Detect Evil => Detect Corruption

[nedjer]

"corruption" is not about what you are, but what you do, and the evil acts have to be supernatural. Demons and undead should emit an aura of corruption. Humans only do if they comitted unspeakable acts. Items and places can be tainted by corruption, too.

This is quite like what's in clone Corruption. But detect evil isn't altered. Ain't much use though if there's loads of evil everywhere.

 

[KarinsDad]

It's funny, but the groups I was in used Detect Evil for about 30 years and had a blast playing the game. Didn't think a thing about it. DMs (and players) used discretion.

Then one day, I'm reading on the Internet how bad it is and how 4E was yanking it. The thought occurred to me: "Gosh, we've been doing it wrong for 30 years and didn't even know it".


Personally, I do think that there is game design space for Detect Evil, ESP, etc. in D&D. The designers just have to be clear about the results so that the rules lawyers don't have a field day with them. Especially with the spread of ideas across the Internet, game designers have to be more cautious then ever. Something that nobody at the table would have ever considered trying 20 years ago gets blasted across the web in hours today.

 

[hanez]

Still dont like it. SHould be banned. And I LOVE alignment. But the spell is an adventure ruiner. Maybe if they beat the person and restrained him Id allow somethin like that. Needs some way they couldnt just do it to everyone.

 

[tuxgeo]

While I agree that detecting evil is an iconic and flavorful ability for Paladins, the way it worked was destructive. It's just way too precise and way too broad. It destroys classic plots like "find the murderer" and "demonic infestation in the church".

Rather than the very broad "evil", Paladins should be able to detect "corruption". The difference is that "corruption" is not about what you are, but what you do, and the evil acts have to be supernatural. Demons and undead should emit an aura of corruption. Humans only do if they comitted unspeakable acts. Items and places can be tainted by corruption, too.
< . . . snip . . . >

Alignment has always been about what you are, as exemplified by what you do. It's therefore both "are" and "do," not one-or-the-other. If this mechanic is supposed to detect demons, could it only accomplish that detection if the demon had committed an evil act recently?

Good suggestion, overall. Might still need a little bit of work (or a lot?).

 

[TerraDave]

I'd rather have it work as Detect Evil Intent...

Detect Evil was in the game before any Evil alignments, when it was just L-C-N (as TJ reminded us). And it basically was detecting intent.

This is the text from the retroclone Labyrinth Lord:

The caster can sense the presence of evil intentions, whether
from a living being or an object enchanted for evil purposes.
Objects or creatures within 120 feet with evil intent will magically
glow. Note that the Labyrinth Lord must decide what is "evil",
and some things may be potentially harmful, like traps, but not
"evil". This spell does not grant the ability to read minds, but
only grants a general sense of evil intent.

And yes, I would like to see something like this, or just leave it out all together.

 

[Sunseeker]

I have always run "Detect Evil" in the "6th sense" sort of manner, except when used specifically on say, the person standing 2 feet away from you.

You cast "detect evil" while looking for the demons in the church? Well good for you, you know there's evil in the church! Maybe it's a little more evil to the left or a little more evil to the right, but you're not making any serious headway doing this. Cast it on the Archbishop standing in front of you, oh yeah, he's evil.

This is generally the way I deal with anything that would make it "really easy" to find something hidden.