In
Dungeons and Dragons, beginning with
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons First Edition's
Monster Manual II, a cambion is a half-
demon, or half-
tanar'ri in the
nomenclature of Second Edition. The term is not used much in Third Edition, but the concept is definitely there, with a half-fiend template used to generate cambions and
alu-demons.
Cambions are always
male,
alu-fiends being their female counterparts. The specific details of what parentage produces a cambion vary from edition to edition, but it is generally agreed that they are sired by a demon on a mortal female, while alu-demons are the offspring of
succubi.
Cambions are described as being tall and thin
humanoids with pale hair and scaly, flaky, grey skin, although this description is not constant, least of all in the case of the
Forgotten Realms'
fey'ri elf-tanar'ri crossbreeds. There has been some debate as to whether cambions are
tieflings - the current 'official' answer appearing to be
no.