Can Good Wizards cast an [Evil] spell?

[thedrowranger]

I'm currently the Dm for a game session where a Player playing a Wizard wants to use Summon Undead and he's wondering if there was a restrictment due to alignment like a cleric. I told him that I wasn't aware of any type of alignment restriction with arcane users and ruled at the table that it's fine but warned him that using a spell that is socially unacceptable may change his alignment over time mainly depending on when and how he was using these creatures.

Another player spoke up a few days later sayign that they can't cast Evil spells at all because it will instantly change their alignment. So I did a little more research and searches and couldn't find anything definite.

What I'm looking for is a Pg# of a book that will say a definite answer if one exists or if it is simply a DM call depending on how the spell is used and how frequently it is used.

Any ideas?

[Jeraa]

Alignment descriptors on spells only apply to divine spellcasters. An [Evil] spell can be cast by a good wizard with no problem. Notice that the cleric and druid classes both specifically mention this restriction - no mention with wizards and sorcerers means that those classes aren't limited.

Casting a single evil spell will not change a characters alignment. Even casting them all the time won't change alignment. An aligned spell changing someones alignment is nothing but a houserule.

(Edit: Though Book of Vile Darkness does imply that casting evil spells [for evil purposes] could lead to alignment change. Book of Exalted Deeds says the opposite - no amount of good spells will change alignment.)

[NNescio]

Casting a single evil spell will not change a characters alignment. Even casting them all the time won't change alignment. An aligned spell changing someones alignment is nothing but a houserule.

Or if the BoVD (and the BoED, to a lesser extent) is at play, but that's pretty much a hogwash.

[Kansaschaser]

Wow, if an Arcane caster's alignment was changed after casting just one spell with an alignment descriptor, that would make for some very demented and confused characters.

Imagine if you will; a Wizard who memorizes spells with both the [Good] and [Evil] descriptors. As soon as he casts an evil spell, he changes alignment to Evil. Then a few rounds later, he casts a good spell, thus changing his alignment back to good.

Also, if you somehow trick the Big Bad Evil Guy to cast a [Good] spell, he's now the Big Benevolent Ex-Evil Guy.

Anyone that plays with the houserule that changes your alignment when you cast a spell with an alignment descriptor is asking for trouble.

[hamishspence]

It's mentioned in BoVD, and Eberron Campaign Setting. And in Complete Scoundrel the Malconvoker class specifies it is exempt from the normal rule of "casting evil spells will change your alignment over time".

In Fiendish Codex 2 it is a Corrupt act which may change your afterlife destination if enough of them are cast.

And in Heroes of Horror it discusses "flexible neutral" characters (especially the Dread Necromancer) who commit evil acts (like casting evil spells) but only for Good reasons, and are thus able to maintain a Neutral alignment.

So it's not just a houserule- there's a strong theme of it being hard to be better than Neutral when using Evil magic.

BoVD seems to be "Evil spells can change your alignment" BoED seems to be "Good spells can't change your alignment". Helping to eliminate the "rapid alignment switch from spellcasting" problem- you only have to track Evil spells and check just how good your motivations and overall behaviour are- not the number of Good spells you cast.

[Redshirt Army]

Short Answer: Yes.

Long Answer: They can, but doing so is a (minor) evil act, so if they do so repeatedly their alignment might change.(Though I recommend against alignment changes unless do something particularly nasty with the spell.)

[Jeraa]

Evil spells may create undead, inflict undue suffering, harm another’s soul, or produce any of a slew of similar effects. Sometimes, a nonevil spellcaster can get away with casting a few evil spells, as long as he or she does not do so for an evil purpose. But the path of evil magic leads quickly to corruption and destruction. Spells with corruption costs (see Corrupt Magic in Chapter 6) are so evil that they take a physical and spiritual toll on the caster.

That is the extent of what BoVD says. Nothing about changing alignments, just "leads quickly to corruption and destruction". Even if you take that to mean alignment shift, there are no mechanics or it. Its totally up to what the DM wants, and so is still a houserule.

[ThiefInTheNight]

It's implied (and, I thought, stated) that casting an Evil spell is an Evil action. I always found this stupid, but I thought it was in there somewhere.

Based on the Eberron Campaign Setting and the Malconvoker, it seems several of the book authors did, too.

[hamishspence]

In PHB it mentions "channelling negative energy" (by rebuking undead) is an evil act, but it doesn't mention "casting evil spells"- only the splatbooks do.

Even in FC2, it's right at the bottom of ther Corrupt act list- less evil than perverting the course of justice, or robbing the needy, and much less evil than murder.

[MikolasTheAngry]

I think the general sentiment here is:

Yes, you can cast an evil spell. But it only means you're a bit of a jerk at most.

[ericgrau]

The descriptors are acid, air, chaotic, cold, darkness, death, earth, electricity, evil, fear, fire, force, good, language-dependent, lawful, light, mind-affecting, sonic, and water.

Most of these descriptors have no game effect by themselves, but they govern how the spell interacts with other spells, with special abilities, with unusual creatures, with alignment, and so on.

Basically the rule is that there isn't much of a rule. I dislike the idea of "the rules don't address it so it has no effect", though. What that really means is that the effect is mostly up to you and your DM.

Considering that things raised as undead can't be ressurected, you're probably doing something funky with their soul, restraining it somehow. The details about that are up to your DM. Could you mess with someone's soul to achieve a good end? Can you steal or etc. and use wait you gain from it to do something good? Sure. The DM can decide the details of the moral issues from there.

[thedrowranger]

Thank you everybody! As always you are able to give me all the information and quotes that are needed.

Thanks again!

[Wings of Peace]

The question with Wizard's is never "Can I cast it?" the question is always "Can I learn it and if so how?"

[Runestar]

What if you added the purify spell feat to an evil spell? You now have a spell with both the good and evil descriptors. :smalltongue:

[Garwain]

In PHB it mentions "channelling negative energy" (by rebuking undead) is an evil act, but it doesn't mention "casting evil spells"- only the splatbooks do.

How come a good cleric can cast inflict spells which also channel negative energy?

[ThiefInTheNight]

How come a good cleric can cast inflict spells which also channel negative energy?
He can't; the book says that Clerics cannot cast spells with alignment descriptors that oppose his god's alignment. Just because the Good Cleric can't cast Inflict Wounds doesn't mean that it's inherently an Evil act to do so; it could just mean that Good Gods don't have that spell to give to their Clerics.

[Jeraa]

Inflict spells don't have an alignment descriptor. Good clerics can cast them just fine, they just can't spontaneously cast them the way evil clerics can. They have to be memorized like any other cleric spell.

[Urpriest]

He can't; the book says that Clerics cannot cast spells with alignment descriptors that oppose his god's alignment. Just because the Good Cleric can't cast Inflict Wounds doesn't mean that it's inherently an Evil act to do so; it could just mean that Good Gods don't have that spell to give to their Clerics.

Inflict doesn't have the Evil descriptor.

[Flickerdart]

How come a good cleric can cast inflict spells which also channel negative energy?
Because Deathwatch is [Evil].

[hamishspence]

"Channelling negative energy" refers solely to making Rebuke attempts- not to casting negative energy spells.

Also- Deathwatch is on the casting list of an Always Good class (healer) and an Exalted prestige class (Slayer of Domiel)- both in 3.5 - and it was unaligned in 3.0.

Maybe (since those two came out very early in 3.5) the writers of those books (BoED and Miniatures Handbook) were unaware of the change?

[Flickerdart]

Also- Deathwatch is on the casting list of an Always Good class (healer) and an Exalted prestige class (Slayer of Domiel)- both in 3.5 - and it was unaligned in 3.0.
I am quite aware. The fact that it is [Evil] nevertheless tells you something about the consistent treatment of aligned spells.

[hamishspence]

That's the thing- it's not consistant. The spell was unaligned in 3.0, changed to Evil in 3.5- but some of the writers apparently didn't notice.

Enervation and Energy Drain use pretty extreme negative energy (thus inflicting level drain, the same way the depths of the Negative Energy Plane does) and they don't have the descriptor.

[Flickerdart]

That's what I am saying, yes.

[hamishspence]

Ah- I thought you were saying Deathwatch was proof that aligned spells are consistantly treated.

I lean to the view that PHB made the mistake and that the other two (BoED, MH) are evidence that the DM should consider removing the Evil tag.