Dragonkin (new race)

[Quietus]

An idea I've had for my world of Vethedar is a new race of draconic-blooded humans, to allow me to directly tie draconic feel into the low level game without having to go overboard using actual dragons. I'm open to suggestions on how to better balance them, and I'm toying with giving them low-light/darkvision rather than the +2 spot/listen bonus.

Dragonkin (name in progress)

The reason for their appearance is a mystery, but of late, some rare children have been born to fully Human parents who bear some trace of draconic blood. At birth, these people - dragonkin, as they've come to be called - seem to be perfectly normal human children. On reaching puberty, however, they begin to take on some minor draconic traits, growing a thin sheen of scales over their body, and a much clearer sense of individuality borne of their distinct difference from those around them. Some even grow small horns, or vestigal tails, though these are uncommon even among the few who undergo these changes.

Scholars who have studied the process have been unable to tell the exact reason why these children have taken on monstrous traits, but the most common suggestion is that many, many generations back, there was true Dragon blood in their bloodline, and some convergence has caused it to wake in these children after having been all but bred out. Less plausible, but still occasionally accepted theories exist, such as the possibility of nefarious forces at work forcibly changing these children, or that they are an omen of times to come, a forewarning of sorts that Dragons are beginning to rise in power once more. Some even fear that they mark the reawakening of Maulisauna.

Whatever the reason, these children are at best mistrusted, and at worst beaten and killed for what they are. The common people of Vethedar have fought long and hard to throw off the shackles of slavery at the hands of Dragons, and the sudden appearance of draconic blood among their own children is, for many, an abomination fit only for destruction. It doesn't help the dragonkin's case that they aren't all that different from the humans that persecute them, and are just as vulnerable to sword and fist as anyone else. Their scales do afford them some protection, but ultimately, they also restrict their movement, making them slightly awkward. The only saving grace they have is that by virtue of their draconic blood, they also come naturally into sorcery; Magic runs in their very veins, and many dragonkin - even those that don't spend their time honing that power - can cast at least some of the weakest cantrips.


Racial traits
-2 dex, +2 cha - Dragonkin's scales get in the way of their movement, but magical power flows strong in their veins.
Medium : As medium creatures, dragonkin have no special bonuses or penalties due to size
Dragonkin base land speed is 30 feet
+1 Natural Armor
+4 racial bonus on saving throws against Sleep and Paralysis effects
+2 racial bonus on Spot, Listen, and Intimidate checks; Dragonkin inherit their ancestor's sharp senses, and can play on the general fear of Dragons that many still possess.
Automatic languages : Common
Favored Class : Sorcerer

[DamnedIrishman]

You might consider giving specific racial bonuses based on ancestral dragon type. The section on half-dragons in the Monster Manual and in the Draconomicon might help with ideas. You might also consider looking at the demonbred and devilbred templates from the BoEF, since they're a similar principle (except for the ancestor, obviously).

Also, shouldn't they have Draconic as a language?

[BlueWizard]

There are great versions in the existing game.

Though a new style is always fun to make.

[Set]

Their scales do afford them some protection,

Is this from an earlier draft where they had Natural Armor +1?

Or is this version supposed to have NA +1 and it just got left off the racial abilities?

Or, yanno, option 3, am I blind and did I miss it? :)

The race seems balanced against most core races, and, IMO, even with a +1 NA, would still be at the 'good' end of LA +0.

-2 Dex is a hard-hitting penalty stat (-1 ranged atk, -1 AC, -1 Reflex save, -1 Init, -1 some popular skills), while +2 Cha, while wonderful for Sorcerers and Bards, is widely regarded as a 'dump' stat that affects no combat statistics or saving throws. As a result, I would consider the race a bit subpar without the +1 Natural Armor that I assumed should be there.

Indeed, the +1 NA, if present, would only negate a fraction of the -2 Dex penalties!

[Quietus]

You might consider giving specific racial bonuses based on ancestral dragon type. The section on half-dragons in the Monster Manual and in the Draconomicon might help with ideas. You might also consider looking at the demonbred and devilbred templates from the BoEF, since they're a similar principle (except for the ancestor, obviously).

Also, shouldn't they have Draconic as a language?

Looking at Draconic style templates, I can think of the Half-dragon template, and the actual Draconic template. The first makes a difference based on parent dragon type; The second does not. This implies, at least to me, that the thinner the Draconic blood in your veins is, the less the actual color of parent you have matters.

As for there being existing things, I'm attempting to make a PC race, one without LA, because to be frank, I don't like it. I prefer to give an option playable from level 1, which ties directly into my world's feel.

Is this from an earlier draft where they had Natural Armor +1?

Or is this version supposed to have NA +1 and it just got left off the racial abilities?

Or, yanno, option 3, am I blind and did I miss it? :)

The race seems balanced against most core races, and, IMO, even with a +1 NA, would still be at the 'good' end of LA +0.

-2 Dex is a hard-hitting penalty stat (-1 ranged atk, -1 AC, -1 Reflex save, -1 Init, -1 some popular skills), while +2 Cha, while wonderful for Sorcerers and Bards, is widely regarded as a 'dump' stat that affects no combat statistics or saving throws. As a result, I would consider the race a bit subpar without the +1 Natural Armor that I assumed should be there.

Indeed, the +1 NA, if present, would only negate a fraction of the -2 Dex penalties!

You're entirely correct, I forgot to add the +1 NA. Entirely my mistake, I'm editing that in. And yes, I know that the tradeoff isn't particularly valuable for many, but it's invaluable for sorcerers/bards, has some benefit for clerics and paladins, and can be put to use by fighters/barbarians, who can benefit from the net +3 to Intimidate.

[DamnedIrishman]

Also, why not give Dragon Shaman as a favoured class? Then they become even more draconic.

[Quietus]

Also, why not give Dragon Shaman as a favoured class? Then they become even more draconic.

Because I don't use Dragon Shamans.