Comments on: The Alignment Issue Continues http://d21-gaming.com/blog/2008/06/05/the-alignment-issue-continues/ Five veteran gamers, plus special guests, share their insights, rants, and raves about all things gaming, especially board games and RPGs. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:49:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: A. Nonymous http://d21-gaming.com/blog/2008/06/05/the-alignment-issue-continues/#comment-51471 A. Nonymous Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:10:13 +0000 http://d21-gaming.com/blog/?p=1578#comment-51471 <p>This means devils are "less evil" than demons, and, guess what? They aren't! How'll they go around that?</p> This means devils are “less evil” than demons, and, guess what? They aren’t! How’ll they go around that?

]]> By: Polarbeast http://d21-gaming.com/blog/2008/06/05/the-alignment-issue-continues/#comment-51310 Polarbeast Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:59:32 +0000 http://d21-gaming.com/blog/?p=1578#comment-51310 <blockquote> <blockquote> <p>You’ve selected to be a bad guy but you’re just not as committed to the life of sin as others (think Goth rockers and biker gangs)<<</p> </blockquote> </blockquote> <p>I beg your pardon! As an old goth rocker who looks somewhat like a biker, I must protest! I'm as Good-aligned as the day is long! :)</p> <p>I'll sort of miss the concept of the Lawful Evil villain, but I guess since it will be dropped into the "Evil" category I guess I'll continue as I have been: playing characters according to their character. I think, though, it'll help with Druids and other characters who don't have to subscribe to a "Neutral" label but are, truly, unaligned.</p>

You’ve selected to be a bad guy but you’re just not as committed to the life of sin as others (think Goth rockers and biker gangs)<<

I beg your pardon! As an old goth rocker who looks somewhat like a biker, I must protest! I’m as Good-aligned as the day is long! :)

I’ll sort of miss the concept of the Lawful Evil villain, but I guess since it will be dropped into the “Evil” category I guess I’ll continue as I have been: playing characters according to their character. I think, though, it’ll help with Druids and other characters who don’t have to subscribe to a “Neutral” label but are, truly, unaligned.

]]> By: MetalJim http://d21-gaming.com/blog/2008/06/05/the-alignment-issue-continues/#comment-51302 MetalJim Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:17:25 +0000 http://d21-gaming.com/blog/?p=1578#comment-51302 <p>There are only 5 "classic" dragons in the first 4e monster manual - red, blue, green, black, white. We'll get lots more dragons over the next couple of years. What is cool is that the new MM features each dragon in about 4 stages of growth, making it very easy to find a dragon for your party level (assuming that party is at least 3rd level).</p> There are only 5 “classic” dragons in the first 4e monster manual - red, blue, green, black, white. We’ll get lots more dragons over the next couple of years. What is cool is that the new MM features each dragon in about 4 stages of growth, making it very easy to find a dragon for your party level (assuming that party is at least 3rd level).

]]> By: KarasDjun http://d21-gaming.com/blog/2008/06/05/the-alignment-issue-continues/#comment-51297 KarasDjun Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:46:48 +0000 http://d21-gaming.com/blog/?p=1578#comment-51297 <p>I missed some of the Excerpts articles apparently. Are there no longer any metallic dragons? I know they kept Bahamut as a deity, what about Tiamat? Will we be getting more dragons or will they eliminate the colors and make a "generic" dragon that could have any type of breath from a random list?</p> I missed some of the Excerpts articles apparently. Are there no longer any metallic dragons? I know they kept Bahamut as a deity, what about Tiamat? Will we be getting more dragons or will they eliminate the colors and make a “generic” dragon that could have any type of breath from a random list?

]]> By: MetalJim http://d21-gaming.com/blog/2008/06/05/the-alignment-issue-continues/#comment-51296 MetalJim Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:13:20 +0000 http://d21-gaming.com/blog/?p=1578#comment-51296 <p>The 4E rules get rid of alignment as a crutch, or a box that you have to conform to. It simplifies spell selection somewhat (who ever took "detect chaos"?). The mechanics do what they have to do to keep "protection from evil" and "holy word" powers meaningful within the rules, but leaving you, the player, to work out with your GM how your character should behave in a given situation.</p> <p>In the minis game, we have four new factions - civilized, borderlands, underdark, and one other which slips my mind. Some monsters are still classed as good or evil for spell/ power purposes.</p> <p>In 4e, dragons are "evil", but creatures like dragonspawn and drakes are "unaligned". One of the goals of the new Monster Manual is to make it so that every critter feels like a potential enemy, something that your party could actually find itself in a fight against, but you still might be able to role-play your way around some of the "unaligned" monsters, for example.</p> The 4E rules get rid of alignment as a crutch, or a box that you have to conform to. It simplifies spell selection somewhat (who ever took “detect chaos”?). The mechanics do what they have to do to keep “protection from evil” and “holy word” powers meaningful within the rules, but leaving you, the player, to work out with your GM how your character should behave in a given situation.

In the minis game, we have four new factions - civilized, borderlands, underdark, and one other which slips my mind. Some monsters are still classed as good or evil for spell/ power purposes.

In 4e, dragons are “evil”, but creatures like dragonspawn and drakes are “unaligned”. One of the goals of the new Monster Manual is to make it so that every critter feels like a potential enemy, something that your party could actually find itself in a fight against, but you still might be able to role-play your way around some of the “unaligned” monsters, for example.

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