Detect Evil/Good... Metagaming?

[El Mahdi]

deleted

 

[Jon_Dahl]

Sorry for the thread necromancy, but I felt its better to continue this one then to make a new one ok?

When you really read the spell description of Detect Evil, you will notice that there is no reference to alignment. You notice "evil auras", but what is that?

And now let's look at the basic defination of alignment:

Alignment is a tool for developing your character’s identity. It is not a straitjacket for restricting your character. Each alignment represents a broad range of personality types or personal philosophies, so two characters of the same alignment can still be quite different from each other. In addition, few people are completely consistent

So IMO having an evil alignment does not make anyone evil. Instead DM can choose whether anyone has "aura of evil" case-by-case basis. Like for intance committing yourself to pure evil, such a belonging to an evil cult could make you evil. Also thinking evil things while the spell is in effect could make you evil at that moment (even though you're neutral).
But no one is consistently evil, only few people. So even though players use Detect Evil on NPC which is somewhat evil according to some lax identity tool, there is no reason that the person is evil at that specific moment. Even the rules say so.

If CE assassin is drinking a beer in a tavern, what is evil about that? Where is the evil at that moment? "You sense presence" of evil... nope... "You sense evil aura"... where is assassin's aura? Nobody has aura, expect by spell or by specific class or prc etc.

 

[Seonaid]

In addition, it worked nicely giving the paladins an always on "hairs pricking on the back of the neck" power. When they came within 30ft of supernatural evil they knew it was present, but it wasn't a directional power IMC.

I'm playing a paladin in Pathfinder and that's how my GM has made it work. If I decide to use Detect Evil actively, it's like the spell, but I also have a general "evil-sense" as you describe. It's very effective, especially since I'm the only player and so the campaign is focused on my character. I can see it being less useful/effective/desirable if there are multiple PCs with different goals, motivations, classes, and alignments.

Besides, alignment is too subjective. A person that the majority in society deems to be evil, could be good in their own mind. Even the sickest of actions can sometimes be justified.

But isn't the point that in this game, alignment isn't that subjective?

 

[frankthedm]

Furthermore, one doesn't have to kill someone just because they are evil, though there may well be hardliners who do take this exact approach. It's not uncommon for paladins to be played this way, however I don't think it's the only way a paladin can be played.

However it is a requirement for typical paladins to "punish those who harm or threaten innocents."