Help in creating a Tiefling.

[soccastar001]

One of my players wants to create a Tiefling. He wants to take the Fiendish Heritage feat and roll on the alternate trait/ability list. I'm a little confused how this works though. The heading for this list says the trait or ability rolled replaces the standard one. Some of these are easy to tell, such as a new spell-like ability would replace their default Darkness ability. A new skill bonus would replace one of the ones they have.

But others aren't so clear, how do I handle it if I roll something like "can speak to animals" or "speed increased +5 feet"? Do these replace their spell-like ability or darkvision? Also when something replaces something else like their skill bonuses, do I choose which it replaces randomly or let the player choose? Also, rolling 100 says roll twice, do I replace two things with the two abilities rolled or does this earn the player a 2nd for free?

Any help on properly creating a Tiefling would be appreciated since the player seems pretty excited and I don't want to tell him no just because it is hard to decipher how to properly do it.

[Eltacolibre]

No it just add to the tiefling abilities. It should be noted that the rolled version was mostly meant for npcs for an AP in Cheliax dealing with a lot of tieflings, so it was a nice way to make different flavor of tieflings.

It should be noted that fiendish heritage is 3.5, not Pathfinder as well.

Tiefling by default can be different kind of tieflings without taking any feat. So you might just roll for it..and that's pretty much it.

[claudekennilol]

I don't have my Blood of Fiends book here at work, but this is what d20pfsrd says.

Quote:

GMs may customize tiefling NPCs using the following charts, or allow players to do so by rolling a d%. Players with a particular character concept in mind may consult their GM if they want to select a specific variant ability or may take the Fiendish Heritage feat. The abilities and alternative physical features presented here replace the standard / default equivalent trait or feature. Any abilities that grant spells or spell-like abilities are treated as having a caster level equal to the tiefling’s character level.

That's what he was asking about.

For example, from that, it's pretty obvious that "Once per day, you can use death knell as a spell-like ability." would replace "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."

But what does "Your body produces intense, searing heat. Any creature that grapples you takes 1d4 points of fire damage per round." replace?

[Eltacolibre]

Officially? up to the DM, there is frankly no other answer, even if it sounds like a cop out. Now I guess, if he wants suggestion, of what they should replace...he can ask but hard to tell until the player at least roll.

[Taenia]

At the top of the random chart it tells you that this ability replaces the spell-like ability of the tiefling. Regardless of Heritage, you lose your SLA and gain the listed ability. Keep in mind it is very random and some abilities are much stronger than other.

[Earl of the Malebolge]

All of these alternative traits replace the spell-like ability to cast darkness once per day. It says so in the text above the chart. I have player several tieflings using this chart, and its a great way to introduce backstory/variety into the game.

[Kalindlara]

Bear in mind also that as of Blood of Fiends, the feat is no longer technically required (you could require it, but I've never found that to be necessary). If you allow it, he rolls the d% and replaces the Darkness spell-like ability with the rolled result.

I really like the table, and I use it whenever I create a non-generic tiefling.

Also, sorry to go around correcting people, but technically Fiendish Heritage is Pathfinder. It comes from PF #25: The Bastards of Erebus, the first AP volume for the Pathfinder system. Easy mistake, though. :)