Tieflings

Tieflings are either the children of two other tieflings or are born of a bloodline touched by a deal with a devil.

To be greeted with stares and whispers, to suffer violence and insult on the street, to see mistrust and fear in every eye: this is the lot of the tiefling. And to twist the knife, tieflings know that this is because a pact struck generations ago infused the essence of an Archdevil into their bloodline. Their appearance and their nature are not their fault but the result of an ancient sin, for which they and their children and their children’s children will always be held accountable.

The loneliness of many tieflings is compounded by the fact that, unless they were born of two other tieflings, their siblings are usually humans, not tieflings like them.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Tieflings are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest possible sense, they still look human. However, their infernal heritage has left a clear imprint on their appearance. Tieflings have large horns that take any of a variety of shapes: some have curling horns like a ram, others have straight and tall horns like a gazelle’s, and some spiral upward like an antelopes’ horns. They have thick tails, four to five feet long, which lash or coil around their legs when they get upset or nervous.

Genetics and Reproduction

Tieflings reproduce sexually, but only with humans and other tieflings. When they reproduce with other humans, their offspring are human, and the tiefling trait lies dormant, waiting to manifest generations hence. If a tiefling reproduces with another tiefling, however, their offspring is always another tiefling.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Tieflings are essentially human, and their dietary needs are the same as those of humans.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Tiefling canine teeth are sharply pointed, and their eyes are solid colors—black, red, white, silver, or gold—with no visible sclera or pupil.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Tiefling skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various shades of red. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Tieflings have superior vision in dim light and darkness.

Proper Common Name

Tieflings

Other Common Name(s)

Accursed (pejorative), Fiend-Children (pejorative), Devilspawn (pejorative), Devil's Children (pejorative)

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Hominina

Scientific Name

Animalia chordata mammalia primates hominidae homo infernalis

Tiefling Traits

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age

Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans, but live around to about ninety, on average.

Size

Tieflings are the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your infernal heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Hellish Resistance

You have resistance to fire damage.

Infernal Legacy

You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hellish rebuke spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the darkness spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Infernal (without ever having been instructed), as well as the Common language for the area in which the campaign begins.