Unearth the Riveting Untold Origin of Baldur's Gate 3's Tieflings That Transcends the Forgotten Realms

Highlights

Baldur's Gate 3 faithfully incorporates Tieflings, a unique race with devilish origins, into its Forgotten Realms setting.

Tieflings are originally featured in the Planescape universe of Dungeons and Dragons, portraying individuals known as "planetouched" who have been influenced by gods or demons.

In the game's Fourth Edition, Tieflings emerged as a fundamental race linked to the Nine Hells and burdened with infernal lineage, enriching their backstory.

Baldur’s Gate 3 faithfully adapts the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons and Dragons with great attention to detail. However, many players are unaware that one of the game's most memorable fantasy races actually originates from a completely different setting. Tieflings, who have gained popularity due to the success of Baldur's Gate 3, provide a devilish alternative to the typical Elves and Dwarves in the genre. Their origins can be traced back to an experimental addition to the classic tabletop game.

Although Karlach's personal history with Avernus and the Archdevil Zariel makes her a standout party member in the game, the Tieflings as a whole possess fascinating lore in Baldur's Gate 3. While they may appear to be hybrids of humans and devils, Tieflings are actually the descendants of individuals who made deals with devils in the mythos of the Forgotten Realms. The race and the concept of the Nine Hells are now integral parts of the world in the modern Fifth Edition that Baldur's Gate 3 is based on, but these devilish aspects were not always present in the main series.

The Planescape Origins of Tieflings

Introduced in the Second Edition, Planescape revolutionized the world of Dungeons and Dragons by introducing a comprehensive cosmology that unified different realms. Unlike the standard game at the time, Planescape, released in 1994, offered a more mature and thought-provoking experience. The familiar Player's Handbook world became known as the Prime Material Plane within the Great Wheel, an interconnected web of realms that make up the multiverse.

During their early conception, Tieflings were known as "Planetouched," individuals who had been influenced or "blessed" by divine or demonic beings. In the original Planescape setting, Tieflings exhibited distinct physical traits, ranging from hooves to reptilian tails. Despite their unique appearances, Tieflings were still subjected to social stigma, a characteristic that persisted and grew over time. Today, Tieflings are recognized as the devilish beings we are familiar with.

Tieflings as a Core Race of Dungeons and Dragons

In Third Edition, Tieflings emerged as a distinctive playable option, despite the limitations imposed by their alternative racial status. Notably, there were unique variations in the mix of Elf and Fiend or Orc and Fiend. However, Fourth Edition transformed Tieflings into what they are known as today. They were officially recognized as a core race in the Player's Handbook, redefined as individuals cursed with infernal blood, known as the Tieflings of Baldur's Gate 3.

These Tieflings are now associated with the Nine Hells and are descendants of nobles who engaged with Fiends. The term "Tiefling" is now used to describe those who are considered Planetouched, encompassing races descended from Outsiders to the Prime Material Plane. This term, Planetouched, represents a broader category in the modern multiverse including Tieflings and other similar beings. With Baldur's Gate 3 already exploring concepts like Aasimar and the Astral Plane, which also originated in Planescape, the game has the potential to further delve into the celestial aspects of its source material in future content. This ongoing exploration continues to make Baldur's Gate 3 the most successful release by Larian Studios to date.

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