How to play CN

[Fenes 2]

I interprete the alignments a bit differently. For me, lawful means that the character is strongly principled or lives by a code. It does not mean that he will follow the laws of any given country blindly.
Chaotic means, again in my opinion, that the PC is less bound by his own principles and may vary his actions and reactions more wildly. A chaotic character does not have to fight for personal freedom everytime he encounters an authority figure.

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

Chaotic:


Random, dynamic, loves surprises, messy, is sometimes really late or early, procrastinates, drives fast, likes fashion and shiny things, likes big swords, drinking, carousing, wenches, being a wench (please don't shoot me), always has the latest hairstyle/beard/piercing/tattoo/wardrobe/armor, enjoys -fighting, likes music and dancing, can't stand repetitive labor, would prefer multiclassing in as many classes as possible, learning as many things as possible, can't stand authority, can't stand rules or structure or "the status quo" or people who tell him what to do...

Chaotic people believe the rules do not apply to them, including this one.




Of course, the best definition is that:

Chaotic people are undefinable.

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

Wow, crossed some people there.

Sejs

Just being in it for yourself isn't evil especially -in fact it's an attitude that ignores ideas like evil or good. Surely NE - or pure Evil - is more than just selfishness. Surely it also involves a certain amount of proactivity. NE people like to do evil things, whereas CN people just don't care about good or evil!

Vaxalon:

I'd argue that CE is also more than being self obsessed - it is being self-obsessed and cruel. A self-obsessed person can cry at a funeral and can like other people - they just won't make any personal sacrifices for them. CN doesn't stop you liking people or missing them when they're dead, it just means you don't care about them beyond what they do for you.


All IMHO, naturally.

 

[LostSoul]

Play him as a free spirit who cares only for himself and his friends (and family). He has a problem with authority figures.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

I think of Chaotic Neutrals as people or beings who are highly anti-social, and who have a general disregard for the value of life - excepting their own, which they value highly.

Who, then, fits that description as I see it?
Well ...

Thomas Covenant, early on in the Chronicles, fits the description.
Daffy Duck and Wile E Coyote, on a more comical note, fit the description.
Conan the Barbarian, as he is depicted in the film, fits the description prior to meeting Subetei the Archer.
John Carter, Warlord of Barsoom, comes close to fitting the description, especially through the first two books of his saga.

Vierna Do'Urden, daughter of Matron Malice, falls just outside the description, prior to the fall of House Do'Urden (chaotic evil with strong neutral tendencies)
Zaknafein Do'Urden, father of Drizzt Do'Urden, falls within the definition (chaotic neutral, bordering on neutral.)

Gollum, from LOTR, could count as Chaotic Neutral, especially during his time with Frodo and Sam.

Al Capone, might have been Chaotic Neutral in Dungeons and Dragons.

Many racist, elitist elves, who believe all non-elves are to be avoided and/or killed, and eschew social life even with their own people, preferring instead to study tomes or strange mysteries, dwelling in libraries or gymnasiums, or wandering alone in the woods, could be considered Chaotic Neutral.

Chaotic Neutrals are just that.
They are difficult people to get along with.
They are difficult to work with, let alone work with in a team effort.
They are not very altruistic or principalled, and some of them aren't very nice.

A Chaotic Neutral Druid might decide it is best if she simply kills all intruders into her forest.
No intruders, no problems for the forest.

A Chaotic Neutral Barbarian may hate mages, and destroy magic on sight, and revel in brawls, battles, and heroic (or half-suicidal) exploits.

A Chaotic Neutral Mage made obsessively brood over his Tomes, deciding he will go on an adventure ONLY after he obtains a certain spell, and refusing to change his mind despite all requests and reason.

A Chaotic Neutral might be very reasonable and amicable, only to suddenly veer off on a strange tangent of thinking and action, typically right in the middle of something important.

A Chaotic Neutral, might simply wish to be left alone, and have gone to great pains to ensure the quietude of it's existence ... and woe to anyone that bothers it (liches are like that.)

Most Chaotic Neutrals will obey the laws, and they will not run around killing people.
Most Chaotic Neutrals are not sociopaths, doing whatever it takes to get what they want, regardless of social norms.
Most Chaotic Neutrals are not hermits, refusing to talk to anyone or dealing with society in any way.
But enough are to make any Chaotic Neutral a dangerous beast.

Most Chaotic Neutrals are simply anti-social, distancing themselves from people and society as much as they can.
They are not sociopaths, but they are not principalled either, and they may well commit unscrupulous or unreasonable acts in order to obtain their desire, whatever it is (whatever it is, may not conform to what most people desire.)

 

[Drawmack]

Ahhh another alignment war.

The fight club tip is a good one.

I usually play a CN rogue and have been complimented on how well I do it.

Free Spirit is one way to put how they are. They are definatly a me first type individual, however they vary from NE on this basis. While NE is me first and always in the now, the CN does have goals and future sight. My CN rogues are famous for loaning the other party members money to buy equipment. Two reasons work to make this a CN actaion it is to every party member's best interest to have a well equiped party and if the other party members owe him money he doesn't have to carry heavy gold and jewels around with him, thereby making him able to have access to more loot then he can carry.

Here is a breakdown of it.

Chaotic
Here is what the SRD has to say about chaos:

implies freedom, adaptability, and flexibility. On the downside, chaos can include recklessness, resentment toward legitimate authority, arbitrary actions, and irresponsibility.

This means that a chaotic character can but does not have to work vehemetly against the law but rather does not obey the law just because it is the law and sees no need for most laws. For example, they see nothing wrong with stealing from those more fortunate then themselves. On the other hand they probably wouldn't kill just for the sake of killing. The laws are more then simply the laws of the land but encompass creeds, cretos, laws of nature and is basically just an ordered progess to life in general. The chaotic person lacks external foundation to form his behaviours to fit any types of norms and morees. Therefor doing what he wants to do. As long as there is a rational motive for why the characters ''wants'' to do it, then it fits into chaotic.

Neutral
Here is what the SRD has to say about neutral:

People who are neutral with respect to good and evil have compunctions against killing the innocent but lack the commitment to make sacrifices to protect or help others. Neutral people are committed to others by personal relationships. A neutral person may sacrifice himself to protect his family or even his homeland, but he would not do so for strangers who are not related to him.

This is pretty cut and dry to me. He cares about himself. This means that he cares about those that matter to him but does not care about the world in general, showing a general disregard for humanity and such. I tend to play neutral as more of a pendulum swinging from good to evil then a character who toes the line between the two. He might see an old woman being mugged and stop the muggers, then charge the elderly lady all the money and valubales she has on her for the service. The trick is to keep the pendulum swinging. I keep a ledger sheet of good vs. evil and keep them about the same length and hence keep the pendulum swinging.

synopsis
There are two important things about CN to remember. First be a swinging pendulum the goes evenly between CG and CE and you will stay CN. Second you are the most important person in your world so everything has to be for your benefit in some way.

 

[Nifft]

My concept of CN is Libertarian or Libertine. Utterly concerned with freedom from law, obligation and convention, they will go out of their way to flaunt thier independence. Bind one to a promise or contract and they will chafe. A personal code of conduct or contract freely entered into is not a burden -- thier free will allows that without contradiction. They hate laws they didn't make, and do not feel bound by them, within the limits of good sense -- they do not break the law when doing so would most likely result in negative reprecussions.

In personality, they can be outrageous or subversive... the latter is probably more fun to role-play, as one tries to seduce a "chained" person away from the confines of Law.

For some outrageous and/or subversive personality archtypes, consider the Bohemian, the Hippie, and the Beatnik. None would be a burden to the party... they're not insane. Sometimes, they're even aligned with the forces of Good, when Good agrees that a particular law / restriction is Evil -- for example, slavery.

Anyway, that's my take on CN.

-- Nifft

 

[teitan]

Best and most easily emulated example of a CHaotic Neutral character: Conan in the first movie. Not so much interested in helping, but will if it suits his purposes. Primary concerns: getting laid, making some coin, and killing demons because they are evil and Wizards are untrustworthy, unless they are Asian like Mako.

Jason