Alignment related 3.0/3.5 book statements- summary

[hamishspence]

Given the number of alignment debates over what the various books say, I thought it might be handy to summarise and compile all the book statements, sourcing them:

You might be Good if you:
(PHB page 104)
protect innocent life
are altruistic
have respect for life
have concern for the dignity of sentient beings
make personal sacrifices to help others

(BoED pages 5-9)
help others in need without expecting reward
are charitable
make personal sacrifices
worship good deities
cast good spells (note- they don't have any redemptive influence)
offer and show mercy to defeated enemies
forgive others
bring hope
redeem evildoers

You might be Evil if you:
(PHB page 104)
debase innocent life for fun or profit
destroy innocent life for fun or profit
hurt others
oppress others
kill others
have no compassion for others
kill without qualms if doing so is convenient
kill for sport or out of duty to some evil deity or master
(BoVD pages 6-9)
lie (but this is not always an evil act)
cheat
steal
betray
murder
exact vengeance (acts of vengeance do not have to be evil though)
worship fiends or evil gods
create/animate undead
cast evil spells
harm or destroy souls (only the foulest of villains are willing to do this)
create Evil creatures
exploit others for personal gain
bully and cow innocents
bring despair
tempt others
(Exemplars of Evil pages 18-19)
are cruel- deriving pleasure from the suffering of others, causing harm and pain merely for the sake of doing so
are envious, belittling the accomplishments of everyone around you, while secretly wishing to achieve the same things
are manipulative, exploiting and using people
are gluttonous, hoarding food or treasure to deprive others of the chance to enjoy it

You might be non-Good if you:
(BoED pages 9-28)
inflict violence without just cause
inflict violence without good intentions
direct violence against noncombatants
use evil spells
use torture
use practices that inflict undue suffering on the victims
participate in coercive or exploitative relationships
turn a blind eye to evil acts by comrades
hand people over to be tortured
kill enemies who surrender
knock prisoners out every time they wake up

You might be non-Evil if you:
(Champions of Valor page 14)
show mercy to defeated opponents
truly forgive someone who has wronged you

You might be Chaotic if you:
(PHB page 104)
follow your conscience
resent being told what to do
favour new ideas over tradition
do what you promise if you feel like it
feel a compulsion to rebel

(Exemplars of Evil pages 18-19)
are avaricious, plotting to acquire items belonging to others
are duplicitous, honoring no alliance or bond of friendship, lying, cheating, betraying
are lascivious, driven by bodily impulses and desire for gratification
are mad- erratic and sometimes hostile
are nihilistic- defying social conventions and opposing tradition

You might be Lawful if you:
(PHB page 104)
tell the truth
keep your word
respect authority
honor tradition
judge those who fall short of their duties
feel a compulsion to obey
(Exemplars of Evil pages 17-19)

are arrogant - proud, vain, and full of self-importance
are trustworthy - your word is your bond
are intolerant, persecuting others for their differences
are direct, explaining exactly what you expect of others
are obsessive, focusing on something and not letting it go
are slothful, relying on others to carry out your schemes, but expecting them to be obeyed
are vain, consumed with appearances
are vindictive, never forgetting a slight or letting go of a grudge

You might be Neutral (Good/Evil) if you:
(PHB page 104-105)
have compunctions against killing the innocent
lack the commitment to make personal sacrifices to protect or help others
will make personal sacrifices for friends/family/nation but will not make personal sacrifices for unrelated strangers
regard Good as better than Evil but are not personally committed to Good
see Good and Evil as prejudices and dangerous extremes
You might be Neutral (Law/Chaos) if you:
(PHB page 104-105)
have normal respect for authority
feel no compulsion to obey or rebel
are honest but can be tempted into lying or deceiving others
see Law and Chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes

Even if you're evil, you can still:
(Savage Species page 102)
be a loving parent, faithful spouse, loyal friend, or devoted servant
BoVD page 187-189
be motivated by sympathy for others, and by love

be able to respect something like friendship
(Champions of Ruin pages 5-7)
not seem to be evil
consider yourself the epitome of goodness
be good most of the time
be driven to evil just to keep a worse evil at bay
be kind, intelligent, and perfectly capable of holding a conversation (but do evil things when angry)
be equally capable of acts of extreme good or extreme evil, (neither of which move you, emotionally or spiritually, due to being sociopathic)

[hamishspence]

I reported the other thread as an accidental double thread- this thread is the one I want to post in.

The two Iconics mentioned (in the section on the 9 individual alignments) were:

"Ember, a monk who follows her discipline without being swayed either by the demands of those in need, or the temptations of evil, is lawful neutral"

"Mialee, a wizard who devotes herself to her art and is bored by the semantics of moral debate, is neutral"

Not sure what the difference between "following your discipline" and "devoting yourself to your art" are- maybe there's other reasons?

Perhaps Mialee is non lawful for a reason that the book doesn't give?

EDIT- a few additions.

A society might be nongood if it:
BoED page 11
Sanctions slavery
Sanctions torture
Sanctions discrimination
Cityscape page 156
Officially and legally persecutes specific races
Does not formally condone persecution, but informally allows it

Even if a character is good, they might still:
Champions of Ruin page 5
keep a slave or two simply because it is a societal norm
PHB page 103
not be completely consistant- occasionally tempted into behaving in a nongood fashion

[deuxhero]

Don't the Iconics give some justification for their alignment in their write up (though I remember it contradicted itself, saying one is lawful for being dedicated to something and the other is chaotic for it)

I'll delete this if you want to reverse posts.

Deleted so you can use that post for new stuff

[hamishspence]

New stuff- Hero Builder's Guidebook (3.0) quiz
The "or even" examples represent the more strongly aligned response

When family elders are expressing disapproval:
Evil characters might
besmirch their reputation while ignoring their scorn

or even try to silence them any way they can
Good characters might
seek a compromise

or even accept the criticism and try to change their ways

When it comes to giving up a career to help the family in time of need:
Good characters might
do so, with some reluctance

or even do so in a heartbeat
Neutral (Good-Evil) might
only do so if they're certain they can return to it soon

or even not give up the career at all

When it comes to betraying family members to advance their career:
Evil characters might
do so, if it can be done secretly

or even do so without a twinge of guilt
Neutral (Good-Evil) might
not do so

or even find the very idea abhorrent

Regarding the leaders of the family:
Lawful characters might
be guided by their words

regard them as role models
Chaotic characters might
see them as often out of touch with the character's life

or even see them as out of touch with reality

when the family arrange the character's marriage to someone loathsome:
Lawful characters might
go through it, hiding their reluctance

or even go through it with pride at serving their family
Neutral (Law-Chaos) might
subtly work against the union

or even flee

When an estranged family member seeks a reconciliation on their deathbed:
Chaotic characters might
speak to them, but hold their ground

or even refuse to see them at all
Neutral (Law-Chaos) might
discuss the estrangement openly and without rancour

or even actively seek reconciliation, heeding their dying words.

When a corrupt judge offers a bribe to testify against a friend:
Evil characters might
testify, trying to keep their testimony ineffective

or even willingly condemning their friend
Good characters might
refuse the bribe offer and refuse to testify

or even testify on their friends behalf, no matter the consequences

When it comes to making close friends:
Good characters might
have a few close friends

or even an abundence of them
Neutral (Good-Evil) might
have few close friends

or even try and keep them at a distance

When it comes to betraying friends:
Evil characters might
have done so once

or even more than once, and sometimes gotten away with it
Neutral (Good-Evil) might
have been tempted but not done so

or even never contemplated doing so

When it comes to lifelong commitment to a single partner:
Lawful characters might
regard it as ideal - if achievable

or even be specifically waiting for such a commitment
Chaotic characters might
be worried they'd miss out on what others have to offer

or even regard tying themselves to one person as a huge mistake

When it comes to insisting on friends repaying money lent:
Lawful characters might
do so, but be flexible about exact terms

or even write up a contract at the time it was lent to ensure no misunderstanding
Neutral (Law-Chaos) might
not expect to be repaid (though they think it would be nice)

or even simply have the friend just "owe them a favour"

When it comes to keeping in touch with childhood friends:
Neutral (Law-Chaos) might
try to keep in touch

or even correspond regularly
Chaotic characters might
move around too much to stay in contact

or even feel they have nothing in common with their childhood friends anymore

[hamishspence]

Continuation of the Hero Builder's Guidebook (3.0) quiz
The "or even" examples represent the more strongly aligned response

When it comes to donating time and money to the community:
Good characters might
donate as much as they can once their own needs are met

or even regard it as their top priority
Neutral (Good/Evil) might
not do so because they don't have enough time or money to spare

or even regard it as a waste of time and money

When it comes to defending the community when it's threatened with invasion:
Good characters might
man the barricades with the rest of the community

or even defend it to their last breath
Evil characters might
flee as soon as things look grim

or even cut a deal with the invaders to act as a spy

When it comes to the character being injured and in immediate need of assistance, members of the community, if the character is:
Neutral (Good/Evil), might
do so, because the character is generally well liked

or even do so because they know the character would do the same
Evil, might
not do so, because the character is distrusted by the powers that be

or even because the character has made enemies

When it comes to respecting the laws and authorities of the community:
Lawful characters might
do so, because they're generally the best way to govern

or even do so without question
Chaotic characters might
do so when it suits them, but not agree with some laws

or even not pay attention to the authorities at all because they have no hold on the character.

Regarding the possibility of being shunned, avoided, or mocked by members of the community:
Neutral (Law/Chaos) might
not be, because they're generally seen as normal

Or even set the standard for what is normal in the community
Chaotic characters might
sometimes be mocked, because they don't always fit in

or even because the minds of the community members simply cannot handle anyone that far outside the norm

when it comes to standing for office, or representing the interests of the community in some public manner:
Lawful characters might
regard it as everyone's duty to do so

or even consider it an honour they'd joyously accept
Neutral (Law-Chaos) might
only do so if no one else could handle the job

or even not want to be responsible for the community's welfare

When the country is wracked with famine:
Good characters might
eat as little as possible, then share the rest

or even share all the food they possess with others
Evil characters might
steal what food they need to survive

or even steal as much food as possible, then sell it back to the community at a high price

When offered money to slip poison into the king's drink:
Evil characters might
do so if they think they can get away with it

or even do so, having done similar things before
Neutral (Good/Evil) might
not do so, though a vast sum of money would tempt them

or even warn the king of the plot

When a plague sweeps across the country:
Good characters might
heal the sick as best they can

or even undertake a dangerous mission to find a cure
Neutral (Good-Evil) might
avoid contact with the sick

or even flee the country

When it comes to respecting the lawful authority of the rulers of the land:
Lawful characters might
regard them as generally fair and just

or even do so, wishing long life to them
Chaotic characters might
not do so, regarding them as no better than anyone else

or even regard rulers as invariably corrupted by power

When it comes to spying for a hostile foreign power (if offered a reasonably lucrative deal):
Chaotic characters might
do so because the nation's secrets mean little to them

or even do so because they think the nation could stand to be knocked down a peg
Neutral (Law/Chaos) might
not do so because they might get caught

or even not do so because they'd never violate the nation's trust in them

When it comes to relying on the government to enforce contracts and property rights:
Lawful characters might
do so, because they feel the courts are best equipped to handle individual disputes

or even because they feel maintaining the rule of law is more important than any individual dispute
Neutral (Law-Chaos) might
not do so because they feel the government can't even pave roads

or even take the view that if they can't defend something themselves, they don't deserve to have it
When it comes to injuring or killing guards in a prison break:
Evil characters might
be prepared to do so, feeling that they guards knew the risks when they took the job

or even regard ithe guards as deserving it for locking them up
Neutral (Good/Evil) might
not do so, except for minor wounds that will heal quickly

or even avoid doing so completely because the guards are just doing their jobs

When it comes to the right of a noble to badly treat their serfs:
Good characters might
feel that nobles should not do so, and rule as kindly as possible

or feel that no-one has the right to treat another badly, period
Neutral (Good/Evil) characters might
feel that sometimes only fear will motivate serfs

or even feel that the serfs are lucky they aren't slaves

When it comes to the character having accidentally committed a crime:
Good characters might
confess, throwing themselves on the mercy of the court

or even both confess and attempt to make restitution to the victim
Evil characters might
hide their involvement, lying if they have to

or even try and pin the crime on another

When it comes to confessing to a crime they're guilty of:
Lawful characters might
do so because it might get them a lighter sentence

or even because they feel it's their duty to do so
Neutral (Law Chaos) might
make the magistrates prove their guilt

or even attempt to "prove" their innocence

When it comes to repressing a revolutionary political opinion if there's a danger of punishment:
Neutral (Law/Chaos) might
not do so, only privately expressing their opinion to their friends

or even feel that politics isn't worth getting worked up about
Chaotic characters might
do so because "somebody has to speak the truth"

or even because they'd rather be punished than remain silent (Up the revolution!)

Regarding being ordered to testify about a crime they witnessed, if it would delay a journey significantly:
Lawful characters might
remain reluctantly, testify, and leave

Or even remain till the conclusion of the trial, in case further evidence is needed
Chaotic characters might
deny they saw anything

or even slip out of town to avoid testifying

When it comes to the best use of wealth:
Good characters might
feel it is for providing for the needs of friends and family

or even that it is for providing for the destitute and less fortunate
Evil characters might
feel it is for staying on top of the heap themselves

or even that it is also for preventing others rising to the same level

When confronted by beggars:
Good characters might
give moderately

or even give generously
Neutral (Good/Evil) might
give only what they wouldn't miss (a copper or two at most

or ignore them as the character walks by

When they have the magic to fool people into thinking their coppers are gold:
Evil characters might
do so, but only cheat the rich merchants

or even buy as much as they can with the fakes
Neutral (Good/Evil) might
not do so, because they feel it's too risky

or even because they feel the merchants have families to feed

When it comes to choosing between a lucrative job and a secure, steady one:
Lawful characters might
pick the secure one unless the other is exceptionally lucrative

or even always pick the secure one because they plan for the long term
Neutral (Law/Chaos) might
usually pick the lucrative one (but at least look at the secure one)

or even feel that steady work sounds like drudgery

When it comes to the best path to wealth:
Lawful characters might
feel that it's following a long-term plan that incorporates a comfortable level of risk

or even that it's hard work and perseverance
Chaotic characters might
feel that it's staying flexible so they can take advantage of good opportunities

or even that it's a matter of luck and being in the right place at the right time

When it comes to continuing a task they've been contracted for, once it suddenly gets much more dangerous:
Chaotic characters might
insist on renegotiating

or even take the view that once it's no longer a good deal, the deal is off
Lawful characters might
stick to it because it's good to have a reputation for dependability

or even because their word is their bond