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2020-07-03, 04:26 AM (ISO 8601)
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Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
Dragonfire Adept 5E
An attempted port of the Dragonfire Adept class from Dragon Magic into 5E as a Warlock sub-class. This includes a new patron, The Dragon Lord, who can be a dragon who taught the adept, or one of the draconic deities. I tried to keep it as close to the original 3.5 class as possible while keeping it in 5E scale and scope. Fluff is not all here yet, so if you are looking, sorry. Trying to flush mechanics first.
*Edited 7/7/20 - Thanks for the feedback!
The following changes are made to the Warlock class. Warlock = Dragonfire Adept in all game terms such as for items, class requirements, invocation level requirements, etc.
- You gain the Draconic Breath ability, but you cannot select Eldritch Blast or any invocations that modify it.
- You may select any of the new invocations listed at the end of this document.
- Other warlocks may select any of those new invocations as well, but not breath effects.
- Your patron is The Dragon Lord.
- Bonus language: You learn Draconic. If you already have Draconinc as language (racial or other class), you can learn another language instead.
Spoiler: Overall Design Notes, Please read
- New invocations below are best-attempt copies of the 3.5 effects.
- Draconic Breath (core feature) is a PB/Long Rest activation mini-Dragon's Breath that scales by tier, increasing the number and type of damage dice, as well as areas, each tier. Additional uses between rests can be used by spending 2nd level+ spell slots.
- Breath Effects modify Draconic Breath and have no activation other than declaring their use prior to any rolls.
- Breath Effects cost an invocation known.
- Breath effects requiring invocation slots makes for some narrow choices. May make breath effects closer to meta-magic in design, select-ability and number known. Needs feedback and testing.
THE BREATH!
Spoiler: Design NotesOk, so his is the main thing I need some feedback on. This is the core of the class, an every-turn AOE like the 3.5 version. I want this to be the AOE equivalent of Eldritch Blast. My original version was a cantrip exclusive to this sub-class scaling 1d8 at each tier. Current version is a PB/Long Rest with a 1 minute duration. Damage scales similar to the Dragon's Breath spell. It's weaker than Dragon's breath out the gate, but scales up at each tier. Added a "creatures take half damage on successful save" breath effect that can be selected as an invocation.
Draconic Breath
Your connection with your dragon lord grants you a version of their devastating breath weapon. You activate this ability with a bonus action and it lasts for 1 minute. Each turn you can use your Action to make a breath weapon attack. This can be either a 15 foot cone or 30 foot line, your choice. Creatures in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 damage of the same type as your Draconic Element. The energy type also interacts appropriately with the area. Fire breath sets combustibles ablaze, cold breath can freeze liquids, acid melts materials, while lightning can set fires and is magnified in water, etc. Once you use this ability, you must complete a short or long rest before using it again.
The damage increases to 3d8 at 5th, 4d10 at 11th, and 5d10 at 17th. At 9th level the spell range increases to either a 20-foot cone or a 40-foot line. At 18th level the range becomes either a 40-foot cone or an 80-foot line.
You may activate this ability a number of times per day equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest. Additionally, you may activate this an additional time by sacrificing a spell slot of 2nd level or greater.
Spoiler: Old Cantrip Version
Creatures in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw or take damage of the same type as your Draconic Element. The energy type also interacts appropriately with the area. Fire breath sets combustibles ablaze, cold breath can freeze liquids, acid melts materials, while lightning can set fires and is magnified in water, etc.
This damage increases to 2d8 at 5th level, 3d8 at 11th level, and 4d8 at 17th level. At 9th level the spell range increases to either a 20-foot cone or a 40-foot line. At 18th level they increase to either a 40-foot cone or an 80-foot line.
Dragon Lord
At 1st level you pledge your service to a dragon lord. Your lord is either a dragon or draconic deity such as Bahamut or Tiamat. This decision grants you a Draconic Element that determines the type of damage your Draconic Breath cantrip deals, and resistance from Draconic Adaptation class feature. If a dragon lord offers more than one element, you may choose any one.
Dragon Lord Draconic Element Gold, Brass, or Red Fire Silver, White Cold Bronze, Blue Lightning Copper, Green, or Black Acid or Poison Tiamat, Shadow Necrotic or any one above Bahamut Radiant or any one above
Bonus Spells
Your Dragon Lord allows you to select additional spells when you would learn a Dragonfire Adept spell, as indicated on the table below.
Spoiler: All Dragonfire Adepts1st - Absorb Elements
2nd - Dragon's Breath
3rd - Slow
4th - Polymorph
5th - Dominate Person
Spoiler: FireCantrips - Control Flames, Firebolt
1st - Chromatic Orb
2nd - Scorching Ray
3rd - Fireball
4th - Wall of Fire
5th - Flame Strike
Spoiler: ColdCantrips - Frostbite, Control Water
1st - Fog Cloud
2nd - Warding Wind
3rd - Sleet Storm
4th - Control Water
5th - Cone of Cold
Spoiler: LightningCantrips - Shocking Grasp, Thunderclap
1st - Witch Bolt
2nd - Shatter
3rd - Lightning Bolt
4th - Storm Sphere
5th - Steel-Wind Strike
Spoiler: Acid/PoisonCantrips - Acid Splash, Thorn Whip
1st - Chaos Bolt
2nd - Maximilian's Earthen Grasp
3rd - Stinking Cloud
4th - Vitriolic Sphere
5th - Cloudkill
Spoiler: NecroticCantrips - Toll the Dead, Chill Touch
1st - False Life
2nd - Blindness/Deafness
3rd - Revivify
4th - Evard’s Black Tentacles
5th - Planar Binding
Spoiler: RadiantCantrips - Sacred Flame, Word of Radiance
1st - Cure Wounds
2nd - Spiritual Weapon
3rd - Spirit Guardians
4th - Freedom of Movement
5th - Flame Strike
Claws of the Dragon
Your hands become draconic claws that deal 1d4 slashing damage. They have the light and finesse properties.
Scales of the Dragon
You gain resistance to the energy type of your draconic element. Additionally, while you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.
Spoiler: Design Notes - AC and DefensesThe original class got scaling natural armor bonus, but 5E warlocks already getting access to mage armor, light armor proficiency, and other boosts. Still, this class will be close to, if not in melee, so having a better defenses should be in the mix. It is currently a version of the monk's AC bonus. Old version was Barbarian's version, but breath keyed off Con then. Good suggestions so far are giving temp HP each turn, or Medium armor proficiency like Hexblade.
Pact Boon Adjustments (3rd)[/SIZE]
- Pact of the Chain – When you use your Draconic Breath, you may have it originate from your familiar instead of you.
- Pact of the Blade – You may select your dragon claws. If you do their damage increases to 1d8.
Draconic Affinity
Starting at 6th level, when you use your Draconic Breath or cast a spell that deals damage of the type of your Draconic Element, you can add your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of the spell. This always applies to your Draconic Breath, even if the element changes due to a breath effect.
You also have advantage on skill checks made to interact with dragons of the same type or alignment as your patron and they treat you favorably.
Draconic Immunity
Beginning at 10th level, you gain immunity to the energy type of your draconic element.
Breath of the Deity
By 14th level, you can tap into the power of the draconic deities. This allows the use of two devastating attacks. When you use either, you must finish a long rest before using either again. Additionally, when you use them, you roll 1d6 and you cannot use the Draconic Breath for that many rounds.
- Fivefold Breath of The Queen – You draw upon the dark power of Tiamat to use your Draconic Breath fives times. Each use deals a different type of energy damage in any order you choose: Fire, Cold, Lightning, Acid, Necrotic. All uses must be either cones or lines, but each use can target a different area.
- Annihilating Breath of the King – You use your Draconic Breath, but it deals 10d6 + 40 Force damage, or half as much on a successful save. Any creature who is killed, as well as any non-magical items in the area, are completely disintegrated.
Invocations
Taken straight from the original class. I didn't re-name any that already have a 5E equivalent, but noted them at the bottom of the list for completion sake.
Spoiler: Invocations
- Beguiling Influence - Gain proficiency in one Charisma-based skill or Expertise in a Charisma skill you are already proficient in. Additionally, you can re-roll any one Charisma check made to deceive or influence others once per short or long rest.
- Draconic Knowledge - Gain proficiency in one Intelligence skill of your choice and you can spend your action to make any Intelligence check or save with advantage.
- Elemental Fog - Use a warlock spell slot to cast fog cloud. Any creature in the area takes damage equal to your level of the type of your draconic element. (old Chilling Fog)
- Endure Exposure - As an action, you can make any number of creatures you can see immune to your Draconic Breath for 24 hours. Each use ends the previous effects.
- Energy Resistance - You can cast Absorb Elements as a 1st level spell without using as spell slot.
- Elemental Gust (5th) - Use a warlock spell slot to cast gust of wind. Any creature in area takes damage equal to your level of the type of your draconic element.
- Draconic Flight (5th) - You grow dragon wings and can Fly as the spell for up to 1 hour without the need for concentration. You cannot use this again until you finish a long rest.
- Walk Unseen (5th) - You can use cast Invisibility once without using a spell lot or material components. You cannot do so again until you finish a short or long long rest.
- Aura of Flame (7th) - You can cast Fire Shield once without expending a spell slot or material components. You cannot do so again until you finish a short or long long rest.
- Terrifying Roar (7th) - You let out a frightening roar like a mighty wyrm. You cast Fear as the spell without expending a spell slot. You may not cast it this way again until you finish a short or long rest.
- Instill Vulnerability (9th) - You can cast Elemental Bane once without using a spell slot. You cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
- Voracious Dispelling (9th) - You can cast Dispel Magic twice without expending a spell slot. You cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
- Voidsense (9th) - As a bonus action, you gain the perception of your dragon lord, gaining blindsense out to 30 feet for 1 minute. You cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
- Baleful Geas (12th) - You can cast Geas once without expending a spell slot. You cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
- Wingstorm (12th) - You grow massive ethereal dragon wings and create a violent storm. You can cast Whirlwind once without using a spell slot or material components. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
- Energy Immunity (15th) - You touch a creature and grant it immunity to one type of energy damage for 24 hours. You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this again.
- Greater Draconic Flight (15th) - Choose a number of creatures up to half your Dragonfire Adept level. Each creature grows dragon wings and can Fly as the spell for up to 1 hour without the need for concentration. You cannot use this again until you finish a long rest.
These old 3.5 invocations already have 5E equivalents. These are listed solely for completion of the old 3.5 list, not to rename existing 5E evocations.
- Aquatic Adaptation = Gift of the Depths
- Draconic Toughness = Armor of Agathys/Fiendish Vigor
- Magic Insight = Eldritch sight
- Perilous Veil = Sculptor of Flesh
- See the Unseen = Devil’s Sight
Breath Effects
These modify your Draconic Breath and do not require activation, you simply announce you are applying them before any rolls. These can be selected when you gain a new invocation. The minimum level is indicated beside the effect. Most effects can be used only once per short or long rest, but some are "at will" and can be used with every breath. You can use them additional times by expending a Dragonfire Adept spell slot. Effects that require a save use your Dragonfire Adept spell save DC. All spell effects that require concentration do so as normal.
Spoiler: Breath Effects
- Adaptable Breath - You may change the damage type of your Draconic Breath to any other Draconic Element for the duration of its' use. Requires concentration. (3.5 Frost/Lightning/Acid Breath)
- Heighten Breath - Creatures in your Draconic Breath now take half damage on a successful save. This effect applies to every use.
- Repelling Breath (5th) - Creatures in your Draconic Breath are pushed 10 feet away from you and must make a Strength save or be knocked prone.
- Sleep Breath (5th) - Creatures in your Draconic Breath are affected by the Sleep spell.
- Slow Breath (7th) - Creatures in your Draconic Breath are affected by the Slow spell.
- Weakening Breath (7th) - Creatures in your Draconic Breath must succeed on a Constitution save or have their strength drained. Those that fail their save are affected as if poisoned for 1 minute. (3.5 Weakening and Sickening combined)Spoiler: NoteThey are not "poisoned" as the condition, just suffer the effects of being poisoned. Creatures immune to the poisoned condition are still affected as this is a supernatural weakening of the targets. This is the closest approximation I could find to the 3.5 effects that gave Str penalties and the 3.5 "sickened" condition.
- Nova Breath (9th) - Your Draconic Breath becomes a sphere emanating from you. The radius is equal to your cone breath distance. (3.5 cloud breath)
- Clinging Breath (9th) - The energy from your Draconic Breath clings to the creatures caught in it that failed their saves. You may use your bonus action each subsequent turn to re-roll the damage on those creatures. Requires concentration.
- Thunder Breath (9th) - Your Draconic Breath can deal Thunder damage instead of its normal type. You may use this at will.
- Force Breath (12th) - Your Draconic Breath can deal Force damage instead of its normal type. You may use this at will.
- Paralyzing Breath (15th) - Creatures in your Draconic Breath are affected by the Hold Monster spell.
Some of the 3.5 breath effects are either taken care of by the new breath or just redundant. For comparison sake they are:
Shaped Breath - Part of new breath
Weakening/Sickening Breath – Combined and changed to the closest approximation in 5E, poisoned condition
Last edited by Zaile; 2022-05-28 at 08:30 PM. Reason: Feedback
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2020-07-03, 08:07 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2017
Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
Ugh, just lost all the typing I did about this:
Here we go again.
Breath Cantrip. By basing it on Con you're inadvertently weakening the class. This is your primary schtick and now you have to prioritize an ability score other than Cha which all your other spells will be based on. So until 12th level you're stuck at -1 DC on primary attack or -1 DC or attack on all leveled spells and other cantrips (when compared to characters of other subclasses). Also, the *special* considerations for the breath cantrip straddle a line between homebrew and houserules. Tighter language RE: Range and Area on some of the Invocations would make being immune to your own spell effect unnecessary.
Bonus spells: How does the Dragon Patron not offer the Dragon's breath spell?
Chain Pact: by offering the Dragon's Breath spell the Familiar could be given a fine breath weapon without an extra fiddly rule (unless you like fiddly, in which case I'd change it to: When you cast the Breath Cantrip you can have the cone or line originate in your Pseudodragon familiar's space instead of your own).
Dragon Scales: Warlocks already get light armor proficiency so this seems like overkill for a 9 level caster. If you really want to bump AC I'd move this to level 10 with the Resistance and call the lot Dragon's Defenses.
Elemental Affinity: I'd call Draconic Affinity and add an RP/Social bonus to rolls vs dragons or dragons of your Patron's color.
Capstones I love though I might give one based on alignment or patron type (metallic/chromatic). There's also the issue of Annihilating breath being max power at acquisition and 5 Fold breath not being max power until 17th when the cantrip gets its final buff.
Invocations:
The breath effects all need clarified as 1/rest or 1/long rest. Sleep on effect is essentially +5d8 every time you breathe. Clinging breath is just double damage on every breath, etc.
Nova breath could be reworded so you don't have to worry about being in its effect area, "Breath becomes a X radius sphere emanating from you." etc.
Some of the other invocations have new names, fine for a home game but unnecessarily confusing, just put a bumper that says "Dragon Patrons provide access to these Invocations as well:" and go from there.
I'm sure I forgot something and the tone here is a little more terse, sorry.
All in all this looks like a good start to something fun. Here's a link to a Dragon Patron I created, pls feel free to mine it for inspiration.Last edited by BerzerkerUnit; 2020-07-03 at 08:08 PM.
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2020-07-03, 10:47 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
Aw man. I hate that. Thanks for the feedback, super great. I agree with most of this. I wanted to give it the same feel as the old class, but also I wanted to try to balance out having an every-turn AOE with a slightly lower save or having to focus more on breath vs invocations. The old class had the same balance point as well. This also lends to the barbarian AC calculation. Will tighten up wording for sure.
Would changing the dice to d10 be better? I see your class uses scaling dice. 2dX+level may work too, but is that too much for a cantrip?'
As for the scaling and multi-classing, I though an AOE cantrip like this could have unintended consequences if we let it scale with other classes. This was more to keep with the old class, but now that I think about it, it's a couple d8, removing that restriction.
Bonus spells: How does the Dragon Patron not offer the Dragon's breath spell?
Chain Pact: by offering the Dragon's Breath spell the Familiar could be given a fine breath weapon without an extra fiddly rule (unless you like fiddly, in which case I'd change it to: When you cast the Breath Cantrip you can have the cone or line originate in your Pseudodragon familiar's space instead of your own).
Dragon Scales: Warlocks already get light armor proficiency so this seems like overkill for a 9 level caster. If you really want to bump AC I'd move this to level 10 with the Resistance and call the lot Dragon's Defenses.
Elemental Affinity: I'd call Draconic Affinity and add an RP/Social bonus to rolls vs dragons or dragons of your Patron's color.
Capstones I love though I might give one based on alignment or patron type (metallic/chromatic). There's also the issue of Annihilating breath being max power at acquisition and 5 Fold breath not being max power until 17th when the cantrip gets its final buff.
Invocations:
The breath effects all need clarified as 1/rest or 1/long rest. Sleep on effect is essentially +5d8 every time you breathe. Clinging breath is just double damage on every breath, etc.
Nova breath could be reworded so you don't have to worry about being in its effect area, "Breath becomes a X radius sphere emanating from you." etc.
Some of the other invocations have new names, fine for a home game but unnecessarily confusing, just put a bumper that says "Dragon Patrons provide access to these Invocations as well:" and go from there.
I'm sure I forgot something and the tone here is a little more terse, sorry.
All in all this looks like a good start to something fun. Here's a link to a Dragon Patron I created, pls feel free to mine it for inspiration.
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2020-07-04, 09:18 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2017
Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
An AoE Cantrip isn't bad by default. But there are a few issues.
1. It's way stronger than most cantrips or at wills. Consider bumping it down to 1d6 and scale normally from there to 4d6 @ 17th. Considering you're likely to reliably hit 2 targets per use. Other examples of AoEs are Swordburst and Acid Splash. 0 damage on a save, d6 on a fail.
2. No other Cantrip has an effect on a successful save. Just making it no effect on a save would go miles to balancing it.
3. Should a spell only one subclass of one class can use be a spell or a feature? It's a Cantrip, I don't think it being counterspellable is intended to be a balancing factor (since most NPCs won't burn a slot to counter a cantrip). A fair amount of discussion about Eblast being a Cantrip that 99% of warlocks will take has been going on since launch.
5. My example Patron's Breath feature is a 1/rest deal based on Radiance of the Dawn (light cleric channel divinity). +level damage on something you can do everyturn would be madness since you also have 9 levels of spells too.
You could probably leave it as is at 10th, it's a nice bump to AC but not as significant at 10th as it would be at first (since magic armor or multiclassing have probably obsoleted it by then). Really it's not necessary, Armor of Shadows is good enough.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking.
Now that I look at it again, Annihilating breath is maybe too good? Consider disintegrate the spell, and this is a line of that. The +40 is the big thing. Disintegrate is save or nothing, +40 means min 20 on a save and that's guaranteed garbage disposal. Then again, it is a capstone and I generally dislike all or nothing effects...
I may have missed it due to haste or a divide between spoiler/non spoiler text.
Good luck!
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2020-07-04, 11:06 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2017
Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
I've read it over, but haven't fully analyzed the whole thing. One thing I thought of is that you could change the breath cantrip to save for no damage, and then make an invocation that makes it save for half, as a sort of analog to Agonizing Blast.
I'd also compare and contrast the breath cantrip to Burning Hands, a 1st level spell, and other cantrips such as Acid Splash and Thunderclap. It should start off worse than Burning Hands (though scaling may make it stronger in tier 3 or 4), and maybe slightly better than Acid Splash or Thunderclap. It should be about as good as base EB with no invocations.
And actually, it would be kind of interesting if all warlocks had access to both EB and this breath cantrip. Since warlocks only get a limited number of cantrips and invocations, you'd want to pick one or the other, but it would give you a choice at least.
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2020-07-05, 11:17 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
Thanks for all this!
Defiantly need to tone it down to no damage on save as a cantrip. Was really trying to replicate the core of the 3.5 class with an every-turn AOE. That one capped at 10d6. D8 is the dice most of the 5E dragons use, so leaving it there would indeed make it better than most other cantrips, but that's the point. It's the centerpiece of the class. Without it you're just a warlock with scales.
I also wanted it to be unique to this sub-class. Though now that I think about it, what would making it more like a dragon's breath weapon be? With the "Recharge 5-6" say? Would that be enough to allow for save on half; or no damage on save but higher base damage scaling than 1d8, 2d8, 3d8, 4d8?
Then maybe allow 1/rest or 1/spell slot to have a boosting effect like Radiance of the Dawn or Eldritch smite. "Extra 1d8 + 1d8 per level of spell slot"? "Extra damage equal to your Dragonfire Adept Level"?
I moved the AC boost to the 10th level feature and made it like a monk's, but using Cha.
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2020-07-05, 11:32 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
Thanks for the feedback.
Definitely changing the Draconic Breath going to remove the save for half and scale it 1dX, 2dX, 3dX, 4dX.
A second option though is to give it a recharge like 5E dragons "recharge 5-6" which is roll 1d6 at start of turn, on a 5 or 6, get another use. Would that be enough to justify a damage bump or save for half? This is closer to the 3.5 Dragon Shaman than Dragonfire Adept (which was every turn), but that's fine if it's more balanced.
Burning is 3d6, 15ft cone, 1st level slot
Radiance of the Dawn is 2d10+Cleric level in a 60' sphere 1/rest
Drgonborn breath weapon is 2d6 (normal scaling), save for half, 15' cone, 1/rest
I think 1d8 (the base dice of most dragon's in the MM, save for no damage, is a good start. Thinking of being able to spend spell slots to have a doubling or smite like effect similar to Eldritch Smite or Radiance of The Dawn effect like Bezerkerunit suggested may work too. "Smiting Breath" sounds cool
As for letting every warlock have it, I really wanted to capture the uniqueness of the 3.5 class without making an entirely new class, as warlock was perfect base. I think the core power of a sub-class should be unique and making it mutually-exclusive with EB and exclusive to this sub-class was a balance point I chose as this would prevent poaching the core of the class.
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2020-07-06, 07:35 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2017
Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
I've homebrewed a lot of classes and races, gotten a couple of decent reviews on DM's guild. I don't think a recharge would balance a save for 1/2. As I recall, the Dragonfire Adept had to spend a slot every time they wanted to use their breath anyway, but I only played one once so I could be mistaken.
I've given my dragonborn subtypes and some of my classes recharge effects but I've always left them further limited. In the case of my Dragonborn, the mottled subtype can stir their draconic blood for 1 minute as a bonus action for some draconic aspect, when they choose a breathweapon it has a recharge rating and scales amazingly well. But that makes it likely 1/rest feature anyway. If the average combat is 3 rounds there's a 1/3 chance they'll get to use it twice. Over 20 levels it goes from 2d8 to 5d12, but again, that's for 1 minute 1/rest.
I agree it shouldn't be every warlock, that's why I brought up making it a feature instead of a spell. As a feature you can tie scaling to class level instead of character level and include mechanics for spending slots to empower it.
Here's the Dragonborn subtypes I made for my in house campaign.
Spoiler: DragonbornAccording to the people of Draigholm, the Dragonborn of Aldra are to be feared. They use taboo arts and profane armaments to indiscriminately murder dragons.
They aren’t exactly wrong. The Dragonborn of Aldra are a dispossessed people. They are desperately searching for something but refuse to let outsiders know what it is. This pursuit brings them into regular conflict with older dragons. As a people that chooses to live beyond the protection of Draigholm they face the same danger from Dragon Packs and other creatures as any other.
Recruiters that have encountered Dragonborn clans often have a different outlook on them, but most think Recruiters are on the edge of madness anyway.
Dragonborn Subtypes:
These subtype options replace Draconic Heritage and +2 Strength.
Pureblood
As a pureblood your Draconic ancestry is clear, the product of selective breeding and arranged marriages. As a result many Draconic features are always prominent.
Ability Bonuses: +1 Strength, +1 Con
Scales: you may calculate your AC when not wearing armor as 13+Dex bonus. You can use a shield and retain this benefit.
Darkvision: You have Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Wings: you have wings that grant you a Fly speed equal to your walking speed.
Poor Flier: as a poor flier you must move 10 feet in the same direction to begin flying. You can fly for a number of rounds equal to your Con bonus (minimum 1), if you do not end your final turn on solid ground or clinging to a surface you could climb on, you fall. If your movement is reduced to 0 or you become incapacitated, you fall. You can begin flying again on any turn after you have spent 1 turn without moving. This feature is removed at level 5.
Draconic Resistance: you gain resistance to a Damage Type based on your ancestry. This becomes Immunity at 17th level.
Draconic Breath: you gain a breath weapon based on your ancestry. As an action you can exhale destructive matter or energy. The damage is 2d6 and the DC is Con Based. This increases to 3d6 at 5th, 4d6 at 11th, and 5d6 at 17th. You recover your ability to use this breath weapon after a short rest.
Natural Weapons: your claws and bite are natural weapons allowing you to deal slashing or piercing damage with your unarmed attacks.
Mixed Heritage
As one of mixed ancestry the blood of all common dragons flows through your veins. While your form normally bears less prominent marks of your heritage, you can stir your blood to manifest more potent manifestations of Draconic power invoking dramatic changes in morphology.
Ability Bonus: +1 to any two ability scores
Stirring the Blood: you can spend a bonus action to draw out any one of the potent manifestations of Draconic Heritage detailed below. You may do so once and the benefits are retained for 1 minute. You regain the use of this feature after a short or long rest.
Draconic Resilience: your maximum Hit points are increased by your level. You gain resistance to one of the damage types detailed on the Draconic Ancestry list. At level 17 this becomes Immunity. If not wearing armor you can calculate your AC as Dexterity bonus+Proficiency Bonus.
Draconic Essence: you gain a Breath Weapon from the Draconic Ancestry Chart. You can breathe this destructive matter or energy as a bonus action. Your breath has a recharge rating of 4-6. The damage of the breath is 2d6. This increases to 3d8 at 5th, 4d10 at 11th, and 5d12 at 17th. The save is Con based.
Draconic Senses: you gain Darkvision 60 and BlindSense 5. The distance of Darkvision increases by 20 feet and the distance of BlindSense increases by 5 feet at levels 5, 11, and 17. While this trait is active you automatically succeed on checks to notice sleight of hand being used against you.
Draconic Might: you gain the Powerful Build Trait. Your claws become vicious talons and your teeth become terrifying fangs. Your tail extends like a sinuous muscular club that can be used to make an unarmed attack as a bonus action when you take the attack action. Your melee attacks deal an additional 1d4 damage. Once while this feature is active, you can use your action to exude a terrifying aura. Creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. They can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn. The save DC is Charisma based.
Feat:
Dragon Force
Requires 8th level, Pureblood
You can cast Control Weather but only to make the weather more like a state appropriate to your lineage.
Colder for White/Silver
Hotter for Red/Gold/Brass
Rains and Fog for Green/Black
Storms for Blue/Copper
Dragon’s Coils
Requires Mixed Heritage
Your strength, Dex, or con increases by 1.
When you activate your Stir the Blood feature your reach with unarmed attacks increases by 5 feet.
Last edited by BerzerkerUnit; 2020-07-06 at 07:36 AM.
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2020-07-06, 09:02 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2006
Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
First, I find when I'm writing or evaluating homebrew, it helps to append on *each section* a spoilered design notes.
As an example, after Claws of the Dragon, you can say
SpoilerRibbon
to make it clear this isn't intended as a balancing feature. This means when pepeople evaluate your homebrew, they can (a) say your ribbon isn't a ribbon, or (b) won't get hung up on you adding a useless feature and offer to "make it better" when you didn't intend it to be a real feature.
For features with more heft, you could explain what you are doing there, leaving the rules text alone.
Draconic Defenses
Beginning at 10th level, you gain resistance to energy of the same type as your draconic element. Additionally, while you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier. (This has a more monk feel, but still reflects being more durable than the average warlock. You will be closer to, if not in, combat)
Scales of the Dragon
Your flesh becomes armored in scales based on your patron's type. You gain resistance to damage the same as your draconic element, and gain temporary HP equal to your charisma modifier plus 1/2 of your warlock class level at the start of each of your turns. While you have these temporary HP, you are immune to critical hits.
SpoilerResistance to the breath weapon damage is far overdue. The temporary HP gives you the feel of having a hard shell of dragon scales, enhanced by the limited immunity from critical hits. The first blow per round cannot strike a critical hit. Instead of boosting AC (which a level 10 warlock will have long solved), this gives a unique and interesting feeling defensive boost.
It may be too strong; but 10 temporary HP doesn't last long at level 10, nor 15 at level 20. And that feels like enough to make you shrug off minor nicks and cuts. Simply using your charisma modifier seems too small by level 10.
Pact Boon Adjustments (3rd)
Pact of the Chain – When you cast your Draconic Breath cantrip, you may have it originate from your familiar instead of you.
Pact of the Blade – You may select your dragon claws. If you do their damage increases to 1d8.
(b) you could boost them, and add in a pact of the book.
I like the boost plan
Pact Boon Enhancements
At 3rd level, when you pick your Pact Boon, you gain additional benefits
Pact of the Chain: When you use your Draconic Breath cantrip, your familiar can also breathe. Creatures in either area of effect must make exactly one saving throw.
Pact of the Blade: Your dragon claws become stronger. They now deal 1d10 damage, and you can make an attack with them as a bonus action after casting a spell or taking the attack action.
Pact of the Tome: You gain your Dragonfire Adept bonus spells as additional spells known, and once per day you may cast one of them at its lowest level without expending a spell slot while holding your Tome and reading the spell out of it.
SpoilerDesign notes.
Having two regions for your breath is quite useful, and gives you range.
Blade gives you an effective bonus action "stabidty stab stab". Note that I don't require you to choose your claws as your blade.
Tome gives you more spells, and +1 spell per day from a limited list.
These are all very dragon-theme feeling, even if only one boosts your breath.
Invocations
Not certain how to fix it. Make it a reroll once per short rest?
The fly spell things -- if you wanted to boost them, make them concentration-free (!)
A 2nd level spell slot as a 7th level invocation 1/day seems a bit expensive.
Voidsense doesn't have an activation criteria (action cost or whatever).
Your breath effects are a huge boost, and probably should be Invocations.
Clinging Breath seems pretty useless. Concentration plus no action economy -- all it does is lets you do it from further away?
I'm unaware of an effect that lets someone choose which save to use in 5e other than your Weakening breath. Poison is usually a Con save.Last edited by Yakk; 2020-07-06 at 09:04 AM.
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2020-07-07, 12:47 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2015
- Gender
Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
Thanks for taking the time to give so much feedback BerzerkerUnit.
So here is the 3.5 Adept's breath weapon "you gain a breath weapon that you can use at will as a standard action. Each time you use your breath weapon, you can choose whether it takes the form of a 15-foot cone or a 30-foot line. This breath weapon deals 1d6 points of fire damage; a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 your class level + your Con modifier) halves the damage."
5E eliminated SU and SP abilities and just made all monsters able to cast spells at will. The reason I made it a cantrip was this is the 5E version of an at-will SU or SP ability.
I really like your mixed heritage homebrew. I think we may be looking over the best solution. Make it like the Dragon's Breath spell and that combined. Capping it at d10 makes this very close to EB at 17th with 4x 1d10+5+the warlock scepter you should have
Spoiler: Draconic Breath
Once per short or long rest you can tap into your draconic patron's power. For 1 minute you gain a breath weapon attack you can use each turn as an action. This can take the for of a 15 foot cone or 30 foot line. Each creature in the breath makes a Dexterity save taking 2d6 damage on a failed save and no damage on a successful one.
The damage increases to 3d8 at 5th, 4d10 at 11th, and 5d10 at 17th. At 9th level the spell range increases to either a 20-foot cone or a 40-foot line. At 18th level they increase to either a 40-foot cone or an 80-foot line.
You may activate this ability additional times per rest by spending a spell slot of at least 2nd level.
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2020-07-07, 01:20 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2015
- Gender
Re: Dragonfire Adept, a Warlock Sub-class (PEACH)
Thanks! great recommendation, lets me put my "why I did the thing" separate.
How about
Scales of the Dragon
Your flesh becomes armored in scales based on your patron's type. You gain resistance to damage the same as your draconic element, and gain temporary HP equal to your charisma modifier plus 1/2 of your warlock class level at the start of each of your turns. While you have these temporary HP, you are immune to critical hits.
SpoilerResistance to the breath weapon damage is far overdue. The temporary HP gives you the feel of having a hard shell of dragon scales, enhanced by the limited immunity from critical hits. The first blow per round cannot strike a critical hit. Instead of boosting AC (which a level 10 warlock will have long solved), this gives a unique and interesting feeling defensive boost.
It may be too strong; but 10 temporary HP doesn't last long at level 10, nor 15 at level 20. And that feels like enough to make you shrug off minor nicks and cuts. Simply using your charisma modifier seems too small by level 10.
(a) you could make these invocations and upgrade them.
(b) you could boost them, and add in a pact of the book.
I like the boost plan
Pact Boon Enhancements
At 3rd level, when you pick your Pact Boon, you gain additional benefits
Pact of the Chain: When you use your Draconic Breath cantrip, your familiar can also breathe. Creatures in either area of effect must make exactly one saving throw.
Pact of the Blade: Your dragon claws become stronger. They now deal 1d10 damage, and you can make an attack with them as a bonus action after casting a spell or taking the attack action.
Pact of the Tome: You gain your Dragonfire Adept bonus spells as additional spells known, and once per day you may cast one of them at its lowest level without expending a spell slot while holding your Tome and reading the spell out of it.
SpoilerDesign notes.
Having two regions for your breath is quite useful, and gives you range.
Blade gives you an effective bonus action "stabidty stab stab". Note that I don't require you to choose your claws as your blade.
Tome gives you more spells, and +1 spell per day from a limited list.
These are all very dragon-theme feeling, even if only one boosts your breath.
Pact of the chain - This is 2 AOEs a turn without any investment is super-strong. I think just making it able to come from your familiar is good enough. I always see a fire-breathing stray cat I turned into in a 3.5 game.
Pact of the blade - This is essentially the Eldritch Knight 7th level feature at 3rd.
Tome - Extra spells above what the pact already offers may be a bit much.
The "action for advantage" is not a good plan. It has a bunch of timing issues. Out of combat it is auto-advantage unless the DM calls for a check without the player doing it, unless the DM says the player has to declare the ability before asking for the check, and all piles of meh.
Not certain how to fix it. Make it a reroll once per short rest?
The fly spell things -- if you wanted to boost them, make them concentration-free (!)
A 2nd level spell slot as a 7th level invocation 1/day seems a bit expensive.
Voidsense doesn't have an activation criteria (action cost or whatever).
Your breath effects are a huge boost, and probably should be Invocations.
Clinging Breath seems pretty useless. Concentration plus no action economy -- all it does is lets you do it from further away?
I'm unaware of an effect that lets someone choose which save to use in 5e other than your Weakening breath. Poison is usually a Con save.
Making the fly a "they grow wings" with no concentration feels more draconic.
As for Clinging, perhaps a bonus-action for the damage while still taking concentration?