Detect Evil in Hell?

[Golandrinel]

I'd make him take a will or fort check to not pass out if he used that spell.

 

[Ao the Overkitty]

Don't know how useful this is, but I seem to remember in 2e (the horrors!) planescape, alignments to the planes were relative. While in the Abyss or the 9 Hells, protection & detection spells worked opposite what they usually do (you needed a protection from good to protect yourself from the inhabitants of the plane and, while on the plane, if you were good you detected as evil).

Am I remembering this correctly? It's been a while since I read those manuals.

 

[Kaji]

The Abyss is only mildly evil? Well, the rules are there as a guide, I'd HR that so that it's an overwhelming evil. Knock that Paladin right on his behind. Almost everyone you meet there is going to be evil anyway, and it would help press home the evil nature of the place. Get that Paladin (or other spellcaster) all fired up to kick some devil or demon tootsies. Plus it would be more fun when that polymorphed devil that looks like a maidon pleasds for help, they can't take the easy route and detect evil. They'll have to go for the more error prone Sense Motive, which you can roll against the devil/demons Bluff check...yeah...it's all good.

 

[shilsen]

Of course these planes are mildly evil. Consider how many good-aligned parties seem to pass through them on a daily basis. The lingering aura from them counteracts the plane's overwhelming evil aura and lowers it to a mild level. Really.

 

[gfunk]

This thread reminds me of what happens when someone uses True Seeing in the Demonweb Pits (Q1). Essentially you go bonkers b/c of the tremendous evil that is present.

 

[Demon Knight]

Stupid question but...what's a paladin doing in hell anyway? Did he do something bad like squash a beetle, and now he must atone for his evil ways for all eternity?



Btw, the above was meant as humor. No attempt at offending anyone is being made.

 

[Gunslinger]

When we played an adventure on the 66th level of the Abyss (Lolth's Demonweb), we happened to have a Paladin dumb enough to detect evil. The DM ruled that the aura was indeed overwhelming, and the Paladin collapsed, vomiting, and lay there for about a minute. It ended up adding nicely to the atmosphere, as well as our uneasiness about the place.

 

[SamuraiY]

Originally posted by Quasqueton

What does a paladin see when using his detect evil ability while in Hell, Hades, Abyss, Gehenna, etc?

Nothing.

He will be exposed to such a strong aura that his eyes will either fuse into usless chunks of organic matter, or he will gouge them out to end the pain.

 

[Olive]

the 'mildly evil' thing isn't something to get too upset about. What it means is that those planes aren't as evil as the purely evil planes like Hades. As in they're partly chotic, partly evil, or partly lawful.

Read the rules, its just rules terminology. No ones saying that the Abyss is a nice place for a paladin to spend his holidays.

 

[Merlion]

I wasnt even referncing those rules in direct relation to the planes effect on someone using detect evil.
The manual of the planes has traits for planes. Including a trait for each of the 4 alignment components. there divided into strongly or mildly aligned. Hell is only mildly evil aligned. seeing as how it is the plane of absloute Lawful Evil to me its foolish that it isnt strongly aligned to both those alignments. Its supposed to be an embodiement of both of them. only the weakly aligned planes(Acheron would be a good law and evil example) should be mildly aligned IMO