Alignment in 4E

Hey guys - So we'll be playing this Sunday the 27th, yes? Everyone still in?

So they've taken out the 3^2 axis system and replaced it with a simple choice between 5 alignments:

Good: Protecting the weak from those who would dominate or kill them is just the right thing to do. If you're Good, you believe it is right to protect and help those in need. You're not about to sacrifice yourself to forward this view, but sometimes you'll put the needs of others before yourself. Generally you follow rules and obey authority, but you're aware that power tends to corrupt and you will break local or national laws if it's for the greater good. If a law is unjust or exploitative, you feel no obligation and will actually probably fight against the power structure as a rebel.

Lawful Good: An ordered society protects us from evil. Lawful Good characters put law and order on the same level as "doing the right thing". While they believe that rules and structure in society prevents its citizenship from harming each other, they also understand that it is important to protect the weak and downtrodden - even if it means that those helping must sacrifice themselves. When a leader exploits the system for their own gain, or laws protect an elite or upper class while harming the lower, the Lawful Good character will recognise that as an evil tyranny and be morally bound to fight it. When this happens, however, they will differ from the Good character by attempting to work within the system (or at least break as few laws as possible) to right the injustices.

Evil: It is my right to claim what others possess. If you're Evil, you generally always put yourself first. You may not go out of your way to harm others, but if someone or something stands in the way of you getting what you want, you have no problem doing whatever it takes to accomplish your goals. The Evil character will use law or social structure for gain, so it can put them in a position of power. They have no problem with slavery or unfair political systems, as long as they are able to benefit from them.

Chaotic Evil: I don't care what I have to do to get what I want. Chaotic Evil characters have complete disregard for others. They are the typical sociopaths - the center of their own universe, with the only thing mattering being the pursuit of personal power. They will frequently steal, kill, and betray in order to acheive this. Those of the chaotic evil alignment are generally unable to cooperate with others, even other mosters that are choatic evil. They are unable to be trusted and are willing to kill or be destructive for no other reason than whimsy.

Unaligned: Just let me go about my business. If you're Unaligned, you don't actively harm others, but you won't put yourself at risk for others without some promise of reward. You care about your own freedoms, but don't necessarily care much about protecting the freedoms of others. However, some Unaligned are not simply self-serving and justify their actions by taking a balanced view - neither siding with good or evil for more philosophical reasons. While the causes of the neutral world view can come from either camp, the actions of the two types of Unaligned generally will be similar; they will neither be overtly good nor evil, and instead serve themselves without doing much harm to the people around them.


So that's that. Keep in mind that alignment has been demoted to a cue for behaviour and roleplaying, and is no longer restrictive in the game mechanics.... so there are no penalties for switching alignment or acting out of alignment. For example, while I may make you change your alignment from Good to Unaligned due to your actions over a few sessions, there are no penalties to XP or otherwise for such a change. Also, there are no alignment restrictions for worship - so you can be a Lawful Good Cleric of Bane (the god of tyranny) or even a Chaotic Evil Paladin of Tyr, and there is nothing in the rules to prevent you from using spells and powers and whatnot.

So anyway, gaming this Sunday, to start early afternoon - shooting for 12pm, but I know that's a pipedream for some.... that's fine in any case, since it's a chargen session and some people will be faster than others at it. Next post will be directions and other meta-details.