Quote Originally Posted by Morty View Post
This might be a stronger argument if there weren't actual RPGs based on LotR, which don't use alignment. IIRC at least some of them use a "corruption" mechanic of some kind - but that just goes to show that the alleged goals of the D&D alignment system can be accomplished much better in other ways.
For the record, the morality system in The One Ring, the most modern LotR RPG I'm familiar with works like this:
1. Each player Calling (sort of their character class) has a Shadow Weakness which represents the path they would follow if they fail to resist the Shadow's influence. Scholars have the Lure of Secrets, Slayers have the Curse of Vengeance, Treasure Hunters have Dragon-sickness, Wanderers have Wandering-madness, and Wardens and Leaders have the Lure of Power.
2. Players gain Shadow Points from several potential sources: experiencing distressing events, directly confronting more powerful beings of the shadow (like Ringwraiths), crossing or dwelling in areas tainted by the Shadow, committing despicable or dishonorable actions ("regardless of the end they sought to achieve"), or taking possession of a cursed or tainted item or treasure.
3. Players regularly use Hope points to power their abilities and make difficult rolls. Players become Miserable when they have more Shadow Points than their current Hope score. If they roll an Eye of Sauron on their feat die (a 1 in 12 chance with every roll) while Miserable then they are subject to a Bout of Madness where the Loremaster (GM) takes control of their character for a limited time and makes them do something they will regret later. Like trying to take the Ring from Frodo.
4. A Bout of Madness resets the player's Shadow Points to 0 but also gives them a permanent Shadow Point and a Flaw that the Loremaster may invoke at appropriate times in the future to force a player to roll two Feat dice and take the lower result (Disadvantage, basically).
5. A character who already has all four Flaws for his Calling and succumbs to another Bout of Madness becomes an NPC permanently. Elves lose interest in Middle-Earth and return to Valinor, while Men, Hobbits, or Dwarves either kill themselves in despair, threaten others to the point they have to be killed, or "starves to death in some solitary place, forsaken by men and animals."
6. Temporary Shadow Points may be removed in a limited fashion by downtime activities between adventure phases, usually by practicing some creative craft. Permanent Shadow Points are, as the name implies, permanent.

The alignment system in The One Ring therefore doubles as a sort of Sanity system, since you can get corruption for misdeeds but also take corruption hits for confronting powerful enemies or witnessing distressing events. Misdeeds that earn Shadow Points include (in escalating order) violent threats, lying purposefully or subtly manipulating the will of others, cowardice, theft and plunder, unprovoked aggression, abusing own authority to influence or dominate, torment and torture, or murder.

The system is very different from D&D in many aspects. Aside from the game mechanics there are no PC spellcasters in Middle-Earth. PCs can gain some abilities that are obviously magical, but there is no spell casting system, and Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast are all powerful NPCs with abilities that are mostly up to the Loremaster to define. Combat tends to be short and rather deadly, with players only able to take a few hits. Travel rules are also a big part of the system, and all the printed adventures involve traveling extensively.

I ran a whole year-long campaign in the game and my group and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Cubicle 7 also, sadly, lost the license, so its now out of print. A second edition from a different publisher is planned.