D&D General Tieflings

[Vaalingrade]

I like my tieflings monochrome. Shades of grey only.

Polka dots --- GOOOOO!

 

[Longspeak]

As a DM, I've recently begun to codify some rules about Tieflings, to allow for expanded options.

First... They're not a species. They're a 'heritage' any Species can inherit. You, for example, be an infernal halfing, or an infernal half-elf. "Tiefling" becomes the default for an infernal human.

Second.... Some level of infernal appearance is required, but Players can pick and chose. Still codifying this part especially as it might relate to abilities. But skin-tone, possible skin effects, horns, and digitigrade legs with hooves are among the options.

Third... pick and chose abilities. I'm adapting a sort of 'point' system from another game, and players can pick and choose with that from their species or their two species, as well as their heritage. I'm trying not to add to much ability, but to introduce some variety of choice, to better differentiate between characters.

It's worked nicely for me with the "Elemental Heritage PCs" (replacing Genasi). The leader of the mercenary group is a former PC (The player wanted a new character), who is an elf/human with air elemental heritage, and when the player made the character she nicely detailed her half elf, half human background, and then her elemental expression, to make her feel like a real part of the world.

 

[Temporalgod]

As a DM, I've recently begun to codify some rules about Tieflings, to allow for expanded options.

First... They're not a species. They're a 'heritage' any Species can inherit. You, for example, be an infernal halfing, or an infernal half-elf. "Tiefling" becomes the default for an infernal human.

Second.... Some level of infernal appearance is required, but Players can pick and chose. Still codifying this part especially as it might relate to abilities. But skin-tone, possible skin effects, horns, and digitigrade legs with hooves are among the options.

Third... pick and chose abilities. I'm adapting a sort of 'point' system from another game, and players can pick and choose with that from their species or their two species, as well as their heritage. I'm trying not to add to much ability, but to introduce some variety of choice, to better differentiate between characters.

It's worked nicely for me with the "Elemental Heritage PCs" (replacing Genasi). The leader of the mercenary group is a former PC (The player wanted a new character), who is an elf/human with air elemental heritage, and when the player made the character she nicely detailed her half elf, half human background, and then her elemental expression, to make her feel like a real part of the world.

I get what you're saying, it's like how Elf Tieflings are called Fey'ri and Orc Tieflings are called Tanarukks, at the end of the day they're just Tieflings but under a different name.

 

[jmartkdr2]

In general I like an "anime" level of inhuman-ness. Like, short horns, maybe a tail. Normal flesh tones.

In practice, I like to base characters off of found art, and a lot of that is more inhuman than my baseline preference, so red- or grey-skinned tieflings show up in actual practice.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

That is pretty much my take. Some characters I like having hooves, some just need to have feet.

Tail: Mandatory. Doens't matter if it's thick (Thicc?) or thin with a little spade end. Like with dragon people, if there's no tail, what are you even doing?

Horns: Yes. One minimum, but go nuts. Give me a styracosaurus lady. Again, if you're making a devil person, what are you doing not having horns?

Legs and feet? I can give or take the digitigrade legs and hooves. Either is fine.

Skin: If a human can have it, a tiefling can't. Give me colors like a rainbow on psychedelics. Red and purples and blues, obviously, but can I interest you in yellow?

I don't go for the random mutations. Especially not that table where the terrible, hellish mutations you could roll up are things actual humans have/do.

Generally, I like the 4e standardization coupled with 'yes, and'.

Here's a question for the group...scales on tieflings or no?

 

[Vaalingrade]

Here's a question for the group...scales on tieflings or no?

Fish, lizard or musical?

 

[Temporalgod]

That is pretty much my take. Some characters I like having hooves, some just need to have feet.



Here's a question for the group...scales on tieflings or no?

I'm fine with it, I mean if all important parts are covered by scales your character wouldn't technically need to wear clothes, the scales would be like a chainmail bikini except that it's actually part of your body.

 

[Mad_Jack]

Here's a question for the group...scales on tieflings or no?

Sure, if they want them... Maybe their outsider ancestor was a Marilith or something.
Personally, I'd prefer smaller scales, or maybe only partially scaled, but that's just my general sense of aesthetics.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Having played a tiefling bard:

Fish, lizard or musical?

 

[Vaalingrade]

Having played a tiefling bard:

View attachment 273120

This was the correct answer.

You may continue existing.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Some varieties of Tieflings, all with the aim of depicting different types, including some classic varieties, some based on types of fiends like Glabrezu, Vrock, Imp or Hamatula, and even certain Humanoid backgrounds like Orc, Elf or Halfling.

 

[MGibster]

I want my tieflings to look rather demonic as was originally intended. If they look too much like regular humans, are you even tieflinging, bro?

 

[ph0rk]

I don’t anymore, because they have grown so common reaction from NPCs isn’t a thing anymore at most tables I tend to play at. That reaction was half the point for me.

 

[Temporalgod]

I don’t anymore, because they have grown so common reaction from NPCs isn’t a thing anymore at most tables I tend to play at. That reaction was half the point for me.

Why not take the extreme approach by playing as a floating mass of Horns, Eyes, Teeth, Skin and Limbs, just Herma Mora it up and you'll probably get the reactions you're looking for.

 

[ph0rk]

Why not take the extreme approach by playing as a floating mass of Horns, Eyes, Teeth, Skin and Limbs, just Herma Mora it up and you'll probably get the reactions you're looking for.

I'd be ok with "hadarspawn" if it were an option.

 

[Grogg of the North]

stares at player
Well, why don't you tell me what your character looks like?

 

[ph0rk]

stares at player
Well, why don't you tell me what your character looks like?

Well, he's 6' tall, pale skin, and his face is a little bit.... ț̷̢̧͙̳̼͔̱͔͕̞͓̖͕̐̾̓͠e̸͎͊̾͛̀̔̈́͜͠n̷̡̛̪̔͒̿̆̿̿̈́̌t̶̛̛͔̭̠̝̃̈́͒̐̂̀̅͛̆̋ǎ̵̢͓̼͈͚̫̂̇̄̌̀̚ͅĉ̴̤̩̘̰̯͉̰͈͕̩̄̍̚͘l̸̮̆͋̈́̊̋͌͜y̷̘̠̤͚̬̩͓̼̱̦̠̼̓͒̔̿̊.̶̢̧̺͇͙̰͎̯̩̺̟͖͍̮̿͋̔̃́͜.

 

[Grogg of the North]

Well, he's 6' tall, pale skin, and his face is a little bit.... ț̷̢̧͙̳̼͔̱͔͕̞͓̖͕̐̾̓͠e̸͎͊̾͛̀̔̈́͜͠n̷̡̛̪̔͒̿̆̿̿̈́̌t̶̛̛͔̭̠̝̃̈́͒̐̂̀̅͛̆̋ǎ̵̢͓̼͈͚̫̂̇̄̌̀̚ͅĉ̴̤̩̘̰̯͉̰͈͕̩̄̍̚͘l̸̮̆͋̈́̊̋͌͜y̷̘̠̤͚̬̩͓̼̱̦̠̼̓͒̔̿̊.̶̢̧̺͇͙̰͎̯̩̺̟͖͍̮̿͋̔̃́͜.

Excellent! Moves onto the next player

In all seriousness, I tend to default to my players when it comes to character appearance.

 

[ph0rk]

Oh, for sure - I don't think I'd have much problem at all with the appearance descriptions in this thread. I'm mostly just wistful for a time when every trip to town was risking a good old fashioned mob and a demon-burning.

 

[Grogg of the North]

Nothing a Hat of Disguise can't fix!