D&D General Which edition handled alignment best?

[Minigiant]

Why should misuse be a concern? All rules are misused by groups, we aren't changing everything. Alignment is no different. You teach them proper use. You don't change alignment.

I don't think you are getting what I'm saying

I am saying that I, Minigiant, do not use and rarely encounter the LN, LE, CN, & CG alignment so infrequently with accompanied lore that I don't need those alignments.

It's like the old True Balance "Gotta help evil because too much good in the world" alignment.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Correlation does not equal causation. There's nothing to indicate that alignment is the reason or even a major reason for the current edition to be popular.

That's...not what I said.

What I said is that because the edition is popular and current, it's going to get more votes. I'm not saying the treatment of alignment had anything to do with its sales. I'm saying its popularity on this forum is causing it to win the poll, at least partially irrespective of what it actually did or didn't do with alignment.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I didn't say that there weren't mechanics dealing with alignment. I said alignment wasn't a straightjacket and the old arguments, at least that I encountered, died with AD&D and very early 3e.

Then you played with an extremely unusual group of people, IME.

The 3e Paladin was THE "alignment is a straightjacket" class. It massively juiced up both of the incredibly tedious tropes regarding D&D paladins: both the "jerk DM who will force you to fall by giving you a choice between being Good and being Lawful" trope and the "jerk Moral Policeman paladin player who earns the ire of every other player with how much of a dick they're being despite paying lip-service to LG."

 

[Maxperson]

I don't think you are getting what I'm saying

I am saying that I, Minigiant, do not use and rarely encounter the LN, LE, CN, & CG alignment so infrequently with accompanied lore that I don't need those alignments.

It's like the old True Balance "Gotta help evil because too much good in the world" alignment.

Then that's a personal issue. I encounter them left, right and center(except for CN) in every D&D campaign that I play in and run. There's no reason to encounter them infrequently unless the DM/players are misusing the alignment system. They are all distinctly separate alignments, as I showed in my responses to you.

 

[Maxperson]

Then you played with an extremely unusual group of people, IME.

The 3e Paladin was THE "alignment is a straightjacket" class. It massively juiced up both of the incredibly tedious tropes regarding D&D paladins: both the "jerk DM who will force you to fall by giving you a choice between being Good and being Lawful" trope and the "jerk Moral Policeman paladin player who earns the ire of every other player with how much of a dick they're being despite paying lip-service to LG."

Or else you just had bad luck.

I never saw a paladin being forced to fall. And in any case, it had to be a voluntary violation, not one that was forced by the game/DM.

 

[Minigiant]

Then that's a personal issue. I encounter them left, right and center(except for CN) in every D&D campaign that I play in and run. There's no reason to encounter them infrequently unless the DM/players are misusing the alignment system. They are all distinctly separate alignments, as I showed in my responses to you.

Nah.

Like I said before, it's not misuse.

NG and CG outsiders aren't in the core books.

CN Slaad are rare, are barely used and mostly only exist for WOTC IP licensing

LN CN modrons and inevitables are rare, are barely used and mostly only exist for WOTC IP licensing.

NG and CG are barely distinguishable outside a heavy roleplay session.

And almost everything LE is devil coded or evil church painted.

Those alignments are just used enough alone. I can count the LN humanoids I remember with one hand.

 

[Mind of tempest]

In this case its more 'the edition that downplays something that those people disliked, is favoured'.

Its like asking a Vegan what their opinion on Steak is.

They make vegan steak, so clearly some are pro steak just not meat steak.

 

[Maxperson]

Nah.

Like I said before, it's not misuse.

NG and CG outsiders aren't in the core books.

So what. That's meaningless.

CN Slaad are rare, are barely used and mostly only exist for WOTC IP licensing

No in my experience. I've used and been in games where they have been used quite often. I've also seen them mentioned here a fair amount.

LN CN modrons and inevitables are rare, are barely used and mostly only exist for WOTC IP licensing.

Inevitables, in my experience yes. Modrons are popular from what I've seen on forums. I personally don't like them because walking shapes are too silly. However, a lot of folks online like them and talk about the Great Modron Race as a good thing.

NG and CG are barely distinguishable outside a heavy roleplay session.

False. They have distinct differences. They are no more barely distinguishable outside of a heavy RP session than any other alignment.

And almost everything LE is devil coded or evil church painted.

Organized crime is far more common than either one of those in my experience. Thieves guilds are all over the place.

I can count the LN humanoids I remember with one hand.

So what.

 

[Maxperson]

That's...not what I said.

What I said is that because the edition is popular and current, it's going to get more votes. I'm not saying the treatment of alignment had anything to do with its sales. I'm saying its popularity on this forum is causing it to win the poll, at least partially irrespective of what it actually did or didn't do with alignment.

Okay. That's fair.

 

[Scribe]

They make vegan steak, so clearly some are pro steak just not meat steak.

lol just because people put words on things, doesnt mean they are correct.

A vegan 'steak' is not a Steak, in the inherently understood meaning of the word.