How do you REALLY play Chaotic Neutral?
Dark Psion
First Post
Two Words: Daffy Duck!
Byrons_Ghost
First Post
My longest-running 2e character (I've mostly DMed 3rd ed) was a CN illusionist. He was a sort of surrealist artistic type, using magic to try and alter reality (or at least the perception of it) around him. He was fond of experimentation (both magical and chemical) and large quantities of magic, art, or style simply for the experience of it.
Really, he was almost sort of a sorcerous Aesthete (as in the artistic movement). He definately had that artistic "rock star" sort of personality- craving attention, acting egotistical, not being concerned about other's needs or feelings, or at least not those of the general populace.
That being said, I played him as sort of an amalgam of all the different CN sterotypes, going from one to another depending on the circumstances- and trying not to get too extreme or disruptive with things, though I'm sure that's a matter of opinion. I didn't really use it as an excuse for evil deeds, though I had my share of them. OOC I tried to balance them out more or less, IC it was mostly just whims, or following the Neutral idea of hurting your enemies and helping your friends.
Speaking of whims, there were some "random" acts each session, but not so much to derail the group. Nothing like "I leave the dungeon and go on vacation", more like "Hey, I wonder what this lever does?" Things like that were still somewhat irritating IC (except to the rogue, oddly enough- I think he appreciated never having to disarm these things), but the game could still flow.
None of these acts really came from insanity, although the high-level magics and altered perceptions did lend itself toward a slightly skewed outlook. As did all those castings of Contact Outer Plane, a spell which I'd never cast under 3e. I mean, if it can't drive you insane, then what's the point?
The character did have a lot of problems with authority, although since the game went for several game years I played him settling down after a while. He started off as a young punk apprentice, though, the kind that would deal with demons specifically because he was told not to. He eventually quit testing and rebelling against everything, and would only really get mad when someone was trying to directly control him (which still led to a couple of legal entanglements and ticked-off nobles). In the end he ended up a noble in a frontier type area (Norwold, for those who remember it) with his own domain to adminster. He wasn't exactly a dedicated ruler, or a strict one- upon taking over he immediately halved taxes and declared extra holidays. Generally, as long as the commoners behaved, he'd leave them alone. As for all that boring paperwork and court hearings, well- that's what the simulacrum is good for.
Really, he was almost sort of a sorcerous Aesthete (as in the artistic movement). He definately had that artistic "rock star" sort of personality- craving attention, acting egotistical, not being concerned about other's needs or feelings, or at least not those of the general populace.
That being said, I played him as sort of an amalgam of all the different CN sterotypes, going from one to another depending on the circumstances- and trying not to get too extreme or disruptive with things, though I'm sure that's a matter of opinion. I didn't really use it as an excuse for evil deeds, though I had my share of them. OOC I tried to balance them out more or less, IC it was mostly just whims, or following the Neutral idea of hurting your enemies and helping your friends.
Speaking of whims, there were some "random" acts each session, but not so much to derail the group. Nothing like "I leave the dungeon and go on vacation", more like "Hey, I wonder what this lever does?" Things like that were still somewhat irritating IC (except to the rogue, oddly enough- I think he appreciated never having to disarm these things), but the game could still flow.
None of these acts really came from insanity, although the high-level magics and altered perceptions did lend itself toward a slightly skewed outlook. As did all those castings of Contact Outer Plane, a spell which I'd never cast under 3e. I mean, if it can't drive you insane, then what's the point?
The character did have a lot of problems with authority, although since the game went for several game years I played him settling down after a while. He started off as a young punk apprentice, though, the kind that would deal with demons specifically because he was told not to. He eventually quit testing and rebelling against everything, and would only really get mad when someone was trying to directly control him (which still led to a couple of legal entanglements and ticked-off nobles). In the end he ended up a noble in a frontier type area (Norwold, for those who remember it) with his own domain to adminster. He wasn't exactly a dedicated ruler, or a strict one- upon taking over he immediately halved taxes and declared extra holidays. Generally, as long as the commoners behaved, he'd leave them alone. As for all that boring paperwork and court hearings, well- that's what the simulacrum is good for.
Hida Bukkorosu
First Post
CN is what I am in real life. I have compunctions and feel guilty about doing things that directly harm other people, so I try not to do that, but ultimately I still look out for #1 first, and feel no great need to be altruistic, except maybe in the case of family or other people close to me personally. This rates me firmly in Neutral territory.
I'm chaotic because I feel an active need to rebel against tradition, "the way things are done", the social order, etc. If I were merely indifferent and willing to go along with things, I would be True Neutral, but I actively do things deliberately to spite tradition in a lot of ways, because I think my own way is better and I should be able to do it.
I'm chaotic because I feel an active need to rebel against tradition, "the way things are done", the social order, etc. If I were merely indifferent and willing to go along with things, I would be True Neutral, but I actively do things deliberately to spite tradition in a lot of ways, because I think my own way is better and I should be able to do it.
