DnD Tiefling 5e explained

The DnD Tiefling is a species that’s entirely unique to the world of Dungeons and Dragons. Horned, hellish, and hella charismatic, the Tiefling 5e have long tails and vibrant skin thanks to their demonic DNA. If you’d like to create a Tiefling DnD character, this guide will walk you through the process.

Ready to learn more about the most recognizable of all DnD races? Below you’ll find the core Tiefling rules, some detailed background on the species, and the DnD classes we’d recommend choosing for your character build.

Here’s all you need to know about the DnD Tiefling:

DnD Tiefling traits

Tieflings share certain racial traits as a result of their infernal descent.

Ability score increase

Your Intelligence score increases by one, and your Charisma score increases by two.

Age

Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans but live a few years longer.

Alignment

Tieflings might not have an intimate tendency towards evil, but many of them end up there. Evil or not, an independent nature inclines many Tieflings towards a chaotic DnD alignment.

Size

Tieflings are about the same size and build as a Human. Your DnD size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your infernal heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Hellish Resistance

You have resistance to fire damage.

Infernal Legacy

You know the Thaumaturgy DnD cantrip. When you reach third level, you can cast the Hellish Rebuke spell as a second-level DnD spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach fifth level, you can cast the Darkness spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a DnD long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Infernal. 

DnD Tiefling subraces

The DnD stats above belong to a specific kind of Tiefling, known as the ‘Asmodeus Tiefling’. There are other DnD Tiefling subraces, but only two are considered part of the current fifth edition rules. Aside from the Asmodeus Tiefling and the Variant Tiefling (see below), the rest are ‘legacy content’ found in older DnD books.

Here’s a list of legacy subraces:

• Baalzebul Tiefling
• Dispater Tiefling
• Fierna Tiefling
• Glasya Tiefling
• Levistus Tiefling
• Mammon Tiefling
• Mephistopheles Tiefling
• Zariel Tiefling

We’ll look at each of these subraces in more detail. But first, let’s start with the second Tiefling found in the current sourcebooks. Then we’ll explore some legacy content, in case you still want to give them a try.

Variant Tiefling

A Variant Tiefling refers to any member of the race that isn’t associated with Asmodeus. They might have a slightly more unusual appearance. In particular, Variant Tieflings tend to have wings – which give the added bonus of 30ft flying speed when not wearing heavy DnD armor.

Baalzebul Tiefling

A Baalzebul Tiefling is linked to the archdevil Baalzebul – who specializes in corruption – and the crumbling layer of hell known as Maladomini. You get +1 Intelligence, and can use the following corruption-based spells thanks to your Legacy of Maladomini ability.

Dispater Tiefling

Dispater is an archdevil who’s all about intrigue and sneakiness, so Dispater Tieflings, connected to this devil through their bloodline, get +1 Dexterity, and can access these cunning spells that are perfect for spycraft:

Fierna Tiefling

Fierna is an archdevil that excels at manipulation, so Fierna Tieflings, with a bloodline connection to this devil, get +1 Wisdom. They can also access spells that will help them make friends and influence people:

Glasya Tiefling

Glasya is the youngest archdevil, and Asmodeus’ daughter. Glaysa Tieflings are particularly attractive, get +1 Dexterity, and gain a set of spells which, like that of Dispater Tieflings, are geared towards subterfuge and stealth:

Levistus Tiefling

Levistus is the archdevil in charge of the cold frozen sea hell, Stygia. He’s also trapped in an iceberg. Levistus Tieflings get +1 Constitution, and can access the following cold-themed spells:

Mammon Tiefling

Mammon loves money, and Tieflings with this bloodline are apparently great at organizing their finances. Mammon Tieflings get +1 Intelligence and gain the following spells:

Mephistopheles Tiefling

Mephistopheles is an archdevil who rules the frozen hell of Cania, but uses hellfire magic. He’s also the greatest wizard out of all the devils. A Mephistopheles Tiefling, connected to this archdevil through their bloodline, gets +1 Intelligence, and can access these fire-themed spells:

Zariel Tiefling

Zariel is an archdevil obsessed with battle. As a result, Zariel Tieflings make a better DnD Fighter than most. They get +1 Strength, and their racial spells are related to improving their weapon attacks.

Tiefling 5e names

In keeping with their demonic provenance, DnD Tiefling 5e names tend to incorporate nods to various epic-sounding Old Testament bible characters and/or Latin-sounding overtones. Their names often have at least one ‘Z’ or ‘X’ in them, and often end in ‘ius’; ‘ios’; ‘ias’; or ‘iath’ – or, of course, the classic angelic/demonic name suffix ‘iel’.

A few traditional Tiefling names might be:

• Moriath
• Axariel
• Zaxion
• Baranius
• Kaivas
• Ixorios

Tiefling virtue names

Some DnD Tiefling characters prefer not to have their name reflect their demonic heritage, and may either choose a name from another culture – or they can choose what’s called a Tiefling virtue name.

These are one word long, and are chosen to represent a given abstract concept, value, or obsession that shapes your character’s sense of self. A few possible virtue names could be:

• Absolution
• Suffering
• Tumult
• Excoriation
• Endless
• Gleaming

Tiefling name generator

As ever, the internet is rife with tools for spitting out the perfect name for your DnD character – here are a couple of our favorite Tiefling name generators:

Once you’ve picked your bloodline, crafted a name that suits your Tiefling’s heritage and deepest self, and decided just what sort of adventurer you’re going to be, you’re ready for your next DnD campaign. 

Tiefling 5e classes

These are the best classes to choose for your Tiefling:

Tiefling Warlock

A Tiefling Warlock is one of the most stereotypical builds there is. Maybe it’s the inherent association Tieflings have with demons that drives them to make pacts with those sorts of powers. Maybe it’s the horns, or the Charisma casting. Whatever it is, ‘Tiefling’ and ‘Warlock’ are almost synonymous in Dungeons and Dragons.

The DnD Warlock has very limited access to spells, so the inherent magic of a Tiefling is a solid way to expand their repertoire. You won’t have much need for that Intelligence stat increase, but we think booksmarts are overrated anyway – unless you’re planning to play a DnD Wizard.

Tiefling Sorcerer

Another glass cannon spellcaster (but one that plays very differently from the Warlock) is the Tiefling Sorcerer. Once again, you’re casting spells with your Charisma. And once again, your choice of race gives a nice boost to a limited range of spells.

We’d argue the DnD Sorcerer is the most complex of the Tiefling-friendly classes, so bear that in mind when choosing your build. That does also mean it can be incredibly powerful, though.

Tiefling Bard

A Tiefling Bard has significantly more spell slots than a Warlock, but they’ll still benefit from the extra options at early levels. Plus, given the DnD Bard tendency to play party Skill Monkey, you might actually be able to put your Intelligence stat to good use.

Charisma is still the main stat to focus on here. It fuels your magic, and it helps you charm your way out of any sticky social situations.

Tiefling Paladin

If you want at least some martial combat prowess, a Tiefling Paladin build is your best bet. You’ll still have a bit of magic to manage, but hey, at least you can capitalize on the Zariel Tiefling’s smiting powers now. That always seems to go to waste in our other builds.

Ignore Intelligence entirely here, even with the stat boost. A DnD Paladin is MAD (multiple ability score dependent) enough as it is, so you’ll need all your points to boost Strength and Constitution as well as Charisma. 

Roleplaying a Tiefling 5e

Tieflings are born with infernal blood. This means that someone in their family, perhaps several generations back, had dealings with a devil. The legacy of this interaction lingers, and new members of the family will enter the world with horns and tails as well as the regular humanoid features.

This unique origin has a lot of impact on how you might want to roleplay your Tiefling. Firstly, it means the Tiefling race doesn’t have a specific homeland or place of origin. Your Tiefling can be from anywhere, and they can have any kind of background.

We recommend thinking carefully about where your Tiefling is from. It might change how they were treated growing up, which can have a lot of impact on someone’s personality and beliefs.

In traditional D&D lore, Tieflings are a marginalized group, feared and discriminated against because of their lineage. It doesn’t matter that a Tiefling had nothing to do with their great-great-grandmother’s devilish activities: people will still judge them. If you’re interested in exploring this aspect of the Tiefling race, your character might have spent their pre-campaign lives avoiding non-Tieflings, and you might find it difficult to trust others.

Not everyone wants to roleplay fantasy racism, however. And in recent years, the Forgotten Realms has been presented as an increasingly diverse and tolerant place. So, if you prefer, your Tiefling might have lived somewhere more cosmopolitan, where their neighbors aren’t so judgy about ancestry.

Remember that, despite your ties to the Nine Hells, your Tiefling can have any alignment you like. Perhaps your Tiefling chose to rebel against the evil implications of their origin, and they’ve become the noblest Paladin the Realms has ever seen. Or maybe attempting to learn about their family history led them to some chaotic evil places. The multiverse is your oyster.

One DnD Tiefling

The One DnD rulebooks arrive in 2024, and that means we’re getting a whole new set of Tiefling rules to play with. The fifth edition Tiefling will still be playable, as Wizards of the Coast promises both versions of the rules will be cross-compatible with each other. But the newer One DnD Tiefling will be better balanced for future campaigns.

With the the new Player’s Handbook soon arriving on the 2024 DnD release schedule, we’ve already had our first glimpse of the new Tiefling rules. Pointy Hat’s video below shares all the details, but if you haven’t got time to watch a 30-minute video, we can summarize.

DnD races will be known as species going forward, and they’re no longer linked to your character’s ability score increases (you’ll get those from DnD backgrounds instead). This means that subraces are out the window too, but there will be a replacement – legacies. The new Player’s Handbook features three legacies for Tieflings.

Infernal Tieflings most closely resemble the standard Tiefling of fifth edition. They’re related to devils and resistant to fire damage. Plus, they can cast Fire Bolt, Hellish Rebuke, and Darkness after certain DnD level ups.

Abyssal Tieflings are descended from demons, so they’re resistant to poison damage and know the Poison Spray cantrip. Their species spells are Ray of Sickness and Hold Person.

Finally, Cthonic Tieflings share ancestry with yugoloths, a type of friend with hugely varied appearances and abilities. Cthonic Tieflings are resistant to necrotic damage, and they can cast Chill Touch, False Life, and Ray of Enfeeblement.

While those features set the different Tieflings apart, they also share a lot of similar traits. All Tieflings can cast Thaumaturgy thanks to their Otherworldy Presence feature, and they all still have Darkvision. Tieflings also share a size, though now you can choose to be a Small or Medium character.

Need more ideas? Here’s some of our favorite DnD character builds. And here are the very best DnD one shots you can play your brand-new Tiefling in.

This guide directly presents rules text for the DnD Tiefling, published by Wizards of the Coast under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Source: Wargamer