Sterling Vermin present the Pactborn - Tieflings as a subrace of Warlock kin!

[sterling vermin]

The Pactborn are the kin of warlocks, born already doomed by a pact they never swore to an otherworldly power they may not even know. A rework of the tiefling race option presented in the PHB, the Pactborn are a collection of subraces that reflect a mortal touched by a variety of otherworldly powers.

And all you have to promise is your firstborn… (https://sterlingvermin.com/2016/06/15/the-pactborn/)

[Final Hyena]

With regards to Tiefling I would suggest +2 Int, simply because no (core) class overly wants both charisma and intelligence.
I know the PHB Tiefling did it, but I wouldn't follow the PHB over a cliff.
Same for Aasimar and Wisdom.

[Waffle_Iron]

Will you stat a quasi-undead, born of the undying pact?

[Amnoriath]

While the template is solid for the most part and flavor is cool I can't help but think that it is a little too specific for a race, especially with all these sub-races. Aside from that I think you might have a couple of errors.
1. Lesser Restoration is a 2nd level spell and Daylight is 3rd level spell, now while you could argue that the overall usefulness of such abilities in regards to actions put them about equal maybe you should then cut one of the resistances of the Aasimar.
2. The Methuselah though seems to be the weakest one only getting Inscrutable Madness Insight. While definitely cool it is 1 roll and the roll may not be all that beneficial if you get somewhere in the middle. I would think psychic resistance would fit in nicely or perhaps just darkvision if you don't want it to overlap with other features.

[Bharaeth]

On a proofreading-related quibble, your text for the Aasimar's Darkvision trait mentions its infernal nature, which is probably a copy n paste issue?

[Gr7mm Bobb]

While the template is solid for the most part and flavor is cool I can't help but think that it is a little too specific for a race, especially with all these sub-races. Aside from that I think you might have a couple of errors.
1. Lesser Restoration is a 2nd level spell and Daylight is 3rd level spell, now while you could argue that the overall usefulness of such abilities in regards to actions put them about equal maybe you should then cut one of the resistances of the Aasimar.

The Tiefling and Aasmir are replicated in these docs as they are in the PHB and DMG respectively. Asmirs were listed with 2 resistances, idk, but wizards called it balanced.



2. The Methuselah though seems to be the weakest one only getting Inscrutable Madness Insight. While definitely cool it is 1 roll and the roll may not be all that beneficial if you get somewhere in the middle. I would think psychic resistance would fit in nicely or perhaps just darkvision if you don't want it to overlap with other features.

I do agree here that maybe the Methuselah should maybe have darkvision, or maybe even detect thoughts as a legacy spell.

Overall I do love the way all of these have been presented.

If it's alright by Sterlingvermin, I'd like to draw up a subrace for their Cosmic Machine Patron.

[Amnoriath]

The Tiefling and Aasmir are replicated in these docs as they are in the PHB and DMG respectively. Asmirs were listed with 2 resistances, idk, but wizards called it balanced.


They called the Aaracokra balanced even though they would have never given a 50 ft. land speed under the same conditions to any race yet they give it a 50 ft. flight speed. Honestly 1 resistance balances out the fact that they using higher level spells with good specific uses.

[sterling vermin]

With regards to Tiefling I would suggest +2 Int, simply because no (core) class overly wants both charisma and intelligence.
I know the PHB Tiefling did it, but I wouldn't follow the PHB over a cliff.
Same for Aasimar and Wisdom.

I agree no single class overly wants both of those things but I do think it could make certain multiclass options a lot easier. They already have such good traits otherwise I'm hesitant to toss them another +1 on top of that. For a specific campaign though, no, it wouldn't break anything to do that.


Will you stat a quasi-undead, born of the undying pact?

Yes, I began working on that today. It will come, possibly as early as next week, along with some corrections to the text and some extra fluff about the appearance of the various Pactborn subraces.


While the template is solid for the most part and flavor is cool I can't help but think that it is a little too specific for a race, especially with all these sub-races. Aside from that I think you might have a couple of errors.
1. Lesser Restoration is a 2nd level spell and Daylight is 3rd level spell, now while you could argue that the overall usefulness of such abilities in regards to actions put them about equal maybe you should then cut one of the resistances of the Aasimar.
2. The Methuselah though seems to be the weakest one only getting Inscrutable Madness Insight. While definitely cool it is 1 roll and the roll may not be all that beneficial if you get somewhere in the middle. I would think psychic resistance would fit in nicely or perhaps just darkvision if you don't want it to overlap with other features.

I actually found Tiefling a little too specific of a race which is why I broadened it into this group! At the encouragement of another reader, however, I am going to include a text box in the next update that will suggest other origins for the Pactborn that will make them a little less tied to the Warlock class.

1. Aasimar is a straight up port of their stats as presented in the DMG.

2. Methuselah used to have psychic resistance. I'm not super opposed to bringing it back but I am also aware that with +1 Constitution and psychic resistance the Bear totem Barbarian cheese will be very strong with this subrace. Inscrutable Madness is already a pretty damn good trait...IMO, good enough to make up for lack of darkvision AND a damage resistance.


On a proofreading-related quibble, your text for the Aasimar's Darkvision trait mentions its infernal nature, which is probably a copy n paste issue?

It was! It will be corrected in the next update, thanks for pointing that out!


I do agree here that maybe the Methuselah should maybe have darkvision, or maybe even detect thoughts as a legacy spell.

Overall I do love the way all of these have been presented.

If it's alright by Sterlingvermin, I'd like to draw up a subrace for their Cosmic Machine Patron.

Of course you can make a Cosmic Machine subrace! Be aware that an "official" one might be forthcoming too though so that might dampen your enthusiasm...but I hope it doesn't cause I'd love to see what you come up with!


They called the Aaracokra balanced even though they would have never given a 50 ft. land speed under the same conditions to any race yet they give it a 50 ft. flight speed. Honestly 1 resistance balances out the fact that they using higher level spells with good specific uses.

You're not wrong that aarockra are a freaking trainwreck of game design (seriously no idea what they were thinking) but I don't think the aasimar were created on a similarly shaky design premise.

[MReav]

You mention three subraces but there are four listed.

As for the fluff, I think they should be explicitly mentioned to be the children of humans if they're going to be human sized and aged. It makes no sense if the pactborn are that way even if they're the children of giant warlocks or goblin warlocks.

I'm also imagining genasi being the children of warlocks who made pacts with elements like genies and primordials.

I would add to the top line about how they are always shunned to include a line like "Even the ones who display traits from pacts from more reputable patrons can still face discrimination for being different, and high expectations and pressure have caused backlash in more than a few."