Draconic options for a melee character

[Morrison]

Is there a way to make a heavily-armoured melee character who is thematically tied to dragons, short of making them a dragonborn or kobold?
I'm making a character loosely based on that old Bowsette meme from a few years ago, and I want her to appear mostly human but with a few dragonish physical qualities. The obvious character classes with dragon flavour are the Draconic Sorcerer, Drakewarden Ranger, and the Ascendant Dragon Monk, all of which are pretty cool, but I'm thinking of her more as a heavy brawler type of character - probably a Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, or possibly a Cleric.
Is there a race or subclass I'm forgetting about? Or maybe a relevant feat that is worth basing a character around?
Third party content is on the table.

[The Glyphstone]

Technically you have the Purple Dragon Knight subclass for fighter...

[nickl_2000]

You didn't mention Purple Dragon Knight


Seriously though, you have hit it pretty hard. I think your best bet would be to be a VHuman or Custom Lineage Drakewarden and take the Heavy Armor feat at level 1.

There are also the new Draconic feats from Fizban's.

[JNAProductions]

Refluff or homebrew a Paladin Oath?

[Morrison]

Technically you have the Purple Dragon Knight subclass for fighter...

Technically you do, but it doesn't really have that much of a connection to dragons beyond the name. It also looks like a pretty mediocre subclass.

[nickl_2000]

Technically you do, but it doesn't really have that much of a connection to dragons beyond the name. It also looks like a pretty mediocre subclass.

Pretty mediocre is giving it way more credit than it deserves. It is complete and utter junk.

[JNAProductions]

Found an old Oath Of The Dragon (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?583260-Oath-of-the-Dragon).

[stoutstien]

Could pretty easily re-flavor an artificer so your infusions and subclass are based on your horde which is where you get your magic from.

[Calen]

Paladin Option
https://mfov.magehandpress.com/2016/07/dragon-knight.html
Barbarian Option
https://mfov.magehandpress.com/2016/10/path-of-dragonheart.html

[Morrison]

You didn't mention Purple Dragon Knight


Seriously though, you have hit it pretty hard. I think your best bet would be to be a VHuman or Custom Lineage Drakewarden and take the Heavy Armor feat at level 1.

There are also the new Draconic feats from Fizban's.

I feel like a Drakewarden would work better as an archer. Ideally a small one so they can ride around on their drake buddy.

[Sigreid]

Bear totem barbarian actually fits really well refluffed as dragon totem.

[Morrison]

Found an old Oath Of The Dragon (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?583260-Oath-of-the-Dragon).

This looks a little OP. I doubt any DM will let me have a full-on dragon as a companion.

[Amnestic]

I've made Oath to the Platinum (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/um_Wj2KbBKAj) as a Bahamut paladin, and a Chromatic Divine Domain (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/aeJq9FLa3Z_7) for Tiamat clerics, both of which are mostly melee oriented.

[Morrison]

Paladin Option
https://mfov.magehandpress.com/2016/07/dragon-knight.html
Barbarian Option
https://mfov.magehandpress.com/2016/10/path-of-dragonheart.html

These are both pretty cool.

[J-H]

Beast barbarian. You either have a draconic bite, or draconic claws. You also get a roar-type option thing later on, and can breathe water or climb like some dragons can.

[Gtdead]

I'm going to throw the Sorcadin out here. Could refluff some oath, use dragon sorcerer and it's pretty much a Dragon Knight at this point. It does come together a bit late though. Thematically I like the Paladin 2/Sorcerer X split, but it's not a melee brawler.

[Quietus]

Sorcadin is always an option. Hits real hard, gets Defense style, Charisma to saves. Do 6/14 split, pick up Dragon Breath as a spell known, and your capstone is full on wings. Make sure to get super stylized armor!

[Psyren]

Could pretty easily re-flavor an artificer so your infusions and subclass are based on your horde which is where you get your magic from.

Adding to this, an Armorist could easily dragon up some Scale Mail or Full Plate, or a Battlesmith could dragon up their defender.

You could also go for a Draconic Sorcadin multiclass.

[Aett_Thorn]

In addition to what has been stated above, I feel like a straight Devotion Paladin also makes for a decent Gold or Silver Dragon devotee. Most of their bonus spells are on the goody-two-shoes spectrum, and their abilities seem like they could easily be refluffed as being dragon-inspired.

[Kane0]

Is there a way to make a heavily-armoured melee character who is thematically tied to dragons, short of making them a dragonborn or kobold?
I'm making a character loosely based on that old Bowsette meme from a few years ago, and I want her to appear mostly human but with a few dragonish physical qualities. The obvious character classes with dragon flavour are the Draconic Sorcerer, Drakewarden Ranger, and the Ascendant Dragon Monk, all of which are pretty cool, but I'm thinking of her more as a heavy brawler type of character - probably a Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, or possibly a Cleric.
Is there a race or subclass I'm forgetting about? Or maybe a relevant feat that is worth basing a character around?
Third party content is on the table.

Take one of the dragon gift feats from Fizban's

[Morrison]

In addition to what has been stated above, I feel like a straight Devotion Paladin also makes for a decent Gold or Silver Dragon devotee. Most of their bonus spells are on the goody-two-shoes spectrum, and their abilities seem like they could easily be refluffed as being dragon-inspired.

It would, but I'm not planning on making this character a goody two-shoes. Definitely more of an anti-hero, probably a semi-reformed villain.

[Morrison]

Take one of the dragon gift feats from Fizban's

I thought about that, but none of those feats seems especially good, and feats aren't cheap.

[Morrison]

So currently it looks like I've narrowed it down to two options:

1. Beast Totem Barbarian, with as dragonish a flavour as I can justify

2. Paladin (probably Oath of the Crown or maybe Vengeance), with a one-level dip into Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

I've never played a 5e paladin or a multiclass character, and I have only the briefest experience with a barbarian (Ancestral Guardian). Can someone who knows more of the nitty-gritty explain to me what, in the long run, would be the difference between these two builds?

[Kane0]

So currently it looks like I've narrowed it down to two options:

1. Beast Totem Barbarian, with as dragonish a flavour as I can justify

2. Paladin (probably Oath of the Crown or maybe Vengeance), with a one-level dip into Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

I've never played a 5e paladin or a multiclass character, and I have only the briefest experience with a barbarian (Ancestral Guardian). Can someone who knows more of the nitty-gritty explain to me what, in the long run, would be the difference between these two builds?

Paladins are a very good, well rounded class. You generally dont want to use ranged weapons much due to how smite works but you can make them Str or Dex based, and most of the time it isnt recommended to MC until after you get extra attack and aura at levels 5 and 6 respectively. A dex paladin would benefit more from the dragon sorcerers AC feature (being essentially free mage armor)

[Unoriginal]

It would, but I'm not planning on making this character a goody two-shoes. Definitely more of an anti-hero, probably a semi-reformed villain.

Conquest Paladin, then?


Dragons are also known for the fear they create in others.

[Morrison]

Paladins are a very good, well rounded class. You generally dont want to use ranged weapons much due to how smite works but you can make them Str or Dex based, and most of the time it isnt recommended to MC until after you get extra attack and aura at levels 5 and 6 respectively. A dex paladin would benefit more from the dragon sorcerers AC feature (being essentially free mage armor)

Yeah, this is why I was initially hesitant to do a Sorcadin, since the Dragon Bloodline's armour bonus would be wasted on a Strength-based brawler, which I envision this character as very much being.

[Psyren]

Yeah, this is why I was initially hesitant to do a Sorcadin, since the Dragon Bloodline's armour bonus would be wasted on a Strength-based brawler, which I envision this character as very much being.

Yeah that's one thing I don't like as much about 5e - if your skin is tougher under the armor, it should be a bonus that stacks with your armor to represent how you're better able to repel attacks that make it past the armor. Natural Armor and Armor bonuses stacking in 3.P did that.

I'd see if your GM will let you replace the AC calculation in Draconic Resilience with a simple +1 to AC, or a few temp HP that come back on a short rest or something.

[strangebloke]

Okay hear me out.

Tortle
6 levels of WotAD monk
4 levels of battlemaster
fighting style: unarmed (or interception or blindfighting or great weapon fighting, doesn't really matter)
maneuvers: menacing attack, commanding presence, brace

Breathes fire? Check. Brawls? Check. Strength-based? Hell yeah. Able to scare people ****less? Double hell yeah. Stun someone? Grapple them (they auto-fail) then use step of the wind+flight to rocket into the sky before dropping them like a sack of rocks.

It's not optimal but it will feel good.

[Morrison]

Okay hear me out.

Tortle
6 levels of WotAD monk
4 levels of battlemaster
fighting style: unarmed (or interception or blindfighting or great weapon fighting, doesn't really matter)
maneuvers: menacing attack, commanding presence, brace

Breathes fire? Check. Brawls? Check. Strength-based? Hell yeah. Able to scare people ****less? Double hell yeah. Stun someone? Grapple them (they auto-fail) then use step of the wind+flight to rocket into the sky before dropping them like a sack of rocks.

It's not optimal but it will feel good.

As I said, I want a character that looks mostly human but with a few dragonish traits, not a Ninja Turtle.

[Kane0]

Ooh you could use tashas custom lineage and beg your DM to take the dragonborn racial feats?

But honestly a fighter with the gift of chromatic bonus action +1d4 damage for a minute plus emergency damage resistance prof times per LR is pretty good.

[Psyren]

As I said, I want a character that looks mostly human but with a few dragonish traits, not a Ninja Turtle.

Technically I think they made Bowser :smalltongue: but anyway.

We've covered the Sorcadin option, so while we wait to hear back from your GM on the armor class thing, maybe we can help with refluffing the Beast Barbarian. All the natural attack and movement options seem fitting for a dragon theme. The psychic damage one could be a gem dragon. The only ability I'm iffy on is Call the Hunt, as Dragons are usually solitary predators, but maybe you can fluff that as your allies paying you fealty?