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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 1536796" data-attributes="member: 3146">I think part of the problem is that you're contrasting killing--which may or may not be wrong--with stealing which is always wrong. You might just as well contrast murder--unjustified killing which is by definition wrong--with taking something that isn't yours. There are times when we would consider it justified to take something that isn't ours (then we often call it commandeering or something else) but we wouldn't always call that theft.You ran into this problem with your justification of the actions too. "But we kill people all the time" doesn't help you justify anything if by "killing people" you mean, bursting into the secret temple of Hextor, cutting down the evil acolytes as they attempt to summon a demon and killing the high priest just before he can drive his sacrificial knife into the heart of the beautiful virgin he tied to the sacrificial altar. Similarly, it doesn't help your case if by "killing people" you mean finding the pirates who have been attacking merchant vessels in the region, boarding their vessel, defeating them, and then hanging them as pirates. Those are generally considered good and praiseworthy acts rather than blameworthy acts. They make you heroes not villains. They certainly would not be considered murder. (Now, lying in wait along the side of the road for people who had done you no wrong to kill them and take their money would be considered murder but if that were what your characters were doing, the argument would be "we're evil, what's your problem? Do you expect me to behave like a paladin?")The other problem is that you explain that your primary motivation is greed. You want money and apparently being a hero doesn't earn you enough of it so you steal it. You rationalize it by saying that you only take it from people who've got it coming, but the real reason you steal, by your own admission is that you are greedy. Based on that, I would say, your character is Chaotic Neutral at best. Chaotic Good characters may be described as stealing from the (unjustly) rich and giving to the poor. You're stealing from the (unjustly) rich and keeping it for yourself. There's a big difference. That difference is implicitly recognized by your companions. Their reticence to be associated with someone who steals from people who "have it coming" to line his own pockets is understandable. It's not that big a step from there to stealing from people who "won't miss it" when you need money and push comes to shove. And from there, it's not a big step to just plain stealing from "people." After all, most people have more than they need. Even the peasant with two pairs of shoes only uses one at a time.If you suggested to your companions that the next time they get evidence that some merchant in the city is evil, you coordinate a heist that will leave him suitably punished for his evil activities but leave him with his life and a chance to amend his ways, you might get some traction. (Their arguments against this would probably NOT be that "that's stealing" but rather would more likely focus on the need for people to see that justice is done in order to encourage virtue and discourage vice in the body politic). On the other hand, the way you contrast it above, it's not a live option for the party to engage in but rather a transparent rationalization for your greed.</blockquote>

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