D&D 5E Good-Aligned Antagonists

[Elderbrain]

I believe the MM has text stating that the alignments listed are typical for the creature in question, not absolute. There was a line that said (quoting for memory) "If you want a Good-aligned Green Dragon or an Evil Storm Giant in your game, don't let us stop you - it's your game."

Not even going to get into the debate on what counts as Good.

 

[Tony Vargas]

And maybe that's how the adventure (optionally) ends--a philosophical discussion in which the Guardian Naga finds enlightenment and changes its ways!

It occurred to me that Guardian Nagas are usually, er, Guardians - they're in service to some Good-aligned power, so why would one go off and start shortcutting mortals to the afterlife? Maybe he was laid off...

...maybe somebody went and destroyed the evil artifact he was safeguarding, for instance.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Ditch alignment and you're golden. Creatures have their default attitudes (which are broadly described by the alignment of their species sometimes, but about half the time alignment is just drawing battle-lines) and then have their own quirks, behaviors and views on top of that.

Fundamentally, adventurers and NPCs come into conflict because they disagree about something. Alignment doesn't stop that, it just establishes some small regions of agreement.

 

[MarkB]

I've done settings where dragons are color-coded based on personality, and if their personality changes due to some kind of epiphany, their color changes as well. White dragons are white because they are brutal and stupid, not the other way around; and an ancient red dragon who grew remorseful over his own centuries of tyranny and slaughter could theoretically withdraw into contemplation and eventually turn gold. (Or a silver could suffer some brutal trauma, turn bitter and hateful towards everything, and become black.)

Mood dragons.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Eberron has been mentioned before, but even if you're not actually using the setting, I'd suggest looking at some of the Dragonshards about it, some of the stuff on Keith Baker's site etc.

One of the major themes in it is the concept that good people can work against the party, and evil people can aid them. The ruler who pushed hardest for the end of the last war is evil. The ruler who is considering restarting it is good. And everyone in the know tries to prevent even the good-aligned dragons from finding out about potential catastrophes.

 

[Eltab]

The straightforward way to fight a Good-aligned creature is to be a bunch of murderhobos. The LG Enforcer comes to smite you PCs for your sins.

Another way would be based on this IRL Alternate Reality*: The Pope sees the carnage and destruction ISIS is causing to Christians and other groups within their reach, and calls for a Crusade; he will protect the victims by defeating ISIS militarily. Good-aligned individuals might decide to join the crusade, or speak out against it because killing more people isn't the solution. The two Good-aligned groups are now in conflict with each other; that conflict may come to blows because both parties think they have Righteousness on their side and the other doesn't understand fully / correctly.

* if that phrase makes sense

 

[Bupp]

I've recently started watching the show Supernatural. I've just started season 5.

The demon-hunting main characters are butting heads with angels that have helped them in the past, and have even fought against them.

Just another variation on the same side looking at problems with different solutions, some more extreme than others.

 

[schnee]

It could get more interesting if it has theories about what prompts alignment changes. What if evil humans tend to find goodness in the face of great adversity, for instance, or - oh, this is awful - or in the face of truly horrific evil (the evil torturer is fine being evil while he's torturing political prisoners, but when the new Caligula type starts him torturing babies, he can't take it any more and re-examines his morality)? Yeah, our Good Villain's gotta set that up more often to give more evil humans their shot at redemption...

There's a fantastic short story by Harlan Ellison called 'Pain God' that takes this idea and runs with it.

It's achingly cynical to the point of disturbing. I'd track it down as inspiration for this.

 

[Illithidbix]

One of my favourite ideas was from the excellent 4th Edition Draconomicon-II-Metallic-Dragons:

For centuries Alkesandreth-a mighty silver dragon and a skilled ritual caster-has battled the evils of the mortal world. Demons, wicked cults, powerful necromancers, rival dragons-Alkesandreth fought them all, and won. Yet for all his efforts, the world is as wretched as ever, and the dragon has grown desperate.

In that desperation, Alkesandreth has turned to a sect called the Scions of the Unclouded Sun. A group consisting of powerful mortals, other dragons, and various sorts of angels, its members believe devoutly that evil flourishes in the world because dark forces: devils, demons, exarchs of vile gods-roam free while the gods of good maintain a hands off approach, leaving the fate of mortals to mortals.

Their goal is to force the gods to intercede in the day-to-day functioning of the world. In his study of the slow orbits of the planes, Alkesandreth believes he has discovered just how to do it. Soon, the gods will have no choice but to intervene in the world of mortals, stamping out evil once and for all. And the thousands-maybe millions-who must die to make it happen? They're simply a price that must be paid.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

A couple classics:
* Refugees from Something Horrible turn up in a foreign land. The refugees see themselves as fighting for survival, the natives see them as invaders.

* Two different mutually exclusive individuals / groups / magical or tactical traditions / nations view themselves as the last-best-hope for fighting off something terrible. They fight over some vital artifact, stronghold, or resource.

* "I say we nuke it all from orbit, it's the only way to be sure." Even though innocents, semi-innocents, or redeemables might also die.

* Honor vs Practicality