Playing Tieflings

BookBarbarian · May 7, 2018

Warpiglet said:
true. We definitely are more human-centric than typical.

I think the other issue I don't necessarily LIKE the idea of a giant tail or giant horns. I am OK with clearly infernal traits like weird eyes or small horns, but the big stuff is too Anime for my brain's palate.

I have no problem with the social repercussions or penalties. I just don't like a giant tail or horns. I do like thaumaturgy, weird looks from the public and playing a good guy with a bad reputation...

I hear you. I tend to only play humans or near humans for the same reasons.

I like the idea of playing with it amputated. Plus you could grind your horns away like Hellboy. Maybe your infernal heritage manifested after generations, and your parents tried to "normalize" you for fear of persecution.

Warpiglet · May 7, 2018

BookBarbarian said:
I hear you. I tend to only play humans or near humans for the same reasons.

I like the idea of playing with it amputated. Plus you could grind your horns away like Hellboy. Maybe your infernal heritage manifested after generations, and your parents tried to "normalize" you for fear of persecution.

I thought about that. or perhaps he just has not tail because things manifest in weird ways and "imagination." I think the same issue comes up with dragonborn. Half orc is generally as "weird" as it gets. Thought I did become intrigued with the idea of a hobgoblin recently which is a departure.

Paul Farquhar · May 7, 2018

Do a Hellboy and file the horns down to stumps, then cover them with a hood.

Warpiglet · May 7, 2018

Paul Farquhar said:
Do a Hellboy and file the horns down to stumps, then cover them with a hood.

Yeah--I am thinking perhaps small horns from SCAG and just say the tail is thin or he does not have one...

SkidAce · May 7, 2018

Just say he doesnt have one.

Warpiglet · May 7, 2018

SkidAce said:
Just say he doesnt have one.

I think that is the way to go. I don't mind the penalties or social stigma. I like the mystique and everything implied. So it is just appearance. Can't see how any DM would care.

I was thinking small horns and cat eyes from SCAG. Its not like he can just pass as human upon any inspection.

TheSword · May 7, 2018

I’ve seen my players have tieflings of all styles. Speak to your DM. The least I’ve allowed one of my players to display were eyes that glowed when she got emotional and crawling blue tattoos along her arms. The bloodline comes out however it comes out.

Budding horns
Unusually colored eyes
A few scales scattered
Vestigial bat wings
Tail of a multitude of types.
Hooves
Fangs
Unusually pale skin/or dark/scarlet/green anything really.

The skies the limit. Unless your DM decides to enforce the traditional stereotype which is their right.

ccs · May 7, 2018

My only Tiefling character, Ahliza of Cheliex (divination wizard.14/now paladin.1), is in our PF game.
Her tail is long, thinner, & tipped with traditional arrowhead shape. In play it's slightly prehensile. (Think Nightcrawlers tail from the X-Men.) She also has the traditional small devil horns on her forehead & pointed ears.
Other physical features include jet black hair, normal human eyes that turn completely red when casting spells (or angry), & the pale caucasion complextion common in her native Cheliex.

Speaking of Cheliex.... In the PF world there's a country that's openly fallen to control by devil worship. So devil-born tieflings aren't unknown. Additionally way up north there's the World Wound - a region where the Abyss is breaking through into the Material plane. Demonic heritage tieflings are common there.

In play Ahlizas' tail (+ the rest of her general appearance) has absolutely affected things RP wise. Because they clearly reveal that she's a Chelaxian devil-born tiefling to anyone who knows about this stuff. And as she's involved in helping fight the current crusade against the World-Wound, she's surrounded by ALOT of people/NPCs on the good guys side who know what she is. Paladins, good aligned clerics, foot troops that've fought demonic tieflings.... About 1/2 of them, including several of the other PCs, aren't at all happy with her presence.

Here's the miniature I used:

58cea61f1ff60_50196DevilGirlSupervillain2_JPG_05cfa198840bcb56b2e76336feaf6f3e.jpg

58cea62b908b4_50196DevilGirlSupervillain5_thumb_JPG_d3960c8a848b2bb887248b2206b7fba6.jpg

It's a super villain called Devil Girl from Reaper. I kept looking for something more D&D, but this is the mini I liked best - because of the tail.
Sadly mine isn't painted that well.

TheCosmicKid · May 8, 2018

I find the 4E/5E tiefling tail a bit odd, too, although perhaps not for the same reasons as the OP: it looks more reptilian than anything, like it belongs on the butt of the dragonborn. If tiefs are going for the "classic devil" look, shouldn't it be goatlike, or whippy and barbed?

Fortunately, I'm the DM, so if I want to say that their tails are slender like they could actually be extensions of a humanoid spine, and their faces look less like the Star Trek prosthetic team had too much free time, and they have cloven hooves because of course they do, then I can. Players who feel similarly may have to spend more effort arguing their case. But remember: tieflings are wholly imaginary creatures, and there is no one "right" way for them to look. You shouldn't have to "explain" your character's deviation from some fictitious norm by saying they're a mutant or an amputee or whatever. Unless you want to.

Coroc · May 8, 2018

[MENTION=6803664]ccs[/MENTION] whew "traditional small devil horns " and "tipped with traditional arrowhead shape"

so there is a traditional shape of extra Body parts for tieflings, you never stop learning

(Traditional pointy ears and traditional cats eyes anyone?)