Draconic Bloodline subclass icon: a small coiled dragon
Icon by Lorc, CC BY 3.0

Draconic Bloodline 5e sorcerer subclass

The sorcerer with dragon blood: tougher than other sorcerers, harder hitting with one element, and eventually winged.

Jump to: Features by level · Playing the Draconic Bloodline · 2014 features · What changed in 2024 · 2024 features · Common questions

Draconic Bloodline at a glance

Class
Sorcerer
Subclass type
Sorcerous Origin, chosen at 1st level (level 3 in 2024)
2024 rules
Renamed Draconic Sorcery
Key abilities
Charisma, then Constitution
Spells
2014: none; 2024: Draconic Spells
Source
System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2 (Player’s Handbook 2014 and 2024)

The sorcerer class page has the class features this subclass builds on, and the sorcerer spell list the rest of your spells come from.

Draconic Bloodline features by level

The sorcerer subclass features you gain at each sorcerer level, in the 2014 rules and the 2024 rules. Each one links to its full text below.

Who the Draconic Bloodline suits

The Draconic Bloodline is for players who want a blaster with a strong theme. You choose a dragon and its element, and your character’s look, spells and features all point the same way. It is also the sturdiest sorcerer, with natural armor and extra hit points, which makes it forgiving for a new player.

It works best if you commit to your element. Pick a damage type your spell list covers well, such as fire or lightning, and most of your damage will get the Elemental Affinity bonus.

How the Draconic Bloodline plays

2014 rules. At 1st level you choose a dragon ancestor, which sets your damage type: black or copper for acid, blue or bronze for lightning, brass, gold or red for fire, green for poison, silver or white for cold. You speak Draconic and double your proficiency bonus on Charisma checks with dragons. Draconic Resilience adds 1 hit point per sorcerer level and makes your AC 13 + your Dexterity modifier without armor. Elemental Affinity (6th) adds your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of spells of your type, and 1 sorcery point buys resistance to it for an hour. Dragon Wings (14th) give a flying speed equal to your speed, and Draconic Presence (18th) spends 5 sorcery points on an aura that charms or frightens.

2024 rules. The subclass is Draconic Sorcery, chosen at level 3. Draconic Resilience gives 3 extra hit points at level 3 and 1 more each level, and your base AC without armor is 10 + your Dexterity and Charisma modifiers. You always have the Draconic Spells prepared, such as Chromatic Orb, Dragon’s Breath and Fly. Elemental Affinity (level 6) lets you choose acid, cold, fire, lightning or poison, and gives permanent resistance to it plus the Charisma damage bonus. Dragon Wings give a 60-foot fly speed for an hour, and Dragon Companion (level 18) lets you cast Summon Dragon without a Material component, once per long rest without a slot, and without Concentration (for 1 minute) whenever you like.

Ability scores for a Draconic sorcerer

Charisma first: it sets your spell save DC and, with Elemental Affinity, adds to your damage; in 2024 it also adds to your Armor Class. Constitution second for hit points and concentration, and Dexterity third for Armor Class and initiative.

With the standard array: Charisma 15, Constitution 14, Dexterity 13, Wisdom 12, Intelligence 10, Strength 8. In 2014, Draconic Resilience’s AC 13 + Dexterity matches mage armor, so you don’t need that spell.

Spells and feats to pair with it

Choose spells that deal your element. For fire: Burning Hands, Scorching Ray, Fireball and Fire Bolt. For lightning: Lightning Bolt and Shocking Grasp. For cold: Ray of Frost and Cone of Cold. Elemental Affinity adds to one damage roll of a spell, so area spells that hit many creatures gain the most. Chromatic Orb (a 2024 Draconic spell) lets you pick your element.

Elemental Adept is the classic feat for a draconic blaster, since it lets your chosen type ignore resistance. War Caster or a Constitution increase protects concentration, and in 2024 Magic Initiate can add Shield if you took it from the wizard list.

Draconic Bloodline features (2014 rules, SRD 5.1)

Your innate magic comes from draconic magic that was mingled with your blood or that of your ancestors. Most often, sorcerers with this origin trace their descent back to a mighty sorcerer of ancient times who made a bargain with a dragon or who might even have claimed a dragon parent. Some of these bloodlines are well established in the world, but most are obscure. Any given sorcerer could be the first of a new bloodline, as a result of a pact or some other exceptional circumstance.

Dragon Ancestor

1st level

At 1st level, you choose one type of dragon as your ancestor. The damage type associated with each dragon is used by features you gain later.

Draconic Ancestry

DragonDamage Type
BlackAcid
BlueLightning
BrassFire
BronzeLightning
CopperAcid
GoldFire
GreenPoison
RedFire
SilverCold
WhiteCold

You can speak, read, and write Draconic. Additionally, whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with dragons, your proficiency bonus is doubled if it applies to the check.

Draconic Resilience

1st level

As magic flows through your body, it causes physical traits of your dragon ancestors to emerge. At 1st level, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.

Additionally, parts of your skin are covered by a thin sheen of dragon-like scales. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.

Elemental Affinity

6th level

Starting at 6th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage of the type associated with your draconic ancestry, you can add your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of that spell. At the same time, you can spend 1 sorcery point to gain resistance to that damage type for 1 hour.

Dragon Wings

14th level

At 14th level, you gain the ability to sprout a pair of dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn.

You can't manifest your wings while wearing armor unless the armor is made to accommodate them, and clothing not made to accommodate your wings might be destroyed when you manifest them.

Draconic Presence

18th level

Beginning at 18th level, you can channel the dread presence of your dragon ancestor, causing those around you to become awestruck or frightened. As an action, you can spend 5 sorcery points to draw on this power and exude an aura of awe or fear (your choice) to a distance of 60 feet. For 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were casting a concentration spell), each hostile creature that starts its turn in this aura must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed (if you chose awe) or frightened (if you chose fear) until the aura ends. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to your aura for 24 hours.

What changed in 2024

The 2024 Player’s Handbook revised the Draconic Bloodline as the Draconic Sorcery, and the System Reference Document 5.2 has the new version. The biggest differences in play:

Feature by feature

Draconic Sorcery features in the 2024 rules (SRD 5.2)

Breathe the Magic of Dragons

Your innate magic comes from the gift of a dragon. Perhaps an ancient dragon facing death bequeathed some of its magical power to you or your ancestor. You might have absorbed magic from a site infused with dragons' power. Or perhaps you handled a treasure taken from a dragon's hoard that was steeped in draconic power. Or you might have a dragon for an ancestor.

Level 3: Draconic Resilience

The magic in your body manifests physical traits of your draconic gift. Your Hit Point maximum increases by 3, and it increases by 1 whenever you gain another Sorcerer level.

Parts of you are also covered by dragon-like scales. While you aren't wearing armor, your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Charisma modifiers.

Level 3: Draconic Spells

When you reach a Sorcerer level specified in the Draconic Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.

Draconic Spells

Level 6: Elemental Affinity

Your draconic magic has an affinity with a damage type associated with dragons. Choose one of those types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison.

You have Resistance to that damage type, and when you cast a spell that deals damage of that type, you can add your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of that spell.

Level 14: Dragon Wings

As a Bonus Action, you can cause draconic wings to appear on your back. The wings last for 1 hour or until you dismiss them (no action required). For the duration, you have a Fly Speed of 60 feet.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you spend 3 Sorcery Points (no action required) to restore your use of it.

Level 18: Dragon Companion

You can cast Summon Dragon without a Material component. You can also cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in this way when you finish a Long Rest.

Whenever you start casting the spell, you can modify it so that it doesn't require Concentration. If you do so, the spell's duration becomes 1 minute for that casting.

Common questions

What AC does a Draconic Bloodline sorcerer have?

In 2014, 13 + your Dexterity modifier while you aren’t wearing armor. In 2024, 10 + your Dexterity and Charisma modifiers while you aren’t wearing armor.

How does Elemental Affinity work?

When you cast a spell that deals damage of your draconic type, you add your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of that spell. In 2014 you can also spend 1 sorcery point for resistance to that type for an hour; in 2024 you have that resistance all the time.

Which dragon ancestor should I pick?

In 2014, pick the type your spells will use most. Fire (brass, gold or red) has the most spells but is the most often resisted; lightning (blue or bronze) and cold (silver or white) are good alternatives.

Can you fly in armor with Dragon Wings?

In 2014, you can’t manifest your wings while wearing armor unless it’s made to fit them. The 2024 text has no armor limit.

When do you choose the Draconic Bloodline?

At 1st level in the 2014 rules, and at level 3 in the 2024 rules, where it is called Draconic Sorcery.

The Draconic Bloodline compared with other options

PageHow it compares
Sorcerer classSorcery points, Metamagic and Font of Magic, the base every origin uses.
School of EvocationThe wizard’s blaster: more spells, fewer hit points and Sculpt Spells to spare allies.
The FiendThe other Charisma blaster, with fire spells and temporary hit points.
FireballThe classic spell for a red, gold or brass dragon sorcerer.

How to build a sorcerer with the Draconic Bloodline

Open the builder, choose the 2014 or 2024 rules on the first step, pick Sorcerer as your class, and choose the Draconic Bloodline (the Draconic Sorcery in the 2024 rules) as your sorcerous origin once your character is 1st level (3rd in the 2024 rules). The builder works out everything the rules can: hit points, Armor Class, attack bonuses, spell save DC and the subclass’s spells.

Other SRD subclasses

Back to the Sorcerer class or all classes.