Tips On Being Evil

[TheNovaLord]

Yeah, right. While I do enjoy players that can be anything close to actual good... Well - they tend to think of themselves as neutral, or are vastly genre blind (hence the girlfriend). PC's go across the forest and notice five goblins eating around a fire.
"Oh, hello there, fellow sentient beings!" Yeah, right. Even if they don't attack themselves, they are going to slay them if goblins even think of defending their camp. Another example - there's an artefact guarded by hobgoblin tribe. The question won't be "should we really rob them of this possibly holy artefact?" but rather "so do we steal it all stealthy-like, or just kill anyone standing up to us?".

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my group are currently playing the Kingmaker adventure path. even not being LG they have sought to form alliances wherever. So have had non combat dealing with kobolds, mites, thawn giants, and others

If its the norm to slaughter the 5 goblins cos thats what happens, then the goblins should heave learned to surrender to any bands of armed heroes, cos thats a good way to survive, as they may have morals and such OR through there tales and histoires the goblin should have learned to play nice. If they havent and still insist on robbing, assault and murder they shouldnt be surprised when a bunch of chaotic good rangers come over the hill!!!

Everyone plays different, so all we can do is put forward our own views, and hope we help the OP somewhat.

 

[TarionzCousin]

1. Save the princess.
- Have your way with her.

Oh, come on. We all know she got to be the princess by backstabbing and lying. So she's undoubtedly evil.

Besides, I'm a paladin of Aphrodite.

 

[Gort]

1. Save the princess.
- Have your way with her.

Thanks, FATAL.

 

[Alzrius]

Thanks, FATAL.

Oh come on, it's not like there's any other reason to rescue her, besides the rewards of fabulous wealth, noble titles, and grants of land.

Honestly.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

So really, how is any of this kind of thing evil when the vast majority of it is what normal everyday people do?

Committing a single evil act does not make someone evil. Making a habit of evil acts can, and specifically seeking them out is proof. Furthermore, it can be argued what, specifically, evil is; theologians, ethicists, and philosophers have been doing that for millennia. Certainly, many practices in one society are considered horrendously abominable in another. Indeed, many societies say that certain practices are evil--but develop an outlet for them to be practiced anyway.

However, in the milieu of D&D and the alignment system, this is all moot. Since the existence of gods, Detect Evil spells, demons, and the like is assumed, the philosophy of the typical D&D world is vastly different. So, when we learn that orcs are evil, yes, they're evil. When we learn Vecna is evil, then yes, he's evil. The game, in the alignment system, lays down some rules about what evil is, and what good is. Certainly, we can poke and prod the system and come up with some practices that may offend us and may seem "good" or seem "evil" and be perfectly ordinary or even laudable.

Is the D&D alignment system a good representation of the real world? No. However, it is a good framework from which to tell stories and not worry about the ethical implications. It is simple and arbitrary, but that's why it works. Feel free to ditch it in your campaign if you don't like it.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Some quick pointers.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ5VaBgXzuM]YouTube - Eartha Kitt - I Want To Be Evil (Live Kaskad 1962)[/ame]

The Auld Grump

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

I'd side more towards Hand of Evil.

i.e. in the real world, "Evil" is culturally defined. For example, in certain places & times it's perfectly fine to eat people (especially your relatives) and sacrifice thousands of people a year to your god (whether voluntary or not). Those were considered "good" and "right" things to do within those cultural contexts.

In the D&D world it's different. Evil is not relative, it's absolute, otherwise "Detect/Protect from Evil" spells wouldn't work.

I have no idea what the D&D books say about the definition of Evil - we just looked at the alignment stat in the module...

 

[Cor_Malek]

Hehe, as I warned - I tend to... go on, and on sometimes, even when I know I should stop ;-)

And for y'all chaotic evil fans out there, not knowing how to hide your tendencies when travelling with others:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B0ad62tlAQ"]Norman wouldn't hurt a fly[/ame]

As well as OOTS strips 605 and 606 (and as to actual evil deeds - 538 and 539 are far more informative).

 

[ProtoClone]

Wow, as someone who is looking for a nemesis, I would be sorely disappointed in your ability to be evil for me.

But seriously...Evil is relative. Make someone who is evil but with motives you can relate to.

 

[TheYeti1775]

What is evil, there is an age old question in itself.

Evil is what the Victors say is Evil.

Slavery as a whole in modern times, generally is considered an Evil act.
Yet a century and a half ago, it was considered common practice.

Sex with a 14yr old nowadays considered Evil, yet 300yrs ago it was common for a 40yr old man to marry a young teen bride.

Viking raids were of plunder, rape, pillaging. Accepted practice than, evil nowadays.

If you use modern logic, by definition, almost every adventuring party could be considered evil in some way.

So it has to have it's basis in the world you create for your players.

Evil is always on a slide scale. Though for more despicle acts I use a fade to black method, what the players face is how it would truly happen.
Why pull punches? Where else do half-orcs come from?

Which is more evil, the scary looking troll or the little girl in the pink dress gnawing on the hand of her dead mother.
(Side Note: I had a group that avoided any little girls for a long time after one disturbing adventure. Young succubus are devious little things.)

True evil is unfathomable for most, that is why you need to decide what is evil in your world. But than also remember what is evil in one part is not in another.