Let's Read the Dark Sun Creature Catalog: Dragonborn (Dray)
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Despite the title of their entry, these Dragonborn are not a new addition. Dark Sun is one of two 2e settings (that I know of) that had draconic humanoids in it since its initial publication.
The Lore
Despite using dragonborn stats for the PC version, these are not the same dragonborn as the ones from the standard Points of Light setting. Athasian dragonborn are known as Dray, are lankier than the standard variety, and have a completely different origin.
The Dray species was created by the sorcerer-king Dregoth to be his perfect servants and minions, but he was dissatisfied with the result and cast most of them out of his city-state of Giustenal. Those he allowed to stay kept serving him until the other sorcerer-kings banded together to destroy Dregoth and his city.
Today’s Dray are descended both from the outcasts and from the survivors of Giustenal’s destruction. Their total population is relatively small and few people know of their existence. Their communities are either small scattered tribes in the wastes or the rare enclave embedded in a larger settlement.
Their reputation among those who know about them is as slavers and sorcerers. Not All Dray (TM) deserve this reputation… but a significant majority of them do. They practice defiling magic and slavery, and frequently act as mercenaries for other groups who are okay with this. In this, they continue the cycle of abuse, inflicting on others what their creator inflicted on them.
The Numbers
Dray, like standard dragonborn, are Medium Natural Humanoids with a Speed of 6. They can use a Dragon Breath once per encounter, a Close Blast 3 vs. Reflex that deals some sort of elemental damage and whose details vary with the stat block.
You can easily use standard dragonborn stat blocks from the other monster books as more dray varieties if you need to.
Dragonborn Slaver
These assholes roam the desert looking for easily taken captives that they can sell to the sorcerer-kings in exchange for money and prestige. They’re frequently found in mixed-species slaver parties as their rank-and-file muscle.
Slavers are Level 16 Minion Soldiers that fight with Bastard Swords which damage and mark for a turn on a hit. Their Dragon Breath deals lightning damage and marks (save ends).
They’re tougher than your average minion too - the first time they drop to 0 HP, their Determined Defender trait lets them recover, clear any effects on them, and get back on at the start of their next turn. This makes them more willing to risk harm when surrounding the PCs.
Dragonborn Scorned Champion
A few dray take pride in being scorned by their creator, making that part of their identity. I’m guessing these are the nicer ones, since it would make sense for them to reject the ways of the sorcerer-kings. The Scorned Champion is an example of someone who might rise to lead a community of these Dray. Still, he’s sensitive to anything he perceives as a challenge to his position, and is quick to strike down the source of that challenge.
The Scorned Champion is a Level 16 Skirmisher with 151 HP. This cocky fighter’s Bravura Poise acts as an aura (1) that forces enemies inside to grant combat advantage. He fights with a scimitar that damages the target and lets him shift 1 square on a hit. The Dray Fury special attack (recharge 4+) lets him shift his speed and strike twice with the scimitar at any point during this movement. His DragonBreath can exclude one creature of his choice from the blast, and deals fire-and-lightning damage. Finally, his Unstoppable Force power lets him immediately end any Slow or Immobilize effect on him once per round.
Dragonborn Defiler
Drays like this one go in the other direction - they look fondly upon the past when they could walk the streets unchallenged, openly displaying their arcane might. They want the power to do that again, and see defiling as the quickest way to get there.
The Defiler is Level 18 Artillery with 129 HP. They use daggers as weapons and implements, and the damage roll on this attack has a funky format that mixes physical and cold damage. Their basic ranged attack is a Dragonfear Ray (ranged 10 vs. Will) that deals psychic damage and causes the target to take 5 damage each time they damage the defiler or one of its allies, until the end of the target’s next turn.
Their dragon breath has been corrupted into a Defiling Breath (close blast 5 vs. Reflex) that deals immediate and ongoing cold-and-necrotic damage (save ends). While at least one target is taking this ongoing damage, the defiler has +2 to all attacks and +5 to all damage rolls. This recharges if the defiler misses every target with the power, so it will keep doing it until it hits someone.
Once per encounter the defiler can cast Flight of Dragons as a move action, allowing every ally within 5 squares to fly 5 squares, and flying 10 squares itself. It doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it leaves its starting square, but obeys the rules normally from that point on.
As a minor action it can also use Hurled Dragon Breath (recharge 5+) to do just that with a less corrupt form of its breath. This is either a Close Blast 5 or an Area 2 Within 10, both targetting Reflex. It deals cold damage on a hit.
Dragonborn Atavist
Dray like this one prefer to focus on the bestial nature of their dragon heritage, using ritual techniques to tap into that inner beast and bring it forth during combat. Why use weapons when you have the power of a dragon at your disposal? This one’s a Level 19 Brute with 220 HP and Resist 10 Acid.
Their basic attacks are a strong Bite and a slightly less strong claw, both of which deal ongoing acid damage on a hit (save ends). Draconic Fury (recharge 5+) lets them use both attacks with one action, or even engage in a classic claw/claw/bite routine if they’re bloodied.
Their dragon breath, as you might expect, does acid damage.
Encounters and Final Impressions
It seems the only stat block here that’s actively Evil is the Defiler - everyone else is unaligned, even the slavers. I’m not sure I agree with that last part, but I suppose you can use the slaver stat block for a more conventional non-evil warrior.
I’m glad the game gives us some tools to stat up a non-evil group of Dray. PCs have to come from somewhere, and it’d get a little samey if all of them were nonconformist rebels fleeing their evil upbringing.