Heritage of Heroes: Gem Dragonborn

For all the races in all the worlds… what about the subraces? Heritage of Heroes brings you variant racial features for Midgard to help your hero stand out from the pack.

The following variant traits allow you to play a dragonborn descended from gem dragons. Your other dragonborn traits remain the same.

Gem Dragonborn Traits

Draconic Ancestry. Choose one type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestry table. Your breath weapon and damage resistance are determined by the dragon type, as shown in the table.

Draconic Presence. Instead of a breath weapon, you can use your action to exert a supernatural presence. When you use your draconic presence, creatures within 15 feet of you make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. Starting at 6th level, you may select which creatures are affected by your presence.

After you use your draconic presence, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Condition Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws to resist spells and effects that impose status conditions, determined by your draconic ancestry.

Table 1: Draconic Ancestry

Soothing Presence. Each creature within 15 feet that is aware of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be affected by the calm emotions spell (both effects) for 1 minute. The effect ends if a creature’s saving throw is successful, the effect is dispelled, or you attack that creature or its allies.

Blinding Presence. Each creature within 15 feet that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Mesmerizing Presence. Each creature within 15 feet that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Grounding Presence. Each creature within 15 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or fall prone. Flying creatures in this radius are pulled from the air and fall prone when they reach the ground.

Frightful Presence. Each creature within 15 feet that is aware of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Variant: Breath Weapon and Damage Resistance

Your draconic ancestry grants you a damaging breath weapon and resistance to that damage type. This replaces your Draconic Presence and Condition Resistance feature, making your racial features more like a dragonborn of chromatic or metallic heritage.

When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level.

After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Table 2: Variant Draconic Ancestry

 
For gem dragons as monsters, see Gem Dragons of Faerûn at DMsGuild.com.