D&D 5E RIP alignment

[Scribe]

You can murder all the orcs you want because they are bad people and evil is in their nature, says the game with the help of alignment.

This isnt what 'Evil' as an alignment says at all.

 

[darjr]

Here is an image capture of the tweet.

 

[Maxperson]

The thing is, well designed system is focused. Even better, lazer-focused. Every rule, every word, every setting detail revolves around one, well-defined goal. Everything that doesn't work for that goal should be thrown out, swiftly and ruthlessly.

I don't agree. A well designed game can be more general OR it can be laser focused. It doesn't have to be one or the other. Clearly you have a preference on this front and that's fine. I just don't agree that your preference represents the only way to design a game well.

 

[Charlaquin]

I have been playing since 1984 and almost never use alignment. It is arbitrary and contrived and few beings/people adhere to anything so rigid. Besides, if using alignment no character should start with an alignment. It should be noted later as actions really dictate alignment and not alignment dictating actions.

The way I like to use alignment is that the alignment you write on your character sheet is your character’s ideals. What they believe is right, regardless of whether they successfully live up to their own moral and political standards. On the other hand, for any effects that care what your character’s alignment is, your actual behavior determines what alignment that effect treats your character as, not your ideals.

The thing is, there are almost no effects in 5e that care what your character’s alignment is, so I don’t see anything of value being lost by removing alignment altogether. Either make alignment matter, or ditch it, but trying to have it both ways isn’t working.

 

[overgeeked]

Correct. My point is that it's a personal issue, not an objective one.

No. You'll go with what your anecdotal evidence tells you, which comes only from what SOME non-white gamers have said to you. You have no right to lump all non-white gamers into the category you want them to be in. They get to choose for themselves.

LOL. What?

 

[Scribe]

The thing is, there are almost no effects in 5e that care what your character’s alignment is, so I don’t see anything of value being lost by removing alignment altogether. Either make alignment matter, or ditch it, but trying to have it both ways isn’t working.

It works fine, as you can ignore it, or not, at your preference.

Removal, improves nothing. Its just less for the game, much like a few other choices they are leaning towards.

 

[MGibster]

D&D is not designed to be laser focused. I think that's a strength because I don't wan the game telling me what my campaign is. D&D can revolve around alignments or not. It can be a struggle of good vs evil or a moral quandary can lurk around every corner.

I don't know about laser focused but over the years most every D&D setting has provided a fairly y similar gaming experience. The alignments, most of the races, the spells, the cosmology, and the classes were all pretty much the same. Some settings, like Planescape and Darksun, shook things up a bit. Heck, Eberron won the setting contest in part because it's designed to fit everything D&D into it.

 

[darjr]

It works fine, as you can ignore it, or not, at your preference.

Removal, improves nothing. Its just less for the game, much like a few other choices they are leaning towards.

Speak for your self. I think it does. And so do the designers. So now what?

 

[Scribe]

Speak for your self.

Generally, yes.

How does the option harm you personally?

 

[darjr]

Generally, yes.

How does the option harm you personally?

You stated removing it is bad like it was a universal fact when it just isn't. Removing it may indeed improve it a lot.

Edit: I thought you meant opinion, not option.