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Message: <blockquote data-quote="El Mahdi" data-source="post: 5280715" data-attributes="member: 59506">I believe the above is correct, for RAW...but it's not what I use.  I prefer a more realistic approach. I do agree that there is such a thing as pure, undeniable EVIL. But I also feel that in the real world, it's rare in the extreme. For the most part I feel that the concepts of Good and Evil are wholly subjective from the point of view of each sentient creature.  It's also why I don't use the alignment system. In a D&D world, there are creatures that are purely Evil, but almost all of them are some kind of outsider or abberant. If there's anything I've learned from 21 years in the military, it's this: every creature (especially humans) has an equal and infinite capacity for both Good and Evil. There really is no such thing as a "Good Guy" or "Bad Guy", there are only competing ideals and goals. The only concrete thing is that every creature has an instinct for Survival. This can be expanded in the creatures thoughts and instincts to include things like familial survival and species/race/culture survival, but preeminant is Self Survival. In higher order sentients and some other creatures, the instinct for Self Survival can be purposely suppressed in favor of the survival of another person or creature...but it's not necessarily automatic. Anything that threatens a creatures' instincts for survival, is considered Evil by that creature. So, in my games there is no such thing as a Detect Evil spell as it's simply not practical. It would only be useful in extremely rare instances and on creatures that most would just assume are Evil anyways. A Detect Evil spell on a person, even a hardened criminal or murderer, would simply detect the same mixture of potential Good and Evil (or simply put: "Neutrality") resident in all sentient creatures. If I did decide to use something like a Detect Evil spell, I would probably have it work more like it does in Star Wars. It would only sense those that have Evil Intent against you or those in your charge/care (intentions that threaten your sense of survival or the survival of those your instinct has been extended to). But for the most part, I think the spell is just impractical and more trouble than it's worth.<img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/glasses.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt="B-)" title="Glasses    B-)" data-shortname="B-)" /></blockquote>

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