figuring out alignment [Archive] - Wizards Community

figuring out alignment [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
asurademon
07-03-06, 04:28 PM ok, so I'm starting to design a character, and am having trouble with alignment.

This person will not harm the innocent (unless put in a really desperate situation where it's down to either them or the other person in which case they very well might do some really messed up things), and you certainly won't see this character handing out charity either.
They also do other less than noble things, they have no trouble leading an enemy on that if they give the character what they want they will be allowed to live, and then killing them if they seem like they might still be a threat (and sometimes even if they don't just as a precaution).
However while this character won't hesitate to manipulate and backstab a foe, they have a sense of loyalty with their comrades (certainly not the type of loyalty you'd get from a lawful and/or good character, but they are pretty unlikely to turn on their party).
So I'm 100% sure this is not a good aligned character, but I'm not sure whether neutral or evil fits, and whether they would be chaotic, or neutral (I've pretty much eliminated the possibility of lawful also, as this is going to be a rogueish sort of character).
Radijs
07-03-06, 05:40 PM He looks either chaotic good or neutral good to me. A bit of a tough love hero. The kind of guy who knows that being a goody two-shoes all the time isn't going to work. But someone who is still loyal enough to his friends.

NG I'd think.
LuckyLeprechaun
07-03-06, 06:25 PM He seems pretty neutral to me, doing whatever will benefit him the best, while still keep loyalties to other characters.

I would also recommend this test. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20001222b)

Hope it helps!

Lucky
asurademon
07-03-06, 06:44 PM The result that my character got was chaotic neutral.
LordBritish2
07-03-06, 09:56 PM Yeah after reading what you posted about your character, it seems to me that he would either be true neutral or chaotic neutral. I could see chaotic good but that seems a bit of a strech to me.
Da Black Cat
07-04-06, 11:41 AM True Neutral; there's nothing special here.
club2bash
07-05-06, 06:56 PM Here is what I always do. I start out N then let the DM change my ailinment as he will. however I always make sure I meet all ailinment reqiorments.

what class and race is he?
LuckyLeprechaun
07-05-06, 07:37 PM Here is what I always do. I start out N then let the DM change my ailinment as he will. however I always make sure I meet all ailinment reqiorments.

Not only is that excessively silly, but it also adds another task for the DM to handle. You should always start out with an idea in mind, think about how the character will act, and assign an alignment accordingly. If the DM has to change it because you guessed the alignment wrong, an honest mistake, than thats ok. You as a player should at least make an effort to assign an alignment.
asurademon
07-06-06, 04:49 PM The character is going to most likely be a fighter, or rogue, or multiclass as both. The character is going to be either aasimar or human. Anyways when I have more of an idea as far as background I'll probably put it up, but I don't have much yet.

A good DM makes their players change their character's alignment anyways if they start acting out of alignment too much. What you're doing sounds like what Planescape: Torment did, where the character started out neutral, not because he had some sort of true neutral ideaology but because he didn't really have a defined sense of morality. That works perfectly for a character like the one in that game, but my characters always have started with a defined sense of morality, so that wouldn't work for me.

I think I'm going to have this character be true neutral, and of course not because they follow a true neutral ideaology of balance being the greatest good or anything like that, but because they look out for number one, and make it pretty clear. That and they are willing to do some things that a good person would find just wrong, but not with the level of wrongness that an evil person would stoop to. And as far as law and chaos, it's just whatever is most beneficial to them in the specific situation.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
asurademon 07-03-06, 04:28 PM	ok, so I'm starting to design a character, and am having trouble with alignment. This person will not harm the innocent (unless put in a really desperate situation where it's down to either them or the other person in which case they very well might do some really messed up things), and you certainly won't see this character handing out charity either. They also do other less than noble things, they have no trouble leading an enemy on that if they give the character what they want they will be allowed to live, and then killing them if they seem like they might still be a threat (and sometimes even if they don't just as a precaution). However while this character won't hesitate to manipulate and backstab a foe, they have a sense of loyalty with their comrades (certainly not the type of loyalty you'd get from a lawful and/or good character, but they are pretty unlikely to turn on their party). So I'm 100% sure this is not a good aligned character, but I'm not sure whether neutral or evil fits, and whether they would be chaotic, or neutral (I've pretty much eliminated the possibility of lawful also, as this is going to be a rogueish sort of character).
Radijs 07-03-06, 05:40 PM	He looks either chaotic good or neutral good to me. A bit of a tough love hero. The kind of guy who knows that being a goody two-shoes all the time isn't going to work. But someone who is still loyal enough to his friends. NG I'd think.
LuckyLeprechaun 07-03-06, 06:25 PM	He seems pretty neutral to me, doing whatever will benefit him the best, while still keep loyalties to other characters. I would also recommend this test. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20001222b) Hope it helps! Lucky
asurademon 07-03-06, 06:44 PM	The result that my character got was chaotic neutral.
LordBritish2 07-03-06, 09:56 PM	Yeah after reading what you posted about your character, it seems to me that he would either be true neutral or chaotic neutral. I could see chaotic good but that seems a bit of a strech to me.
Da Black Cat 07-04-06, 11:41 AM	True Neutral; there's nothing special here.
club2bash 07-05-06, 06:56 PM	Here is what I always do. I start out N then let the DM change my ailinment as he will. however I always make sure I meet all ailinment reqiorments. what class and race is he?
LuckyLeprechaun 07-05-06, 07:37 PM	Here is what I always do. I start out N then let the DM change my ailinment as he will. however I always make sure I meet all ailinment reqiorments. Not only is that excessively silly, but it also adds another task for the DM to handle. You should always start out with an idea in mind, think about how the character will act, and assign an alignment accordingly. If the DM has to change it because you guessed the alignment wrong, an honest mistake, than thats ok. You as a player should at least make an effort to assign an alignment.
asurademon 07-06-06, 04:49 PM	The character is going to most likely be a fighter, or rogue, or multiclass as both. The character is going to be either aasimar or human. Anyways when I have more of an idea as far as background I'll probably put it up, but I don't have much yet. A good DM makes their players change their character's alignment anyways if they start acting out of alignment too much. What you're doing sounds like what Planescape: Torment did, where the character started out neutral, not because he had some sort of true neutral ideaology but because he didn't really have a defined sense of morality. That works perfectly for a character like the one in that game, but my characters always have started with a defined sense of morality, so that wouldn't work for me. I think I'm going to have this character be true neutral, and of course not because they follow a true neutral ideaology of balance being the greatest good or anything like that, but because they look out for number one, and make it pretty clear. That and they are willing to do some things that a good person would find just wrong, but not with the level of wrongness that an evil person would stoop to. And as far as law and chaos, it's just whatever is most beneficial to them in the specific situation.