Alignment and Smiting (Long) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alignment and Smiting (Long) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tarthan
03-05-05, 07:44 PM I am currently running a campaign with six players in it. Five of the players have teamed up and have a Paladin NPC with them. The sixth player (CN Ninja) is alone has has been adventuring solo for a while. However, he has been hearing about this party of adventurers in-game and wants to join them. But he has one big problem.

Earlier on in the game, in a test to join the assassin's guild of the area, this character was given a target and was required to off him. The assassination was pulled off without a hitch, but he later found out that his target was the father of the aforementioned Paladin.

So now comes the question: If the situation should arise where this Paladin is facing our ninja friend, and this ninja has made no attempt to redeem himself for the slaying of countless people, including the Paladin's father, but is still chaotic neutral, would he be susceptable to the Paladin's smite evil? He commits evil deeds on a pretty steady basis and makes no attempt to atone for them, but because he also performs many good and neutral deeds on a regular basis, I feel like it would be unjust to ask him to change his alignment. Please help.
Elrathh
03-05-05, 07:48 PM Leave it be. Better yet, how would the paladin know? Did someone see this ninja do it? I doubt an assassin would go around telling people his targets, especially to paladins.
Tarthan
03-05-05, 08:03 PM The Paladin doesn't know. He may not ever. But should it ever happen, I am just trying to figure out what would happen. My main question is really regarding the smiting. That knowledge would be applicable in many situations and many games to come.
Salla
03-05-05, 08:08 PM Nope ... it depends solely on his alignment. Even if he's not susceptible to the Smite, proper, if the Paladin ever finds out he should definitely be dragging this guy in to the authorities. You do the crime, you do the time.

It's called alignment because you align yourself to the powers that be through your actions. It's kind of like the Karma principle; your actions have repercussions beyond the physical and temporal.

In this case, as far as the good-evil fence goes, the ninja is straddling it; he hasn't done enough one way or the other to be considered aligned with either power. Since the Paladin's power is, effectively, 'good-aligned', the Ninja doesn't have enough of the opposite force to satisfy the smite.
Tarthan
03-05-05, 08:19 PM Thanks, Salla. This helps a lot and I will be sure to remember that for future reference.
Lord Ian Stark
03-06-05, 12:44 AM Earlier on in the game, in a test to join the assassin's guild of the area, this character was given a target and was required to off him. The assassination was pulled off without a hitch,

So now comes the question: If the situation should arise where this Paladin is facing our ninja friend, and this ninja has made no attempt to redeem himself for the slaying of countless people, including the Paladin's father, but is still chaotic neutral,

Dude, how do you figure this Ninja is still CN? You have described a NE character by the RAW. What gaming world do you play in that a character can go around killing innocent people for sport, have no qualms about it, and NOT be evil?

He commits evil deeds on a pretty steady basis and makes no attempt to atone for them, but because he also performs many good and neutral deeds on a regular basis, I feel like it would be unjust to ask him to change his alignment.

So basically this Ninja goes around killing people and to stay out of Evil alignments, gives to charity or reads bed time stories to kids at the orphanage to even things out. :rolleyes:

If you want people to talk with you seriously in a forum where people like to not stray to far from the RAW at least mention that your game is on the wild side before asking questions about RAW related things.

To not be a total flame, the answer to your question is NO the smite won't work. Just because the Paladin may think your evil for what you have done is not enough for the smite to take effect. The creature to be smited has to be evil (have an Evil alignment) in order for it to work.
Wizard
03-06-05, 01:14 AM I'd make the ninja Evil too, but it's your call.
Vharuck
03-06-05, 01:17 AM Yup, killing a person just cuz you wanna prove yourself is evil.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tarthan 03-05-05, 07:44 PM	I am currently running a campaign with six players in it. Five of the players have teamed up and have a Paladin NPC with them. The sixth player (CN Ninja) is alone has has been adventuring solo for a while. However, he has been hearing about this party of adventurers in-game and wants to join them. But he has one big problem. Earlier on in the game, in a test to join the assassin's guild of the area, this character was given a target and was required to off him. The assassination was pulled off without a hitch, but he later found out that his target was the father of the aforementioned Paladin. So now comes the question: If the situation should arise where this Paladin is facing our ninja friend, and this ninja has made no attempt to redeem himself for the slaying of countless people, including the Paladin's father, but is still chaotic neutral, would he be susceptable to the Paladin's smite evil? He commits evil deeds on a pretty steady basis and makes no attempt to atone for them, but because he also performs many good and neutral deeds on a regular basis, I feel like it would be unjust to ask him to change his alignment. Please help.
Elrathh 03-05-05, 07:48 PM	Leave it be. Better yet, how would the paladin know? Did someone see this ninja do it? I doubt an assassin would go around telling people his targets, especially to paladins.
Tarthan 03-05-05, 08:03 PM	The Paladin doesn't know. He may not ever. But should it ever happen, I am just trying to figure out what would happen. My main question is really regarding the smiting. That knowledge would be applicable in many situations and many games to come.
Salla 03-05-05, 08:08 PM	Nope ... it depends solely on his alignment. Even if he's not susceptible to the Smite, proper, if the Paladin ever finds out he should definitely be dragging this guy in to the authorities. You do the crime, you do the time. It's called alignment because you align yourself to the powers that be through your actions. It's kind of like the Karma principle; your actions have repercussions beyond the physical and temporal. In this case, as far as the good-evil fence goes, the ninja is straddling it; he hasn't done enough one way or the other to be considered aligned with either power. Since the Paladin's power is, effectively, 'good-aligned', the Ninja doesn't have enough of the opposite force to satisfy the smite.
Tarthan 03-05-05, 08:19 PM	Thanks, Salla. This helps a lot and I will be sure to remember that for future reference.
Lord Ian Stark 03-06-05, 12:44 AM	Earlier on in the game, in a test to join the assassin's guild of the area, this character was given a target and was required to off him. The assassination was pulled off without a hitch, So now comes the question: If the situation should arise where this Paladin is facing our ninja friend, and this ninja has made no attempt to redeem himself for the slaying of countless people, including the Paladin's father, but is still chaotic neutral, Dude, how do you figure this Ninja is still CN? You have described a NE character by the RAW. What gaming world do you play in that a character can go around killing innocent people for sport, have no qualms about it, and NOT be evil? He commits evil deeds on a pretty steady basis and makes no attempt to atone for them, but because he also performs many good and neutral deeds on a regular basis, I feel like it would be unjust to ask him to change his alignment. So basically this Ninja goes around killing people and to stay out of Evil alignments, gives to charity or reads bed time stories to kids at the orphanage to even things out. :rolleyes: If you want people to talk with you seriously in a forum where people like to not stray to far from the RAW at least mention that your game is on the wild side before asking questions about RAW related things. To not be a total flame, the answer to your question is NO the smite won't work. Just because the Paladin may think your evil for what you have done is not enough for the smite to take effect. The creature to be smited has to be evil (have an Evil alignment) in order for it to work.
Wizard 03-06-05, 01:14 AM	I'd make the ninja Evil too, but it's your call.
Vharuck 03-06-05, 01:17 AM	Yup, killing a person just cuz you wanna prove yourself is evil.