Reactions towards evil NPCs/Monsters ...

[RObiN-HoOD]

Ok, here we are. The paladin detects evil with his spell-like ability. Suppose the party talk to an NPC within a town for example and the paladin finds out that he is evil (regading alignment). What does this mean? Should he start attacking him? I think not!

The problem is the when players detect evil somewhere they start attacking most of the times without asking anything. I think this is wrong because as I have read, especially in late adventures, you can actually interact with monsters and perhaps learn information or whatever.

It's shouldn't be like "... there is an evil thing ahead ... it looks like monstrous ... just kill him .... charge....". I believe that purely hack'n'slash attitude.

Am I right or is it just me trying to roleplay everything?

 

[Demogorge]

It depends on the PCs and how intelligent or wise they are. There's a lot of evil in the world, and detect evil can detect the degree of evilness too. Also, the PCs should know that some characters may be cursed with "looking" evil under detect evil, but are actually good. If we're talking about a very low int, low wis paladin you probably cant hold it against him to attack first and ask questions later. Though it's pretty easy for a DM to teach a PC like this a lesson.

I would think paladins are trained NOT to attack solely based on detect evil. They are Lawful after all, so maybe they would try to obtain evidence before passing judgement. This is all context based though. There are all types of socieites and orders your DnD world is made up of.

 

[AuraSeer]

You're right. Paladins are supposed to fight evil, but that doesn't mean they need to butcher every goblin or they come across.

When your paladin attacks anything that detects as evil, you need to throw him a few curve balls. Make this behavior cause the party some problems, so they'll start thinking before atacking.

For instance: Next time they're relaxing in town, a half-orc spills his beer into the paladin's lap. The party doesn't know it was really an accident, and the half-orc detects as evil (LE). If the paladin attacks, one swift sword blow kills the drunkard dead, because he's only a low-level commoner. In the morning, the City Watch comes looking for the party, and arrests the paladin for murder. (The half-orc hadn't attacked anyone or broken any laws, and Detect Evil does not give anyone the right to kill random citizens.)

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

In a city you just can't start killing everybody who detect as evil.

It's illegal!

A city guard can be evil, a merchant can be evil, most politicians are evil

 

[rankarrog]

IMC one part of evil is "extremly selfish" not neccessary "will kill everything on sight".

If this is enough reason to kill someone...
...the paladin should at least qualify for an chaotic alignment.

 

[shilsen]

It depends to a great extent on how alignment works in your campaign. I told my players right at the beginning of my campaign that detect evil does not stand up in a court of law, and that killing people simply because they detect as evil can land you in big trouble.

Someone may detect as evil because he is a selfish and greedy merchant, because he is the high priest of an evil cult, because he is a drunk and a wife-beater, or because he he is a 10th level blackguard. You don't know, and although concentrating on the aura may tell you some things, you can't be sure. Plus, most people take great exception to having divination spells cast on them.