Michael7123
2015-10-13, 08:12 PM
I'm going to be writing this from the perspective of a lawful good character, so oppinions in here will obviously be biased towards law and good. There is another guide on how to be lawful good (which you can read here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?448799-To-March-Into-Hell-for-a-Heavenly-Cause-A-Lawful-Good-Handbook)). This post isn't meant to imply that Zrak has gotten Lawful Good wrong, but rather my attempt to propose an extra opinion on the topic.
Furthermore, I'd like to indicate that this guide will be focused on the variety of lawful good that focuses on (and, in character, advocates for) good over law. Some nods to law over good will be made, but that subset of this alignment will not be discussed quite as much. This is not to say those characters aren't lawful good or valid, it's just not what I'm focusing on here.
To Serve In Heaven
http://i.imgur.com/l78a7H5.jpg?1
Behold, the concept of smiling evil was born.
"Law is order, and good law is good order."-Aristotle, Politics
Almost everything from here on out will be in LG character. You have been warned.
Introduction:
At this point, a plethora of guides have been penned covering the various points of the ideological spectrum. I think it prudent that you give those guide a quick read through -- not to adopt the positions advocated, but to better understand all the forces and misconceptions that lawful good has to strive against.
The prevailing thought on lawful good these days (other than the ever constant "sticks in the mud" perception) seems to be that individuals with this alignment must constantly be in a balancing act with each half of their alignment. Part of my reason for authoring this guide is to show that, at the very least, the principles of lawfulness and goodness ought not be opposed to each other, but go hand in hand more often than people would believe.
What is Lawful Good?
We might as well start off with what the SRD has to say on the matter.
A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. She combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. She tells the truth, keeps her word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished.
Lawful good is the best alignment you can be because it combines honor and compassion.
First, lets focus on what this definition gets right: mainly, what it omits. Lawful good is not about being a stick in the mud, smiting jaywalkers, making foolish decisions, viewing all that disagree with you as beyond redemption, being arrogant and self righteous, or a way to justify tyranny with good intentions. While a lawful good character can struggle with temptations to become these things, they are not always lawful and certainly never good.
Secondly, this description does actively get some things right. Lawful good characters are supposed to be disciplined, tell the truth, speak out against injustice, and all of these are commendable qualities.
However, this description leaves out the core of of Lawful Goodness: Selflessness. This virtue is what ties both the lawful and good aspects of lawful good into a perfect harmony. To put it (very) briefly, lawful good characters are supposed to sacrifice their personal well being both for the benevolence that they wish to foster in society, and for the order they believe makes it possible.
This is merely the first (and most fundamental) way that lawful good manages to blend it's principles of law and good. More examples will be listed and described in the next section: the basic beliefs that characters advocating for law and good advocate for.
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All posts reserved! As the just and rightful ruler of this thread, I hereby open it to comments and suggestions for the rest of the forum. :smallbiggrin:
Furthermore, I'd like to indicate that this guide will be focused on the variety of lawful good that focuses on (and, in character, advocates for) good over law. Some nods to law over good will be made, but that subset of this alignment will not be discussed quite as much. This is not to say those characters aren't lawful good or valid, it's just not what I'm focusing on here.
To Serve In Heaven
http://i.imgur.com/l78a7H5.jpg?1
Behold, the concept of smiling evil was born.
"Law is order, and good law is good order."-Aristotle, Politics
Almost everything from here on out will be in LG character. You have been warned.
Introduction:
At this point, a plethora of guides have been penned covering the various points of the ideological spectrum. I think it prudent that you give those guide a quick read through -- not to adopt the positions advocated, but to better understand all the forces and misconceptions that lawful good has to strive against.
The prevailing thought on lawful good these days (other than the ever constant "sticks in the mud" perception) seems to be that individuals with this alignment must constantly be in a balancing act with each half of their alignment. Part of my reason for authoring this guide is to show that, at the very least, the principles of lawfulness and goodness ought not be opposed to each other, but go hand in hand more often than people would believe.
What is Lawful Good?
We might as well start off with what the SRD has to say on the matter.
A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. She combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. She tells the truth, keeps her word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished.
Lawful good is the best alignment you can be because it combines honor and compassion.
First, lets focus on what this definition gets right: mainly, what it omits. Lawful good is not about being a stick in the mud, smiting jaywalkers, making foolish decisions, viewing all that disagree with you as beyond redemption, being arrogant and self righteous, or a way to justify tyranny with good intentions. While a lawful good character can struggle with temptations to become these things, they are not always lawful and certainly never good.
Secondly, this description does actively get some things right. Lawful good characters are supposed to be disciplined, tell the truth, speak out against injustice, and all of these are commendable qualities.
However, this description leaves out the core of of Lawful Goodness: Selflessness. This virtue is what ties both the lawful and good aspects of lawful good into a perfect harmony. To put it (very) briefly, lawful good characters are supposed to sacrifice their personal well being both for the benevolence that they wish to foster in society, and for the order they believe makes it possible.
This is merely the first (and most fundamental) way that lawful good manages to blend it's principles of law and good. More examples will be listed and described in the next section: the basic beliefs that characters advocating for law and good advocate for.
-----
All posts reserved! As the just and rightful ruler of this thread, I hereby open it to comments and suggestions for the rest of the forum. :smallbiggrin: