TEXT: R O L E P L AY I N G  G A M E  S U P P L E M E N T
  James Wyatt
  Player’s Handbook® Races
  Dragonborn
  
  1
  Proud heirs of a long-shattered empire, the dragonborn 
  struggle to preserve their racial identity in a world that 
  is no longer theirs to command. They believe them-
  selves to be the most ancient race to walk the land, 
  second in creation after only the dragons themselves, 
  but they are a race in twilight, watching as younger 
  races squabble over the remnants of the power that 
  once was theirs.
   
  To be a dragonborn is to stand above the masses 
  of mortals, to be something more—kin to the majestic 
  and mighty dragons, and bearers of the legacy of once-
  great Arkhosia. To play a dragonborn adventurer is to 
  embrace this proud race as your alter ego in the game, 
  to take on the persona of a scion of Arkhosia, armed 
  with a breath weapon and draconic durability to strike 
  down your foes and weather their attacks.
   
  This book is your guide to creating and playing a 
  dragonborn character. It provides a comprehensive 
  introduction to the history, beliefs, behavior, and atti-
  tudes of dragonborn in the world of the DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS® game. It explores these elements of the race 
  by presenting a wealth of resources for developing your 
  character: background elements, feats, powers, paragon 
  paths, and an epic destiny to help your character strive 
  toward the draconic model of perfection.
   
  The information in this book draws and expands 
  upon the material in the Player’s Handbook® and 
  “The Ecology of the Dragonborn” (by Chris Sims) in 
  Dragon® Magazine #365. It reproduces the feats found in 
  the Dragon article for easy reference. It doesn’t include 
  racial feats, paragon paths, and other material appear-
  ing in other sources, either in print or online. Because 
  the D&D® game is constantly growing and expanding, 
  no index to those game elements would stay up to date 
  for long. Fortunately, there’s an easy reference at your 
  disposal: The D&D Compendium. You can use the Com-
  pendium to search for feats, paragon paths, or powers 
  that refer to dragonborn, expanding the options available 
  to your character as the game continues to expand. If you 
  are a D&D Insider™ subscriber, you can use the D&D 
  Character Builder to create and maintain your dragon-
  born character, so you always have up-to-date options at 
  your fingertips. Check out both at dndinsider.com.
   
  The focus of this book is on developing your dragon-
  born character as a person with a background and 
  motivation that is distinctively dragonborn. There’s only 
  so far that game elements can go in helping you bring 
  your character to life. But if you draw on these ele-
  ments as you play your character, you can more easily 
  turn your character into a living, breathing part of the 
   campaign world.
  Design
  James Wyatt (lead), Chris Sims
  Development
  Andy Collins, Peter Schaefer
  Editing and Managing Editing
  Bill Slavicsek
  D&D Creative Manager
  Chris Perkins
  D&D Senior Art Director
  Jon Schindehette
  D&D Design Manager
  James Wyatt
  D&D Development and Editing Manager
  Andy Collins
  Art Director
  Keven Smith
  Cover Illustration
  Steve Prescott (front),
  Chris Seaman (back
  Graphic Designer
  Keven Smith
  Interior Illustrations
  Kerem Beyit, Chippy, Brian Hagan, 
  William O’Connor, Chris Seaman, 
  Eva Widermann
  Publishing Production Specialists
  Angelika Lokotz, Christopher Tardiff
  Prepress Manager
  Jefferson Dunlap
  Imaging Technician
  Carmen Cheung
  Production Manager
  Cynda Callaway
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, d20, d20 System, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster Manual, Dragon, D&D Insider, 
  all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the U.S.A. and other countries. All 
  Wizards characters and the distinctive likenesses thereof are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC. This material is protected under the copyright laws 
  of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express 
  written permission of Wizards of the Coast LLC. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events 
  included herein is purely coincidental. Printed in the U.S.A. ©2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC
  620-25120000-001 EN
  9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
  First Printing: January 2010
  ISBN 978-0-7869-5386-8
  Visit our website at www.wizards.com/dnd
  Credits
  Player’s Handbook® Races: Dragonborn
  J a m e s  W y a t t
  
  2
  Donaar shifted his weight as Lia worked on the lock. 
  The elf rolled her eyes at him. She didn’t need to say 
  anything—she’d said it a hundred times or more. 
   
  “Don’t hassle me while I’m working,” she’d whisper. 
  “Let me do my thing, and I’ll let you do yours.”
   
  She didn’t understand, and probably never could. 
  He had no quarrel with her skill at opening locks—or, 
  for that matter, her ability to quickly eviscerate an 
  enemy. She seemed to enjoy taunting him, making fun 
  of the paladin with his code of honor, imagining that he 
  thought less of her because of her flexible approach to 
  morality. He didn’t.
   
  He wasn’t impatient, either. Just eager. The lock 
  that Lia worked so carefully to open suggested that the 
  room beyond was important—something worth protect-
  ing. No doubt there would be guardians, which meant 
  another fight. Donaar shifted the grip on his sword’s 
  hilt, anticipating the battle. 
   
  Once those guardians were defeated, what would 
  they find? The whole complex, with its arched halls 
  and broad doors, was a remnant of lost Arkhosia, built 
  at the height of the ancient empire and covered by the 
  flow of lava from nearby Mount Korinda. Ghosts and 
  skeletons guarded its treasures now, with the unfor-
  tunate addition of some fiery elemental creatures that 
  seemed to have found their way into the complex from 
  below. Whatever their origin, these creatures watched 
  over the treasures of Donaar’s people, the ancient 
  dragonborn of Arkhosia.
   
  Lia sprung the lock and shot him a wry smile as she 
  backed away from the door. “Do your thing, paladin,” 
  she whispered. Then, as if to soften the scorn in her 
  voice, she patted his shoulder, a ring on her thumb clat-
  tering softly against his armor.
   
  Donaar glanced around at his companions, making 
  sure they were all ready. Brandis, the mercenary, raised 
  his shield and nodded at him. Thorn snarled in the 
  direction of the door as his spirit panther crouched 
  and prepared to spring. Chana gave him her beatific 
  smile, like a visible manifestation of Erathis’s blessing 
  on him and his work. Lia was facing back down the 
  hall the way they’d come, but he expected that from 
  her. He returned Chana’s smile grimly and kicked the 
  door open.
   
  A beast of searing flame growled and turned, ready 
  to spring. A hell hound! Another hell hound spun 
  around, surprised by the noise. Donaar didn’t hesistate. 
  Before either beast could move, he sprang forward, 
  making sure he was between the fiery creatures and 
  his allies. If they wanted to harm his companions, they 
  would have to go through him to get to them.
   
  That was, as Lia would say, his “thing.”
   
  Donaar only glimpsed the soaring arches of the 
  room as he leaped forward. He registered the dragon 
  faces staring impassively out from the stone, but he 
  wouldn’t allow any curiosity or excitement to distract 
  him. He could hear his allies behind him, spreading 
  cautiously into the room to back him up without hurl-
  ing themselves into harm’s way. Only then did the 
  dragon faces float to the forefront of his mind.
   
  “Get down,” Donaar shouted, and then the room 
  exploded in chaos.
   
  Five dragon heads were carved in the walls, gazing 
  toward the center of the room. Each one bore the fea-
  tures of a different color of chromatic dragon—and the 
  crest and horns of the red were on the wall right in 
  front of Donaar. He didn’t have time to heed his own 
  warning before the mouth of the dragon dropped open 
  and bathed him in sheets of flame.
   
  He gritted his teeth against the pain and heard the 
  startled cries of his companions as the other dragon 
  heads belched their distinct varieties of doom, pouring 
  out frost, acid, poison, and lightning upon them. He 
  smelled the acrid fumes from the green head, just to 
  his left. He cursed himself—he should have noticed the 
  trap sooner.
   
  The hell hounds seemed invigorated by the flames, 
  and Donaar stumbled backward under their assault. 
  Then Thorn’s panther was beside him, and he felt 
  strength flow through him, soothing his pain and 
  bolstering his resolve. Catching one hell hound on his 
  shield, he swung it into the other. As the fiery beasts 
  collided, Donaar risked a glance around.
   
  It wasn’t as bad as Donaar had feared. Lia seemed 
  unscathed—she’d probably somersaulted out of harm’s 
  way at his shout of warning. She was circling around 
  the hounds, looking for an opening to slide her dagger 
  into one of the creatures. Brandis hung back, awaiting 
  Thorn’s attention to what looked like a pretty serious 
  acid burn. Chana and Thorn looked a little singed by 
  lightning, but their wounds weren’t serious.
   
  “You’ll have to do better than that, Dragon Queen,” 
  he muttered as his sword sank into a hell hound’s 
  shoulder.
   
  The five dragon heads meant that the dragonborn 
  who had built and occupied this vault were devotees 
  of Tiamat. The trap reiterated the message of the 
  locked door—it was surely meant to protect something 
  important. But how had the hell hounds not triggered 
  the trap? There was something missing, a piece of the 
  puzzle Donaar couldn’t quite fit into place.
   
  Brandis was at his side now, and Donaar let the mer-
  cenary command the attention of the wounded hound. 
  Bahamut’s challenge kept the other focused on him. 
  Lia took advantage of that focus to drive her dagger 
  deep into the hound’s belly. It began to whirl on her in 
  anger, but Donaar summoned all his wrath, his outrage 
  at the tainted shrine, and smote the hell hound with 
  DRAGONBORN
  DRAGONBORN
  
  3
  DRAGONBORN
  DRAGONBORN
  KEREM BEYIT
  holy might. His sword erupted in brilliant light, and the 
  hound collapsed on the floor, its flames fading into nox-
  ious smoke.
   
  A quick glance told Donaar that Brandis was han-
  dling the second hound, so he took a moment to survey 
  the room more carefully. The domed ceiling was 
  shrouded in darkness, but he saw rubies glittering like 
  eyes, no doubt adorning some grand mural of Tiamat 
  or her draconic spawn. Black ceramic tiles set into 
  the stone floor formed the clawed wheel of Tiamat’s 
  symbol—another warning sign he had missed.
   
  “Io’s Blood,” Donaar whispered to himself. “I’ll have 
  to do better next time.”
   
  Donaar’s eyes came to rest on the wall opposite the 
  door, and an uneasy feeling gripped him. The bare 
  stone wall hid something from view—he could feel it. As 
  Brandis and Lia finished off the remaining hell hound, 
  he took a wary step toward the wall.
   
  With a loud grinding of stone, the wall split in half 
  and slid away to either side. Jets of flame guttered in a 
  hallway beyond, but Donaar’s attention was fixed on 
  a shadowy figure standing between the flames. The 
  horns jutting from his head and the long tail twitching 
  in the firelight behind him marked him as a tiefling.
   
  Donaar fought to suppress a habitual surge of hatred 
  and anger. A tiefling in this day and age didn’t carry 
  any personal responsibility for the fall of Arkhosia—it 
  wasn’t fair to blame the entire race for the evil of their 
  long-dead empire. Donaar had known a few tieflings 
  whose virtue and honor were almost as exemplary as 
  his own.
   
  As Donaar’s eyes adjusted to the dim light beyond 
  the archway, however, the sigil on the tiefling’s chest 
  came into view and the dragonborn paladin unleashed 
  his rage. The sign of a clawed hand was painted in scar-
  let on the tiefling’s breastplate—the symbol of Tiamat’s 
  Red Hand. 
   
  “You’ve slain my pets,” the tiefling hissed, his voice a 
  harsh whisper, “survived my trap, and reached my holy 
  of holies.” A harsh laugh burst from the tiefling’s throat. 
  “Now how shall I deal with you?”
   
  “Honor demands that I salute a worthy foe with 
  respect,” Donaar said, lifting his sword in a casual 
  salute. “But I believe you’re worthy of little more than a 
  swift death.”
   
  Donaar heard his allies behind him, and he knew 
  they were ready. Without a glance over his shoulder, he 
  charged forward, confident that his companions were 
  right behind him.
   
  “For Bahamut.” Donaar cried. “For glory!”
  
  4
  BLOOD OF IO
  BLOOD OF IO
  As with all stories that deal with the ancient past, 
  tales about the birth of the dragonborn are hazy in 
  their details and often contradict one another. Each 
  tale, though, reveals something about the dragonborn 
  that is true, regardless of the historical accuracy of the 
  legend—and it often reveals much about the teller.
   
  One tale relates that the dragonborn were shaped 
  by Io even as the ancient dragon-god created dragons. 
  In the beginning of days, this legend says, Io fused 
  brilliant astral spirits with the unchecked fury of the 
  raw elements. The greater spirits became the dragons, 
  creatures so powerful, proud, and strong-willed that 
  they were lords of the newborn world. The lesser spirits 
  became the dragonborn. Although smaller in stature 
  than their mighty lords, they were no less draconic in 
  nature.
   
  This tale stresses the close kinship between dragons 
  and dragonborn, while reinforcing the natural order of 
  things—dragons rule, dragonborn serve. 
   
  A second legend claims that Io created the dragons 
  separately, at the birth of the world. Io crafted them lov-
  ingly to represent the pinnacle of mortal form, imbuing 
  them with the power of the Elemental Chaos flow-
  ing through their veins and spewing forth from their 
  mouths in gouts of flame or waves of paralyzing cold. Io 
  granted them the keen minds and lofty spirits shared 
  by other mortal races, linking them to Io and to the 
  other gods of the Astral Sea. 
   
  During the Dawn War, however, Io was killed by 
  the primordial known as Erek-Hus, the King of Terror. 
  With a rough-hewn axe of adamantine, the King of 
  Terror split Io from head to tail, cleaving the dragon-
  god into two equal halves. No sooner did Io’s sundered 
  corpse fall to the ground than each half rose up as a 
  new god—Bahamut from the left and Tiamat from the 
  right. Drops of Io’s blood, spread far and wide across 
  the world, rose up as dragonborn.
   
  This tale separates the creation of dragonborn from 
  the birth of the dragons, implying that they are funda-
  mentally separate. Sometimes, those who repeat this 
  legend suggest that dragonborn are clearly less than 
  the dragons made by Io’s loving hand. Other tellers, 
  though, stress that the dragonborn rose up from Io’s 
  own blood—just as the two draconic deities arose from 
  the god’s severed body. Are they not, therefore, this tale 
  asks, like the gods themselves? 
   
  A third legend, rarely told in current times, claims 
  that dragonborn were the firstborn of the world, cre-
  ated before dragons and before other humanoid races. 
  Those other races were made, the legend claims, in 
  pale imitation of dragonborn perfection. Io shaped the 
  dragonborn with his great claws and fired them with 
  his breath, then spilled some of his own blood to send 
  life coursing through their veins. Io made the dragon-
  born, the legend says, to be companions and allies, to 
  fill his astral court and sing his praise. The dragons he 
  made later, at the start of the Dawn War, to serve as 
  engines of destruction. 
   
  This version of the tale was popular during the 
  height of the Empire of Arkhosia, though it was sub-
  versive at the time—it proclaimed that dragonborn 
  should be the masters of dragons and not the other way 
  around. It also highlighted the superiority of dragon-
  born to other races, which was a common theme in the 
  rhetoric of ancient Arkhosia.
   
  One common theme binds all these legends together, 
  though—the dragonborn owe their existence, in some 
  fundamental way, to Io, the great dragon-god who cre-
  ated all of dragonkind. The dragonborn, all legends 
  agree, are not the creation of Bahamut or Tiamat—their 
  origin does not naturally place them on one side or the 
  other of the ancient conflict between those gods. There-
  fore, it’s up to every individual dragonborn to choose 
  sides in the eternal struggle between the chromatic and 
  metallic dragons—or to ignore this conflict completely 
  and find their own way in the world.
  DRAGONBORN AND
  THE GODS
  Three kinds of temples are particularly common in dragon-
  born communities.
   
  Bahamut rules alone in many dragonborn temples since 
  the fall of Arkhosia. Carrying names such as the Temple 
  of the Platinum Dragon or the Temple of Divine Justice, 
  these temples emphasize Bahamut’s protection of the 
  dragonborn people in their scattered exile, which is con-
  tingent upon their cleaving to the highest ideals of honor, 
  nobility, and justice.
   
  Imperial Arkhosian temples tend to be more ostenta-
  tious than those dedicated to Bahamut, and often physically 
  larger, but they draw fewer worshipers. In these temples, 
  altars to Erathis, Ioun, and Kord evoke the memory of Ark-
  hosia’s religious life. Some dragonborn blame the imperial 
  temples for Arkhosia’s fall, but devotees of these temples 
  believe the three gods desire the dragonborn people to 
  rebuild the empire, taming the wilderness and spreading 
  civilization with their blessing.
   
  A recent religious movement among dragonborn com-
  munities is the Temple of Io’s Children, where Bahamut and 
  Tiamat are worshiped side by side as twin incarnations of 
  Io’s will. The evil and vengeful nature of Tiamat is down-
  played in these temples, but so is Bahamut’s commitment 
  to virtue and righteousness. The gods are presented as polar 
  opposites that point to a middle way, neither good nor evil 
  but striving toward a draconic ideal.
   
  Temples to Tiamat alone are as rare and secretive among 
  dragonborn as they are among other races. However, 
  dragonborn devotees of Tiamat are among her most cruel 
  and rapacious followers.
  
  5
  BLOOD OF IO
  BLOOD OF IO
  CHRIS SEAMAN
  Choosing Sides
  The common people of most races are unaligned, with 
  few making a conscious effort to choose a good life 
  or an evil one. Dragonborn, however, are much more 
  likely to choose sides in the cosmic war between good 
  and evil. Dragonborn often tell the story of Io’s death 
  and the birth of Bahamut and Tiamat as a moral tale 
  intended to emphasize the importance of standing on 
  one side or the other. 
   
  “Io didn’t die so we could stand in the middle,” they 
  say. “We’re not called to ambivalence. The choices stand 
  before you—Bahamut’s way or Tiamat’s. The only wrong 
  decision is refusing to choose.”
   
  Of course, more dragonborn choose Bahamut’s path 
  than Tiamat’s. The pathways of justice, honor, nobility, 
  and protection are more conducive to society’s smooth 
  functioning than those of greed, envy, and vengeance. 
  Those who follow Tiamat’s ways usually keep their 
  choice quiet, worshiping the Chromatic Dragon in 
  secret shrines while going through the motions of ful-
  filling social expectations.
   
  Choosing sides isn’t just a matter of a one-time choice 
  of alignment, however. Every moment of crisis calls for 
  a decision, and dragonborn are inclined to see those 
  decisions as a matter of stark extremes. When wronged, 
  a dragonborn can choose the path of Bahamut and seek 
  to bring the wrongdoer to justice. Or the victim might 
  choose the path of Tiamat and swear vengeance. Even 
  good-aligned dragonborn who are devoted to Bahamut 
  sometimes choose the latter path—not out of impulsive 
  rage, but because it’s the best course to take in that par-
  ticular situation. 
   
  A few dragonborn reject the idea of choosing 
  between Bahamut’s way and Tiamat’s, notably the fol-
  lowers of the Temple of Io’s Children (see “Dragonborn 
  and the Gods”). These dragonborn are often unaligned, 
  but their position is a decision not to choose sides, 
  rather than a sign of ambivalence. They view the dis-
  tinction between the gods as a false dichotomy, a choice 
  between two sides of the same coin, not really different 
  from each other. 
   
  This disdain for ambivalence extends beyond choos-
  ing alignment. While dragonborn appreciate the 
  virtue of listening to both sides of an argument, they 
  don’t respect anyone who hears both sides and can’t 
  choose between them. Decisiveness is a mark of strong 
  character.
   
  This attitude makes compromise more difficult for 
  dragonborn to reach or accept than it is for other races, 
  but not impossible. In fact, sometimes dragonborn 
  reach compromise all the more quickly because they 
  realize that each side is committed to its own position 
  and won’t be persuaded to alter its perspective, making 
  some kind of compromise the only possible solution. 
  
  6
  EVA WIDERMANN
  Arkhosia was not the first dragonborn empire—nor, 
  many dragonborn proclaim, will it go down in history 
  as the last. Even so, it stands as a shining high point in 
  dragonborn history, the pinnacle of their civilization 
  and a culture that, though long dead, still shapes its 
  descendants. Every living dragonborn is in some sense 
  an heir of Arkhosia, and carries both the pride of that 
  ancient lineage and the burden of the fallen empire’s 
  memory.
   
  Arkhosia arose in the distant recesses of history, 
  untold centuries before the rise of the human empire 
  of Nerath. It grew from a confederacy of seven city-
  states united under the leadership of a single ancient 
  dragon dubbed the Golden One. It expanded partly 
  through conquest and partly through simple diplomatic 
  outreach and trade. Many dragonborn city-states and 
  even some tribes and nations of other races deemed it 
  preferable to live within the secure borders of a power-
  ful empire than to fend for themselves in the darkness 
  outside Arkhosia’s borders. Arkhosia prospered for hun-
  dreds of years, taming the wilderness and expanding 
  its trade and diplomatic missions to far-flung corners of 
  the world.
   
  That constant drive toward expansion soon brought 
  Arkhosia into conflict with the other imperial power of 
  that distant era, the diabolic empire of Bael Turath with 
  its tiefling noble caste. Bitter wars between the two 
  empires spanned centuries and wrought terrible dev-
  astation upon the world. The strains of the war brought 
  internal conflicts to light within Arkhosia as well, 
  partly manifested in the renewed strength of Tiamat’s 
  secretive cults.
   
  The fall of Arkhosia was as great as its accomplish-
  ments. The armies of Bael Turath with their devil allies 
  defiled great swaths of the empire’s lands, swallowed 
  entire dragonborn cities into deep caverns, or simply 
  razed them to the ground. The Golden One was slain, 
  and dozens of other dragon lords fell or were scattered 
  into the wilderness as their grip on the land slipped. 
  Bael Turath fell under Arkhosia’s relentless assault, but 
  it took the dragonborn empire down with it. When 
  neither side had the will or the resources to fight 
  any longer, when the shouts and horns of battle were 
  silenced at last, nothing remained of the two empires 
  but scattered remnants of displaced populations and 
  haunted ruins.
   
  Few dragonborn still inhabit the lands at the heart of 
  their ancient empire—lands that remain tainted by the 
  evil and powerful magic that brought the empire low. 
  Under later kingdoms, including Nerath, dragonborn 
  were prohibited from gathering in large numbers. Yet 
  many dragonborn still think of themselves as citizens 
  of Arkhosia, exiles from a land that no longer exists but 
  might someday be reborn.
  SCIONS OF ARKHOSIA
  SCIONS OF ARKHOSIA
  
  7
  SCIONS OF ARKHOSIA
  SCIONS OF ARKHOSIA
   
  For these dragonborn, Arkhosia is more than a 
  memory—it’s a symbol of all that is great about their 
  race. The empire’s glory was the glory of all dragonborn, 
  but by extension its fall was their fall. As much as indi-
  vidual dragonborn seek to earn glory by their deeds, 
  their efforts will never reach the heights of Arkhosia’s 
  renown, unless and until a new Golden One appears to 
  rule over a restored draconic empire. 
  Glory
  Winning glory is a driving motivation for many dragon-
  born adventurers, as well as dragonborn in other walks 
  of life. The dragonborn caravan guard seeks to earn 
  fame by driving off bandits, the dragonborn artisan 
  hopes to gain renown by creating goods known far and 
  wide for their quality and artistry, and the dragonborn 
  adventurer hopes to win glory by slaying terrible mon-
  sters, acquiring great treasures, and fighting back the 
  darkness that threatens to swallow the last remnants of 
  civilization.
   
  Some have compared this hunger for glory to a 
  dragon’s magnificent ego, and the comparison seems 
  apt. Just as a dragon wants to be known for the size of 
  its hoard and feared for the strength of its breath and 
  claws, so a dragonborn seeks renown or perhaps even 
  notoriety. If there is a difference, however, it lies in the 
  dragonborn’s sense of being a representative of a larger 
  group of people. 
   
  For most dragonborn, the desire for glory goes 
  beyond a lust for individual renown and recognition. 
  Dragonborn seek glory not just for themselves, but for 
  their clans and their race as a whole. When a dragon-
  born does glorious things, that individual’s clan and 
  indeed the race as a whole win glory, rising in the 
  esteem of other clans and the other races of the world. 
   
  So few dragonborn survive in the world, and they 
  are so scattered, that any given dragonborn might well 
  be the only member of the race known to some number 
  of people. Those people naturally form their opinion 
  of dragonborn in general based on their knowledge of 
  the individual. If a dragonborn does glorious deeds, the 
  people who see them or learn of them attribute that 
  glory to the race as a whole. In this way, dragonborn 
  hope, they can continue to live up to the all-but-forgot-
  ten glories of ancient Arkhosia.
   
  That said, some dragonborn are prone to the same 
  egotistical pride that dragons display, and adventurers 
  are perhaps the most susceptible to it. They seek glory 
  not to elevate the stature of their race, but to command 
  the respect and adulation of others, to amass their own 
  hoards of wealth, perhaps even to strike terror into the 
  hearts of others. Dragonborn who follow Tiamat’s path 
  often pair this vainglory with a jealous pride that leads 
  them to sabotage the efforts and accomplishments of 
  those they view as rivals. But even those who claim 
  to follow Bahamut’s path sometimes strive to be seen 
  as paragons of justice and honor, their pride blinding 
  them to their own shortcomings. They protect the weak, 
  not because that is what Bahamut commands, but 
  because they desire the praise of those they have saved, 
  and perhaps seek a monetary reward. 
  RUINS OF GRANDEUR
  The heart of ancient Arkhosia probably lies far from the 
  lands where your character was born. However, its influence 
  almost certainly reached as far as the lands where you now 
  adventure, and your career might take you into ancient ruins 
  erected during the height of the ancient empire’s civilization. 
   
  You’ll often find dragonborn ruins carved into cliff  faces 
  or along the sides of lost valleys. Wondrous stone facades 
  carved with pillars, arches, and spires bear images of the 
  heads, wings, and coiling tails of dragons. The most impor-
  tant chambers of state typically lie in cavernous halls within 
  these structures.
   
  Where any structures remain standing outside these 
  excavated chambers, you’ll likely find strong towers, graceful 
  spires, and majestic arches, all bearing the same dragon-
  themed adornments. Great blocks cut from the stone of the 
  surrounding cliffs and mountains form monumental struc-
  tures—or at least hint at where those structures once stood. 
  Many ancient Arkhosian cities erected enormous statues of 
  their dragon patrons in squares at the center of town, but 
  it’s extremely rare to find such statues still standing. At best, 
  you might hope to find one or more claws gripping a massive 
  pedestal, surrounded by the worn and crumbling stone that 
  once formed the rest of the dragon’s majestic body.
   
  One of the most famous Arkhosian ruins is the lost city of 
  Serpentus Rift, one of the seven “Jewels of the South”—the 
  pride of the empire. Built on and into the sides of a winding 
  canyon, Serpentus Rift was known for the glittering hues of 
  its sun-dappled walls and the translucent bridges that let 
  the sun illuminate even the lowest reaches of the canyon. 
  A warren of passageways and vast chambers stretched 
  underground for nearly a mile beneath the rift’s walls. To 
  this day, dragonborn congregate at the ruins from time to 
  time, attempting excavations to recover some of the city’s 
  lost treasures. But devils haunt the ruins as well, still seeking 
  to finally destroy Serpentus Rift.
   
  During the centuries-long war between Arkhosia and 
  the tiefling empire of Bael Turath, huge stretches of land 
  were claimed and reclaimed by both sides. That’s why you 
  might visit ancient Arkhosian ruins one week and a remnant 
  of Bael Turath the next—or even discover a site where the 
  architectural styles of both ancient empires are interspersed. 
  
  8
  Before the empire of Arkhosia spread across the world, 
  the dragonborn formed clans that each gave its alle-
  giance to a single dragon patron. Over the course of 
  centuries, these clans grew into city-states and finally 
  federated into the great Arkhosian Empire. Though the 
  empire has long since fallen, those dragonborn clans 
  remain intact, and continue to form a central element 
  of racial identity. 
   
  Each dragonborn clan is a collection of families 
  united by a shared allegiance. Families are related by 
  blood, while clans come together around powerful 
  patrons, rulers, or sometimes ideals. Clan associations 
  were formed in ancient times and rarely change, how-
  ever, so it is fairly common for individuals and families 
  within a clan to disagree about the clan’s original 
  purpose and proper role in the current age. Even so, 
  dragonborn revere their family ancestors and the hon-
  ored dead of their clan, and seek to bring glory to their 
  clan through their own deeds. 
   
  Clan can define a dragonborn’s life, and many 
  dragonborn adventurers are motivated by the desire to 
  overcome a mark of shame or live up to the past glories 
  of their clans. Others flee the society of other dragon-
  born in an attempt to escape the responsibility of clan 
  ties. Still others hope to achieve such glory for them-
  selves and experience the world so that they can claim 
  leadership as elders in their clans. 
  Clan Backgrounds
  If you want to make clan an important factor in your 
  dragonborn character’s life, consider choosing one 
  of these background elements that reflect your clan’s 
  history. These background elements (and the others 
  presented throughout this book) work just like the ones 
  in Player’s Handbook 2. After choosing your background 
  elements, you can (with your Dungeon Master’s con-
  sent) select one of the following background benefits. 
  ✦ Gain a +2 bonus to checks with a skill associated 
  with your background. 
  ✦ Add a skill associated with your background to your 
  class’s skills list before you choose your trained skills. 
  ✦ Choose one language connected to your back- 
  ground. You can speak, read, and write that 
  language fluently. 
  ✦ If you are using a campaign setting that offers 
  regional benefits (such as the FORGOTTEN REALMS®
  setting), gain a regional benefit. 
  Besmirched Birthright
  You come from a dishonored dragonborn clan. 
  Whether recently or in the distant past, an individual 
  or a family in your clan did something so cowardly, 
  dishonorable, or incompetent that it reflected poorly 
  on the entire clan. Perhaps a group of soldiers deserted 
  the field before a key battle between Arkhosia and Bael 
  Turath. Maybe a sorcerer of your clan destroyed an 
  entire enclave with a miscast spell or botched ritual. Or 
  FAMILY AND CLAN
  FAMILY AND CLAN
  DRAGONBORN NAMES
  Dragonborn have personal names, given at birth, as 
  described in the Player’s Handbook. They can also have 
  childhood names, family names, and clan names. All these 
  come according to a dragonborn’s heritage and place in 
  dragonborn society. 
   
  A childhood name or nickname is common. Such a name 
  is usually descriptive, and it serves as a term of endearment 
  or encouragement for a young dragonborn. The name might 
  recall an event or center on a habit. It could derive from 
  an ancestor that acted similarly to a child, or a favored toy 
  or item might be the inspiration. Such names are seldom 
  appropriate for adults. For anyone to use such a name with-
  out proper authority, such as that of a parent or elder, or 
  without permission, is a sign of disrespect. A dragonborn’s 
  elders use a childhood name after that dragonborn becomes 
  an adult only to indicate disapproval. 
  Childhood Names: Climber, Earbender, Leaper, Pious, 
  Little Kriv, Shieldbiter, Zealous. 
   
  Family names are Draconic words, much like given 
  names, carried by a specific bloodline. They often come 
  from the deeds of an ancient scion of the family line or an 
  amalgamation of the names of notable ancient ancestors. 
  A dragonborn seldom identifies himself or herself by family 
  name, unless specificity is required. Dragonborn keep their 
  family names private except among close friends, and 
  instead go by their clan name. 
  Family Names: Alreja, Bhergav, Duggal, Garodya, Iyotar, 
  Letrah, Mulhotra, Odeyar, Pradhu, Reddyar, Samanga, Tyagi, 
  Ulharej, Vadula, Yadav, Zaveri. 
   
  Clan names are ancient titles that are frequently taken 
  from the names of dragon lords of Arkhosia. Those that 
  aren’t dragon names are names of trade associations or 
  martial cadres, much like current-age guilds, arcane societ-
  ies, or knightly orders. A dragonborn goes by his or her clan 
  name, so his or her deeds are known to reflect on that clan. 
  Members of a clan fiercely defend their clan name against 
  misuse, and some dragonborn outlaws are stripped of the 
  privilege of using their clan name. 
  Clan Names: Bloodbane, Drakerider, Flamebrow, Ham-
  merwing, Loremark, Moonscale, Peaceblade,  Redmark, 
  Silverspear, Spellscale, Warbringer. 
  
  9
  FAMILY AND CLAN
  FAMILY AND CLAN
  EVA WIDERMANN
  a warlock made an infernal pact, treated with devils, 
  and joined forces with the empire of Bael Turath. Other 
  dragonborn, if they know your clan name, assume that 
  you’re prone to the same failings, blame you for the 
  actions of your clanmate, or simply taunt you because of 
  your unfortunate heritage. How do you respond to such 
  a reception? Do you hide your clan affiliation, or have 
  you renounced it entirely? Or do you seek to earn such 
  glory that your deeds overshadow those that brought 
  shame to your clan?
  Associated Skills: History, Streetwise.
  Dragonbonded Clan
  Your clan is still bonded to the service of a dragon, just 
  as it was before the rise of Arkhosia. Your people do 
  not live among other races, but in the remote wilder-
  ness near your patron dragon’s lair. The ways of other 
  races and their civilizations are foreign to you, and to 
  their eyes you might seem barbaric or uncultured. Why 
  have you left your close-knit clan, and its service to your 
  dragon patron? Or do you perhaps adventure in service 
  to that patron? Is your patron benevolent, or cruel and 
  domineering?
  Associated Skills: Arcana, Intimidate.
  Laudable Legacy
  Your clan claims at least one notable individual 
  member or associated family, someone who has brought 
  great glory to the clan’s name. An ancestor might have 
  been a great war hero or a benevolent ruler. A family 
  associated with your clan might be renowned artisans 
  or esteemed diplomats. Those who know your clan 
  affiliation expect you to live up to your clan’s high stan-
  dards. They might assume you’re arrogant or haughty 
  before they even meet you. Or they might have a grudge 
  against you, believing that your clan stole recognition 
  that belonged to theirs. How do you react to your clan’s 
  renown? Are you proud of it, or is the burden of its high 
  expectations too much for you to bear?
  Associated Skills: History, Diplomacy.
  Turathi Slave Clan
  Your clan was enslaved by the tiefling rulers of Bael 
  Turath, among the earliest casualties of that empire’s 
  clash with Arkhosia. They endured heinous treatment, 
  horrible punishments, and perhaps even magical exper-
  imentation at the hands of their warlock masters. You 
  might bear the scars of this ancient oppression—perhaps 
  an unusually small stature, maybe a ready obedience 
  and docile temperament, or possibly an inclination 
  toward the sinister magic of your clan’s former masters. 
  You might seek to win glory to prove yourself better than 
  your slave ancestors, or you might not seek glory at all.
  Associated Skills: Arcana, Streetwise.
  
  10
  BRIAN HAGAN
  The elemental forces churning in the blood of the 
  dragonborn make them well suited to wielding arcane 
  magic. The ability to exhale a blast of raw elemental 
  energy leads almost naturally to funneling such energy 
  through spells, most commonly as a sorcerer who chan-
  nels the inherent magic of a dragon soul.
  Arcane Classes
  Sorcerer is the most common arcane class for arcane 
  dragonborn characters for two important reasons. First, 
  dragonborn gain bonuses to their Strength and Cha-
  risma scores, both of which are important to sorcerers 
  with either the Dragon Magic or the Cosmic Magic 
  class feature. Second, sorcerers who choose the path of 
  Dragon Magic draw on ancient draconic bloodlines or 
  teachings, which are perfectly appropriate for dragon-
  born characters.
   
  Because of their bonus to Charisma, dragonborn 
  also make excellent bards, favoring the Virtue of Valor. 
  Dragonborn warlocks are less common, but they tend 
  to favor the star pact or occasionally the fey pact. Most 
  dragonborn avoid the infernal pact because it reminds 
  them of the diabolical forces of Bael Turath, which 
  contributed to the downfall of Arkhosia. Dragonborn 
  wizards are rare—at least in part because those who do 
  study wizard spells find that their natural Charisma 
  helps them master illusion magic, and few dragon-
  born are otherwise inclined to the magic of deceit and 
  trickery. 
   
  Their high natural Strength makes dragonborn 
  adept swordmages, if they choose the aegis of assault and 
  related powers. 
   
  Artificer is the one arcane class that draws precious 
  few dragonborn. Neither Strength nor Charisma is 
  useful to artificers, and the magic of craft and industry 
  holds little appeal to dragonborn in general.
  Arcane Backgrounds
  If you’re playing a dragonborn character with an arcane 
  class, consider these backgrounds for your character. 
  In contrast to the backgrounds presented in Player’s 
  Handbook 2, these backgrounds are almost character 
  archetypes—more or less complete pictures of a kind 
  of character you might decide to play. For that reason, 
  these backgrounds include some suggestions for other 
  decisions you might make for your character, from sug-
  gested class or build to specific feats or powers.
  ARCANE DRAGONBORN
  ARCANE DRAGONBORN
  
  11
  ARCANE DRAGONBORN
  ARCANE DRAGONBORN
  Arcane Mercenary
  Many dragonborn earn a living selling their services 
  as mercenaries, caravan guards, or bodyguards. While 
  their imposing physical size and strength make dragon-
  born fighters and warlords well suited to such work, 
  many dragonborn of an arcane bent follow similar 
  careers, putting their magic to violent purpose. The life 
  of a mercenary leads quite naturally into a career as an 
  adventurer—all it takes is one job gone horribly wrong, 
  one unexpected encounter with a threat beyond the 
  normal caravan raiders or enemy soldiers, to change a 
  mercenary’s life forever.
   
  You might be a swordmage who fits in easily among 
  more martially inclined sellswords, or a wizard or sor-
  cerer who provides arcane artillery support to a band 
  of more traditional soldiers. Or as a bard, you might 
  serve as the leader of a mercenary company, fight-
  ing alongside your fellow soldiers while encouraging 
  and uplifting them with your magic. Even if you’re not 
  normally inclined to melee, you might consider pick-
  ing up proficiency with a good melee weapon or even 
  multiclassing into fighter or warlord to reflect your 
  military background.
  Associated Skills: History, Streetwise
  Dragon-Blooded Spellcaster
  Arcane power is in your nature, part and parcel of the 
  same elemental forces that power your dragon breath.
  Casting spells feels no different for you from exhaling 
  draconic power—they are just as natural. For many 
  dragon-blooded spellcasters, controlling the magic that 
  seems always eager to burst forth is extremely difficult. 
  You might be prone to magical mishaps, especially with 
  at-will powers that burst forth without any real thought 
  or effort on your part. On the other hand, mastery of 
  your powers might be as natural to you as regulating 
  your breathing, a simple matter of directing your will 
  and energy outward and creating the magical manifes-
  tation you desire. In either case, those who study and 
  train for years to master the merest scraps of magical 
  power look upon you with envy or perhaps fear, for 
  power comes readily to your hand, for good or for ill. 
  You feel a kinship and affinity for dragons, and you 
  might dream of one day transforming yourself into that 
  pinnacle of the draconic form—or of subjugating drag-
  ons to your will.
   
  Most dragon-blooded spellcasters are sorcerers who 
  practice Dragon Magic or bards who extol the Virtue 
  of Valor. Dragon-blooded bards lift up dragons as the 
  exemplars of valor, and many of their spells take on dra-
  conic characteristics. For example, your shout of triumph
  might be a draconic roar that creates a brief image of 
  a dragon around or above you to strike terror in your 
  enemies’ hearts, while your song of storms might make 
  you appear as a blue dragon while the effect persists.
  Associated Skills: Arcana
  Dragon-Bound Arcanist
  You learned the practice of magic from an actual 
  dragon. It’s rare for dragons to cast spells as mortals do, 
  but magic is in their blood, and some sagacious dragons 
  instruct mortals—particularly dragonborn—in truly 
  ancient methods of spellcasting. Most commonly, their 
  students are bound to them as slaves, and their magic is 
  meant to be used in the dragon’s service. You were such 
  a slave, learning draconic spellcasting at the side of an 
  exceptionally wise, old, and learned dragon. How did 
  you escape your servitude? Was the dragon killed by 
  adventurers, or by a more powerful monster—perhaps a 
  rival dragon? Did its arcane research lead to its demise 
  or disappearance? What do you plan to do with your 
  newfound freedom? How will you use the magic you 
  learned from your former master?
   
  This is a great background for a dragonborn  warlock, 
  since you can put a draconic spin on any pact you 
  choose. Your dragon master might have been a fey 
  dragon of great and mysterious power, an infernal 
  dragon infused with hellfire, or a student of the stars. 
  Alternatively, your sorcerer spells could be a manifesta-
  tion of the dragon’s power in you (if you practice Dragon 
  Magic), or you might have studied Cosmic Magic at 
  your master’s side.
  Associated Skills: Arcana, Intimidate
  Student of the Ninefold Path
  In ancient Arkhosia, a society of bards, wizards, and 
  sorcerers called the Order of the Ninefold Path codified 
  and propagated the arcane teachings of the dragon-
  born. The sages of this order lived as mendicants, 
  owning nothing but the tomes they could carry and 
  relying on the support and hospitality of the citizenry 
  as they traveled from city to city. They traveled in pairs, 
  one master and one student. As the student’s knowl-
  edge grew to equal the master’s, they would seek out 
  new students in the cities they visited, thus passing on 
  the secrets of the order. A few scattered masters of the 
  Ninefold Path remain in the wake of Arkhosia’s fall, but 
  students willing to accept their tutelage are few and far 
  between. You have studied with a master of the order, 
  learning ancient arcane teachings unfamiliar to cur-
  rent-age practitioners of magic. What happened to the 
  master who taught you? Are you looking for a student, 
  or did your master die or disappear before your training 
  was complete, leaving you in search of a new master?
   
  You might use a feat choice, such as Draconic Spell-
  caster or Curse of Io’s Blood (both from Arcane Power), 
  to reflect your unusual arcane training. Also consider 
  the Ninefold Master paragon path, presented on the 
  next page.
  Associated Skills: Arcana, History
  
  12
  WILLIAM O’CONNOR
  Paragon Path: 
  Ninefold Master
  “I have mastered a study of magic that was ancient when your 
  kind were barbarians at our feet.”
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, any arcane class, Dra-
  conic Spellcaster feat
  In ancient Arkhosia, arcane spellcasters studied the 
  Ninefold Path, a way toward both arcane mastery and 
  spiritual awakening. The steps along the path represent 
  an increasing attunement to the draconic energies in the 
  initiate’s being, a practice that unites the study of magic 
  with the innate characteristics of the dragonborn race.
   
  You are a master of the Ninefold Path, on your way 
  toward arcane perfection as the scholars of Arkhosia 
  understood it. Your dragon breath is another spell in your 
  arsenal, and when you use spells that create the same 
  elemental force as your breath, you demonstrate mas-
  tery over the magic that powers them.
  Ninefold Master Path Features
  Breath Expertise (11th level): Your dragon breath
  power is considered an arcane power belonging to each 
  of your arcane classes. If you are wielding an implement 
  you can use for your arcane powers, you can add the 
  implement’s enhancement bonus to the damage rolls for 
  your dragon breath power.
  Dragon Breath Action (11th level): When you 
  spend an action point to take an extra action, you can 
  also use your dragon breath as a free action, even if you 
  have already expended it in this encounter.
  Draconic Resistance (16th level): Choose one type 
  of damage you can deal with your dragon breath power. 
  You gain resistance to that damage type equal to 5 + 
  one-half your level.
  Ninefold Master Powers
  Dragon Aura 
  Ninefold Master Attack 11
  The innate energy of your draconic breath forms a shield around 
  you, pushing your enemies away.
  Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Zone; Varies
  Standard Action  
  Close burst 1
  Target: Each creature in blast
  Attack: Intelligence or Charisma vs. Fortitude
  Hit: 3d6 + Intelligence or Charisma modifier damage, and you 
  push the target 1 square. The damage is the same type as 
  any type you can deal with your dragon breath.
  Countering Breath 
  Countering Breath 
  Ninefold Master Utility 12
  As your foe unleashes a blast of elemental power, you release your 
  own, subtly altering your draconic breath to negate your enemy’s 
  attack.
  Encounter ✦ Arcane
  Immediate Interrupt 
  Close blast 3
  Trigger: An enemy targets you with a close or an area attack 
  that deals a damage type you can deal with dragon breath
  Effect: Your space and the blast are not considered part of the 
  triggering attack’s area of effect.
  Dragon Tempest 
  Ninefold Master Attack 20
  Your exhalation of elemental energy transforms into a swirling 
  vortex of power.
  Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Zone; Varies
  Standard Action  
  Close blast 5
  Target: Each creature in blast
  Attack: Intelligence or Charisma vs. Reflex
  Hit: 3d8 + Intelligence or Charisma modifier damage. The 
  damage is the same type as any type you can deal with your 
  dragon breath.
  Effect: The blast creates a zone that lasts until the end of your 
  next turn. A creature that enters the zone or starts its turn 
  there takes 10 damage of the same type as the initial attack’s 
  damage. As a move action, you can move the zone 3 squares.
  Sustain Minor: The zone persists.
  
  13
  DIVINE DRAGONBORN
  DIVINE DRAGONBORN
  Dragonborn characters who adopt divine classes often 
  follow Bahamut, but a few devote themselves to the 
  dead dragon god Io, following the teachings of the 
  Temple of Io’s Children (see page 4). Even dragonborn 
  who worship other gods often hold up Io as a racial 
  patron, almost like a divine ancestor.
   
  Following the path of a divine class is a matter of 
  making a commitment and sticking to it, which dragon-
  born do well. Many divine dragonborn characters are 
  defined by their decisiveness—and their impatience 
  with those who refuse to take sides or who waver in 
  their commitments. 
  Divine Classes
  Dragonborn who adopt a divine class are most com-
  monly paladins, pursuing their god’s agenda with 
  zeal and dedication. Their high natural Strength and 
  Charisma make them well suited to any paladin path, 
  and many dragonborn paladins choose to keep both 
  ability scores high and employ powers that use both 
  scores. Dragonborn paladins of Bahamut are among 
  the brightest forces for good in the world—champions of 
  honor and justice, crusading against evil and tyranny 
  while protecting the weak and downtrodden. Other 
  dragonborn paladins are more like crusaders for the 
  force of civilization, striving to beat back the darkness 
  of the world and build a new great empire in the tradi-
  tion of Arkhosia or Nerath in the name of deities such 
  as Erathis, Ioun, and Kord.
   
  Dragonborn also excel as clerics, preferring powers 
  that bring them into the forefront of melee combat 
  and maximizing their Strength scores. The difference 
  between a dragonborn paladin and a cleric is subtle: Both 
  see themselves as crusading champions for their deities 
  or their gods’ ideals, but clerics are more apt to view their 
  whole adventuring party as an instrument of divine will. 
   
  Dragonborn invokers are the heirs of a truly ancient 
  tradition that long predates Arkhosia, and they are the 
  divine characters most likely to worship both Bahamut 
  and Tiamat as aspects of the single god Io. Their form 
  of divine magic was the weapon of the gods’ servants in 
  the Dawn War, when Io himself bestowed power upon 
  his mortal servants to wage war against the minions 
  of the primordials. Dragonborn invokers are prone to 
  speak of Io’s death and the rise of Bahamut and Tiamat 
  as if it were a recent event, or a phase that will soon 
  come to an end.
   
  Dragonborn avengers are rare. They typically appear 
  in secluded monasteries where strange doctrines about 
  the nature of the gods are taught. Dragonborn avengers 
  more commonly serve Tiamat than Bahamut, though 
  they usually have unorthodox understandings about the 
  nature of both gods.
  Divine Backgrounds
  Like the arcane backgrounds on the previous pages, 
  these background elements for divine characters, while 
  they use the background rules from Player’s Handbook 
  2, include suggestions for other character elements you 
  might use to build a character according to one of these 
  divine archetypes.
  Champion of Bahamut
  Whatever your class, you are a servant of Bahamut and 
  seek to emulate him in all your actions. You strive to be 
  a living incarnation of his will in the world, an exten-
  sion of his mighty claws. His principles of honor and 
  justice, vigilance against evil, and protecting the weak 
  guide every decision you make and inform your every 
  action. Some might call you naive, blind to the harsh 
  realities of life in this dark age, and perhaps you are—
  but that doesn’t make you wrong. 
   
  Most champions of Bahamut are paladins or clerics, 
  espousing a particular ideal of Bahamut as a warrior 
  deity. You might gird yourself in shining platinum-col-
  ored armor—or perhaps your scales are naturally that 
  color, a sign of your god’s favor and calling. You might 
  choose cold damage for your dragon breath and feats 
  such as Frost Breath and Freezing Breath to emulate 
  the Platinum Dragon’s frosty breath. 
  Associated Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate
  Dragonborn Iconoclast
  Though you worship a recognizable deity of the tradi-
  tional pantheon, you do so in a way that most would 
  consider strange or even abhorrent. Your beliefs about 
  the gods and the proper ways to serve them are uncon-
  ventional, to say the least. You might have learned them 
  in a monastery (making this a particularly appropri-
  ate background element for avengers) or come up with 
  them on your own, perhaps in reaction against more 
  traditional teachings that were instilled in you earlier in 
  life. You might, for example, worship Melora as the great 
  catastrophic dragon of the ocean depths, the third and 
  mightiest spawn of Io. Or you might revere Tiamat as 
  an unaligned deity of fair retribution, twisting the tradi-
  tional understanding of her thirst for vengeance into a 
  quality that is at least palatable, if not admirable.  Perhaps 
  you believe that all the deities are actually  dragons 
  ascended to godhood who are simply exemplars who 
  show mortals the path to the same ascension. 
   
  Since being unconventional defines much of your 
  character, look for other ways you can defy expectations 
  in your character choices. Don’t make choices that pre-
  vent you from fulfilling your role, but anything else is 
  fair game. An unexpected multiclass feat (a lawful good 
  paladin with the Pact Initiate feat who dabbles in infer-
  nal warlock powers), or atypical weapon and armor 
  choices (an avenger who disdains stealth and wears 
  DIVINE DRAGONBORN
  DIVINE DRAGONBORN
  
  14
  WILLIAM O’CONNOR
  heavy armor) can go a long way toward making your 
  character seem unorthodox—and interesting.
  Associated Skills: Arcana, History
  Reluctant Pawn of Tiamat
  Your divine powers come from Tiamat, but it hardly 
  seems fair to say you worship the evil god of greed and 
  vengeance. You might fear her, certainly, and even 
  respect her power—but if it were up to you, you’d rather 
  forsake the power she’s given you than actually carry 
  out her will. Perhaps you trained as an avenger to hunt 
  down Tiamat’s enemies, but some event awakened your 
  long-dormant conscience and spurred you to flee her 
  temple’s service. You might even have been kidnapped, 
  magically controlled, and indoctrinated into her secret 
  cult, then freed—but left to sort out the jumble of your 
  thoughts and allegiances on your own. 
   
  Playing an evil character can easily become disrup-
  tive at the game table, but playing a character who is 
  struggling against strong evil tendencies can be rich 
  with roleplaying opportunities. Choose powers that 
  emphasize the sinister nature of the deity who grants 
  them to you, so that even your fellow adventurers are 
  a bit scared of what you might do. But look for ways for 
  your character to someday break free of Tiamat’s grasp, 
  even if it’s in a final act of self-sacrifice.
  Associated Skills: Bluff, Thievery.
  Shard of Io
  The divine power you wield is a tiny fragment of Io’s 
  own power—a mote of divine light that emerged from 
  the dying god, escaped the clutches of both Bahamut 
  and Tiamat as they rose from Io’s corpse and claimed 
  his mantle, and lay dormant until it could finally come 
  to rest—in you. Perhaps it was safeguarded by an angel, 
  awaiting the proper time for it to come to light in a 
  great mortal champion. Or it might have been claimed 
  by a dragonborn invoker who passed it down through 
  countless centuries, until your dying master passed it 
  on to you. Perhaps it has been hidden in your bloodline, 
  passed through generations, and perhaps it remains 
  dormant until you manage to awaken it fully. Whatever 
  the case, you are the custodian of tremendous divine 
  power—power that many others would dearly love to 
  claim.
   
  This is a great background for an invoker who isn’t 
  just a student of the ancient ways, but a literal heir of 
  ancient power. Consider working toward the Avatar of 
  Io epic destiny (see page 32), but every divine power 
  you use throughout your career is a manifestation of Io’s 
  spark in you.
  Associated Skills: History, Religion
  
  15
  DIVINE DRAGONBORN
  DIVINE DRAGONBORN
  Paragon Path: 
  Platinum Templar
  “Each of us must choose a side, and why would any sane 
  person choose the side of envy, vengeance, and greed?”
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, any divine class, must 
  worship Bahamut
  Many dragonborn who adopt divine classes follow 
  Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, but few study the eso-
  teric disciplines of the Platinum Temple. This ancient 
  shrine, located on a remote mountain peak that is said 
  to straddle the boundary between the natural world 
  and Bahamut’s domain in Celestia, teaches a particular 
  form of mysticism that is unique to dragonborn, for its 
  goal is to be increasingly formed into the likeness of 
  Bahamut himself. 
   
  Through prayer and meditation, and more important 
  through the rigorous discipline of walking a just and 
  honest path through the world, you apply the teach-
  ings of the Platinum Temple to your life. You strive to 
  think as Bahamut would and face every situation with 
  his sense of righteousness and honor. At the same time, 
  you train your body and channel divine power through 
  it, until your scales begin to gleam with the silvery-
  white color of platinum. With time and further study, 
  you learn to momentarily sprout great draconic wings, 
  speak Supernal with Bahamut’s own authority, and 
  breathe a billowing mist like the Platinum Dragon’s 
  potent breath weapon. 
   
  Such power is meaningless, however, if you do not 
  use it in service to Bahamut’s highest ideals. 
  Platinum Templar Path Features
  Bahamut’s Warding (11th level): When you use 
  a Channel Divinity power, each ally within 2 squares 
  of you gains a +2 bonus to all defenses until the end of 
  your next turn.
  Focused Action (11th level): When you spend an 
  action point to take an action, you can immediately 
  make a saving throw against one effect that a save can 
  end, with a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier.  
  Polar Breath (16th level): When you use your 
  dragon breath power, you can choose to deal cold 
  damage with it instead of any other damage type. If 
  you do, any creature hit by the attack is also slowed 
  (save ends).
  Platinum Templar Powers
  Platinum Wings 
  Platinum Templar Attack 11
  Platinum-colored, scaly wings spring from your back and carry 
  you aloft.
  Encounter ✦ Divine
  Minor Action 
  Personal
  Effect: Until the end of your next turn, you gain a fly speed of 
  8, and you can hover. 
    Once before the start of your next turn, you can make the 
  following wing buffet attack:
   Immediate Reaction 
  Melee 2
  Trigger: An enemy enters or leaves an adjacent square.
   Attack: Charisma + 4 vs. Fortitude (+ 6 at 21st level)
   Hit: 2d6 + Charisma modifier damage, and you push the
   target 1 square.
  Bahamut’s Voice 
  Bahamut’s Voice 
  Platinum Templar Utility 12
  The words issuing from you belong to no mortal tongue, and they 
  carry the weight of Bahamut’s own voice.
  Daily ✦ Divine
  Minor Action 
  Personal
  Effect: Until the end of the encounter, you can speak 
  Supernal as if you were a god or angel, such that any 
  creature that has a language can understand your speech. 
  In addition, you gain a +5 bonus to Diplomacy checks 
  and Intimidate checks while speaking Supernal through 
  this power.
  Misty Breath 
  Platinum Templar Attack 20
  Emulating Bahamut’s breath of silvery vapors, you transform your 
  enemies into harmless mist.
  Daily ✦ Divine, Implement
  Standard Action  
  Close blast 5
  Target: Each enemy in blast
  Attack: Wisdom or Charisma vs. Reflex
  Hit: The target is stunned, weakened, and transformed 
  into fine mist (save ends all). While it is in this mist form, 
   enemies can move freely through the target’s space.
  Effect: The blast creates a zone that lasts until the end of your 
  next turn. A creature that enters the zone or starts its turn 
  there takes 10 cold damage. As a move action, you can move 
  the zone 3 squares.
  Sustain Minor: The zone persists.
  DRAGONBORN HONOR
  As a dragonborn, your honor is your life. Keep these prin-
  ciples of honor in mind:
  ✦  In battle, treat your enemies with courtesy and respect. 
  ✦  Fear is a disease, and cowardice is a mortal failing.
  ✦  Keep your promises; a solemn oath is more important 
  than your life. Speak with honesty, and don’t make prom-
  ises lightly.
  ✦  Strive to do your best, and if your best isn’t good enough, 
  improve yourself until it is. Do not give up until you have 
  made every possible effort.
  ✦  Respect your elders, your leaders, and others who 
  deserve your respect. Obey just commands, and carry 
  out the duties they impose on you. Oppose those who 
  misuse their authority.
  ✦  Remember that your deeds reflect on your companions, 
  your clan, and your entire race. Do not do that which 
  would bring you shame if another in your clan did it.
  ✦  Boldly challenge your enemies, just as you challenge 
  yourself.
  
  16
  EVA WIDERMANN
  Dragonborn characters who adopt martial classes are 
  often driven by a desire to earn glory through mighty 
  deeds of physical power. Because martial characters 
  rely on no external source of power, their glorious 
  deeds speak only to their own prowess and the honor 
  of their clan, not to the intervention of divine beings 
  or the flow of arcane energy. For that reason, martial 
  dragonborn are more prone to hubris than characters of 
  other classes.
  Martial Classes
  With their great natural strength, dragonborn excel 
  at every martial class. They favor melee combat over 
  ranged combat, and emphasize strength over speed 
  and agility. 
   
  Dragonborn fighters favor axes and heavy blades, 
  whether one- or two-handed. Most dragonborn stick to 
  the classic fighting styles presented in the Player’s Hand-
  book, relying on constant training and rigid discipline 
  to hone their martial skills. A few dragonborn become 
  battlerager fighters, learning to unleash their inborn 
  draconic fury in combat, but the battlerager style runs 
  counter to the rigorous discipline that dragonborn 
  believe is necessary to attain mastery of any skill.
   
  Dragonborn warlords naturally gravitate toward 
  powers that rely on Charisma to inspire their allies. 
  They typically choose Inspiring Presence as a class 
  feature, but more reckless and aggressive individuals 
  choose Bravura Presence instead. 
   
  Dragonborn rangers typically focus on melee 
  powers, leaning toward the two-blade fighting style or 
  sometimes beast mastery (commonly favoring lizard 
  companions). Dragonborn aren’t often rogues, but those 
  who do become rogues typically choose the Brutal 
  Scoundrel or Ruthless Ruffian class features, maximiz-
  ing the effect of their Strength rather than relying on 
  Charisma.
  Martial Backgrounds
  Use these martial background elements to help build 
  a character according to one of these dragonborn 
  archetypes.
  Disciplined Soldier
  Martial excellence is your foremost desire, for you 
  believe that it symbolizes excellence of character and 
  the perfection of your spirit. You hone your body and 
  train constantly with your chosen weapon or weapons. 
  It’s more than a matter of survival—it’s about your own 
  growth, your honor, and the reputation of your clan. 
  You might focus on discipline and order so intently 
  MARTIAL DRAGONBORN
  MARTIAL DRAGONBORN
  
  17
  MARTIAL DRAGONBORN
  MARTIAL DRAGONBORN
  that you find it hard to be flexible in changing circum-
  stances. On the other hand, that sort of flexibility might 
  be an important part of your training, preparing to 
  expect the unexpected and respond to what you can’t 
  be prepared for. 
   
  Perhaps this relentless focus on discipline has its 
  roots in a traumatic past event. Did your lack of disci-
  pline lead to a loved one’s death? Or did you develop 
  a rigid sense of order as a result of a chaotic youth, an 
  utter lack of stability around you? Perhaps it’s simply 
  the result of strict training in the ancient martial tradi-
  tions of your race. Did you study swordplay surrounded 
  by icons of Arkhosia’s glory, learning that someday you 
  would march in an army bent on restoring the empire?
   
  This is a fine background element for a dragonborn 
  fighter, but it works for any martial character. You 
  might reflect your commitment to disciplined training 
  by focusing on the use of a specific weapon, or reflect 
  the extent of your training by using multiple different 
  weapons with equal skill. 
  Associated Skills: Athletics, Endurance
  Exotic Gladiator
  You have fought for sport—not for your own enjoyment, 
  but for the entertainment of others. You were popular 
  because of your exotic race and your great strength, 
  drawing crowds to see your exploits in the arena, to 
  watch you fight and kill monsters and other humanoids 
  in battle. You might have been a slave in a hobgoblin 
  city, or perhaps you fought in secret, illegal rings within 
  a human settlement. 
   
  How long did you fight? Were you generally suc-
  cessful, or did you barely stay alive through a short and 
  inglorious career? Did you fight willingly, or were you 
  forced to do it? Did you perhaps enjoy it? Why have you 
  now stopped? Did you escape slavery, or win your free-
  dom in an important match? Or did a wealthy patron 
  see something in you that your masters didn’t, and 
  purchase you from them? Did any of your fellow adven-
  turers fight alongside or perhaps against you?
  Assocaited Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics
  Fervent Commander
  Passion drives you. Like many dragonborn, you experi-
  ence emotion deeply—you become furious, not annoyed, 
  and bubble over with joyous laughter when others 
  might smile to themselves. In battle, your ferocity and 
  enthusiasm more than make up for a certain lack of dis-
  cipline, and you’re more likely to rush into the fray than 
  wait in a shield wall with your allies. Your passion rubs 
  off on your allies, making you something of a leader 
  figure even if that’s not your combat role in game terms. 
  It’s hard not to follow where you lead, simply because 
  you go there with such enthusiasm and commitment.
   
  What stirs your passion for adventuring? Is it a lust 
  for glory, a thirst for gold, or a crusading hatred of mon-
  strous evil? Or is it simply the thrill of being out in the 
  world, rootless and free, risking your life every day in 
  bloody battle? 
   
  Are you a warlord who gets your allies worked into a 
  frenzy to improve their fighting ability? A rogue whose 
  fervor in battle leaves your enemies off guard? A fighter 
  who leads by example, expecting that your passion itself 
  is contagious? Or a ranger who gets lost in the whirl of 
  blades until the battle itself fades from your conscious 
  awareness?
  Associated Skills: Bluff, Intimidate
  Wilderness Loner
  The wilderness is your home, far from any city 
  or village. You might have been a fugitive from a 
   dragonbonded clan (see page 9), eking out your 
   livelihood from the remote forest, swamp, or desert 
  near your clan’s holdings. Or perhaps you were an 
  orphan, stranded in the wilderness as a youth when 
  your parent met a terrible end. Or the parent who 
  raised you might have been an exile, a fugitive, or 
  simply an ornery loner who preferred solitude to the 
  company of others. Whatever the reason, you have lived 
  for years by your own wits and resourcefulness, without 
  having to rely on anyone else.
   
  What has changed to bring you closer to civilization 
  and into a party of adventurers? Did a new population 
  of monsters make your wilderness home suddenly 
  inhospitable? Or perhaps a new frontier settlement was 
  established near your territory, bringing you unwill-
  ingly into contact with this outpost of civilization. 
  Maybe you were captured by hobgoblin slavers and only 
  just won your freedom. How will you adapt to your new 
  circumstances? Will you be able to trust your new allies 
  enough to rely on them? Can you handle the burden of 
  having others relying on you?
  Associated Skills: Endurance, Nature
  Paragon Path: 
  Honorable Blade
  “The lightning that crackles along my blade is sustained by 
  my honor. If my honor fails, so does my strength.”
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, any martial class
  A few dragonborn clans are not true clans. Unbound 
  by family ties, these individual warriors join together 
  around a common ideal. These are warrior societ-
  ies that celebrate the dragonborn ideals of honorable 
  combat and glorious victory, while celebrating what 
  makes them dragonborn—the dragon within that 
  empowers their dragon breath. Each of these warrior 
  clans has a patron dragon type, and the members of 
  those societies typically emulate their patron dragons 
  
  18
  WILLIAM O’CONNOR
  in a variety of ways, from alignment and behavior to the 
  damage type of their dragon breath.
   
  As an honorable blade, you have reached the pinna-
  cle of such a warrior clan. You have begun to master its 
  most exotic fighting techniques, starting with the ability 
  to sheathe your weapon in the same draconic energy 
  that powers your racial breath power. Your techniques 
  are purely martial, but they embody the physical quali-
  ties of dragonkind, just as you strive to embody their 
  behavioral qualities in your own deeds.
  Honorable Blade Path Features
  Draconic Blade (11th level): Choose one type of 
  damage you can deal with the dragon breath power. As a 
  free action, you can add this damage type to all damage 
  dealt with your melee weapon, in addition to any other 
  type of damage those powers deal. Another free action 
  returns the weapon’s damage to normal.
  Dragon Breath Action (11th level): When you 
  spend an action point to take an extra action, you can 
  also use your dragon breath power as a free action, even 
  if you have already expended it in this encounter. 
  Draconic Resistance (16th level): Choose one 
  type of damage you can deal with your dragon breath
  power. You gain resistance to that damage type equal to 
  5 + one-half your level.
  Honorable Blade Powers
  Draconic Sidestep 
  Draconic Sidestep 
  Honorable Blade Attack 11
  As your foes move to flank, you deftly step aside, then engulf them 
  in your dragon breath.
  Encounter ✦ Martial
  Immediate Reaction 
  Personal
  Trigger: An enemy moves into a position where it flanks you.
  Effect: You shift 1 square and use your dragon breath as a free 
  action, gaining a bonus to the damage roll equal to one-half 
  your level, even if you have already used your dragon breath
  in this encounter.
  Draconic Leap 
  Draconic Leap 
  Honorable Blade Utility 12
  No wings appear on your back, but you leap from the ground as 
  if to take flight, and the strength of the dragon within carries you 
  high and far.
  Encounter ✦ Martial
  Move Action 
  Personal
  Effect: You fly your speed. This movement does not provoke 
  opportunity attacks.
  Whirling Dragon 
  Honorable Blade Attack 20
  You whirl your blade in a circle around you, and elemental power 
  radiates from your weapon to sear your foes.
  Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon; Varies
  Standard Action  
  Close burst 1
  Target: Each enemy in burst
  Attack: Strength vs. Reflex
  Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. The damage is the 
  same type you deal with your Draconic Blade.
  Miss: Half damage.
  
  19
  PRIMAL DRAGONBORN
  PRIMAL DRAGONBORN
  Few dragonborn adopt primal classes, because both 
  their fundamental nature and the historical traditions 
  of the race make them more inclined to the use of other 
  power sources. However, some dragonborn clans do 
  maintain strong primal traditions, revering drake and 
  dragon spirits, living in harmony with the often harsh 
  nature spirits of their homelands, and producing heroic 
  barbarians, wardens, and less often, shamans or druids. 
  Also, lone dragonborn living in isolation sometimes 
  gravitate toward the barbarian class.
  Primal Classes
  Dragonborn make excellent barbarians, particularly 
  when they choose powers and class features that make 
  use of their high Charisma scores as well as their 
  Strength. Dragonborn barbarians are often the leaders 
  of families or clans that follow primal ways, but they’re 
  also found among more civilized dragonborn as the 
  descendants of a totemic fighting order that dates back 
  to Arkhosian times. See the Arkhosian Totem Rager 
  background, below.
   
  By contrast, dragonborn wardens are found almost 
  exclusively among primal clans. Dragonborn don’t 
  naturally incline toward any particular warden build: 
  Some channel the power of the land and choose Earth-
  strength, others harness the elemental power of their 
  own blood and choose Wildblood. Still others, particu-
  larly those with lightning dragon breath, become storm 
  wardens (choosing the Stormheart class feature). The 
  Lifespirit feature complements the natural leadership 
  abilities of dragonborn even though it doesn’t rely on 
  high Charisma. 
   
  Dragonborn are rarely druids or shamans, though 
  dragonborn clans that follow primal ways naturally pro-
  duce such characters at least occasionally. Dragonborn 
  of both classes typically have an unusual relationship 
  with some kind of primal spirit, whether it’s a bond 
  formed at birth or the result of an encounter later in life 
  (often as part of a coming-of-age ceremony). The nature 
  of that spirit usually has a significant impact on the 
  character’s choice of class features and builds: A guard 
  drake spirit makes a fine protector spirit companion for 
  a dragonborn shaman, while an ambush drake spirit is 
  more like a stalker spirit. 
  Primal Backgrounds
  The primal background elements on these pages can 
  help you build a character that embodies a certain 
  archetype of dragonborn barbarians, druids, shamans, 
  and wardens.
  Arkhosian Totem Rager
  The totem ragers of ancient Arkhosia were an elite war-
  rior order that practiced primal traditions to become 
  more ferocious in battle. The order was shattered 
  before the fall of Arkhosia, after being infiltrated and 
  corrupted by infernal spies loyal to Bael Turath. The 
  imperial priests of Erathis declared the totem ragers 
  to be in league with devils and the empire’s enemies, 
  and the order was officially disbanded and outlawed. 
  It survived only in small groups that continued to meet 
  in secret.
   
  In this form, the totem ragers survived the fall of the 
  empire, and you are one of its few, scattered heirs. This 
  tradition has long outlasted the imperial authority that 
  declared it outlaw, so there is little need for secrecy—but 
  the scattered members of your order have practiced 
  secrecy for so long that it is a well-ingrained habit. 
  What’s more, your primal connections are still greeted 
  with suspicion by the clergy of the Imperial Arkhosian 
  temples, though they lack any legal recourse to pros-
  ecute you. 
   
  Most Arkhosian totem rager characters are barbar-
  ians. You might choose to focus on daily rage attack 
  powers that evoke draconic spirits, from rage drake’s 
  frenzy at 1st level to blue dragon rage at 25th. If you can’t 
  find an appropriate rage power at a given level, consider 
  renaming and reflavoring an existing power, so frost 
  wolf rage at 5th level might become white dragon rage in 
  your hands. You might also choose this background ele-
  ment as a warden, applying some of the same cosmetic 
  changes to your daily guardian form powers.
  Associated Skills: History, Streetwise
  Chosen of the Spirit Drake
  From the moment you emerged from your egg, it’s been 
  clear that you were chosen to be the mouthpiece of a 
  primal drake spirit. It might be a furious spirit that has 
  fueled a powerful inner rage in you for your whole life, 
  or a loyal guard drake spirit that chose you to protect 
  your family or clan. Or it could be something more akin 
  to a fang titan drake, a beast of tremendous power that 
  wants you for some great purpose that you’re not yet 
  aware of or prepared for. 
   
  What manifestation of the spirit drake at your birth 
  made the spirit’s choice clear to those around you? 
  Perhaps it sent a living drake to brood your egg. Maybe 
  you erupted with fury as you hatched, hurling the frag-
  ments of your shell around the room. How were you 
  raised in accordance with the drake spirit’s wishes? 
  Were you segregated from other children as a mark of 
  your special calling? Did you grow up in the wilder-
  ness with the drake that hatched your egg? Or did your 
  parent simply watch you carefully but otherwise allow 
  you to lead a normal childhood?
   
  This is a particularly appropriate background for a 
  dragonborn shaman—your spirit companion can be the 
  PRIMAL DRAGONBORN
  PRIMAL DRAGONBORN
  
  20
  KEREM BEYIT
  spirit drake who chose you. However, it works equally 
  well for any other primal class, with a less direct rela-
  tionship to that drake spirit.
  Associated Skills: Insight, Religion
  Dragon Totem Clan
  For all their elemental power and keen intellect, drag-
  ons are creatures of the natural world as much as bears 
  and panthers, and some of the myriad primal spirits 
  that inhabit the world appear as dragons. Some dragon-
  born clans, particularly those that lived on the fringes 
  of ancient Arkhosia or were never incorporated into the 
  empire, long ago replaced an actual dragon patron with 
  a primal spirit in dragon form. Your clan followed this 
  ancient tradition, and you learned your primal magic in 
  communion with this dragon spirit. 
   
  Is your dragon totem a benevolent patron, or a ter-
  rible force of nature that must be appeased to prevent 
  catastrophe? You might be the shaman who was sup-
  posed to keep it appeased, but who failed in that duty 
  with disastrous consequences. Or you might have been 
  a barbarian thane who channeled the dragon totem’s 
  power to lead your clan before some circumstance 
  separated you from your people. 
   
  This background element works for any primal class. 
  You might want to choose powers that reflect your 
  dragon totem, or change the flavor of the powers you 
  select to give them a draconic edge.
  Associated Skills: Nature, Religion
  Sandstorm Caller
  Your clan inhabits a remote and harsh wilderness, such 
  as a stormy desert, and strives to live in harmony with 
  the equally harsh primal spirits of that environment. 
  You have an affinity for those spirits—primal beings 
  that don’t take human or animal shape, but roar in the 
  wind and pulse in the harsh light of the sun. Because 
  of that affinity, you were the protector of your people, 
  able to summon those spirits with a word to scour your 
  enemies from the earth in a terrible storm.
   
  But now you are cut off from those spirits and from 
  the people you used to defend. Why did you leave? 
  Perhaps you failed in your duty, and you have no clan 
  left to protect. Perhaps the spirits of storm and sun 
  summoned you from your home in pursuit of a larger 
  purpose. Or you might simply have grown tired of your 
  responsibility and become curious about the world 
  beyond your clan’s lands. 
   
  Without the spirits of your native land, your primal 
  magic is not as strong, but neither is it entirely absent. 
  Other spirits of weather and the land respond to your 
  call, just more slowly. With time, perhaps, you will 
  learn to control the mightiest forces of nature wherever 
  your travels take you.
  Associated Skills: Endurance, Nature
  
  21
  PRIMAL DRAGONBORN
  PRIMAL DRAGONBORN
  Paragon Path: 
  Storm Dragon
  “Dragons wheel in the winds of the cyclone and dive to earth 
  with each flash of lightning.”
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, any primal class, dragon 
  breath power that deals lightning damage
  Some dragons are like forces of nature, the elemen-
  tal power coursing through their bodies akin to the 
  mightiest forces of storm, earth, or sea. The catastrophic 
  dragons embody the destructive forces of nature, but 
  even the blue dragon is a living incarnation of the 
  storm. Your mastery of primal magic has led you to this 
  path: Like these dragons, the power of the storm flows 
  in your blood and erupts in your breath.
   
  Your allies in the spirit world are draconic spirits 
  of wind, lightning, and thunder, heeding your call to 
  rebuke your enemies, carry your allies on the wind, or 
  transport you through the storm. As you advance on 
  the path of the storm dragon, your appearance changes 
  to reflect the nature spirits you commune with—you 
  might develop the blue scales and prominent horn of a 
  blue dragon, or something of the churning elemental 
  appearance of a typhoon dragon. By the time you reach 
  the end of the path, wings sprout from your back, and 
  you fight with all the savagery of the storm dragon.
  Storm Dragon Path Features
  Storm Spirit (11th level): You gain resist 10 
   lightning 10 and resist 10 thunder.
  Thundering Action (11th level): When you spend 
  an action point to make an attack, you can push each 
  target you hit with that attack a number of squares 
  equal to your Charisma modifier and knock each 
  target prone. 
  Soul of the Storm Dragon (16th level): Your 
  primal powers ignore the target’s resistance to lightning 
  or thunder.
  Storm Dragon Wings (16th level): You gain over-
  land flight with a speed of 8.
  Storm Dragon Powers
  Storm’s Rebuke 
  Storm Dragon Attack 11
  You spread wings of lightning, knocking your foes away as you 
  take to the air.
  Encounter ✦ Lightning, Primal, Thunder
  Standard Action  
  Close burst 1
  Target: Each enemy in burst
  Attack: Wisdom + 4 vs. Reflex
   Increase to Wisdom + 6 vs. Reflex at 21st level.
  Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom modifier lightning and thunder damage, 
  and you push the target 1 square.
  Effect: You can fly your speed.
  Spirit Wings 
  Storm Dragon Utility 12
  Draconic wind spirits lift you and your allies to carry you through 
  the air.
  Encounter ✦ Primal
  Move Action 
  Personal
  Effect: Each ally within 10 squares of you can fly 10 squares 
  as a free action. You fly 10 squares.
  Dragon Storm 
  Storm Dragon Attack 20
  Your weapon is the thunder of the storm, and as you call upon 
  it, clouds appear above you. Lightning strikes your foes, and 
  the storm winds buffet enemies and allies alike, allowing you to 
  position them as you please.
  Daily ✦ Lightning, Primal, Thunder, Zone
  Standard Action  
  Close burst 2
  Target: Each enemy in burst
  Attack: Strength + 6 vs. Fortitude
  Hit: 3d8 + Strength modifier thunder damage.
  Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the 
  encounter. An enemy that starts its turn in the zone takes 10 
  lightning damage. Whenever a creature starts its turn in the 
  zone, you can slide the creature 1 square as an immediate 
  interrupt. 
    As a move action, you can move the zone 3 squares. 
  DRAGONBORN PATIENCE
  A story is told of the dragonborn hero Basharak, whose clan 
  name is forgotten. Betrayed by his companions while sailing 
  through the deep Astral Sea, he was thrown overboard and 
  stranded an immeasurable distance from any land or sign of 
  civilization. His treacherous allies sailed the ship away, sure 
  that they were rid of Basharak forever.
   
  Five years later, the first of the hero’s betrayers met his 
  end. Over the course of the next decade, Basharak hunted 
  each one down, killing them where they stood. Each 
  time, he approached without a word, drew his sword and 
  attacked, dispatched his foe quickly, then turned and set off 
  in pursuit of the next betrayer. When they were all dead, he 
  set upon a new adventure as though nothing had happened.
   
  While Basharak’s actions might echo the vengeful teach-
  ings of Tiamat more than of Bahamut, his single-minded 
  pursuit of vengeance is also indicative of a fundamental of 
  dragonborn nature. The length of time it takes to complete 
  a task is immaterial. If something is worth doing, it’s worth 
  spending fifteen years to accomplish, and if something is 
  worth having it’s worth waiting for—as long as necessary. 
  Basharak didn’t launch into a monologue explaining the 
  ordeals he had suffered in pursuit of his quarry, as though 
  he expected to be admired for the length of his pursuit. He 
  simply did what he had come to do and moved on to the 
  next task. 
   
  Similarly, spending thirty years practicing the art of the 
  sword is not an accomplishment in itself—the resulting mas-
  tery of that art is what brings glory. And waiting an hour for 
  a friend to arrive at a tavern doesn’t matter, if the friend is 
  worth seeing.
  
  22
  Heroic Tier Feats
  Any feat in this section is available to a dragonborn 
  character of any level who meets the prerequisites.
  Adaptable Breath
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power
  Benefit: Choose a type of damage your dragon breath 
  doesn’t already deal from among acid, cold, fire, light-
  ning, or poison. 
   
  When you use your dragon breath racial power, you 
  can choose to use this damage type rather than the 
  normal damage dealt by the power. Only one damage 
  type applies for a given dragon breath attack. 
  Special: You can take this feat more than once. Each 
  time you select this feat, choose another damage type 
  for your dragon breath power that you don’t already have 
  for it.
  Ancient Soul
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, Dragon Magic sorcerer, 
  dragon breath racial power
  Benefit: Your dragon breath power is considered an 
  arcane attack power. 
   
  In addition, if your dragon breath power deals damage 
  of the same type as your Dragon Magic class feature 
  gives you resistance to, you gain the following benefit:
   
  Whenever you take damage of the type dealt by your 
  dragon breath (after the damage dealt is reduced by your 
  resistance), you regain the use of your dragon breath if 
  you have already expended it in this encounter.
  Bolstering Breath
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power
  Benefit: Your dragon breath power targets enemies in 
  the area, instead of all creatures in the area.
   
  In addition, allies in the area of your dragon breath
  gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls until the end of your 
  next turn.
  Covenant of Io
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power, invoker, Divine Covenant class feature
  Benefit: Your dragon breath power is considered 
  a divine attack power. In addition, when you use an 
  invoker at-will attack power that has a burst area of 
  effect, you can choose to make it a close blast 3 instead 
  of an area power. The other effects of the power are 
  unchanged.
  Daunting Breath
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power, trained in Intimidate
  Benefit: Each creature you hit with the dragon breath
  power is marked until the end of your next turn.
  Draconic Blast
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power, eldritch blast power
  Benefit: You can choose to make your eldritch blast
  deal the same damage type as your dragon breath. 
  Draconic Combat Challenge
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power, fighter, Combat Challenge class feature
  Benefit: When you hit with the attack granted by 
  your Combat Challenge, you deal 3 extra damage of 
  the same damage type as your dragon breath power. The 
  extra damage increases to 4 at 11th level and 5 at 21st 
  level.
  DRAGONBORN FEATS
  DRAGONBORN FEATS
  SPEAKING LIKE A 
  DRAGONBORN
  Dragonborn have a number of distinctive idioms, oaths, 
  and proverbs. You can use some of these to spice up your 
  character’s vocabulary, making sure that everyone at the 
  table remembers your character is a dragonborn.
   
  “Three and One!” (Tesjendar!) A common dragonborn 
  exclamation, it refers to the three gods of Arkhosia’s impe-
  rial temples and the emperor, called the Golden One.
   
  “By my clan and honor” (Uth vethindas en thuris) An 
  oath or interjection, this is a solemn expression of what’s 
  most important to a dragonborn.
   
  “Not all scales shield a dragon’s heart” (Thricanda 
  molik litrem vethiejir darastrix) A proverb expressing the fact 
  that things are not always what they seem—and in particu-
  lar, a threat is often not as dangerous as it first appears. 
  Often used as a reminder to courage.
   
  “Io’s Blood” (Vethio ierjir) Another exclamation, it’s 
  also a subtle reminder that even the mighty Io could be 
  slain—an exhortation to humility or to courage.
   
  “Every lair has two ways out” (Thurisvant eth donsjeret) 
  There’s more than one way to accomplish any given task, 
  and a window opens for every closed door.
   
  “Stop straddling the chasm” (Pokesthajar kharasj) 
  Choose a side, get off the fence, make a decision.
   
  “Bahamut’s Breath!” (Vethisvaerx Bahamut!) Consid-
  ered somewhat irreverent, this oath is commonly used to 
  express frustration, but can also refer to cold weather.
  
  23
  DRAGONBORN FEATS
  DRAGONBORN FEATS
  KEREM BEYIT
  Draconic Enmity
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, avenger, oath of enmity 
  power, dragon breath racial power
   
  Benefit: If the target of your oath of enmity is 
  the only target of your dragon breath, you can make 
  two attack rolls and use either result, as if you were 
  making a melee attack against the target.
  Draconic Healing
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, cleric, healing word 
  power
   
  Benefit: When you use healing word while you are 
  bloodied, the target regains additional hit points equal 
  to your Constitution modifier.
  Draconic Hunter
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power, ranger, Hunter’s Quarry class feature
   
  Benefit: When you hit your quarry with your 
  dragon breath, you gain a +2 bonus to your attack rolls 
  against that target until the end of your next turn.
  Draconic Majesty
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, any divine class, Chan-
  nel Divinity class feature
   
  Benefit: When you use a Channel Divinity power, 
  bloodied enemies within 5 squares of you take a –2 pen-
  alty to all defenses until the end of your next turn.
  Focused Breath
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial power
   
  Benefit: When you use your dragon breath, you can 
  choose to make it a close blast 1 instead of a close blast 
  3. If you do, add 2 to the damage roll. Increase this to 4 
  at 11th level, and to 6 at 21st level.
  Glorious Victory
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, any martial class
   
  Benefit: Once per encounter, when you reduce an 
  enemy to 0 hit points or fewer with an attack, you can 
  spend a healing surge.
  Hurl Breath
   
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial power
   
  Benefit: When you use your dragon breath, you can 
  choose to make it an area burst 2 within 10 squares 
  instead of a close blast 3.
  
  24
  Inspiring Triumph
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, barbarian, roar of 
   triumph power
  Benefit: Allies in the burst of your roar of triumph
  gain a +1 bonus to all defenses until the end of your 
  next turn.
  Io’s Challenge
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, paladin, divine challenge
  power
  Benefit: When a creature takes damage from your 
  divine challenge, add your Constitution modifier to the 
  damage it takes if you are bloodied.
  Powerful Breath
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power
  Benefit: Choose an ability score. Use this ability 
  score for attack and damage rolls for your dragon breath
  from now on.
  Raging Drake Form
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, druid, wild shape power, 
  dragon breath racial power
  Benefit: While you are in beast form, you gain a +1 
  bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls while bloodied. 
  Surprising Breath
  Prerequisite: Dragonborn, dragon breath racial 
  power
  Benefit: When you hit a creature with your dragon 
  breath, you gain combat advantage against that creature 
  until the start of your next turn.
  Paragon Tier Feats 
  Any feat in this section is available to a character of 
  11th level or higher who meets the prerequisites. 
  Admixture Breath
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath, 
  racial power, Adaptable Breath feat
  Benefit: When you use your dragon breath you can 
  choose for it to deal two types of damage. These damage 
  types must be ones you are capable of delivering with 
  your dragon breath.
  Burning Breath
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power that deals fire damage
  Benefit: Choose one creature hit by your dragon 
  breath. That creature takes ongoing fire damage equal 
  to your Constitution modifier (save ends).
  Critical Breath
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power
  Benefit: When you score a critical hit with your 
  dragon breath, the target takes ongoing 10 damage (save 
  ends). The ongoing damage is the same type (or types) 
  as the damage from your dragon breath.
  Corrosive Breath
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power that deals acid damage
  Benefit: Each creature hit by your dragon breath
  takes a –2 penalty to AC until the end of your next turn.
  Dragonborn Zeal
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, Dragonborn 
  Frenzy feat
  Benefit: When you use your second wind, you 
  gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls until the end of your 
  next turn. 
   
  Also, the dragonborn zeal racial utility power 
  replaces one of your utility powers. The power it re-
  places must be 12th level or higher. If you do not yet 
  have a power of 12th level or higher, you can replace 
  the appropriate power when you gain it. 
  Dragonborn Zeal  
  Dragonborn Racial Utility
  Your wounds sometimes make you relentless. 
  Daily ✦ Healing 
  Immediate Interrupt 
  Personal 
  Trigger: Your hit points drop to 0 or fewer 
  Effect: You regain hit points equal to your healing surge value 
  + your Charisma modifier. Add your Charisma modifier as 
  a power bonus to your attack rolls and damage rolls against 
  the enemy that reduced you to 0 hit points or fewer until 
  the end of your next turn.
  Frost Breath
   
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath 
  racial power that deals cold damage
   
  Benefit: Each creature hit by your dragon breath is 
  slowed until the end of your next turn.
  Opportunity Breath
   
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath 
  racial power
   
  Benefit: You can use your dragon breath as an 
  opportu-nity action whenever you would be allowed an 
  opportunity attack. You must include the enemy who 
  triggered the opportunity attack in the blast of your 
  dragon breath.
  
  25
  DRAGONBORN FEATS
  DRAGONBORN FEATS
  WILLIAM O’CONNOR
  Spirit Breath
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power, any primal class
  Benefit: When you use a daily primal attack power 
  with a keyword that matches the damage type of your 
  dragon breath, you regain the use of dragon breath.
  Thundering Breath
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power that deals lightning damage
  Benefit: Your dragon breath deals thunder and 
  lightning damage. You can push each target hit by 
  your dragon breath a number of squares equal to your 
  Constitution modifier.
  Toxic Breath
  Prerequisite: 11th level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power that deals poison damage
  Benefit: Choose one creature hit by your dragon 
  breath. That creature is weakened (save ends).
  Epic Tier Feats 
  Any feat in this section is available to a character of 21st 
  level or higher who meets the prerequisites.
  Concussive Breath
   
  Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn, dragon breath 
  racial power that deals lightning damage, Thunder 
  Breath feat
   
  Benefit: Your dragon breath deals thunder and light-
  ning damage. Each target hit by your dragon breath is 
  dazed until the end of your next turn, and you push the 
  target a number of squares equal to your Constitution 
  modifier.
  Conflagration Breath
  Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power that deals fire damage, Burning Breath feat
  Benefit: When you use your dragon breath, you can 
  choose to make its area a zone that lasts until the end of 
  your next turn. Each creature that starts its turn in the 
  zone or enters the zone takes 10 fire damage.
  Debilitating Breath
  Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power that deals poison damage, Toxic Breath feat
  Benefit: Each target hit by your dragon breath is 
  weakened until the end of your next turn.
  Dissolving Breath
  Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power that deals acid damage, Corrosive Breath 
  feat
  Benefit: Each creature hit by your dragon breath
  takes a –3 penalty to all defenses until the end of your 
  next turn.
  Draconic Restoration
  Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power
  Benefit: When you use your second wind, you 
  regain the use of your dragon breath.
  Draconic Triumph
  Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power
  Benefit: When you reduce a nonminion enemy to 
  0 hit points, you regain the use of your dragon breath.
  Freezing Breath
  Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn, dragon breath
  racial power that deals cold damage, Frost Breath feat
  Benefit: Each creature hit by your dragon breath is 
  immobilized until the end of your next turn.
  
  26
  CHIPPY
  R AC E S :  D R AG O N B O R N  |  D ra g o n b o r n  I t e m s
  Dragonborn artisans take pride in their work, and this 
  is particularly true of weapon- and armorsmiths. The 
  smith who crafts a warrior’s gear shares in the glory of 
  that warrior’s deeds, while arming a soldier with inferior 
  gear brings dishonor to the soldier and the smith alike. 
   
  Proud as they are of their work, dragonborn smiths 
  follow ancient traditions in crafting weapons and 
  armor, which gives their goods an archaic or even prim-
  itive look in the eyes of some other races. Dragonborn 
  weapons, in particular, often incorporate bone and rock 
  as well as metal. They seem oversized and often feature 
  jagged, serrated blades. This fearsome appearance 
  doesn’t diminish their effectiveness in the least, for all 
  that dwarven smiths look down their noses at the art-
  istry involved.
   
  The particular construction of dragonborn weapons 
  suits them well for particular magical enchantments. 
  Dragonborn-made axes and blades (heavy and light) 
  are often vicious or jagged weapons, and the most pow-
  erful of them are vorpal weapons. Dragonborn maces 
  and hammers are frequently jarring weapons. 
   
  The following new magic weapons are almost exclu-
  sively crafted by dragonborn hands.
  Bloodletting Weapon 
  Level 14+
  The jagged blade of this oversized sword can inflict a truly horrible 
  wound.
  Lvl 14 
  +2 
  21,000 gp 
  Lvl 24 
  +5 
  525,000 gp
  Lvl 19 
  +3 105,000 gp 
  Lvl 29 
  +6 2,625,000 gp
  Weapon: Heavy blade
  Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: Ongoing 10 damage (save ends)
  Level 24 and 29: Ongoing 20 damage (save ends)
  Property: Whenever you use a weapon power that deals 
  ongoing damage or score a critical hit with this weapon, the 
  target takes a –4 penalty to the first saving throw against that 
  ongoing damage.
   Level 24 and 29: –6 penalty.
  Frightful Weapon 
  Level 2+
  The blade of this axe is a terror to behold, as are the jagged 
  wounds it causes.
  Lvl 2 
  +1 
  520 gp 
  Lvl 17 
  +4 
  65,000 gp
  Lvl 7 
  +2 
  2,600 gp 
  Lvl 22 
  +5 
  325,000 gp
  Lvl 12 
  +3 
  13,000 gp 
  Lvl 27 
  +6 1,625,000 gp
  Weapon: Axe
  Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: +1d10 damage per plus
  Property: You gain an item bonus to Intimidate checks equal 
  to the enhancement bonus of this weapon.
  DRAGONBORN ITEMS
  DRAGONBORN ITEMS
  
  27
  DRAGONBORN ITEMS
  DRAGONBORN ITEMS
  Gutting Weapon 
  Level 3+
  This blade slides easily past armor and through the thickest hide. 
  Pulling it out is not so easy—on the target.
  Lvl 3 
  +1 
  680 gp 
  Lvl 18 
  +4 
  125,000 gp
  Lvl 8 
  +2 
  3,400 gp 
  Lvl 23 
  +5 
  425,000 gp
  Lvl 13 
  +3 
  17,000 gp 
  Lvl 28 
  +6 2,125,000 gp
  Weapon: Light blade
  Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: +1d6 damage per plus
  Power (Daily): Free Action. Trigger: You hit a target with 
  a weapon power using this weapon. Effect: Deal extra 
  damage to the target equal to your Strength modifier + the 
  weapon’s enhancement bonus.
  Knockback Weapon 
  Knockback Weapon 
  Level 4+
  This massive hammer can push your enemies back or knock them 
  down—hard.
  Lvl 4 
  +1 
  840 gp 
  Lvl 19 
  +4 
  105,000 gp
  Lvl 9 
  +2 
  4,200 gp 
  Lvl 24 
  +5 
  525,000 gp
  Lvl 14 
  +3 
  21,000 gp 
  Lvl 29 
  +6 2,625,000 gp
  Weapon: Hammer or mace
  Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: +1d6 damage per plus, and push the target a number 
  of squares equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus.
  Property: When you push a target with a weapon power using 
  this weapon, you push the target 1 additional square.
  Level 14 or 19: 2 additional squares.
  Level 24 or 29: 3 additional squares.
  Power (Daily): Free Action. Trigger: You push a target with a 
  weapon power or a critical hit using this weapon. Effect: The 
  target falls prone at the end of the forced movement.
  Whirlwind Weapon 
  Level 3+
  The shaft of this polearm is so heavy and strong that you can use it 
  to bludgeon a foe already off-balance from a hit with the blade.
  Lvl 3 
  +1 
  680 gp 
  Lvl 18 
  +4 
  125,000 gp
  Lvl 8 
  +2 
  3,400 gp 
  Lvl 23 
  +5 
  425,000 gp
  Lvl 13 
  +3 
  17,000 gp 
  Lvl 28 
  +6 2,125,000 gp
  Weapon: Polearm or spear
  Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: +1d8 damage per plus
  Power (Encounter): Free Action. Trigger: You hit a target with 
  a weapon power using this weapon. Effect: Make a melee 
  basic attack against the same target. If you hit, you deal no 
  damage, but the target grants combat advantage until the 
  end of your next turn.
  Silver Dragon Regalia
  The Silver Dragon Regalia is a set of magic items 
  crafted to work together, once wielded by the generals 
  and champions of Arkhosia’s military forces. The items 
  grant their full power only to dragonborn, though 
  members of other races will find individual items 
  useful. A dragonborn character of any class can make 
  use of the items.
   
  This item set uses the rules for item sets presented in 
  Adventurer’s Vault 2. To gain the benefits of a set, a charac-
  ter must be wielding or wearing one or more items from 
  the set. A stowed item (for example, a magic cloak stuffed 
  in a pack) doesn’t count toward a set’s benefits (though a 
  sheathed weapon is considered to be worn). Wondrous 
  items are an exception and need only be carried in order 
  for a character to gain an item set’s benefits.
  Lore
  History DC 11: The greatest champions of ancient 
  Arkhosia’s armies were called the Silver Dragons, in 
  recognition of the fact that they stood just below the 
  Golden One in rank and authority. Standing outside the 
  command structure of the military, the Silver Dragons 
  led small bands—effectively adventuring parties—in 
  important raids against key targets in the war against 
  Bael Turath.
  History DC 18: Each of the Silver Dragons carried 
  a set of magic items that made them more like their 
  dragon namesakes. Their dragon breath was a terror on 
  the battlefield, and they proved resistant to the mental 
  attacks of their diabolical opponents.
  History DC 23: Jealous of the Silver Dragons’ 
  authority and power, some of the regular generals of 
  Arkhosia’s armies claimed the title of Silver Dragon for 
  themselves and carried their own versions of their spe-
  cial regalia. It’s rumored that cursed or simply inferior 
  versions of the regalia still exist, a danger to those who 
  mistake them for the true items.
  SILVER DRAGON REGALIA ITEMS
  Lvl Name 
  Price (gp) 
  Item Slot
  12+ Arkhosian scepter 
  13,000 
  Rod
  13 
  Silver dragon standard 
  17,000 
  Wondrous item
  14+ Circlet of Arkhosia 
  21,000 
  Head
  15+ Weapon of the conqueror 
  25,000 
  Weapon
  16 
  Silver sky tabard 
  45,000 
  Waist
  SILVER DRAGON REGALIA BENEFITS
  Pieces Benefit
  2 
   You gain an item bonus to Diplomacy and 
  Intimidate checks equal to the number of items you 
  have from this set.
  5 
   Each creature hit by your dragon breath power takes 
  ongoing 5 damage of the same type as your power 
  deals (save ends). 
  Arkhosian Scepter 
  Level 12+
  This silver scepter has a dragon’s head carved at one end. Its magic 
  focuses and enhances the power of your dragon breath.
  Lvl 12 
  +3 
  13,000 gp 
  Lvl 22 
  +5 
  325,000 gp
  Lvl 17 
  +4 
  65,000 gp 
  Lvl 27 
  +6 1,625,000 gp
  Implement (Rod)
  Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: +1d6 damage per plus
  Property: You can apply the enhancement bonus of this item 
  to the attack rolls and damage rolls of your dragon breath 
  power, even if you can’t normally use rods as implements.
  Power (Daily): Free Action. Use this power as you use your 
  dragon breath power. Your dragon breath becomes an area 
  burst 1 within 10 squares for this attack.
  Level 25 or 30: Area burst 2.
  
  28
  R AC E S :  D R AG O N B O R N  |  D ra g o n b o r n  I t e m s
  CHRIS SEAMAN
  Circlet of Arkhosia 
  Level 14+
  This twining silver band has two silver dragon heads with ruby 
  eyes facing each other over your forehead, protecting your mind 
  from being overwhelmed in battle.
  Lvl 14 
   
  21,000 gp 
  Lvl 24 
   
  525,000 gp
  Item Slot: Head
  Property: When you are dazed or stunned, you can make a 
  saving throw against one of those conditions at the start of 
  your turn. If you save, you can act normally on your turn. 
  If you fail, you can make another saving throw against the 
  effect at the end of your turn.
  Level 24: You can also make a saving throw against the 
  dominated condition at the start of your turn.
  Silver Sky Tabard 
  Level 16
  This rich blue coat carries a silver dragon’s head as a crest, and 
  grants you the unstoppable resilience of a dragon.
  Item Slot: Waist 45,000 gp
  Property: You make saving throws against ongoing damage at 
  the start of your turn as well as the end of your turn.
  Standard of the Silver Dragon 
  Level 13
  The silhouette of a silver dragon’s head stands out against the blue 
  background of this standard.
  Wondrous Item 17,000 gp
  Power (Encounter ✦ Zone): Standard Action. When you 
  plant this battle standard in your space or an adjacent 
  square, it creates a zone in a close burst 5. A bloodied ene-
  my that starts its turn within the zone takes 5 cold damage 
  and is slowed until the start of its next turn.
  Weapon of the Conqueror 
  Weapon of the Conqueror 
  Level 15+
  This dragonborn-crafted weapon’s hilt or handle is carved to 
  resemble a dragon’s head. Its magic enhances and expands the 
  power of your dragon breath.
  Lvl 15 
  +3 
  25,000 gp 
  Lvl 25 
  +5 
  625,000 gp
  Lvl 20 
  +4 125,000 gp 
  Lvl 30 
  +6 3,125,000 gp
  Weapon: Axe, heavy blade
  Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: +1d6 damage per plus, or +1d12 damage per plus if 
  you are bloodied.
  Property: You can apply the enhancement bonus of this item 
  to the damage rolls of your dragon breath power.
  Power (Daily): Free Action. Use this power as you use your 
  dragon breath power. Your dragon breath becomes a close 
  burst 3 for this attack.
  Level 25 or 30: Close burst 5.
  
  29
  DRAGONBORN QUESTS
  DRAGONBORN QUESTS
  The variety of backgrounds included in this book can 
  help you describe who your character is, to some extent, 
  by defining where your character came from. Another 
  important way to think about your character, though, is 
  in terms of where he or she is going. What do you want 
  to accomplish, attain, or acquire? What drives you to 
  adventure, leads you on against dangerous odds, and 
  keeps you coming back for more?
   
  The quests in this section can help you define your 
  character’s goals in a way that makes them relevant 
  to your Dungeon Master’s unfolding campaign. If you 
  decide to make one of these quests your own, talk to 
  your DM about what you have in mind. He or she can 
  decide how best to fit it in with other elements of the 
  campaign and set an appropriate reward for achiev-
  ing it, including experience points (which you’ll share 
  with the rest of your party) and possibly a monetary or 
  magical treasure reward. It’s up to the DM to determine 
  what obstacles lie in the way and give you the opportu-
  nity to overcome those challenges. 
   
  Each of the quests on these pages includes some 
  indication of whether it’s most appropriate as a major 
  or a minor quest. In general, a quest that’s shared with 
  your whole party is a major quest, while a personal goal 
  for your character is a minor quest. That’s why most of 
  these quests are minor—they’re intended as motivat-
  ing factors for your character. However, a few of them 
  are so far-reaching in scope that they’d make excellent 
  major quests, driving the action of the whole campaign 
  for a time. Even some of the minor quests here could 
  easily synergize with the goals and actions of other 
  characters in your party.
  Heroic Tier Quests
  These quests are minor goals you might pursue from 
  the beginning of your adventuring career. Heroic tier 
  goals are typically focused on your own development or 
  dealing with the problems of a small region.
  Clan Mission
  You start your adventuring career because the elders 
  of your clan (or some other authority, such as a primal 
  spirit) chose you to accomplish something. It might have 
  been a diplomatic mission, a quest to retrieve an item, 
  or an attempt to destroy a group of monsters before they 
  could overrun your clan’s ancestral home. 
   
  As far as your clan is concerned, this is a minor 
  quest for you alone. However, if it’s starting the cam-
  paign or explaining your presence among this group of 
  adventurers, it should align with the goals of the other 
  characters in the group, perhaps combining with their 
  own minor quests to form the equivalent of a major 
  quest for your whole group.
  Find a Clan
  For whatever reason, you were born without clan. Per-
  haps a parent or a more distant ancestor committed 
  an act of such great dishonor that your clan severed 
  its relationship with the offender. Or perhaps you or 
  a recent ancestor was the sole survivor of an extinct 
  clan—either one wiped out by some catastrophe, or one 
  that simply dwindled away to nothing. In any case, your 
  goal is to find a place in a new clan, one that will accept 
  you despite your history—most likely, by virtue of your 
  glorious deeds.
   
  Is there a particular clan you seek to join? Who are 
  the key elders and leaders of that clan who will deter-
  mine whether to accept you as a member? What do 
  you think you have to accomplish before they’ll accept 
  you? Are you aiming for the bare minimum, or for 
  something so glorious they can’t help but accept you 
  with open arms? This is a fine minor quest, providing 
  an interesting background and context for your early 
  career. Once you achieve it, though, what’s your motiva-
  tion for pursuing further adventures?
  Master Crafter
  Adventure has drawn you away from your original 
  profession as a weaponsmith, but your goal is to wed 
  the two careers by crafting yourself a weapon worthy 
  of the great deeds you hope to accomplish. It might be 
  one of the dragonborn magic weapons described on 
  pages 26–28, or a different item from another source. 
  Crafting it isn’t just a matter of performing the Enchant 
  Magic Item ritual (if it is, it’s not worthy of a quest 
  reward), but of collecting scattered ingredients and lore. 
  This is an ideal minor quest.
  The Platinum Temple
  An ancient shrine atop a remote mountain said to be 
  connected to Bahamut’s domain in the astral realm of 
  Celestia, the Platinum Temple is home to a uniquely 
  dragonborn form of mystical practice in the worship 
  of Bahamut. You seek this temple—to learn its tradi-
  tions (perhaps as a step toward the platinum templar 
  paragon path—see page 15), to speak to a contemplative 
  master there, or perhaps to retrieve a sacred relic you 
  need to defeat an unholy foe. 
   
  Depending on your goal, this quest could occupy 
  the epic or paragon tier. The scope of your purpose can 
  also determine whether this works best as a minor or a 
  major quest.
  Redemption
  You seek to redeem the bad name of your clan—or your-
  self. Some past act of dishonor or cowardice gave your 
  clan a bad name (see the besmirched birthright back-
  ground on page 8), an act so heinous it reflects poorly 
  on every member of the clan. Your goal is to undo that 
  harm to your clan’s name, to earn such glory that your 
  DRAGONBORN QUESTS
  DRAGONBORN QUESTS
  
  30
  clan is known for your deeds and not the vile deeds of 
  the past. 
   
  A single heroic act might be enough to wipe away the 
  stains of the past, but it could take a series of dramatic 
  actions. Your deeds must be great enough that people 
  talk about them, and word spreads among dragonborn 
  even in distantly scattered communities. Do you have a 
  particular deed in mind?
  Tomes of the Ninefold Path
  Nine arcane tomes defined the core teachings of the 
  arcane Order of the Ninefold Path in ancient Arkhosia. 
  Your goal is to collect them all—perhaps as a prerequi-
  site for adopting the ninefold master paragon path (see 
  page 12). Alternatively, you might undertake this quest 
  during the paragon tier, once you’ve already taken the 
  paragon path. The tomes are certain to lie hidden in 
  ancient ruins—both Arkhosian ruins and the remnants 
  of Bael Turath, where they were taken as spoils of war.
   
  This is a fine minor quest that you can undertake 
  while your party pursues other goals in exploring 
  ancient ruins.
  Paragon Tier Quests
  In the paragon tier, choose goals that take you beyond 
  a single city or region or naturally lead to conflict with 
  paragon tier monsters.
  Bahamut’s Crusade
  Your goal is to ride at the head of a mighty army set 
  against the forces of evil. You dream of leading war-
  riors in battle against a great orc horde or hobgoblin 
  army, perhaps subduing a clan of dragonborn devoted 
  to Tiamat, or purging a devil-infested ruin from ancient 
  Bael Turath. Anywhere you can find a great concentra-
  tion of evil, you can imagine leading a crusading force 
  to purify the land in Bahamut’s name.
   
  You might adopt a variation of this quest if you 
  worship a different god. For example, you might be a 
  crusader of Erathis whose goal is to pacify the wilder-
  ness, making it safe for the establishment of a new 
  kingdom. 
   
  This is a minor quest in itself—your goal is simply to 
  lead the crusade. The goal of the crusade is more likely 
  a major quest, and your adventuring companions can 
  all ride alongside you at the head of the army, while you 
  face the most dangerous foes yourself.
  The Dragon Queen 
  You have set yourself against the cult of Tiamat and her 
  servants. You might oppose a faction within your own 
  clan that has turned to worship of the Dragon Queen, 
  or defend a human settlement against an invading force 
  of hobgoblins and dragonspawn that march under the 
  banner of the infamous Red Hand. 
   
  How much of an immediate threat does Tiamat’s cult 
  pose? If it’s small and localized, this might be a minor 
  quest or series of quests you can pursue alongside your 
  party’s goals. If it’s more widespread, this should be a 
  major quest—or, again, a series of them. Steps along the 
  way might include defeating cult leaders, reclaiming 
  stolen artifacts, and foiling key strategies.
  Liberation
  If you come from a dragonbonded clan, you might seek 
  to overthrow the dragon tyrant who rules your people. 
  This could be as straightforward as acquiring enough 
  personal power to defeat the dragon in combat, or it 
  could mean convincing the leaders and other members 
  of your clan to rise up in revolt. 
   
  This is a fine minor quest, but it’s ideal if the other 
  members of your party have some incentive to help 
  you defeat this dragon. Its reign might have an adverse 
  effect on neighboring lands (where other party mem-
  bers might hail from), or it might just have a significant 
  hoard of treasure.
  Pass It On
  You have learned and accomplished much, and more 
  deeds of glory lie before you. Your actions have brought 
  renown to your clan, and your name is greeted with 
  cries of approval wherever your clanmates gather. 
  One responsibility still awaits fulfillment, however: To 
  ensure that you leave a lasting legacy, you must pass on 
  what you have learned. 
   
  You might seek to produce an heir, a child you can 
  train in the ways you have learned. It would be enough, 
  though, just to find a student to learn your techniques 
  and expertise at your side. Your student might accom-
  pany you on your adventures, either as a companion 
  character (using the rules presented in Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide 2) or as a noncombatant you must protect from 
  harm. Or training your protege could be work you 
  undertake between adventures. In either case, this is a 
  minor quest.
  Treasures of Serpentus Rift
  Excavations of the ruins of Serpentus Rift (see page 7) 
  are fairly common, but there’s a treasure waiting in those 
  ruins that has not yet been discovered. You might begin 
  collecting the Silver Dragon Regalia and discover that an 
  item you need lies somewhere in the Rift. Or you might 
  consider it a personal rite of passage to reclaim some 
  treasure—any treasure—from your ancestral homeland, 
  preferably killing some devils along the way. Perhaps a 
  relative of yours is excavating the ruins and comes across 
  dangers that require your expertise to handle. 
   
  This is a fine minor quest for you personally, but it 
  can help draw your entire party into an adventure. It 
  works best if each member of the party has a reason to 
  explore the ruins.
  
  31
  DRAGONBORN QUESTS
  DRAGONBORN QUESTS
  Epic Tier Quests
  You might choose an epic tier quest at the start of your 
  career, but you shouldn’t expect to complete it until 
  you’ve approached the pinnacle of mortal accomplish-
  ment. Your goals can also evolve as you advance in 
  levels, so you might not adopt an epic tier quest until 
  you reach 21st level or higher.
  Arkhosia Reborn
  The fall of ancient Arkhosia was the fall of the dragon-
  born race—so, by extension, the only way to restore the 
  glory of the dragonborn race is to restore the fallen 
  empire. This requires a new emperor—preferably a gold 
  dragon to sit on the Golden One’s throne. 
   
  Finding the Golden One’s throne might be a quest 
  in itself, and collecting various items of regalia could be 
  another. But they all work toward a single goal: estab-
  lishing an emperor to rule over a reborn empire. Ruling 
  it is not your destiny—but the glory of having built it will 
  be yours forever.
  Io’s Sundered Heart
  When Erek-Hus, the King of Terror, sundered Io’s 
  body, he cut the dragon-god’s heart cleanly in half. The 
  sundered halves of Io’s heart give life to Bahamut and 
  Tiamat—but if they were reunited, Io himself could live 
  again. Of course, claiming the two halves of the heart 
  probably means killing both Tiamat and Bahamut—or 
  at least killing one deity and convincing the other to 
  ingest or absorb that half of the heart. 
   
  What do you hope to gain by reuniting the heart? 
  Are you a devotee of Io’s Children who simply wishes 
  to see your god restored? Or are you on the path of the 
  Avatar of Io (see below), seeking to complete this quest 
  in order to achieve your immortality? 
   
  This would be appropriate as a major quest that your 
  entire party pursues. However, if it’s part of completing 
  your epic destiny, it might be a minor quest—despite its 
  far-reaching consequences.
  The King of Terror
  After the primordial Erek-Hus slew Io, Bahamut and 
  Tiamat, rising up from their dead progenitor’s corpse, 
  destroyed the King of Terror. Among those elemental 
  beings and mortals who revere the primordials, how-
  ever, there are some who seek to revive the King of 
  Terror. Collecting fragments of his shattered body, they 
  plan a ritual to reunite the fragments and restore him 
  to life. You make it your mission to stop them.
   
  Foiling the ritual might be a major quest you share 
  with your party, but there might be steps along the 
  way that are more personal for you and appropriate for 
  minor quests. You might seek to disrupt local cults, take 
  out key cult leaders, or find fragments of the primor-
  dial’s body before the cultists do and destroy them.
  Epic Destiny: Avatar of Io
  The ancient dragon god, sundered into two deities at the 
  dawn of time, lives again in you. The only question is whether 
  Bahamut and Tiamat will let you claim his power.
   
  Prerequisite: 21st level, dragonborn
  When a god dies, its power does not vanish. It can be 
  consumed, often by whatever being was mighty enough 
  to slay it. When Asmodeus killed the god he once served, 
  for example, he claimed that power and made himself 
  divine. When the King of Terror killed Io, the god’s 
  sundered body became Bahamut and Tiamat, and those 
  newborn gods claimed Io’s power before Erek-Hus could 
  steal it.
   
  However, it is said that a fragment of Io’s power 
  remained free, neither absorbed by the new deities nor 
  consumed by the primordial. Perhaps controlled by a 
  shard of Io’s mind, the divine power kept itself safely 
  apart, preparing—it is said—for a time when the dragon-
  god would return to life. Some say that one of his loyal 
  angels harbored the fragment of his power, while others 
  claim it was embedded in one of his mortal servants—a 
  dragonborn. (See the shard of Io background on page 
  14 for more ideas.)
   
  Somehow, this shard of divine power has come to 
  rest in you. For now, you are little more than a demi-
  god or an avatar, a distant echo of the dragon-god’s 
  full power. The more power you acquire, however, the 
  stronger Io grows. Through you, Io plans to return and 
  reclaim his mantle as the god of all dragonkind.
  Immortality
  You will live forever, there can be little doubt of that—
  or at least, the power of Io that lives in you will survive 
  the death of your mortal form. If you properly fulfill 
  your destiny, though, it will come to full flower in the 
  rebirth of Io, either replacing Bahamut and Tiamat in 
  the pantheon of gods, or making them his exarchs in a 
  new celestial court.
  Draconic Apotheosis: When you complete your 
  final quest, you have either reunited enough of Io’s scat-
  tered power or amassed enough power of your own 
  to restore Io to life. In a dazzling transformation, your 
  body unfolds and expands, like a butterfly emerging 
  from its cramped chrysalis. Enormous wings spread 
  from your back, thick scales cover your hide, and your 
  thundering roar shakes the earth. You have become Io—
  among the mightiest of gods.
   
  Alternatively, your accumulation of divine power 
  might not transform your own body into the god’s form. 
  Instead, you might begin rebuilding Io’s ancient astral 
  domain and then reforming his body. Your ultimate 
  destiny, then, is not to become Io himself, but to become 
  his favored exarch, serving at his right hand as a reward 
  for your faithful service in returning him to life.
  
  32
  CHRIS SEAMAN
  Avatar of Io Features
  Breath Mastery (21st level): Your dragon breath
  power ignores any resistances or immunities possessed 
  by the target.
   
  Each time you use your dragon breath, you can 
  choose for it to deal acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison 
  damage. 
   
  After you use dragon breath, you gain a +2 bonus to 
  attack rolls and damage rolls with powers that deal the 
  same type of damage as your dragon breath. This benefit 
  lasts until the end of your next turn.
  Draconic Incarnation (21st level): Your Strength 
  score and your Charisma score both increase by 2.
  Wings of Io (24th level): You gain a fly speed of 8, 
  and you can hover.
  Divine Discorporation (30th level): Once per 
  day, when you die and have at least 1 healing surge 
  remaining, your essence escapes from your body and 
  retreats to the Astral Sea to recover its vitality. Make 
  a saving throw at the end of each of your turns; when 
  you succeed, you return to life, spend 1 healing surge, 
  and appear in any space within 10 squares of where 
  you died.
  Avatar of Io Power
  Divine Resistance 
  Avatar of Io Utility 26
  Summoning the divine spark within you, you shrug off what might 
  have been a debilitating effect.
  Encounter
  Immediate Reaction 
  Personal
  Trigger: An attack applies an effect to you that a save can end
  Effect: Make a saving throw against the triggering effect.
  DRAGONBORN AND 
  THE�CURRENT AGE
  After the fall of ancient Arkhosia, the dragonborn clans were 
  scattered among the ruins of the empire. As new kingdoms 
  rose up, the dragonborn struggled to find a place—and many 
  of those struggles were deadly.
   
  With the rise of the human-led empire of Nerath, a 
  tolerance of sorts spread throughout the land. Nerath’s 
  leaders welcomed all of the common races into the empire, 
  not only to make it stronger but also as a way to keep 
  a closer eye on potential enemies. For the dragonborn, 
  in particular, this meant greater dissolution of national 
  identity, as gatherings of anything larger than a small 
  family clan were outlawed. Dragonborn clans were disas-
  sembled, and the dragonborn were sent to live in distant 
  parts of the kingdom. Today, most communities contain 
  a small number of dragonborn, and only a few small, 
  dragonborn-only communities exist along the peripheries 
  of current-age society.
  
  TM
  Sug. Retail: US $9.95  CAN $12.95
  Printed in the U.S.A. 
  251200000
  ISBN: 978-0-7869-5386-8
  EAN
  For use with these 4th Edition DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® products:
  Player’s Handbook® core rulebook
  Dungeon Master’s Guide® core rulebook
  Monster Manual®  core rulebook
  If you want to play the ultimate dragonborn hero, this book 
  is for you.
  This DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® expansion of the Player’s 
  Handbook® core rulebook explores the mysteries of the 
  dragonborn. It presents players with exciting new options 
  for their dragonborn characters, including unique racial 
  feats, powers, paragon paths, and epic destinies. This book 
  also includes ways to ﬂ esh out your dragonborn character’s 
  background and personality.
  Honorable
  Warriors
  Proud
  and
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/D&D 4th Edition/Supplements/Players Handbook Races - Dragonborn.pdf