D&D 5E What to do about a player... A little advice please

[Iry]

Alignment does not compel player agency any more than a PC's personality traits, ideal, bond, or flaw do.

That said, if you're not comporting your PCs behavior that hew to your alignment, personality traits, ideal, bond, or flaw without a legitimate in-game rationale, then what is the point of even putting those things on your character sheet?

I personally run it the other way around. My players portray their characters without focusing on things like Alignment, Ideals, Bonds, or Flaws. Then every couple of months we review them to see if they match up with how the characters have been acting, and make changes where necessary. In other words, my PC's don't comport to those things, they comport to the PCs.

But alignment has always been a tricky thing. One part little angel/devil/modron/slaad on your shoulder, and one part objective metaphysical judgement that determines how a few spells affect you.

 

[Phion]

Alignments, ideals, bonds and flaws in a nutshell