Half-Elf/Teifling

[ev.ocation]

I'm creating a half-elf/teifling NPC for a homebrew campaign though I'm not sure how exactly sure what traits to give her. I'm sure that Darkvision is one of them, but I don't want to put both species' bonuses because over powered characters just aren't fun. Anyone have any suggestions?

[nickl_2000]

I'd do
+2 charisma, +1 to a choice of another ability
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft
Darkvision 60ft
Advantage on saving throws against charm and no magical sleep
Resistance against Fire
Choice of 1 skill
You know the thaumaturgy cantrip
Language: Common and either Infernal or Elven depending on who raised your character


From the detect balance worksheet you get (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vq1kz6PRAbw5LHy6amH-bNb4OuB8DBXL1RsZROt03Sc/edit#gid=872807765)
8 (+2 asi)
5 (+1 asi choice)
0 (language)
3 (choice of skill)
2 (cantrip)
4 (fire resistance)
0 (speed)
1 (darkvision)
2 (advantage on charm and no sleep)

Total: 25 points.

This takes abilities from both half-elves and tieflings puts you in a solidly in the range of other classes.

[Crisis21]

So, my understanding of the fluff of tieflings is that their fiendish heritage overpowers their mortal heritage. So, yes, you could have a half-elf tiefling in appearance, but they would still have the racial traits of a tiefling. Same with dwarven tieflings, etc. Halfling tieflings might be a bit interesting because of the size difference on racial traits, but it could happen.


But nickl_2000 did a pretty good job of statting out an alternative.


Honestly, what we could use is 'half race' templates that we could slap together. Like 'half-human' + 'half-elf' would yield the typical traits of the current 'half-elf', and 'half-human' + 'half-orc' would yield the current 'half-orc', but then you could do something like 'half-elf' + 'half-orc' as well.

[Rukelnikov]

Quick and dirty for mixing races: take one as the base, and pick subrace from the other. This doesn't always work as many don't have subraces, like in this case, however with the dozen or so variant tieflings, besides some stats changes they all grant a set of three spells, and one grants wings.

So I'd either make it a base elf with the tieflings spells and +1 to an attribute depending on which fiendish heritage she has.

Or I'd make it a base tiefling without it's normal spells +2 Cha, and the elven subrace of her elven parent.