Homebrew Hybrid Tiefling Species Details

“But you do see the way people look at you, devil’s child.”

Those black eyes, cold as a winter storm, were staring right into her heart and the sudden seriousness in his voice jolted her.

“What is it they say?” he asked. “One’s a curiosity, two’s a conspiracy—”

“Three’s a curse,” she finished. “You think I haven’t heard that rubbish before?”

“I know you have.” When she glared at him, he added, “It’s not as if I’m plumbing the depths of your mind, dear girl. That is the burden of every tiefling. Some break under it, some make it the millstone around their neck, some revel in it.” He tilted his head again, scrutinizing her, with that wicked glint in his eyes. “You fight it, don’t you? Like a little wildcat, I wager. Every little jab and comment just sharpens your claws.”

— Erin M. Evans, Brimstone Angels 

"'It will be tough, my son. As if a hybrid was not bad enough, one of such races, why that will not be disliked, but hated.' Kara raised her newborn closer. 'But you will be strong. People will call you a devil's child. An knowing your father, they might be right.' Kara gazed at her new, Hybrid Tiefling child. She did not know weather to be smiling, or scared." 

— The Warriors of the Forgotten Realms: Origins: Grigor Starag

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 Asmodeus—overlord of the Nine Hells—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.

Infernal Bloodline

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

Devilish Humans

Hybrid Tieflings share both physical and mental traits with their parents. If covered by a simple cloak and hood, commoners wouldn't see the small horns and strangely colored skin that they possess. Hybrid Tieflings normally have either red, purple, or human colored skin, in which case streaks and tinges of Tiefling colors are not uncommon. Adults stand from 5 to over 6 feet tall and can weigh from 125 to 250 pounds. Eye color is usually red, black, silver, gold, white, yellow, brown, or electric blue. Their hair is mostly dark, ranging from black, brown, and dirty blond to dark red, purple, and/or purple. Some Hybrid Tieflings have tails, normally medium-lengthed, thin ones. Their devilish physical traits reflect their longstanding Infernal heritage. 

Self-Reliant and Suspicious

Tieflings subsist in small minorities found mostly in human cities or towns, often in the roughest quarters of those places, where they grow up to be swindlers, thieves, or crime lords. Sometimes they live among other minority populations in enclaves where they are treated with more respect.

Lacking a homeland, tieflings know that they have to make their own way in the world and that they have to be strong to survive. They are not quick to trust anyone who claims to be a friend, but when a tiefling’s companions demonstrate that they trust him or her, the tiefling learns to extend the same trust to them. And once a tiefling gives someone loyalty, the tiefling is a firm friend or ally for life.

Ambitious Hate

Hybrids are often hated, and Tieflings are even more so. A Hybrid Tiefling, due to their unfortunate parent race, can never escape the harsh racism of the world--of any world. That hate is often reflected onto the world. When mixed with humanity's intuition, determination, and ambition, this hate can manifest into a force to be reckoned with. Wronging a powerful Hybrid Tiefling might be one of the worst decisions one can make, as they can easily become deadly foes. The combination of their Human traits and their Tiefling reputation causes Hybrid Tieflings to be an unwanted, unloved, and unsolved mystery. 

Hybrid Tiefling Names

Hybrid Tieflings are, like humans, given names at birth. This can be either a Human or an Infernal name, and a Hybrid Tiefling will sometimes change their name to help fit in--or stand out--in a given society. They might also take on a Virtue Name, whether it be to mask their real identity, make a promise to themselves or others, and/or accept a fatal flaw or characteristic. Look at the lists in certain rulebooks and/or sourcebooks for lists of possible names.

Male Infernal Names: Anno, Amnon, Barakas, Dimitri, Iados, Leucis, Newman, Morthos, Steve, Therai

Female Infernal Names: Akta, Alina, Damaia, Ea, Jaylan, Lerissa, Margot, Maxime, Orianna, Zurie

“Virtue” Names: Art, Carrion, Chant, Creed, Despair, Excellence, Faith, Glory, Hope, Ideal, Music, Nowhere, Open, Poetry, Quest, Random, Reverence, Sorrow, Temerity, Torment, Weary

MUTUAL MISTRUST

People tend to be suspicious of tieflings already, assuming that their infernal heritage has left its mark on their personality and morality, not just their appearance. So people are ultimately indifferent when meeting a Hybrid Tiefling, as the array of emotion and thought process with lack of trust is questioned. Shopkeepers keep a close eye on their goods when tieflings enter their stores, the town watch might follow a tiefling around for a while, and demagogues blame tieflings for strange happenings. And sometimes none of above may occur, its hit or miss with the Hybrid Tiefling. The reality, though, is that a tiefling’s bloodline doesn’t affect his or her personality to any great degree, let alone one thats also part human. Years of dealing with mistrust does leave its mark on most tieflings, and they respond to it in different ways. Some choose to live up to the wicked stereotype, others are virtuous, sometimes accepting, or wanting to change peoples point of view. Most are simply very aware of how people respond to them. After dealing with this mistrust throughout youth, a tiefling often develops the ability to overcome prejudice through charm or intimidation.

Recreated using elements of user: Damak0s' homebrew race

Hybrid Tiefling Traits

Tieflings share certain racial traits between their human and infernal bloodlines.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma and one score of your choice both increase by 1.

Age

Hybrid Tieflings mature at the same rate as Humans but live a few years longer.

Alignment

Hybrid Tieflings often are driven dependent by the way they may be raised/ the environment they are in. They usually choose not to follow society's rules and rather abide their own. Most Hybrid Tieflings end up as neutral, and can vary dependent on their nature, as a human they tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.

Size

A Hybrid Tiefling is about the same size and build as a 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.

Prodigious Talent

You gain one skill proficiency of your choice and one tool proficiency of your choice, choose one skill in which you have proficiency. You gain expertise with that skill, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it. The skill you choose can't benefit from another feature, such as Expertise, that doubles your proficiency bonus.

Infernal Legacy

You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the fear spell as a 3rd-level 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 Common and Infernal.