Tiefling template

[CeeDub]

Salutations!

I've never tried to make a template, so as an excercise I tried to stat a Tiefling template (from 5e of That Other Game):

Tiefling [42]

Advantages:
Charisma 1 [5]
Damage Resistance (Limited (Heat/Fire), -40%) 2 [6]
Damage Resistance (Partial (Skull), -70%) 2 [3]
Extra Arm (Extra-Flexible, +50%; No Physical Attack, -50%; Weak (half body ST), -25%; No Fine Manipulators, -30%) [5]
Language: Infernal (Spoken (Accented), +2; Written (Accented), +2) [4]
Magery 0 [5]
Dark Vision [25]
Sharp Teeth [1]

Disadvantages:
Social Stigma (Minority Group) [-10]
Unnatural Features (No visible sclera or pupils) [-1]
Suspicious [-1]

Choose any or none from the following:
Sharp Claws [5]*
Hooves [3]*
Unnatural Features (Red skin) [-1]
Unnatural Features (Red, blue or purple hair) [-1]
Striker (cr) [5]

I tried to write up the traits that nearly all Tieflings have in common, a base line, so to speak. That's why I chose Accented as the language comprehension level, for example. Some Tieflings who don't have a lot of contact with their own kind may reduce this trait, having never learned the Infernal language beyond a few words and phrases (or at all), others may be fluent. Some may be less charismatic or have a level of an opposing trait like Shyness that would essentially cancel out Charisma, i.e. a shy Tiefling, but normal by human standards. I decided against "choose -X points from the following mental Disadvantages" because other than what I consider Quirk-level Paranoia, Tieflings are explicitly described as not inclined towards negative personality traits by nature.
The DR(Skull) and Striker traits are from the horns, by the way.

Traits marked with a * are not canon, but Tieflings are often drawn that way, so I'd allow it.

Did I miss something? Anything you find odd? Please let me know your thoughts and comments.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Mostly, looks good! I just have a couple of quibbles.

First, I wouldn't make the language part of the template. I know D&D gives it to all tieflings, but I don't think it's literally supposed to be something that tieflings are born knowing, just that the large majority of adventuring tieflings learn. D&D gives all elves Elvish, all dwarves Dwarvish, and so on, but I wouldn't put them on the respective racial templates either. Just make a note that Tieflings can buy fluency in Infernal at character creation, without having to justify learning it. Giving the chance to take a trait that others would have to put a little more in-character effort into getting isn't worth points, but it's a good thing to note in the template to distinguish the race from others.

Second, the Unnatural Features probably are only valid if Tieflings are quite rare. That's probably a reasonable assumption in most D&D settings, but you might want to note it on the template - if there's a setting where tieflings are as common as elves or dwarves are generally portrayed, they wouldn't get Unnatural Features.

Finally, the list of optional traits is cool, but you should add a perk to the template, "Racial Gifts". That's how things like Dungeon Fantasy do similar builds, where the race has the option of choosing traits that are pretty much off-limits to other characters. It's basically a 1-point Unusual Background.

[Bruno]

Like with humans, other individuals of other races may suffer from ailments or injuries that reduces race-standard traits or removes them entirely.

A creature from a race with horns can have the horns burned off with acid as an infant to prevent them from ever growing - this is done to some breeds of cattle. You could also have your horns broken off or ground off (see also Hellboy). Both would be reasons to remove traits related to horns (but probably not thick skulls, which are a separate thing).

A creature from a race with racial Charisma may have more than the template, or might have less (or none). They're just kinda... dull compared to other Tieflings in a vague sort of way. It might even be a requirement before taking some other disadvantages.

This is all very much like how the median count of legs on a human is two, but some humans don't have exactly two legs. Because this is pretty usual, I would in general not bother with stating it. The exception would be things that are particularly common but-still-minority. If most Tieflings have horns, but 20% of Tieflings are polled (or cut their horns off as adults) in a futile attempt to fit in with Humans better, it might be worth noting.

I'd preferentially write up these common traits as "Tiefling-only" disadvantages; give it a name, write up the game mechanical effects, make a note of what it's built out of, bam you're done.

Not only is this a tidy way to write it down on your character sheet, it gives more attention to the race and its players without making them SUPAR KEWL AWESOME.

[ravenfish]

I would note that, pre-4th-edition, tieflings are described as having quite a range of appearances- horns come in all shapes (and are sometimes absent), tails are sometimes present and range from mammalian to reptilian to weird, and so forth, so as well as noting that the template can be subject to minor modifications, I would argue that, while racial Unnatural Features is usually verboten, it could probably be justified here, since it is easier to recognize or describe that particular tiefling than that particular human.

If this is about the 4e race known as tieflings, I admit my ignorance and withdraw from the conversation.

[adm]

Originally Posted by Bruno

...A creature from a race with horns can have the horns burned off with acid as an infant to prevent them from ever growing - this is done to some breeds of cattle. ...

For what it's worth, with fifty years in the cow/goat/sheep business, I have never seen acid used for removing horns or scurs, it was always an electric branding iron type device, on young animals. For adults they use a Barnes cutter, or a saw.

[GodBeastX]

I thought historically Tieflings had lower charisma.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

I thought historically Tieflings had lower charisma.

Not since they needed to be usable as Sorcerers.

[Leynok]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

I thought historically Tieflings had lower charisma.

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Not since they needed to be usable as Sorcerers.

This is basically it. Though they are also should be good at lying and intimidation (which is Charisma in that other game). The problem here is that Charisma in GURPS makes you a more likable person (bonus to reactions and influence rolls) and Tieflings are typically disliked as a whole. Instead they should maybe have a small Talent that boosts Acting, Fast Talk, Intimidation, maybe one or two others?

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Leynok

Instead they should maybe have a small Talent that boosts Acting, Fast Talk, Intimidation, maybe one or two others?

Here's a suggestion for that:

Devil's Tongue
5 points/level

Your infernal birth has given you a gift for speaking as devils do - with cunning, charm, and just enough truth to give your lies the right flavour, and more than a hint of menace.

Skills: Acting, Disguise, Fast-Talk, Intimidation, Merchant, Mimicry.
Reaction Bonus: Devils, and those who would strike bargains with them.
Alternative Bonus: Your experience with your own wiles gives you some bonus against others of your sort. Add your level in this Talent to Detect Lies when listening to devils or other tieflings, and to Will when resisting Influence rolls made by them.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

Mostly, looks good! I just have a couple of quibbles.

First, I wouldn't make the language part of the template. I know D&D gives it to all tieflings, but I don't think it's literally supposed to be something that tieflings are born knowing, just that the large majority of adventuring tieflings learn. D&D gives all elves Elvish, all dwarves Dwarvish, and so on, but I wouldn't put them on the respective racial templates either. Just make a note that Tieflings can buy fluency in Infernal at character creation, without having to justify learning it. Giving the chance to take a trait that others would have to put a little more in-character effort into getting isn't worth points, but it's a good thing to note in the template to distinguish the race from others.

Even more so for literacy in Infernal ... it's not like there will be a court contact order that means the tiefling needs to write to its absent parent...

As for the charisma ... I'd maybe have that as an alternative option for "handsome devil" ancestry and some other sub-lenses for more brutal ancestors.