Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Diggory 02-13-04, 03:46 PM	I've been a D&D player and DM on and off for about 15 years now and this is something that has consistently bothered me to no end (your milage may vary). How players automatically know one anothers alignment, and how they describe themselves. I mean yes, Diggory is a Chaotic Netural Bard but, would he describe himself as such? Probably not. He would think that he is a pretty good person and that most things he does are right. In real life would you describe yourself to some person as chaotic good? Probably not. What I have proposed for my next game is that no one tell anyone else their alignment and people would have to guess from their deeds what alignment is (unless you cast a know alignment or detect evil/good). As an example let's say you have two PCs Pal and a Rog. The Palidan is of course lawful good with the Rogue is netural evil. From the outside the rogue gives to the poor, is friendly with people and even helped to save the town from the orc horde. But, at the same time when no one is looking the rogue is perfectly content to go out and mug people, go to the mayor's home and steal a few items for himself, lie with a smile on his face, and kill if he feels the need to. IF the Pal is unaware of these activities then how would the Pal know not to associate with the Rog. Of course the first time the Pal casted detect evil the mystery would be gone. For me I don't think I'll be using alignment as a description of a person but, what I will say when I describe them I will say something like this. "Her devilish grin let you know that something was not right about this bargin." - Lawful Evil "He is brash, impulsive, and can be selfish at times but, he has a good heart." - Chaotic Good or Netural Good "You could tell by the Dwarf's neatly trimmed beard and polished plate mail that he was in to keeping himself neat and orderly." - Lawful Netural. I mean these are a few ideas but, what is your take on it?
Seeker95 02-13-04, 04:14 PM	I do not allow the "use" of alignment in my game. PCs have alignment. Monsters have alignment. But a player cannot make reference to alignment in character. I make this even easier by starting each PC out as "neutral". Class alignment restrictions will "kick in" at 3rd level, so they have two full levels to form their alignments. At third level, I assign alignment to the PCs based on their behavior.