Highlights Baldur’s Gate 3 faithfully incorporates Tieflings

Tieflings: A unique race with devilish origins

Baldur’s Gate 3 faithfully incorporates Tieflings, a unique race with devilish origins, into its Forgotten Realms setting. Tieflings were originally introduced in the Planescape setting of Dungeons and Dragons, representing “planetouched” individuals affected by gods or demons. In the game’s Fourth Edition, Tieflings became a core race associated with the Nine Hells and cursed with infernal blood, adding depth to their lore.

Originating from a different setting

Baldur’s Gate 3 has proven to be a faithful adaptation of the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons and Dragons with an unprecedented level of detail, but most players don’t know that one of the game’s most memorable fantasy races originates from an entirely different setting. More popular than ever with the recent groundbreaking success of Baldur’s Gate 3, Tieflings offer a devilish alternative to the Elves and Dwarves that typically make up the genre and that can be traced back to their beginnings in an experimental addition to the classic tabletop game.

The unique lore of Tieflings

While her own history with Avernus and the Archdevil Zariel may make Karlach one of the most prominent party members available in the game, the race of Tieflings as a whole has some of the most unique lore in Baldur’s Gate 3. Appearing to be hybrids of humans and devils, Tieflings are actually the descendants of people who made deals with devils of the Forgotten Realms mythos. The modern Fifth Edition that Baldur’s Gate 3 is based on features the race and concept of the Nine Hells as normal parts of the world, but these devilish aspects weren’t always in the main series.

The Planescape Origins of Tieflings

A setting first introduced during the Second Edition, Planescape introduced the concept of an overarching cosmology uniting different settings of Dungeons and Dragons. A boxed set independent of the standard game of the time, Planescape established a more mature and ideologically challenging side to the series all the way back in 1994. The normal Player’s Handbook world that players had known would come to be known as the Prime Material Plane within the Great Wheel of various realms that form the multiverse.

Tieflings as a Core Race of Dungeons and Dragons

When Third Edition came around, Tieflings would become a notable example of an edgier playable option despite restrictions associated with their status as an alternative race. Distinctions between crossings such as that of Elf and Fiend or Orc and Fiend would receive unique variations respectively, but Fourth Edition changed Tieflings into what they are known as today. Officially becoming a core race of the Player’s Handbook at that time, they were redefined to be the people cursed with infernal blood that are the Tieflings of Baldur’s Gate 3.

The future of Tieflings in Baldur’s Gate 3

Now associated with the Nine Hells and a people descended from nobles who dealt with Fiends, the term Tiefling used to describe those who are now considered Planetouched. A term for races descended from Outsiders to the Prime Material Plane, Planetouched is a word that encompasses Tieflings and beyond in the modern multiverse. With Baldur’s Gate 3 already exploring concepts such as the Aasimar and Astral Plane that also originated within Planescape, there is still potential for the game to continue to explore the more celestial side to its source material with future content as it continues to be Larian Studios’ best-performing release yet.

Release information

Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently available on PC and is slated for a September 6, 2023 release for PlayStation 5.