We may earn a commission when you buy through links in our articles. Learn more.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Tiefling race explained

If you want to roll a Tiefling in Baldur’s Gate 3, our guide has everything you need to know about the race’s features, stats, abilities, spells, and more.

What are Tieflings in Baldur’s Gate 3? Tieflings are one of the 11 playable races in Baldur’s Gate 3. Choosing the right race is important as race determines your character’s appearance and innate abilities. These range from buffs, abilities, and effects that are unique to certain races to their unique physical traits. Choosing the right race, class, and background is important if you want to max out your build.

If you need help, don’t worry. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about Tieflings in Baldur’s Gate 3: their racial features, subraces, traits, spells and cantrips, and the best class or background for them. You’ll need to know about all of the available races before you can build your perfect character. They’re just one of many of the Baldur’s Gate 3 races, but are they the one for your playthrough?

Baldur's Gate 3 tiefling: a red-skinned character with horns and pointed ears wears golden and red armor

Tiefling racial features

The Tiefling’s racial feature is a base speed of 9 or more per turn.

YouTube Thumbnail

Tiefling subraces

Tieflings have three subraces to choose from: Asmodeus Tiefling, Mephistopheles Tiefling, and Zariel Tiefling.

Asmodeus Tiefling

Asmodeus Tieflings are bound to Nessus, the deepest level of Hell, and Asmodeus. In return, they gain the ability to wield fire and darkness magic.

Asmodeus Tiefling features

  • Hellish Rebuke (learn at level 3) – One per long rest. The next time you take damage, you use your reaction to surround your attacker in hellish flames (level 1 evocation spell).
  • Flame Blade (learn at level 5) – Once per long rest. Conjure a flaming scimitar in your hand that deals 3d6 fire damage. It sheds bright light in a 3m radius and dim light in a 6m radius. The blade can be unequipped and equipped again but has to stay on the spellcaster’s person (level 2 evocation spell).

Mephistopheles Tiefling

Mephistopheles Tieflings are gifted with the power of arcane magic, courtesy of the archdevil Mephistopheles.

Mephistopheles Tiefling features

  • Burning Hands (learn at level 3) – Shoot fire from your outstretched fingers and ignite anything flammable (level 2 evocation spell).
  • Flame Blade (learn at level 5) – Once per long rest. Conjure a flaming scimitar in your hand that deals 3d6 fire damage. It sheds bright light in a 3m radius and dim light in a 6m radius. The blade can be unequipped and equipped again but has to stay on the spellcaster’s person (level 2 evocation spell).

Zariel Tiefling

Tieflings who gain their strength from Zariel’s bloodline gain increased strength and the use of fire magic.

Zariel Tiefling features

  • Searing Smith (learn at level 3) – Once per Long Rest. Your weapon flares with white-hot intensity. It deals an extra 1d6 Fire damage and marks the target with Searing Smite. A target with Searing Smite takes 1d6 Fire damage every turn until it succeeds on a Constitution saving throw.
  • Flame Blade (learn at level 5) – Your weapon gleams with astral radiance as you strike and possibly marks your target with light, preventing it from turning Invisible. (level 2 Evocation spell)

Baldur's Gate 3 Tiefling: a blue-skinned tiefling with piercing orange eyes holds a metal goblet

Traits

Here are the Baldur’s Gate 3 Tiefling traits:

  • Hellish Resistance – you have resistance to fire and only take half the damage from it.
  • Darkvision – you can see in the dark out to a range of 12 meters.

Spells and Cantrips

Here are the spells and cantrips for Tieflings:

  • Thaumaturgy (learn at level 1 Asmodeus or Zariel Tiefling) – manifests a sign of supernatural power to grant you an advantage roll on intimidation and performance checks.
  • Mage Hand (learn at level 1 Mephistopheles Tiefling) – create a spectral hand that can manipulate and interact with objects.

Best class for Tiefling

The Asmodeus Tiefling’s combination of charisma and intelligence makes them perfect for Sorcerers, Warlocks, Wizards, and Bards.

While Mephistopheles Tiefling has some slight differences from Asmodeus Tiefling, they are largely the same stat-wise and work as Sorcerers, Warlocks, Wizards, and Bards. Zariel Tieflings’ focus on strength makes them ideal for classes like Paladin, Bard, or Fighter.

Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tiefling background

Tieflings would suit an Outlander, Hermit, Urchin, or Charlatan background, depending on which class you go for.

And that’s everything we know about Tieflings in Baldur’s Gate 3. For more on Larian’s upcoming RPG, you might wonder what the best Barbarian build is, or perhaps you’re more inclined to seek a Sorcerer build for that little bit of magic.