How to play CN

[JDragon]

Evening all,

I just got home form my game and have a small issue to work thru.

I'm currently in a Fr Campaign thats just about to start City of the Spider Queen.

I'm playing a strongheart halfling wizard, hes 1oth level and up untill tonight was LG. But due to a draw from a Deck of Many Things, his alignment is now CN and I need a little help playing it.

PLease let me know any suggestions you have.

Thanks

JDragon

 

[Sejs]

Watch the film Fight Club.


Pay close attention to the Tyler Durden character.

 

[JDragon]

Who played him?

JDragon

 

[Mr. Pink]

Tyler Durden

Brad Pitt Played Tyler. Great movie by the way.

Mr. Pink

 

[JDragon]

Ok, thats what I was guessing. Thanks

Any other ideas floating around out there? I may not have a chance to rent it before my game next weekend.

JDragon

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

We play CN as "If it feels good for you, do it!"
"Moral consequence - pah!"
"I'm in the boat, push off!"

In essence, utterly self focussed - neither good nor evil, just selfish. Rules are a hassle, get what you can while the gettin's good.

Edit: the "law" of the jungle is another good metaphor for CN. The strong win, the weak lose, end of story.

 

[William Ronald]

Your character will likely question authority, likely only obeying rules if they make sense to him. He may even break rules if someone is overly insistent on them being obeyed.

Too often, chaotic neutral has been played as "insane" due to some of the definitions of alignment in previous editions. A chaotic neutral character may consider himself a free spirit, unbound by social conventions.

There should be a certain degree of unpredictability in his actions. Mind you, he should not run off a cliff just because he is bored.

To a large extent, he may be mostly concerned about himself and a few people close to him. He may have trouble identifying with large groups. (He may still identify with some but for individual reasons, such as being a strongheart halfling or having trained at a wizards guild.)

 

[Sejs]

I'm going to have to disagree with you there, NOoC. What you described is basically neutral evil - grab what you can, and heck with the other guy.


A chaotic neutral character is concerned with personal freedoms - his own, definitly, but also possibly with the freedoms of others. He would ignore the speed limit ("Screw that, I can drive as fast as I want. It's not like I'm running people over."), live in a cluttered, messy home ("I know where it is because I put it there. Who cares if it's on a shelf or on the floor."), and dress however he damn well feels like ("What? I look -good- in red leather pants and a fur coat. 'Sides, it's comfortable.")

He may well resent restrictions placed on him by others, and those he cared about. On a more broad, global level,.. (if he were inclined to this sort of thing) the character would strive to make changes that -he- saw as "good for people" and "liberating" by making them more "self reliant".





Again, I suggest watching Fight Club. It's the best example of a Chaotic Neutral character that I've seen to date. Rent it, or download it off Kazaa or what have you. Note if you do download the movie, I'd also suggest deleting it after watching it once or twice - that way it's still on the level of borrowing it from a friend, instead of actually.. you know.. like.. stealing.

 

[Vaxalon]

In essence, utterly self focussed

No, that's chaotic EVIL.

Chaotic Neutral cares about SOME people.... his family, his companions, and to some extent (if he has them) his neighbors and his countrymen. But he doesn't care ENOUGH to go hugely out of his way for them.

Someone who was totally self-obsessed would only cry at a funeral if he had been written out of the will.

 

[bret]

Chaotic Neutral is the anti-thesis of Lawful Neutral. Since you were playing lawful good, you should have a fair grasp of lawful neutral.

The chaotic neutral values the individual above the needs of broad society. Each person should be allowed to live in the way that they feel is right. There is no need for laws, they are just other people's way to try and control you.

They would tend to have no regard for customs, traditions, or laws. They would never want to be caught wearing a uniform. A crusader of this alignment could easily fight strongly against slavery, indentured servitude, arranged marriages, or a caste system.

I agree that Fight Club will give you good ideas of how to play one. On the other hand, there is no reason you would have to play CN as that destructive.

Good luck with you character. I hope you find a way of playing this that doesn't wreck the character for you. That radical a change can often break a character.