Alignment Subtypes and Alignments [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alignment Subtypes and Alignments [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Jenos
03-14-05, 10:02 AM I have in my party a wizard specilized in Necromancy. He is LG. However, we have argued over wether or not casting a spell with an evil alignment, such as animate undead, is an evil act. He believes that its ok, as long as he uses the spell, and the undead, in a "good" manner. We have argued this over and over, and we can't come to a consesus. Is there a rule for this type of thing? Anywhere where it states that casting an evil spell is an evil deed?
kSquared
03-14-05, 10:33 AM I have in my party a wizard specilized in Necromancy. He is LG. However, we have argued over wether or not casting a spell with an evil alignment, such as animate undead, is an evil act. He believes that its ok, as long as he uses the spell, and the undead, in a "good" manner. We have argued this over and over, and we can't come to a consesus. Is there a rule for this type of thing? Anywhere where it states that casting an evil spell is an evil deed?

Casting a spell with the evil descriptor is by definition an evil deed (that's why it has the evil descriptor!). It doesn't matter if you're defiling graves in order to get more servants to put out the fire that's threatening to burn down the orphanage; you're still defiling bodies. In the D&D world, that's (in morally-objective terms) evil.

Merely casting an evil spell is rarely enough to change the caster's alignment. In the above example, for instance, the townspeople would probably be appalled that you resorted to using dead bodies as an impromptu fire brigade, but nonetheless grateful (don't expect any invitations to dinner parties now that everyone thinks you're a necromancer, though). If the caster is constantly making use of evil spells, however, he is in danger of slipping over the edge.

If the evil spell is used in a particularly heinous way, even a staunchly lawful good character might slip into evil. For instance, a (formerly) lawful good character who not only casts animate dead, but also then uses it to kill innocent sleeping children is a very good candidate for an alignment change.
Reinforcements
03-14-05, 11:00 AM The way I like to handle the "I want to be a good necromancer" issue is this: accept the fact that if you cast enough [evil] spells, you'll probably be evil. However, just because the rules for morality are hard-and-fast doesn't mean a character (a character, not a player) couldn't disagree with them. I like the idea of a necromancer who is technically evil but doesn't think of himself as such and acts good for the most part, except then he goes and creates lots of undead.

[edit] - Oh yeah, and I had thought kSquared was right, until I realized he's an evil denizen of UVA. So he must be wrong. About everything. Ever.
Salla
03-14-05, 11:37 AM Yes, casting a spell with the Evil descriptor is an inherently evil act, but a single evil act (unless grossly heinous) is not enough to warrant an alignment change. The example given above is a classic example of 'doing the right thing in the wrong way'. Now, a CLERIC cannot cast spells of an opposite alignment descriptor, but wizards are not so limited.

Now, digressing a bit ... there are very few Evil spells in the PHB, even in Necromancy. I'm playing a Lawful Good (Exalted, in fact) Necromancer ... I just don't cast the Evil spells (most of which are weak anyway) and I'm golden. Animating the Dead is a very small, and hardly necessary, aspect of Necromancy.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jenos 03-14-05, 10:02 AM	I have in my party a wizard specilized in Necromancy. He is LG. However, we have argued over wether or not casting a spell with an evil alignment, such as animate undead, is an evil act. He believes that its ok, as long as he uses the spell, and the undead, in a "good" manner. We have argued this over and over, and we can't come to a consesus. Is there a rule for this type of thing? Anywhere where it states that casting an evil spell is an evil deed?
kSquared 03-14-05, 10:33 AM	I have in my party a wizard specilized in Necromancy. He is LG. However, we have argued over wether or not casting a spell with an evil alignment, such as animate undead, is an evil act. He believes that its ok, as long as he uses the spell, and the undead, in a "good" manner. We have argued this over and over, and we can't come to a consesus. Is there a rule for this type of thing? Anywhere where it states that casting an evil spell is an evil deed? Casting a spell with the evil descriptor is by definition an evil deed (that's why it has the evil descriptor!). It doesn't matter if you're defiling graves in order to get more servants to put out the fire that's threatening to burn down the orphanage; you're still defiling bodies. In the D&D world, that's (in morally-objective terms) evil. Merely casting an evil spell is rarely enough to change the caster's alignment. In the above example, for instance, the townspeople would probably be appalled that you resorted to using dead bodies as an impromptu fire brigade, but nonetheless grateful (don't expect any invitations to dinner parties now that everyone thinks you're a necromancer, though). If the caster is constantly making use of evil spells, however, he is in danger of slipping over the edge. If the evil spell is used in a particularly heinous way, even a staunchly lawful good character might slip into evil. For instance, a (formerly) lawful good character who not only casts animate dead, but also then uses it to kill innocent sleeping children is a very good candidate for an alignment change.
Reinforcements 03-14-05, 11:00 AM	The way I like to handle the "I want to be a good necromancer" issue is this: accept the fact that if you cast enough [evil] spells, you'll probably be evil. However, just because the rules for morality are hard-and-fast doesn't mean a character (a character, not a player) couldn't disagree with them. I like the idea of a necromancer who is technically evil but doesn't think of himself as such and acts good for the most part, except then he goes and creates lots of undead. [edit] - Oh yeah, and I had thought kSquared was right, until I realized he's an evil denizen of UVA. So he must be wrong. About everything. Ever.
Salla 03-14-05, 11:37 AM	Yes, casting a spell with the Evil descriptor is an inherently evil act, but a single evil act (unless grossly heinous) is not enough to warrant an alignment change. The example given above is a classic example of 'doing the right thing in the wrong way'. Now, a CLERIC cannot cast spells of an opposite alignment descriptor, but wizards are not so limited. Now, digressing a bit ... there are very few Evil spells in the PHB, even in Necromancy. I'm playing a Lawful Good (Exalted, in fact) Necromancer ... I just don't cast the Evil spells (most of which are weak anyway) and I'm golden. Animating the Dead is a very small, and hardly necessary, aspect of Necromancy.