Followers of alignments - weak points?

[Aus_Snow]

What are the great snares, temptations or pitfalls awaiting followers of each alignment? What, to you, are the classic things that can - if beings of any given alignment are not sufficiently vigilant/determined/paranoid/whatever - cause them to fall apart, go mad, even switch sides. . . or any other terrible fate that goes here. . .?

Feel free to assume that 'alignment' as used here means whatever it means in your preferred edition, of course (so 3, 9 or 5 or them).

Oh, and just to be explicit about the core assumption here: It's that each alignment contains, inherent within it, the seeds of [or potential for] its own destruction. Sorry if that wasn't clear already, but I kind of rambled a bit.

 

[hafrogman]

I'm not certain that they all do, but some of them certainly have weak points. I'm going to use the 9-point, two-axis type system. Most of them will represent just a minor drift, one point in a single direction. Larger shifts would just be a chain. LG -> LN -> LE -> NE -> CE rather than a sudden and dramatic flip.

Lawful Good - A contradiction between Law and Good causes you to have to choose a side. You swore an oath that now hinders your ability to prevent harm. Do you break your word (NG), or allow evil to continue in order to preserve it (LN)?

Chaotic Good - Another opportunity for contradiction, but a little more complicated. A choice between freedom and good. A totalitarian (but comparatively benign) regime is the only thing that stands between the people and an invading evil army. Do you prop up the dictator, and aid him in his fight, knowing you strengthen his cause in the future (NG)? Or do you let his kingdom fall, causing untold suffering, but with the knowledge that his oppression will never again crush another (CN)?

Neutral Good - One of the more difficult, I'd suspect. Perhaps the constant bickering between law and chaos causes you to have to choose a side in order to do the most good (LG or CG). Or their conflict alienates you so much that you withdraw from both to try and understand the true sources of conflict (N)

Lawful Neutral - Strict adherance to an unjust law harms you, or someone near you. Realize that laws need to serve a higher purpose to aid society, become LG. Embrace the law above all else, and come to revel in the power it can give you, become LE. Become disillusioned with the law as both sides try and twist it to serve their own cause, become N.

Neutral - Circumstances demand action. If you do not stand up and claim a side, then all is lost. Will you fight for order? Others/ Freedom? Yourself? Pick LN, NG, CN, NE.

Chaotic Neutral - Ultimate freedom lets you do as you wish, answering to no other. But you are also ultimately alone. Do you let concern for others temper your desire for freedom? Gain 1d6 friends and become CG. Do you abandon all concern about others and your own lonliness? Wear more black and become CE. Or is your manic quest for freedom instead restricting you in ways that you cannot see? Perhaps all things in moderation, become N.

Lawful Evil - The law has been a tool to serve your ends well, but now it stands between you and your depest desires. Will you decide that no price is worth abandoning order (LN)? Or will you cast aside the law and go your own path (NE)?

Neutral Evil - Your own desires are all that matter, but others around you make ordered society. Will you learn their ways and have their laws become your tool (LE)? Or will you cast caution to the wind and try and topple their society because they stand in your way (CE)? Perhaps your own desires begin to wear on you. The constant struggle against all others is tiring, perhaps you could simply leave everyone else be, and look to yourself (N)?

Chaotic Evil - Anger and hatred drives you to destroy all around you. But will suceeding truly bring you what you desire? Is it so important that you tear things down? Why not simply claim them for yourself (NE)? Or do you decide that it is the anger that keeps you from true freedom. Your quest for destruction ties you to goals that prevent true liberation. Cast them aside and simply do as you feel best (CN).

 

[Dausuul]

I'm going to go with the 9-point alignment system. I'm also going to operate on the belief that "Lawful" and "Chaotic" describe the way of life one favors; Lawful characters want structure and order and discipline, while Chaotic characters want independence and freedom and individuality.

• Good's weakness is its penchant for putting too much faith in its ideals.
• Evil's weakness is its tendency to focus on short-term, selfish gain.
• Law's weakness is its habit of letting rules and traditions blind it to reality.
• Chaos's weakness is its unwillingness to work with or depend on others.
• Neutrality's weakness is its lack of commitment.

Lawful Good: The downfall of Lawful Good is zealotry. The idealism of the Good alignment, and the Lawful desire for clear rules and principles, mean that Lawful Good characters are prone to become ideologues. Such characters fix their eyes so firmly on the glorious horizon that they never look down to see the innocents being trampled underfoot... or the ground giving way beneath them.

Neutral Good: The downfall of Neutral Good is despair. With neither the Lawful's trust in a larger cause nor the Chaotic's self-centered streak, Neutral Good characters are most likely to suffer crises of faith when they find themselves inadequate to a challenge or when others fail to live up to their ideals. In such a situation, they are apt to feel that the foundations of their worlds are collapsing; they may conclude that all of their ideals are worthless, and abandon them.

Chaotic Good: The downfall of Chaotic Good is pride. In this case, the idealism of Good and the independence of Chaos often combine to make Chaotic Good characters think they alone know what is best to do. Moreover, they can become entranced by the romantic image of the lone hero. Unwilling to accede to anyone else's wishes, they would rather stand alone against evil and be defeated than follow another to victory.

Lawful Neutral: The downfall of Lawful Neutral is rigidity. With neither idealism nor selfishness to moderate their desire for a structured life, Lawful Neutral characters can become fixated on rules and traditions for their own sake. They become narrow-minded, unable to recognize any need for change, and will go down still clinging to laws that long ago lost any meaning.

True Neutral: The downfall of True Neutral is apathy. True Neutral is the most accommodating of the alignments, tending to adapt itself to any situation rather than making stands on principle. This can lead True Neutral characters to acquiesce in their own slow destruction. With each slight turn for the worse, they shrug and find a way to live with it, and by the time they wake up to the need to make a stand, it is far too late.

Chaotic Neutral: The downfall of Chaotic Neutral is cowardice. Without Good urging them to help others and improve the world, or Evil driving them to feed their selfish ambitions, Chaotic Neutral characters can seldom bring themselves to stand up to their enemies - it is always so much easier to run away. When there is a danger that can only be answered by standing shoulder to shoulder with others, it is the Chaotic Neutral character who breaks and flees... only to meet death later, alone.

Lawful Evil: The downfall of Lawful Evil is greed. Lawful Evil characters want the comfort of a well-ordered world with clearly defined rules. Once they feel they have such rules, they set about exploiting them for every scrap of advantage they can get. They become so focused on gaming the system that they forget the rules are not immutable; the system will only stand so much abuse. When their orderly world comes crashing down, they fall with it.

Neutral Evil: The downfall of Neutral Evil is treachery. Neutral Evil characters do not feel the need to maintain a place in the system, but they also see no point in openly defying it. They use the rules for their benefit, then discard them. As a result, their careers are likely to be filled with abused trusts and betrayed confidences. Eventually they find every hand is turned against them, and every former friend has become a bitter enemy.

Chaotic Evil: The downfall of Chaotic Evil is weakness. Chaotic Evil characters survive and thrive by strength alone; scorning to subordinate themselves to others, and lacking the goodwill that more benevolent characters earn through their deeds, they rely on demonstrations of raw power to secure their place in the world. The moment that power fails them, their thrones topple and they perish.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Great stuff, guys. Thanks for responding, and so comprehensively at that. Frankly, I was wondering if the thread would hold any interest for anyone else. Further perspectives are of course welcome! The more the merrier.

The idea just really calls to me - maybe because I'm a fan of 'fantasy literature/mythic-style' D&D. There seem to be so many cases throughout these kinds of stories where adherents of each alignment unravel, or nearly do so, due to one of these classic downfalls.

And then there is the question of how propagandists, manipulators, spirits of discord, fiends, tempters and temptresses might choose to corrupt or undermine each individual, simply using some of the tools that individual is likely to conveniently supply, if unwittingly.

When I first decided to start this thread, my ideas were probably closer to yours, Dausuul. Certainly, pride and apathy were among the first traps that sprang to mind. But there's always room for speculation and disagreement. And I like your alignment shifts, hafrogman.