My Aligment System [Archive] - Wizards Community

My Aligment System [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
feartheinvinceblehamster
07-21-06, 09:25 PM Okay, here is how it works:

FAVOR
Certain actions raise or decrease favor. All characters start with 0 favor. Favor increases with incredibly good or lawful actions (Turning in a criminal at great risk to yourself, etc.), and favor decreases with incredibly evil or chaotic actions (Tricking an entire town into lynching someone they are sure is murdering people, then murdering one last person so they know they killed an innocent man). A creature with a positive favor rating can add it as a bonus to a single roll a number of times per day equal to his charisma modifier. A creature with a negative favor rating can do the same thing, except instead he subtracts it from his someone else's roll. Using favor is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and it can be done after the result is revealed.

TENDENCIES
Tendencies determine how a character is affected by alignment based effects. Tendencies change with favor. You have 4 different tendencies: Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos. These go up with actions of that alignment serious enough to effect your favor. For example, let's say a first level character (0 favor, no tendencies, or neutral) commits an extremely chaotic act. He loses one favor, and now has a favor score of -1. Because it was extreme enough to merit the loss of favor, he gains one point on his "chaotic" Tendency and now reacts to alignment effects as if he were chaotic neutral. Now let's say he commits an extremely good act. He gains one favor, and now his favor is 0 again. He has 1 chaotic tendency, and 1 good tendency. This means that he is now chaotic good. Now let's say he commits an extremely lawful act. This means his tendencies are:

Chaos: 1
Good: 1
Law: 1
Evil: 0

This means that neither law nor chaos is currently inherent in him, meaning that he is now neutral good.

I think it looks good. It ENCOURAGES playing your alignment, or atleast an aspect of it, and I think the alignment system makes more sense than arbitrary "Alignment Changes"
AngelDust Anderson
07-21-06, 10:25 PM Thats Good! I like it!

The only other thing that should be done would be alowing people to start with 1 point in any of the Favors they want. Probably Paladins would start with 2.

Overall, I like it!

On second thoughts, you should probebly tie it to lvl not charisma.

-Anderson
theblindman
07-21-06, 10:32 PM I like this system, it's sort of a combination taint/reputation mechanic. And it prescribes particulr bonuses for different alignments, which I like. But it has a few loose ends that need wrapping up.

Why do all characters start with no tendencies? I like to think I personally have an alignment of some sort, but I'm not a level 2 fighter. Maybe give everybody 3 points to distribute among their tendencies at the start of play.

Is it possible to loose tendency points? Why? Why not? How?

What happens if I have 2 Lawful points and 0 Chaotic points? Am I therefore twice as vulnerable to spells that effect Lawful creatures. Would Smite Law deal twice as much damage? Why? Why not?

Why can Favor effect any kind of roll? Shouldn't it only apply to social affairs, such as Diplomacy, Intimidate, etc.? Or is it more like "Divine Favor"? If so, shouldn't Clerics begin play with higher Favor?

Instead of a +1 bonus/penalty, have you considered treating Favor bonuses more like Action Dice (or whatever they're called)? Add 1d6 bonus to whatever roll you make.

Why do Law and Good have the same positive effect? Why not create a different mechanical benefit for each of the alignment options?
feartheinvinceblehamster
07-21-06, 10:48 PM No, no. There is no way to lose tendency points, but only your top two tendencies determine how you are affected by spells. How many of these points has no effect on how you are effected.
HoosierDaddy
07-22-06, 11:50 PM I love Tendency, but I think favor is a little dicey. I mean, that could get pretty over powered. My 19th level illusionist would have a favor of -57 or so, and giving someone a -57 to their spot or listen ability makes them blind, and my character could get away with some truly outrgaeous lies (I'm the king! I need all your money or I'll bring in the guards). Maybe that's just the way I play characters, but it's something to watch out for. Tendencies are pretty, cool, though, I'll have to try it in a campaign I'm running.
Pegasos989
07-23-06, 08:32 AM This looks lik interesting system, tho CG and LE characters benefit more than LG en CE characters, cause they get both points that can be used to reduce opponent's stuff AND points that can be added to their rolls. Not big broblem tho.

The fact that those are so udeful however boggles me. I might start usign similar system that spends all the used points. So if you have 30 points and use, let's say 20, to certain roll, you only will have 10 left. This way someone with 30 points won't succeed in some nearly impossible roll any day.
Rerecros
07-23-06, 04:10 PM :uh-huh: :looloo:
You are attaching arbitrary values to abstract ideals.
I donate a large portion of my treasure to an orphanage, than stab one of the orphans in the eye. I suddenly do the chicken dance for three strait hours, I've decided to get into the record books and I need disciplined training. A chaotic evil emperor has made it illegal to not commit crimes, so break open the prison and free all the non-criminals. What is my total score?

Alignment should be defined by the player, and changed if they are obviously not following it, but it's more instinct than anything.
enlightened
07-25-06, 07:21 AM :uh-huh: :looloo:
You are attaching arbitrary values to abstract ideals.
I donate a large portion of my treasure to an orphanage, than stab one of the orphans in the eye. I suddenly do the chicken dance for three strait hours, I've decided to get into the record books and I need disciplined training. A chaotic evil emperor has made it illegal to not commit crimes, so break open the prison and free all the non-criminals. What is my total score?

Three! No, I mean...........wait.........I can do this. :thinks:

Seriously though, while this sounds complicated, sometimes complicated can be fun.

Also, are you familiar with the dark side point rules from star wars d20? If you do something evil you get a dark side point. But If you do the same thing again you don't get a new dark side point. You only get a new point for going farther (i.e. more evil:devil: ) than you have ever gone before. You might want to incorporate something like that too.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
feartheinvinceblehamster 07-21-06, 09:25 PM	Okay, here is how it works: FAVOR Certain actions raise or decrease favor. All characters start with 0 favor. Favor increases with incredibly good or lawful actions (Turning in a criminal at great risk to yourself, etc.), and favor decreases with incredibly evil or chaotic actions (Tricking an entire town into lynching someone they are sure is murdering people, then murdering one last person so they know they killed an innocent man). A creature with a positive favor rating can add it as a bonus to a single roll a number of times per day equal to his charisma modifier. A creature with a negative favor rating can do the same thing, except instead he subtracts it from his someone else's roll. Using favor is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and it can be done after the result is revealed. TENDENCIES Tendencies determine how a character is affected by alignment based effects. Tendencies change with favor. You have 4 different tendencies: Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos. These go up with actions of that alignment serious enough to effect your favor. For example, let's say a first level character (0 favor, no tendencies, or neutral) commits an extremely chaotic act. He loses one favor, and now has a favor score of -1. Because it was extreme enough to merit the loss of favor, he gains one point on his "chaotic" Tendency and now reacts to alignment effects as if he were chaotic neutral. Now let's say he commits an extremely good act. He gains one favor, and now his favor is 0 again. He has 1 chaotic tendency, and 1 good tendency. This means that he is now chaotic good. Now let's say he commits an extremely lawful act. This means his tendencies are: Chaos: 1 Good: 1 Law: 1 Evil: 0 This means that neither law nor chaos is currently inherent in him, meaning that he is now neutral good. I think it looks good. It ENCOURAGES playing your alignment, or atleast an aspect of it, and I think the alignment system makes more sense than arbitrary "Alignment Changes"
AngelDust Anderson 07-21-06, 10:25 PM	Thats Good! I like it! The only other thing that should be done would be alowing people to start with 1 point in any of the Favors they want. Probably Paladins would start with 2. Overall, I like it! On second thoughts, you should probebly tie it to lvl not charisma. -Anderson
theblindman 07-21-06, 10:32 PM	I like this system, it's sort of a combination taint/reputation mechanic. And it prescribes particulr bonuses for different alignments, which I like. But it has a few loose ends that need wrapping up. Why do all characters start with no tendencies? I like to think I personally have an alignment of some sort, but I'm not a level 2 fighter. Maybe give everybody 3 points to distribute among their tendencies at the start of play. Is it possible to loose tendency points? Why? Why not? How? What happens if I have 2 Lawful points and 0 Chaotic points? Am I therefore twice as vulnerable to spells that effect Lawful creatures. Would Smite Law deal twice as much damage? Why? Why not? Why can Favor effect any kind of roll? Shouldn't it only apply to social affairs, such as Diplomacy, Intimidate, etc.? Or is it more like "Divine Favor"? If so, shouldn't Clerics begin play with higher Favor? Instead of a +1 bonus/penalty, have you considered treating Favor bonuses more like Action Dice (or whatever they're called)? Add 1d6 bonus to whatever roll you make. Why do Law and Good have the same positive effect? Why not create a different mechanical benefit for each of the alignment options?
feartheinvinceblehamster 07-21-06, 10:48 PM	No, no. There is no way to lose tendency points, but only your top two tendencies determine how you are affected by spells. How many of these points has no effect on how you are effected.
HoosierDaddy 07-22-06, 11:50 PM	I love Tendency, but I think favor is a little dicey. I mean, that could get pretty over powered. My 19th level illusionist would have a favor of -57 or so, and giving someone a -57 to their spot or listen ability makes them blind, and my character could get away with some truly outrgaeous lies (I'm the king! I need all your money or I'll bring in the guards). Maybe that's just the way I play characters, but it's something to watch out for. Tendencies are pretty, cool, though, I'll have to try it in a campaign I'm running.
Pegasos989 07-23-06, 08:32 AM	This looks lik interesting system, tho CG and LE characters benefit more than LG en CE characters, cause they get both points that can be used to reduce opponent's stuff AND points that can be added to their rolls. Not big broblem tho. The fact that those are so udeful however boggles me. I might start usign similar system that spends all the used points. So if you have 30 points and use, let's say 20, to certain roll, you only will have 10 left. This way someone with 30 points won't succeed in some nearly impossible roll any day.
Rerecros 07-23-06, 04:10 PM	:uh-huh: :looloo: You are attaching arbitrary values to abstract ideals. I donate a large portion of my treasure to an orphanage, than stab one of the orphans in the eye. I suddenly do the chicken dance for three strait hours, I've decided to get into the record books and I need disciplined training. A chaotic evil emperor has made it illegal to not commit crimes, so break open the prison and free all the non-criminals. What is my total score? Alignment should be defined by the player, and changed if they are obviously not following it, but it's more instinct than anything.
enlightened 07-25-06, 07:21 AM	:uh-huh: :looloo: You are attaching arbitrary values to abstract ideals. I donate a large portion of my treasure to an orphanage, than stab one of the orphans in the eye. I suddenly do the chicken dance for three strait hours, I've decided to get into the record books and I need disciplined training. A chaotic evil emperor has made it illegal to not commit crimes, so break open the prison and free all the non-criminals. What is my total score? Three! No, I mean...........wait.........I can do this. :thinks: Seriously though, while this sounds complicated, sometimes complicated can be fun. Also, are you familiar with the dark side point rules from star wars d20? If you do something evil you get a dark side point. But If you do the same thing again you don't get a new dark side point. You only get a new point for going farther (i.e. more evil:devil: ) than you have ever gone before. You might want to incorporate something like that too.