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View Full Version : D&D 3.0, 3.5, 5e, and Pathfinder Alignment System Revamp



Formless Entity
2016-06-13, 01:22 AM
I felt as though the alignment system was too limiting to show the scope of most characters in my campaigns so I came up with this extended version.

Lawful Good------------Semi-Lawful Good--------Neutral Good-------------Semi-Chaotic Good--------Chaotic Good

Lawful Semi-Good-----Semi-Lawful Semi-Good--Neutral Semi-Good ----Semi-Chaotic Semi-Good--Chaotic Semi-Good

Lawful Neutral---------Semi-Lawful Neutral-------True Neutral-----------Semi-Chaotic Neutral-------Chaotic Neutral

Lawful Semi-Evil-------Semi-Lawful Semi-Evil----Neutral Semi-Evil------Semi-Chaotic Evil---------Chaotic Semi-Evil

Lawful Evil--------------Semi-Lawful Evil----------Neutral Evil------------Semi-Neutral Evil----------Chaotic Semi-Evil

I feel as though the alignment system was made by someone who favors the Lawful Good mentality, who think some traits brought on by some of the combinations are inherently degenerate by which I disagree.

Lawful: Autocratic
Semi-Lawful: Authoritarian
Neutral: Pragmatic
Semi-Chaotic: Libertarian
Chaotic: Anarchist

Good: Selfless
Semi-Good: Heroic
Neutral: Logical
Semi-Evil: Selfish
Evil: Sadistic

Is how I view these alignments.

And thus if we are to rename them this way it would look like this.

Autocratic Selfless-----Authoritarian Selfless-----Pragmatic Selfless------Libertarian Selfless----Anarchist Selfless

Autocratic Heroic-------Authoritarian Heroic-------Pragmatic Heroic -------Libertarian Heroic-----Anarchist Heroic

Autocratic Logical------Authoritarian Logical-------Pragmatic Logical-------Libertarian Logical-----Anarchist Logical

Autocratic Selfish------Authoritarian Selfish--------Pragmatic Selfish-------Libertarian Selfish-----Anarchist Selfish

Autocratic Sadistic-----Authoritarian Sadistic-------Pragmatic Sadistic--------Libertarian Sadistic---Anarchist Sadistic

In this system villains could be more complex and have more ambiguous motives. As the extremes of the alignments tend to be the more dangerous ones in this system.

To explain how these alignments would act I present to you this description of each axis.

Autocratic: Feels they should do what they feel is necessary to keep order, even if it means denying autonomy.
Authoritarian: Feels that order should be kept but is not willing to deny most of a person's autonomy to do so.
Pragmatic: Feels that order and autonomy should be used on a case per case basis.
Libertarian: Feels that there should be some order but not at the expense of autonomy.
Anarchist: Feels that they should do whatever is necessary to keeping autonomy, even tearing down order.

Selfless: Feels that they should do what is best for all involved aside from themselves.
Heroic: Feels that they should do what is best for others even if it involves some self sacrifice.
Logical: Feels that they should do what is best for the greatest number but will not harm themselves to do so.
Selfish: Feels that they should do what is best for themselves but not to the expense of seriously harming other people.
Sadistic: Feels that they should do what is best for themselves no matter the harm to others.

From these in the context of 3.5 and pathfinder you may need to change alignment restrictions for core classes.

In a follow up post I will do the same for deities and noncore classes.

Barbarian: Must not be Authoritarian or Autocratic.
Bard: Must not be Authoritarian or Autocratic.
Paladin: Must be within one step of Authoritarian Selfless.
Monk: I advocate dropping monk alignment restrictions.
Druid: Must not be Autocratic, Anarchic, Selfless, or Sadistic and must be either Pragmatic or Logical.

What are your thoughts on this idea?