Homebrew Variant Tiefling Species Details

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 generations ago their ancestors dealt with or sired half fiends with demons—lords of the Abyss—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.

Demonic Bloodline

Tieflings are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest possible sense, they still look human. However, their demonic 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, blue or grey. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or grey.

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.

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.

Variant Tiefling Traits

Tieflings share certain racial traits as a result of their abyssal descent.

Ability Score Modifiers

Gain a +2 to Charisma or Dexterity and a +1 to Dexterity or Charisma and receive a -2 penalty towards Wisdom

Age

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

Alignment

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

Size

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

Speed

Tieflings with wings have been more reliant on flying more than walking. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your abyssal 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.

Abyssal Resistance

Within the dark and unforgiving recesses of the Abyss laying in your heritage. You are resistant to the uncaring and cold temperatures more than other Tieflings.

Abyssal Legacy

When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the charm person 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 suggestion spell as a 3rd-level spell once per day 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 Abyssal.

Wings

The tiefling has been born with large enough wings to afford them flight. They gain a fly speed of 30 feet. Average maneuverability.