So the new Mwangi Expanse book introduced the Wyrmblessed bloodline for sorcerers which brought us 10 new dragon types. The imperial and primal dragons offer a new slew of flavorful options and interesting combinations of breath weapons and damage types. This is pretty exciting for caster folks but I was wondering if dragon instinct barbarians can choose from this new list as well?
Each listing comes with a corresponding element and AOE shape so it doesn't seem too far fetched to fill in the mechanical requirements for Dragon Instinct rage. But as far as I know there is no wording to RAW allow Dragon Instincts to choose from these options.
Am I right in my thinking or is there a chance I could play a Cloud Dragon Instinct M'beke dwarf any time soon?
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You summon the fury of a mighty dragon and manifest incredible abilities. Perhaps your culture reveres draconic majesty, or you gained your connection by drinking or bathing in dragon's blood or after watching a marauding wyrm burn your village. Select a type of dragon from Table 3–4: Dragon Instincts to be your instinct's dragon type. Chromatic dragons tend to be evil, and metallic dragons tend to be good.
So RAW, it says explicitly "select from this table." this is pretty unambiguous. Again, by RAW, for Dragon Instinct you have to pick one of the 10 options available to you on the table appearing on page 86 of the CRB.
Now do you think that your GM would let you do this if you asked? I 100% would say of course. None of these effects are overpowered, they are generally in line or identical to other effects that are already in place.
TLDR; By RAW no, but ask your GM.
I think Sea gives bludgeoning damage, which would probably be too much of an upgrade over an element. I think most instincts only grant one physical damage type, and the ones which grant multiple are otherwise worse instincts. So I think that is a balance point.
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Yeah, ask your GM. It is a really minor change and fits in perfectly with existing rules, especially for the cloud dragon. Just make the breath weapon a cone of electricity and you are already done.
If you get into the problematic cases - like forest, sea and crystal - just go with what makes sense. For forest its pretty easy - make it poison resistance, since the creatures has that and it is an effect the breath weapon can apply. Don't be too worried about having two separate physical resistances. The animal instinct is extremely powerful despite having it, so while it might be slightly stronger than intended, it is nothing gamebreaking. If your group is fine with it, it shouldn't be a problem.
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Yeah, ask your GM. It is a really minor change and fits in perfectly with existing rules, especially for the cloud dragon. Just make the breath weapon a cone of electricity and you are already done.
If you get into the problematic cases - like forest, sea and crystal - just go with what makes sense. For forest its pretty easy - make it poison resistance, since the creatures has that and it is an effect the breath weapon can apply. Don't be too worried about having two separate physical resistances. The animal instinct is extremely powerful despite having it, so while it might be slightly stronger than intended, it is nothing gamebreaking. If your group is fine with it, it shouldn't be a problem.
Animal pays for being tankier by having lower damage and not allowing weapons, though. Dragon is probably the most well rounded instinct already.
Animal pays for being tankier by having lower damage and not allowing weapons, though. Dragon is probably the most well rounded instinct already.
Kind of? Dragon gets 2-4 higher damage, depending on level, and is definitely more well-rounded yes. But the damage types are kind of a mixed bag. Doing additional physical damage is usually less situational, especially compared to fire and poison damage. Add to that many animals have two damage types they can do on demand and the deer barb getting reach on a d12 grapple weapon, because theme I guess?
Animal pays for being tankier by having lower damage and not allowing weapons, though. Dragon is probably the most well rounded instinct already.Kind of? Dragon gets 2-4 higher damage, depending on level, and is definitely more well-rounded yes. But the damage types are kind of a mixed bag. Doing additional physical damage is usually less situational, especially compared to fire and poison damage. Add to that many animals have two damage types they can do on demand and the deer barb getting reach on a d12 grapple weapon, because theme I guess?
Fire damage also triggers hella weaknesses though, and it metal af. But yes, you're right that animal has some advantages besides the tanking. I'd just be reluctant to hand those advantages out to instincts that already have their own.
Animal pays for being tankier by having lower damage and not allowing weapons, though.
It's not exactly that simple. The animal barb splits its damage between its weapons and its rage bonus after all.
Like a 7th level dragon barb with a flickmace has +8 rage damage and a 2d8 weapon. A deer barbarian has +5 rage damage, but 2d12 die, which actually pushes the deer barb ahead in terms of damage.
Now obviously a dragon barb with a greatsword gets the same die so that +3 is pure gravy, but that comes with a host of other harder-to-quantify problems associated with using a two-handed weapon (like losing reach, access to shields and adding an extra action every time you want to use an item or open a door) which makes the comparison fundamentally muddier (and why would you use a greatsword on a barbarian anyways).
Animal pays for being tankier by having lower damage and not allowing weapons, though.It's not exactly that simple. The animal barb splits its damage between its weapons and its rage bonus after all.
Like a 7th level dragon barb with a flickmace has +8 rage damage and a 2d8 weapon. A deer barbarian has +5 rage damage, but 2d12 die, which actually pushes the deer barb ahead in terms of damage.
Now obviously a dragon barb with a greatsword gets the same die so that +3 is pure gravy, but that comes with a host of other harder-to-quantify problems associated with using a two-handed weapon (like losing reach, access to shields and adding an extra action every time you want to use an item or open a door) which makes the comparison fundamentally muddier (and why would you use a greatsword on a barbarian anyways).
To be clear, I am not saying that the dragon is far and away better than animal. I think the two are well balanced against each other by their trade-offs. But animal takes some hefty ones. It is the only anathema in the core rulebook with a meaningful combat restriction, for example. So I'm not too sanguine about giving away one instincts perks to another.