Removing Alignment

This article is modeled after the excellent work done by Alzrius. Since only part of his ideas will be used, the full changes are posted here.

I dislike many aspects of the alignment system; how it’s become part of the mechanics of a character instead of something that gets role-played. The main reason for the change, is because alignment quite often becomes a hindrance to characterization. How often do PCs decide whether or not to trust an NPC based purely on a detect evil spell? For that matter, how many avoid being Lawful because they see it as a straitjacket; something that will force them to role-play a certain way?

It doesn’t matter if these views are true or not – a lot of players think they are, which means they might as well be. If you believe that there’s a constraint on a given character type, you aren’t going to play that type, even if you want to. I’ve seen players who’d love to play a paladin, but can’t stomach the “Lawful” part of Lawful Good.

Making good, evil, law, and chaos into absolutes with well-defined boundaries makes it much harder to play characters with shades of gray. There’s no room for asking the difficult ethical and moral questions when the answer is just “that’s an evil act, and may result in an alignment change for you.”

The goal of this section is to make alignment only apply as regards to specific situations: certain acts (such as human sacrifice, casting a neromantic spell), certain races (such as undead or outsiders), certain class abilities (such as a paladin's aura), or certain spells/magic items (such as holy smite).

Characters

Character classes are probably the subject of the greatest changes by removing alignment from characters. Here, we’ll go over the necessary changes to each class.

• Cleric: 

  • Adjust the section on “Preparing and Casting Spells”, so that spells opposed to a diety's portfolio are not granted (such as the Inflict Wounds spell being granted from Eldath). Note that characters may still use spell-trigger magic items as if they were on the available spell list.

Taint

Creatures (including characters), items, or places can become tainted with a alignment. This taint is stronger and lasts longer depending on the severity of the action. The strength and duration can be found below. As a example, a caster casting a low level radiant spell will give the caster a faint taint of good alignment lasting for 1d6 rounds. The birth of a saint may taint the area around for years. While tainted, creatures are subject to effects that target that alignment.

Magic

• Alignment Descriptors: We keep alignment descriptors for most spells or magic items. That’s because – just like using the Dark Side of the Force can be inherently corruptive – using certain types of energies, found in specific magic spells or magical items, can also sway a character who utilizes them. See taint above.

  • Protection from Alignment spells: These are adjusted to Protection from Outsiders.

Monsters

Monsters also lose their alignments as well. They may be Tainted (see above) just like any other creature.

• Alignment Subtypes: Creatures keep any alignment subtypes.

• Tieflings: Are considered to be tainted with evil.

• Aasimar: Are considered to be tainted with good.

• Drow: Are considered to be tainted with evil.

• Undead: Are considered to be tainted with evil.