Replacing Alignment with Character Arcs and Values

[Clint_L]

The easiest way to get rid of alignment is just to get rid of alignment. I haven’t used it in years, and the game doesn’t need it. Just play your creatures and NPCs according to their wants and needs, plus personality if it’s a significant NPC, and let the players take care of themselves.

Alignment is becoming optional anyway and well on its way to extinction. It’ll probably always remain a legacy option, and that’s fine. It’s an interesting curiosity from the game’s wargaming roots and initial forays into RP.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I think providing mechanical benefits for the behavior you want to encourage is generally good design. As written, I think this system is probably overly complex -- the fact that it takes three pages to explain is a red flag for me.

Not complex. I’m just overly wordy lol. Tell me to write a 500 word essay for a class and I struggle. Catch me writing about something I like and it needs to be cut down to about 1/4 of what I wrote

 

[Clint_L]

I would be cautious about forcing your version of a hero's journey arc onto the players. A heroic journey isn't really about a character repeatedly living up to their initial values to earn points. It's about confronting their own flaws - its about the tension between wants and needs.

A heroic arc can come about more organically if you just ask players to start each character with a clear want that explains why they are an adventurer. This is a concrete goal that can be used to drive the plot. But also have them note what the character might actually need, maybe something that the character themselves aren't yet aware of, and that isn't perfectly aligned with what they want. Their needs come from their flaws. Real flaws. Everyone has them, and you can't be an interesting hero (or person) without them.

For example, maybe the character became an adventurer because they want to be a revered hero like in the legends. They want to prove themselves to the world. But maybe what they need is to learn humility - that the world isn't black and white and sometimes virtue comes in shades of grey. So all those things that you are asking them to identify as their arc, right from the start of their character's journey? Those should be wrong! Otherwise, it's not a journey.

What they need to do is learn - they need to be tested and they need to fail before they can truly understand their needs, rather than their wants. The hero's journey is about learning. So they shouldn't start with their heroic ethical principles, they should acquire them.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I think providing mechanical benefits for the behavior you want to encourage is generally good design. As written, I think this system is probably overly complex -- the fact that it takes three pages to explain is a red flag for me.

I've stripped it down quite a bit while still going after what I'd like: working towards a character arc is important, and you shouldn't be punished for evolving as a PC. Gone are tables. Instead the emphasis is the agreement during Session Zero and let the table decide.

 

[Sacrosanct]

The easiest way to get rid of alignment is just to get rid of alignment. I haven’t used it in years, and the game doesn’t need it. Just play your creatures and NPCs according to their wants and needs, plus personality if it’s a significant NPC, and let the players take care of themselves.

I don't want to get rid of it, I want to replace it with something that better captures character values and arc progression.

 

[payn]

Do you want this list to be determined or would a build your own arc option be possible?

 

[Sacrosanct]

Do you want this list to be determined or would a build your own arc option be possible?

Totally encouraged to build your own arc. Highly recommended, because people have different ideas of what they want out of their character. You won't find any designer who will capture in a list that because I don't know you personally.

 

[payn]

Totally encouraged to build your own arc. Highly recommended, because people have different ideas of what they want out of their character. You won't find any designer who will capture in a list that because I don't know you personally.

I guess I was wondering if a passage on creating your own with the GM might add to this?

 

[Sacrosanct]

I guess I was wondering if a passage on creating your own with the GM might add to this?

It's there

 

[payn]

It's there

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My bad.