vasilidor
2016-01-23, 02:11 AM
I saw the note in the guide about lawful evil and the relationship with neutrals, and how they are all weird useless things that seek balance. I have also read the description of true neutral in the DnD books from about seven different versions of the game describing them as such. I have a different take on neutrality than that, that to my personal opinion, makes them both more playable and believable.
they do not seek balance, but rather are ultimately uncommitted to good or evil, law or chaos. they do not care for debates of morality or ethics, but are not monsters or murderers. they wont risk themselves to help a stranger (the way a good person might) without a promise of some sort of reward.and while they don't care about the fate of strangers, they do care for family and those they call friend. for the most part they are content to go about their lives in whatever society they live in, provided they have food, shelter and safety.
so what drives a neutral to adventure then?
1. advancement of wealth and station.
2. the elimination of a threat to ones home, family or friends.
3. their family or friends are of one of the other alignments, and there following along to keep the poor idealist fool / bucket of malice from either getting in over their head or from being to much of a monster or from both at the same time.
the first is what the vast majority of adventurers are after, regardless of alignment. the second almost makes them seem good, but that is an illusion. they are targeting the threat, not because of what danger it poses to others, but because of the threat it poses them. if a monster is raiding villages in an area, the local warriors will, if they believe they are able to seek to hunt it down, but only to prevent themselves to be next on the chopping block.
they will often gravitate towards good characters out of a sense of general respect, or a need of protection.
neutrals also often see themselves as good people, if only for the fact that they are not murderers or thieves. and while they may become these things they either try to justify it as a matter of necessity (depending on ones society may make that true) or may be overcome by guilt of there actions (even if it was in fact necessary for their continues survival).
they may also help others when it does not put themselves at risk without promise of reward. examples include giving out charity to those in need, giving information, or medical assistance.
one thing they will not do is put themselves in a position of risk, no matter the rewards or promises, if they believe they only possible outcome of the proposed venture is an increase of the number of dead bodies the crows will feast on. while they can be convinced to join a cause, they have to believe it is possible to succeed. and while they abhor evil just as much as good aligned folk, may be brought to aid it if only to avoid a worse fate.
One of my last characters i played was a true neutral fighter. He sought fame and fortune and glory as an adventurer, and was an outright terror with his bow on the field of battle. when he finally got his position of wealth and influence, he then found himself needing to defend it, and in doing so had allied himself with vampires and werewolves against a force that threatened the existence of all he held dear.
never got to finish that campaign.
they do not seek balance, but rather are ultimately uncommitted to good or evil, law or chaos. they do not care for debates of morality or ethics, but are not monsters or murderers. they wont risk themselves to help a stranger (the way a good person might) without a promise of some sort of reward.and while they don't care about the fate of strangers, they do care for family and those they call friend. for the most part they are content to go about their lives in whatever society they live in, provided they have food, shelter and safety.
so what drives a neutral to adventure then?
1. advancement of wealth and station.
2. the elimination of a threat to ones home, family or friends.
3. their family or friends are of one of the other alignments, and there following along to keep the poor idealist fool / bucket of malice from either getting in over their head or from being to much of a monster or from both at the same time.
the first is what the vast majority of adventurers are after, regardless of alignment. the second almost makes them seem good, but that is an illusion. they are targeting the threat, not because of what danger it poses to others, but because of the threat it poses them. if a monster is raiding villages in an area, the local warriors will, if they believe they are able to seek to hunt it down, but only to prevent themselves to be next on the chopping block.
they will often gravitate towards good characters out of a sense of general respect, or a need of protection.
neutrals also often see themselves as good people, if only for the fact that they are not murderers or thieves. and while they may become these things they either try to justify it as a matter of necessity (depending on ones society may make that true) or may be overcome by guilt of there actions (even if it was in fact necessary for their continues survival).
they may also help others when it does not put themselves at risk without promise of reward. examples include giving out charity to those in need, giving information, or medical assistance.
one thing they will not do is put themselves in a position of risk, no matter the rewards or promises, if they believe they only possible outcome of the proposed venture is an increase of the number of dead bodies the crows will feast on. while they can be convinced to join a cause, they have to believe it is possible to succeed. and while they abhor evil just as much as good aligned folk, may be brought to aid it if only to avoid a worse fate.
One of my last characters i played was a true neutral fighter. He sought fame and fortune and glory as an adventurer, and was an outright terror with his bow on the field of battle. when he finally got his position of wealth and influence, he then found himself needing to defend it, and in doing so had allied himself with vampires and werewolves against a force that threatened the existence of all he held dear.
never got to finish that campaign.