D&D General For those that find Alignment useful, what does "Lawful" mean to you

[Maxperson]

You could be lawful or chaotic and have a personal code. Its how you implement that code that will determine it, not just having a code itself.

It depends on what the code is and how well you follow it. A chaotic person with a personal code will bend or break that code fairly often.

 

[James Gasik]

A Lawful character can belong to a non-Lawful organization. A Chaotic character can belong to a Lawful organization (say for example, the classic "cowboy cop"). On an individual level, however, they will apply their alignment to whatever rules that organization has- either live by them, or pay lip service to them.

 

[le Redoutable]

what would the three middle alignments be then?

beee I dunno I must ask myself ...

NG peaceful
TN balanced
NE strict ??

 

[Yaarel]

Lawful = group identity

Doing Good things as a group for other groups, is Lawful Good.

Doing things as a group to benefit ones own group only, is Lawful Neutral.

To harm, exploit, and prey on other groups to benefit ones own group, is Lawful Evil (such as racism, homophobia, transphobia, and other hostilities against other grohps).

 

[Maxperson]

beee I dunno I must ask myself ...

NG peaceful
TN balanced
NE strict ??

TN is not balanced. It's impossible to balance moral acts. TN is simply not caring for law, chaos, good or evil strongly enough to push you towards one of them.

 

[Yaarel]

Neutral Good is the purist form of Good, switching between Lawful group and Chaotic individual, whichever happens to accomplish the most Good in a particular scenario.

 

[Minigiant]

But let's be clear- there is a difference between following laws because you believe in them, and following them out of fear. "Snitches get stitches".

"Snitch get stitches" is not following out of fear of the stitches.

Criminal organizations depose snitches because a snitch can bring part or the whole organization down.

As for Demons plotting, of course they can plot and plan. But their schemes have a strong tendency to be Byzantine and incomprehensible to a logical mind. Chaotic individuals are more likely to be ruled by how they "feel" about a situation than by facts.

Again I disagree.
Chaotic characters are not defined by their emotion but by the consistency of the orders, philosophies, and allegiances under stress.

"No necromancy. It is vile and disgusting."
"But sir we need cheap cannon fodder."
"Okay necromancy is allowed."

 

[payn]

From the 3e PHB.

"Lawful Neutral, “Judge”: A lawful neutral character acts as law, tradition, or a personal code directs her. Order and organization are paramount to her. She may believe in personal order and live by a code or standard, or she may believe in order for all and favor a
strong, organized government. Ember, a monk who follows her discipline without being swayed either by the demands of those in need or by the temptations of evil, is lawful neutral."

Well yes, she is lawful neutral because of her personal code. She doesn't have a compunction to act toward society, which is neutral. Personal code isnt some lawful alignment lock.

Also from the 3E PHB

Lawful Good, "Crusader"​

A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. She combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. She tells the truth, keeps her word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished.

Chaotic Good, "Rebel"​

A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he’s kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations. He hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He follows his own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society.

 

[Yaarel]

TN is not balanced. It's impossible to balance moral acts. TN is simply not caring for law, chaos, good or evil strongly enough to push you towards one of them.

Neuteral means a mix of Good and Evil behaviors. The scales of balance lean somewhere near the middle.

 

[le Redoutable]

TN is not balanced. It's impossible to balance moral acts. TN is simply not caring for law, chaos, good or evil strongly enough to push you towards one of them.

well I thought TN were always within bounds, never using freedom ( like Animals who are slaves to the planet ) ....