D&D 5E Would You Rather Have a LE or CN party member?

[Eltab]

Chaotic Neutral, as typically played, can be well-described as "Heath Ledger's Joker". But it should be "I do what I want, no preconceived rules need apply" with enlightened self-interest.

Lawful Evil can be easier to play with if the character describes his code of conduct (the Lawful part) and something in it meshes with the campaign goal. Most players are aware of Batman (and IRL the US - USSR alliance during World War Two), and can cooperate to achieve a common goal, knowing they will probably go very separate ways thereafter.

 

[Oofta]

Chaotic Neutral, as typically played, can be well-described as "Heath Ledger's Joker". But it should be "I do what I want, no preconceived rules need apply" with enlightened self-interest.

Lawful Evil can be easier to play with if the character describes his code of conduct (the Lawful part) and something in it meshes with the campaign goal. Most players are aware of Batman (and IRL the US - USSR alliance during World War Two), and can cooperate to achieve a common goal, knowing they will probably go very separate ways thereafter.

The joker is chaotic evil. With a big "E". Which is why I tell people CN and CE are not synonymous. Chaotic just means you don't believe in rules dictated by someone else, don't believe a title means more than the deeds of the person. You don't believe in "the man". Adding neutral to that does not make you a sociopath.

On the other hand, Hannibal Lecter (or any number of real world serial killers) are LE. Along with any number of dictators, people responsible for mass murder and gangsters. Just because you have a code of conduct doesn't mean that code won't mean you can screw over party members the moment they violate the letter of the law.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Chaotic Neutral, as typically played, can be well-described as Chaotic Evil.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

IMO there should only be 2 alignments: Plays Nice With Others and Does Not Play Nice With Others.

 

[Wulffolk]

I don't use Alignments. I prefer characters to have more depth for their motivation and behavior.

If you forced me to choose I would tend to prefer LE because Lawful is typically more conducive to party-dynamics. CN has too often been the go to Alignment of disruptive players that think they are smarter than everybody else because they did not choose CE.

That being said, I my preferred archetype of a Barbarian/Bard "Skald" tends to be what most would consider CN, but that is more about being a less civilised than it the "insane jester" that CN often gets played as.

 

[Horwath]

IMO there should only be 2 alignments: Plays Nice With Others and Does Not Play Nice With Others.

This is true.

But players need to understand that Chaotic part of the alignment(be that CG,CN or CE) does not mean that the character will break the law or social etiquete just because "lolz".

Chaotic characters obey the law until the law is just and fair(or whatever their meaning of law is). And rebel against it if it is not. How they rebel depends on their good-evil scale and also are they suicidal or not.

CN does not mean, or at least it should not mean that you are crazy.

It means that you will not suffer authority over you unless you absolutely need to and that you will not go out of your way to help people, but also that you will not harm them. At least not directly and without any need.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

I'm fine with any alignment as long as the player keeps my table rules:

- No fighting among players (including not doing actions other players would significantly disagree with like killing an important NPC just for fun)

- No elaborate torture scenes

 

[Zardnaar]

I would prefer Rats to a CN one. The CN one gets the whole party killed with routine Leroy Jenkins charges.

Rats just wants your respect.

He is not afraid to use dead horse heads on peoples beds though.


I think he will become a patron of an orphanage or something. Rob from the rich, give to the poor privately angle for guildmaster or similar position.

 

[jasper]

To paraphrase what I said in 1998 "alignment is third or four on things to worry about. Place nice with co-players".

 

[MNblockhead]

To paraphrase what I said in 1998 "alignment is third or four on things to worry about. Place nice with co-players".

And to paraphrase another wise man: "I've got 99 problems and a-lignment ain't one."