Tiefling colors and skin in dnd 5e
According to Wikipedia, Tiefling skin colors can range from standard human colors right up to reds. They have brick red to a ruddy. Tiefling hair starts behind their ears and can vary from dark blue to purple, red, and other typical human colors.
Official backing can show how many different colors a tiefling 5e skin could be. Official backing is a reference to fan images of tieflings in all colors. However, I am most interested in official artwork for any edition of D&D and, even better, the explicit mention of such skin colors in the text. Most tieflings (at least in 5e) have “human skin color,” red skin, or something in-between.
The 5e Tiefling player races description, Infernal Bloodline section, (PHB, page 42): They have skin tones that cover all human colors and a variety of shades of red. This answer contains examples of other colors (all references are not to 5e):
Blue skin color tiefling
This option is available in 2e, The Planewalker’s Handbook p. 80. 3e, Races of Faerun pp. Blue skin is believed to be a result of night hag heritage. That is mentioned in 5e, Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide p. 118.
Green skin color tiefling
This option is available in 2e, The Planewalker’s Handbook p. 80.
Purple skin color tiefling
The leading art for the Tiefling race of players is purple in 5e (thanks @Guybrush McKenzie), but considering that this is on the same PHB page as the first quote, it is a reddish-purple, it could be regarded as a “shade” of red.
Ivory skin color tiefling
Honorable mention to the ivory-white tiefling. However, there is a Q&A that concludes that it counts for a “human skin tone.” So that may not be counted here. Can a tiefling have permanent ivory-white skin?
Other color tiefling in 5e dnd
Many sources account for tieflings that have normal skin tones. That covers all skin tones. These are some other examples that I am aware of:
Pale white
Kleb is described as having pale white skin in the D&D 3e Lords of Darkness (p.107). It could refer to white paper or the pink human skin we refer to as “white.” Although his exact ancestry has not been determined, I believe tieflings pre-4e of extraplanar origin may have a mysterious and varied ancestry that can allow for a wide range of skin tones and unique traits.
Translucent
Rekart is described in the D&D 3e Lords of Darkness, page 107, as having nearly transparent skin on his forehead so that his skull can be seen. It is not known what his exact ancestry was.
Purple, yellow, pink
Explorer’s Guide To Wildemount describes tieflings as having “deep crimson skin… shades of purple and blue, green, yellow, and even pink”. That is technically the first WotC official D&D sourcebook, and it sets a precedent for pink, yellow, and purple tieflings in D&D.
People of all skin colors love Tieflings. What are the dnd rules? Let’s look at some infernal bloodlines.
Red Devils
The D&D Player’s Handbook contains the following information about Tiefling skin colors:
“Their skin tones are perfect for covering the full range of human colors include, but not only different shades of red.”
D&D Player’s Handbook – p. 42
Yes, devils can be red. There are many classic examples: the Pit Fiend, the Imp, the lowly Imp, the lanky Chain Devil, and the chunky Moloch.
Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide gives us an insight into where this idea came from. It explains why Asmodeus overtook all Warlocks.
“Asmodeus and the Toril Thirteen, a coven made up of warlocks, performed a ritual. The archdevil claimed all the tieflings of the world as his own and cursed them for bearing “the blood Of Asmodeus.” The act marked all tieflings “descendants.” It is regardless of their true heritage and transformed them into creatures that resembled their progenitor.
- Sword Coast Adventurer’s Handbook, p. 118
- However, not all settings are Forgotten Realms.
Multicolor Tieflings
Who knows where your infernal bloodline is from? Perhaps Hellboy is not your style. Choose the color that best suits your idea! The mechanics of the game are not affected by the skin color of your PC. To ensure that you are in sync with the rest of the world, make sure to communicate with your DM.
Sword Coast Adventurer’s guide even considers Tieflings that are not of Asmodeus blood. It offers multiple alternatives, including dark blue skin colors of tiefling.
Tiefling colors and skin in dnd 5e
According to Wikipedia, Tiefling skin colors can range from standard human colors right up to reds. They have brick red to a ruddy. Tiefling hair starts behind their ears and can vary from dark blue to purple, red, and other typical human colors.
Official backing can show how many different colors a tiefling 5e skin could be. Official backing is a reference to fan images of tieflings in all colors. However, I am most interested in official artwork for any edition of D&D and, even better, the explicit mention of such skin colors in the text. Most tieflings (at least in 5e) have “human skin color,” red skin, or something in-between.
The 5e Tiefling player races description, Infernal Bloodline section, (PHB, page 42): They have skin tones that cover all human colors and a variety of shades of red. This answer contains examples of other colors (all references are not to 5e):
Blue skin color tiefling
This option is available in 2e, The Planewalker’s Handbook p. 80. 3e, Races of Faerun pp. Blue skin is believed to be a result of night hag heritage. That is mentioned in 5e, Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide p. 118.
Green skin color tiefling
This option is available in 2e, The Planewalker’s Handbook p. 80.
Purple skin color tiefling
The leading art for the Tiefling race of players is purple in 5e (thanks @Guybrush McKenzie), but considering that this is on the same PHB page as the first quote, it is a reddish-purple, it could be regarded as a “shade” of red.
Ivory skin color tiefling
Honorable mention to the ivory-white tiefling. However, there is a Q&A that concludes that it counts for a “human skin tone.” So that may not be counted here. Can a tiefling have permanent ivory-white skin?
Other color tiefling in 5e dnd
Many sources account for tieflings that have normal skin tones. That covers all skin tones. These are some other examples that I am aware of:
Pale white
Kleb is described as having pale white skin in the D&D 3e Lords of Darkness (p.107). It could refer to white paper or the pink human skin we refer to as “white.” Although his exact ancestry has not been determined, I believe tieflings pre-4e of extraplanar origin may have a mysterious and varied ancestry that can allow for a wide range of skin tones and unique traits.
Translucent
Rekart is described in the D&D 3e Lords of Darkness, page 107, as having nearly transparent skin on his forehead so that his skull can be seen. It is not known what his exact ancestry was.
Purple, yellow, pink
Explorer’s Guide To Wildemount describes tieflings as having “deep crimson skin… shades of purple and blue, green, yellow, and even pink”. That is technically the first WotC official D&D sourcebook, and it sets a precedent for pink, yellow, and purple tieflings in D&D.
People of all skin colors love Tieflings. What are the dnd rules? Let’s look at some infernal bloodlines.
Red Devils
The D&D Player’s Handbook contains the following information about Tiefling skin colors:
“Their skin tones are perfect for covering the full range of human colors include, but not only different shades of red.”
D&D Player’s Handbook – p. 42
Yes, devils can be red. There are many classic examples: the Pit Fiend, the Imp, the lowly Imp, the lanky Chain Devil, and the chunky Moloch.
Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide gives us an insight into where this idea came from. It explains why Asmodeus overtook all Warlocks.
“Asmodeus and the Toril Thirteen, a coven made up of warlocks, performed a ritual. The archdevil claimed all the tieflings of the world as his own and cursed them for bearing “the blood Of Asmodeus.” The act marked all tieflings “descendants.” It is regardless of their true heritage and transformed them into creatures that resembled their progenitor.
- Sword Coast Adventurer’s Handbook, p. 118
- However, not all settings are Forgotten Realms.
Multicolor Tieflings
Who knows where your infernal bloodline is from? Perhaps Hellboy is not your style. Choose the color that best suits your idea! The mechanics of the game are not affected by the skin color of your PC. To ensure that you are in sync with the rest of the world, make sure to communicate with your DM.
Sword Coast Adventurer’s guide even considers Tieflings that are not of Asmodeus blood. It offers multiple alternatives, including dark blue skin colors of tiefling.
