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

[le Redoutable]

perhaps to give food to everyone here you could rule that at each level a pc may choose ( or is it DM's choice, based on the pc's actions ) an alignment;
that way you can be 9th Level LG + 1st level NE for a 10th level pc ...

 

[Oofta]

Ah, the old "someone LG must obey all laws of the land argument". No mention of whether the people running things are corrupt or simply incompetent, whether the laws are just and good, nothing. Is a LG person going to suddenly start supporting slavery because they cross the border?

That, and it doesn't really matter what alignment Batman is. First there have been dozens of implementations of Batman over the years, it's not like they've been terribly consistent. Second, a person can be LG because of their own strict rules such as the no killing rule. Last but not least it doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks other than the person running Batman. It's just a descriptor, not a straightjacket. Find it useful? Cool. Don't? Ignore it.

 

[payn]

Doesn’t batman have a strict set of personal rules? It isn’t a matter of what rules a lawful character follows just that there is a consistent set of rules that they assign themselves to

Potentially. Its not so much a code, because even a chaotic person can have a code. A belief that society benefits from rules based on tradition and strictly adhering to them is important. So, in some editions of Batman, hes going vigilante because he is trying to restore order to the system.

Or, in the Adam West era, he has a phone line directly to comish Gordon. They call batman whenever they need him so its like hes part of the govt and not really a vigilante at all.

Batman cant be nailed down because he had so many different interpretations over the years.

 

[Hussar]

Not killing makes you good, or at least not evil, but, since that's pretty much the only rule for Batman, it hardly makes him lawful.

I didn't read the thread title closely enough and only voted once.

I wonder how much people are simply doubling up those first two choices to make it look more one sided than it is since there's only one option for getting rid of alignment.

 

[le Redoutable]

Potentially. Its not so much a code, because even a chaotic person can have a code. A belief that society benefits from rules based on tradition and strictly adhering to them is important. So, in some editions of Batman, hes going vigilante because he is trying to restore order to the system.

Or, in the Adam West era, he has a phone line directly to comish Gordon. They call batman whenever they need him so its like hes part of the govt and not really a vigilante at all.

Batman cant be nailed down because he had so many different interpretations over the years.

you seem to ignore societies corrupted as from their attunement to LE !

 

[Cadence]

Not killing makes you good, or at least not evil, but, since that's pretty much the only rule for Batman, it hardly makes him lawful.

It kind of feels like there are plenty of evil things short of killing...

 

[payn]

you seem to ignore societies corrupted as from their attunement to LE !

On the contrary, thats why Batman is able to go rogue while maintaining his lawful alignment.

 

[le Redoutable]

Potentially. Its not so much a code, because even a chaotic person can have a code. A belief that society benefits from rules based on tradition and strictly adhering to them is important. So, in some editions of Batman, hes going vigilante because he is trying to restore order to the system.

Or, in the Adam West era, he has a phone line directly to comish Gordon. They call batman whenever they need him so its like hes part of the govt and not really a vigilante at all.

Batman cant be nailed down because he had so many different interpretations over the years.

the code for Chaotic above all is Freedom ( I swear ! )

 

[CreamCloud0]

Not killing makes you good, or at least not evil, but, since that's pretty much the only rule for Batman, it hardly makes him lawful.

I didn't read the thread title closely enough and only voted once.

I wonder how much people are simply doubling up those first two choices to make it look more one sided than it is since there's only one option for getting rid of alignment.

You can recast your votes on this poll I believe

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Doesn’t batman have a strict set of personal rules? It isn’t a matter of what rules a lawful character follows just that there is a consistent set of rules that they assign themselves to

When your focus is on you as an individual, rather than a greater whole, how is that lawful? Chaotic people can have strong codes. Two Face has a a particular personal rule even!

I'd say he's CG (usually) with lawful ideals of justice (except Adam West Batman, who is LG). But this is why it's a poor shorthand.

Ah, the old "someone LG must obey all laws of the land argument". No mention of whether the people running things are corrupt or simply incompetent, whether the laws are just and good, nothing. Is a LG person going to suddenly start supporting slavery because they cross the border?

That, and it doesn't really matter what alignment Batman is. First there have been dozens of implementations of Batman over the years, it's not like they've been terribly consistent. Second, a person can be LG because of their own strict rules such as the no killing rule. Last but not least it doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks other than the person running Batman. It's just a descriptor, not a straightjacket. Find it useful? Cool. Don't? Ignore it.

I'd say his focus on his own wants, rather than working to improve the society he claims to want to benefit makes him chaotic. He's a cishet white male billionaire super scientist with 18's in every stat who is friends with Superman. The idea that he can't change Gotham for the better and improve the system is ludicrous. He's chaotic because he puts nothing above his own personal quest for vengeance. Batman Batmans for Batman. It's worth noting Batman sometimes kills people, notably Darkseid. Like the Pirate Code, it's really more of a guideline.