D&D 5E Dragon Disciple (New Class)

[Zardnaar]

The following is a prototype of a new class. I have not explained all of the abilities as a few of them shgould be self evident such as ASI's and extra attacks. This is outright inspired by the 3.5 DMG prestige class and I wanted another spell less class to play with and another d12 hit dice class that was not a Barbarian. ATM there are 2 archetypes.

1. Dragonkith. Built around a breath weapon and draconic transformation. This is the damage dealing build.
2. Dracolyte. Blessed by the Draconic deities this is kind of a spell less Paladin with a Draconic theme. More defensive than the Dragonkith.

Both are built around short rest mechanics and the breath weapon utilised in different ways. This is my second crack at designing a full class after I posted by Warlord idea here a few weeks ago. The language is a bit technical atm, focused on the mechanics ATM. I also wanted it to be simple with no spells, spell, class points or dice to use.

Dragon Disciple
Hit Dice: 1d12
Armor: Light, medium, heavy, shields
Weapons: simple, martial
Saving Throws Constitution, Charisma

[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Level[/TD]
[TD]PB[/TD]
[TD]Features[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]+2[/TD]
[TD]Draconic Infusion, Breath Weapon[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]+2[/TD]
[TD]Fighting Style[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]+2[/TD]
[TD]Draconic Infusion Archtype[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]+2[/TD]
[TD]Ability Score Improvement[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]+3[/TD]
[TD]Extra Attack[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]+3[/TD]
[TD]Wings[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]+3[/TD]
[TD]Draconic Infusion Feature[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]+3[/TD]
[TD]Ability Score Improvement[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]+4[/TD]
[TD]Breath Weapon 2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]+4[/TD]
[TD]Draconic Infusion Feature[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]+4[/TD]
[TD]Flight 2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]+4[/TD]
[TD]Ability Score Improvement[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]+5[/TD]
[TD][TABLE="width: 485"]
[TR]
[TD]Breath Weapon 3[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]+5[/TD]
[TD]Ability Score Improvement[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]+5[/TD]
[TD]Draconic Infusion Feature[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]+5[/TD]
[TD]Ability Score Improvement[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]+6[/TD]
[TD]Breath Weapon 4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]+6[/TD]
[TD]Draconic Infusion Feature[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]+6[/TD]
[TD]Ability Score Improvement[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]+6[/TD]
[TD]Dragon Ascendant[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Draconic Infusion
At 1st level you have been infused with the power of a Dragon. Choose a damage type acid, fire, frost, lightning, poison,

The damage type associated with your infusion is used for your breath weapon and other class features. You gain resistance against the chosen energy type. Additionally parts of your skin are covered by a thin sheen of dragon like scales. When you are not wearing armor, your AC equals 13+ your dexterity modifier.

Breath Weapon
You gain a breath weapon that you can use as a bonus action. This breath weapon is identical to the Dragonborn breath weapon in all other respects. It deals the same damage type you picked as your Draconic Infusion. You gain an additional use of your breath weapon at level 9, 13 and 17.

Fighting Style.
This is identical to the fighter feature.

Wings.
At level 6 you grow a pair of wings. These wings allow you to duplicate the effects of the feather fall spell. Additionally you can use them to fly for 1 minute. You regain the ability to fly when you complete a short or long rest.

Flight 2
You gain an additional use of your fly ability.

Dragon Ascendant
At level 20 you embody the power of Dragons. All your ability scores increase by 2. You maximum ability scores are now 22.

Draconic Infusion Archetypes

Different Dragon Disciples chose different aspects of their power to focus on. The Draconic Archetype you chose reflects this.


Dragonkith
When you chose this archetype at level 3 you may use breath weapon an additional time per short or long rest.

At level 7 your breath weapon becomes more intense. You may add your constitution modifier to damage.

At level 10 your scales harden and you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

At level 15 you can focus your breath weapon. Any opponents caught in it have disadvantage on their saving throws.

At Level 18 you can fly at will.

Dracolyte

At 3rd level you can channel the power of your breath weapon along your weapon. When you hit an opponent with a melee weapon you can expend one of your uses of your breath weapon to deal extra elemental damage of the type you picked via your Draconic Infusion. The extra damage equals 5 + twice his or her Dragon Disciple level.

At level 7 you gain an Aura of Protection (as the Paladins ability). Your aura also grants resistance to your chosen element.

At Level 10 Your resistance to your chosen element becomes immunity to the element.

At level 15 creatures in your aura are immune to the chosen element.

At level 18 your aura increases to 30’.

 

[Blue]

Thoughts as I read it:

d12 HD and all weapon/armor proficiencies. So beefier than fighter. Okay, will look at the rest through that lens.

1st level isn't too much for cherry picking via multiclassing, but getting AC 13+DEX AND all weapon and shield, resistance, a breath weapon, d12 HPs, martial weapons, and CON saves for concentration checks might be really powerful first level for a full caster, especially if they wanted the proficiencies.

2nd: Fighting Style - slightly delayed from Fighter, like Ranger & Paladin but better than either since it's the full list.

In the power curve at this point.

3rd we see things take shape, and is the customary level for it.

Dragonkith extra breath use - decent. Yes, scaling damage (from Dragonborn racial) and uses (from this) will multiply. if this was the dragonborn full action it would be slightly underpowered, with a bonus actual usage it's good.

Dracolyte gets a smite. Only on a hit so it's never wasted, but you're giving up potentially multiple targets. On the other hand you are helping you action economy. Since it's only 1 use per short rest this is a bit light. Congratulations, I *rarely* suggest that on homebrews. You show a lot of restraint.

Wings - at 6th and with the limitations I'm fine with this. Maybe some verbiage like draconic sorcerers about appropriate armor.

7th -
Dragonkith: CON to damage for a 2/short rest is pretty light for a power. I'd give something more. Option to grow or shrink the AoE when using it?
Dragonlyte: Aura of protection is one of the paladin's key powers. Not sure I like this from a steping on other's toes. Not overpowered - it's a level later and you don't need CHR for anything else. Perhaps move it to CON based?

9th - another use of the breath weapon. This works well with bonus damage or using to smite.

10 -
Dragonkith - +1 AC is underwhelming often. Plate + shield + 1 AC fighting style +1 AC from this is not. Especially when backed up by d12 HPs. I'm not a huge fan of just "math changes" that don't give options. This may be true to the source material, btu I'd rather see something like "wing distration: as a reaction, force a reroll on an attack roll" - something the player feels like they got something new instead of modifying a static number and never thinking about it again.
Dracolyte - Immunity ... I'm not so fond of boolean immunity, but it's a reasonable extension.

11 - eh, another flight use means most combats. But I'd also increase the time aloft to allow it to overcome some challenges in other pillars, like getting across chasms and the like. You are a 11th level character by now.

15 -
Dragonkith - auto disadvantage on your bonus action, +CON, 4/short rest area attack. Hmm, that is nice, btu might be helping keep it relevant. At 16th it's only 5d6, with a save it's just an irritant for monsters of appropriate CR. I want to say this is too powerful, but I can't.
Dracolyte - make others immune to your element. Ugh, I don't like that. Resistance, sure, but making the party to be able to bathe in acid as long as they stay close just opens up too many abuses for big damaging spells at range zero as well making many creatures irrelevant (so you won't see them) vs. giving the DD a chance to shine with his personal immunity. Don't like this.

18 -
'kith - fly at will, go for it.
'lyte - aura 30' nice, also go for it.

20 - +2 all scores and 22 new cap? Eh.

Conclusion:
I'm just not feeling the d12 HD. Okay, you are dragon-like. But a fighter could be of a giant race (goliath) or whatever and they are still only d10. Whatever, not saying it's unbalanced, just not feeling that it's justified.

On the other hand, other powers seem to be a little low, especially at the mid levels. At higher levels you get more uses and scaled damage and it more comes together, adn at low levels you have full proficiences and d12 HPs. But mid levels it may lag a bit.

There were very few problematic things, I noted where they were.

I never say that, take it as a complement. Most homebrews are full of either powerful or very powerful options.

 

[Zardnaar]

Thoughts as I read it:

d12 HD and all weapon/armor proficiencies. So beefier than fighter. Okay, will look at the rest through that lens.

1st level isn't too much for cherry picking via multiclassing, but getting AC 13+DEX AND all weapon and shield, resistance, a breath weapon, d12 HPs, martial weapons, and CON saves for concentration checks might be really powerful first level for a full caster, especially if they wanted the proficiencies.

2nd: Fighting Style - slightly delayed from Fighter, like Ranger & Paladin but better than either since it's the full list.

In the power curve at this point.

3rd we see things take shape, and is the customary level for it.

Dragonkith extra breath use - decent. Yes, scaling damage (from Dragonborn racial) and uses (from this) will multiply. if this was the dragonborn full action it would be slightly underpowered, with a bonus actual usage it's good.

Dracolyte gets a smite. Only on a hit so it's never wasted, but you're giving up potentially multiple targets. On the other hand you are helping you action economy. Since it's only 1 use per short rest this is a bit light. Congratulations, I *rarely* suggest that on homebrews. You show a lot of restraint.

Wings - at 6th and with the limitations I'm fine with this. Maybe some verbiage like draconic sorcerers about appropriate armor.

7th -
Dragonkith: CON to damage for a 2/short rest is pretty light for a power. I'd give something more. Option to grow or shrink the AoE when using it?
Dragonlyte: Aura of protection is one of the paladin's key powers. Not sure I like this from a steping on other's toes. Not overpowered - it's a level later and you don't need CHR for anything else. Perhaps move it to CON based?

9th - another use of the breath weapon. This works well with bonus damage or using to smite.

10 -
Dragonkith - +1 AC is underwhelming often. Plate + shield + 1 AC fighting style +1 AC from this is not. Especially when backed up by d12 HPs. I'm not a huge fan of just "math changes" that don't give options. This may be true to the source material, btu I'd rather see something like "wing distration: as a reaction, force a reroll on an attack roll" - something the player feels like they got something new instead of modifying a static number and never thinking about it again.
Dracolyte - Immunity ... I'm not so fond of boolean immunity, but it's a reasonable extension.

11 - eh, another flight use means most combats. But I'd also increase the time aloft to allow it to overcome some challenges in other pillars, like getting across chasms and the like. You are a 11th level character by now.

15 -
Dragonkith - auto disadvantage on your bonus action, +CON, 4/short rest area attack. Hmm, that is nice, btu might be helping keep it relevant. At 16th it's only 5d6, with a save it's just an irritant for monsters of appropriate CR. I want to say this is too powerful, but I can't.
Dracolyte - make others immune to your element. Ugh, I don't like that. Resistance, sure, but making the party to be able to bathe in acid as long as they stay close just opens up too many abuses for big damaging spells at range zero as well making many creatures irrelevant (so you won't see them) vs. giving the DD a chance to shine with his personal immunity. Don't like this.

18 -
'kith - fly at will, go for it.
'lyte - aura 30' nice, also go for it.

20 - +2 all scores and 22 new cap? Eh.

Conclusion:
I'm just not feeling the d12 HD. Okay, you are dragon-like. But a fighter could be of a giant race (goliath) or whatever and they are still only d10. Whatever, not saying it's unbalanced, just not feeling that it's justified.

On the other hand, other powers seem to be a little low, especially at the mid levels. At higher levels you get more uses and scaled damage and it more comes together, adn at low levels you have full proficiences and d12 HPs. But mid levels it may lag a bit.

There were very few problematic things, I noted where they were.

I never say that, take it as a complement. Most homebrews are full of either powerful or very powerful options.

Good feed back thanks. I did think of some other abilities such as an elemental d6 to damage or the dragonkith getting a bonus action bite attack.

Any ideas on changing stuff is appreciated. The d12 thing and immunities is so the class is tough in a different way compared with say a barbarian. +1 AC feeds into that.

Also thought of dragon dice or draconic points to fuel the breath weapon with.