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Alignment working as intended in 5e
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<blockquote data-quote="Kabouter Games" data-source="post: 7056566" data-attributes="member: 6788812"><p>This is a thing many of us have struggled with since the 80s.</p><p></p><p>I like the <em>idea </em>of mechanical impacts of alignment, determined by how a character is played. For example, a cleric or paladin should match their deity in terms of alignment, and if their alignment deviates, the deity should impose a consequence for that schism. The trouble is that the game has never been able to satisfactorily define alignment behavior to be as clear-cut as, say, what constitutes an <em>attack action</em>. There are so many gray areas, it's impossible to adjudicate.</p><p></p><p>It's one thing when a cleric of Lathander puts an innocent family of halflings into a barn and then the barn to the torch, or a cleric of Oghma organizes a book-burning. Those are so diametrically opposed to their god's ideals it's obvious there should be some consequence. But to determine if the cleric of Lathander was violating a neutral good alignment, or the cleric of Oghma true neutral, is <strong>so </strong>rife for interpretation. Hell, even the cleric torching the halflings can have shades of gray - if the halflings are carrying some sort of incurable, deadly plague, it could be argued that burning them is the only sane thing to do. But would a cleric of Lathander stand for that sort of thing? More importantly, would <em>Lathander</em>? </p><p></p><p>For decades now, I've looked at alignment as a roleplaying aid and little more. Not "chaotic neutral = socio- or psychopath," because that's puerile. But chaotic good as "we'll break that law because the greater good demands it," or something like that.</p><p></p><p>I don't think alignment should be completely throwaway. But in 30 years of musing on it, I've never been able to do anything constructive with it.</p><p></p><p>Cheers,</p><p></p><p>Bob</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.r-p-davis.com" target="_blank">www.r-p-davis.com</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Kabouter Games, post: 7056566, member: 6788812"] This is a thing many of us have struggled with since the 80s. I like the [I]idea [/I]of mechanical impacts of alignment, determined by how a character is played. For example, a cleric or paladin should match their deity in terms of alignment, and if their alignment deviates, the deity should impose a consequence for that schism. The trouble is that the game has never been able to satisfactorily define alignment behavior to be as clear-cut as, say, what constitutes an [I]attack action[/I]. There are so many gray areas, it's impossible to adjudicate. It's one thing when a cleric of Lathander puts an innocent family of halflings into a barn and then the barn to the torch, or a cleric of Oghma organizes a book-burning. Those are so diametrically opposed to their god's ideals it's obvious there should be some consequence. But to determine if the cleric of Lathander was violating a neutral good alignment, or the cleric of Oghma true neutral, is [B]so [/B]rife for interpretation. Hell, even the cleric torching the halflings can have shades of gray - if the halflings are carrying some sort of incurable, deadly plague, it could be argued that burning them is the only sane thing to do. But would a cleric of Lathander stand for that sort of thing? More importantly, would [I]Lathander[/I]? For decades now, I've looked at alignment as a roleplaying aid and little more. Not "chaotic neutral = socio- or psychopath," because that's puerile. But chaotic good as "we'll break that law because the greater good demands it," or something like that. I don't think alignment should be completely throwaway. But in 30 years of musing on it, I've never been able to do anything constructive with it. Cheers, Bob [url]www.r-p-davis.com[/url] [/QUOTE]
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