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[Patreon] BAT ATTACK by family_staralternate_emailHexabeast

posted last year, edited last year

A shaded image for one of my lovely patrons of one of her D&D characters!

bat dd dnd human magic runes

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A Case for Contradicting AlignmentsThe Dungeons and Dragons alingments are well known, the table of nine fields ranging from Lawful to Chaotic on one axis, and Good to Evil on the other. Netural sits in between all of these, often interpreted as an apathy or disinterest in full commitment to one side or the other. These have been widely interpreted as needed by the players, ranging from strict adherence to a loose guide- and so I present another option to entirely destroy the neat system that it has become. I propose Contradictive Alignments. Contradictive Alignments would be Lawful Chaotic or Evil Good, with Chaotic Lawful or Good Evil equally correct, but sound wrong somehow. These alignments are currently reduandant within the Alignment Square, however as they become common place, it will hopefully free up the dual-nature of the currently established options. It is entirely possible that the reverse phrasing of the alignments can change the meaning. I will cover that possibility, to present it to the players to distinguish. Evil Good represents the concepts of doing things of innate nature, for opposing reasons. Someone who saves a child’s life from a blazing fire is performing a naturally Good act, but their motives to kidnap the child and condition them is an Evil motive. This would fit neatly under Evil Good. Someone who infultrates and commits Evil acts under a malificent orginization, but does it to minimize the damage and eventually destroy the orginization would also fall under this category. Up until this point, Lawful Evil and Chaotic Good have sheltered these ideas respectively. However, to rescue the child and raise them is by no means against the law. To infultrate the orginization and adhere to their policies is not chaotic. It is entirely possible that Evil Good would be a mirror of Chaotic Good, and Good Evil would be a mirror of Lawful Evil, although this might make it more confusing as to why a new alignment at all is necessary. Evil Good highlights the moral discrepency between one’s actions and one’s intentions. Lawful Chaotic is less available in the current arrangement. For the majority of characters in which Lawful Chaotic would apply have used True Netural, suggesting that Chaos and Law are in balance enough to cancel one another out, or that neither are in full control. This new alignment instead recognizes the two in a constant juxtaposition and contest. It is expected that the chaotic actions the character takes are in line with an internal law (perhaps by the order of someone above). Alternatively, one who uses the laws to disrupt a target community would fall under Lawful Chaotic. Note that morality of their actions are not necessarily one or the other- Chaos can be used to disrupt Good foundations and Evil, and Law can enforce Benevolent or Malevolent regime. Characters who use Legal Loopholes, Civil Disobedience, or Immoral Law are all excellent examples of this alignment. **Lawful Chaotic highlights the societal discrepency between one’s methods and one’s community.** Allowing these expanded terms into the field of understanding, it allows alignments like Chaotic Good, Lawful Evil and True Netural to take on meaning that better reflects their placement. Chaotic Good can retail it’s nature of someone who commits acts for the benefit of their community, for benevolent reasons, especially in cases where Law is immoral or ineffective. Lawful Evil may retain it’s place as someone who uses immoral laws or order of authority to inflict harm to a targeted group. True Netural has always been a loose environment for character development, usually characterized by the pursuit of money, family or other ambitions- morality and method taking a back seat to that goal. These suggestions are not designed to be worked into the alignment chart, or to replace formal alignments. Instead, like much of Homebrew, these are designed to be useful adaptations to create more creative, enjoyable characters through clarification. It is intended that these may be tools for players and game masters alike can use to expand their experience.