Dragon Mage

Some scholars believe that true magic springs only from deep inside an individual creature, such as a dragon or a demon, and those possessing bloodlines from such terrible creatures can tap their personal magical stores.

Others speculate that magic comes only from other planes of existence or from the gods themselves.

The truth is that magic comes from several sources, and powerful beings can utilize any wellspring of magic to craft spells and fuel seemingly miraculous effects. One of the first creatures to master all types of magic were the majestic and terrible dragons. Although they were capable of controlling the elements and inducing terrible fear, they also mastered more subtle magic. They wove a tapestry of magic into their homes, giving their lairs innate defenses.

They taught their servants, from humans to kobolds to elves, how to make use of the magic that permeated the atmosphere. and they also passed on to their kin—both true dragons and lesser creatures—the kind of magic that roiled in blood and bone.

Dragon magic is a distinct branch of arcane study, founded in the Draconic language and in an elemental understanding of arcane forces.

Wizards practice the subtle magic of pulling power from thin air and shaping it to fit their needs. Sorcerers tame the chaotic power within themselves, releasing it in barely controlled gouts of magical eruptions. Wizards who walk the path between these two diverse means of using magic are called dragon mages, and they meld the order of wizardry with the chaos of elemental mastery to grant themselves special powers.

Dragon mages manifest their magic in a variety of styles, as diverse as the kinds of dragons and the types of magic that populate the worlds. Kobolds serving as councilors to great wyrms are taught by their masters to harness their innate draconic nature through the use of more traditional spells. A wild-eyed human, oozing sorcerous magic thanks to an ancient draconic ancestor, might find a kindly wizard to help her focus her power. Special legions of dragonborn troops train with a master dragon mage, learning to better defend their homeland from invaders.

If you’re a wizard who wants to become a dragon mage, you make that decision upon reaching 2nd level, when you are also entitled to choose an arcane tradition. If you decide to follow the path of the dragon mage exclusively, you can forego the selection of an arcane tradition and gain the features of the dragon mage specialty instead. You can also pursue the dragon mage specialty in conjunction with one of the standard arcane traditions.

If you choose to do this, you gain the Savant feature of your chosen school in addition to Dragon Magic Savant (described below). Also at 2nd level, you choose whether to gain Invoke Dragon Mask (see below) or the 2nd-level feature of your chosen school. Thereafter, at 6th, 10th, and 14th level, you choose between the lowest-level features still available. For instance, an enchanter might select Hypnotic Gaze at 2nd level and Invoke Dragon Mask at 6th level, followed by either Instinctive Charm or Invoke Dragon Heart at 10th level.

Dragon Magic Savant

Beginning when you take up this specialty at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy a dragon magic spell into your spellbook is halved.

Invoke Dragon Mask

Starting at 2nd level, you can invoke a magic dragon mask. You use a bonus action and expend a spell slot to invoke the mask, which lasts for 3 rounds for each level of the expended spell slot. The dragon mask remains as long as you are not incapacitated, until you use a bonus action to dismiss or replace it, or until the duration expires. The mask is a translucent magical force, in the form of a dragon’s head, which covers your face. Your face is still visible through the mask, and the mask does not hinder vision.

While you wear your dragon mask, you receive the following benefits and drawbacks:

  • You have a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
  • You gain a bite attack. As an action, make a melee spell attack against one adjacent target. On a hit, the target takes piercing damage equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier. This attack counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming a target’s immunity or resistance to piecing damage.
  • You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
  • Attack rolls for any ranged or melee attack spells you cast while wearing the mask are made with disadvantage, and saving throws against spells you cast while wearing the mask are made with advantage.
  • As a bonus action, you can expend an additional spell slot to augment the damage of your next dragon mask bite attack. The damage increases by 1d8 for each level of the expended spell slot, and you have advantage on the attack roll.

Invoke Dragon Heart

Starting at 6th level, you can invoke a magic dragon heart. You use a bonus action and expend a spell slot to invoke the heart, which lasts for 3 rounds for each level of the expended spell slot. The dragon heart remains as long as you are not incapacitated, until you use a bonus action to dismiss or replace it, or until the duration expires.

The heart is a translucent magical force, in the form of a beating heart, which covers your chest. Your body is still visible through the heart.

While you wear your dragon heart, you receive the following benefits:

  • You have a bonus to Wisdom and Charisma saving throws equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
  • You gain temporary hit points equal to twice your wizard level. These temporary hit points are lost when your heart is no longer active.
  • You gain a breath weapon attack. You can use an action to shoot a 30-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line of energy (dealing your choice of acid, cold, fire, or lightning damage) from your dragon heart in a direction you choose. Each creature in the line must make a successful Dexterity saving throw or take 4d6 damage of the chosen type. The damage type cannot be changed while your current dragon heart is active.
  • As a bonus action, you can expend an additional spell slot to augment the damage of your next dragon heart breath weapon attack. The damage increases by 2d6 for each level of the expended spell slot, and you can add 10 feet of length to the line for each level of the expended spell slot.

Invoke Dragon Wings

Starting at 10th level, you can invoke a set of magical dragon wings. You use a bonus action and spend a spell slot to invoke the dragon wings, which last for 2 rounds per level of the spent spell slot. The dragon wings remain as long as you are not incapacitated, until the duration ends, or until they are dismissed or replaced by using a bonus action.

While you wear your dragon wings, you receive the following benefits:

  • Your speed increases by 10 feet, and you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed.
  • You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
  • You have advantage on any melee or ranged spell attack rolls.
  • As a bonus action, you can spend an additional spell slot to augment your wings. Until the start of your next turn, you can add 5 feet of additional speed for each level of the expended spell slot spent.

Additionally, you can choose one creature within 10 feet of you for each level of the expended spell slot, and ranged attacks against those creatures are made with disadvantage.

Invoke Dragon Tail

Starting at 14th level, you can invoke a magic dragon tail. You use a bonus action and expend a spell slot to invoke the tail, which lasts for 1 round per level of the spent spell slot. The dragon tail remains as long as you are not incapacitated, until you use a bonus action to dismiss or replace it, or until the duration expires. The dragon tail is a translucent magical force, in the form of a 15-foot-long appendage capable of striking with great impact.

While you wear your dragon tail, you receive the following benefits.

  • You are immune to the grappled condition.
  • You are have proficiency with Strength and Dexterity saving throws and any ability checks using Strength. In addition, you can use your Intelligence modifier instead of the normal modifier for those saving throws and checks.
  • You gain a tail slam attack. As an action, you make a separate melee spell attack against each target within 15 feet of you. On a hit, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 3d10 + your Intelligence modifier. A creature hit by this attack is pushed up to 10 feet away from you and knocked prone unless it succeeds on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. This attack counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming a target’s immunity or resistance to bludgeoning damage.
  • As a reaction, you can make a tail slam attack against a creature that moves to within 15 feet of your tail.
  • As a bonus action, you can spend an additional spell slot to augment your dragon tail. Until the start of your next turn, your dragon tail’s slam attack damage increases by 1d10 per level of the spell slot spent. In addition, you heal yourself for 3 hit points per level of the spell slot spent.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Deep Magic for 5th Edition © 2020 Open Design LLC; Authors: Dan Dillon, Chris Harris, and Jeff Lee.