Tiefling: Heads or Tails?

[Sirea]

Just have them clip through the armor, like dorf beards and elf ears. No big deal...

I agree. Just make the base of the tail stick out or curve enough so that it will clear any of the additional armor plating cosmetics. I think they're overthinking this one at Turbine HQ.

With Malicia/succubi in the game, the coding for tails is clearly there.

[Thalone]

My question here for the DDO forum community is this, would you still be interested in playing the Tiefling race if it was available and horns/tails weren't offered or is the physical appearance of those things important for you to want to play them?

I'm here for the gameplay, not the graphics. Everything being equal, I'd be here even if the graphics were just stick figures done in Paintbrush.

(The game I played for years prior to DDO was in fact a stick-figure game...)

[FuzzyDuck81]

I'm not fussed about the lack of tails - if they were to be added, i'd just have even more crushing disappointment at the lack of ability to have Sheena Easton voicing my character.

[JOTMON]

I'm here for the gameplay, not the graphics. Everything being equal, I'd be here even if the graphics were just stick figures done in Paintbrush.

(The game I played for years prior to DDO was in fact a stick-figure game...)

you had stick figures... we had to use our imagination and pretend we had stick figures.

[Gljosh]

you had stick figures... we had to use our imagination and pretend we had stick figures.

Wait you had imagination back then? Back in my day, we hadn't developed into multiple cell organisms.

[glmfw1]

Tieflings in D&D lore did not always have tails. Those that did may have had prehensile or non-prehensile tails. Visually in DDO, a good tail could look good, but a bad tail would look worse than not having one at all.
Horns, unusual coloured eyes (or solid coloured eyeballs), unusual coloured hair, unusual coloured skin and different hair choices would go a long way to making Tieflings look otherworldly. Adding a heat-haze aura to the avatar to simulate the sulphurous odour that tieflings can have would emphasise this (auras already exist on items and for spells, so why not have one on a race by default, or have as a free toggle for the race).
Using the basic human (not PDK) model, then tweaking slightly (e.g. by adding slightly pointed ears, a slight devilish smile to the mouth options, small fangs that can be seen on zooming in) and you are all set.

The existing DDO tieflings manage quite well with horns and reddish skin and no tails, so why not continue this trend and just make it better for PCs.

The same method could then be used for Aasimar (descendants of good outsiders) and Genasi (elemental heritage). The visual impact would be better IMO if the races looked more or less human at first glance, but are significantly different on closer viewing.

Tails are a graphic problem for the Devs, but easily avoidable by reading the lore and remembering that tails are NOT a requirement for having evil-outsider blood in your system.

[lyrecono]

I wouldn't buy either one version

f2p races
Dwarfs have a use-impaired racial tree

p2p races
Warforged had their immunities removed (in order to satisfy someones drow poison fetish).
Half elves look terrible,
Half orc racial three is a mess (being at half hit points for the cores is ridicules, it just should be strength and headbutting a lock still requires lock picks???)
Shadar kai's chain enh isn't fixed (and they still look terrible)
Bladeforged have issues with standard gear and cosmetics, also, they got "balanced" down the line
Pdk have 3 faces, 2 of them look like a troll, on the other hand, pdk and H-orc atleast look decent in a armor(broad shoulders and all)

why would i be paying for a race that will be "balanced" after they made enough money of them?

[Son_of_the_South]

Wait you had imagination back then? Back in my day, we hadn't developed into multiple cell organisms.

That's nothing. Back in my day, before the universe even existed, we had to pay someone else for the privilege of considering what it might be like to use our imagination to play with stick figures!

[Son_of_the_South]

I am!

But as Sev has basically stated that they're coming and that the only problem is this supposed tail issue I'm going to state over and over again that "This is DDO - Tieflings don't have tails!"

If we are getting Tieflings then I'd rather they be DDO Tieflings than those abominations from Neverwinter!

This is a digital universe, they can do whatever they want.

I'd like to see Tiefling's. I wouldn't mind the option of a tail at char creation along with horns, sharp teeth, glowing eyes, fur, scales, blue or red "skin" colour so you can create the look based on your choice of its evil outside heritage.

[Gljosh]

That's nothing. Back in my day, before the universe even existed, we had to pay someone else for the privilege of considering what it might be like to use our imagination to play with stick figures!

I concede to you the victory.

[Pnumbra]

No tieflings please

+1

[Failedlegend]

Why can't the horns and tail just clip through?

[Failedlegend]

Sorry double post (slow cellphone inet does it sometimes)

[eachna_gislin]

Tieflings in D&D lore did not always have tails. Those that did may have had prehensile or non-prehensile tails. Visually in DDO, a good tail could look good, but a bad tail would look worse than not having one at all.
Horns, unusual coloured eyes (or solid coloured eyeballs), unusual coloured hair, unusual coloured skin and different hair choices would go a long way to making Tieflings look otherworldly. Adding a heat-haze aura to the avatar to simulate the sulphurous odour that tieflings can have would emphasise this (auras already exist on items and for spells, so why not have one on a race by default, or have as a free toggle for the race).
Using the basic human (not PDK) model, then tweaking slightly (e.g. by adding slightly pointed ears, a slight devilish smile to the mouth options, small fangs that can be seen on zooming in) and you are all set.

The existing DDO tieflings manage quite well with horns and reddish skin and no tails, so why not continue this trend and just make it better for PCs.

The same method could then be used for Aasimar (descendants of good outsiders) and Genasi (elemental heritage). The visual impact would be better IMO if the races looked more or less human at first glance, but are significantly different on closer viewing.

Tails are a graphic problem for the Devs, but easily avoidable by reading the lore and remembering that tails are NOT a requirement for having evil-outsider blood in your system.

I agree with all of this . There's no reason to insist on either horns or tails. Just make use of the existing art assets and give them less ugly hair than Shadar Kai.

[eachna_gislin]

Tieflings in D&D lore did not always have tails. Those that did may have had prehensile or non-prehensile tails. Visually in DDO, a good tail could look good, but a bad tail would look worse than not having one at all.
Horns, unusual coloured eyes (or solid coloured eyeballs), unusual coloured hair, unusual coloured skin and different hair choices would go a long way to making Tieflings look otherworldly. Adding a heat-haze aura to the avatar to simulate the sulphurous odour that tieflings can have would emphasise this (auras already exist on items and for spells, so why not have one on a race by default, or have as a free toggle for the race).
Using the basic human (not PDK) model, then tweaking slightly (e.g. by adding slightly pointed ears, a slight devilish smile to the mouth options, small fangs that can be seen on zooming in) and you are all set.

The existing DDO tieflings manage quite well with horns and reddish skin and no tails, so why not continue this trend and just make it better for PCs.

The same method could then be used for Aasimar (descendants of good outsiders) and Genasi (elemental heritage). The visual impact would be better IMO if the races looked more or less human at first glance, but are significantly different on closer viewing.

Tails are a graphic problem for the Devs, but easily avoidable by reading the lore and remembering that tails are NOT a requirement for having evil-outsider blood in your system.

I agree with all of this . There's no reason to insist on either horns or tails. Just make use of the existing art assets and give them less ugly hair than Shadar Kai.

Edit: Severlin said we're getting tieflings? Did he also happen to mention if we're getting Aasamar?

[ZaineWMoon]

I've had this idea for a while, ever since I first heard about Tieflings in DDO, I've pondered something.

Wouldn't it be easier to create a base race called Planetouched, then create a feat tree (like they did with the Warlock) that lets you choose your lineage? One for aasimar, tiefling, and each of the Genasi? The base feat giving you appearance changes like horns, a halo, or flaming hair? Your enhancements could further increase the benefits from that feat, and mayhaps at various levels (Probably 6, 12, 18, and 20) you get a feat for free that increases the benefit (like innate resists.) and further increase your altered appearance (larger horns, brighter halo, more intense flaming hair as examples).

As they already have a system similar (thanks to warlock being a thing). The only real limitation would be all horns/halos/hair would be to similar. But, that's something I could settle with.

As far as the tail goes, I think that should be omitted or something you can gain from tiefling specific enhancements: (Tail: Gives bonuses to balance? Just a suggestion)

These are just thoughts that I myself have had. Take it or leave it.

[PsychoBlonde]

My question here for the DDO forum community is this, would you still be interested in playing the Tiefling race if it was available and horns/tails weren't offered or is the physical appearance of those things important for you to want to play them?

They could just have some tiefling-specific hairstyles that had horns. That'd work for me.

But, in general, I'd be fine with just some exotic eye/hair/skin colors.

Tieflings and other +CR races might make for great iconics.

[Failedlegend]

Tieflings and other +CR races might make for great iconics.

I assume you mean +LA races and if so the planetouched that are meant to be used by PCs are all ,Lesser and do not have a level adjustment.

Oh and to clarify devs if you were to add Tieflings without tails and/or horns it wouldn't stop me from buying them (especially now that we have Locks, Crimson Knight FTW) but it would be a bummer.

That said as I said before would it be possible to just let the tail clip through armor and the horns either clip through or only show up when the helm is hidden (preferably allowing goggles and horns if possible) if it looks really bad through helmets or maybe even create a /showhorns & /showtail command like /gogglesup and let the player decide what looks good...i dunno how hard that is.

Any chance you have some test models we could see screenshots of to see how it looks (i'm just assuming you've tested sticking horns and tails on an existing race model like humans)

[Aelonwy]

Planar Races Bundle:
Races: (Using for reference the books Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Races of Faerun)

Aasimar +2 Wis & +2 Cha, inherent 5 resistance to acid, cold, elec, racial/inherent +2 bonus to spot and listen. (The spell Light does not exist in DDO, though it would be useful in places.)
Appearance: Human, maybe with more elven like ears. Unusual (for human) skin colors - shades of green (planetar ancestor), silvery or golden skin or eyes (solar ancestor), various iridescent pastels such as lavender, periwinkle, seafoam (couatl or lillend ancestor). Unusual eye colors - aforementioned solar example, glowing opalescent eyes (ghaele ancestor).
Several unique hairstyles - I would suggest two scale-like hairstyles for couatl or lillend ancestors, and two hairstyles with feathers for avoral, archon, astral deva and solar ancestry.

With the exception of the unique hairstyles and one glowing eye option, most of the cosmetics could be accomplished with a simple expanded color palette for the hair and eye choices of the human.

Tiefling +2 Dex & +2 Int & -2 Cha, inherent 5 resistance to cold, fire, & elec, racial/inherent +2 bonus to bluff and hide. (The spell Darkness does not exist in DDO, some fog spells are used similarly.)

We Do NOT Need Tails On Our PC Tieflings.
Would it be cool? Sure. Is it so necessary that it will affect my choice to spend money? Absolutely not. Keep in mind, the NPC tieflings we fight in-game do NOT have tails. This does not bother me at all. That being said. We must have horns.

Appearance: Human. Unusual (for human) skin colors - various reds (demon, or devil ancestor), various blacks (demon, or devil ancestor), various blues (night hag ancestor.)
Unusual (for human) eye colors - various reds, including one glowing red option (demon, or devil or night hag), various yellows/oranges (rakshasa ancestor).
Choice of horns, perhaps with a color palette to match or contrast with skin or eyes.
A couple of scale-like hairstyles (demon or devil ancestry) perhaps identical to the Aasimar scaled hairstyles but obviously limited to the Tiefling hair color palette. Do not let the helmet/horn issue be the reason we do not have Tieflings. I will want to see my horns more than I will want to see a helmet. I usually have helms toggled off for all my characters.

[Uska]

nvm