Half-Dragon (4e Race)

Half-Dragon

Ferocious, honorable warriors, the perfect fusion of civilized race and great drake

Racial Traits

Average Height: 5' 6'"-6' 2"

Average Weight: 140-230 lb.

Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Draconic

CHROMATIC HALF-DRAGONS Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity or Strength Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Perception Chromatic Bloodline: You have the chromatic bloodline power. Chromatic Fury: When you're bloodied, you gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls This increases to +2 at 11th, and +3 at 21st level.

METALLIC HALF-DRAGONS Ability Scores: +2 Constitution or Charisma Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Insight Metallic Bloodline: You have the metallic bloodline power. Metallic Heritage: Your healing surge value is equal to one-quarter of your maximum hit points + your Constitution modifier.

Chromatic Bloodline	Half-Dragon Racial Power
You unleash the chromatic dragon within and take on a chromatic countenance.
Encounter
Minor Action	Personal
Requirement: You must be bloodied.
Effect: Until the end of the encounter, your speed increases by 2, while you are bloodied you gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls.
This increases to a +2 while bloodied at 11th level, and +3 while bloodied at 21st level.

Metallic Bloodline	Half-Dragon Racial Power
You unleash the metallic dragon within and take on a metallic countenance.
Encounter  Healing
Minor Action	Personal
Requirement: You must be bloodied.
Effect: Until the end of the encounter, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex. In addition, while you are bloodied, you gain regeneration 2.
This increases to regeneration 4 at 11th level, and increases to 6 at 21st level.

By Aaron H.

Heir to an ancient, draconic bloodline, half-dragons have no realms of their own. They instead live in distant territories, or within human kingdoms and cities. They are the offspring of princesses and the young dragons who kidnap them. Half-dragons are fierce hunters strongly influenced by their draconic bloodline. Though they can’t fully change shape as their ancestors can, half-dragons do become more draconic during the heat of battle, calling on the power of the dragon within. They can be found almost anywhere, wandering as outcasts and gypsies, or living as nobles and kings amongst the greatest of society. They could be a great fighter with predator tendencies, a plucky ranger who hunts for a living, or a secluded invoker who wears a hood to hide her draconic appearance.

Play a half-dragon if you want...

• to tap into draconic strength or speed in battle.
• to be a character in tune with your draconic savage nature.
• to be a member of a race that favors the avenger, dracomancer, invoker, and shaman classes.

Physical Qualities

In broad strokes, half-dragons resemble humans with draconic features. Their bodies are lithe and strong, and they often move in a crouched posture, springing and leaping along the ground. Their appearance testifies to their draconic bloodline. They have horns; claws; a thick, nonprehensile tail that ranges in length from 4 to 5 feet; sharply pointed teeth; and slitted eyes. Their skin covers the whole human range, and also extends to chromatic and metallic colors. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is likely to be chromatic, metallic or more common human colors. It is rare for a half-dragon to have wings. Chromatic half-dragons claim chromatic dragons as ancestors and have a vaguely chromatic cast to their features that becomes much more pronounced when they use their chromatic bloodline power. Metallic half-dragons are conceived by metallic dragons and are more metallic, particularly when using metallic bloodline. Half-dragons usually live as long as humans.

Playing a Half-Dragon

Half-dragons are strongly influenced by their draconic bloodline. They think and act like predators, conceiving of most activities in terms of hunting and prey.

Metallic half-dragons are drawn to a pack of companions, whether it's a family group or an adventuring party. They work well as part of a team in combat, coordinating attacks with their allies and coming to the aid of beleaguered friends. They’re drawn to the leader and defender roles, and they make excellent clerics, dracomancers, fighters, paladins, and wardens.

Chromatic half-dragons are more independent, self-reliant, and adaptable. They’re no less devoted to their adventuring companions, but they trust their allies to take care of themselves, and they strive to carry their own weight in the group. They’re inclined to be strikers or controllers, and they favor classes such as avenger, dracomancer, ranger, rogue, or sorcerer.

Historically, most half-dragons met and lived in nomadic bands in plains and forests far removed from cities and towns. Since the fall of Nerath, however, the increasing dangers of the wilds have driven many half-dragons into closer proximity to human and elf communities. Some half-dragons have adapted smoothly to this change, carving out a niche for themselves in kingdoms and cities. Others have a much harder time fitting in. Half-dragons who feel alienated from the plains and forests they love sometimes take up the adventuring life as a way of escaping the confines of city walls and return to their territory. Some half-dragons, though, turn to a life of crime, preying on the residents of their new homes like the hunters they are.

Alternatively, there are egotistical and lonely half-dragons. Some half-dragons see their draconic bloodline as superior over other races, while others view it as a curse. Some choose to view themselves as no different than a half-elf. The lives of most hybrid races hold little companionship, but even more so for half-dragons. Very rarely, there half-dragons who live for hundreds of years. To these half-dragons a lifelong friendship or romance can feel like a fling. Sometimes when lone half-dragons find each other, they don't feel inclined to stay. Most races feel estranged or scared by the alien appearance of a half-dragon.

Chromatic half-dragons often believe they deserve everything they claim because of their bloodline. They seek out treasure wherever it hides and take glee in resorting to violence to get it. Chromatic half-dragons are predators. They can be merciless socialites or literal predators. Some chromatic half-dragons feel ashamed of their bloodline and seek adventure to save themselves from themselves. Some wish to lose themselves seeking gold, anonymity, battle, or death.

Metallic half-dragons see a different side of the story. Because their metallic bloodline is seen as a blessing and not a curse, they are treated well. Some are adopted at an early age by noble families and raised as royalty, while others are born into it. Some find themselves serving the divine. There is a higher percentage of metallic half-dragons who serve divine forces. A few metallic half-dragons view this as an advantage and try to manipulate others to get what they want. Many choose a life of adventure to protect the people who accept them or to serve higher ideals, while others are just in it for themselves.

Half-Dragon Characteristics: Elemental, fierce, free-spirited, intuitive, perceptive, predatory, proud, self-reliant, territorial, unrestrained

Male Names: Astarot, Ladon, Fraener, Nidhogg, Pendragon, Pythios, Ryuu, Samael, Tatsuo, Uther

Female Names: Adelind, Chumana, Chusi, Coaxoch, Hydra, Linda, Medusa, Melusine, Mindy, Tanith

Some young half-dragons, striving to find a place in the world, choose a name that signifies a concept and then try to embody the concept. For some, the chosen name is a noble quest. For others, it’s a grim destiny.

Examples: Asunder, Chaos, Clarity, Despair, Dream, Fear, Gladness, Hope, Ideal, Love, Master, Nowhere, Open, Power, Quest, Redemption, Revenge, Sorrow, Torment, Weary

Half-Dragon Adventurers

Six sample half-dragon adventurers are described below.

Hope is a metallic half-dragon dracomancer whose tribe still wanders a pristine territory far from any human cities. She was her tribe’s firewalker, a religious leader who traveled among the different clans of her tribe. One winter, she journeyed to visit the northernmost clan and was unable to find them. She traveled farther and farther afield until she came upon a hobgoblin city. While sneaking into the city, she discovered that the surviving members of the clan were now slaves of the hobgoblins. She hopes to return to that city one day to free her people, but in the meantime she is very interested in the power she has gained through adventuring.

Fraener is a metallic half-dragon fighter. He had a distinguished history of military command and service. Everything from fighting alongside dragonborn gladiators to commading elven archers and human barbarians. A few years ago, he was in charge of a battalion of fiend hunting crusaders. They hunted the diabolical creature for days. Upon being caught, it promised Fraener incredible riches if he killed his company so it could take their souls. Fraener was seduced by the treasure and sold his soul to a literal devil. Mortified by his actions, he resigned as a mercenary and drowned his sorrow in mead for what he had done. When his fortune ran out, he sought redemption for his actions. His once gleaming armor is now painted black and the various medals that decorated his chest are long gone. In combat, Fraener doesn't hesitate to put himself in danger and will lead his comrades to the safest victory possible.

Dream is a chromatic half-dragon ranger who prays daily that Bahamut will help her keep her commitment to live justly and honorably. She has no love for Bahamut’s priests and temples, but she feels a personal connection to the Platinum Dragon, who inspires her to acts of nobility and sacrifice. She leads a group of adventurers in strikes against evil forces but dreams of one day leading an army under Bahamut’s banner. In his name, she struggles to keep her violent temper and cruel streak under tight control.

Nidhogg is a chromatic half-dragon avenger dedicated to Tiamat. He knows no tribe except the remote monastery where he was raised and trained. For many years, he never knew another half-dragon, and he believed himself to be a human who was specially blessed for the work of Tiamat—endowed with speed, stealth, and strength to make him more perfect in her service. Upon reaching adulthood, he left the monastery and ventured into the world on his first major undertaking for his order. There he discovered others of his race and has begun to question fundamental assumptions of his identity. Disillusioned about his god’s work, he has taken up with a group of adventurers while he sorts out his place in a world that is much different from anything he previously imagined.

Revenge is a chromatic half-dragon ranger. Though she is devoted to mastering the two-blade style of her noble house, her destructive nature and constant urge to do battle left her family in ruin. Money used to pay off officials and repay damage to the town left the family in debt. After having money loaned to them, the family rose from almost poverty to prosperity, but not without a price. After a few years of escaping and dodging thugs, the family made an escape to the big city to restart their life. But it didn't take long for the loaner to catch up with them. While Revenge was out, her entire family was killed by his thugs. Now she travels the realm, in search of the man who killed her family so that she can grant him a slow and painful death.

Tanith is a chromatic dragon invoker and product of the breeding pits in the material plane. The fortress she born in was razed by a group of adventurers days after her birth. Being the last living thing in the castle, the good hearted adventurers showed mercy and brought her to the nearest orphanage. Though she was a strange child, the village itself was an oddity of many different races so she was looked after with support and kindness. Though her arrogance is amplified by her chromatic bloodline and invoker training, she doesn't view the people that surround her with disdain. As most in her profession, she wants to learn more prayers and rituals that give her power. In combat, she views her powers as mere experiments, her enemies as test subjects, and the wounds she sustains as accidents. It's accurate to say Tanith doesn't take combat very seriously, though she would beg to differ.

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