Half dragons and dragonborns

[Lance Tankmen]

The in the monster manuel it has half dragons , and in the PHB we have dragon born. Besides the dragon born looking a bit more bulky what is the difference of the two ? Main reason I'm asking is the new icon of the realms set don't have any dragon born and I'd prefer using new model's only.

[Arkhios]

The in the monster manuel it has half dragons , and in the PHB we have dragon born. Besides the dragon born looking a bit more bulky what is the difference of the two ? Main reason I'm asking is the new icon of the realms set don't have any dragon born and I'd prefer using new model's only.

Dragonborn is a race that breeds true (two dragonborns make little dragonborns) and not a half-race, while a half-dragon is literally a creature with the blood of dragons in addition to all traits from its actual species. (Again, not really a half-something, half-dragon; instead, you could have all dragonborn traits AND still have the half-dragon template). A template means that it can be applied to various creatures.
In addition to the ridiculous example half-dragon dragonborn, there could be half-dragon wyverns, half-dragon owlbears, half-dragon ogres, or even a half-dragon rabbit and so on (assuming there wasn't some restrictions in place I have forgotten).

[Ninja_Prawn]

Dragonborn is a race that breeds true (two dragonborns make little dragonborns) and not a half-race, while a half-dragon is literally a creature with the blood of dragons in addition to all traits from its actual species. (Again, not really a half-something, half-dragon; instead, you could have all dragonborn traits AND still have the half-dragon template). A template means that it can be applied to various creatures.
In addition to the ridiculous example half-dragon dragonborn, there could be half-dragon wyverns, half-dragon owlbears, half-dragon ogres, or even a half-dragon rabbit and so on (assuming there wasn't some restrictions in place I have forgotten).

If you want a restriction, a strict reading of the 5e material would say you're limited to whatever a dragon can Change Shape into, i.e. any humanoid or beast up to CR 24 (for half-gold; 23 for half-silver, 22 for half-bronze, 21 for half-copper and 20 for half-brass... it's not clear where half-chromatics come from). Therefore, you cannot have half-dragon owlbears (monstrosities) or ogres (giants). Wyverns are debatable, because a dragon might be able to breed with one without shapechanging.

Edit: though the template itself says it can be applied to monstrosities or giants... that conflicts with information elsewhere, since dragons cannot shapechange into those creature types... :smallconfused:

But otherwise, you are right. Dragonborn are totally different from half-dragons. Notably, dragonborn don't have tails, while half-dragons do. I was under the impression that the first dragonborn were created by the dragons 'in their image', but not from their flesh. Like how the first tieflings were created by people making warlcok-pacts with devils (half-devils would be cambion).

[Lance Tankmen]

See Ive been meaning to argue dragon born dont have tails and have no proof of it. The PHB shows it from the front.

[Mando Knight]

See Ive been meaning to argue dragon born dont have tails and have no proof of it. The PHB shows it from the front.

Dragonborn lack tails in all art commissioned specifically by WotC to represent the race. The 3.5 RotD Dragonborn lack tails unless they use their 1st level feat on it (and there are better ways to use a feat than a 1d6 natural attack), the 4th Edition Dragonborn are also depicted without tails (since that physical quirk belongs to the Tieflings), and so the 5th Edition Dragonborn also lack tails.

[Enoshima]

See Ive been meaning to argue dragon born dont have tails and have no proof of it. The PHB shows it from the front.

It actually mentions no tails in the PHB 5e description in page 32, under Proud Dragon Kin:

Dragonborn look very much like dragons standing erect in humanoid form, though they lack wings or a tail

[Arkhios]

If you want a restriction, a strict reading of the 5e material would say you're limited to whatever a dragon can Change Shape into, i.e. any humanoid or beast up to CR 24 (for half-gold; 23 for half-silver, 22 for half-bronze, 21 for half-copper and 20 for half-brass... it's not clear where half-chromatics come from). Therefore, you cannot have half-dragon owlbears (monstrosities) or ogres (giants). Wyverns are debatable, because a dragon might be able to breed with one without shapechanging.

Edit: though the template itself says it can be applied to monstrosities or giants... that conflicts with information elsewhere, since dragons cannot shapechange into those creature types... :smallconfused:

But otherwise, you are right. Dragonborn are totally different from half-dragons. Notably, dragonborn don't have tails, while half-dragons do. I was under the impression that the first dragonborn were created by the dragons 'in their image', but not from their flesh. Like how the first tieflings were created by people making warlcok-pacts with devils (half-devils would be cambion).

Thank you for clarification. I drew those examples off the top of my head. I did some research on that regard when I made a few half-dragon creatures for a campaign I ran for a while, but I have forgotten the fine details since then.

[JellyPooga]

Dragonborn lack tails in all art commissioned specifically by WotC to represent the race. The 3.5 RotD Dragonborn lack tails

Ah, back when Dragonborn were badass, former members of another race, super-Paladins of Bahamut who have undergone a ritual of change in order to combat the evil forces of Tiamat...good times, good times...

IIRC there was an image in RotD that depicted a (probably) Kobold Dragonborn that had a tail. I could be wrong, though. Dragonborn in 3.5 were very different to their 4ed/5ed incarnation, though.

[The Shadowdove]

Played a half dragon dragon born.

Imagine being chromatic and metallic. @.@

[Regitnui]

Played a half dragon dragon born.

Imagine being chromatic and metallic. @.@

So is a half-black/gold dragonborn a yellow?

[The Shadowdove]

So is a half-black/gold dragonborn a yellow?

I really can't answer that friend, it is beyond me.

I don't know anything anymore.

My life is a lie!

[Mith]

So is a half-black/gold dragonborn a yellow?


Nope, they're a bumblebee.

I rule also that the Half Dragon template can be done as a curse. For example fusing a Giant and a Dragon together to create a Giant Half Dragon with a split personality.

[Talamare]

Dragonborn are a race who evolved from the same origins as Dragons (similar to how humans evolved from Monkeys)
Half Dragons happens when your dad shags a Dragon

[TundraBuccaneer]

According to the sword of coast adventures guide the dragonborn origin is unknown, there are multiple tales of their origin but none is certain. They give 3 examples which are:
1. Io shaped dragons from elemental forces and dragonborn out of the lesser forces
2. When Io was cleaved in half the droplets of blood the fell onto the world became the first dragonborn.
3. Io made the dragonborn at the dawn of the world they where the first humanoid beings, making all others just rip-offs. Dragonborn served as companions and allies, and sang song praising Io.

But then again you aren't playing in forgotten realms right? And as others have said dragonborn a basicly a human with the skull structure and skin of a dragon.
Half-dragons can be larger then medium but dragonborn are always medium.

[Regitnui]

Half Dragons happens when your dad shags a Dragon

Or when your mother was particularly impressed by a dragon's Wand of Lordly Might.

[DragonSorcererX]

The in the monster manuel it has half dragons , and in the PHB we have dragon born. Besides the dragon born looking a bit more bulky what is the difference of the two ? Main reason I'm asking is the new icon of the realms set don't have any dragon born and I'd prefer using new model's only.

In the 5e Realms they really ignore the Dragonborn, but you can go with either of the following origins without any need of retcon and completely ignoring 4e like they do in 5e:

1. Dragonborn of Bahamut (cut out the Chromatic Dragonborn).
2. Dilluted Dragonblood: You are basically the dragon equivalent of a Planetouched (Aasimar, Tiefling, Genasi, etc...) and in fact, I don't know why this haven't happened in 3.X, because since that time humans are blank slates who can produce entire new races when mating with magical creatures.

[Waffle_Iron]

How about a surprisingly chipper black dragonborn, black half-dragon template, shadow dragon template, shadow origin sorcerer?

[Regitnui]

How about a surprisingly chipper black dragonborn, black half-dragon template, shadow dragon template, shadow origin sorcerer?

So like Abby from NCIS: Original?

For bonus points, play in Eberron and have them serve the fiendish Black Dragon Rhashaak.