The ethical dimension reflects how a character relates to law and chaos, consisting of the categories "lawful", "neutral", and "chaotic".
The moral dimension reflects how a character relates to good and evil, consisting of the categories "good", "neutral", and "evil".
This is of particular concern to those playing one of the alignment-restricted classes, such as paladin, druid, monk, barbarian, bard, and several prestige classes.Īlignment has two dimensions, each with three categories. The details depend on the module (for example, the original campaign provides no ways to shift along the law/chaos alignment axis), although the default scripts do call for a 5-point shift towards evil for killing a non-evil creature of the commoner class (generally, townfolk). In addition, occasional deviations are permissible, as few people are completely consistent in their behavior.Īctions taken while playing may alter alignment. Each alignment represents a broad range of personality types and personal philosophies, so two characters of the same alignment can still be quite different from each other. All of the nine alignments listed are viable choices for adventurers, though the "evil" variants are more often the domain of villains and monsters.Ī PC's alignment is a tool for developing its personality. The alignment of a character can change to match the style in which they are played, if deviation is consistent and serious.
The main purpose of alignment, however, is to act as a guideline for consistent roleplaying, though it is not set in stone. It can affect how certain NPCs react within the game, and will occasionally determine whether an item can be used or not (some items have alignments of their own, and will not allow a conflict with their user). Alignment reflects how a character relates to the concepts of good and evil, law and chaos.