Tiefling Sorcerer 5e D&D Guide

Tiefling Sorcerers are easily discernable by their horns, forked tails, and fiery eyes, making them a fearsome sight to behold.

Since they are born with infernal blood, they possess a natural affinity for the arcane arts – showing an extreme talent for magic – and the power to cast spells that can ignite the very air around them. 

With a gentle flick of their tail, they can call forth bolts of lightning, summon spirits from the depths of the underworld, or even hurl their enemies through the very fabric of space and time.

Tiefling Sorcerers can be powerful allies, yet their appearance and magical abilities could bode trouble in many towns across the world.

Creating a Tiefling Sorcerer

Tieflings

Tieflings are greeted with stares and whispers, suffering violence and horrific insults wherever they go, seeing fear and mistrust in every eye that passes them – this is something all Tieflings go through.

The hate others feel for Tieflings is because of the pact struck many generations ago, infusing them with the essence of Asmodeus, the overlord of the Nine Hells and all evil that serves under him.

Their appearance cannot be helped, only resulting because of an ancient sin long past. All their descendants will bear this appearance and be held accountable for as long as their race lives.

Note: These features can be slightly changed or modified if some variations don’t fit your character.

Tiefling Subraces

The subraces of Tieflings are broken up into different bloodlines and then divided once again as not all of them have the blood of Asmodeus – introducing Tiefling Variants and the Abyssal Tiefling.

Bloodline of Asmodeus – Tieflings of Asmodeus command the powers of darkness and fire and have increased intellect.

Bloodline of Baalzebul – Tieflings of Baalzebul excel at corrupting others both physically and psychically.

Bloodline of Dispater – Tieflings of Dispater are expert spies and infiltrators, mainly because of their place in the city of Dis, occupying Hell’s second layer.

Bloodline of Fierna – Tieflings of Fierna are master manipulators, as they possess forceful personalities.

Bloodline of Glasya – Tieflings of Glasya transform her subjects into criminal masterminds, providing them with magic to commit heists.

Bloodline of Levistus – Tieflings of Levistus offer their friends “bargains,” protecting them from certain doom.

Bloodline of Mammon – Tieflings of Mammon have his love for coins, knowing ways to gather as well as safeguard hordes of valuables.

Bloodline of Mephistopheles – Tieflings of Mephistopheles obtain unmatched arcane magic if they beg Mephistopheles for it.

Bloodline of Zariel – Tieflings of Zariel are physically superior to other Tieflings and have magical abilities that bolster them in battle.

Tiefling Variants – Not all Tieflings have the blood of Asmodeus others have different traits providing them with spells, increased attributes, and physical differences. 

Note: Mutually exclusive traits are Devil’s Tongue, Hellfire, and Winged.

Abyssal Tiefling (UA) – Abyssal Tieflings trace their bloodlines to the demons who dwell in the Abyss, possessing magical abilities unique to their demonic ancestors.

Sorcerer Class Features

Hit Points

Proficiencies

Sorcerer Origins

You choose your origin at level 1, describing the source of your magical powers.

Aberrant Mind – Aberrant Mind Sorcerers have their mind influenced by an alien presence, giving them psionic powers. The entity allows you to tap into the minds of others, altering the world around you and even being able to control magical energy from the multiverse.

As an Aberrant Mind, you can choose to become a shining beacon or a beacon of darkness, spreading terror in its wake.

Clockwork Soul – These Sorcerers have been suffused with magic that arose from Mechanus or a plane of existence similar to it.

Draconic Bloodline – Draconic magic flows through your veins, most likely passed down by your ancestors. 

Most of these Sorcerers can trace their descent back to an ancient Sorcerer who bargained with a dragon or who was claimed a dragon parent.

Divine Soul – In some cases, the divine has a hand in making a Sorcerer, meaning your magic abilities might have come from a distant, powerful familial link to a divine being.

It can even be that your ancestor was an angel who became a mortal to fight for their god or that your birth was aligned with an ancient divine prophecy.

Lunar Sorcery – The moon is thought of as a celestial body encasing vast magical powers that can influence people.

You or one of your ancestors were probably exposed to concentrated magic deriving from the moon, imbuing you with strange yet powerful lunar magic.

Shadow Magic – You can be described as a creature of darkness, your magic deriving from the Shadowfell itself. 

Your ancestors probably came from that wicked place, or you were exposed to its dark magic, which transformed you.

Storm Sorcery – Your magical powers derive from elemental air, traced back to a near-death experience caused by storms that are still spoken about to this day. Your ancestry could also have been influenced by powerful air creatures like djinn.

Wild Magic – You wield magical forces gained from the wild forces of chaos. Being exposed to raw magic, such as a planar portal leading to the Far Realm, Elemental Planes, or Limbo, might’ve given you power.

It can also be that you were marked by a demon or blessed by a formidable fey creature – it can even be a fluke at birth, giving no real reason or cause for you to have it.

Combining Sorcerer With Tiefling

Determining Your Sorcerer Subclass

You’ll be making your own subjective choice when choosing your subclass, so before choosing, try to understand what your character wants to do and how well the chosen subclass fits with your subrace.

Optimal Tiefling Subrace

Tieflings have a bonus to Charisma (2), meaning they automatically affect your spellcasting ability modifier as well as the proficient saving throw.

Your best bet will be choosing either the Bloodline of Levistus or the Abyssal Tiefling, which both give a bonus to Constitution (1), affecting your proficient saving throw.

Your Tiefling Sorcerer Background

Your Tiefling Sorcerer needs a unique background that will affect their choices, as well as the way they see the world and what they want to achieve.

Start by asking yourself some basic questions: Where were they born, and where did they come from? Do they have any goals, bonds, or ideals, and what are their flaws? Where do they belong in social circles and society as a whole? What inspires them?

Place of Birth

Think of the environment a Tiefling Sorcerer grew up in, the physical and emotional outcome of it, and how it shaped their view of the world.

Try to make their place of birth and upbringing correspond with their personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws – this will truly bring their character alive.

Note: The birthplaces of races are usually mentioned in the Player’s Handbook or some of its expansion books.

Characteristics and Personality Traits 

Tiefling Sorcerers are imbued with powerful magic, enough to make any normal mortal go insane and often stray from the path or – occasionally, become powerful allies of the good.

Tiefling Sorcerer Examples:

• There’s nothing that gets my blood going like a good mystery.

Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws

Ideal – Express one ideal that is a driving force in a Tiefling Sorcerer’s life – their conviction, ethical principle, and moral standing (probably something about nature).

The goal of a life of study is the betterment of oneself.

Bonds – Think of a single bond that your Tiefling Sorcerer has to an event, person, or place. Bonds will tie them to their background and can inspire bravery or stimulate memories driving them against their ideals.

I’ve been discerning my whole life for the answer to a certain question.

Flaws – Choose a single flaw for a Tiefling Sorcerer – their unhealthy compulsion, greatest fear/weakness, or most vile vice.

I have trouble trusting in my allies.

Inspiration

The DM can use inspiration to reward you for playing according to your bond, personality traits, ideals, and flaw.

Sharing the arcane arts with those unable to use it gives me joy.

Note: If you’re struggling to create your background or just don’t want to think, the Player’s Handbook has well-thought-through backgrounds that you can use for your character or use as a mold.

Supplies and Gear For Tiefling Sorcerers

Sorcerers start with the following equipment, together with the equipment from their background.

Choosing equipment based on your situation and your character’s proficiencies is the easiest way to go about things.

• (a) Light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) Any simple weapon
• (a) Component pouch or (b) An arcane focus
• (a) Dungeoneer’s pack or (b) An explorer’s pack
• Two daggers

You can decide how your character came about these goods – whether they stole, inherited, or purchased them some time back – adding to your character’s background.

Note: You can also use your starting wealth to buy equipment (3d4 x 10 GP for Sorcerers).

Final Thoughts

A Tiefling Sorcerer holds some of the universe’s deepest secrets, possessing supernatural, magical abilities, often struggling to choose between the path of good and evil.

You’ll do well to recruit a Tiefling Sorcerer, as they can be helpful Blasters, Controllers, Utility Casters, or Supports.

You might also be interested in the following:

• Tiefling Bard
• Tiefling Druid
• Tiefling Paladin
• Tiefling Wizard