Is it a Good Idea for a Newb to Play as a Dragonborn?

[CuriousWanderer]

I am new to D&D 5e and after taking some advice and looking over the classes, I think I will be playing a Champion Fighter as my class.

When I was reading the racial descriptions the Dragonborn race seemed very interesting to me but it is listed as an uncommon race.

Is it a good idea for a newb to play this race?

[hymer]

Is it a good idea for a newb to play this race?

Depends on your DM's campaign. If most NPCs react with fear to a dragonborn, then it's probably a hurdle best left for a later game. You want to be able to try stuff, not hide away.
So I'd ask the DM what s/he thinks.

[CuriousWanderer]

Depends on your DM's campaign. If most NPCs react with fear to a dragonborn, then it's probably a hurdle best left for a later game. You want to be able to try stuff, not hide away.
So I'd ask the DM what s/he thinks.

Thank you for your help.

:smallsmile:

[Grod_The_Giant]

It's actually quite good from a mechanical side- you have one simple-but-potent passive ability and one solid-and-fun active, without any small bits to remember. If the race will elicit unusual reactions, so much the better. More screen time for you.

[CuriousWanderer]

It's actually quite good from a mechanical side- you have one simple-but-potent passive ability and one solid-and-fun active, without any small bits to remember. If the race will elicit unusual reactions, so much the better. More screen time for you.

I think I will play a dragonborn if the DM allows it and a human if they do not.

[Spacehamster]

I think I will play a dragonborn if the DM allows it and a human if they do not.

Otherwise half-orc is pretty nice for champion, since champion crits more and half orc gets to add an additional weapon damage die on a critical. :)

[CuriousWanderer]

Otherwise half-orc is pretty nice for champion, since champion crits more and half orc gets to add an additional weapon damage die on a critical. :)

I saw that, but I am not too interested in role-playing one right now.

Thank you anyways.

:smallsmile:

[R.Shackleford]

As someone who teaches new players D&D from time to time...

Play anything you want. If the DM makes the world hate tou, good, learn to deal with that now instead of always expecting sunshine and farts.

Best way for you to learn the game is to jump in head first into the deep end and have the DM be patient the first couple sessions. Ask a ton of questions, remember it is better to ask a stupid question than to assume a stupid answer.

If your DM knows you are new but doesn't take the time (1 or 2 sessions) to teach you... Then that is the sign of a bad DM.

If your think Dragonborns are awesome then pick it.

[CuriousWanderer]

As someone who teaches new players D&D from time to time...

Play anything you want. If the DM makes the world hate tou, good, learn to deal with that now instead of always expecting sunshine and farts.

Best way for you to learn the game is to jump in head first into the deep end and have the DM be patient the first couple sessions. Ask a ton of questions, remember it is better to ask a stupid question than to assume a stupid answer.

If your DM knows you are new but doesn't take the time (1 or 2 sessions) to teach you... Then that is the sign of a bad DM.

If your think Dragonborns are awesome then pick it.

Okay, thank you for your advice.

But I would not like to feel too overwhelmed or drag the game behind too much on my first game.

Thank you regardless.

:smallsmile:

[R.Shackleford]

Okay, thank you for your advice.

But I would not like to feel too overwhelmed or drag the game behind too much on my first game.

Thank you regardless.

:smallsmile:

If the group is ok with a new player then they expect it and might even welcome it. Means they get a break which can be great.

It isn't like you are showing up uninvited and unannounced.

I can't speak for that group but I don't think they are expecting you to come in and act as if you have years of experience :p

You should also cherish this time, you can make all the mistakes you want and chalk it up to lack of experience! Lol

[CuriousWanderer]

If the group is ok with a new player then they expect it and might even welcome it. Means they get a break which can be great.

It isn't like you are showing up uninvited and unannounced.

I can't speak for that group but I don't think they are expecting you to come in and act as if you have years of experience :p

You should also cherish this time, you can make all the mistakes you want and chalk it up to lack of experience! Lol

Lol.

:smallsmile:

[coredump]

Okay, thank you for your advice.

But I would not like to feel too overwhelmed or drag the game behind too much on my first game.

Thank you regardless.

:smallsmile:

Don't sweat it, your racial choice isn't going to be overwhelming nor slow things down. Play what you find fun...

[Arkhios]

Half-orcs face often as much, if not more, mistrust and fear as dragonborn might, since you are half-orc, not just half-human.

half-orcs are born both withing orcish tribes and in human settlements, and purely from your appearance it's hard to say which one you are. (clothing and mannerism can do much, but if you're a barbarian or even a fighter wielding a huge axe, your looks are at the very least quite intimidating.

I would actually say that a dragonborn might face a little less suspicion than a half-orc in general, but it depends of the campaign in the end :)

[R.Shackleford]

Half-orcs face often as much, if not more, mistrust and fear as dragonborn might, since you are half-orc, not just half-human.

half-orcs are born both withing orcish tribes and in human settlements, and purely from your appearance it's hard to say which one you are. (clothing and mannerism can do much, but if you're a barbarian or even a fighter wielding a huge axe, your looks are at the very least quite intimidating.

I would actually say that a dragonborn might face a little less than a half-orc in general, but it depends of the campaign in the end :)

There are both good and bad dragons, I guess it depends on your scale tone.

[Arkhios]

There are both good and bad dragons, I guess it depends on your scale tone.

Which is why I said "a little less". When compared to half-orcs, most are feared and mistrusted because all orcs are evil (not taking into account oddities similar to a certain drow), while of the dragonborns, generally half of them (chromatic ones) probably face more suspicion than the other half (metallic ones). :)

[CuriousWanderer]

Umm....

The description in the Player's Handbook says that the vast majority of them are actually a sort of yellow to brown bronzish color because of most of the bloodlines intermingling...

It says, uh, very few clans are actually pure enough to have the same color as true dragons.....

[Arkhios]

Umm....

The description in the Player's Handbook says that the vast majority of them are actually a sort of yellow to brown bronzish color because of most of the bloodlines intermingling...

It says, uh, very few clans are actually pure enough to have the same color as true dragons.....

Good point. I guess it's quite a common misunderstanding that a race "originating" from dragons, and which have a certain dragon ancestry, would have similar scale color.
In that case, a vast majority of dragonborns are similar enough that it's hard to tell the difference by just looking at them, and judge them from superficial features. Therefore it's even more dependant on the campaign.

I would think, though, that in a world where half-orcs and dragonborns coexist the latter would face a little less suspicion than the former, due to dragons are often seen (by my understanding) as "noble" beings, not savages like orcs.

[Laserlight]

From a rule perspective, playing Dragonborn is not going to be any more difficult than playing pretty much any other race. You'll have an extra active ability (breath weapon) which you'll need to remember to use; if the other PCs have any experience in D&D, they know dragonborns have a breath weapon and will probably remind you to use it. Dragonborn do well for melee classes, which are less complicated to play than spellcasters.

As far as prejudice from NPCs, that depends entirely on how you and your DM want to play it. I've been in a campaign where our party included drow, minotaur, dragonborn and half-orc, and the NPCs didn't have negative reactions to any of them. On the other hand, some DMs might say that party could never enter a civilized town except by stealth. Talk to your DM.

[Gubbster]

Remember if you want to look at some new races there is the elemental evil player's companion on wizard's website for free.

[lunaticfringe]

My biggest piece of advice for new players is to play/build what you want. Don't focus on what's easy or what the party needs. It's a game the goal is to have fun and the most fun I have is when I have an awesome character concept that I like. I learn new mechanics a lot quicker when I care about the character attached to them. Also be honest about your lack of knowledge with your group, most players and GMs are happy to help new players along and pick up any slack.

[gfishfunk]

I think that you actually picked just-about-the-best starting combo.

First: Champion Fighters are potent but simple - its the simplest class / subclass you can play.

Second: Dragonborn gives you a simple but useful area of attack thingie that you can do in the form of your breath weapon. Its not going to do much, but it will be useful early levels.

Third: You look really cool. Frickin dragon!

[BrianDavion]

I saw that, but I am not too interested in role-playing one right now.

Thank you anyways.

:smallsmile:


honestly man, 5th edition isn't intended as some sort of table top war game, it's very much a roleplaying game at it's heart.

[gfishfunk]

honestly man, 5th edition isn't intended as some sort of table top war game, it's very much a roleplaying game at it's heart.

I think the OP meant that s/he is not interested in role playing a half-orc specifically right now, and is more interested in roleplaying a dragonborn.

Sounds like the OP is 'doing it right' from a roleplaying perspective: not taking something optimal over taking something that the player is interested in roleplaying.

[MaxWilson]

I am new to D&D 5e and after taking some advice and looking over the classes, I think I will be playing a Champion Fighter as my class.

When I was reading the racial descriptions the Dragonborn race seemed very interesting to me but it is listed as an uncommon race.

Is it a good idea for a newb to play this race?

My opinion: not really, because a newbie will probably overestimate the strength of the dragonborn's options based on the awesomeness of the description. You'll be busy thinking, "Yay, I'm a dragon, I can do awesome stuff!" without fully realizing that your breath weapon is even weaker than a wizard's Fire Bolt cantrip.

My concern is that playing a dragonborn might leave a bad taste in your mouth. But if you're prepared for a somewhat weak-ish PC that doesn't really feel much like an actual dragon (no flight, no acute senses, hardly any breath weapon) and you like dragonborns for what they are, then knock yourself out and have fun doing it!

[gfishfunk]

My opinion: not really, because a newbie will probably overestimate the strength of the dragonborn's options based on the awesomeness of the description. You'll be busy thinking, "Yay, I'm a dragon, I can do awesome stuff!" without fully realizing that your breath weapon is even weaker than a wizard's Fire Bolt cantrip.

My concern is that playing a dragonborn might leave a bad taste in your mouth. But if you're prepared for a somewhat weak-ish PC that doesn't really feel much like an actual dragon (no flight, no acute senses, hardly any breath weapon) and you like dragonborns for what they are, then knock yourself out and have fun doing it!

Its a bit better than that, especially for a fighter. The dragonborn breath weapon is good against multiple enemies. It is basically an AOE cantrip. If it were a cantrip and re-flavored or re-fluffed, everyone would take it for the AoE possibility. Fighters are expected to be up on the front lines, and will have more opportunity to engage with two or three enemies at once with a well placed breath weapon.

[Laserlight]

My opinion: not really, because a newbie will probably overestimate the strength of the dragonborn's options based on the awesomeness of the description. You'll be busy thinking, "Yay, I'm a dragon, I can do awesome stuff!" without fully realizing that your breath weapon is even weaker than a wizard's Fire Bolt cantrip.

My concern is that playing a dragonborn might leave a bad taste in your mouth. But if you're prepared for a somewhat weak-ish PC that doesn't really feel much like an actual dragon (no flight, no acute senses, hardly any breath weapon) and you like dragonborns for what they are, then knock yourself out and have fun doing it!

That's "somewhat weakish, compared to an actual dragon", not "somewhat weakish, compared to other PCs" or such. Mechanically, Dragonborn is one of the better choices for Champion.

[MaxWilson]

Its a bit better than that, especially for a fighter. The dragonborn breath weapon is good against multiple enemies. It is basically an AOE cantrip. If it were a cantrip and re-flavored or re-fluffed, everyone would take it for the AoE possibility. Fighters are expected to be up on the front lines, and will have more opportunity to engage with two or three enemies at once with a well placed breath weapon.

But it's not a cantrip. It's usable only once per short rest, which makes it more like a weak first-level spell (compare to Thunderwave).

In any case, my point is that if you like dragonborn for what they are then they're fine. I'm just concerned about those who want to play a dragonborn because they like dragons, since dragonborn are only superficially similar to dragons. Caveat emptor.