PFSRD:Tiefling
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Tieflings
Simultaneously more and less than mortal, tieflings are the offspring of humans and fiends. With otherworldly blood and traits to match, tieflings are often shunned and despised out of reactionary fear. Most tieflings never know their fiendish sire, as the coupling that produced their curse occurred generations earlier. The taint is long-lasting and persistent, often manifesting at birth or sometimes later in life, as a powerful, though often unwanted, boon. Despite their fiendish appearance and netherworld origins, tieflings have a human's capacity of choosing their fate, and while many embrace their dark heritage and side with fiendish powers, others reject their darker predilections. Though the power of their blood calls nearly every tiefling to fury, destruction, and wrath, even the spawn of a succubus can become a saint and the grandchild of a pit fiend an unsuspecting hero.
Physical Description: No two tieflings look alike; the fiendish blood running through their veins manifests inconsistently, granting them an array of fiendish traits. One tiefling might appear as a human with small horns, a barbed tail, and oddly colored eyes, while another might manifest a mouth of fangs, tiny wings, and claws, and yet another might possess the perpetual smell of blood, foul incenses, and brimstone. Typically, these qualities hearken back in some way to the manner of fiend that spawned the tiefling's bloodline, but even then the admixture of human and fiendish blood is rarely ruled by sane, mortal laws, and the vast flexibility it produces in tieflings is a thing of wonder, running the gamut from oddly beautiful to utterly terrible.
Society: Tieflings on the Material Plane rarely create their own settlements and holdings. Instead, they live on the fringes of the land where they were born or choose to settle. Most societies view tieflings as aberrations or curses, but in cultures where there are frequent interactions with summoned fiends, and especially where the worship of demons, devils, or other evil outsiders is legal or obligatory, tieflings might be much more populous and accepted, even cherished as blessings of their fiendish overlords.
Tieflings seldom see another of their own kind, and thus they usually simply adopt the culture and mannerisms of their human parents. On other planes, tieflings form enclaves of their own kind. But often such enclaves are less than harmonious—the diversity of tiefling forms and philosophies is an inherent source of conflict between members of the race, and cliques and factions constantly form in an ever-shifting hierarchy where only the most opportunistic or devious gain advantage. Only those of common bloodlines or those who manage to divorce their worldview from the inherently selfish, devious, and evil nature of their birth manage to find true acceptance, camaraderie, and common ground among others of their kind.
Relations: Tieflings face a significant amount of prejudice from most other races, who view them as fiend-spawn, seeds of evil, monsters, and lingering curses placed upon the world. Far too often, civilized races shun or marginalize them, while more monstrous ones simply fear and reject them unless forced or cowed into acceptance. But half-elves, half-orcs, fetchlings and—most oddly—aasimars tend to view them as kindred spirits who are too often rejected or who don't fit into most societies by virtue of their birth. The widespread assumption that tieflings are innately evil—ill-founded though it may be—prevents many from easily fitting into most cultures on the Material Plane except in exceedingly cosmopolitan or planar-influenced nations.
Alignment and Religion: Despite their fiendish heritage and the insidious influence of prejudice, tieflings can be of any alignment. Many of them fall prey to the dark desires that haunt their psyches, and give in to the seduction of the whispering evil within, yet others steadfastly reject their origins and actively fight against evil lures and the negative assumptions they face from others by performing acts of good. Most, however, strive to simply find their own way in the world, though they tend to adopt a very amoral, neutral view when they do. Though many creatures just assume that tieflings worship devils and demons, their religious views are as varied as their physical forms. Individual tieflings worship all manner of deities, but they are just as likely to shun religion all together. Those who give in to the dark whispers that haunt the psyche of all tieflings serve all manner of powerful fiends.
Adventurers: Tieflings rarely integrate into the mortal societies they call home. Drawn to the adventuring life as a method of escape, they hope to make a better life for themselves, to prove their freedom from their blood's taint, or to punish a world that fears and rejects them. Tieflings make skilled rogues, powerful wizards and magi, and especially puissant sorcerers as their potent blood empowers them. Those who succumb to the evil within often become powerful clerics of fiendish powers.
Male Names: Baru, Dellisar, Maldrek, Molos, Sarvin, Shoremoth, Temerith, Voren, Zoren.
Female Names: Allizsah, Indranna, Kasidra, Kilarra, Mellisan, Mordren, Nisha.
Tiefling Racial Traits
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma: Tieflings are quick in body and mind, but are inherently strange and unnerving.
Native Outsider: Tieflings are outsiders with the native subtype.
Medium: Tieflings are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Tieflings have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Tieflings see in the dark for up to 60 feet.
Skilled: Tieflings gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Stealth checks.
Spell-Like Ability: Tieflings can use darkness once per day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for this ability equals the tiefling's class level.
Fiendish Resistance: Tieflings have cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, and fire resistance 5.
Fiendish Sorcery: Tiefling sorcerers with the Abyssal or Infernal bloodlines treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer class abilities.
Languages: Tieflings begin play speaking Common and either Abyssal or Infernal. Tieflings with high intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Infernal, and Orc.
Alternate Racial Traits
The following racial traits may be selected instead of existing tiefling racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.
Beguiling Liar: Many tieflings find that the best way to get along in the world is to tell others what they want to hear. These tieflings' practice of telling habitual falsehoods grants them a +4 racial bonus on Bluff checks to convince an opponent that what they are saying is true when they tell a lie. This racial trait replaces skilled.
Fiendish Sprinter: Some tieflings have feet that are more bestial than human. Whether their feet resemble those of a clawed predator or are the cloven hooves common to many of their kind, tieflings with this trait gain a 10-foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions. This racial trait replaces skilled.
Maw or Claw: Some tieflings take on the more bestial aspects of their fiendish ancestors. These tieflings exhibit either powerful, toothy maws or dangerous claws. The tiefling can choose a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage or two claws that each deal 1d4 points of damage. These attacks are primary natural attacks. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.
Prehensile Tail: Many tieflings have tails, but some have long, flexible tails that can be used to carry items. While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. This racial trait replaces fiendish sorcery.
Scaled Skin: The skin of these tieflings provides some energy resistance, but is also as hard as armor. Choose one of the following energy types: cold, electricity, or fire. A tiefling with this trait gains resistance 5 in the chosen energy type and also gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC. This racial trait replaces fiendish resistance.
Soul Seer: Rare tieflings have a peculiar sight that allows them to see the state of a creature's soul. They can use deathwatch at will as spell-like ability. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability and fiendish sorcery racial traits.
Vestigial Wings: Some tieflings possess a pair of undersized, withered, or stunted wings like a mockery of those of their fiendish forbearer. Sometimes these wings are leathery, like those of a bat. Other times they are covered with a scattering of black, red, or violet feathers. Rare manifestations can take even more bizarre forms. These wings do not provide the lift required for actual flight, but do have enough power to aid flight attained by some other method, and grant a +4 racial bonus on Fly skill checks. This racial trait replaces skilled.
Favored Class Options
The following options are available to all tieflings who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the class reward.
Alchemist: Add +1/2 to the alchemist's bomb damage.
Cleric: Add a +1 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome the spell resistance of outsiders.
Druid: Add a +1 bonus on wild empathy checks made to improve the attitude of fiendish animals.
Inquisitor: Add a +1/2 bonus on Intimidate checks and Knowledge checks to identify creatures.
Magus: Add +1/4 point to the magus's arcane pool.
Paladin: Add +1 to the amount of damage the paladin heals with lay on hands, but only when the paladin uses that ability on herself.
Rogue: Add +1/2 to sneak attack damage dealt to creatures with the outsider type.
Sorcerer: Add +1/2 to the number of times per day a sorcerer can use the corrupting touch infernal bloodline power, or +1 to the total number of rounds per day the sorcerer can use the claws abyssal bloodline power. The sorcerer must possess the applicable power to select these bonuses.
Summoner: Add +1 hit point or +1 skill rank to the summoner's eidolon.
Witch: The witch's familiar gains resistance 1 against cold, electricity, or fire. Each time the witch selects this reward, increase the familiar's resistance to one of these energy types by 1 (maximum 5 for any one type). If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar has these resistances.
Wizard: Select one arcane school power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the wizard's Intelligence modifier. The wizard adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that arcane school power.
Racial Archetypes
The following racial archetypes are available to tieflings.
Fiend Flayer (Magus)
Some tiefling magi can tap the dark energy of their fiendish blood to enhance their arcane and combat talents. By physically carving away their tainted flesh, they can use its dark energies to enhance their powers, call forth weapons from thin air, and bypass enemies' strongest defenses. A fiend flayer has the following class features.
Infernal Mortification (Su): At 1st level, a fiend flayer can sacrifice some of his own infernal blood to add to his arcane pool. Sacrificing blood in this way is a standard action. For every 2 points of Constitution damage the fiend flayer takes in this way, his arcane pool increases by 1 point. Any arcane pool points gained in this way and not spent disappear the next time the magus prepares his spells. Unlike normal ability score damage, this damage cannot be healed by way of lesser restoration. Only time can heal the Constitution damage taken by way of infernal mortification. This ability cannot be used if the fiend flayer's Constitution damage is equal to or greater than 1/2 his Constitution score.
Magus Arcana: A fiend flayer gains access to the following magus arcana. He cannot select any arcana more than once.
Fiendblade (Su): As a swift action, as long as the fiend flayer used infernal mortification that day to increase his arcane pool, he can conjure forth a weapon using this arcana. Doing so costs 2 points from his arcane pool. The weapon can take the form of any single one-handed melee weapon the fiend flayer is proficient with. This weapon starts as a weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus, but for every four levels beyond 3rd the fiend flayer possesses, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 19th level. This summoned weapon lasts for 1 minute.
At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties to the fiendblade: anarchic, axiomatic, dancing, flaming, burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or unholy.
These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool points are spent and cannot be changed until the next time the fiend flayer uses this arcana. Another creature cannot wield the fiendblade; if it leaves the hand of the fiend flayer, it dissipates in a wisp of red smoke that smells of burning blood.
A fiend flayer can only have one fiendblade in existence at a time. If he uses this ability again, the first fiendblade disappears.
Bypassing Strike (Su): The fiend flayer can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to allow one melee or spellstrike attack he makes before the end of his turn to ignore an evil outsider target's damage reduction.
Fiendish Vessel (Cleric)
Many clerics pray to or make evil bargains with fiendish powers, devoting body and soul to the insane plans and wicked aims of their despicable patrons. But these mortal clerics are often just shallow beings searching for quick power or the caress of true and final oblivion—few truly grasp the full scope of the entities they worship. Fiendish vessels, through their fiendish heritage, share an innate connection with their patron, and that connection grants them understanding and power. A fiendish vessel has the following class features.
Alignment: Unlike normal clerics, a fiendish vessel's alignment must match her patron's.
Domains: A fiendish vessel must select the Daemon, Demon, or Devil subdomain ( 88–90) as one of her domain choices, based on the fiendish patron she chooses to serve.
Channel Evil (Su): At 1st level, a fiendish vessel, rather than channeling positive or negative energy, instead channels the pure evil power of her fiendish patron. This ability is similar to channeling negative energy, but instead of healing undead and dealing damage to living creatures, this blast of evil energy automatically heals evil creatures and debilitates good creatures within its burst.
Channeling this evil causes a burst that affects all creatures in a 30-foot radius centered on the fiendish vessel. In the case of evil creatures, the amount of damage healed is equal to 1d4 points of damage and increases by 1d4 at every two levels beyond 1st (to a maximum of 10d4 at 19th level). Good creatures in the burst receive a Will saving throw to negate this damage. Good creatures that fail their saving throws are sickened for 1d4 rounds. Good creatures with a number of Hit Dice less than or equal to the fiendish vessel's class level – 5 that fail their saving throws are nauseated for 1 round and then sickened for 1d4 rounds instead. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the fiendish vessel's level + the fiendish vessel's Charisma bonus. Neutral creatures are unaffected by this burst of evil energy.
A fiendish vessel may channel this energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. Doing so is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. A fiendish vessel can choose whether or not to include herself in this effect. A fiendish vessel must present her unholy symbol or use her familiar as the divine focus for this ability.
For the purposes of feats that affect channel energy, this ability counts as channeling negative energy. If the feat changes the way the fiendish vessel channels or deals damage with her channeling, use the amount of damage this ability heals evil creatures to determine the damage-dealing potential of the affected ability. For instance, if a 5th-level fiendish vessel takes the Channel Smite feat, her channeling deals an additional 3d4 points of damage to living creatures on a successful hit (though they may save to negate the damage).
This ability replaces channel energy.
Fiendish Familiar: At 3rd level, a fiendish vessel's patron rewards her with a fiendish servant. The fiendish vessel gains an imp, quasit, or cacodaemon familiar based on the patron she worships. This ability is identical to the wizard's arcane bond with a familiar and the Improved Familiar feat, using the fiendish vessel's character level in place of the wizard level.
This tiny fiend acts like a perverse, manifest moral compass. Furthermore, this familiar can act as a living divine focus and unholy symbol for her spellcasting if the fiendish vessel so desires, which means that when she uses her channel evil ability, its burst can be centered on the familiar instead, as long as that familiar is within 30 feet and line of sight. A fiendish vessel's familiar tends to be fawning and subservient to the fiendish vessel. Should her familiar die, the fiendish vessel's patron replaces the familiar with an identical one within 1 week, without the need for a special ritual. Furthermore, the fiendish familiar gains the following special abilities beyond the standard familiar special abilities.
Fiendish Augury (Sp): At 3rd level, the fiendish vessel can ask the familiar whether a particular course of action will bring good or bad results for her in the immediate future. This ability acts like the augury spell, with a caster level equal to the fiendish vessel's level, with the familiar acting as the mouthpiece for the spell. This ability can be used once per day.
Fiendish Divination (Sp): At 9th level, the fiendish vessel can use a more powerful form of divination to gain intelligence from her patron through her fiendish familiar. This ability acts like the divination spell, with a caster level equal to the fiendish vessel's level; the familiar acts as the mouthpiece for the spell. This ability can be used once per day.
Extra Divination (Sp): At 13th level, the fiendish vessel can gain intelligence from her patron more often each day. She can use fiendish divination up to 3 times per day.
Fiendish Summoning: When casting summon monster spells, a fiendish vessel is limited to summoning fiendish creatures and evil outsiders of the same alignment as her patron.
Fiendish Patrons
The following describes some of the more common patrons.
| Archdevil | AL | Areas of Concern | Domains | Favored Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baalzebul | LE | Arrogance, flies, lies | Air, Death, Evil, Law | Spear |
| Belial | LE | Adultery, deception, desire | Charm, Destruction, Evil, Law | Ranseur |
| Dispater | LE | Cities, prisons, rulership | Evil, Law, Nobility, Trickery | Heavy mace |
| Mephistopheles | LE | Contracts, devils, secrets | Evil, Knowledge, Law, Rune | Trident |
| Demon Lord | AL | Areas of Concern | Domains | Favored Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abraxas | CE | Forbidden lore, magic, snakes | Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Magic | Whip |
| Baphomet | CE | Beasts, labyrinths, minotaurs | Animal, Chaos, Evil, Strength | Glaive |
| Dagon | CE | Deformity, the sea, sea monsters | Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Water | Trident |
| Shax | CE | Envy, lies, murder | Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Nobility | Dagger |
| Horseman | AL | Areas of Concern | Domains | Favored Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apollyon | NE | Pestilence | Air, Darkness, Destruction, Evil | Scythe |
| Charon | NE | Death | Death, Evil, Knowledge, Water | Quarterstaff |
| Szuriel | NE | War | Evil, Fire, Strength, War | Greatsword |
| Trelmarixian | NE | Famine | Earth, Evil, Madness, Weather | Spiked gauntlet |
New Racial Rules
The following options are available to tieflings. At the GM's discretion, other appropriate races may make use of some of these new rules.
Tiefling Equipment
Tieflings have access to the following equipment.
Fiendgore Unguent: When this unguent—prepared with vile alchemical reagents and the gore of fiends—is applied to a wounded tiefling or evil outsider (not currently at maximum hit points), it momentarily transforms the essence of the target into something even more fearsome and demonic. While under the effects of a fiendgore unguent, a tiefling or an evil outsider gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks and a +1 circumstance bonus to the DC of all spells with the fear descriptor that they cast. Applying the unguent is a delicate process, requiring a full-round action, and can only be properly applied to a willing or helpless creature. If applied to a creature other than a tiefling or an evil outsider, it sickens the creature instead. The unguent's effects (either beneficial or harmful) last for 1 minute.
| Item | Cost | Weight | Craft DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiendgore unguent | 75 gp | 1 lb. | 20 |
Tiefling Feats
Tieflings have access to the following feats.
Armor of the Pit
Your fiendish traits take the form of a protective scaly skin.
Prerequisite: Tiefling.
Benefit: You gain a +2 natural armor bonus.
Special: If you have the scaled skin racial trait, you instead gain resistance 5 to two of the following energy types that you don't have resistance to already: cold, electricity, and fire.
Expanded Fiendish Resistance
You gain extra fiendish resistances.
Prerequisite: Tiefling.
Benefit: Pick one of the following energy types that you do not already have resistance to: acid, cold, electricity, or fire. You gain resistance 5 to that energy type.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you do, pick another energy type you do not have resistance to. You gain resistance 5 to that energy type.
Fiend Sight
Your eyes develop keener sight in dim light and darkness.
Prerequisites: Darkvision 60 ft., tiefling.
Benefit: You gain low-light vision and your darkvision improves to 120 ft.
Special: You can take this feat twice. When you take it a second time, you gain the see in darkness universal monster ability.
Grasping Tail
Your tail becomes more useful.
Prerequisite: Tiefling.
Benefit: You can use your tail to grab stowed items. While you cannot wield weapons with your tail, you can use it to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on your person as a swift action.
Special: If you have the prehensile tail racial trait, you can use your tail to grab unattended items within 5 feet as a swift action as well as to grab stowed objects carried on your person; you can hold such objects with your tail, though you cannot manipulate them with your tail (other than to put them in your hand).
Tiefling Magic Items
Tieflings have access to the following magic items.
Darksire Amulet
Aura faint abjuration; CL 3rd
Slot neck; Price 9,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This small iron locket contains some token—a scale, a shaving of a horn or claw, or lock of burning hair—from a fiend. When worn by a tiefling, if he has cold, electricity, or fire resistance, this amulet increases that resistance by 5. Furthermore, it provides a +4 insight bonus on Diplomacy skill checks made to influence evil outsiders.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, resist energy, creator must be a tiefling, half-fiend, or true fiend ; Cost 4,500 gp
Halo of Inner Calm
Aura strong abjuration; CL 15th
Slot head; Price 16,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This silvery ring looks like a halo. When worn by a tiefling it hovers just above his head, though it still uses the head magic item slot. It helps to calm the baser emotions and the dark whispers that plague tieflings, granting the wearer a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws against all spells with the emotion descriptor. When worn by a tiefling of a good alignment, it provides spell resistance 13 against spells with the evil descriptor and a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be a tiefling of good alignment, holy aura; Cost 8,000 gp
Tiefling Spells
Tieflings have access to the following spells.
Damnation Stride
School conjuration (teleportation) [fire]; Level sorcerer/wizard 5, summoner 4, witch 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V
Target you (teleportation) and creatures within a 10-foot-radius burst (burst of flame) (see text)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half, see text; Spell Resistance no
This spell functions like dimension door, except you leave behind a burst of fire. Choose one corner of your starting square. A 10-foot-radius burst of flame explodes from that corner the moment you leave, dealing 4d6 points of fire damage.
Hellmouth Lash
School transmutation [acid, electricity, or fire]; Level sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Upon casting this spell, your tongue transforms into an energy whip weapon that can deal acid, electricity, or fire damage. You choose what type of energy damage the spell deals when you cast it. You attack with your tongue as if it were a whip, except you make touch attacks with it and it can harm creatures with armor or natural armor bonuses. You are considered proficient with this weapon. A successful touch attack with the tongue deals 1d8 points of energy damage per two caster levels (maximum of 5d8 points of damage at 10th level).
While the spell is in effect, you cannot speak, cast spells requiring verbal components, or activate items requiring command words.
The spell has the acid, electricity, or fire descriptor, depending on what type of energy damage you chose when you cast it.
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