Who am I? Who is she?

[Sub Rosa]

This is probably a question that comes up all the time, but I appreciate any advice all the same. I'm sort of new to gaming and I'm playing a wizard/noble that is the first character I've ever played from 1st level now up to 10th. My character concept has shifted pretty dramatically from when I started and now I'm starting to worry about it. First, I decided to give up my title 'cuz it was only mine by marriage anyway and I decided I was going to be this dedicated wizard...and then I found this sword that's possibly an artifact (and I have only the barest notion of what that means).

Simply put, this sword talks to me like it's luring me to the dark side of the force. At least that's how I, as a person, perceive it. There's my dilemma. I'm playing a wizard and everybody says a wizard wants power, arcane knowledge, etc. So in the pursuit of those things would my character - very excited wizard lady - worry too much about the slippery slope that this sword may be leading me down? Or would she be "Hey neat- I can get all this stuff and I don't have to betray the party!"?

The other players in my group, and even the DM, don't quite understand my problem with this. Even I'm starting to worry I'm overthinking the matter. Sure, I'd love to throw caution to the wind and see where this leads me, but is that really roleplaying then? Where do I draw the line? Do I say, no, my character wouldn't kill the prisoner she just promised mercy to because that's what I personally feel is right. Or would she say hey, he's kinda evil...and if he'd been killed in battle I wouldn't feel bad about it...and really what am I gonna do with the guy if I don't kill him?

I'm having trouble deciding whether to merge my morality with this character (like I started out) or completely divorce the two (cuz that'd probably be fun).

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for listening to my ramblings.

 

[werk]

I'm having trouble deciding whether to merge my morality with this character (like I started out) or completely divorce the two (cuz that'd probably be fun).

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for listening to my ramblings.

Play the character separate from yourself, it is a character, not an avatar.

That said, feel free to have the character reflect the ideals that you feel are 'good' or 'evil' as those are fairly relative terms in all but the most gross examples.

My general advice is to play your character according to his or her alignment and goals.

If he is considering keeping the sword, why? If he's interested in arcane power, how can the sword supply this? Have him question the sword, and then determine if he believes the sword or not (evil has a tendency to lie about things). If the sword offers him unlimited power in combat, that may not be very appealing to a book worm.

Here's a question for your DM. If you are dominated or charmed by someone or something and forced to do evil acts, does your character become evil?

 

[Goldmoon]

Can you even use the sword?

 

[werk]

Can you even use the sword?

Everyone can use a sword, you just take penalties. (barring size issues)

 

[Sub Rosa]

Yes, I can use the sword, and yes it has proven very helpful with arcane matters. Otherwise it functions as a +1 weapon and I use it as such.

 

[Cedric]

My suggestion...keep your distinct personality, don't change to match the goals of the sword. If you can, work to find a middle ground of goals that both you and the sword agree on, then work towards furthering those goals.

To me, concept is the most important thing. I want to know how my character would react in almost any given situation. However, that doesn't mean that the character is static. He/She can grow, change over time. Take on new traits and discard old ones. Very much a growing and maturing process.

 

[TYPO5478]

In reference to the sword, I'd suggest rereading the alignment descriptions in the Player's Handbook (or here). If the sword is asking you to do evil things (and you do them), there's a good chance your alignment will shift toward evil. By the way, what is your alignment?

As for the character in general, I would warn against relying on your party members to make decisions about your character's motives. Trusting their tactical advice or their suggestions for feats and skills is okay, but when it comes to who your character is and what she believes, that's entirely up to you. However, I would agree with what werk said: "Play the character separate from yourself, it is a character, not an avatar." Your character may have values similar to yours, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she is like you.

Unfortunately, I have to disagree with something else werk said:

'Good' and 'evil'... are fairly relative terms in all but the most gross examples.

Not in D&D, they aren't. Good and evil are pretty concrete terms in the d20 system; if they weren't, certain abilities would be difficult to adjudicate, or just downright useless (detect evil, for example). In real life, the difference is much less clear, since two different entities can believe that their mutually exclusive positions are both "good" relative to themselves. D&D doesn't allow for such ambiguity, at least not to that extent (although your DM may still throw moral dilemmas at you). Acts in D&D are good or evil (or, if neither of those, neutral). If you want an in-depth analysis of good and evil, see if anyone in your gaming group has a copy of the Book of Exalted Deeds and the Book of Vile Darkness, repectively.

 

[werk]

Not in D&D, they aren't.

I knew someone would argue that statement, but I left it in anyways. As I said GROSS examples are easy to call. Kill a baby, probably evil; feed the poor, probably good; but there are a lot of small things that don't easily lean one way or the other. Say you accidently break the law, but the local courts are run by bad guys, you are imprisoned and forced to pay a fine. You don't pay the fine and skip town, because that town is wack, yo! Now, is that character acting 'good' or 'evil'?

It's not really worth carrying on in this thread, but suffice to say, I disagree with your cut-and-dried belief.

The devil is in the details.

 

[DM_Matt]

I knew someone would argue that statement, but I left it in anyways. As I said GROSS examples are easy to call. Kill a baby, probably evil; feed the poor, probably good; but there are a lot of small things that don't easily lean one way or the other. Say you accidently break the law, but the local courts are run by bad guys, you are imprisoned and forced to pay a fine. You don't pay the fine and skip town, because that town is wack, yo! Now, is that character acting 'good' or 'evil'?

It's not really worth carrying on in this thread, but suffice to say, I disagree with your cut-and-dried belief.

The devil is in the details.

That character is non-lawful.

 

[werk]

That character is non-lawful.

Exactly my point.