Dungeons and Dragons' April release for Unearthed Arcana is another set of new playable races for the game, turning this time towards the game's namesake creature: the dragon. While playing as an actual dragon would clearly put players at an unfair advantage, Wizards of the Coast works around that with the Dragonborn, a humanoid people shaped in the image of their larger kin. The brusquely titled Draconic Options supplement features a rework of this race, which is already available in the Player's Handbook. It also includes a new take on playable Kobolds, which boast a much humbler kind of draconic ancestry.

Draconic Options also contains a host of new feats and spells, all aiming to provide more dragon-themed character options for players looking to lean into their Dragonborn or Kobold's draconic heritage. They're available to any characters who might want to take them though, which means characters of other races can mechanically represent a more distant relation to the game's winged tyrants. Let's break down all these new options and how to make use of them.

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Dragonborn

Dragonborn have been part of Fifth Edition since the beginning, but the Player's Handbook makes little delineation between the two kinds of dragons: Chromatic and Metallic. Chromatic Dragonborn exhaled their breath weapon in a 30-foot line, while Metallic Dragonborn used a 15-foot cone. Draconic Options restructures these as separate subraces for the overall Dragonborn race, and in addition their breath weapon differences, each has a special feature. Chromatic Dragonborn can become fully immune to the damage type of their breath weapon, while Metallic Dragonborn gain a second breath weapon that can either incapacitate or knock away enemies.

It also adds a third subrace for Dragonborn: Gem. These Dragonborn draw their heritage from Sardior, one of the first creations of Bahumat and Tiamat (who are themselves the progenitors of Metallic and Chromatic dragons, respectively). Players who choose to make Gem Dragonborn characters get two special features in addition to the standard breath weapon and elemental resistance. The first is a 30-foot range "write-only" telepathy, allowing them to send (but not receive) messages to other creatures. The second is spectral wing-shaped arrays of gems that grant flying speed equal to the Dragonborn's walking speed for one minute, once per long rest.

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Kobolds

Kobolds might seem a little underwhelming when compared to the majestic splendor of their larger Dragonborn cousins, but Draconic Options strengthens them. Their "Draconic Legacy" trait actually gives players three options for how their heritage manifests, with either advantage on saves against the frightened condition, a natural weapon in the form of a whiplike tail or a single cantrip of their choice from the Sorcerer spell list.

The only feature Kobolds are guaranteed is their Draconic Roar, which grants them and their allies advantage on attacks against all enemies within 10 feet when used as a bonus action. That's a big help for Rogues, who need advantage to make use of their Sneak Attack feature.

Feats

A bard faces a large green dragon.

There are three feats presented in Draconic Options: Gift of the Metallic Dragon, Gift of The Chromatic Dragon and Gift of the Gem Dragon. Gift of the Metallic Dragon focuses around defensive and healing options, allowing players to cast Cure Wounds once a day while also providing a miniature version of the shield spell (1d4 instead of a flat +5) a few times per long rest. Gift of Chromatic Dragon focuses on the elemental nature of the dragons, letting players charge their weapons with an extra 1d4 acid, cold, fire, lightning or poison damage and granting resistance to those types as a reaction. Gift of the Gem Dragon boosts either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, while also letting a player use their reaction to telekinetically shove away enemies.

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Spells

Draconic Options adds seven spells for players to make use of. Draconic Transmutation is a seventh level spell that gives blindsight, a 40-foot flight speed and a breath weapon players can use as a bonus action. The sixth level spell is Fitzban's Platinum Shield, which lets the user designate either themself or an ally to gain resistance to elemental damage, half-cover and Evasion. The fifth level spell adds to the "Summon Spirit" spells presented in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, with Summon Dragon Spirit letting players summon a Dragon Spirit to fight alongside them. These high-level spells require a costly material component in the form of a 500 gold piece dragon statuette, which puts a severe hamper on their usefulness.

The lower level spells are much more useful. Icingdeath's Frost is a second level spell deals 3d8 cold damage in a 30-foot cone and reduces the speed of any enemies who fail a Constitution save. Also second level, Nathair's Mischief randomly charms, blinds, incapacitates or slows any creature stuck within its area. Flame Stride is the third-level spell, and it increases the speed of any who cast it by 20 feet, while also letting them deal 1d6 fire damage to enemies they race by.

Finally, there's the fourth level spell Raulothim's Psychic Lance, which deals 10d6 psychic damage and incapacitates any enemy who fails an Intelligence saving throw. It also automatically hones in enemies if you say their name and they're within 120 feet -- even if they're invisible or behind cover. This spell also has a secret feature: it doesn't expend the spell slot if the named creature isn't within range. That means it can be used as a makeshift radar, pinging away for enemies all day long.

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