[RPG] way to determine what physical traits your character could have based on their Diabolic bloodline

character-creationdnd-5eloretiefling

SCAG offers Tiefling Variant traits and appearances and MTOF offers Diabolic Bloodline Subraces for Tiefling for the D&D 5e PHB Tiefling race. The gist is that time has passed since Asmodeus made all al existing Tiefling bloodlines his own and Tieflings are being born with other fiendish bloodlines. Although SCAG offers alt appearance options, I was wondering if there was a way to tell what appearances are for which fiendish bloodline as MTOF does not provide appearance information. The appearance in PHB is based on Asmodeus. Also the Variant options in SCAG are for various fiendish bloodlines like cat eyes for Rakshasa etc.

Is there a way to determine what physical traits your character could have based on their Diabolic bloodline?

Sources: PHB (Players handbook); SCAG (Swordcoast Adventurers Guide); MTOF (Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes)

TIEFLING VARIANTS … Rather than having the physical characteristics described in the Player's Handbook, choose 1d4+1
following features: small horns; fangs or sharp teeth; a forked
tongue; catlike eyes; six fingers on each hand; goatlike legs ; cloven
hoofs; a forked tail; leathery or scaly skin; red or dark blue skin;
cast no shadow or reflection; exude a smell of brimstone. (SCAG,
p. 118)

Best Answer

Although, in SCAG they list traits for the Tiefling Variant, there is no clear distinction for what bloodline each trait would derive from. Further, the instruction in SCAG is to take 1d4 +1 of the traits listed, in no particular order. This means that the traits listed could be combined at random and could apply to various types of bloodlines. For the MTOF Diabolic Tiefling Subraces, there is no descriptions provided, though there is an image for two of the Subraces. So there is no official way to determine physical traits for characters for 5e. There are descriptions of Tiefling bloodlines given for 4e if one is inclined to use them.