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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Soup of Kings's Avatar

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    Default The Axis of Discipline (3.X) (WIP) (PEACH)

    "Look at that selfish prig," muttered Jonas. "How can he live in such decadence, knowing that people are going hungry in his city?" He pulled his face away from the window of the mayor's house, where a grand feast was being held, and turned to his friend Nicolas. "I just don't get it, Nick. What sort of evil, conniving bas-"

    "Now, come on," interrupted Nicolas. "Yeah, he lives in the lap of luxury, but I wouldn't go so far as to call him evil. I hate him just as much as you, but hardly anyone actually ever starves here. And he has always kept us safe from the raiders and wild beasts."

    "Alright, then, if he's not evil, what is he?" queried Jonas. "He's definitely not good."

    "But that's just the thing. He
    is good, at heart. He just loves being catered to. Probably has all his life. It's not a question of morality, per se..."

    Sometimes things just don't quite fit into the system of Good and Evil, Law and Chaos that we've always believed in. Not that it's a bad system, exactly. Anything more than nine alignments starts to get confusing, and I think the nine current ones do an excellent job of covering a wide range of people. But some people want more depth in their role playing. To this end, I decided to convert the system of Purity and Corruption from Fable II into D&D. Yes, this post is inspired by Fable II.

    This gives us three axes for alignment; a moral axis of Good and Evil, a legal axis of Law and Chaos, and a disciplinary axis of Purity and Corruption. (Really, this gives us four axes, and I was sorely tempted to include Funk and Squareness, but I'm a very lazy person and there's no way I could manage 81 alignments )

    As for examples, it's not too hard to figure out. If you've played Fable II, you know how it works. Sleep for a week and you become corrupt. Eat tofu and you go pure. Jack up the rent on your property and you turn corrupt. Let people live in it for free and your purity gets a boost. Let's examine our friend the mayor again. He's Corrupt, Lawful and Good. There's a fine but distinct line between goodness and purity. The mayor can be both corrupt and good. Although he lives decadently, he still tries to keep his people reasonably well off. On the flip side of that particular coin, a Pure Lawful Good character would never accept bribes, would live simply and humbly, etc. If you choose to incorporate Funk, it gets even more complex. For example, everyone's favorite paladin Miko would be a Pure Lawful Good Square. Elan would be Pure Chaotic Good Funky. The list goes on, but you get the point.

    Note that this system is NOT for people who are satisfied with nine alignments. I myself find it confusing, but I think there's some people out there who would like it, or at least find it fun to try out.

    At the moment, this is a work in progress, meaning that it's not done. Dur. At the moment, I'm working on the Corrupt alignments. More to come after that if I don't come down with a sudden case of apathy.
    78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern.
    If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.

    First crappy homebrew, the Arcane Gambler PrC. PEACH please!

    Second crappy homebrew. Click here if you want alignments to be more confusing.

    "Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!" -Auron, Final Fantasy X

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Axis of Discipline (3.X) (WIP) (PEACH)

    PURE ALIGNMENTS

    Spoiler
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    Note that alignments which are neutral on the new axis are much the same as their counterparts in the 2-axis system, and aren't included here. This is mostly due to laziness on my part, but I'll get over it. For reference for these alignments, check your Player's Handbook.

    Pure Lawful Good (PLG): "The Saint"
    The Saint embodies all that is Lawful, Good and Pure. As such, he eschews pleasures of the flesh, so that he may better serve the forces of good and law. Sometimes viewed as a martyr, he is more than willing to go without in order to help others or to uphold the law. The only pleasure he feels necessary is knowing that he has influenced the lives of others for the better.

    Pure Lawful Neutral (PLN): "The Disciple"
    The Disciple embodies Purity and Law in his words and actions, with little regard for the forces of good and evil. In keeping with his purity of mind and body, he objects to any violation of the law, seeing such as a corruption of society. He sets himself firmly against those who would harm or destroy themselves as individuals or society as a whole. His discipline is his strength.

    Pure Lawful Evil (PLE): "The Dictator"
    The Dictator devotes himself fully to works of evil, but in doing so, holds that law and purity must be maintained; for without a strict set of governing laws, how is his word to be followed efficiently? And without purity and discipline, how can he himself stand as the figurehead of his evil empire? Only by embodying these basic tenants can he achieve his goals. He is cold, efficient, and disciplined, and rules with an iron fist.

    Pure Neutral Good (PNG): "The Preacher"
    The Preacher holds that Purity and Goodness are more or less the same. Mindless indulgence can lead only to pain in the end, and in the eyes of a character of this alignment, corruption is to be shunned as self-destructive and on par with evil. To this end, he dedicates himself to not only embodying goodness and purity, but teaching evil or corrupt characters the error of their ways. Purity and goodness can be summed up succinctly as "right" whereas evil and corruption are simply "wrong".

    Pure Neutral Neutral (PNN): "The Purist"
    The Purist cares not for political debates or epic ballads of good versus evil. He only wishes for an end to corruption. He doesn't bother himself with whether a law is moral or not, but will gladly hunt down the politician who passes a law which serves no purpose other than to line his own pockets. As for the Purist himself, he does his best to keep clean and healthy. Refusing to indulge in whores and ale, the Purist prefers to stick to more wholesome pastimes, such as intellectually stimulating games or healthy snacks.

    Pure Neutral Evil (PNE): "The Warlord"
    The Warlord keeps himself physically fit with a srict regimen of diet and exercise, allowing him to commit his evil deeds with ease. While he doesn't outwardly oppose laws, he doesn't support them either. He delights in spreading evil, often corrupting others but considering himself above them due to the fact that he himself remains pure, although wicked. By keeping himself fit and healthy, he is able to have a very active role in his misdeeds, and delights in taking a "hands-on" approach to evil.

    Pure Chaotic Good (PCG): "The Freedom Fighter"
    A Freedom Fighter is concerned with the good of the people, and finds himself at home fighting against oppressive tyrants. He works around the law in order to help people. In peak physical condition, he is often required to face the law and its representatives head on. To this end he trains rigorously so that he can better serve the general populace.

    Pure Chaotic Neutral (PCN): "The Jester"
    The Jester represents those who abound in Chaos; that is to say, they act on impulse, doing whatever strikes their fancy. While a Jester may live simply, he is rich in spirit. He does whatever he feels like and has a good time doing it. He pays no heed to the tenants of good or evil. Although he might consider himself to be, in a way, good, he doesn't truly embody either extreme of the moral axis. The distinction between goodness and purity is slim, but there. The Jester is not truly good, but he keeps himself well and encourages others to do the same.

    Pure Chaotic Evil (PCE): "The Rampager"
    A Rampager delights in destruction. Not only does he enjoy witnessing it, as any person of Chaotic Evil tendencies would, but he likes to be in the midst of it, causing it by his own hand. To this end he trains himself to be an engine of destruction. A person of this alignment is the sort of person who would randomly kill armed guards just for the fun of it, and wouldn't have too much trouble doing it.
    78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern.
    If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.

    First crappy homebrew, the Arcane Gambler PrC. PEACH please!

    Second crappy homebrew. Click here if you want alignments to be more confusing.

    "Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!" -Auron, Final Fantasy X

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Pixie in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Axis of Discipline (3.X) (WIP) (PEACH)

    YES! Thank you for coming up with this! I've been arguing about the finer points of alignment with my DM for a long time, and this is exactly what I'm looking for for my paladin.

    Question: Do the "pure" and "corrupt" options factor in to class restrictions? For example, could a paladin or monk be corrupt, or a cleric of Erythnul be pure?
    78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.


    The greatest quote ever from my gaming group:

    "Goddamn that motherf**king winged triceratops! I might feel a little sorry for it, but it's draining all my Wisdom!"

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Axis of Discipline (3.X) (WIP) (PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by TheArchmage View Post
    Question: Do the "pure" and "corrupt" options factor in to class restrictions? For example, could a paladin or monk be corrupt, or a cleric of Erythnul be pure?
    I was considering that, as well. The only one that's come to me so far is that a Monk would be have to be Pure, or at the very least non-Corrupt. I need to come up with new deity alignments and get all that worked out. For starters, I just need to finish up the Corrupt alignments.

    But in the meantime, you can sort of imagine what they'd be like. Just think of what corruption means; overindulgence, decadence, bribery, etc. Purity, on the other hand, represents self-discipline, fitness, etc. Although these aren't completely strict. You could be corrupt and still physically fit, and you could be a slob but still pure in word and action. You can sort of common-sense your way though it, though.
    78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern.
    If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.

    First crappy homebrew, the Arcane Gambler PrC. PEACH please!

    Second crappy homebrew. Click here if you want alignments to be more confusing.

    "Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!" -Auron, Final Fantasy X

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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Axis of Discipline (3.X) (WIP) (PEACH)

    I myself have been toying with more alighnment spheres. I came up with honest and dishonest, and pious and it's opposite. I also like the idea of any cleric/favoured soul who is -insert opposite of pious here- could be a completely different alignment to their deity, and disobey them etc. etc.

    merlin
    You gotta' let me know, are we human,
    Or are we dancers?
    My signs are vital, my hands are cold,
    And I'm on my knees, begging for the answer,
    Are we human, or are we dancers?

    - Human, The Killers


  6. - Top - End - #6
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Axis of Discipline (3.X) (WIP) (PEACH)

    Antonyms of pious? I'd go with impious, wicked...something like that.

    Depends what you take pious to mean. If it simply means religious (Thus seperating it from "good") then I guess wicked wouldn't work. Sinful might; an evil deity might consider good deeds to be sins. Then again, he might still consider evil deeds sinful, but encourage them. The best choice, IMHO, would be impious, but that's a bit bland. =/
    Last edited by Soup of Kings; 2009-04-19 at 04:43 PM.
    78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern.
    If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.

    First crappy homebrew, the Arcane Gambler PrC. PEACH please!

    Second crappy homebrew. Click here if you want alignments to be more confusing.

    "Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!" -Auron, Final Fantasy X

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