Tiefling Tables

How should Tiefling traits be handled in 4E?

  • 4E Tieflings should be consistent in appearance and abilities.

    Votes: 30 19.4%
  • Tiefling players should choose/roll abilities from a list or table.

    Votes: 101 65.2%
  • I have a system for Tieflings and I'm keeping it.

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • Other (elaborate):

    Votes: 23 14.8%

As far as I'm concerned if there is a table, rolling is optional/player choice with DM approval pending game breaking combinations. Maybe with a level based option.

Bel
 

log in or register to remove this ad

I say, let the player choose; no need for tables. Most DMs allow their players to "dress out" their character how ever they like, choosing the character's hair, skin, and eye color, weight, height, build, age, sex, and gender. If one of my players wants to play a half-elf who looks human in every way, even height and weight, I let her.

The only time we ever had an issue was when someone wanted to play a human-sized halfling. I told her that medium-sized halflings would be somewhat unbalancing, and suggested the Tallfellow variant in the MM instead. (shrug)

The tiefling would be no different for us. As long as the player isn't trying anything funky (like a Large-sized tiefling with claw/bite/gore attacks and a Fly speed), I say let the players' imaginations run away with them.
 


With extraplanar heritage, it seems only fair that tieflings should be able to choose from a variety of abilities to round out their character. Who is to say exactly what their heritage is? They could come from a demon, devil, yugoloth, who knows. Limiting them to a set list of abilities is too constraining.
 
Last edited:

A thought comes to mind.

Maybe a tiefling's appearance (What traits it has) is an aspect of the racial triats.

For example, "Choose one of the following traits:
-Large horns: Character has a natural gore attack, 1d6 + 1/2 str damage.
-Goat legs: +5ft speed, +2 to jump checks.
-Tail: +2 balance checks, can hold (but not wield) a third item.

Sure, it's not perfect, but it makes selecting the appearance more than just character description - it REMINDS you that they're what they are every time you do something unique with them.
 

tables

i think they should have random tables (which you can always select from if your DM allows) for skills, etc.

The way I do it, which I wil probably continue...after I update demons/devils as I want from the 4E standard :P, I'll use the tables I have for abilities based on the plane the tiefling was affected by and the slight heritage it may have.

The only thing I find confusing, i thought tieflings were only heritage based on a plane affecting them...if they are 'half lower planar creature', what's the difference between a half-fiend?

Sanjay
 

Belorin said:
As far as I'm concerned if there is a table, rolling is optional/player choice with DM approval pending game breaking combinations. Maybe with a level based option.
IMHO:

1/ Much work should be done to ELIMINATE broken combos, rather than just making them rare. (Preferably this work will be done by other people.)

2/ I like rolling, because for me it's easier to improvise than it is to decide. Particularly when the options are all mechanically balanced. But I fully support everyone else's right to choose. :)

Cheers, -- N
 

How should Tiefling traits be handled in 4E?

Easy, they should move the Tiefling from the PHB to the PHB2 and replace it with the gnome, quickling, kobold or possibly goblin... but as that ain't gonna happen...

I say include a list of cosmetic-only features that a player may select from.

Any features that include tangible game effects should be part of their racial progression tree.
 


Turjan said:
In good old Traveler tradition, rolling up a tiefling should include death during character creation.
If you could continue playing the once-dead Tiefling, that would be so frikkin' cool I'd need a sweater.

"And I'm a penguin!", -- N
 

Remove ads

Top