So, I'm in the planning stages for a campaign I intend to run, and I'm putting together write-ups for the various races; I got to Tieflings, and took a look at the Fiendish Heritage feat, intending to decouple its effects from the feat, and simply make it an option Tieflings choose at character creation. But in looking it over, I realized many of the ability score bonuses associated with specific fiendish heritage seemed a little arbitrary.
For example, demon-spawn tieflings get +2 Strength, +2 Charisma, and -2 Intelligence. That mostly works, but succubi aside, the bonus to Charisma seems a little out of place. Especially when juxtaposed with Devil-Spawn tieflings, who get+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, and -2 Charisma. The defining modus operandi of devil-kind is trickery, deceit, temptation, and lopsided deals. The mental stats I associate with them are Intelligence and Charisma, not Wisdom--and it certainly doesn't seem kosher for the average devil-spawn tiefling to have 4 fewer points of Charisma than the average demon-spawn tiefling.
Then there's oni-spawn tieflings. +2 to Strength is fair enough...but since oni are known for trickery, disguise, and hedonism, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma seems exactly the inverse of what it should be.
Anyone else share these sentiments? Anyone have suggestions for changes?
Yes they seem off to but I don't like the standard ability modifiers for Tieflings. EDIT: I also discard Fiendish Heritage feat - each Tiefling is possibly subject to custom building without wasting a feat for it.
My own change as GM is that most Tieflings get +2 to Charisma and -2 to Wisdom - their fiendish heritage make the intangible presence that is represented by Charisma but makes them prone to temptation and corruption.
The remaining +2 is usually granted to Intelligence (I like 4th edition Tifelings and disagree with notion that each race should get +2 to one physical and +2 to one mental ability score) but can get to any other ability score - not depending upon ancestor's subtype but upon specific fiendish race (balor, gelugon, astradaemon, etc.) and the history of the Tiefling's lineage (brutal, cunning, sneaky, unnaturally vital).
I am not exactly convinced of oni/rakshasa-descended Tieflings. As these creatures technially are not fiends (they native outsiders instead of evil outsiders) their mortal progeny could be different race.
If oni/rakshasa-descendands would qualify as Tieflings thn the Oni could give +2 to Strength, +2 Charisma and -2 to Intelligence while Rakshasa would be +2 Dexterity or Intelligence, +2 Charisma and certainly -2 to Wisdom.
Yes they seem off to but I don't like the standard ability modifiers for Tieflings. EDIT: I also discard Fiendish Heritage feat - each Tiefling is possibly subject to custom building without wasting a feat for it.
My own change as GM is that most Tieflings get +2 to Charisma and -2 to Wisdom - their fiendish heritage make the intangible presence that is represented by Charisma but makes them prone to temptation and corruption.
The remaining +2 is usually granted to Intelligence (I like 4th edition Tifelings and disagree with notion that each race should get +2 to one physical and +2 to one mental ability score) but can get to any other ability score - not depending upon ancestor's subtype but upon specific fiendish race (balor, gelugon, astradaemon, etc.) and the history of the Tiefling's lineage (brutal, cunning, sneaky, unnaturally vital).
I am not exactly convinced of oni/rakshasa-descended Tieflings. As these creatures technially are not fiends (they native outsiders instead of evil outsiders) their mortal progeny could be different race.
If oni/rakshasa-descendands would qualify as Tieflings thn the Oni could give +2 to Strength, +2 Charisma and -2 to Intelligence while Rakshasa would be +2 Dexterity or Intelligence, +2 Charisma and certainly -2 to Wisdom.
As it stands, Rakshasa-spawn Tieflings get +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and -2 Wisdom, which seems just about right.