Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition race
Tiefling
Tiefling is a race in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition: Fiend-descended charmers with permanent fire resistance and a small, free, self-scaling spell list.
Last reviewed
Key facts
- Speed
- 30
- Size
- Medium
- Traits
- Darkvision, Hellish Resistance (fire), Infernal Legacy (thaumaturgy, hellish rebuke, darkness)
- Languages
- Common, Infernal
Overview
Tiefling gives Charisma +2 with Intelligence +1, a spread that suits warlocks and sorcerers and is unusual enough to make a genuinely distinct character. Hellish Resistance halves fire damage permanently, which matters because fire is the most common damage type in the game. Infernal Legacy adds spells at no class cost and on a fixed schedule: the thaumaturgy cantrip from 1st level, hellish rebuke once per long rest at 3rd level cast as a 2nd-level spell, and darkness once per long rest at 5th level, all using Charisma. Darkness in particular is a real tactical tool on a character who has another way to see or fight inside it.
How it works
Ability Score Increase: +2 Charisma, +1 Intelligence Size: Medium Speed: 30 feet Darkvision: See in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Hellish Resistance: Resistance to fire damage. Infernal Legacy: You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. At 3rd level you can cast hellish rebuke as a 2nd-level spell once per long rest, and at 5th level you can cast darkness once per long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for all three.
Tips and playstyle
Best Classes: Warlock and Sorcerer (Charisma, plus spells that layer onto the class list), Bard, and Charisma-based Paladin. Wizards gain less, since the Intelligence bonus is only +1. Character Concepts: Outcast looking for somewhere to belong, infernal scholar, fiend hunter with a personal stake, fallen heir, charming confidence artist, cleric of something that forgave them. Why Choose Tiefling: Fire resistance is the single most useful damage resistance in the game, and Infernal Legacy delivers free spells at 1st, 3rd, and 5th level without spending any class resources. The Charisma and Intelligence pairing is rare and gives a spellcaster a distinctive shape.
Frequently asked questions
Is Infernal Legacy worth much on a caster who already has spells?
Yes, because the uses are free. Hellish rebuke as a 2nd-level spell once per long rest is an extra reaction attack that costs no slot, and darkness once per long rest is a spell you did not have to prepare or learn.
How useful is fire resistance?
Consistently useful. Fire is the most common damage type across monsters, traps, and spells, and resistance halves it, so a tiefling walking through a burning building or caught in a fireball loses half of what everyone else loses.
Should a wizard play a tiefling?
Mostly for flavor. Intelligence +1 is a thin return for a wizard, and the SRD has stronger Intelligence races. Tiefling is at its best on Charisma casters, where the +2 lands on the primary score and Infernal Legacy runs off the same ability.