Draconian (3.5e Race)

Author: Darth Rabbitt (talk) Date Created: November 9 2021 Status: mechanics finished, fluff is a WIP Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Draconian

Creatures resembling a cross between dragons and humanoids, draconians are dragonspawn created from the corrupted eggs of metallic dragons. They originated in the Dragonlance setting but can be easily adapted to other settings (Takhisis becomes Tiamat fairly easily, for instance), and this is my attempt to do exactly that, while also making them a playable race.

Personality

Being literally bred for war, draconians take very well to an adventuring lifestyle. While the first generation of draconians were created artificially, they breed true and can live independently of their former dragon masters.

Physical Description

All draconians follow a similar body plan: humanoids with the heads and tails of dragons. They are covered in small scales that are duller than their metallic dragon forebears, but still have a sheen to them, especially in their youth. They all have horns, long snouts, sharp fangs, and beady eyes. Their fingers and toes are tipped with razor-sharp claws. All draconians can eat just about anything, and don't need to eat much of it. All but the auraks have leathery wings and thick, stocky bodies. Males are slightly larger than females but otherwise sexual dimorphism is extremely low. Draconians do not age past adulthood, nor do they appear to die of old age. There are 5 major subraces of draconians, each created from a different type of metallic dragon egg:

Auraks are the second largest (averaging about 7 feet tall) and also the rarest variety of draconian, usually found alone or in pairs (most other draconian types congregate with other draconians). Created from the stolen eggs of gold dragons, they possess a great variety of supernatural powers and are the highest caste of draconian, having served as generals in the war. The most powerful among their ranks served as personal agents of Tiamat. Their sinewy bodies are covered in golden scales, and despite their size have short tails for draconians. Their bulging eyes are blood red, green, or black, and small spines grow from the backs of their heads. Their bodies have a slight odor of sulfur. They seldom wear clothing, beyond belts or capes, although some wear robes. When they die they explode in a burst of magical energy.

Baaz are the smallest (averaging between 5 and 6 feet tall) and most plentiful draconians. Derived from brass dragon stock, they served as the foot soldiers of the draconian armies. As such, they were and are considered the lowest ranked draconians, and many baaz old timers still resent their bullying at the hands of their superiors. Their eyes are red and their scales tend to be colored shades of brass and/or dark green. They have slightly stooped shoulders and their fangs are shorter (although no less deadly) than those of other draconians. They favor military uniforms and armor as clothing, but when traveling tend to wear long hooded cloaks and masks to disguise their features. They have a reputation for violence (especially the males) and are fond of strong drink (which does not affect their fighting ability.) When they die, they turn into statues before exploding in a burst of stone.

Bozaks are kind of in the middle for all things draconian: they're middle in size (a bit over 6 feet on average) and rank (serving as junior officers and special forces commanders) and are generally the middle managers of the draconians. As befitting their bronze dragon ancestry, they have bronze scales, dull yellow eyes and grey teeth. They often wear decorative armor pieces such as helmets and leather arm and leg bands. Bozaks tend to be the most spiritual subrace of draconian, and most draconian clerics come from their ranks. They use their wings for thermoregulation, stretching them out on cold days and flapping them on hot ones. Bozaks' wings twitch and vibrate when they are anxious or lost in thought. When they die, their skin shrivels off of their bones before their skeletons explode in a burst of bone shards.

Kapaks are the second smallest (averaging about 6 feet in height), and second most common variety of draconian. They were created from copper dragon eggs and were used as scouts, saboteurs and assassins. They outrank the baaz caste but no others. They have long-limbed sleek bodies covered in dull copper scales tinged with green, and their eyes are either orange or dark brown. Most avoid wearing any style of clothing that would draw attention to themselves, although they usually wear light armor in battle. Kapaks are fonder of meat than other draconian races, and hunt often for it (usually fish or wild game, but sometimes defeated opponents). When they die, they melt into a pool of acid.

Sivaks (derived from silver dragon stock) are the largest draconians (capable of reaching over 9 feet in height), and second in rank only to the auraks. They are the elite warrior caste of the draconians and tend to wear flowing capes and decorative metal bands. Much like baaz, they are reckless fighters fond of drink. They also have a reputation as gamblers. What exactly happens when they die depends on the size and type of their killer. If they were slain by a humanoid of equal or lesser size than them, then they turn into an ashen replica of their killer that quickly explodes in a burst of burning ash. If their killer was anything else (or they were killed through indirect means) then they simply explode.

Relations

Draconians were created as soldiers of an evil dragon empire that fought and lost a very brutal war; as a result they tend to have fairly poor relations with most non-evil humanoid races, and average relations with evil ones. For their part, draconians tend to look up to true dragons, especially ones that they are close in alignment to, but their feelings are not reciprocated: metallic dragons distrust them since draconians were created from dark rituals performed on their eggs, and chromatic dragons think that the draconians failed them (although many are still willing to accept their service). Some draconians want to go back to the good old days of going to war with everyone, some want to try to seek better relations with other races, and some just want to be left be to live their lives. But draconians are as capable of love and hate as any other humanoid creature, and can and do form bonds and rivalries with other creatures.

Alignment

Being first created through dark magic, draconians classically tend towards evil although some, referred to as "throwbacks," tend towards good like the metallic dragons they were derived from. But really they can be any alignment.

Lands

Draconians are comfortable living in about any terrain, with most preferring mountains or forests. Some draconians band together to make nations of their own, but others have either retreated to the wilderness or joined into mercenary companies or armies of other nations.

Religion

Draconians tend to worship Tiamat, whose followers created the first draconians from metallic dragon eggs. Being literally inspired by dragons, most draconians who don't worship Tiamat worship other draconic deities. However, nothing actually stops them from worshiping other deities if they are so inclined; after all, the dragon armies lost the last war.

Language

All draconians speak Common and Draconic, literally the common tongue and the language of dragons. Many also learn languages commonly spoken in the lands they live in.

Names

Draconian first names tend to be dragon sounding names or compound words, like Gildentongue. Having been created at first, they don't really have surnames. Some take or are given descriptive surnames that describe rank, location or occupation, though. Others take names or titles from cultures or languages that they have either integrated into or picked up phrases from. Most draconian names aren't gendered unless picked by/picked up from cultures that do have gendered names.

Racial Traits

• +2 to any attribute, -2 to any attribute: Draconians are a varied lot.
• Humanoid (Dragonblood): Draconians are a race of humanoids made from dragon stock. 
• Medium: As a Medium creature, a draconian has no special bonuses or penalties due to its size.
• Draconian base land speed is 30 feet.  
• Darkvision: A draconian can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and a draconian can function just fine with no light at all.
• Low-Light Vision: A draconian can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. 
• Wings (Ex): All draconians (other than auraks) have wings, which allow them to glide, negating falling damage from any height and allowing them to move horizontally up to 4 times the vertical distance fallen. For purposes of turning this is treated as average maneuverability flight. A draconian that is unconscious or otherwise unable to spread its wings cannot glide; if a draconian is rendered unconscious or helpless while gliding they slowly drop straight down, taking 1d6 falling damage (regardless of height). Additionally, draconians gallop and flap their wings to increase their speed while running, and therefore get Run as a bonus feat. 
• Breath Weapon (Su): While auraks don’t have the wings of their dragon forebears, they do share their breath weapon. This is a 15’ cone that can be used once every 1d4 rounds and deals 1d4 points of Strength damage, Fortitude negates (DC is Constitution based) 
• Low Metabolism (Ex): A draconian only needs 1/10th the food and water a human needs. 
• Inspired By Dragons (Ex): Draconians are immune to the frightful presence ability of true dragons, and get a +1 morale bonus on all attack rolls and saving throws when in sight of an allied true dragon, or entering battle under the command of such a dragon. 
• Death Throes (Su): Draconians explode when they die. This deals 1d6 points of damage per Hit Die of the draconian in a 5’ radius, Reflex half (Constitution-based). They can’t be raised with raise dead but resurrection, true resurrection, wish and miracle work as per normal. The damage type depends on the subrace (bludgeoning for baaz, acid for kapak, piercing and slashing for bozak, fire for sivak, and force for auraks).
• Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic
• Bonus Languages: Any, except secret languages.
• Favored Class: Fighter or Sorcerer
• Level Adjustment: +0
• Effective Character Level: 1

Draconians frequently take levels in Draconian Paragon (with the exception of aurak draconians, who take Aurak Paragon instead.)

Vital Statistics

Table: Draconian Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
5 years	+1d4	+1d6	+2d6

Table: Aurak Draconian Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	6' 0"	+2d10	120 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
Female	5' 10"	+2d10	100 lb.	× (2d4) lb.

Table: Baaz Draconian Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5' 0"	+2d6	90 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
Female	4' 10"	+2d6	80 lb.	× (2d4) lb.

Table: Bozak Draconian Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5' 4"	+2d8	120 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
Female	5' 2"	+2d8	100 lb.	× (2d4) lb.

Table: Kapak Draconian Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5' 0"	+3d6	120 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
Female	4' 10"	+3d6	100 lb.	× (2d4) lb.

Table: Sivak Draconian Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	8' 0"	+3d6	350 lb.	× (2d6) lb.
Female	7' 10"	+3d6	300 lb.	× (2d6) lb.

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