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How welcome would a wordy and somewhat philosophical treatment of alignment be here? [Thread resolved, thank you.]
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<blockquote data-quote="generic" data-source="post: 7866066" data-attributes="member: 6923088"><p>Alignment philosophy has only rarely actually benefited my game, but it rarely retracts from it. This is largely because I'm not the type of DM who says "play by your alignment" all the time. In fact, I use such restrictions very, very rarely.</p><p></p><p>That being said, I believe that the alignment system can function as a good approximation of ideological tendencies as long as you treat it more as a tool than an explicit rule, except in terms of Celestials and Fiends.</p><p></p><p>Let me explain.</p><p></p><p>If a PC who is Chaotic Neutral decides that it is in his or her interest to murder people in their sleep (cultists, in this case), I won't pass a moral judgement. I won't even pass a moral judgement if a Paladin who is Lawful Good does so, although their oath's terms may be violated.</p><p></p><p>The explicit aspect of alignment is only really important when you consider outsiders, or if you have an unusally-alignment-attuned campaign. For example, a mortal can be inclined to take Chaotic Good actions most of the time, but a CG Celestial is by its nature <strong>always </strong>Chaotic Good.</p><p></p><p>Of course, this varies by game, and by your conception of Celestial versus Fiend and such concerns.</p><p></p><p>The central thesis at my table is that the DM doesn't tell you what your character would intrinsically be "not good" for doing. After all, a Lawful Good missionary whose creed includes slaying and drowning nonbelievers is still Lawful Good because of their conception of their actions according to what they see as Lawful Good.</p><p></p><p>In my opinion, it's not exactly my place to pass judgement on <em>what </em>"Chaotic Good" means to an individual PC.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="generic, post: 7866066, member: 6923088"] Alignment philosophy has only rarely actually benefited my game, but it rarely retracts from it. This is largely because I'm not the type of DM who says "play by your alignment" all the time. In fact, I use such restrictions very, very rarely. That being said, I believe that the alignment system can function as a good approximation of ideological tendencies as long as you treat it more as a tool than an explicit rule, except in terms of Celestials and Fiends. Let me explain. If a PC who is Chaotic Neutral decides that it is in his or her interest to murder people in their sleep (cultists, in this case), I won't pass a moral judgement. I won't even pass a moral judgement if a Paladin who is Lawful Good does so, although their oath's terms may be violated. The explicit aspect of alignment is only really important when you consider outsiders, or if you have an unusally-alignment-attuned campaign. For example, a mortal can be inclined to take Chaotic Good actions most of the time, but a CG Celestial is by its nature [B]always [/B]Chaotic Good. Of course, this varies by game, and by your conception of Celestial versus Fiend and such concerns. The central thesis at my table is that the DM doesn't tell you what your character would intrinsically be "not good" for doing. After all, a Lawful Good missionary whose creed includes slaying and drowning nonbelievers is still Lawful Good because of their conception of their actions according to what they see as Lawful Good. In my opinion, it's not exactly my place to pass judgement on [I]what [/I]"Chaotic Good" means to an individual PC. [/QUOTE]
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How welcome would a wordy and somewhat philosophical treatment of alignment be here? [Thread resolved, thank you.]
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