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Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons) | HearLore
Common questions
When was the Dungeons & Dragons alignment system first released?
The Dungeons & Dragons alignment system was first released in 1974 when Gary Gygax published the original rulebook. This initial version featured a simple three-part choice of lawful, chaotic, or neutral without a moral dimension. The system did not include the good versus evil axis until 1976.
What are the nine alignments in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition?
Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition uses a nine-point grid consisting of lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, true neutral, chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, and chaotic evil. The system also includes an unaligned option for creatures that operate on instinct rather than moral decision-making. This grid allows for a wide range of character archetypes from noble paladins to ruthless assassins.
How did Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition change the alignment system?
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition released in 2008 reduced the number of alignments to five: lawful good, good, evil, chaotic evil, and unaligned. This edition de-emphasized alignment and removed traditional racial stereotypes to allow for more characters with unknown or shifting motives. The system returned to nine alignments in the 5th Edition released in 2014.
When were preassigned alignments removed from Dungeons & Dragons races and monsters?
Preassigned alignments for player and monster races were removed starting with the publication of Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden in 2020 and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything in 2020. Official errata in December 2021 removed suggested alignments for playable races in 5th Edition sourcebooks. The 2022 sourcebook Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse removed preassigned alignments for creatures except for specifically named characters.
Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In 1974, when Gary Gygax first released the original Dungeons & Dragons rulebook, the concept of alignment was a simple three-part choice: lawful, chaotic, or neutral. This initial system did not account for the moral dimension of good versus evil, leaving players to define their characters' ethical stances through a single axis of order versus freedom. The simplicity of this early framework stood in stark contrast to the complex nine-point grid that would eventually become the standard for the game. Gygax, the co-creator of the game, drew inspiration from the fantasy novels of Michael Moorcock and Poul Anderson, seeking to translate the philosophical conflicts of their stories into a mechanical system for players to navigate. The original rulebook defined lawful characters as those who believed in order and obeyed rules, while chaotic characters embraced individualism and rebellion. Neutral characters sought a balance between these two extremes, often motivated by self-interest rather than a strict adherence to societal codes. This early system was designed to help players categorize their characters, but it lacked the depth required to capture the full spectrum of moral behavior in a fantasy world. The introduction of the second axis, good versus evil, in 1976 transformed the alignment system from a simple choice into a comprehensive moral compass. This addition allowed for a more nuanced understanding of character motivations, enabling players to create characters who were lawful and evil, chaotic and good, or any other combination of the nine possible alignments. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the growing complexity of the game itself, as players began to demand more sophisticated tools for role-playing and storytelling. The alignment system became a cornerstone of the Dungeons & Dragons experience, shaping the way players interacted with the game world and each other. It provided a framework for understanding the motivations of non-player characters, the nature of the game's villains, and the moral dilemmas that players would face in their adventures. The alignment system was not just a mechanical tool; it was a narrative device that helped to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. The nine-point grid allowed for a wide range of character archetypes, from the noble paladin to the ruthless assassin, and from the chaotic rogue to the lawful judge. Each alignment offered a unique perspective on the world, and players could choose to embrace or subvert these expectations in their role-playing. The alignment system became a central part of the Dungeons & Dragons identity, influencing the way the game was played and the stories that were told within it. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was a testament to the creativity and innovation of the Dungeons & Dragons community, and it continues to be a vital part of the game today.
Who created the original Dungeons & Dragons alignment system?
Gary Gygax created the original Dungeons & Dragons alignment system when he released the first rulebook in 1974. Gygax drew inspiration from the fantasy novels of Michael Moorcock and Poul Anderson to translate philosophical conflicts into a mechanical system. The system evolved over time to include the good versus evil axis in 1976 and the nine-point grid that is standard today.
The law versus chaos axis in Dungeons & Dragons predates the good versus evil axis, and it was originally defined as the distinction between the belief that everything should follow an order and the belief that life is random. In the early rulebooks, lawful characters were driven to protect the interest of the group above the interest of the individual, and they would strive to be honest and to obey just and fair laws. Chaotic creatures and individuals, on the other hand, embraced the individual above the group and viewed laws and honesty as unimportant. Neutral creatures and characters believed in the importance of both groups and individuals, and felt that law and chaos were both important. They believed in maintaining the balance between law and chaos and were often motivated by self-interest. The third edition of Dungeons & Rules redefined law and chaos in more nuanced terms. Law implied honor, trustworthiness, obedience to authority, and reliability, but it could also include closed-mindedness, reactionary adherence to tradition, judgmentalness, and a lack of adaptability. Chaos implied freedom, adaptability, and flexibility, but it could also include recklessness, resentment toward legitimate authority, arbitrary actions, and irresponsibility. Someone who was neutral with respect to law and chaos had a normal respect for authority and felt neither a compulsion to follow rules nor a compulsion to rebel. They were honest but could be tempted into lying or deceiving others if it suited them. The evolution of the law versus chaos axis reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was not just a mechanical tool; it was a narrative device that helped to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. The nine-point grid allowed for a wide range of character archetypes, from the noble paladin to the ruthless assassin, and from the chaotic rogue to the lawful judge. Each alignment offered a unique perspective on the world, and players could choose to embrace or subvert these expectations in their role-playing. The alignment system became a central part of the Dungeons & Dragons identity, influencing the way the game was played and the stories that were told within it. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was a testament to the creativity and innovation of the Dungeons & Dragons community, and it continues to be a vital part of the game today.
The Good Versus Evil Conflict
The conflict of good versus evil is a common motif in Dungeons & Dragons and other fantasy fiction, and it was introduced as a second axis to the alignment system in 1976. Although player characters can adventure for personal gain rather than from altruistic motives, it is generally assumed that the player characters will be opposed to evil and will tend to fight evil creatures. The third edition of Dungeons & Rules defined good as implying altruism, respect for life, and a concern for the dignity of sentient beings. Good characters make personal sacrifices to help others. Evil implied harming, oppressing, and killing others. Some evil creatures simply have no compassion for others and kill without qualms if doing so is convenient or if it can be set up. Others actively pursue evil, killing for sport or out of duty to some malevolent deity or master. People who were neutral with respect to good and evil had compunctions against killing the innocent but lacked the commitment to make sacrifices to protect or help others. Neutral people were committed to others by personal relationships. Within the game, altruistic heroes and creatures such as angels were considered good. Villains and violent criminals were considered evil, as were inherently evil creatures such as demons and most undead. Animals were considered neutral even when they attack innocents, because they act on natural instinct and lack the intelligence to make moral decisions. In the fifth edition, this was expressed by labeling such beasts as unaligned. According to Greg Littmann, the predetermined assignment of an alignment to monsters meant that they were good or evil by nature. Nevertheless, the rules did allow for individual variances, permitting a red dragon looking to defect to the side of good, even though Littmann acknowledged the rarity of such situations. As 5th Edition developed, it removed preassigned alignments to races and monsters. While some monsters had a strong association to a given alignment, nature was determined by the Dungeon Master. Although good characters could be defined as having a respect for others, Littmann noted that this did not necessarily extend to the treatment of evil creatures. A party of good characters would chop and char a tribe of orcs to so much smoking hamburger without the slightest hesitation or regrets. The evolution of the good versus evil axis reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was not just a mechanical tool; it was a narrative device that helped to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. The nine-point grid allowed for a wide range of character archetypes, from the noble paladin to the ruthless assassin, and from the chaotic rogue to the lawful judge. Each alignment offered a unique perspective on the world, and players could choose to embrace or subvert these expectations in their role-playing. The alignment system became a central part of the Dungeons & Dragons identity, influencing the way the game was played and the stories that were told within it. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was a testament to the creativity and innovation of the Dungeons & Dragons community, and it continues to be a vital part of the game today.
The Nine Archetypes Of Morality
The nine alignments can be shown in a grid, and each alignment offers a unique perspective on the world. Lawful good characters typically act with compassion and always with honor and a sense of duty. However, lawful good characters will often regret taking any action they fear would violate their code, even if they recognize such action as being good. Such characters include gold dragons, righteous knights, paladins, and most dwarves. Neutral good characters typically act altruistically, without regard for or against lawful precepts such as rules or tradition. A neutral good character has no problems with cooperating with lawful officials, but does not feel beholden to them. In the event that doing the right thing requires the bending or breaking of rules, they do not suffer the same inner conflict that a lawful good character would. Examples of this alignment include many celestials, some cloud giants, and most gnomes. Chaotic good characters do whatever is necessary to bring about change for the better, disdains bureaucratic organizations that get in the way of social improvement, and places a high value on personal freedom, not only for oneself but for others as well. Chaotic good characters usually intend to do the right thing, but their methods are generally disorganized and often out of sync with the rest of society. Examples of this alignment include copper dragons, many elves, and unicorns. Lawful neutral characters typically believe strongly in lawful concepts such as honor, order, rules, and tradition, but often follow a personal code in addition to, or even in preference to, one set down by a benevolent authority. Examples of this alignment include a soldier who always follows orders, a judge or enforcer who adheres mercilessly to the letter of the law, a disciplined monk, and some wizards. True neutral characters are neutral on both axes and tend not to feel strongly towards any alignment, or actively seek their balance. Druids frequently follow this dedication to balance, and under Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules, were required to be this alignment. In an example given in the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook, a typical druid might fight against a band of marauding gnolls, only to switch sides to save the gnolls' clan from being totally exterminated. Examples of this alignment include lizardfolk, most druids, and many humans. Chaotic neutral characters are individuals who follow their own heart and generally shirk rules and traditions. Although chaotic neutral characters promote the ideals of freedom, it is their own freedom that comes first; good and evil come second to their need to be free. Examples of this alignment include many barbarians and rogues, and some bards. Lawful evil characters see a well-ordered system as being necessary to fulfill their own personal wants and needs, using these systems to further their power and influence. Examples of this alignment include tyrants, devils, corrupt officials, undiscriminating mercenary types who have a strict code of conduct, blue dragons, and hobgoblins. Neutral evil characters are typically selfish and have no qualms about turning on allies-of-the-moment, and usually make allies primarily to further their own goals. A neutral evil character has no compunctions about harming others to get what they want, but neither will they go out of their way to cause carnage or mayhem when they see no direct benefit for themselves. Another valid interpretation of neutral evil holds up evil as an ideal, doing evil for evil's sake and trying to spread its influence. Examples of the first type are an assassin who has little regard for formal laws but does not needlessly kill, a henchman who plots behind their superior's back, or a mercenary who readily switches sides if made a better offer. An example of the second type would be a masked killer who strikes only for the sake of causing fear and distrust in the community. Examples of this alignment include many drow, some cloud giants, and yugoloths. Chaotic evil characters tend to have no respect for rules, other people's lives, or anything but their own desires, which are typically selfish and cruel. They set a high value on personal freedom, but do not have much regard for the lives or freedom of other people. Chaotic evil characters do not work well in groups because they resent being given orders and usually do not behave themselves unless there is no alternative. Examples of this alignment include higher forms of undead such as liches, violent killers who strike for pleasure rather than profit, demons, red dragons, and orcs. Unaligned creatures are not sapient enough to make decisions based on moral choices, but operate purely on instinct. Sharks are savage predators, for example, but they are not evil: they have no alignment. The use of unaligned for creatures was introduced in the 4th edition, and retained in 5th edition. The nine alignments provided a framework for understanding the motivations of non-player characters, the nature of the game's villains, and the moral dilemmas that players would face in their adventures. The alignment system was not just a mechanical tool; it was a narrative device that helped to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. The nine-point grid allowed for a wide range of character archetypes, from the noble paladin to the ruthless assassin, and from the chaotic rogue to the lawful judge. Each alignment offered a unique perspective on the world, and players could choose to embrace or subvert these expectations in their role-playing. The alignment system became a central part of the Dungeons & Dragons identity, influencing the way the game was played and the stories that were told within it. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was a testament to the creativity and innovation of the Dungeons & Dragons community, and it continues to be a vital part of the game today.
The Mechanics Of Moral Change
A character's alignment can change, and if a lawful neutral character consistently performs good acts, when neutral or evil actions were possible, the character's alignment will shift to lawful good. During game sessions, the Dungeon Master decides when alignment violations occur, as it is subjective and often frowned upon, if not outright disallowed. Characters acting as a party should have compatible alignments; a party with both good and evil characters may turn against itself. Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker's Dungeon Master for Dummies noted that a party of good or neutral characters works better as the motivations for adventures are easier, the group dynamics are smoother, and the heroic aspects of D&D shine through in ways that just don't happen when players play evil characters. In Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, released in 1988, a character who performed too many actions outside their alignment could find their alignment changed, and was penalized by losing experience points, making it harder to reach the next level. This mechanical enforcement of alignment was a key feature of the game, as it encouraged players to stay true to their character's moral compass. However, the system was also criticized for being arbitrary and unreal, and many players found it difficult to reconcile the mechanical penalties with the role-playing aspects of the game. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was not just a mechanical tool; it was a narrative device that helped to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. The nine-point grid allowed for a wide range of character archetypes, from the noble paladin to the ruthless assassin, and from the chaotic rogue to the lawful judge. Each alignment offered a unique perspective on the world, and players could choose to embrace or subvert these expectations in their role-playing. The alignment system became a central part of the Dungeons & Dragons identity, influencing the way the game was played and the stories that were told within it. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was a testament to the creativity and innovation of the Dungeons & Dragons community, and it continues to be a vital part of the game today.
The Shift From Mechanics To Story
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, released in 2008, reduced the number of alignments to five: lawful good, good, evil, chaotic evil, and unaligned. In that edition, good replaced neutral good and did not encompass chaotic good; evil replaced neutral evil and did not encompass lawful evil; unaligned replaced true neutral and did not encompass lawful neutral and chaotic neutral. 4th Edition was the start of de-emphasizing alignment in D&D. Wired highlighted that 4th Edition's de-emphasis of alignment and traditional racial stereotypes, along with other adjustments to the core races, allowed for more PCs and NPCs with unknown and shifting motives. Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, released in 2014, returned to the previous schema of nine alignments, and included a tenth option of unaligned for creatures that operate on instinct, not moral decision-making. With 5th Edition, alignment was decoupled from most of the D&D game mechanics, such as no rules that limit certain classes to characters of a specific alignment, or spells that impact characters differently depending on alignment. Players do not need to be rigid or consistently faithful to their alignment choice; alignment in this edition is more of a roleplaying guide. Starting with the publication of Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden in 2020 and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything in 2020, player and monster races no longer had preassigned alignments. In December 2021, official errata removed the suggested alignments for playable races in 5th Edition sourcebooks. Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse in 2022, a sourcebook which revised roughly 250 previously published monsters, removed preassigned alignments for creatures except in the cases of specifically named characters. Creature stat blocks that also have playable races now state that they can be any alignment while other monsters, such as demons, with a strong association to a given alignment feature the word typically next to their alignment. This insinuates that exceptions to a preassigned alignment are possible, encouraging DMs to potentially subvert player expectations and utilize monsters in unanticipated ways. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was not just a mechanical tool; it was a narrative device that helped to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. The nine-point grid allowed for a wide range of character archetypes, from the noble paladin to the ruthless assassin, and from the chaotic rogue to the lawful judge. Each alignment offered a unique perspective on the world, and players could choose to embrace or subvert these expectations in their role-playing. The alignment system became a central part of the Dungeons & Dragons identity, influencing the way the game was played and the stories that were told within it. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was a testament to the creativity and innovation of the Dungeons & Dragons community, and it continues to be a vital part of the game today.
The Cultural Impact Of Alignment
The Dungeons & Dragons alignment system is occasionally referenced as a system of moral classification in other contexts. Salon television critic Heather Havrilesky, while reviewing the HBO television series True Blood, analyzed the program's characters in terms of D&D alignments and identified protagonist Sookie Stackhouse as chaotic good, her vampire boyfriend Bill Compton as lawful neutral, Eric Northman as lawful evil, and Lafayette Reynolds as chaotic neutral. In Hostiles and Calamities, the 11th episode of season 7 of The Walking Dead television series, the character Eugene Porter makes a reference to the D&D alignment system when describing himself as not good, not lawful, neutral, or chaotic. The alignment chart Internet meme humorously categorizes various items, often characters from works of pop culture, in a three-by-three grid. The system has also been used in research into how people create virtual avatars in the digital world. For example, the computer role-playing game Neverwinter Nights 2 inherits the D&D alignment system and researchers have used the NW2 avatar creation process to show that American undergraduate students tend to select avatars that are similar to their own moral values. Zachary Pilon, for Comic Book Resources, commented that alignment in 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons is now more of a storytelling tool than something with mechanical benefits, adding that the history of the mechanic means that Wizards of the Coast is unlikely to ever remove it in entirely, but the current nine options are outdated and should either be improved or changed outright. Pilon highlighted that the variety of ways each individual alignment can be interpreted or justified can lead to a single character being viewed as several alignments, with each being just as appropriate as the other. While this is alright when it comes to placing favorite movie or anime characters on the D&D alignment chart, the individual interpretation of in-game alignments means players can be upset with where a Dungeon Master places their character or how the setting applies an objective morality to what is a subjective view of morals and ethics. Pilon suggested that the more complex alignment system from Wizards of the Coast's Magic: The Gathering, five colors of mana with 32 unique combinations which correspond to various outlooks, could be adapted to Dungeons & Dragons in order to update the alignment system. Since 2018, the alignment system has also been popularized as an Internet meme, with users making their own alignment charts to humorously categorize objects, fictional characters, celebrities, animals, and even abstract concepts. Online communities have also been made around the meme, such as r/AlignmentCharts, a subreddit dedicated to sharing and creating alignment charts that apply the format to many different themes with different alignments being introduced. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was not just a mechanical tool; it was a narrative device that helped to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. The nine-point grid allowed for a wide range of character archetypes, from the noble paladin to the ruthless assassin, and from the chaotic rogue to the lawful judge. Each alignment offered a unique perspective on the world, and players could choose to embrace or subvert these expectations in their role-playing. The alignment system became a central part of the Dungeons & Dragons identity, influencing the way the game was played and the stories that were told within it. The evolution of the alignment system reflected the changing needs of the players and the game designers, as they sought to create a more engaging and dynamic experience. The alignment system was a testament to the creativity and innovation of the Dungeons & Dragons community, and it continues to be a vital part of the game today.