So that IS an iconic teifling PC!

[frankthedm]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/welcome

So is that an iconic teifling PC or NPC foe concept art? She was the first thing that caught my eye, and I got to thinking; Will tiefling be an encouraged [and ECL 0] character race in the new edition?

Say, is that an elderly Tordek on the left of the pic?

 

[Mouseferatu]

A lot of the very early concept art for 3E bore little, if any, resemblance to the eventual iconics. So I'm not prepared to make any guesses.

That said, I'm hoping that 4E will embrace a wider variety of "types" of fantasy, so that you can play everything from King Arthur (real world with some magic) to totally alien (Dark Sun or Planescape), and everything in between, with minimal difficulty.

So if tieflings are offered as an ECL 0 (or whatever the 4E equivalent is) race, I'll be okay with that, as long as they aren't presented as pseudo-mandatory.

 

[Friadoc]

Oddly enough, it made me think of a female draenei from World of Warcraft, but I'd say she is a PC race, only because they all look like PC races.

It makes more sense for them to only show player hooks at the moment, since that is something art is very good at conveying, although it works for DM stuff, too.

 

[Mouseferatu]

You know, looking at the pic again...

That could very easily be a bariaur. Is it vaguely possible that the new edition will incorporate a stronger focus on multiple worlds, possibly to encourage a wider variety of campaign/play-styles?

 

[blargney the second]

I quite like concept of traits from Iron Heroes. Much more flexible and easier to balance than fixed races and LA.

 

[WhatGravitas]

I quite like concept of traits from Iron Heroes. Much more flexible and easier to balance than fixed races and LA.

But not D&Dish, at least in my opinion.

Rather include races, made of pre-selected traits, then put the full trait-menu into the DMG, because a DM can then use it as toolkit for his own world!

Cheers, LT.

 

[Friadoc]

You know, looking at the pic again...

That could very easily be a bariaur. Is it vaguely possible that the new edition will incorporate a stronger focus on multiple worlds, possibly to encourage a wider variety of campaign/play-styles?

You know what, Ari, I think you'r right. It hits me a lot more like a bariaur, than it does a tiefling.

You know, an extraplanar focus/option would be awesome, I think.

A lot of people are fans of multiverse type stuff, too.

 

[frankthedm]

Sorry Bariaur fans it looks like the Teifling is a core race...

"The same thing will happen to the races covered in the core books, where the half-demon tieflings will claim a place at the expense of an undisclosed race—we’re guessing a half-elf, gnome and halfling were shut up in a dark cave with some paring knives, and no questions were asked of whoever came out…heck, there might even be three new races in the new edition! "

BTW, IIRC I saw a 4E halfling concept, so Halfling made it out of the cave. If Inquest is correct about 3 new races, I'd worry about gnomes, half elves and half orcs making the cut.

 

[FireLance]

To add a further bit of info, 4e will have racial abilities spread out more than in 3e, so that some of the more powerful abilities will be gained at higher levels. This will allow tieflings to be played from first level.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

BTW, IIRC I saw a 4E halfling concept, so Halfling made it out of the cave. If Inquest is correct about 3 new races, I'd worry about gnomes, half elves and half orcs making the cut.

I've seen mention of the half-elf's inspiring presence racial ability, so it looks like gnomes and half-orcs are still on the block. Works for me, being the two I'd miss least.