Dungeons & Dragons boast an ever-growing roster of races to choose from when building distinct and unique characters. While many races in the Player's Handbook have access to numerous subraces providing useful and flavorful abilities, some incredible subrace options are available to the Tiefling.
Tieflings are a popular humanoid race with infernal heritage and appearance. While the Player's Handbook only features a single version, Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes features a wide range of subraces. Rather than corresponding to regions or environments, each of these subraces is based on the bloodlines of the Archdevils of the Nine Hells. In this guide, we'll explore each Tiefling bloodline and see how you can make the most out of them with your next character!
Asmodeus
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Asmodeus is the most powerful Archdevil of the Nine Hells, residing within the bottommost layer of Nessus. As Asmodeus is among the most influential evil figures in D&D's multiverse, Tieflings that carry his blood are among the most common of this race, serving as the Tiefling within the Player's Handbook. These Tieflings are notably charismatic and cunning, gaining access to spells that one may associate with the Nine Hells: Thaumaturgy, Hellish Rebuke, and Darkness.
While Darkness is a great means of helping control a crowd's damage output, it becomes all the more useful when made one-sided through the likes of the Devil's Sight Eldritch Invocation available to Warlocks. Additionally, Hellish Rebuke is a solid spell that may allow a character who otherwise may not have access to a reaction option to make the most out of a turn rotation.
Baalzebul
The Archdevil Baalzebul rules over Maladomini, the seventh layer of the Nine Hells. A fiendish being who wishes to corrupt others, Baalzebul pushes already evil individuals to more heinous ends. To reflect this, Tieflings that carry the blood of Baalzebul in their veins have access to spells that allow a character to help shut down the potency of their foes.
Though they gain access to Thaumaturgy like Asmodeus bloodline Tieflings, their access to Ray of Sickness allows them to impose disadvantage on their foes through the poisoned condition, while Crown of Madness can be used to force a foe to repeatedly waste their turns harming their allies. This is a solid utility that can provide a character of nearly any class with useful shutdown options.
Dispater
The second layer of the Nine Hells, Dis, is ruled by the paranoid master of secrets, Dispater. As a dealer of sought-after secrets and forbidden knowledge, it should be no shock that Tieflings of Dispater's bloodline gain access to magic that allows them to more easily obtain information for themselves.
In addition to Thaumaturgy, these Tieflings gain access to the ever-flexible Disguise Self as well as Detect Thoughts. For those looking to gain additional utility for their next rogue, Disguise Self can allow a character to easily get where they need to without causing suspicion, while Detect Thoughts can be used to obtain otherwise hidden information from NPCs.
Fierna
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Alongside Belial, Fierna is one of the co-rulers of the perpetually burning fourth layer of the Nine Hells, Phlegethos. As one of the most charismatic and manipulative Archdevils within the Nine Hells, Tieflings of Fierna's lineage gain access to magics that allow them to manipulate others, offering both charm-based utility and tools that may better help the Tiefling at hand serve as the party's face.
Tieflings of this subclass gain access to the Friends cantrip, Charm Person, and Suggestion. While Friends can help with out-of-combat social situations, Charm Person and Suggestion are each solid enchantment spells that can be beneficial both in and out of combat.
Glasya
Tieflings of Glasya gain access to a very flavorful suite of spells that perfectly reflect the Archfiend of their lineage. Glasya simultaneously rules over and is imprisoned within Malbolge, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, which serves as the Plane's Prison. Due to this inherent connection with criminal activity, Tieflings of Glasya gain access to spells that assist with committing heists and performing criminal activity. While Minor Illusion, Disguise Self, and Invisibility are each straightforward spells, they can be a benefit to nearly any type of character, regardless of class.
Levistus
Levistus is the ever-frozen Archdevil of the frigid fifth layer of the Nine Hells, Stygia. As Levistus himself is eternally encased within a glacier (a fate bestowed upon him by Asmodeus), any Tiefling whose lineage is connected to Levistus gains access to fittingly cold spells. Gaining Ray of Frost, this can be a solid cantrip option to allow a character to flexibly mix up their damage type.
While Levistus-related Tieflings gain Darkness much like Asmodeus Tieflings, they most notably are capable of casting Armor of Agathys as a second-level spell. As this great defensive spell option is normally exclusive to Warlocks, this subrace opens up unique possibilities for martial characters such as Fighters, Paladins, and even Barbarians to gain the benefit of extra bulk.
Mammon
Though perhaps the most niche in their utility, the utility of Tieflings of the bloodline of Mammon truly captures the essence of their respective Archdevil. As Mammon, ruler of Minauros, the third layer of the Nine Hells, serves as a notorious miser and the most prominent merchant of the Plane, Tieflings of his bloodline gain access to magic that allows one to protect and transport their goods. In addition to the Mage Hand cantrip, these Tieflings have access to Tenser's Floating Disk and Arcane Lock.
Though these spells may not assist a character in combat, they can offer unique utility outside combat, as the normally Wizard exclusive Tenser's Floating Disk can make carrying important cargo much easier, while Arcane Lock can help ensure the security of an entrance or chest.
Mephistopheles
For those looking to provide their character with additional magic damage options, the Tiefling Bloodline of Mephistopheles may be for you. As Mephistopheles is among the most intelligent Devils in the multiverse, serving as the Nine Hells' premier Wizard, Tieflings of his bloodline gain some of his magical capabilities.
Though these Tieflings have access to Mage Hand, they also are capable of casting Burning Hands and Flame Blade, allowing a character to access either crowd-controlling damage or a solid single-target damage option regardless of their class. No matter what role a player is looking for their character to fill in a party, Mephistopheles bloodline Tieflings offer great flexibility in combat.
Zariel
Zariel bloodline Tieflings are a stellar option for anyone looking to build a character capable of dealing serious melee damage in combat. Due to their connection to the militant ruler of Avernus, the Archdevil Zariel, these Tieflings gain access to two spells normally exclusive to Paladins: Searing Smite and Branding Smite.
As these spells are cast as a bonus action and trigger their damage, these spells can help any characters like Fighters, Hexblade Warlocks, Rogues, and War Domain Clerics deal extra damage in combat. While Paladins already gain access to these spells, Zariel bloodline Tiefling Paladins can more reliably double-smite their foes without burning through their spell slots.