Help with Lawful Aligned rogue, [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help with Lawful Aligned rogue, [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Cuaglar
12-04-07, 11:02 AM For a while, I've been wanting to play a certain character in Eberron, a goblin rogue called Sharkuun the Sly. He's a freelance investigator for the Sharn city watch and a bounty hunter when his services aren't needed in the City of Towers, and he is Lawful Good, or at least Lawful Neutral. However, I wanted some other opinions about what a lawful rogue would be like. I know rogues can cover a lot of ground, from common pickpockets to elite tomb raiders to agents of a church, but I find it much more difficult to envision what a lawfully aligned rogue is like than, say, an evil bard.
Kiioro
12-04-07, 11:48 AM Depends on what do you want to do. Two things I can think of:

* For example, you can be (with the proper knowledges) some kind of rule-bender, always searching for the loopholes and blurry aspects of the law, but never going against it; if you abide the law you're lawful.

* Instead of a street-and-life-trained rogue, you came to be what you are because of the guild. The guild has strict rules and it taught you everything you know. Even though its laws don't have much to do with the laws in the place that you live, you abide the code of conduct that you were raised with. You don't have to be with the guild to follow the code.
the_rooster
12-04-07, 04:39 PM Lawful doesn't always mean "law of the land." It just means you follow some code that isn't morally based (because morals fall under good and evil).

Envision a monk without the 'meditative' air about him.

Don't let rogue pigeonhole your view on who he is. Rogue simply describes someone who is tricky, skillful and relies more on his skill and smarts than his strength. That's perfectly compatible with lawful.
The_Shaman
12-05-07, 06:11 AM As the others have said, being lawful means having a code of conduct you adhere to most of the time, if not always - even when it's not convenient. To put it in another, slightly more controversial way, you're principled. What your principles are is another matter.

Many, but not necessarily all, lawful rogues belong to guilds. Having a clear guild charter and a structure you can rely on makes for a comfortable environment, but that's that. Finally, remember that, as the rooster said, rogue is a class - all it brings is a sequence of abilities as you level up. You can use those skills for anything you want - an intrigue-weaving socialite noble, a police investigator, and an army scout can all have rogue levels, but do not think of themselves as rogues and would certainly be offended if you imply any such criminal status.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Cuaglar 12-04-07, 11:02 AM	For a while, I've been wanting to play a certain character in Eberron, a goblin rogue called Sharkuun the Sly. He's a freelance investigator for the Sharn city watch and a bounty hunter when his services aren't needed in the City of Towers, and he is Lawful Good, or at least Lawful Neutral. However, I wanted some other opinions about what a lawful rogue would be like. I know rogues can cover a lot of ground, from common pickpockets to elite tomb raiders to agents of a church, but I find it much more difficult to envision what a lawfully aligned rogue is like than, say, an evil bard.
Kiioro 12-04-07, 11:48 AM	Depends on what do you want to do. Two things I can think of: * For example, you can be (with the proper knowledges) some kind of rule-bender, always searching for the loopholes and blurry aspects of the law, but never going against it; if you abide the law you're lawful. * Instead of a street-and-life-trained rogue, you came to be what you are because of the guild. The guild has strict rules and it taught you everything you know. Even though its laws don't have much to do with the laws in the place that you live, you abide the code of conduct that you were raised with. You don't have to be with the guild to follow the code.
the_rooster 12-04-07, 04:39 PM	Lawful doesn't always mean "law of the land." It just means you follow some code that isn't morally based (because morals fall under good and evil). Envision a monk without the 'meditative' air about him. Don't let rogue pigeonhole your view on who he is. Rogue simply describes someone who is tricky, skillful and relies more on his skill and smarts than his strength. That's perfectly compatible with lawful.
The_Shaman 12-05-07, 06:11 AM	As the others have said, being lawful means having a code of conduct you adhere to most of the time, if not always - even when it's not convenient. To put it in another, slightly more controversial way, you're principled. What your principles are is another matter. Many, but not necessarily all, lawful rogues belong to guilds. Having a clear guild charter and a structure you can rely on makes for a comfortable environment, but that's that. Finally, remember that, as the rooster said, rogue is a class - all it brings is a sequence of abilities as you level up. You can use those skills for anything you want - an intrigue-weaving socialite noble, a police investigator, and an army scout can all have rogue levels, but do not think of themselves as rogues and would certainly be offended if you imply any such criminal status.