D&D 5E Do you find alignment useful in any way?

[Maxperson]

The entire point of the current pro-alignment argument (such as it sprung fully formed out of the muck a few years or so ago after 'TRADITION' and 'But the players will run wild' failed to strike home) is that it is a useful tool for figuring out how a monster will behave without having to 'waste time' on actually reading the description and getting real actual information about the monster.

This is true.

Adding an alignment to this creature caused you to think they had a cruel, murderous society ruled by the strong with personal honor when they're solitary tortured creatures who kill not for greed, but out of twisted envy toward others they can't fathom. It didn't provide you anything useful about the monster at all, which is supposed to the point, right?

This is irrelevant. What the creature says is not relevant to the fact that @Oofta determined one appropriate way to play CE at the drop of a hat. Just like it's not wrong for someone to make an evil copper dragon or a good ogre, it's also not wrong to play a CE creature differently from the written lore. Alignment was very useful to @Oofta there.

 

[Lanefan]

4) Unless you are an artist, your costumer base for your product is the only worthwhile meter.

Damn, cosplayers are taking over the world.

 

[Mistwell]

Except you just failed to get general behavior and reaction that matched the CE and instead asked for more information.

The entire point of the current pro-alignment argument (such as it sprung fully formed out of the muck a few years or so ago after 'TRADITION' and 'But the players will run wild' failed to strike home) is that it is a useful tool for figuring out how a monster will behave without having to 'waste time' on actually reading the description and getting real actual information about the monster.

Adding an alignment to this creature caused you to think they had a cruel, murderous society ruled by the strong with personal honor when they're solitary tortured creatures who kill not for greed, but out of twisted envy toward others they can't fathom. It didn't provide you anything useful about the monster at all, which is supposed to the point, right?

So here's the follow-up question:

What is even added to this specific creature to tag two letters to the end of it?

Seriously, WHAT IS UP WITH THE STRAWMANNING?

Nobody said it was a "waste of time" to read the description and I challenge you to find any post here where someone even vaguely suggests that.

I mean come on, this point has been replied to a half dozen times in this thread in some detail. It's either reckless or intentional that you ignored what people said with regard to how they use alignment for you to characterize it that way. If you still don't understand how people are using it, just ask (or re-read the thread where people say how they use it). But don't just recharacterize it wrongly for laughs...unless it's actually funny.

 

[Vaalingrade]

This is irrelevant. What the creature says is not relevant to the fact that @Oofta determined one appropriate way to play CE at the drop of a hat.

So... the current pro-alignment argument is that you can use alignment to... easily make up whatever you want about the monster just like you can without it?

Pardon me, I seem to be bleeding out of my eyes...

Edit: And one day; one glorious day, the internet will learn that strawman means something other than 'I have successfully defined my argument vaguely enough that I can say anyone who argues against is deliberately lying'.

 

[Maxperson]

So... the current pro-alignment argument is that you can use alignment to... easily make up whatever you want about the monster just like you can without it?

No.

Pardon me, I seem to be bleeding out of my eyes...

Feel free. You can invent more stuff if you like. That way you can bleed out of your nose and ears as well.

 

[Vaalingrade]

It's not invention, it's the entire argument that was in place until like two hours ago when you decided to move the goalposts yet again!

 

[Maxperson]

It's not invention, it's the entire argument that was in place until like two hours ago when you decided to move the goalposts yet again!

Nothing got moved, including your lack of understanding of what our argument really is.

 

[Maxperson]

Edit: And one day; one glorious day, the internet will learn that strawman means something other than 'I have successfully defined my argument vaguely enough that I can say anyone who argues against is deliberately lying'.

Nothing vague about it dude. We have been saying the same thing consistently over and over and over and over. It's not our fault if you can't understand it and continue to get it wrong.

 

[Mistwell]

So... the current pro-alignment argument is that you can use alignment to... easily make up whatever you want about the monster just like you can without it?

ONE POST after I ask you to stop strawmanning the arguments of those you disagree with and you turn the strawmanning up to eleven? WTF man? You knew he was not saying or implying "make up whatever you want about the monster."

Is your position so terribly weak that the only way you feel comfortable presenting it is to misrepresent the counter position so unrecognizably badly that it's easier to knock it down?

Pardon me, I seem to be bleeding out of my eyes...

Edit: And one day; one glorious day, the internet will learn that strawman means something other than 'I have successfully defined my argument vaguely enough that I can say anyone who argues against is deliberately lying'.

I know what strawmanning means, dick. I've taught argumentation at a college level. You're doing it. Constantly. Please stop. If you cannot make your point without intentionally exaggerating the point of those you disagree with to badly misrepresentative levels, then your point looks really weak.

 

[transmission89]

It's not invention, it's the entire argument that was in place until like two hours ago when you decided to move the goalposts yet again!

Goal posts haven’t been moved. Everyone’s been consistent in their argument. Mistwell, max et al have been clear about how they use it. I’ve been clear that, for me, it’s in keeping with tradition. So in effect, I derive use from it for that purpose.

Multiple people putting forward their different reasons for keeping alignment is not goal post moving.