Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="hamishspence" data-source="post: 3332322" data-attributes="member: 41555">Book Of Exalted Deeds has much to say."Always evil" means that it may not be irredeemable, but there is only a glimmer of hope.Fiends are "best slain or at least banished"Usually evil: meaning, "goblins, orcs and even the thoroughly evil drow" should be given consideration. This doesn't mean that your first thought should be "how can I redeem these poor orcs" but chance to surrender should be offered, unconcsious orcs should be healed not coup-de-graced, and most importantly, "Violence against non-combatants cannot be considered good: a exalted wizard cannot throw a fireball that includes orc women and children"In Forgotten Realms a red/blue dragon hybrid is successfully raised good. Some metallic dragons have shifted down to Neutral alignment from good. Things can change.Intelligence is a factor: extra consideration to brainy creatures.Type is partly a factor: aberrations and plants are much less likely to change alignment than giants and humans. Monstrous humanoids are somewhat less likely to change. Evil subtype is a stronger control than being orc or troll. VERY few creatures (MUCH less than those "Formerly always evil but now good" make the change. And struggle against the force within them. However I would say that if you can authenticate their good alignment you should forgive their evil subtype.On the other side of the coin, being Evil requires that you have done something evil according to Tyrants Of the Nine Hells. It need not be much (gratuitous humiliation counts. Evil cultures make their young go though coming of age rituals where they bully others)In 3.0 Atonement couldn't fix wilful paladins. 3.5 removed this, and Exalted Deeds clarified that yes, a paladin can atone and regain powers and ability to advance.Culpability: No, you aren't responsible for the deeds of others, but your conscience might still trouble you. You might still wish you had prevented, for example, the villain yanking your son as he falls off building (Last Action Hero)I've never liked the Born Evil so Must Die view. Brian Jacques of Redwall book fame had the phrase "When mountains have crumbled into dust, vermin will still remain vermin" as an explanation for a villain raised by good guys staying evil (Veil Sixclaw in "Outcast of Redwall". Even he has a few exceptions, and his good guys make it clear they still wouldn't have been able to turn the evil infant away.I much prefer David Gemmell, who has many examples of evil guys finding some redemption before they die (Goroien in Ghost King, the Moidart in Stormrider, even Anharat the Demon King, in Winter Warriors)</blockquote>

Verification