[Information] Character Alignment

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Character Alignment

 

Alignment is a tool for developing your character’s identity. Your character’s alignment represents your character’s personal attitudes and behaviors.*

 

Lawful Good	Neutral Good	Chaotic Good
Lawful Neutral	True Neutral	Chaotic Neutral
Lawful Evil	Neutral Evil	Chaotic Evil

 

Keep in mind that your character’s alignment is not a straitjacket for restricting your character. Almost contrary to popular belief, each alignment represents a broad range of personality types and/or personal philosophies; therefore, two of the same alignment can still still be quite different from each other with regards to personal beliefs.

 

In addition, few people are completely and entirely consistent, so there are times when generalizations are made:

 

Good vs Evil

 

Good characters protect innocent life. Evil characters debase or destroy innocent life, whether for fun or profit.

 

Good characters practice altruism, have respect for life, and have a concern for the dignity of all sentient beings. Good characters make personal sacrifices to help others.

 

Evil characters will go about hurting, oppressing, and killing others. Some evil creatures simply have no compassion for others and kill without qualms if doing so is convenient. Others actively pursue evil, killing for sport or out of duty to some evil deity or master.

 

Characters which are neutral with respect to good and evil have compunctions against killing the innocent but lack the commitment to make sacrifices to protect or help others. They are committed to others by personal relationships.**

 

Law vs Chaos

 

Lawful characters tell the truth, follow strict codes, keep their word, respect authority, honor tradition, and judge those who fall short of their duties.

 

Chaotic characters follow little if any codes, resent being told what to do, favor new ideas over tradition, and do what they promise - if they feel like it.

 

Lawful characters uphold honor, are trustworthy, obey authority, and are reliable. On the downside, lawfulness can include close-mindedness, reactionary adherence to tradition, judgmentalness, and a lack of adaptability. Those who consciously promote lawfulness say that only lawful behavior creates a society in which people can depend on each other and make the right decisions in full confidence that others will act as they should.

Chaotic characters enjoy freedom, are adaptable, and flexible. On the downside, chaos can include recklessness, resentment toward legitimate authority, arbitrary actions, and irresponsibility. Those who promote chaotic behavior say that only unfettered personal freedom allows people to express themselves fully and lets society benefit from the potential that its individuals have within them.

 

Characters which are neutral with respect to law and chaos have a normal respect for authority and feel neither a compulsion to obey nor a compulsion to rebel. They are honest but can be tempted into lying or deceiving others.**

 

(*Most games assume good and evil as definitive things rather than personally held beliefs)

(**Animals and other creatures of lower or no sentience are incapable of moral action are neutral. Even deadly vipers and tigers that eat people are neutral because they lack the capacity for morally right or wrong behavior. Dogs may be obedient and cats free-spirited, but they do not have the judgmental capacity to be truly lawful or chaotic.)

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Chaotic Evil

 

Chaotic evil characters do whatever their greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive them to do. They are hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent, and unpredictable. If they are simply out for whatever they can get, they is ruthless and brutal. If they are committed to the spread of evil and chaos, they are even worse. Thankfully, their plans are haphazard, and any groups they join or form are poorly organized. Typically, chaotic evil people can be made to work together only by force, and their leader lasts only as long as he or she can thwart attempts to topple or assassinate them.

 

Chaotic evil is sometimes called "demonic" because demons are the epitome of chaotic evil.

 

Chaotic evil is the alignment best-suited for certain players because it combines self-interest and pure freedom.

 

Chaotic evil is a dangerous alignment because it represents the destruction not only of beauty and life but also of the order on which beauty and life depend.

 

How Chaotic Evil views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Dogmatic and Self-Righteous	Neutral Good Conformist and Self-Righteous	Chaotic Good Independent but Self-Righteous
Lawful Neutral Dogmatic and Irresolute	True Neutral Conformist and Irresolute	Chaotic Neutral Independent but Irresolute
Lawful Evil Determined but Dogmatic	Neutral Evil Determined but Conformist	Chaotic Evil Independent and Determined

 

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Neutral Evil

 

Neutral evil characters do whatever they can get away with. They are out for themselves,, pure and simple. They shed no tears for those they kill, whether for profit, sport, or convenience. They have no love of order and hold no illusion that following laws, traditions, or codes would make them any better or more noble. On the other hand, they do not have the restless nature or love of conflict that a chaotic evil characters have.

 

Some neutral evil characters hold up evil as an ideal, committing evil for its own sake. Most often, such characters are devoted to evil deities or secret societies.

 

Neutral evil is the alignment best-suited for certain players because they want to advance themselves without regard for others.

Neutral evil is a dangerous alignment because it represents pure evil without honor and without variation.

 

How Neutral Evil views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Strict and Self-Righteous	Neutral Good Practical but Self-Righteous	Chaotic Good Lax and Self-Righteous
Lawful Neutral Strict and Irresolute	True Neutral Practical but Irresolute	Chaotic Neutral Lax and Irresolute
Lawful Evil Determined but Strict	Neutral Evil Practical and Determined	Chaotic Evil Determined but Lax

 

 

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Lawful Evil

 

Lawful evil characters methodically take what they want within the limits of their code of conduct without regard for whom it hurts. They care about tradition, loyalty, and order but not about freedom, dignity, or life. They play by the rules but without mercy or compassion. They are comfortable in a hierarchy and would like to rule, but are willing to serve. They condemn others not according to their actions but according to race, religion, homeland, or social rank. They are loath to break laws or promises.This reluctance comes partly from their nature and partly because they depends on order to protect themselves from those who oppose them on moral grounds.

 

Some lawful evil characters have particular taboos, such as not killing in cold blood (but having underlings do it) or not letting children come to harm (if it can be helped). They imagine that these compunctions put them above unprincipled characters. Some lawful evil characters commit themselves to evil with a zeal like that of a crusader committed to good. Beyond being willing to hurt others for their own ends, they take pleasure in spreading evil as an end unto itself. They may also see doing evil as part of a duty to an evil deity or master.

 

Lawful evil is sometimes called "diabolical," because devils are the epitome of lawful evil.

 

Lawful evil is the alignment best-suited for certain players because it combines honor with a dedicated self-interest.

Lawful evil is a dangerous alignment because it represents methodical, intentional, and frequently successful evil.

 

How Lawful Evil views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Honorable but Self-Righteous	Neutral Good Unreliable and Self-Righteous	Chaotic Good Dishonorable and Self-Righteous
Lawful Neutral Honorable but Irresolute	True Neutral Unreliable and Irresolute	Chaotic Neutral Dishonorable and Irresolute
Lawful Evil Honorable and Determined	Neutral Evil Determined but Unreliable	Chaotic Evil Determined but Dishonorable

 

 

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Chaotic Neutral

 

Chaotic neutral characters follow their whims. They are individualists first and last. They value their own liberty but do not strive to protect the freedom of others. They avoid authority, resent restrictions, and challenge traditions. A chaotic neutral character does not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, they would have to be motivated either by good (and a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire to make those different from themselves suffer). A chaotic neutral character may be unpredictable, but their behavior is not totally random. They are not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it.

 

Chaotic neutral is the alignment best-suited for certain players who because it represents true freedom from both society's restrictions and a do-gooder's zeal.

 

Chaotic neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it seeks to eliminate all authority, harmony, and order in society.

How Chaotic Neutral views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Dogmatic and Idealistic	Neutral Good Conformist and Idealistic	Chaotic Good Independent but Idealistic
Lawful Neutral Realistic but Dogmatic	True Neutral Realistic but Conformist	Chaotic Neutral Independent and Realistic
Lawful Evil Dogmatic and Egotistic	Neutral Evil Conformist and Egotistic	Chaotic Evil Independent but Egotistic

 

 

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

True Neutral

 

True neutral characters do what seems to be a good idea. They do not feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most true neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil-after all, they would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, they are not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way.

 

Some true neutral characters, on the other hand, attempt commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run.

 

True neutral is the alignment best-suited for certain players because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion.

True neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it represents apathy, indifference, and a lack of conviction.

How True Neutral views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Strict and Idealistic	Neutral Good Practical but Idealistic	Chaotic Good Lax and Idealistic
Lawful Neutral Realistic but Strict	True Neutral Practical and Realistic	Chaotic Neutral Realistic but Lax
Lawful Evil Strict and Egotistic	Neutral Evil Practical but Egotistic	Chaotic Evil Lax and Egotistic

 

 

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Lawful Neutral

 

Lawful neutral characters act as law, tradition, or a personal code directs them. Order and organization are paramount to them. They may believe in personal order and live by a code or standard, or they may believe in order for all and favor a strong, organized government.

 

Lawful neutral is the alignment best-suited for certain players because it means you are reliable and honorable without being a zealot.

Lawful neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it seeks to eliminate all freedom, choice, and diversity in society.

How Lawful Neutral views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Honorable but Idealistic	Neutral Good Unreliable and Idealistic	Chaotic Good Dishonorable and Idealistic
Lawful Neutral Honorable and Realistic	True Neutral Realistic but Unreliable	Chaotic Neutral Realistic but Dishonorable
Lawful Evil Honorable but Egotistic	Neutral Evil Unreliable and Egotistic	Chaotic Evil Dishonorable and Egotistic

 

 

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Chaotic Good

 

Chaotic good characters act as their conscience directs them with little regard for what others expect of them. They make their own way, but they are kind and benevolent because they have a genuine concern for the dignity of all sentient beings. They believe in goodness and right but have little use for laws and regulations. They hate it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. They follow their own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society.

 

Chaotic good is the alignment best-suited for certain players because it combines a good heart with a free spirit.

Chaotic good can be a dangerous alignment when it disrupts the order of society and punishes those who do well for themselves.

How Chaotic Good views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Compassionate but Dogmatic	Neutral Good Compassionate but Conformist	Chaotic Good Independent and Compassionate
Lawful Neutral Dogmatic and Apathetic	True Neutral Conformist and Apathetic	Chaotic Neutral Independent but Apathetic
Lawful Evil Dogmatic and Cruel	Neutral Evil Conformist and Cruel	Chaotic Evil Independent but Cruel

 

 

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Neutral Good

 

Neutral good characters do the best that a good person can do. They are devoted to helping others because they have a genuine concern for the dignity of all sentient beings. They are willing to work with kings and magistrates but do not feel beholden to them.

 

Neutral good is the alignment best-suited for certain players because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order.

Neutral good can be a dangerous alignment when it advances mediocrity by limiting the actions of the truly capable.

How Neutral Good views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Compassionate but Strict	Neutral Good Practical and Compassionate	Chaotic Good Compassionate but Lax
Lawful Neutral Strict and Apathetic	True Neutral Practical but Apathetic	Chaotic Neutral Lax and Apathetic
Lawful Evil Strict and Cruel	Neutral Evil Practical but Cruel	Chaotic Evil Lax and Cruel

 

 

[Gavinaugh Riverwind]

Lawful Good

 

A lawful good characters act as a good person is expected or required to act. They combine a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. They tell the truth, keep their word, help those in need, and speak out against injustice. A lawful good character hates both to see the guilty go unpunished, and to see the innocent treated unjustly because they have a genuine concern for the dignity of all sentient beings.

 

Lawful good is the alignment best-suited for certain players because it combines honor and compassion.

Lawful good can be a dangerous alignment when it restricts freedom and criminalizes self-interest.

How Lawful Good views different alignments:

 

 

Lawful Good Honorable and Compassionate	Neutral Good Compassionate but Unreliable	Chaotic Good Compassionate but Dishonorable
Lawful Neutral Honorable but Apathetic	True Neutral Unreliable and Apathetic	Chaotic Neutral Dishonorable and Apathetic
Lawful Evil Honorable but Cruel	Neutral Evil Unreliable and Cruel	Chaotic Evil Dishonorable and Cruel