A tiefling (TEE-fling) is a creature in the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Tieflings are planetouched — descended from evil creatures of the outer planes — demons, devils, evil deities and other evil creatures. Although their evil ancestor may be many generations removed, the taint lingers. Tieflings are predisposed to evil alignments, but tieflings of other alignments exist.
Planetouched are considered native outsiders.
The good counterparts of tieflings are called aasimar.
Tieflings in the Forgotten Realms
In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, both tieflings and aasimar are more common than in other settings. Tieflings even have elven and orc counterparts (Fey'ri and Tanarruk, respectively). In the 3rd Edition of Dungeons and Dragons, less common varieties of the tiefling were introduced, including a dwarven counterpart, the Maeluth and a halfling counterpart, the Wispling.
Tieflings in Planescape
In the Planescape campaign setting, tieflings are a common race available to player characters, though they are mistrusted and reviled by many inhabitants of the planes.
Description
Tieflings tend to have an unsettling air about them, and most people are uncomfortable around them, whether they are aware of the tiefling's unsavory ancestry or not. While some look like normal humans, others retain physical characteristics derived from their ancestor, such as horns, pointed teeth, cloven hooves for feet, tails, red skin, etc.
References
- Cook, Monte. The Planewalker's Handbook (TSR, 1996).
- Varney, Allen, ed. Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (TSR, 1994).