Alignment Woes! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alignment Woes! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ramzafft1
09-08-05, 10:59 PM Okay, I'm not trying to start some long arse alignment flame war, but, since my DM is using alignments, I was wondering what my character's alignment would be:

He's a human fighter from Western Heartlands in FR. He's a weapon-for-hire, is willing to do just about anything for GP, and enjoys beating the crap out of stuff.
Also, evil is allowed, if that influences any decisions.
Callista
09-08-05, 11:19 PM Enjoys beating the crap out of stuff, and will do anything (even evil stuff) for GP? Oh, CE definitely. You'd have to be careful about it, though; CE is really not a very good "party" alignment.
LCD2YOU
09-08-05, 11:23 PM As he seems to have some sort of an MO, I'd say he's more NE.

Another great party alignment guy.
Callista
09-08-05, 11:57 PM Yeh, could be NE. I just figured the "likes beating the crap out of stuff" was quite a chaotic tendency. Battle is inherently chaotic, after all, and he doesn't seem to like the strategy end of it just so long as he gets to smash someone's face in.
spectralphoenix
09-09-05, 12:17 AM I suppose it depends on what you mean by "just about anything" and just how much he likes beating up stuff. He might be true neutral or chaotic neutral if he isn't homicidal and draws the line at outright assassination or similar definately evil acts. If he's willing to do seriously evil acts on a regular basis without some kind of greater good in mind, than he's evil. If he undertakes "questionable" acts for cash, than he might be neutral. It also depends on whether by "likes" you mean beats up anyone just for the fun of it or likes a challenge. Kord likes beating up stuff, and hes CG.

I'm assuming your character draws the line somewhere because if he did literally anything for gold and sadistically attacked everyone he came across, than you wouldn't really have questions about his alignment.
braindead345
09-09-05, 12:21 AM If you stay loyal to the person who pays you until the end of the agreed time, you are definitly showing Lawful tendancies. If you are only loyal until somebody pays you more, you are still lawful, but closer to NE.

If you decide that the guy paying you has a whole lot of cash on him and decide to kill him and take the gold, then you are CE.

To make an accurate ruling, I would need more information. Aside from the above examples, do you inflict pain on others whenever you want to or only when instructed by your employer? What are your opinions on beggers? Tax evaders? Murderers? Rapists? Do you do these things? Do you expect to pay for your crimes if you did them? Do think paying a fine is punishment enough or do you think you are above the law?
ramzafft1
09-10-05, 10:54 AM Okay clarification:
He's willing to kill someone for gold if it's a hired hit, but he's not willing to commit some crime that would cause my friends and I to get in trouble with our parents. And if he suspected someone was holding out on him, he might kill them to take the gold. But he doesn't randomly go around torching the city of Waterdeep or anything like that.
Interestingly, I think if some police man/law enforcer/paladin tried to make me pay for my crimes, he'd fight back, but he'd try to avoid that situation by not getting caught. :D
Quirriff
09-10-05, 11:55 AM Sounds CN to me.
Kavu Monarch
09-10-05, 12:39 PM Neutral Evil, “Malefactor”: A neutral evil villain does whatever she can get away with. She is out for herself, pure and simple. She sheds no tears for those she kills, whether for profit, sport, or convenience. She has no love of order and holds no illusion that following laws, traditions, or codes would make her any better or more noble. On the other hand, she doesn’t have the restless nature or love of conflict that a chaotic evil villain has.
Some neutral evil villains hold up evil as an ideal, committing evil for its own sake. Most often, such villains are devoted to evil deities or secret societies.
Neutral evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents pure evil without honor and without variation.Chaotic Neutral, “Free Spirit”: A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last. He values his own liberty but doesn’t strive to protect others’ freedom. He avoids authority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions. A chaotic neutral character does not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, he would have to be motivated either by good (and a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire to make those different from himself suffer). A chaotic neutral character may be unpredictable, but his behavior is not totally random. He is not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it.
Chaotic neutral is the best alignment you can be because it represents true freedom from both society’s restrictions and a do-gooder’s zeal.Chaotic Evil, “Destroyer”: A chaotic evil character does whatever his greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive him to do. He is hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent, and unpredictable. If he is simply out for whatever he can get, he is ruthless and brutal. If he is committed to the spread of evil and chaos, he is even worse. Thankfully, his plans are haphazard, and any groups he joins or forms are poorly organized. Typically, chaotic evil people can be made to work together only by force, and their leader lasts only as long as he can thwart attempts to topple or assassinate him.
Chaotic evil is sometimes called “demonic” because demons are the epitome of chaotic evil.
Chaotic evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents the destruction not only of beauty and life but also of the order on which beauty and life depend.These are the alignments that have been suggested so far. Mind you I might two of these have been suggested because you said that Evil is allowed. I would tend to think that Chaotic Good might be a decent choice as well.Chaotic Good, “Rebel”: A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he’s kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations. He hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He follows his own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society.
Chaotic good is the best alignment you can be because it combines a good heart with a free spirit.It's really up to you as to how you want to play your character. The only alignments that wouldn't fit your character concept I believe would be Lawful Good, and Lawful Evil. But then again this is only my opinion. Hope this helps you.

Kavu.
Particle
09-10-05, 01:36 PM My first impression was neutral. Doesnt care much for morality or ethics(both ways), just wants sto get some money. Enyoing fights can be a moral challenge, but even LG characters can readily enjoy battles(could lead them to their fall, tough). The rest what he said also leads me to either N or CN. He is definitly not good (no helping here, right? An helping ist the defining factor of good in my eyes). On the other side, beeing a mercenary without much qualms doenst mean he has to be evil. He could be, but we would have to know more to judge.

So, be N or CN and enjoy the freedom.
q'afuu
09-10-05, 01:43 PM Being an assassin-for-hire is a bit beyond merely neutral, if you ask me - that's well into evil territory. No particular tendencies towards chaotic or lawful, so neutral on that axis is the most logical choice. Other alignments are possible, but if I had to pick one, NE is definitely the one I'd go with.
Vaalingrade Ashland
09-10-05, 02:04 PM Okay, I'm not trying to start some long arse alignment flame war, but, since my DM is using alignments, I was wondering what my character's alignment would be.
You could just tell the DM 'You're the one who wants alignment, you watch how I play him and you tell me what alignment he is'.
ramzafft1
09-10-05, 10:50 PM Thanks for the great advice. :D
I've decided to go with neutral evil. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ramzafft1 09-08-05, 10:59 PM	Okay, I'm not trying to start some long arse alignment flame war, but, since my DM is using alignments, I was wondering what my character's alignment would be: He's a human fighter from Western Heartlands in FR. He's a weapon-for-hire, is willing to do just about anything for GP, and enjoys beating the crap out of stuff. Also, evil is allowed, if that influences any decisions.
Callista 09-08-05, 11:19 PM	Enjoys beating the crap out of stuff, and will do anything (even evil stuff) for GP? Oh, CE definitely. You'd have to be careful about it, though; CE is really not a very good "party" alignment.
LCD2YOU 09-08-05, 11:23 PM	As he seems to have some sort of an MO, I'd say he's more NE. Another great party alignment guy.
Callista 09-08-05, 11:57 PM	Yeh, could be NE. I just figured the "likes beating the crap out of stuff" was quite a chaotic tendency. Battle is inherently chaotic, after all, and he doesn't seem to like the strategy end of it just so long as he gets to smash someone's face in.
spectralphoenix 09-09-05, 12:17 AM	I suppose it depends on what you mean by "just about anything" and just how much he likes beating up stuff. He might be true neutral or chaotic neutral if he isn't homicidal and draws the line at outright assassination or similar definately evil acts. If he's willing to do seriously evil acts on a regular basis without some kind of greater good in mind, than he's evil. If he undertakes "questionable" acts for cash, than he might be neutral. It also depends on whether by "likes" you mean beats up anyone just for the fun of it or likes a challenge. Kord likes beating up stuff, and hes CG. I'm assuming your character draws the line somewhere because if he did literally anything for gold and sadistically attacked everyone he came across, than you wouldn't really have questions about his alignment.
braindead345 09-09-05, 12:21 AM	If you stay loyal to the person who pays you until the end of the agreed time, you are definitly showing Lawful tendancies. If you are only loyal until somebody pays you more, you are still lawful, but closer to NE. If you decide that the guy paying you has a whole lot of cash on him and decide to kill him and take the gold, then you are CE. To make an accurate ruling, I would need more information. Aside from the above examples, do you inflict pain on others whenever you want to or only when instructed by your employer? What are your opinions on beggers? Tax evaders? Murderers? Rapists? Do you do these things? Do you expect to pay for your crimes if you did them? Do think paying a fine is punishment enough or do you think you are above the law?
ramzafft1 09-10-05, 10:54 AM	Okay clarification: He's willing to kill someone for gold if it's a hired hit, but he's not willing to commit some crime that would cause my friends and I to get in trouble with our parents. And if he suspected someone was holding out on him, he might kill them to take the gold. But he doesn't randomly go around torching the city of Waterdeep or anything like that. Interestingly, I think if some police man/law enforcer/paladin tried to make me pay for my crimes, he'd fight back, but he'd try to avoid that situation by not getting caught. :D
Quirriff 09-10-05, 11:55 AM	Sounds CN to me.
Kavu Monarch 09-10-05, 12:39 PM	Neutral Evil, “Malefactor”: A neutral evil villain does whatever she can get away with. She is out for herself, pure and simple. She sheds no tears for those she kills, whether for profit, sport, or convenience. She has no love of order and holds no illusion that following laws, traditions, or codes would make her any better or more noble. On the other hand, she doesn’t have the restless nature or love of conflict that a chaotic evil villain has. Some neutral evil villains hold up evil as an ideal, committing evil for its own sake. Most often, such villains are devoted to evil deities or secret societies. Neutral evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents pure evil without honor and without variation.Chaotic Neutral, “Free Spirit”: A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last. He values his own liberty but doesn’t strive to protect others’ freedom. He avoids authority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions. A chaotic neutral character does not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, he would have to be motivated either by good (and a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire to make those different from himself suffer). A chaotic neutral character may be unpredictable, but his behavior is not totally random. He is not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it. Chaotic neutral is the best alignment you can be because it represents true freedom from both society’s restrictions and a do-gooder’s zeal.Chaotic Evil, “Destroyer”: A chaotic evil character does whatever his greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive him to do. He is hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent, and unpredictable. If he is simply out for whatever he can get, he is ruthless and brutal. If he is committed to the spread of evil and chaos, he is even worse. Thankfully, his plans are haphazard, and any groups he joins or forms are poorly organized. Typically, chaotic evil people can be made to work together only by force, and their leader lasts only as long as he can thwart attempts to topple or assassinate him. Chaotic evil is sometimes called “demonic” because demons are the epitome of chaotic evil. Chaotic evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents the destruction not only of beauty and life but also of the order on which beauty and life depend.These are the alignments that have been suggested so far. Mind you I might two of these have been suggested because you said that Evil is allowed. I would tend to think that Chaotic Good might be a decent choice as well.Chaotic Good, “Rebel”: A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he’s kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations. He hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He follows his own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society. Chaotic good is the best alignment you can be because it combines a good heart with a free spirit.It's really up to you as to how you want to play your character. The only alignments that wouldn't fit your character concept I believe would be Lawful Good, and Lawful Evil. But then again this is only my opinion. Hope this helps you. Kavu.
Particle 09-10-05, 01:36 PM	My first impression was neutral. Doesnt care much for morality or ethics(both ways), just wants sto get some money. Enyoing fights can be a moral challenge, but even LG characters can readily enjoy battles(could lead them to their fall, tough). The rest what he said also leads me to either N or CN. He is definitly not good (no helping here, right? An helping ist the defining factor of good in my eyes). On the other side, beeing a mercenary without much qualms doenst mean he has to be evil. He could be, but we would have to know more to judge. So, be N or CN and enjoy the freedom.
q'afuu 09-10-05, 01:43 PM	Being an assassin-for-hire is a bit beyond merely neutral, if you ask me - that's well into evil territory. No particular tendencies towards chaotic or lawful, so neutral on that axis is the most logical choice. Other alignments are possible, but if I had to pick one, NE is definitely the one I'd go with.
Vaalingrade Ashland 09-10-05, 02:04 PM	Okay, I'm not trying to start some long arse alignment flame war, but, since my DM is using alignments, I was wondering what my character's alignment would be. You could just tell the DM 'You're the one who wants alignment, you watch how I play him and you tell me what alignment he is'.
ramzafft1 09-10-05, 10:50 PM	Thanks for the great advice. :D I've decided to go with neutral evil. :)