Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
, alignment is a categorization of the ethical
and moral
perspective of people, creatures and societies.
Early editions of Dungeons & Dragons allowed players to choose between three alignments when creating a character
: lawful, implying honor and respect for society's rules; chaotic, implying the opposite; and neutral, meaning neither. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons introduced a second axis of good, neutral and evil, offering a combination of nine alignments.
The nine alignments can be represented in a grid, as follows:
This schema of nine alignments was used throughout the first and second editions of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, as well as the successor game, the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, released in 2008, reduces the number of alignments to five: lawful good, good, unaligned, evil, and chaotic evil.
credited the inspiration for the alignment system to the fantasy stories of Poul Anderson
and Michael Moorcock
. The game's alignment system from the original 1974 boxed set
initially featured only Law, Neutrality and Chaos. Law generally equated to good and heroism, and Chaos implied anarchy and evil; however, the good and evil parallels were not strongly defined. Dwarves were Lawful and elves Chaotic, while humans could be of any of the three alignments.
Richard Bartle
's Designing Virtual Worlds
noted that alignment is a way to categorize players, along with gender, race (or what would be called by sub-species in the real world), character class, and sometimes nationality. Alignment was designed to help with roleplaying. Players decide how their characters should behave when they assign them an alignment, then play them based on that decision. The dimensions lawful/chaotic and good/evil, which both cross neutral, come from AD&D. "A lawful good character is benevolent and just; a lawful evil character plays by the rules, but is without mercy; a chaotic good character is a rebel with a conscience; a chaotic evil character is a self-serving bully who'll do anything to further their ambitions." The five other combinations involve some form of neutrality. Alignments can change. If a lawful neutral character consistently performs good acts, when neutral or evil actions were possible, their alignment will shift to lawful good. In games, the referee (or Dungeon Master
) decides when alignment violations occur because it is subjective.
A player character's (PC's) alignment can be seen as their outlook on life. A player decides if his or her character is good, neutral, or evil. A player also decides whether the character's alignment is lawful, neutral, or chaotic. A neutral good character is unconcerned with the "cosmic balance", but is kind to those around them. Notable character class restrictions during early editions of the game included the Paladin, who had to be Lawful Good; the Druid, who had to be Neutral Neutral; the Ranger, who had to be Chaotic or Neutral Good; and the Thief, who could not be Lawful. Alignment is important for Clerics as well. D&D's gods are "strongly aligned", and their clerics must follow a similar alignment.
Alignment is only a tool for guiding gameplay, not an immutable declaration of how a character must act, and is used only as a guideline. Still, characters in a party should have compatible alignments; Lawful Good characters are compatible with Lawful Evil characters if they have a common goal, but the addition of a Chaotic Evil character may tear the party apart. Characters may even have some influence on the alignment of their companions. Lawful Good leaders may influence their companions to act in a more noble fashion. The authors of Dungeon Master For Dummies have found that a party of good or neutral characters works better: the impetus for adventures is easier, group dynamics are smoother, and it allows the "heroic aspects of D&D [to] shine through".
While the game had always allowed the creation of creatures who were intrinsically good or evil, it was not until Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) that the concept was explicitly introduced into the alignment system. Characters and creatures became capable of being lawful at the same time as being evil (such as a tyrant), or chaotic but good (such as Robin Hood
). Nine alignment combinations became possible in all. For example, lawful good (LG) or neutral evil (NE) are two possible alignments, referred to with the law/chaos component first and the good/evil component last. A character or creature considered neutral on both axes is referred to as true neutral or simply neutral. This system was used up to and including the 3.5 edition of the D&D game.
Under 2nd Edition AD&D rules, a character who performed too many actions outside of his alignment could find their alignment changed, with penalties requiring more experience to be gained to reach the next level. In third edition D&D this restriction was removed.
In the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons game, a character's alignment can restrict what character classes
the character may take. For example, a lawful character cannot become a bard or a barbarian, a druid must be neutral in at least one aspect, and only lawful good characters can become a paladin. Certain weapons (such as a Holy weapon) or spells (such as detect evil) affect creatures differently depending on alignment.
A rule removed from recent editions of the game was alignment languages, wherein people of the same alignment could communicate through insinuations and intimations that only really make sense between those of like-minded affiliation with an aspect of a universal standard of ethic and morality.
In 4th edition, alignments were simplified by merging them into a single continuum, eliminating the chaotic good, lawful neutral, chaotic neutral, and lawful evil alignments. The remaining alignments are:
setting lore, too, the precepts of law and chaos predate good and evil in the world's prehistory. Players often consider law and chaos less relevant to their character than good and evil. Confusingly, a lawful alignment does not necessarily mean that a character obeys a region's laws, nor does a chaotic alignment necessarily mean that a character disobeys a region's laws.
The third edition D&D rules define law and chaos as follows:
It is more common for creatures to be neutral with regard to law/chaos than good/evil. Certain extraplanar creatures, such as the numerous and powerful Modron
s, are always lawful. Conversely, Slaad
i are chaotic, representing beings of chaos. Dwarven societies are usually lawful, while Elven societies are most often chaotic.
The third edition D&D rules define good and evil as follows:
Paladins, altruistic heroes and creatures such as angels are considered good aligned. Villains and violent criminals are considered evil, as are inherently evil creatures such as demons and most undead. Animals are considered neutral even when they attack innocents, because they act on natural instinct and lack the intelligence to make moral decisions.
can have one of the nine alignments. The sourcebook Complete Scoundrel
cites real world fictional characters as examples of aligned individuals. In an attempt to simplify the codes of conduct for characters, non-canon
takes on alignment sometimes occur.
.
Lawful Good characters, especially paladins, may sometimes find themselves faced with the dilemma of whether to obey law or good when the two conflict—for example, upholding a sworn oath when it would lead innocents to come to harm—or conflicts between two orders, such as between their religious law and the law of the local ruler.
In the Complete Scoundrel
sourcebook Batman
, Dick Tracy
and Indiana Jones
are cited as examples of lawful good characters.
Examples of Neutral Good characters include Zorro
and Spider-Man
. The Neutral Good outsiders
are known as Guardinal
s.
Robin Hood
, Starbuck
from Battlestar Galactica
, and Malcolm Reynolds
from Firefly
are examples of Chaotic Good individuals. Eladrin
are the outsider
race representing Chaotic Good.
Characters of this alignment are neutral with regard to good and evil. This does not mean that Lawful Neutral characters are amoral or immoral, or do not have a moral compass, but simply that their moral considerations come a distant second to what their code, tradition, or law dictates. They typically have a strong ethical code, but it is primarily guided by their system of belief, not by a commitment to good or evil.
James Bond
, Odysseus
, and Sanjuro from Yojimbo are considered by Complete Scoundrel as Lawful Neutral. Three exemplars of Lawful Neutral outsiders
exist. These are the Formian
s, the Inevitables and the Modrons
.
Some Neutral characters, rather than feeling undecided, are committed to a balance between the alignments. They may see good, evil, law and chaos as simply prejudices and dangerous extremes. Mordenkainen
is one such character who takes this concept to the extreme, dedicating himself to a detached philosophy of neutrality to ensure that no one alignment or power takes control of the Flanaess
.
Druids frequently follow this True Neutral dedication to balance, and under Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules were required to be this alignment. In an example given in the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook, a typical druid might fight against a band of marauding gnolls, only to switch sides to save the gnolls' clan from being totally exterminated.
Lara Croft
, Lucy Westenra
from Dracula
and Han Solo
in his early Star Wars
appearance are neutral. The true neutral outsiders
are known as the Rilmani
.
An unusual subset of Chaotic Neutral is "strongly Chaotic Neutral", describing a character who behaves chaotically to the point of appearing insane. Characters of this type may regularly change their appearance and attitudes for the sake of change, and intentionally disrupt organizations for the sole reason of disrupting a lawful construct. Characters of this type include the Xaositects from the Planescape
setting, and Hennet from the third edition Player's Handbook
. In Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Chaotic Neutral was frequently assumed to refer to this subset.
Captain Jack Sparrow, Al Swearengen from the TV series Deadwood
, and Snake Plissken
from Escape from New York
are Chaotic Neutral characters according to Complete Scoundrel. Slaad
i represent pure chaos outsiders
.
Like Lawful Good Paladins, Lawful Evil characters may sometimes find themselves faced with the dilemma of whether to obey law or evil when the two conflict. However, their issues with Law versus Evil are more concerned with "Will I get caught?" versus "How does this benefit me?"
Boba Fett
of Star Wars
, and X-Men
s Magneto
are cited examples of Lawful Evil characters. The Lawful Evil outsiders
are known as Baatezu
(Devils).
Examples are an assassin who has little regard for formal laws but does not needlessly kill, a henchman who plots behind his superior's back, or a mercenary who switches sides if made a better offer.
Complete Scoundrel cites X-Men's
Mystique
, and Sawyer of the early seasons of Lost
as Neutral Evil characters. Yugoloth
s (Daemons) are the outsiders
of Neutral Evil.
It is not compulsory for a Chaotic Evil character to be constantly performing sadistic acts just for the sake of being evil, or constantly disobeying orders just for the sake of causing chaos. They do however enjoy the suffering of others, and view honor and self-discipline as weaknesses. Serial killers and monsters of limited intelligence are typically Chaotic Evil.
According to the Complete Scoundrel
sourcebook, Carl Denham
from King Kong and Riddick
from Pitch Black are Chaotic Evil. The chaotic evil outsiders
are the Tanar'ri
(Demons).
In some campaigns, there are even neutral with tendencies towards one of the four cores of good, evil, law, and chaos (totaling the maximum possibilities to twenty-one), although there are rarely respective Outer Planes tied to these.
's ideas have greatly influenced video game design. MMORPG
s such as Ultima Online
and EverQuest
have good and evil races which actively oppose each other.
Dungeons & Dragons alignment system is occasionally referenced as a system of moral classification in other contexts. For example, Salon.com
television critic Heather Havrislesky, reviewing the HBO television series True Blood
, analyzed the program's characters in terms of Dungeons & Dragons alignment (for example, identifying protagonist Sookie Stackhouse
as chaotic good, and her vampire boyfriend Bill Compton
as lawful neutral).
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, alignment is a categorization of the ethical
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
and moral
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
perspective of people, creatures and societies.
Early editions of Dungeons & Dragons allowed players to choose between three alignments when creating a character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
: lawful, implying honor and respect for society's rules; chaotic, implying the opposite; and neutral, meaning neither. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons introduced a second axis of good, neutral and evil, offering a combination of nine alignments.
The nine alignments can be represented in a grid, as follows:
| Lawful Good | Neutral Good | Chaotic Good |
| Lawful Neutral | Neutral | Chaotic Neutral |
| Lawful Evil | Neutral Evil | Chaotic Evil |
This schema of nine alignments was used throughout the first and second editions of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, as well as the successor game, the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, released in 2008, reduces the number of alignments to five: lawful good, good, unaligned, evil, and chaotic evil.
History
Dungeons & Dragons creator Gary GygaxGary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
credited the inspiration for the alignment system to the fantasy stories of Poul Anderson
Poul Anderson
Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories...
and Michael Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
. The game's alignment system from the original 1974 boxed set
Dungeons & Dragons (1974)
The original Dungeons & Dragons boxed set by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson was published by TSR, Inc. in 1974. It initially included the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
initially featured only Law, Neutrality and Chaos. Law generally equated to good and heroism, and Chaos implied anarchy and evil; however, the good and evil parallels were not strongly defined. Dwarves were Lawful and elves Chaotic, while humans could be of any of the three alignments.
Richard Bartle
Richard Bartle
Richard Allan Bartle is a British writer, professor and game researcher, best known for being the co-creator of MUD1 and the author of the seminal Designing Virtual Worlds. He is one of the pioneers of the massively multiplayer online game industry.-Life and career:Bartle received a Ph.D...
's Designing Virtual Worlds
Designing Virtual Worlds
Designing Virtual Worlds is a definitive work on the practice of virtual world development by Richard Bartle, the father of MUDs. It has been called "the bible of MMORPG design" and spoken of as "excellent", "seminal", "widely read", "the standard text on the subject", "the most comprehensive...
noted that alignment is a way to categorize players, along with gender, race (or what would be called by sub-species in the real world), character class, and sometimes nationality. Alignment was designed to help with roleplaying. Players decide how their characters should behave when they assign them an alignment, then play them based on that decision. The dimensions lawful/chaotic and good/evil, which both cross neutral, come from AD&D. "A lawful good character is benevolent and just; a lawful evil character plays by the rules, but is without mercy; a chaotic good character is a rebel with a conscience; a chaotic evil character is a self-serving bully who'll do anything to further their ambitions." The five other combinations involve some form of neutrality. Alignments can change. If a lawful neutral character consistently performs good acts, when neutral or evil actions were possible, their alignment will shift to lawful good. In games, the referee (or Dungeon Master
Dungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
) decides when alignment violations occur because it is subjective.
A player character's (PC's) alignment can be seen as their outlook on life. A player decides if his or her character is good, neutral, or evil. A player also decides whether the character's alignment is lawful, neutral, or chaotic. A neutral good character is unconcerned with the "cosmic balance", but is kind to those around them. Notable character class restrictions during early editions of the game included the Paladin, who had to be Lawful Good; the Druid, who had to be Neutral Neutral; the Ranger, who had to be Chaotic or Neutral Good; and the Thief, who could not be Lawful. Alignment is important for Clerics as well. D&D's gods are "strongly aligned", and their clerics must follow a similar alignment.
Alignment is only a tool for guiding gameplay, not an immutable declaration of how a character must act, and is used only as a guideline. Still, characters in a party should have compatible alignments; Lawful Good characters are compatible with Lawful Evil characters if they have a common goal, but the addition of a Chaotic Evil character may tear the party apart. Characters may even have some influence on the alignment of their companions. Lawful Good leaders may influence their companions to act in a more noble fashion. The authors of Dungeon Master For Dummies have found that a party of good or neutral characters works better: the impetus for adventures is easier, group dynamics are smoother, and it allows the "heroic aspects of D&D [to] shine through".
While the game had always allowed the creation of creatures who were intrinsically good or evil, it was not until Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) that the concept was explicitly introduced into the alignment system. Characters and creatures became capable of being lawful at the same time as being evil (such as a tyrant), or chaotic but good (such as Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
). Nine alignment combinations became possible in all. For example, lawful good (LG) or neutral evil (NE) are two possible alignments, referred to with the law/chaos component first and the good/evil component last. A character or creature considered neutral on both axes is referred to as true neutral or simply neutral. This system was used up to and including the 3.5 edition of the D&D game.
Under 2nd Edition AD&D rules, a character who performed too many actions outside of his alignment could find their alignment changed, with penalties requiring more experience to be gained to reach the next level. In third edition D&D this restriction was removed.
In the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons game, a character's alignment can restrict what character classes
Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)
A character class is a fundamental part of the identity and nature of characters in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A character's capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses are largely defined by his or her chosen class; choosing a class is one of the first steps a player takes in order to...
the character may take. For example, a lawful character cannot become a bard or a barbarian, a druid must be neutral in at least one aspect, and only lawful good characters can become a paladin. Certain weapons (such as a Holy weapon) or spells (such as detect evil) affect creatures differently depending on alignment.
A rule removed from recent editions of the game was alignment languages, wherein people of the same alignment could communicate through insinuations and intimations that only really make sense between those of like-minded affiliation with an aspect of a universal standard of ethic and morality.
In 4th edition, alignments were simplified by merging them into a single continuum, eliminating the chaotic good, lawful neutral, chaotic neutral, and lawful evil alignments. The remaining alignments are:
- Lawful Good: Civilization and order.
- Good: Freedom and kindness.
- Unaligned: Having no alignment; not taking a stand.
- Evil: Tyranny and hatred.
- Chaotic Evil: Entropy and destruction.
Law vs. Chaos
The law versus chaos axis in Dungeons & Dragons predates good versus evil in the game rules. In esoteric GreyhawkGreyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
setting lore, too, the precepts of law and chaos predate good and evil in the world's prehistory. Players often consider law and chaos less relevant to their character than good and evil. Confusingly, a lawful alignment does not necessarily mean that a character obeys a region's laws, nor does a chaotic alignment necessarily mean that a character disobeys a region's laws.
The third edition D&D rules define law and chaos as follows:
Law implies honor, trustworthiness, obedience to authority, and reliability. On the downside, lawfulness can include closed-mindedness, reactionary adherence to tradition, judgmentalness, and a lack of adaptability. Those who consciously promote lawfulness say that only lawful behavior creates a society in which people can depend on each other and make the right decisions in full confidence that others will act as they should.
Chaos implies freedom, adaptability, and flexibility. On the downside, chaos can include recklessness, resentment toward legitimate authority, arbitrary actions, and irresponsibility. Those who promote chaotic behavior say that only unfettered personal freedom allows people to express themselves fully and lets society benefit from the potential that its individuals have within them.
Someone who is neutral with respect to law and chaos has a normal respect for authority and feels neither a compulsion to obey nor a compulsion to rebel. They are honest but can be tempted into lying or deceiving others.
It is more common for creatures to be neutral with regard to law/chaos than good/evil. Certain extraplanar creatures, such as the numerous and powerful Modron
Modron (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the fictional multiverse of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Modrons are mechanical looking creatures native to the outer plane of Mechanus. Modrons resemble geometric shapes with humanoid limbs and represent a living, physical manifestation of law without regard to good or evil...
s, are always lawful. Conversely, Slaad
Slaad
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, slaad are a fictional race of Outsiders that resemble giant humanoid toads of various colors.-Development and licensing:...
i are chaotic, representing beings of chaos. Dwarven societies are usually lawful, while Elven societies are most often chaotic.
Good vs. Evil
The conflict of good versus evil is a common motif in Dungeons & Dragons and other fantasy fiction. Although player characters can adventure for personal gain rather than from altruistic motives, it is generally assumed that the player characters will be opposed to evil and often fight evil creatures.The third edition D&D rules define good and evil as follows:
Good implies altruism, respect for life, and a concern for the dignity of sentient beings. Good characters make personal sacrifices to help others.
Evil implies harming, oppressing, and killing others. Some evil creatures simply have no compassion for others and kill without qualms if doing so is convenient or if it can be set up. Others actively pursue evil, killing for sport or out of duty to some malevolent deity or master.
People who are neutral with respect to good and evil have compunctions against killing the innocent but lack the commitment to make sacrifices to protect or help others. Neutral people are committed to others by personal relationships.
Paladins, altruistic heroes and creatures such as angels are considered good aligned. Villains and violent criminals are considered evil, as are inherently evil creatures such as demons and most undead. Animals are considered neutral even when they attack innocents, because they act on natural instinct and lack the intelligence to make moral decisions.
Alignments
Any person, creature, deity or extraplanar realm in Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
can have one of the nine alignments. The sourcebook Complete Scoundrel
Complete Scoundrel
Complete Scoundrel: A Player's Guide to Trickery and Ingenuity is a supplemental rule book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game.-Contents:...
cites real world fictional characters as examples of aligned individuals. In an attempt to simplify the codes of conduct for characters, non-canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
takes on alignment sometimes occur.
Lawful Good
Lawful Good is known as the "Saintly" or "Crusader" alignment. A Lawful Good character typically acts with compassion, and always with honor and a sense of duty. A Lawful Good nation would consist of a well-organized government that works for the benefit of its citizens. Lawful Good characters include righteous knights, paladins, and most dwarves. Lawful Good creatures include the noble golden dragons. Lawful Good outsiders are known as ArchonsArchon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, archons are a type of creature from the Dungeons & Dragons role playing game. In 1st and 2nd edition, they are powerful lawful good creatures from the upper planes, and in 3rd edition they are celestials. These creatures are sent by higher powers...
.
Lawful Good characters, especially paladins, may sometimes find themselves faced with the dilemma of whether to obey law or good when the two conflict—for example, upholding a sworn oath when it would lead innocents to come to harm—or conflicts between two orders, such as between their religious law and the law of the local ruler.
In the Complete Scoundrel
Complete Scoundrel
Complete Scoundrel: A Player's Guide to Trickery and Ingenuity is a supplemental rule book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game.-Contents:...
sourcebook Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy is a comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a hard-hitting, fast-shooting and intelligent police detective. Created by Chester Gould, the strip made its debut on October 4, 1931, in the Detroit Mirror. It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate...
and Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
are cited as examples of lawful good characters.
Neutral Good
Neutral Good is known as the "Benefactor" alignment. A Neutral Good character is guided by his conscience and typically acts altruistically, without regard for or against Lawful precepts such as rules or tradition. A Neutral Good character has no problems with co-operating with lawful officials, but does not feel beholden to them. In the event that doing the right thing requires the bending or breaking of rules, they do not suffer the same inner conflict that a Lawful Good character would.Examples of Neutral Good characters include Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
and Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. The Neutral Good outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
are known as Guardinal
Guardinal
Guardinals are a type of celestial from the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game.-Publication history:Guardinals debuted as several cards in the Blood Wars Card Game in 1995, including the Avoral, Cervidal, Equinal, Leonal, Lupinal, Ursinal, Duchess Callisto, Duke Lucan, Duke Windheir, Lord...
s.
Chaotic Good
Chaotic Good is known as the "Beatific," "Rebel," or "Cynic" alignment. A Chaotic Good character favors change for a greater good, disdains bureaucratic organizations that get in the way of social improvement, and places a high value on personal freedom, not only for oneself, but for others as well. They always intend to do the right thing, but their methods are generally disorganized and often out of alignment with the rest of society. They may create conflict in a team if they feel they are being pushed around, and often view extensive organization and planning as pointless, preferring to improvise.Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
, Starbuck
Kara Thrace
Kara Thrace is a fictional character in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica franchise. Played by Katee Sackhoff, she is a revised version of Lieutenant Starbuck from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series...
from Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica TV series in 1978, and was followed by a brief sequel TV series in 1980, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games...
, and Malcolm Reynolds
Malcolm Reynolds
Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds is a fictional character and main protagonist in the Firefly franchise. Reynolds is played by actor Nathan Fillion in the 2002 TV series Firefly and the 2005 film Serenity. In the series, Reynolds is the captain of the Firefly-class spaceship Serenity...
from Firefly
Firefly (TV series)
Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....
are examples of Chaotic Good individuals. Eladrin
Eladrin
The Eladrin are a fictional race of creatures appearing in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Introduced in the Planescape setting of AD&D 2nd edition and D&D 3rd edition, Eladrin were described as a type of celestial of chaotic good alignment and hailed from the plane of Arborea...
are the outsider
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
race representing Chaotic Good.
Lawful Neutral
Lawful Neutral is called the "Judge" or "Disciplined" alignment. A Lawful Neutral character typically believes strongly in Lawful concepts such as honor, order, rules and tradition, and often follows a personal code. A Lawful Neutral society would typically enforce strict laws to maintain social order, and place a high value on traditions and historical precedent. Examples of Lawful Neutral characters might include a soldier who always follows orders, a judge or enforcer that adheres mercilessly to the word of the law, and a disciplined monk.Characters of this alignment are neutral with regard to good and evil. This does not mean that Lawful Neutral characters are amoral or immoral, or do not have a moral compass, but simply that their moral considerations come a distant second to what their code, tradition, or law dictates. They typically have a strong ethical code, but it is primarily guided by their system of belief, not by a commitment to good or evil.
James Bond
James Bond (character)
Royal Navy Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is a fictional character created by journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels, films, comics and video games...
, Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
, and Sanjuro from Yojimbo are considered by Complete Scoundrel as Lawful Neutral. Three exemplars of Lawful Neutral outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
exist. These are the Formian
Formian
In the fictional world of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, formians are extraplanar insectoid outsiders.-Publication history:...
s, the Inevitables and the Modrons
Modron (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the fictional multiverse of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Modrons are mechanical looking creatures native to the outer plane of Mechanus. Modrons resemble geometric shapes with humanoid limbs and represent a living, physical manifestation of law without regard to good or evil...
.
Neutral
Neutral alignment, also referred to as True Neutral or Neutral Neutral, is called the "Undecided" or "Nature's" alignment. This alignment represents Neutral on both axes, and tends not to feel strongly towards any alignment. A farmer whose primary overriding concern is to feed his family is of this alignment. Most animals, lacking the capacity for moral judgment, are of this alignment. Many roguish characters who play all sides to suit themselves are also of this alignment.Some Neutral characters, rather than feeling undecided, are committed to a balance between the alignments. They may see good, evil, law and chaos as simply prejudices and dangerous extremes. Mordenkainen
Mordenkainen
Mordenkainen is a fictional wizard from the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. He was created by Gary Gygax as a player character and is one of the oldest characters in roleplaying fiction...
is one such character who takes this concept to the extreme, dedicating himself to a detached philosophy of neutrality to ensure that no one alignment or power takes control of the Flanaess
Flanaess
The Flanaess is the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, one of the four continents of the fictional world of Oerth in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. The Flanaess has been the setting of dozens of adventures published between the 1970s...
.
Druids frequently follow this True Neutral dedication to balance, and under Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules were required to be this alignment. In an example given in the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook, a typical druid might fight against a band of marauding gnolls, only to switch sides to save the gnolls' clan from being totally exterminated.
Lara Croft
Lara Croft
Lara Croft is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Square Enix video game series Tomb Raider. She is presented as a beautiful, intelligent, and athletic British archaeologist-adventurer who ventures into ancient, hazardous tombs and ruins around the world...
, Lucy Westenra
Lucy Westenra
Lucy Westenra is a fictional character in the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. She is the 19-year-old daughter of a wealthy family. Her father is not mentioned in the novel and her elderly mother is simply stated as being Mrs. Westenra. Lucy is introduced as Mina Murray's best friend. In the 1931...
from Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
and Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
in his early Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
appearance are neutral. The true neutral outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
are known as the Rilmani
Rilmani
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game game, rilmani are the exemplar race of the Concordant Domain of the Outlands.-Publication history:...
.
Chaotic Neutral
Chaotic Neutral is called the "Anarchist" or "Free Spirit" alignment. A character of this alignment is an individualist who follows his or her own heart, and generally shirks rules and traditions. Although they promote the ideals of freedom, it is their own freedom that comes first. Good and Evil come second to their need to be free, and the only reliable thing about them is how totally unreliable they are. Chaotic Neutral characters are free-spirited and do not enjoy the unnecessary suffering of others, but if they join a team, it is because that team's goals happen to coincide with their own at the moment. They invariably resent taking orders and can be very selfish in their pursuit of personal goals. A Chaotic Neutral character does not have to be an aimless wanderer; they may have a specific goal in mind, but their methods of achieving that goal are often disorganized, unorthodox, or entirely unpredictable.An unusual subset of Chaotic Neutral is "strongly Chaotic Neutral", describing a character who behaves chaotically to the point of appearing insane. Characters of this type may regularly change their appearance and attitudes for the sake of change, and intentionally disrupt organizations for the sole reason of disrupting a lawful construct. Characters of this type include the Xaositects from the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
setting, and Hennet from the third edition Player's Handbook
Player's Handbook
The Player's Handbook is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons . It does not contain the complete set of rules, but only those for use by players of the game...
. In Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Chaotic Neutral was frequently assumed to refer to this subset.
Captain Jack Sparrow, Al Swearengen from the TV series Deadwood
Deadwood (TV series)
Deadwood is an American Western drama television series created, produced and largely written by David Milch. The series aired on the premium cable network HBO from March 21, 2004, to August 27, 2006, spanning three 12-episode seasons. The show is set in the 1870s in Deadwood, South Dakota, before...
, and Snake Plissken
Snake Plissken
S.D. Bob "Snake" Plissken is a fictional character in John Carpenter's films Escape from New York and Escape from L.A., played by Kurt Russell. He is an ex-special forces commando/war hero in World War III turned criminal...
from Escape from New York
Escape from New York
Escape from New York is a 1981 American science fiction action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. He co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle. The film is set in the near future in a crime-ridden United States that has converted Manhattan Island in New York City into a maximum security...
are Chaotic Neutral characters according to Complete Scoundrel. Slaad
Slaad
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, slaad are a fictional race of Outsiders that resemble giant humanoid toads of various colors.-Development and licensing:...
i represent pure chaos outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
.
Lawful Evil
Lawful Evil is referred to as the "Dominator" or "Diabolic" alignment. Characters of this alignment see a well-ordered system as being easier to exploit, and show a combination of desirable and undesirable traits; while they usually obey their superiors and keep their word, they care nothing for the rights and freedoms of other individuals and are not averse to twisting the rules to work in their favor. Examples of this alignment include tyrants, devils, undiscriminating mercenary types who have a strict code of conduct, and loyal soldiers who enjoy the act of killing.Like Lawful Good Paladins, Lawful Evil characters may sometimes find themselves faced with the dilemma of whether to obey law or evil when the two conflict. However, their issues with Law versus Evil are more concerned with "Will I get caught?" versus "How does this benefit me?"
Boba Fett
Boba Fett
Boba Fett is a character in Star Wars. A bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to find the Millennium Falcon, he is a minor villain in both Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi....
of Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, and X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
s Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
are cited examples of Lawful Evil characters. The Lawful Evil outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
are known as Baatezu
Devil (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, devils are a powerful group of monsters used as a high-level challenge for players of the game. Devils are Lawful Evil in alignment and originate from the Nine Hells of Baator. True to their Lawful Evil alignment, devils are locked in a strict and brutal...
(Devils).
Neutral Evil
Neutral Evil is called the "Malefactor" alignment. Characters of this alignment are typically selfish and have no qualms about turning on their allies-of-the-moment. They have no compunctions about harming others to get what they want, but neither will they go out of their way to cause carnage or mayhem when they see no direct benefit to it. They abide by laws for only as long as it is convenient for them. A villain of this alignment can be more dangerous than either Lawful or Chaotic Evil characters, since he is neither bound by any sort of honor or tradition nor disorganized and pointlessly violent.Examples are an assassin who has little regard for formal laws but does not needlessly kill, a henchman who plots behind his superior's back, or a mercenary who switches sides if made a better offer.
Complete Scoundrel cites X-Men's
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
Mystique
Mystique (comics)
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics' franchise X-Men. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, she first appeared in Ms...
, and Sawyer of the early seasons of Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
as Neutral Evil characters. Yugoloth
Yugoloth
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, yugoloths are neutral evil natives of the lower planes of the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna and the Gray Waste of Hades...
s (Daemons) are the outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
of Neutral Evil.
Chaotic Evil
Chaotic Evil is referred to as the "Destroyer" or "Demonic" alignment. Characters of this alignment tend to have no respect for rules, other people's lives, or anything but their own desires, which are typically selfish and cruel. They set a high value on personal freedom, but do not have any regard for the lives or freedom of other people. They do not work well in groups, as they resent being given orders, and usually behave themselves only out of fear of punishment.It is not compulsory for a Chaotic Evil character to be constantly performing sadistic acts just for the sake of being evil, or constantly disobeying orders just for the sake of causing chaos. They do however enjoy the suffering of others, and view honor and self-discipline as weaknesses. Serial killers and monsters of limited intelligence are typically Chaotic Evil.
According to the Complete Scoundrel
Complete Scoundrel
Complete Scoundrel: A Player's Guide to Trickery and Ingenuity is a supplemental rule book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game.-Contents:...
sourcebook, Carl Denham
Carl Denham
Carl Denham is a fictional film director in the films King Kong and Son of Kong , as well as in the 2005 remake of King Kong, and a 2004 illustrated-novel titled Kong: King of Skull Island. The role was played by Robert Armstrong in the 1933 films and by Jack Black in the 2005 remake...
from King Kong and Riddick
Riddick
Richard B. Riddick , more commonly known simply as Riddick, is the antihero of three films in the Riddick series, namely Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, and the animated movie The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury; as well as the two video games The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher...
from Pitch Black are Chaotic Evil. The chaotic evil outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
are the Tanar'ri
Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. The demons are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss...
(Demons).
Variants
In addition, there are also blended or "tendency" alignments (and relative Outer Realms) that exist between the basic nine, bringing the total of alignment combinations up to seventeen. These include Neutral Good with either Lawful or Chaotic tendencies, Lawful Neutral with either Good or Evil tendencies, Chaotic Neutral with either Good or Evil tendencies, and Neutral Evil with either Lawful or Chaotic tendencies.In some campaigns, there are even neutral with tendencies towards one of the four cores of good, evil, law, and chaos (totaling the maximum possibilities to twenty-one), although there are rarely respective Outer Planes tied to these.
Effect
Gary GygaxGary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
's ideas have greatly influenced video game design. MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s such as Ultima Online
Ultima Online
Ultima Online is a graphical massively multiplayer online role-playing game , released on September 24, 1997, by Origin Systems. It was instrumental to the development of the genre, and is still running today...
and EverQuest
EverQuest
EverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
have good and evil races which actively oppose each other.
Dungeons & Dragons alignment system is occasionally referenced as a system of moral classification in other contexts. For example, Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
television critic Heather Havrislesky, reviewing the HBO television series True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
, analyzed the program's characters in terms of Dungeons & Dragons alignment (for example, identifying protagonist Sookie Stackhouse
Sookie Stackhouse
Sookie Stackhouse is the fictional protagonist and narrating voice of Charlaine Harris' The Southern Vampire Mysteries and the television adaptation, HBO's True Blood.-Biography:...
as chaotic good, and her vampire boyfriend Bill Compton
Bill Compton (vampire)
William Erasmus "Bill" Compton is a fictional character from the The Southern Vampire Mysteries/Sookie Stackhouse series by author Charlaine Harris. He is a vampire and is introduced in the first novel in the series, Dead Until Dark, and has appeared in all of the novels since.-Human life:In the...
as lawful neutral).
See also
- Alignment (role-playing games)Alignment (role-playing games)In some role-playing games, alignment is a categorisation of the moral and ethical perspective of the player characters, non-player characters, monsters, and societies in the game....
- Book of Exalted DeedsBook of Exalted DeedsThe Book of Exalted Deeds is an optional sourcebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, providing supplementary game material for campaigns involving characters of good alignment...
- Book of Vile DarknessBook of Vile DarknessBook of Vile Darkness is an optional supplemental sourcebook for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The book was written by Monte Cook and published by Wizards of the Coast in October 2002. Described as a "detailed look at the nature of evil," it was the first Dungeons &...
- Political compassPolitical compassThe political compass is a multi-axis model, used by the website of the same name, to label or organize political thought on two dimensions. In its selection and representation of these two dimensions, it is similar to the Nolan Chart...
, a system which categorizes one's political beliefs.
External links
- Alignment test - Wizards of the Coast
- D20 System Reference Document alignment description (Open Game License content)