How to Choose Your Alignment D&D 5e
Alignment is one of the most important factors when building a character. It is the foundation on which every flaw, bond, and trait is built. And like any building, if the foundation isn't sound, the entire structure will crumble. In this episode of our Character Creation Toolkit, we’ll be defining what alignment is and how to make it more compelling for you and your table.
What is Alignment in D&D?
Being good or evil, lawful or chaotic reveals a great deal about your character because it’s the backdrop to every decision your PC makes. Are they lying for altruistic reasons? Did they save that orphan from bandits only so they could sacrifice him themselves? Do they hate the local lord because they were oppressed by a tyrant or want his power for themselves?
Alignment represents the values and morality of your character. It serves as a moral compass for your characters and non-player characters if you’re DMing. Good and evil, lawful and chaotic - these exist on a spectrum.
For ease of use, they are cut into nine segments lovingly referred to as the alignment chart. Alignment charts may be the most prolific piece of D&D to grace the internet, and there’s sure to be an alignment chart spinoff from your favorite franchise.
In previous editions of Dungeons & Dragons, alignment could determine what classes, races, spells, weapons, and languages were available to you. In D&D 5e, however, alignment doesn’t affect in-game mechanics. So if alignment in 5e is less impactful, why bother?
Does Alignment Matter in D&D?
There’s a greater struggle between good and evil. You are aligning yourself with a side in that struggle. Gods are real and an active force in the lives of mortals, with their agendas. Your alignment can align your character to these forces.
Use alignment as a tool to help flesh out your character. When dealing with lofty ideals of morality, alignment is a way to ground you to help make roleplaying decisions appropriate for your character. Alignment doesn’t need to be the defining trait of your personality. Instead, use it as the base to build your flaws, bonds, and ideals.
How Not to Use Alignment in D&D
As a player, it’s easy to fall into the trope of, “Well, that’s what my character would/wouldn’t do because she’s lawful good.” This is often a thinly veiled excuse to avoid more challenging roleplaying and usually followed by an action (or inaction) that’s unpopular with the table.
Instead, think of your character’s alignment along the lines of a political spectrum. Just because your character is solidly in one quadrant, it doesn’t mean they won’t occasionally borrow ideas from other quadrants when the situation is right. Even the most resolute Paladin can be morally flexible in the right circumstances. And most folks that are evil still have some self-preservation at heart.
A well-built character might not have an alignment that’s easy to identify. A rogue that steals to provide for their family has a code that can have tremendous nuance. Use those nuances to develop your character in exciting ways. One way to do this is to create scenarios in the form of questions that you can run your character through.
As a DM, don’t use alignment to box in players. Instead of preventing or forcing them into specific actions, present them with complicated moral decisions to wrestle. It’s all too easy to smite the Big Bad Evil Guy when he’s going around spreading evil all willy-nilly.
It’s more engaging when BBEG has the villagers’ trust or perhaps are under his spell, and the party must find other ways to resolve their challenges other than violence. Present the players with choices that could lead them to do things outside of their alignment. Alignments can shift, and that shows growth.
Conclusion
Remember - alignment doesn’t need to be a rigid framework that limits your character choices or roleplaying. Thinking about alignment as a spectrum with a range of options lets you play your PC authentically without getting boxed into inflexible decisions.
We hope this post helps you squeeze a little more character growth and development for your character’s alignment! Got any interesting alignment nuggets to share? Shoot us a note at plusonetogaming@gmail.com and we’ll add them to the discussion!
