AD&D - Email Question: Do Tieflings belong in D&D Campaigns?

The Evil Dungeon Master Universe

Today's podcast comes from listener, Hunter and he wanted to know if Tieflings should be common in a fantasy game. So I tried to answer this question, while looking at the AD&D 2e Planewalker's Handbook.

Tieflings, the most enigmatic of the plane-touched, evoke both fascination and fear. Unlike aasimar or genasi, tieflings lack a clear heritage and are often viewed through the lens of stigma tied to their fiendish ancestry. They forge their own identities, unbound by family or societal expectations, yet they navigate a world that often seeks to define them by their origins. Their journey is one of personal power and self-definition, challenging the perceptions that accompany their lineage.

Highlights -🔍

1. Fascination and fear: Tieflings captivate and intimidate. 🧛‍♂️
2. Lack of clear heritage: Unlike aasimar, tieflings have ambiguous ancestries. 🌀
3. Stigma of fiendish blood: Society often judges them for their origins. 😈
4. Individual identity: Tieflings create their own paths and identities. ✨
5. Loners by necessity: No unified tiefling culture exists to support them. 🏞️
6. Power dynamics: Influence in society is tied to wealth and authority. 💰
7. Self-definition: A tiefling’s worth is determined by their actions, not lineage. 🛡️