Should a midwife have a level of Paladin?

[Duncan Haldane]

Hi everyone,

I was thinking recently - does a new born have an alignment?

If so, if it is evil, and a Paladin can therefore detect it, should a newborn be killed because of it's alignment?

And therefore, should all midwifes take a level of Paladin so they can detect evil on their deliveries?



Duncan

 

[Rune]

Interesting question. I personally don't like doing detect evil that way. I instead have the PCs (and NPCs) who are able to do so do it subconsciously. Basically, it's a bad feeling about someone; they're just...creepy. Some more than others.

 

[Thebalor]

Well, unless babies have an evil spirit or such controlling their bodies at birth, I would have to assume they have animal intelligence. Therefore, they are born true neutral. Plus paladins and men of the cloth don't kill babies.

 

[Xarlen]

Aligment does not define action; action defines aligment.

Therefore, until the child can act, then then it has no aligment. Children therefore would be 'neutral'.

Equally, it would be against the paladin's code to kill anything 'defenseless', even if it's evil. The purpose of a paladin is to First be merciful, and attempt to redeme those who are evil. Thus, Killing a baby, even if it's parents are evil, would be wholely wrong, because it is A) Defenseless, B) Unmerciful, and C) Not Inheritly Evil.

Besides, midwives would be likely best as clerics, or experts at healing. It'd cost way too much to train little old ladies the ways of the paladin, weapons training, so forth. Not Very Economical. Paladins should be out saving the world, not staying at home to help Misses Jinkens deliver the baby.

 

[Duncan Haldane]

Besides, midwives would be likely best as clerics, or experts at healing. It'd cost way too much to train little old ladies the ways of the paladin, weapons training, so forth. Not Very Economical. Paladins should be out saving the world, not staying at home to help Misses Jinkens deliver the baby.

But the DMG and PHB don't list any cost for gaining a new class.
One day the rogue can say "hey guys, I found this spellbook in my backpack this morning, and I know how to use it!"

;-)

Duncan

 

[fba827]

This is more or less the nature vs. nurture argument....

Are you born with an inherent alignment or do you grow into an alignment? (or a little of both just different individuals are at different ends of the spectrum).

You know, in retrospect, given that newborn infants do not have the high intelect to even be processing ethical or moral judgements, I'd actually think of them (human infacts anyway) being on par with animalistic morals -- neutral.

that's just my two cents, anyway.

As an addenum, I would imagine that in most worlds, an ethical decision to "eliminate" a new born child (even if it does radiate evil) on the part of a paladin would be a poor choice. The better choice would be to see it as an opportunity to have the child fostered into a better life (and hopefully a better set of ethics).

so that would make the above my third cent...

 

[Tiefling]

It's beyond our abilities to determine it, seeing as babies can't talk, but I seriously doubt that they're are sentient for six weeks at least. So again, animal intelligence.

 

[333 Dave]

Must... resist... urge... failed save...
TROLL!!!

 

[mirzabah]

1) I would rate newborns as neutral.
2) Killing a defenseless infant is evil.
3) A paladin is a holy warrior - an archetype somewhat at odds with the healer/earth mother image usually associated with midwifery. If you really want midwives to be able to detect evil, create a prestige class that has it as a feature.

 

[Tiefling]

2) A paladin is a holy warrior - an archetype somewhat at odds with the healer/earth mother image usually associated with midwifery.

I dunno. IMO a paladin should be fervently pursuing his LG goals, but he can do that however he likes. Adventurers just tend to take the warrior route because it's highly conductive to adventuring.