Planning an alignment shift [Archive] - Wizards Community

Planning an alignment shift [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
therationalpi
09-16-07, 12:43 AM Alright, this idea just occurred to me moments ago, so I apologize if I sort of flesh it out in the course of this post. But I want to start planning for a drastic alignment shift from Lawful Good to Chaotic Nuetral, maybe even Chaotic Evil.

To start, the character, Marcus. He is an abjurer, a defensive caster and anti-mage, eventually going into the Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil prestige class. As we have that prestige class in the story right now, you must learn the art from a practitioner. Currently, Marcus is proving his worth to a Master of the Sevenfold Veil by showing that he is a good-hearted person, willing to protect his fellow man.

Now, here's how I want him to change over time.

As he gains access to higher level spells, the satisfaction from mastering spells turns into a slight high from casting 6-8 level spells, and finally an intense ecstacy from casting ninth level spells. His wards, too, start to give him a bit of a high.

At first, he can keep himself in line, though he does start to get a bit more relaxed about casting high level spells unnecesarily.
(Lawful Good > Nuetral Good: Somewhere in the 11-14 range)

Soon after, the defensive nature of his spellcasting and the danger of adventuring bores into him a bit deep, and he gains an acute fear of death. Maybe his Master disowns him at this point, but he plods on and completes the prestige class in hopes of using magic to protect himself. He still has a sense of moral responsibility, but now he looks out for himself a lot more than before.
(Nuetral Good > Nuetral: 15-16 Range)

With 9th level spells comes a shock to the system. The tinge of pleasure from casting 8th level spells is replaced a flood of ecstacy from casting 9th. Suddenly, he's looking to learn every ninth level spell he can cast, and starts rationalizing using them as much as possible.
(Nuetral > Chaotic Nuetral: 17)

Possible ending:
His mortality starts to become clear to him, and coming off of those cresting highs from casting big spells leads to crashing lows that sink further and further down. His declining mood is one of paranoia that grows more and more intense. He starts to curse himself for neglecting his Necromantic studies for so long (One of his barred schools), as he acquires the urge for lichdom. His own life is suddenly the only thing that's important to him, and he withdraws with whatever gold he has to begin researching methods to preserve himself using the abjuration school he has mastered.
He hopes to develop a tenth level spell that will allow him to circumvent mortality, at the cost of anything but his own life.
(Chaotic Nuetral > Chaotic Evil: Epic Levels)

At this point, naturally, he would stop being a playable adventurer. I would, more or less, be forced to retire him or use him as a villain in another campaign. But the effect seems like it'd be worth it.
Callista
09-16-07, 10:44 PM Sounds very plausible. Go for it.
The_Shaman
09-17-07, 06:37 PM I don't think all the changes up to CE are serious enough to warrant an alignment change, really. You can do it, it's just that you won't need to. You can be ecstatic about your arcane research yet retain TN or even LN alignment.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
therationalpi 09-16-07, 12:43 AM	Alright, this idea just occurred to me moments ago, so I apologize if I sort of flesh it out in the course of this post. But I want to start planning for a drastic alignment shift from Lawful Good to Chaotic Nuetral, maybe even Chaotic Evil. To start, the character, Marcus. He is an abjurer, a defensive caster and anti-mage, eventually going into the Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil prestige class. As we have that prestige class in the story right now, you must learn the art from a practitioner. Currently, Marcus is proving his worth to a Master of the Sevenfold Veil by showing that he is a good-hearted person, willing to protect his fellow man. Now, here's how I want him to change over time. As he gains access to higher level spells, the satisfaction from mastering spells turns into a slight high from casting 6-8 level spells, and finally an intense ecstacy from casting ninth level spells. His wards, too, start to give him a bit of a high. At first, he can keep himself in line, though he does start to get a bit more relaxed about casting high level spells unnecesarily. (Lawful Good > Nuetral Good: Somewhere in the 11-14 range) Soon after, the defensive nature of his spellcasting and the danger of adventuring bores into him a bit deep, and he gains an acute fear of death. Maybe his Master disowns him at this point, but he plods on and completes the prestige class in hopes of using magic to protect himself. He still has a sense of moral responsibility, but now he looks out for himself a lot more than before. (Nuetral Good > Nuetral: 15-16 Range) With 9th level spells comes a shock to the system. The tinge of pleasure from casting 8th level spells is replaced a flood of ecstacy from casting 9th. Suddenly, he's looking to learn every ninth level spell he can cast, and starts rationalizing using them as much as possible. (Nuetral > Chaotic Nuetral: 17) Possible ending: His mortality starts to become clear to him, and coming off of those cresting highs from casting big spells leads to crashing lows that sink further and further down. His declining mood is one of paranoia that grows more and more intense. He starts to curse himself for neglecting his Necromantic studies for so long (One of his barred schools), as he acquires the urge for lichdom. His own life is suddenly the only thing that's important to him, and he withdraws with whatever gold he has to begin researching methods to preserve himself using the abjuration school he has mastered. He hopes to develop a tenth level spell that will allow him to circumvent mortality, at the cost of anything but his own life. (Chaotic Nuetral > Chaotic Evil: Epic Levels) At this point, naturally, he would stop being a playable adventurer. I would, more or less, be forced to retire him or use him as a villain in another campaign. But the effect seems like it'd be worth it.
Callista 09-16-07, 10:44 PM	Sounds very plausible. Go for it.
The_Shaman 09-17-07, 06:37 PM	I don't think all the changes up to CE are serious enough to warrant an alignment change, really. You can do it, it's just that you won't need to. You can be ecstatic about your arcane research yet retain TN or even LN alignment.