Pathfinder 1E Evil Character Questions.

[delericho]

The jist of my statement is that after witnessing uselessness, they would have accepted a monster over that.

Sure, the LG paladin probably would have been better, unless it tried to prevent the party from being profitable!

Aye, but that's the problem - for any evil character you care to present there's always a good character who would be just as effective. So simply saying "I can kill creatures really well" isn't really enough. Better to come up with some other rationale for the evil character sticking with the group - maybe he's a relative of another PC, or he has unique information that they need, or the party's employer instructs them to work with him, or something.

 

[Hereticus]

Aye, but that's the problem - for any evil character you care to present there's always a good character who would be just as effective. So simply saying "I can kill creatures really well" isn't really enough. Better to come up with some other rationale for the evil character sticking with the group - maybe he's a relative of another PC, or he has unique information that they need, or the party's employer instructs them to work with him, or something.

While that is true, sometimes you just want to play an evil character.

And just as an evil character can be badly played where the player wants to be a mindless monster, a good character can be just as poorly played if they don't want anything killed/harmed and the party could not collect loot.

So I come back to this...

As a player (metagaming), at a minimum I hope for three things in other players' characters:
- Will they be an interesting addition to the group?
- Will the player cooperate with the group?
- Will that character contribute to the party's effectiveness, so they don't just take up a treasure share and time at the table?

 

[delericho]

While that is true, sometimes you just want to play an evil character.

Sure. And I don't have a problem with that. I just think it's worth asking, and answering, the question in-character: why do the other PCs work with this guy?

(And, in fairness, that's also equally valid to ask about a non-evil PC as well.)

And just as an evil character can be badly played where the player wants to be a mindless monster, a good character can be just as poorly played if they don't want anything killed/harmed and the party could not collect loot.

True.

 

[Hereticus]

Sure. And I don't have a problem with that. I just think it's worth asking, and answering, the question in-character: why do the other PCs work with this guy?

(And, in fairness, that's also equally valid to ask about a non-evil PC as well.)

In my regular game, two of the five players are creating new characters for the next session. Yhey agreed with my list (evil or not).

- Will they be an interesting addition to the group?
- Will the player cooperate with the group?
- Will that character contribute to the party's effectiveness, so they don't just take up a treasure share and time at the table?

If the answer to all three is yes, they will be welcomed, evil or not.

 

[Eltab]

OP:
I'm getting a tangled confused knot for your character's motivations.
My thought from here is the Paladin is seeking a true god who he can trust. Meanwhile he is skeptical of all the gods. Being told "it's ok to kill people just because" should set off his inner 'this is another fake!' alarm.

He may fall in with, for example, Bane (LE god of tyranny) when he needs power to defeat the slavering hordes, but should recoil when he is told to smite the complaining peasants due to they disrespect proper authority. In the long run a N god whose theme is 'nature red in tooth and claw' might be the best choice: you prefer not to bring harm & suffering to others but know sometimes the greater good demands unwilling-sacrifice from a few.

 

[Brandegoris]

Evil Characters are fine if played intelligently. If you FORCE the hand of good players ( such as chopping up innocents in front of them for instance ), then they kill you and its your fault and the game falls apart or you make a new character.
BUT if played correctly it can add a LOT to the game. Lawful Good is usually easiest and Neutral Evil is Okay ( provided you are not too blatant). Chaotic evil can even work fine as long as the player playing the evil character realizes that he cant do crazy sh*t in front of the group
I think people make way to much of an issue about evil players in games. Its just fine
I have real life friends that probably would be considered some type of evil in D&D and I am Neutral good , Yet we are still friends. Admittedly in a fantasy world where we are fighting and defeating people it MAY be harder to remain friends depending on their actions. But evil people have a self preservation instinct just like everyone and some people are just sh*t role players and forget that aspect in their glee to just be "evil".