[RPG] How strong is the tiefling’s Infernal Legacy trait, and what should I consider when homebrewing a racial trait that replaces it

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(Related to this question: What are the playable D&D races in 5e, and where can I find them?)

I am working on selecting all the available races/subraces for my 5th Edition campaign. Because I don't like the way that WoTC has laid out the race/subrace info, I'm creating a completely new listing for each subrace that lists all the traits they possess. For example, rather than listing one set of traits for dwarves and then listing the additional traits that Hill Dwarves get, I'm creating a single entry for Hil Dwarves that includes all of their relevant info.

In the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, there is a tiefling variant called the Feral Tiefling. Currently, the only change in this variant from the Player's Handbook Tiefling is to change its ability score bonuses. I'd like to create more variance by also trading it's Infernal Legacy trait for something else. However, I'm not sure what the "value" of Infernal legacy is.

Looking at all the races and subraces, there is only one that trades away spell-like abilities: the Winged Tiefling, also from the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. It replaces Infernal Legacy with the Winged trait, which is an extremely strong trait.

How strong is Infernal Legacy, and what traits are a good equivalent for it?
I am thinking of adding a claw attack similar to that of the Aarakocra, but that doesn't seem to be as powerful as Infernal Legacy.

A good answer would refer to either the user's own experience with homebrewing races in 5th Edition or some kind of information from the game designers. I have consulted the information on creating a custom race in the DMG, but it doesn't give any kind of equivalency between racial traits or give more than the vaguest advice about "balancing" races.

Best Answer

In Unearthed Arcana: That Old Black Magic (2015), they playtested a Tiefling Variant with an Abyssal Tiefling subrace. The Abyssal Tiefling gets this Abyssal Arcana trait instead of the original Infernal Legacy trait:

Abyssal Arcana. Each time you finish a long rest, you gain the ability to cast cantrips and spells randomly determined from a short list. At 1st level, you can cast a cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can also cast a 1st-level spell. At 5th level, you can cast a 2nd-level spell.

You can cast a spell gained from this trait only once until you complete your next long rest. You can cast a cantrip gained from this trait at will, as normal. For 1st-level spells whose effect changes if cast using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you cast the spell as if using a 2nd-level slot. Spells of 2nd level are cast as if using a 2nd-level slot.

At the end of each long rest, you lose the cantrips and spells previously granted by this feature, even if you did not cast them. You replace those cantrips and spells by rolling for new ones on the Abyssal Arcana Spells table. Roll separately for each cantrip and spell. If you roll the same spell or cantrip you gained at the end of your previous long rest, roll again until you get a different result.

Abyssal Arcana Spells
d6 1st Level 3rd Level 5th Level
1 Dancing lights Burning hands Alter self
2 True strike Charm person Darkness
3 Light Magic missile Invisibility
4 Message Cure wounds Levitate
5 Spare the dying Tasha’s hideous laughter Mirror image
6 Prestidigitation Thunderwave Spider climb

I would assume that homebrew could trust this list to be at least somewhat balanced as possible spell replacements, since it made it to UA. However, keep in mind that UA is not strictly canon, but rather playtest material from WotC game designers.

In that regard, the Infernal Legacy trait looks a lot like a Dragonmark (from Unearthed Arcana: Eberron (v1.1)) or the Magic Initiate feat (PHB, p. 168). You could also skin one of those feats into a racial ability, as a homebrew that wouldn't deviate too much from the rules.

And completely RAW, you could always do a Feral Tiefling with the Devil's Tongue trait (SCAG, p. 118), too.