AL variant tiefling suggestion

I really love the variant tiefling option: It lets players try different builds with tieflings using dexterity instead of charisma. However, it doesn't switch the primary casting stat for their spell-like abilities. Those spell-like abilities make up a bit chunk of the race and two of those abilities target an opponent's defenses. Given the entire point of taking the trait is that the player wants to play a role where charisma is not important, it kind of defeats the purpose of taking the trait if the player still has to increase his charisma score to make those abilities worthwhile.

Has there been any official responses to the charisma issue with the variant tiefling for AL play or is it pretty much a trap option? Seems like making the key stat intelligence instead of charisma would be an easy fix.

Feral: "Your Intelligence score increases by 1 and your Dexterity Score increases by 2. This trait replaces the Ability Score Increase trait of the tiefling. You may also choose to instead use intelligence in place of charisma as the casting ability score for the tiefling's infernal legacy trait and any of infernal legacy's substitutes."

I think it's balanced, myself -- Dexterity is a much more generally useful stat than Charisma, and the only reason you'd take the 'feral' option (from the SCAG) is if you're playing a character for whom Dexterity would be a key ability. You'll get so much benefit out of the +1 to your main abilities that the effective -1 to attack with your Hellish Rebuke is a very minor price to pay. (Neither Thaumaturgy nor Darkness interact with Charisma, so it doesn't really matter what your score is for those racial spells.)

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Pauper

Although it may appear that the Hellish Rebuke spell is the only one the tiefling gets that requires a saving throw, thaumaturgy can also require a save at the DM's discretion. For instance, the tiefling may try to slam a door in an opponent's face, or attempt to create an opening in a combatant's defenses with a suitably loud noise right next to him. In both cases, a DM may (and probably should) require the target or targets to make saving throws, which would still be powered by the tielfing's charisma score.

Perhaps the ability score switch should only effect infernal legacy and none of its substitutes (aka, it shouldn't effect devil's tongue, which is thematically more in line with charisma). As for dexterity being more useful than charisma, that depends heavily on the type of campaign being run, and its effects can eclipse the benefits of dexterity, such as convincing a group of guards to let you through as opposed to stealthing past them.

Jabborwacky said:

For instance, the tiefling may try to slam a door in an opponent's face, or attempt to create an opening in a combatant's defenses with a suitably loud noise right next to him. In both cases, a DM may (and probably should) require the target or targets to make saving throws, which would still be powered by the tielfing's charisma score.

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The DM could also allow a different roll, such as an opposed check between the tiefling's caster level and the opponent's Strength (Athletics) roll, which would not be impacted by the Charisma score of the caster. The DM could also rule that the spell automatically fails, since there is no support in the text for requiring a saving throw if the attempted effect is opposed. Given that this is wholly under the DMs purview, there's little reason to consider this a game-balance issue at all tables.

As for dexterity being more useful than charisma, that depends heavily on the type of campaign being run, and its effects can eclipse the benefits of dexterity, such as convincing a group of guards to let you through as opposed to stealthing past them.

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It is more heavily dependent on the type of character being run, especially if that character is looking to gain an advantage that other characters do not have. For example, would the feral tiefling using Dex to drive his racial spells also justify a dragonborn character using Strength rather than Constitution to drive his breath weapon save DC?

I just don't see the potential complications being worth having the admins change something in the published rules. It's not like the change documents published for adventures, which are meant to keep the adventures within the existing strictures of the AL campaign rules. Gaining an advantage in one area should involve taking a drawback in another, as a fundamental principle of balance.

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Pauper