Homebrew Draconic-Tiefling Species Details

The silhouette of a man drew near to the city's gates and lowered his cowl, revealing crimson scales and a pair of horns curling from the back of his head. He drew a sword, and before the guards could do more than cry for help, he unleashed a blast of fire from his maw. A sneer tugged at his face as he stepped over their corpses and his father's titanic shadow fell across him from overhead.

Draconic-Tieflings are begotten from the union of a polymorphed dragon and some form of devil, often a Tiefling. There are other methods of creating Draconic-Tieflings, most of them magical and some of them profane, and Draconic-Tieflings are just as unique as the methods used to create them.

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.

Few and Far Between

As fertile as dragons usually are, Draconic-Tieflings do not occur particularly often, especially among metallic dragons. When they appear, Draconic-Tieflings are dealt with cautiously at best, and with blunt hostility at worst. Though chromatic Draconic-Tieflings are notably feared, even metallic Draconic-Tieflings are met with distrust. Merchants, innkeepers, and other people may be unwilling to speak or deal with you.

Draconic Parentage

The first thing to consider about playing a Draconic-Tiefling is: how am I a Draconic-Tiefling? Perhaps you were begotten by the union of a gold dragon and a tiefling. Perhaps you were cursed by a powerful wizard or deity for some act of hypocrisy. Perhaps your parent pledged themselves in service to a particular dragon and undertook a ritual to change themselves physically to emulate them. Once that is decided, decide the race of your other parent. Then decide your relationship with your parents. Did your draconic mother take you in and raise you as her own? Were you considered an abomination at birth and disowned? Is your draconic parent a tyrant who expects you to follow her every command? Or is she a kind mentor, offering guidance and assistance? Take into account the dragon's type when determining this. Black dragons tend to be cruel, while a red dragon is simply too prideful to accept you would do anything but his will. Consider how many children your dragon parent has. What is your relationship with your half-siblings? Are they your rivals, or are they your companions and close friends? Work with your Dungeon Master to decide these things and build a character background that both of you are happy with.

Infernal Bloodline and Draconic Features

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. As a Draconic-Tiefling, you look like your draconic parent. You take on the appearance of your parent, including teeth and horns, and you have scales and saurian legs, though you stand upright like any other humanoid.

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.

Tiefling Names

Tiefling names fall into three broad categories. Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture. Some have names derived from the Infernal language, passed down through generations, that reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some, the chosen name is a noble quest. For others, it’s a grim destiny.

Male Infernal Names: Akmenos, Amnon, Barakas, Damakos, Ekemon, Iados, Kairon, Leucis, Melech, Mordai, Morthos, Pelaios, Skamos, Therai

Male Draconian Names: Arjhan, Balasar, Bharash, Donaar, Ghesh, Heskan, Kriv, Medrash, Mehen, Nadarr, Pandjed, Patrin, Rhogar, Shamash, Shedinn, Tarhun, Torinn

Female Infernal Names: Akta, Anakis, Bryseis, Criella, Damaia, Ea, Kallista, Lerissa, Makaria, Nemeia, Orianna, Phelaia, Rieta

Female Draconian Names: Akra, Biri, Daar, Farideh, Harann, Havilar, Jheri, Kava, Korinn, Mishann, Nala, Perra, Raiann, Sora, Surina, Thava, Uadjit

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

MUTUAL MISTRUST

People tend to be suspicious of tieflings, assuming that their infernal heritage has left its mark on their personality and morality, not just their appearance. 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. The reality, though, is that a tiefling’s bloodline doesn’t affect his or her personality to any great degree. 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, but others are virtuous. 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.

Draconic-Tiefling Traits

Your draconic lineage gifts you with traits and abilities that set you apart from other humanoids and your tiefling lineage share certain racial traits as a result of your infernal descent.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Young Draconic-Tieflings grow quickly. They walk hours after hatching, attain the size and development of a 10-year-old human child by the age of 3, and reach adulthood by 15. They live to be around 250.

Alignment

Draconic-Tieflings might not have an innate tendency toward evil, but many of them end up there. Evil or not, an independent nature inclines many Draconic-Tieflings toward a chaotic alignment.

Size

Draconic-Tieflings are taller and heavier than humans, standing well over 6 feet tall and averaging almost 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your dragon and infernal heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. A Draconic-Tiefling has blindsight and can perceive its surroundings without relying on sight, within a 10 foot radius, and 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 short 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 short rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Infernal and Draconic. Draconic is thought to be one of the oldest languages and is often used in the study of magic. The language sounds harsh to most other creatures and includes numerous hard consonants and sibilants.

Draconic Ancestry

You have draconic ancestry. Choose one type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestry table. Your breath weapon and damage resistance are determined by the dragon type, as shown in the table.

Draconic Ancestry

DRAGON	DAMAGE TYPE	BREATH WEAPON
Black	Acid	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Blue	Lightning	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Brass	Fire	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Bronze	Lightning	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Copper	Acid	5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)
Gold	Fire	15 ft. cone (Dex. save)
Green	Poison	15 ft. cone (Con. save)
Red	Fire	15 ft. cone (Dex. save)
Silver	Cold	15 ft. cone (Con. save)
White	Cold	15 ft. cone (Con. save)

Breath Weapon

You can use your action to exhale destructive energy. Your draconic ancestry determines the size, shape, and damage type of the exhalation. When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a saving throw, the type of which is determined by your draconic ancestry. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your breath weapon, roll a d6 at the beginning of each of your turns. If you roll a 6, your breath weapon recharges and you can use it again.

Damage Resistance

You have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestry.