvement, Dragon Breath improvement, Dragonskin improvement | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
Draconic Ancestry
When you take your 1st level in this class, choose one type of dragon as your ancestor. The damage type associated with each dragon is used by features you gain later. If you are a sorcerer, this must be the same type of dragon you chose for that class. If you later multiclass into the sorcerer class, you must choose the same type of dragon you chose for this class.
Dragon | Damage Type |
---|---|
Black | Acid |
Blue | Lightning |
Brass | Fire |
Bronze | Lightning |
Copper | Acid |
Gold | Fire |
Green | Poison |
Red | Fire |
Silver | Cold |
White | Cold |
Dragonskin
By the time you take your 1st level in this class, you have grown scales if you didn't already have them, or if you already had scales, they have hardened, better protecting you. While you are not wearing armor, your Armor Class increases by 1. Additionally, you have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestor.
Your scales continue to harden as you gain levels in this class. Starting from 4th level, your Armor Class instead increases by 2 while you are not wearing armor, and starting from 7th level, your Armor Class instead increases by 3 while you are not wearing armor.
At 10th level, you have immunity to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestor, instead of resistance.
Dragon Claws
By the time you take your 1st level in this class, your hands have transformed into claws, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. The damage die for your unarmed strike increases to a d4, and it deals slashing damage instead of bludgeoning damage.
Additionally, when you make an attack with your unarmed strike on your turn as part of your action, you may make a second attack with your unarmed strike as a bonus action.
When you reach 5th level, the damage die for your unarmed strike increases to a d6, and your unarmed strikes are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
When you reach 10th level, your unarmed strikes also deal an extra 1d6 damage of the damage type associated with your draconic ancestor.
Arcane Spell Progression
Even though the dragon disciple class has spell slots, it does not have any spells of its own. Instead, it boosts the spellcasting progression of other classes its users have. When determining the number of spells you can prepare for an arcane spellcasting class (see the infobox above), you can prepare spells as if you were a spellcaster of a level equal to your actual level in that class plus your dragon disciple level. When determining the number of spells known (including cantrips) for an arcane spellcasting class, you can know a number of spells equal to the number of spells you would know if you were a spellcaster of a level equal to your actual level in that class plus your dragon disciple level.
For example, if you were an 8th-level wizard and a 2nd-level dragon disciple, you would prepare spells as if you were a 10th-level wizard, and you would know 5 wizard cantrips, since that is the number of cantrips a 10th-level wizard would know. If you were an 8th-level sorcerer and a 2nd-level dragon disciple, you would know 6 cantrips and 11 spells of 1st level or higher, since that is the number of spells that a 10th-level sorcerer would know.
Font of Magic
At 2nd level, you tap into a deep wellspring of magic within yourself. This feature functions exactly like the sorcerer class feature of the same name.
Dragon Breath
By 3rd level, you have gained the ability to use your action to exhale destructive energy. Your draconic ancestor determines the size, shape, damage type, and saving throw of your breath weapon.
When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a saving throw, the type of which is determined by your draconic ancestry. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 4d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one.
This breath weapon deals more damage as you reach higher levels. Your breath weapon's damage increases to 5d6 when you reach 7th level, and 6d6 when you reach 10th level.
Once you use your breath weapon, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest. Starting at 7th level, you can use your breath weapon twice between short or long rests. Starting at 10th level, you can use your breath weapon three times between short or long rests.
Dragon | Damage Type | Breath Weapon |
---|---|---|
Black | Acid | 5 by 60 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Blue | Lightning | 5 by 60 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Brass | Fire | 5 by 60 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Bronze | Lightning | 5 by 60 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Copper | Acid | 5 by 60 ft. line (Dex. save) |
Gold | Fire | 30 ft. cone (Dex. save) |
Green | Poison | 30 ft. cone (Con. save) |
Red | Fire | 30 ft. cone (Dex. save) |
Silver | Cold | 30 ft. cone (Con. save) |
White | Cold | 30 ft. cone (Con. save) |
Dragon Fear
At 3rd level, you also gain the ability to project an aura of supernatural fear around you. As an action, you can project this aura. When you take this action, each creature within 30 feet of you that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened by you until the end of your next turn. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your Proficiency bonus.
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th and 8th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Blindsense
At 5th level, you gain blindsight to a range of 30 feet. Additionally, if you don't already have darkvision, you gain darkvision to a range of 60 feet.
At 10th level, the range of your blindsight increases to 60 feet.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Dragon Wings
At 9th level, you gain the ability to sprout a pair of dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current walking speed. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn.
You can't manifest your wings while wearing armor unless the armor is made to accommodate them, and clothing not made to accommodate your wings might be destroyed when you manifest them.
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