The Adjusted Alignment system

[laeZ1]

Hey giants, I didn't think I'd ever post this here, but I'd like to hear what you all have to say about it.

In my game, I've got what I call the adjusted alignment system. It doesn't come into play often, but it's there. Basically, when you make your character, you choose your alignment (as normal), but your class and race may alter it. Let's take one of my players, for instance. He plays a chaotic good elf necromancer. Even though he's good, because he took necromancer as a class, I've given him an adjusted alignment of evil. What this does is make things that target "evil" (such as smite evil or protection from evil) affect him as though his original alignment was evil. However, when things target "nongood", it won't affect him because he still is "good". The same applies in reverse. Smite good will affect him, while abilities that target "nonevil" doesn't apply.

So far, the system works and nobody has abused it. However, the more I read in the playground, the more convinced I am that this can be abused, and that I'm just unable to see it. How can this be abused? What would you all suggest I watch out for?

[Slipperychicken]

This sounds almost exactly like how alignment subtypes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm) work, minus the natural weapons bit. Here's the relevant Evil subtype text, since I'm not sure if a complete repost is forum-legal.



Evil Subtype parital text

Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has an evil alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment.


I don't see how this can be abused either, other than trolling people by detecting on both Good and Evil at the same time.

[Milo v3]

Congradulations you've created a way to screw up Alignment even more.
Firstly, it penalizes anyone who wants to play a non-sterotype character, like a good necromancer.
Secondly, every necromancer and warlock immediately counts as evil, even if they are Lawful Good.
Thirdly, if he counts as good and evil, then he would and wouldn't be affected by smite evil.

[TuggyNE]

Thirdly, if he counts as good and evil, then he would and wouldn't be affected by smite evil.

As Slipperychicken pointed out, this already happens with e.g. succubus paladins. Whether said paladins are affected by Smite Evil you are free to work out, but I lean toward the interpretation that they are, however odd that may seem; they are, after all, still composed of "malecules and cruelectrons", as one memorable post has it. (One reason why "detect and smite" is such a bad idea, incidentally.)

I don't think the cliche-fodder is a good idea, though, and certainly adding alignment subtypes to lots of characters is likely to lead to much confusion. All in all, this could work, but I don't see the necessity for it as overriding the flaws.

(One thing I would like to see is for mindless undead to have the [Evil] subtype, but be Always Neutral, like animals.)

[Slipperychicken]

It seems like it would make more sense for players to choose alignments, but the overwhelming majority of NPCs will be ignorant of the idea that Necromancers are anything but Evil because of cultural bias (i.e. tales of necromancers eating children, burning villages, and animated corpses being icky and dishonoring the dead), and the fact (or common misconception) that undead mess with souls.