D&D 5E (2024) Neutral or Evil?

[ECMO3]

I am putting together a character for a short level 7-10 game. It will probably be 3 or 4 sessions, so not technically a 1-shot.

Anyway my character is a Halfling Zentarim Moon Bard 5/Warlock 2, I won't bore you with the backstory but we get 1 Uncommon Magic Item. For a Bard the obvious power plays are an Instrument of the Bards but that is a bit cliched.

I am going to get an Orc Stone, but change the thematics. Instead of being given to me for saving an Orc Chief's life, I used my Zhent contacts and contracted with a Thayan Wizard to bind an Orc against his will. Then I convinced said Orc Chief that I actually saved him from the Wizard before he completed his ritual and that he owes me his life. It kind of sucks being in the stone most of the time, but it is better than being dead right?

I envision my Character as being Chaotic Neutral. Would this kind of character automatically be evil in your opinion?

Here is the character sheet if anyone is interested:

D&D Beyond Character Sheet

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www.dndbeyond.com

 

[aco175]

If it is a 3-shot it should not matter. Also many people can argue nuance between alignment, so it might not matter if he is either.

But, you seem to have taken advantage of an orc and have him prisoner in a stone you use likely for fighting most of the time. Since he was not in risk of dying when he was placed in the stone by the wizard as your behest it would not be a good thing. You lie to him and have him believe that you did him a favor.

I'm guessing that some might depend on how you view orcs. If they are more monster, then neutral is fine. If they are more PC races than maybe more evil.

 

[Clint_L]

I don't use alignment, but that is definitely villainous behaviour. Your character has effectively assaulted and imprisoned someone and is now gaslighting them about it. By my personal morals, that is very, very evil behaviour - there's no two ways about it.

And I do NOT think that how you view orcs makes a difference. Your character is a villain.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Just from the title my first thought is: if you have to ask, it's probably evil.

From the body I would also say that. CN is a real mess of an alignment, with only 3e giving it a useful description. Most of the times when people think of CN they are really thinking of NE or CE.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

Do you plan the play the character during the campaign as Neutral or as Evil? I would base the alignment choice on how you plan the character moving forward

I would say that the Orc Stone backstory stuff is indeed Evil, but one single action doesn't determine the morality of your entire life.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

So you've enslaved someone's soul and are gaslighting them into thinking you're on their side so they will better serve you? Seems plenty evil to me.

If you were doing it for some sort of greater good purpose, if you came from a culture that normalized that behavior, if your Warlock patron made you do it, or if there was some other partially exculpatory factor that specific evil act might not reflect your overall alignment, but on the facts presented this character just seems to be evil.

 

[Seramus]

That's pretty soundly evil. I agree with @DrJawaPhD that a single action doesn't define your character's overall morality (or how third party powers judge you), but it's an ongoing red mark on your ledger.

But for a 3 shot adventure it shouldn't be an issue, as long as you're cooperative with the rest of the party, and they don't have any heroic types that look at the situation too closely.

 

[Plaguescarred]

It's not necessarily evil to me. If you prefer to remain Chaotic Evil Alignment, you could also very well be.

But if you don't get the chance to play evil character too often like in many campaigns and can with this short one, you may very well take the opportunity and embrace your Zentharim bad boy to the fullest.

 

[Umbran]

I am putting together a character for a short level 7-10 game. It will probably be 3 or 4 sessions, so not technically a 1-shot.

Anyway my character is a Halfling Zentarim Moon Bard 5/Warlock 2, I won't bore you with the backstory but we get 1 Uncommon Magic Item. For a Bard the obvious power plays are an Instrument of the Bards but that is a bit cliched.

I am going to get an Orc Stone, but change the thematics. Instead of being given to me for saving an Orc Chief's life, I used my Zhent contacts and contracted with a Thayan Wizard to bind an Orc against his will. Then I convinced said Orc Chief that I actually saved him from the Wizard before he completed his ritual and that he owes me his life. It kind of sucks being in the stone most of the time, but it is better than being dead right?

I envision my Character as being Chaotic Neutral. Would this kind of character automatically be evil in your opinion?

You don't suggest this was done in some moment of desperate need, or a hard choice made between unsavory alternatives. No justification is present that would mitigate how bad this looks, or that it was even a one-off.

It is presented as a premeditated act of enslavement through deceit, to get a thinking being to do, and take, lethally violent harm on your behalf.

Taken as an indication of overall behavior, this looks pretty evil.

 

[SkidAce]

And after three uses the gem turns to dust...what have you done?