Tiefling or Asimar

[JugglinJuggla]

What is your preference in roleplaying?

Mine is Tiefling, normally bacause I enjoy messing aound with the whole "slowly being consumed by their infernal heritage" thing in a RP game.

[Lost One]

Tieflings are cooler. And their appearances can vary a lot. While an Aasimar is basically a paladin-looking human radiating a soft glow, or something like that.

[asurademon]

I love Aasimars, and usually give them an odd appearance, such as feathery hair, or non-functional wings. I do like tieflings as well, but for some reason I'm just more drawn to Aasimar, perhaps it's that I like to play charismatic characters. I'm pretty sure that in the Races of Faerun book there is a feat that Aasimars and tieflings can take to have functional wings, I really dig that.
As for when it comes to half-fiends or half-celestials though, I actually am more into half-fiends.
What I would really like to see are aasimar and tiefling broken down into subtypes with different stats. It makes no sense to me that someone with erinyes or succubi heritage would have charisma penalty, they should inherit some degree of the ancestor's supernatural charisma. Likewise some tieflings like ones descended from a balor, should probably have a bonus to strength since it's their ancestor's highest attribute. I'm sure though that aasimar and tiefling were just all given same attribute bonuses, penalties due to limited space, but a book expanding on them with different varieties would be nice (I did see that elven and orc tieflings have been done). I'd also like to see aasimars of non-human heritage, like ones that are part elf.

[Rob-hin]

Originally Posted by asurademon

I'm pretty sure that in the Races of Faerun book there is a feat that Aasimars and tieflings can take to have functional wings, I really dig that.

I second that.

[Paranitis]

I'd also like to see aasimars of non-human heritage, like ones that are part elf.

The main reason I see humans as being the "half" in most of these half-races is because humans are known to bang anything and everything.

And in a magic world it makes even more sense that by banging everything, they are more susceptible to being able to give birth to almost anything of a magical nature.

It's like how you most likely will never see a half-dwarf/half-elf unless through divine means.

Also the deal with Tieflings and Aasimars is that they aren't a half-race, they aren't even a quarter-race..these creatures are actually very far removed from their angelic/demonic background, but really..no matter how many times it is diluted, they will always have this taint which gives them the attributes that they have.

The Aasimar gets it's charisma bonus not from a divine means as through a supernatural stat it's angelic brethren recieve, but it is from how they look..they look like being that are easy to get along with..they are beautiful..and all that crap..whereas a tiefling ends up with cloven hooves, an ugly tail, or horns..and they spend most of their time with the whole "why me?" question running through their heads constantly.

[asurademon]

what you said about tieflings is generally very true. However I could see some tieflings even passing off for being part celestial, for example one of erinyes heritage could very well have some features that could be confused for angelic ones, much like how erinyes themselves will try to pass them selves off as angelic beings. Also raised in the right environment a tiefling could be very proud of their heritage, and end up being a dark and evil but charismatic type, much like actual fiends can be. Aasimar and tiefling I just see as being very diverse in how having that little bit of fiendish or celestial heritage would effect them. Certainly I think it makes sense that why they have the traits they do would have a supernatural aspect to it (though D&D books never go into why aasimar and tiefling have the ability modifiers that they do, so I guess it's just up to the DM). If I ever DM a D&D game I will make tieflings and aasimars (as well as half-fiends and half-celestials if I ever allow them) largely customizable characters, the main requirements being that the players don't make them more powerful than they should be, and that the abilities their character has make sense.

[miladygrimm]

I myself prefer assimars, I have a cleric who is the daughter of Lathander, and she is by far one of the most amazing characters I play.

AS to being consumed by the inner evil, I prefer the good character being tempted to fall, a daughter of the good of sun and rebirth falling into the darkness and those who walk though the night. SHe is at the moment, engaged to another character, a drow who has not yet learned to walk in the day, it's a beautiful thing to RP, and it takes skill.

[asurademon]

I'm working on comming up with variant rules for tiefling and aasimar, here's an example of one type of aasimar, and one tiefling, I've come up with below.

Leonal
Aasimar that have leonal heritage often have cat like eyes or particularly thick mane-like hair, powerful deep voices reminiscent of a lion‘s roar, some even have soft fine fur, or lion's ears. Leonal aasimar have powerful builds and despite their slightly feline appearances they usually seem anything but feral, born with a visage that commands respect, and often regal dispositions, they are like natural born leaders, and usually treated that way by their human kin. The few rare evil leonal aasimar use their appearance not only to command respect but fear.
Here's an example of what a leonal might look like:
This being looks like a powerfully built human man, it has a long thick hair, almost like a lion's mane, and cat's ears.

Traits:
+2 strength, +2 either wisdom or charisma, choose one.
Speak with animals, and cold sonic, and electricity resistances of 5.
+2 spot and listen.
darkvision.

Erinyes:
These tiefling can be easily mistaken for aasimar, much as their fiendish ancestors will try to pass themselves off as celestials. Erinyes tiefling are often very beautiful beings, sometimes with feathery wings. Some of them have reddish colored eyes, or pale flawless skin.
Here's an example of what an erinyes tiefling might look like:
This being looks like a beautiful human woman, it has fair skin, and small feathery black wings.
Traits:
+2 charisma, +2 intelligence or dexterity (choose one)
Charm Monster 1x a day, as a 1st level caster, or caster level, whichever is higher.
acid, cold and fire resistance of 5
+2 bluff and hide
darkvision.

I'm trying to make sure these variations of aasimar and tiefling have something in common with the ones in the Monster Manual, thus having each choose between a +2 to either charisma or wisdom for the aasimar, and a +2 to either intelligence or dexterity for the tiefling. I got rid of the -2 to an ability for tieflings, I understand why they have it, but don't think it's necessary. I will probably have each subtype have a variety of things they can choose from (like instead of just having darkness a tiefling could choose to have some other appropriate ability).

[Link_542]

I like Aasimar's because I'm mostly a paladin anyways. Also I'd have to say my favourite elf is the drow.