Forcing evil characters to cast good aligned spells?

[Mercurial]

Apparently, you can lose your good alignment and even become evil if you cast spells that have the evil descriptor. What if you force someone evil to use evil spells? Give them a wand of Protection From Evil and command them to empty it? Can these good acts redeem them?

[Jormengand]

Probably not, the same way that forcing someone to do evil actions doesn't actually affect their alignment.

[Inevitability]

Book of Exalted Deeds, page seven:


Good spells don’t have any redemptive influence on those who cast them, for better or worse. An evil wizard who dabbles in a few good spells, most likely to help him achieve selfish ends, does not usually decide to abandon his evil ways because he’s been purified by the touch of the holy. On the other hand, there are certain spells whose sanctified nature demands a concrete, physical sacrifice from the caster (see Sanctified Magic in Chapter 6). No character can draw upon such holy magic without being changed for the better as a result.

So spells that are 'only' Good won't help, though sanctified ones might (except Evil characters can't those at all, not even from magic items).

[CasualViking]

In PF, casting 5 good-aligned spells will redeem even the vilest monster.

[ShurikVch]

(except Evil characters can't those at all, not even from magic items).Even with UMD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm) 30?

[Inevitability]

Even with UMD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm) 30?

Interesting idea: the BoED is silent except for 'evil need not apply', so I assume this specific rule would beat the general one.

[ShurikVch]

Interesting idea: the BoED is silent except for 'evil need not apply', so I assume this specific rule would beat the general one.Except the successful DC 30 check literally make you count as having different alignment - thus "the rule" just doesn't apply there
(And, yes, - Blackguard would be able to wield the Holy Avenger without losing a level)

[Inevitability]

Except the successful DC 30 check literally make you count as having different alignment - thus "the rule" just doesn't apply there
(And, yes, - Blackguard would be able to wield the Holy Avenger without losing a level)

When I said 'this' I was referring to the rule you quoted. I now see that I should've been more specific.

[Deophaun]

Interesting idea: the BoED is silent except for 'evil need not apply', so I assume this specific rule would beat the general one.

Questionable, as it's not the item that's preventing you, but the spell itself, and UMD is useless when it comes to emulating spell requirements.

[tyckspoon]

Apparently, you can lose your good alignment and even become evil if you cast spells that have the evil descriptor. What if you force someone evil to use evil spells? Give them a wand of Protection From Evil and command them to empty it? Can these good acts redeem them?

No, and the reverse isn't true either - forcing a Good character to use [Evil] spells won't turn them Evil. It takes specific defined actions or knowingly and willingly changing a character's previous patterns of behavior to actually change alignments. What it will do is break any requirements or taboos against performing a Good or Evil act; this is usually a bigger deal for Good characters than Evil, simply because AFAIK there are both more numerous and more commonly used character options that require 'never do anything Evil' (being a Paladin and anything that requires being Exalted are the two biggest ones, I think) than there are options for Evil characters that require 'never do anything Good.'

[Hecuba]

Apparently, you can lose your good alignment and even become evil if you cast spells that have the evil descriptor. What if you force someone evil to use evil spells? Give them a wand of Protection From Evil and command them to empty it? Can these good acts redeem them?

Casting a [Good] spell is explicitly a Good act, but it does not inherently take precedence over other kinds of acts that have alignment implications. Like volunteering for a session in a soup kitchen.

Would you expect an alignment change for N random acts of charity and good will? If not, there is no reason to expect an alignment change from N castings of Protection from Evil.

If yes, then I'd expect that either:

the character was already very close to an alignment change
N is large that the character spending all their time on this - in which case, they have effectively started devoting themselves to working against evil (in an unusual and odd way)

[Manyasone]

In PF, casting 5 good-aligned spells will redeem even the vilest monster.
As from Horror adventures right? Another atrocity from that particular book. Alignment bouncing has never been easier