Alignment shifts

[Beowulf DW]

I'm curious as to how everyone here handles alignment shifts. Do your characters do this often? How do the GMs among us tend to handle this sort of thing?

In a Pathfinder game I'm currently involved in, one of my longer term goals for character development is to get my magus from true neutral to neutral good. I started him out as a cynical warrior for hire who once dreamed of being a noble hero, but lost his way somewhere. Now, I'm steering him towards that ideal again, mostly due to the influence of a somewhat naive cleric. This is being accomplished mostly by addressing past issues with his family. Thus far, I think I'm doing a pretty good job of it. I haven't made the magus completely change his behavior (bad habits die hard), but I'm slowly getting him on that track.

To be perfectly honest, part of the reason I want to accomplish an alignment shift is to qualify for a class, but I want to roleplay it properly. I'm not a fan of class features coming out of thin air just because you gained a level.

[bloodtide]

As a DM I do this all the time. Most inexperienced players just pick a 'cool' alignment, but then just play the ''greedy young puck kid''. So I will often show them the error of their alignment pick, and slowly lead them to the right one.

A classic is most players jump at the chance to be evil. But then when they are evil...well, they are not so evil. They often stay trapped by modern views on things and can't even 'pretend' to not do so for a game. In the end, they only do 'Disney Evil', like telling white lies. But when they encounter a demon that slays because 'the day ends in Y' or the fact that they can't count on evil folks then the find they don't like evil much. A classic is when the player goes to the God of Undeath's temple and expect free healing....and are shocked when the clerics want a bribe to heal them...and more so want them to die so they can add to the undead guard.

But you can do it with any player that does not stick to their alignment.


With most players, I let their alignment be 'vague' for the first couple of games. The alignment is just what they 'think' they are....game play will show what they really are.

[Magesmiley]

Personally, as a DM/GM, I don't announce when a player changes alignment. It happens, and its up to them to figure out that they've been 'reclassified'.

Typically I observe the actions that the character takes in the game when making this assessment. Its not a specific thing, but if I notice a long-term trend in the character's actions, I start paying closer attention to how the character's alignment matches their actions. This can get difficult at times when the character takes actions at opposite ends of the spectrum, but in general most characters follow one trend or another.

[Aidan305]

To be perfectly honest, part of the reason I want to accomplish an alignment shift is to qualify for class, but I want to roleplay it properly. I'm not a fan of class features coming out of thin air just because you gained a level.
There's never a like button when you need one.

When playing, I handle alignment in pretty much the same way as you: a guideline for RP rather than the straightjacket so many people seem to see it as. When DMing I try to encourage players to think about alignment in the same way I do.

Alignment, in short, is part of the character. Not the other way around.

[Beowulf DW]

There's never a like button when you need one.

When playing, I handle alignment in pretty much the same way as you: a guideline for RP rather than the straightjacket so many people seem to see it as. When DMing I try to encourage players to think about alignment in the same way I do.

Alignment, in short, is part of the character. Not the other way around.

Thanks. Glad you approve.:smallsmile:

[GnomeGninjas]

I don't really have much experience with alignment change how ever I remember 2 new people who were playing a lawful good rogue and a a fighter who I think was neutral good just deciding to become Chaotic Neutral after a few sessions.

[Epsilon Rose]

As a DM I do this all the time. Most inexperienced players just pick a 'cool' alignment, but then just play the ''greedy young puck kid''. So I will often show them the error of their alignment pick, and slowly lead them to the right one.

A classic is most players jump at the chance to be evil. But then when they are evil...well, they are not so evil. They often stay trapped by modern views on things and can't even 'pretend' to not do so for a game. In the end, they only do 'Disney Evil', like telling white lies. But when they encounter a demon that slays because 'the day ends in Y' or the fact that they can't count on evil folks then the find they don't like evil much. A classic is when the player goes to the God of Undeath's temple and expect free healing....and are shocked when the clerics want a bribe to heal them...and more so want them to die so they can add to the undead guard.

But you can do it with any player that does not stick to their alignment.


With most players, I let their alignment be 'vague' for the first couple of games. The alignment is just what they 'think' they are....game play will show what they really are.

I almost want to play a campaign with you just to play a really evil character.

That said, I tend to prefer my alignments grey and take what's marked on a sheet as an expression of intent. If a player says they're LG and they start murdering people I'll tell them they're in danger of shifting their alignment (unless I'm trying to be subtle about it for some reason), but I don't really tie many effects to it; so they can shift as much as they want or as much as their actions dictate.