Tiefling Guide: D&D 2024

Introduction

Tiefling gives a character 60-foot Darkvision, Thaumaturgy through Otherworldly Presence, and a Fiendish Legacy. The legacy is the important choice. Infernal, Abyssal, and Chthonic each provide a resistance, a cantrip, and two spells that arrive at character levels 3 and 5.

When choosing a legacy, also choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the spellcasting ability for every spell it grants. That choice is independent of class. Matching it to your class's main ability is usually convenient, but a martial Tiefling can choose the ability that best supports the character instead.

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Tiefling Species Traits

Darkvision 60ft: ●

Sixty feet of Darkvision covers most dungeon and interior lighting situations. It has less range than an Orc's 120-foot Darkvision but is sufficient for most encounters.

Otherworldly Presence: ●

You gain the Thaumaturgy cantrip and use the same ability chosen for Fiendish Legacy to cast it. Its voice, sound, and appearance effects make it useful for atmosphere, social scenes, and dramatic entrances. It is not the reason to choose the species, but it gives a Tiefling an expressive tool that does not consume a prepared spell or spell slot.

Fiendish Legacy, rather than Thaumaturgy, is the main mechanical reason to choose Tiefling.

Fiendish Legacy: ●

This trait defines the species. Choose one legacy at character creation. Each grants a damage resistance, a cantrip, and two spells unlocked at levels 3 and 5. You can cast each level 3 and level 5 spell once per Long Rest without a spell slot, then cast it again with any spell slots you have. Use the Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score you chose for the legacy.

Infernal Lineage:

• Resistance: Fire
• Cantrip: Fire Bolt
• Level 3: Hellish Rebuke (2nd-level version)
• Level 5: Darkness

Abyssal Lineage:

• Resistance: Poison
• Cantrip: Poison Spray
• Level 3: Ray of Sickness
• Level 5: Hold Person

Chthonic Lineage:

• Resistance: Necrotic
• Cantrip: Chill Touch
• Level 3: Ray of Enfeeblement
• Level 5: False Life

The best legacy depends on the foes and situations your campaign actually presents. Infernal offers a broadly useful reaction spell, Abyssal has a stronger payoff against humanoid targets, and Chthonic offers a defensive spell and necrotic resistance that can matter in an undead-focused campaign.

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Lineage by Lineage

Infernal: ●

Fire resistance helps against dragons, fire elementals, and fire spells. Fire Bolt is a d10 attack cantrip. Hellish Rebuke uses a Reaction after taking damage and does not spend a spell slot. Darkness is most useful to a class that can see through it.

Good fit: A Warlock, Sorcerer, or Paladin who expects fire threats or values a once-per-Long-Rest reaction.

Abyssal: ●

Poison resistance matters against poisonous creatures and some undead. Ray of Sickness can pressure a target early, while Hold Person is most valuable when the party expects humanoid foes and can follow up in melee.

Good fit: A Bard, Druid, or Artificer in a campaign where humanoid encounters and poison threats are common.

Chthonic: ●

Necrotic resistance matters in undead-heavy campaigns and against certain spells. False Life provides temporary hit points once per Long Rest without a slot. Ray of Enfeeblement halves Strength-based weapon damage with Concentration, so it is best against a high-Strength martial enemy.

Good fit: A Wizard, Sorcerer, or front-line character in a campaign where necrotic damage or strong weapon users are frequent concerns.

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Best Classes for Tiefling

1. Warlock: ●

Warlocks have limited spell slots that recharge on Short Rests. Fiendish Legacy adds Long Rest casts that do not use those slots. An Infernal Tiefling Warlock gains Hellish Rebuke as a Reaction, Darkness for visibility control, and Fire Bolt as another attack cantrip.

Set Fiendish Legacy to Charisma if you want its attack and save spells to use the same ability as your class spells.

2. Sorcerer: ●

Sorcerers gain the Fiendish Legacy spells without using their class spell slots for the first daily casting. Set the legacy to Charisma for straightforward spell attacks and saving throw DCs, then select it for the resistance and spells your campaign rewards.

3. Paladin: ●

An Infernal Tiefling Paladin gains fire resistance for front-line encounters and a free Hellish Rebuke reaction once per Long Rest. Charisma is usually the practical legacy ability choice for a Paladin, though the resistance remains useful regardless of that selection.

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Best Backgrounds for Tiefling

Sage: ●

Sage provides Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom as its ability-score options; Arcana and History; and Magic Initiate (Wizard). It is a strong practical package for a Tiefling who wants academic skills and an extra spellcasting option.

Acolyte: ●

Acolyte provides Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma as its ability-score options; Insight and Religion; and Magic Initiate (Cleric). It suits a Tiefling with a religious, infernal, or scholarly story and supports a Paladin or Charisma-based caster cleanly.

Charlatan: ●

Charlatan provides Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma as its ability-score options; Deception and Sleight of Hand; and the Skilled Origin feat. It is a useful route for a social character who wants flexible skill coverage rather than another spell package.

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Build Example: Infernal Tiefling Warlock (Levels 1-10)

Concept: An Infernal Tiefling Warlock who uses a Charisma-based legacy, reaction damage, and short-rest spell recovery.

Species: Tiefling (Infernal Lineage)
Background: Sage (Origin Feat: Magic Initiate: Wizard for Mage Armor and utility)
Class: Warlock
Ability Scores: CHA 17, CON 14, DEX 13, WIS 10, INT 10, STR 8 (standard array adjusted)

Level 1: Choose Infernal and set Fiendish Legacy to Charisma. Fire Bolt and Thaumaturgy give the character two lineage cantrips; use the Warlock cantrips and spells for the main combat plan.
Level 2: Choose Eldritch Invocations that reinforce how you want to contribute, rather than treating the lineage cantrips as a replacement for the class chassis.
Level 3: Hellish Rebuke becomes available from Fiendish Legacy. Keep the free once-per-Long-Rest casting for a fight where using a reaction matters.
Level 4: If Charisma is your main attack and save ability, an Ability Score Improvement can increase the value of both Warlock and legacy spells.
Level 5: Darkness becomes available from Fiendish Legacy. It is strongest when the party has a plan for the visibility it changes rather than using it automatically.
Levels 6-8: Continue choosing class spells and Invocations for the role your party lacks. The lineage supplies a resistance and a small, reliable extra spell package; it does not dictate every class choice.
Levels 9-10: Reassess the campaign's threats. Fire resistance may be crucial in one adventure and incidental in another, so keep the rest of the Warlock plan focused on the encounters your group actually faces.

Hot Take: Abyssal can suit a melee-heavy party. A free Hold Person can make one humanoid target a priority for nearby allies. It is much less useful in a campaign that rarely faces humanoids.

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Bottom Line

The 2024 Tiefling offers Darkvision, Otherworldly Presence, and a lineage-specific resistance and spell package. Choose Infernal for fire resistance and a reaction spell, Abyssal when humanoid targets and poison threats are common, or Chthonic when necrotic resistance and its spell package fit the campaign. Pick the legacy for its resistance and spells, then set its spellcasting ability deliberately.

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Related D&D 2024 Species Guides

Compare it against the D&D 2024 species guide hub, then see how it stacks up against the Dragonborn guide and Aasimar guide.