Dragon’s Breath Dungeons and Dragons 5e Spell Guide

Dragon’s Breath: A Powerful Spell From The Past

Unleash the prowess of ancient dragons by magically imbuing your breath with the ability to expel elemental havoc. This thematic spell is quite a trick to master, but its utility justifies the learning curve for those who dare to venture.

Details of Dragon’s Breath

Potential Damage

Upon casting, you empower one creature of your choosing to release a 15-foot cone of damage from its mouth. The choice of damage type – be it cold, acid, or lightning – is up to you.

Usage Instruction

Creatures within the spell’s effect range can make a Dexterity saving throw, enduring 3d6 damage on a failed roll and half as much if successful. Moreover, if you cast the spell using a spell slot of 3rd Level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each level above 2nd.

Understanding Dragon’s Breath

What is Dragon’s Breath?

Dragon’s Breath is a moderate area effect spell that inflicts decent damage. Its repeatable concentration spell creates a 15-foot cone that can affect up to three medium-sized targets nearby.

What Classes Can Use Dragon’s Breath

Dragon’s Breath is a spell that is not exclusive to wizards and sorcerers alone; it can also be harnessed by Arcane Trickster Rogues and Eldritch Knight Fighters once they reach the 8th level. This expansive applicability of the spell makes it an incredibly enticing choice for those who possess these classes and levels. By extending the availability of Dragon’s Breath beyond traditional spellcasters, the spell opens up a realm of possibilities for characters with different abilities and combat styles. The versatility and utility provided by Dragon’s Breath at the 8th level create a sense of excitement and allure, as it presents a unique opportunity for these classes to add a new dimension to their combat repertoire. This broad applicability of Dragon’s Breath ensures that it is not confined to a specific subset of characters. Still, it becomes a viable option for a broader range of adventurers. Including Arcane Trickster Rogues and Eldritch Knight Fighters at the 8th level in the roster of classes capable of utilizing Dragon’s Breath adds depth and variety to the game, allowing players to explore different playstyles and tactics. This expanded access to Dragon’s Breath ultimately contributes to the richness and diversity of character choices within magic and combat, providing players an enticing alternative and enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

Pros & Cons of Dragon’s Breath

Pros

• Versatility in Damage Type: One of the main benefits of Dragon’s Breath is the ability to choose the type of damage. This versatility can be essential when dealing with enemies with immunities or resistance to certain types of damage. For instance, if confronted by a group of Yuan-Ti set on destroying your NPC ally, you would know not to unleash poison breath as it wouldn’t affect them. Instead, you could opt for fire breath to turn them into ash.
• Economical Action Economy: Another advantage of this spell is that it only requires a bonus action to cast. After casting the spell, you take action to release the spell’s effect or use a weapon to attack, if you’ve cast the spell on a creature. This efficiency makes it quite convenient in the heat of battle.

Cons

• Concentration Requirement: The chief drawback of Dragon’s Breath is its concentration requirement. This necessitates a strategic choice between casting this and other potent spells requiring your focus.
• Less Effective Than Other Options: Despite being an area effect spell, Dragon’s Breath may be less effective than other spells like ‘Shatter’, which can inflict more damage to a larger number of creatures simultaneously.
• Action Economy: Although casting the spell only requires a bonus action, to release its harmful effect, an action is needed in each turn, which might limit other actions during combat.
• Higher Level Feasibility: The spell’s damage output is acceptable and economical at lower levels, but beyond level 5, better options are available for most spellcasters and martial characters.
• Metamagic Usage: Dragon’s Breath is not ideally suited for common metamagic effects. A sorcerer may find this limiting.
• Twinning: As the principal rules designer at WoTC explained, this spell cannot be ‘twinned’ – limiting its potential in certain strategies.

Roleplay Opportunities with Dragon’s Breath

Perhaps one of the most enjoyable aspects of this spell is the material component – a hot pepper. The thought of biting into a chili and belching fire certainly adds a fantastic, humorous element to your spellcasting, creating unforgettable moments in your campaign.

Embracing the draconic essence of this spell makes it an impeccable choice for those yearning to channel the formidable prowess of the world of D&D’s most powerful creatures – the dragons.

Especially if you’re a Draconic sorcerer, this spell truly makes you feel the adrenaline rush and sheer awe of exhaling fire and other elemental forces from your mouth. It’s as if you’re stepping into the shoes of a dragon itself, creating an experience that’s both thrilling and powerful.

Creative Uses of Dragon’s Breath

The Dragon Death Drone

One practical application of Dragon’s Breath is casting it on a familiar – an approach confirmed by the WoTC chief rules designer. However, be aware that this tactic puts your familiar at risk.

A Dungeon Master employing well-crafted monsters can quickly take down your 1hp ally unless you manage to keep them safe. This is why choosing an owl as your familiar is highly beneficial; its flyby feature lets it stay clear of other entities without provoking opportunity attacks.

If you are a multi-class Warlock, you might consider opting for an imp, quasit, or sprite as your familiar. These entities can remain concealed when employing Dragon’s Breath, making them challenging to spot and hit.

Dragon’s Breath Builds

Eldritch knights and Arcane tricksters find Dragon’s Breath an incredibly desirable spell due to its exceptional ability to deliver high damage output while requiring minimal casting slot requirements. The spell’s inherent power lies in its capacity to channel dragons’ raw and fiery energy, allowing these classes to unleash devastating attacks upon their foes.

For Eldritch knights, who possess a unique blend of martial prowess and arcane spellcasting, Dragon’s Breath perfectly complements their combat style. By imbuing their weapon with the elemental fury of dragonfire, Eldritch knights can unleash devastating strikes that deal both physical and elemental damage. This synergistic combination makes them formidable adversaries, catching opponents off guard with the unexpected burst of fiery power.

Similarly, Arcane tricksters, known for their cunning and versatility, find Dragon’s Breath an invaluable tool in their repertoire. With their adeptness in both stealth and magic, Arcane tricksters can employ the spell to create chaos and confusion during encounters. By harnessing the power of Dragon’s Breath, they can unleash fiery projectiles or create zones of intense heat that engulf their adversaries, effectively turning the tide of battle in their favor.

One of the key advantages of Dragon’s Breath is its limited casting slot requirements. This aspect allows Eldritch knights and Arcane tricksters to maximize their efficiency in combat without depleting their magical resources too quickly. By using Dragon’s Breath sparingly, these classes can reserve their spell slots for other essential spells or abilities, ensuring they remain versatile and adaptable throughout prolonged engagements.

Furthermore, the versatility of Dragon’s Breath extends beyond its raw damage potential. Its fiery nature can also be utilized outside of combat situations, providing Eldritch knights and Arcane tricksters with additional utility. Whether lighting darkened areas, creating distractions, or even intimidating potential adversaries, the spell’s fiery aura can be a multi-functional tool for these cunning characters.

Final Thoughts

While Dragon’s Breath is an exceptional spell for low-level casters, its potential may be outshined by other, more potent, high-level spells. It can be instrumental to your strategy but shouldn’t be solely relied upon.

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