D&D 5E What do you think should be done with alignment?

[le Redoutable]

Uh huh... I follow you up to "good points", the rest seems unnecessary or doesn't make any sense at all. Have a good day.

Hey! I don't want to make strong enemies !
Ahhh I get my idea :
when you master your thoughts you can push productive matter, or just laugh at inferior beings

 

[le Redoutable]

He be a MONK. All the 1e arguments about thieves and crap are missing the Monk... requires Lawful alignment, if you want to get into that whole "class" mess with comic book characters that do not fit the D&D archetypes. D&D is its own subgenre of fantasy.

Oh yes !
That's the reason why some people here claim Lawful guys do abide by code of conduct ( monasteries )

 

[Aldarc]

I mean, the alignment chart is an almost entirely vestigial structure that people rarely pay attention to outside of memes and morality debates either, so...
Alignment made sense when it was about being literally aligned with cosmic factions, it makes little sense when used as an actual morality system. I've never used it except when I had to for mechanical purposes (started playing in 3.5, so to play a monk I had to have an L on my character sheet). I've never used it as a GM.

Having said that, from a purely commercial standpoint, the alignment chart is iconicly D&D, so I doubt it will be going anywhere any time soon.

I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again. Alignment as a representation of a character actively aligning themselves with cosmic factions provides interesting character hooks into a campaign. However, alignment as D&D’s version of MBTI and astrology is a stale, hollow addition to the game.

Alignment as factions makes for engaging campaign conflict. Alignment as personality type makes for frustrating table conflict.

Edit: All IMHO.

 

[Scruffy nerf herder]

you make good points, but are a little arrogant ( if you permit the correction )
you should make water in your wine
( but perhaps time is limited )

Oh it's alright we're all human here. It's almost physically impossible to find something more arrogant than any one given human.

My homemade hamburgers are better than yours. There. I said it. I'm an arrogant lout, I know.

 

[le Redoutable]

Oh it's alright we're all human here. It's almost physically impossible to find something more arrogant than any one given human.

My homemade hamburgers are better than yours. There. I said it. I'm an arrogant lout, I know.

could you be serious at a time ?
insults are never free of charge

 

[Hussar]

You can recast your votes on this poll I believe

But, why would I want to?

Anyone who thinks alignment is largely a pointless waste of space is going to pick the last option. All other options are in favor of keeping some form of alignment. If you like 5e alignment, it would make sense to also pick the 1/2/3e 9 point alignment option. But, if you don't like alignment, there's only one option.

Like I said, it's very, very likely that if we were to limit this poll to 1 choice, the split would be a LOT clearer.

As it stands, nearly as many people would like to eject alignment as keep it, so, I figure we're likely going to keep 5e alignment since, well, it has no mechanical meaning and is largely just a sop to people who want alignment in the game. It's not like it actually does anything. It's just sitting there. I guess if it makes folks happy and I don't have to spend the next ten years listening to them constantly bitch about how D&D now sucks because they changed alignment, it served its purpose.

 

[Scruffy nerf herder]

could you be serious at a time ?
insults are never free of charge

I don't know?

 

[delericho]

These days I would just drop alignment. Once you remove its last vestiges of mechanical effect, the "what does it gain" vs "what does it cost" equation becomes pretty solidly negative.

And with the designers already grappling with the problematic nature of labelling certain races/cultures/organizations as 'good' and 'evil', not is probably a good time to get rid of those labels altogether.

 

[le Redoutable]

hey you people ! how can one find some material hidden deep in the flow of topics if you edit your words ( and swap away things that you think are no more valid )

 

[Scruffy nerf herder]

hey you people ! how can one find some material hidden deep in the flow of topics if you edit your words ( and swap away things that you think are no more valid )

Press "control+f" on each page, and then type some words you think are probably in that material?