D&D (2024) One D&d and alignment: new approach

[Lanefan]

I would rather flesh out the religions or orders the characters belong to, rather than just paint everything with a generic brush. And if you do too, then why do you need the generic brush?

Because oftentimes that generic brush takes a whole lot less time and effort to use, when I just need something fast.

 

[Lanefan]

I've seen folks argue that writing BIFTs for 5 min scene characters is better.

When it takes longer than 5 minutes to come up with the BIFTs (which it would for me, probably every time) for a character who's not even going to be in play for 5 minutes, I'm quickly going to stop bothering doing so.

 

[Marandahir]

What's the difference between how a NG and CG character views a string of murders based solely on alignment?

Might not be a difference in this particular scenario. That's fine.

Though personally, I ascribe a bit more to the LG-G-U-E-CE system from 4e (sometimes I like to throw in LN vs CN alongside Unaligned, since it seemed like some Unaligned were clearly more just LN or CN but didn't have a proper choice to fill there). I recognise that the hair-splitting for CG vs NG or LE vs NE is important to some players!

It's a semi-sacred cow that has changed from edition to edition. It's also deeply tied to the Manual of the Planes and to Planescape as a Setting. As long as Planescape is happening, 9-alignment (or 10 alignment, if you throw in the Unaligned Beasts from 2014 MM) remains as a baseline assumption.

Please feel free to ignore it entirely if it's not important to you. Some of us carry the burden of guilt and purpose akin to a Paladin in real life and want to explore that at the table when we play a Paladin, rather than just ascribe it specifically to our religious institution's tenants.

 

[Oofta]

It's a "5 minute scene" character.

You added a lot of alignment definitions that had zero bearing on the question, and on the part that did answer- they were the same. In fact, I bet at least 2/3 of the alignments would all "feel empathy for the victims", so alignment choice didn't actually mean much when it came to using it to determine how they felt about the murders. So, why was it important to include it for this "5 minute NPC"?

I still don't see it having any use, but obviously YMMV.

So ... my response is bad because I added additional viewpoints for LE an CE? But then you bring up what I can only assume what the neutral alignments might think?

Seems to me that you're only fishing for gotchas.

I find alignments useful but it affects perspective and motivation. They don't dictate specific behavior.

If you don't understand or don't want to accept how that could be useful I can't help. So don't use alignments but leave them for people who do find them useful.

 

[Marandahir]

So ... my response is bad because I added additional viewpoints for LE an CE? But then you bring up what I can only assume what the neutral alignments might think?

Seems to me that you're only fishing for gotchas.

I find alignments useful but it affects perspective and motivation. They don't dictate specific behavior.

If you don't understand or don't want to accept how that could be useful I can't help. So don't use alignments but leave them for people who do find them useful.

I think they meant, they asked you what would distinguish the response of a NG barkeep from a CG barkeep, and you responded by giving them the responses of a LE and a CG barkeep instead.

Their question was a bit of a straw argument since this might be a case where the NG and the CG barkeep agree on all the material bits, they may be taking umbrage to not giving them an answer to the question they specifically asked…

 

[Oofta]

When it takes longer than 5 minutes to come up with the BIFTs (which it would for me, probably every time) for a character who's not even going to be in play for 5 minutes, I'm quickly going to stop bothering doing so.

I don't find BIFTs all that useful. How does "I don't like to bathe" or "I owe a debt I can't repay" going to give me any clue on their moral compass? Most of the time there's going to be little or no connection.

Some of them are okay, and the no bathing thing might be useful fluff, but I basically have to come up with a life history and then sort through dozens of entries or make my own to get something that will fit.

All for Joe the bartender and occasional informant.

So then I'd probably group some BIFTS together, give them an abbreviations and use those to give me a general idea. Probably come up with a handy 2 letter abbreviation.

 

[Oofta]

I think they meant, they asked you what would distinguish the response of a NG barkeep from a CG barkeep, and you responded by giving them the responses of a LE and a CG barkeep instead.

Their question was a bit of a straw argument since this might be a case where the NG and the CG barkeep agree on all the material bits, they may be taking umbrage to not giving them an answer to the question they specifically asked…

I gave them views of 4 alignments. Apologies if it wasn't clear. Not really sure what the question was.

 

[Lanefan]

I don't find BIFTs all that useful. How does "I don't like to bathe" or "I owe a debt I can't repay" going to give me any clue on their moral compass? Most of the time there's going to be little or no connection.

Some of them are okay, and the no bathing thing might be useful fluff, but I basically have to come up with a life history and then sort through dozens of entries or make my own to get something that will fit.

All for Joe the bartender and occasional informant.

So then I'd probably group some BIFTS together, give them an abbreviations and use those to give me a general idea. Probably come up with a handy 2 letter abbreviation.

For me the bigger issue is that I've rarely any way of knowing ahead of time which NPC(s) out of the thousands in a given city will be the ones the PCs interact with at any length. The innkeep at a high-class place, for example, is likely going to be a different personality etc. from the innkeep at a dive saloon; and my PCs are equally likely to go to either one...or both or even several - splitting up their lodgings while in town wouldn't be anything new.

And so, this means it's inevitable that at some point(s) I'll need to come up with something fast. Alignment is but one of several broad-brush tools that help with this.

 

[Oofta]

For me the bigger issue is that I've rarely any way of knowing ahead of time which NPC(s) out of the thousands in a given city will be the ones the PCs interact with at any length. The innkeep at a high-class place, for example, is likely going to be a different personality etc. from the innkeep at a dive saloon; and my PCs are equally likely to go to either one...or both or even several - splitting up their lodgings while in town wouldn't be anything new.

And so, this means it's inevitable that at some point(s) I'll need to come up with something fast. Alignment is but one of several broad-brush tools that help with this.

For me it can be helpful even with more in depth NPCs. For my own characters I sometimes write down alignment, sometimes I don't. After I've played them for a few hours or sessions, they have a personality and I pretty much ignore all the descriptors I had because I have a feel for the character.

But NPCs? I'll have dozens and alignment can give me a quick reminder of how they're likely to react.

 

[Minigiant]

I think D&D needs to try other alignments.

Hero vs Villain
Loyal vs Disloyal vs Usurper
Face vs Heel