Can Good Wizards Cast Evil Spells?

[Li Shenron]

From the rules point of view, both Clerics & Druids have to deal with "aligned" spells: but remeber that this works for Good and Evil spells but also with Chaotic and Lawful spells (PHB page 32, 35). Paladins of course have spells that necessarily are never Evil or Chaotic. Curiously enough, this restriction does not apply for Rangers, although they are Divine spellcasters as well. Pay attention that not only Clerics are prohibited from casting spells opposed with their alignment, but also opposed with their deity's alignment!!!

From the role-play point of view, your DM decides by himself if he wants a more strict behaviour.

note 1: the restriction to druids is in my opinion a little suggestion for a druid to tend toward true neutrality

note 2: on page 31 (PHB) about Cleric spells it said something like "alignment restriction means casting some spells has unpleasant consequences" but actually you CANNOT cast them at all: let's say the Cleric does not get the power from a deity which is against that alignment

 

[Staldin*Freefall]

Re: Magic Circle

Another example: If one of my PCs wanted to play a LN of Kelemvor and cast a lot of animate dead spells, I'd let them get away with it, without shifting their alignment towards evil. I wouldn't let a good cleric get away with it, though.

I don't think Kelemvor supports the creation of undead. He gets pretty pissy about the whole tinkering with souls already passed on.

 

[Palskane]

No, that's clerics. Wizards can cast spells with opposed alignment descriptors.

Hmm... my group has always played it the way I described. I have a hard time believing that a LG creature would answer a summons and follow the commands of a CE mage, or vice versa. You also have to remember that a summoned creature gets to act normally for the last round of the spell and then disappear upon their turn. Great opportunity for that Lammasu to get in a few licks on that meddling evil mage.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Hmm... my group has always played it the way I described. I have a hard time believing that a LG creature would answer a summons and follow the commands of a CE mage, or vice versa.

The spell forces the creature to serve. Good wizards shouldn't usually summon evil monsters, but they're welcome to try - tempting fate and tasting the power of the dark side.

You also have to remember that a summoned creature gets to act normally for the last round of the spell and then disappear upon their turn. Great opportunity for that Lammasu to get in a few licks on that meddling evil mage.

This is an incorrect interpretation. It still helps the caster (and does what he/she tells it to do, if they share a language); see the D&D Rules FAQ.

 

[Trellian]

Re: Re: Magic Circle

I don't think Kelemvor supports the creation of undead. He gets pretty pissy about the whole tinkering with souls already passed on.

Sure right he does! Faiths & Avatars describes Kelemvor as a more benevolent god of the dead than his predecessors, and his clerics teaches that dying is a natural process, not to be feared.
I doubt that they would even raise or resurrect someone...

 

[Tom Cashel]

Well, there /are/ some rules to govern what spells a mage/sor can cast. Namely the Summoning spells and what creatures they can summon based on their alignment. Other than that, though, I think it depends on the spells cast and the situation.

WHERE are those rules?

This is exactly the question that prompted me to ask...a NG wizard in my campaign wants to summon infernal woodchucks, or whatever the hell it is on that list.

 

[Darklone]

WHERE are those rules?

This is exactly the question that prompted me to ask...a NG wizard in my campaign wants to summon infernal woodchucks, or whatever the hell it is on that list.

Argl. Magic chapter, somewhere under conjuration magic. You summon creatures of your respective alignment. You can summon evil creatures but the summoned ones will have your alignment. Something like this.

 

[MythandLore]

"Can Good Wizards Cast Evil Spells?"

Blah, Blah, Blah, YES.

 

[MythandLore]

Argl. Magic chapter, somewhere under conjuration magic. You summon creatures of your respective alignment. You can summon evil creatures but the summoned ones will have your alignment. Something like this.

You can CALL evil ones, Via Gate, that's when your going to need a protection circle the most.
Wait...
Am I talking about the right thing?

 

[Uller]

Argl. Magic chapter, somewhere under conjuration magic. You summon creatures of your respective alignment. You can summon evil creatures but the summoned ones will have your alignment. Something like this.

No...nothing there about alignment restrictions.

Under Summon Monster there is this line:

When the character uses a summoning spell to summon an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, it is a spell of that type. For example, summon monster I is a lawful and evil spell when cast to summon a dire rat.

And in the description of clerics there is:

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A cleric can't cast spells of an alignment opposed to his own or to his deity's.

There is no similar rule for Wizards(or Sorcerers or Bards or any other spell casters except Paladins who cast spells as clerics and therefore are subject to the same restriction).

As far as I'm concerned, there are two aligment systems: Absolute and relative. Absolute alignment is your place in the universe. It is sort of what "team" are you on in the grand conflict between the alignments. Most outsiders are tied directly to an absolute alignment, as are "good" and "evil" spells.

Relative alignment is more for mortals who are generally unconcerned with . It is how you try to behave.

Casting Evil spells will generally affect the former, but not the later(immediately). A wizard who generally tries to do the right thing, respects the dignity of sentient life, etc, etc, who summons a Balor is not immediately made to start thinking nasty thoughts and seeking to enslave or destroy the world, but Good aligned outsiders will not view him very favorably.