D&D 5E PC Personality Type Alternative

[Elon Tusk]

For my next campaign, I'm going to use the Ennegram instead or (or perhaps in addition to) alignments and personality traits, ideals, flaws, and bonds.

Enneagram is a model of the human psyche which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types.
I like the idea of using a real-world, researched personality system in a fantasy game.
Each of the 9 personalities changes in times of growth and times of stress which allows flexibility in role-playing and growth over time.


https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/how-the-enneagram-system-works/



You can discover your own number by through quizzes like this:
http://similarminds.com/test.html
I'd be curious what number other RPGers are - I'm a 5.

 

[Wiseblood]

Apparently I am a 9... Since there is no 10.

 

[Elon Tusk]

Apparently I am a 9... Since there is no 10.

Well, they aren't ranks - none being better than the other - but feeling the need to be thought of as the best makes me think you might be a #3: The Achiever.

 

[Wiseblood]

I took it and the expanded version both were 9.
It was neat. I get that it's not ranking. Still the 9 is on top. Maybe a 3 is in there high up on my assesment.

 

[ethandrew]

For my next campaign, I'm going to use the Ennegram instead or (or perhaps in addition to) alignments and personality traits, ideals, flaws, and bonds.

What are your hopes for how this would translate in regards to gameplay? And how successful do you think this would be compared to Alignments and traits/ideals/flaws/bonds?

 

[Elon Tusk]

What are your hopes for how this would translate in regards to gameplay? And how successful do you think this would be compared to Alignments and traits/ideals/flaws/bonds?

Good question; I knew my initial post wasn't missing pieces that I wanted to convey.

Enneagram is an overarching description like alignment, not specific quirks and examples like the personality traits, ideals, flaws, and bonds.
Yet it is more descriptive than alignment, perhaps a good way to 2 existing systems.
I'd say it is a tool or aid for role-playing. It's not prescriptive: there are healthy and unhealthy ways a certain number acts in situations of stress.
I think it is richer than alignment yet more flexible than the traits.
I might try it by itself or alongside the others to see which works better.

For example if a character is a 7: The Enthusiast, then that character is likely to feel that "The future is full of exciting possibilities, and I must experience it all! What’s next? I must move forward; I must have my freedom."

They enjoy the rush of adrenalin that comes with excitement and trying something new. Under pressure Sevens will multitask, juggle plans and may be inclined to take on more than is realistic. The body of the Seven is probably just as active as the mind.

They may, however, overestimate the extent to which they have truly mastered and absorbed this knowledge. If their style results in fidgeting or pacing, people may not properly pay attention to their ideas. Their active and quick mind may lead Sevens to assume that they know what other people are going to say. Sevens may want to feel totally accepting of themselves, but constantly avoid the things that will enable them to feel this way. Sevens may mask fear and unwillingness by expressing and tuning in to boredom.

Loosely quoted from: https://www.integrative9.com/enneagram/introduction/type-7/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw0qLOBRDUvPzj2-X5jJ0BEiQAMG5xMHA9R4ApOrRSuNLkgI8EDK4yQrjNatCT5I6xZ7iyW6caAmP38P8HAQ

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

Those personalities would need to apply as well as alignment.

I don't think alignment is related to personality at all. Terms like gregarious, demonstrative, self-confident and so on can apply to all alignments.

I think alignment should be thought of as "what team do you support?"

Lawful Good people have joined team LG. They not only think the world would be better if everyone was lawful good, they are actively working to achieve that situation, by promoting law and goodness and/or opposing evil and chaos.

Lawful Neutral people have committed to team L but have not made any commitment to teams G or E.


Edited to add linky: Concepts developed by Shalom Schwartz concerning universals in value systems.

 

[plisnithus8]

Those personalities would need to apply as well as alignment.

I don't think alignment is related to personality at all. Terms like gregarious, demonstrative, self-confident and so on can apply to all alignments.

I think alignment should be thought of as "what team do you support?"

Lawful Good people have joined team LG. They not only think the world would be better if everyone was lawful good, they are actively working to achieve that situation, by promoting law and goodness and/or opposing evil and chaos.

Lawful Neutral people have committed to team L but have not made any commitment to teams G or E.

I agree alignment is not personality.
I’m just not sure if I would use both systems.
I find alignment to not be all that useful and thought this might be a good alternative.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I really like that alignment in 5e is really two sentences to help you roleplay your character. This seems like it could do something similar.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I don't feel that alignment really serves a purpose. It's so vague and contradictory that you can't say what alignment any historical or fictional figure is, nor can you decide how a character with a specific alignment would behave in a situation.

The only real 'value' to it is that you can declare creatures to be 'evil' (or 'chaotic') and therefore ripe for killing and taking their stuff without moral consequence...

I feel like this Enneagram system does a decent job of giving an overall personality tone, but you probably want to keep traits, ideals, flaws and bonds, simply as things that contradict someone's general personality.

Also note that it doesn't cover moral compass at all. If you want that, I'd suggest looking at white wolf's humanity scale, because there really aren't any real world scales that attempt to cover it.