Alignment: Nature/Demeanor [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alignment: Nature/Demeanor [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Aramil_silverwind
01-03-05, 11:02 PM Something that I realized while looking at some other RPGs where a bunch of alternate alignment systems. The one I liked most was the Nature/Demeanor system that White Wolf uses. I'm planning on using it for my next campaign... but I need some help.

For those that are not familiar with the system of Nature/Demeanor, it works as such: Nature is how a character truly is in thier heart. This may or may not be the face they show in public, however. Demeanor is how the character acts in public to most people. Everyone knows that the way they act is often different from how they really desire to act, though some people put up more of a front than others.

And here is my question: for spells like Detect Evil, and on a more powerful scale, Chaos Hammer, what should i do for purposes of alighnment? I'm thinking that Nature will be the one that all alignment-related spells will affect, but I was wondering what everyone else thinks I should do with this issue.
Telperion
01-04-05, 01:48 AM Keep the alignment system, but use the nature and demeanor to help the players give their characters more personality. Personally I have found that White Wolf's nature and demeanor are good tools to help especially new players to create even a basic personality for their first character.

Replacing the entire alignment system just seems like too much trouble.
Aramil_silverwind
01-04-05, 10:42 AM sorry if I was being too vague, but I was planning on keeping the D&D alignment system. I was just going to have the playes take 2 alignments instead of one.

but i need to know if a PC that has a good demeanor but a nuetral nature would register for detect good. Or if a lawful demeanor, chaotic nature PC will be hit hard or not at all by Chaos Hammer.
Telperion
01-04-05, 11:03 AM but i need to know if a PC that has a good demeanor but a nuetral nature would register for detect good. Or if a lawful demeanor, chaotic nature PC will be hit hard or not at all by Chaos Hammer.

It depends on how you tie nature and demeanor into the D&D alignment system. Nature and demeanor are just window dressing to me. They represent some basic information about a character and might give a clue as to what the character's alignment is. A rebel or a dare devil will probably have a chaotic alignment, a conformist or a director will most likely be lawful, etc.

You can do a quick chart and devide stuff into three basic categories:
Order, Neutral and Chaos. Good and Evil don't really enter the picture as far as nature and demeanor are concerned, unless of course you count in natures / demeanors such as monster or penitent. To those you could possibly fix a Good or Evil alignment, but then again they aren't black and white either. You can consider yourself to be a penitent and still commit horrible attrocities in the name of Good. It's your classic Fallen Paladin routine :).

The nature and demeanor system is ambigious for a good reason and I think it works wonderfully with Vampire: the Masquarade and some of the other oWoD games. Making a point-to-point transfer into D&D might become quite tricky, however. Like I said: I use it as a tool to help newbies and not much else.
Aramil_silverwind
01-04-05, 04:03 PM Once again, my full concept is not getting accross for some reason. I mean to ignore the previous nature/demeanor styles, but still use the basics.

For example, A town guard that does not have his heart in it but is still a good actor may have a Demeanor of LG but have a nature of NG or even TN.

A manipulative despot may be forced to put up a polite and good-natured front for a long time before he can take control and show his true colors. This character would have some sort of good demeanor, while having a very evil nature (most likely lawful since chaotic wouldn't be the best manipulator).

I fully intend on keeping the standard 9 alignments, but allowing more customization and character building. By implimenting this system, someone looking at the character sheet will see some of the characters personality and not just thier statistics and bonuses.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aramil_silverwind 01-03-05, 11:02 PM	Something that I realized while looking at some other RPGs where a bunch of alternate alignment systems. The one I liked most was the Nature/Demeanor system that White Wolf uses. I'm planning on using it for my next campaign... but I need some help. For those that are not familiar with the system of Nature/Demeanor, it works as such: Nature is how a character truly is in thier heart. This may or may not be the face they show in public, however. Demeanor is how the character acts in public to most people. Everyone knows that the way they act is often different from how they really desire to act, though some people put up more of a front than others. And here is my question: for spells like Detect Evil, and on a more powerful scale, Chaos Hammer, what should i do for purposes of alighnment? I'm thinking that Nature will be the one that all alignment-related spells will affect, but I was wondering what everyone else thinks I should do with this issue.
Telperion 01-04-05, 01:48 AM	Keep the alignment system, but use the nature and demeanor to help the players give their characters more personality. Personally I have found that White Wolf's nature and demeanor are good tools to help especially new players to create even a basic personality for their first character. Replacing the entire alignment system just seems like too much trouble.
Aramil_silverwind 01-04-05, 10:42 AM	sorry if I was being too vague, but I was planning on keeping the D&D alignment system. I was just going to have the playes take 2 alignments instead of one. but i need to know if a PC that has a good demeanor but a nuetral nature would register for detect good. Or if a lawful demeanor, chaotic nature PC will be hit hard or not at all by Chaos Hammer.
Telperion 01-04-05, 11:03 AM	but i need to know if a PC that has a good demeanor but a nuetral nature would register for detect good. Or if a lawful demeanor, chaotic nature PC will be hit hard or not at all by Chaos Hammer. It depends on how you tie nature and demeanor into the D&D alignment system. Nature and demeanor are just window dressing to me. They represent some basic information about a character and might give a clue as to what the character's alignment is. A rebel or a dare devil will probably have a chaotic alignment, a conformist or a director will most likely be lawful, etc. You can do a quick chart and devide stuff into three basic categories: Order, Neutral and Chaos. Good and Evil don't really enter the picture as far as nature and demeanor are concerned, unless of course you count in natures / demeanors such as monster or penitent. To those you could possibly fix a Good or Evil alignment, but then again they aren't black and white either. You can consider yourself to be a penitent and still commit horrible attrocities in the name of Good. It's your classic Fallen Paladin routine :). The nature and demeanor system is ambigious for a good reason and I think it works wonderfully with Vampire: the Masquarade and some of the other oWoD games. Making a point-to-point transfer into D&D might become quite tricky, however. Like I said: I use it as a tool to help newbies and not much else.
Aramil_silverwind 01-04-05, 04:03 PM	Once again, my full concept is not getting accross for some reason. I mean to ignore the previous nature/demeanor styles, but still use the basics. For example, A town guard that does not have his heart in it but is still a good actor may have a Demeanor of LG but have a nature of NG or even TN. A manipulative despot may be forced to put up a polite and good-natured front for a long time before he can take control and show his true colors. This character would have some sort of good demeanor, while having a very evil nature (most likely lawful since chaotic wouldn't be the best manipulator). I fully intend on keeping the standard 9 alignments, but allowing more customization and character building. By implimenting this system, someone looking at the character sheet will see some of the characters personality and not just thier statistics and bonuses.