Dragon Breath Magic

"Ah, this character sheet is kind of useless." Anse couldn't help complaining.

In the game, there was no barrier to becoming a Professional. In reality, you needed intelligence to become a Mage and talent to become a Sorcerer.

The two highlighted subclasses were Draconic Bloodline and Wild Magic.

Draconic Bloodline: "Dragon Breath Magic."

Wild Magic: "Release the Chaotic Mana beneath the order of creation."

The former was because he had Silver Dragon blood. The latter was because the Weave had collapsed, unleashing primal mana and expanding Wild Magic zones. Chance and coincidence created opportunities, giving ordinary people a chance to gain a sliver of control over Wild Magic.

Chaotic Mana was unpredictable. Every time you cast a spell, it could produce a random magical effect, like turning you into a potted plant or summoning a demon.

It would make for great entertainment, but people really could die. Anse didn't dare take that gamble.

Dragonline Sorcerers had no obvious weaknesses. They were good at staying alive, could fly, and had Spell-like Abilities.

Perhaps because of the influence of his bloodline, this subclass was highly reliable at casting spells. It also used spontaneous casting, unlike Mages, so he didn't have to worry about failing to cast a spell.

"You'll do."

After he confirmed his subclass, the Character Sheet unexpectedly prompted him to choose a Dragon Bloodline.

"Huh? What does that mean? Don't I have Silver Dragon blood?" Anse was taken aback.

There were three main types of Dragon Bloodline: Chromatic Dragons, Metallic Dragons, and Gem Dragons.

Chromatic Dragons belonged to evil alignments, with Black Dragons, Blue Dragons, Green Dragons, Red Dragons, and White Dragons as the main types.

Metallic Dragons were generally Lawful Good, with Gold Dragons, Silver Dragons, Brass Dragons, Bronze Dragons, and Copper Dragons as the main types.

Most Gem Dragons were neutral. They included Amethyst Dragons, Crystal Dragons, Emerald Dragons, Sapphire Dragons, and Topaz Dragons.

Each Dragon Bloodline came with a first-level spell, and each had a different elemental affinity. Gold Dragons and Red Dragons had fire, Silver Dragons and White Dragons had cold, Bronze Dragons and Blue Dragons had lightning...

"The original owner had Silver Dragon blood. If I choose Gold Dragon too, can I activate both bloodlines at once?" Anse's eyes lit up.

Metallic Dragons were good dragons and had a good reputation across Faerûn. Choosing one would make it easier to fit into human society.

Besides, Gold Dragons were the strongest Metallic Dragons, with a high Challenge Rating. They could beat up the strongest Chromatic Dragon, the Red Dragon, without breaking a sweat.

The bonus Dragon Spell, Disguise Self, would be useful too. If he accidentally fell into the Underdark, he could disguise himself as a Goblin or Gray Dwarf to stay alive.

Anse confirmed his choice with a thought, and the Draconic Bloodline subclass immediately lit up.

"It really works. Looks like bloodline is just the starting point for gaining Draconic Bloodline. The essence of a Sorcerer is an Arcane spellcaster, so a Sorcerer's level cap isn't affected by their bloodline."

There was no time to waste. He immediately chose his class skills and spells with escaping the Giant Pit as his goal.

He chose Noble for his background because it added to his Charisma.

For his racial feat, he chose Tough. More health meant a better chance of survival.

"Background": Noble

Ability Scores: Strength +1, Intelligence +1, Charisma +1

Feat: Skilled (Acrobatics, Athletics, Medicine)

Skill Proficiencies: History, Persuasion

"Race": Human

Ability Scores: Charisma +1, Constitution +1

Skill: Survival

Versatile: Tough.

"Class": Sorcerer

Primary Ability: Charisma

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Intimidation

Sorcerous Origin: Draconic Bloodline (Gold Dragon, Silver Dragon)

You gain the class features: [Spellcasting] [Innate Spellcasting].

You gain the subclass features: [Draconic Resilience] [Draconic Spells].

You learn the Dragon Spells: Disguise Self (Gold Dragon), Feather Fall Spell (Silver Dragon).

You learn the Draconic language.

[Spellcasting]: You draw on the magic within you to cast spells.

You have 2 first-level Spell Slots or 3 points of Mana (depending on your method of spellcasting).

You learn 4 Sorcerer Cantrips: Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Sorcerous Burst, Mold Earth.

2 first-level spells: Leap Spell, Shield Spell.

[Innate Spellcasting]:

Something you experienced in the past left an indelible mark on you, filling you with surging magic that is difficult to control.

Cast as a Quickened Spell; lasts for 1 minute. During this time, you gain the following benefits:

1. The saving throw DC of your Sorcerer spells increases by 1 (making them harder to resist).

2. You have advantage on attack rolls for the Sorcerer spells you cast (making them more likely to hit).

You can use this feature twice per day.

[Draconic Resilience]: Magic flows through your body, manifesting as physical traits bestowed by your draconic heritage. Parts of your skin are covered in soft scales resembling Dragon Scales.

Your hit point maximum increases by 3. Each time you gain a Sorcerer level thereafter, it increases by 1 again.

When you aren't wearing armor, your base Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.

[Draconic Spells]: When you reach certain Sorcerer levels (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), you learn new Draconic Spells.

Current first-level spells: Prismatic Sphere, Command Spell.

"Choose your method of spellcasting."

"Mana Casting!"

"Creating character..."

Before Anse could react, a torrent of knowledge and mana surged out of the Dice like a storm. His head throbbed, his body trembled, and a golden-and-silver glow rose from his skin.

He quickly dropped to the ground to keep from falling off the stone platform.

It was an extremely wise decision. The moment he hit the ground, he lost control of his body.

His flesh seemed alive. Every cell leaped with joy as vast currents of magic surged and flowed through him. Tiny, soft scales emerged across his skin. They were almost the same color as his flesh, but glimmered with a silvery-gold sheen.

Anse had no time to pay attention to any of that. He was busy receiving the knowledge and skills pouring into his mind.

The sensation was novel. It didn't feel like the struggle of learning. It was more like... he already knew everything, and had only just remembered it.

"Memories and inheritance from my bloodline. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?"

Who knew how much time had passed before Anse slowly woke up.

"Why did I fall asleep?"

He looked around. The sky had grown even darker, and the fighting in the distance had died down. But he knew that wasn't a good sign.

The humans had been forced to retreat.

He sat up and felt light, nimble, and full of energy.

The swelling in his calves had gone down, and the small cuts on his body had almost disappeared. They no longer impeded his movements at all.

He lightly brushed the skin on his arm. The soft scales were tough and elastic, and his sense of touch was sharp. They had a faint metallic sheen, making it obvious he wasn't like an ordinary person.

"These Dragon Scales are nice." The fusion of Gold Dragon and Silver Dragon blood had made their color more subdued than he expected.

Anse brought up his panel. His hit points had reached 11/12: 6 from the Sorcerer's base hit points, 1 from his Constitution modifier, 2 from the Tough feat, and 3 from Draconic Resilience.

His Armor Class had also reached 14. He had 4 Mana, 6 Cantrips, 6 first-level spells, and a whole bunch of skills, including Acrobatics, Athletics, and Survival.

"Too bad I don't have much Mana. I can cast at most four first-level spells."

The most common spellcasting systems in Faerûn were Spell Slot spellcasting, the mainstream choice, and Mana Casting.

The Spell Slot system relied on the Weave. It was more stable, safer, and easier to use, making it the choice of most spellcasters.

But now the Weave was in disarray. As a Sorcerer, he was better off casting spells with his innate Mana.

"I'd better conserve it. I don't know what's going on up there." Anse stood and cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

The air was damp, and a roaring rush of water filled his ears. The waterfall above seemed closer, constantly battering the column-shaped slope beneath him. Rocks and earth occasionally tumbled down; it was only a matter of time before the slope collapsed.

"I can't wait any longer."

He felt his chest, then fished a palm-sized, cylindrical crystal out from under his robe. It was clear as glass and hung securely around his neck from a metal chain.

"Thank goodness."

It was his Arcane artifact. Cheap, but it could help channel Mana.

Most importantly, it let him bypass some spell components.

Leap Spell, for example, required not only words and gestures, but also the hind leg of a grasshopper. Without an artifact, where was he supposed to find a grasshopper?

He tucked the artifact back inside his clothes and kept it close to his body. Then he briefly stretched his arms and legs, quietly climbed out from under the roof's shelter along the gentler side, and looked up to check the situation above. He looked just like a thief sneaking off with a chicken.