Gift of the Metallic Dragon 5e

Published on August 18, 2023

Heal and protect your allies with the boons granted to you by the benevolent metallic dragons!

A wizard channels the power of metallic dragons

Daarken - Wizards of the Coast - Dragonsguard Elite

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What Is Gift of the Metallic Dragon 5e?

The Gift of the Metallic Dragon is a feat that focuses more on the support side of things, rather than Gift of the Chromatic Dragon, which focuses on improving offensive capabilities. This is particularly fitting, as metallic dragons are usually good-aligned, whereas chromatic dragons are evil. Let’s take a look at what this feat from Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons has in store!

How Does Gift of the Metallic Dragon Work?

The Gift of the Metallic Dragon feat grants the following benefits:

Draconic Healing: You learn the cure wounds spell. You can cast this spell without expending a spell slot. Once you cast this spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast this spell using spell slots you have. The spell’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma when you cast it with this feat (choose when you gain the feat).
Protective Wings: You can manifest protective wings that can shield you or others. When you or another creature you can see within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to manifest spectral wings from your back for a moment. You grant a bonus to the target’s AC equal to your proficiency bonus against that attack roll, potentially causing it to miss. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

So, let’s break these benefits down:

Draconic Healing provides a versatile healing option, allowing you to heal without expending a spell slot. This can be a lifesaver in dire situations. Additionally, the flexibility in choosing the spellcasting ability means it can be tailored to fit various character builds. It can also be a solid way to add healing to caster classes that otherwise don’t have any healing capabilities, like sorcerers, wizards, and warlocks.

Protective Wings is similar to an underpowered version of the shield spell. One of the upsides is that you can use this ability on yourself and allies. Also, seeing as it scales with proficiency bonus, you’ll eventually have the same AC boost as shield at 13th level and will even surpass it at 17th level. Finally, you can use it a number of times equal to your proficency bonus per long rest, meaning you’ll get some solid uses out of it without it competing with spell slots. Where this ability lags behind shield is one main downside, the AC bonus only lasts for the single attack, whereas shield lasts until the start of your next turn.

Is Gift of the Metallic Dragon Good?

In our 5e Feats Tier List, Gift of the Metallic Dragon was given a B Tier rating, making it a niche feat that can improve some builds in D&D 5e.

Adding some healing and support options, especially when the features don’t compete with resources such as spell slots, is a benefit for a lot of builds. If your party lacks healing, you’ll definitely feel the impact of this feat. Unfortunately, seeing as cure wounds is tied to a spellcasting modifier, it’s not as potent for martial characters, who would otherwise love to pick this up.

Which 5e Classes Make the Most of Gift of the Metallic Dragon?

The color code below has been implemented to help you identify, at a glance, how good the Gift of the Metallic Dragon 5e feat is for a specific class/subclass.

Red isn’t going to contribute to the effectiveness of your character build at all
Orange Situationally good, but a below-average option otherwise
Green is a good option
Blue is a great option, you should strongly consider this option for your character
Sky Blue is an amazing option. If you do not take this option your character would not be optimized

This will seem underwhelming to classes that already have access to healing. Plus cure wounds isn’t all that good of a spell. The main feature from this is the free boosts to AC, which martials will love to help avoid damage in combat.

Artificer: You already have cure wounds so a free casting isn't particularly stellar. Still, the defensive boost and being able to stock one more spell per day isn't anything to stick your nose up at.

Barbarian: The AC boosts will be huge to help you avoid hits. Unfortunately, you won't be able to cast cure wounds while raging, but it could be useful for a spot of out-of-combat healing.

Bard: Bards don't normally get shield so this is a solid defensive boost. The free cure wounds is meh, but you can't complain about free healing.

Cleric: Clerics don't normally get shield so this is a solid defensive boost. The free cure wounds is meh, but you can't complain about free healing.

Druid: Druids don't normally get shield so this is a solid defensive boost. The free cure wounds is meh, but you can't complain about free healing.

Fighter: This is awesome for fighters who will be in the fray and taking hits. Plus, the cure wounds can be useful to turn your fighter into a pseudo-paladin if you ever have a party member go down. You could even combine it with Action Surge to heal your ally up then keep attacking.

Monk: Monks, who are notoriously squishy, will appreciate the AC boost. Cure wounds is also a decent way to heal downed allies or grab some extra hit points out of combat.

Paladin: Paladins will love to have access to the pseudo-shield effect, but the cure wounds won't feel that impactful because they already have Lay on Hands. Still, a free prepared spell and extra spell slot isn't anything that's going to be detrimental.

Ranger: Ranged builds will probably want to skip this, as their main schtick is to stay outside of their enemy's reach. Plus, they already have a decent amount of healing.

Rogue: You already have Uncanny Dodge as a reaction, and one free casting of cure wounds isn't beneficial enough for you to consider taking this feat.

Sorcerer: Some AC boosts and healing can go a long way to make your glass cannon sorcerer a bit more hardy. Plus, you'll save spell slots as you won't have to cast shield to dodge attacks coming your way. Overall, a solid defensive option.

Warlock: Warlocks don't normally learn shield or cure wounds, so this is a solid way to stretch their limited resources. Even when you take the Hexblade patron, you don't really want to be spending spell slots over 1st level on shield if you can help it.

Wizard: Some AC boosts and healing can go a long way to make your glass cannon wizard a bit more hardy. Plus, you'll save spell slots as you won't have to cast shield to dodge attacks coming your way. Overall, a solid defensive option.

Mike Bernier

Mike Bernier is the lead content writer and founder of Arcane Eye. He is a Mithral best-selling author of Strixhaven: A Syllabus of Sorcery on DMs Guild and is a contributing author at D&D Beyond. Follow Mike on Twitter.