Alignment in D&D as a tool to determine how people will treat you


If your alignment in Dungeons & Dragons says that you are an "a-hole", the rest of the world will react accordingly.

Alignment is a general tool we use to describe how our characters in D&D are going to behave. It's an abstraction, and it is subject to nuances (two lawful characters can be lawful to different degrees, even though they will be sharing some trait).

But, a lawful character will "usually" behave accordingly. It doesn't mean that this character can't behave in a different way, but when not actively thinking, this will be the character's behavior.

Due to this, I think this is how people are going to see a character, in general.

So, when people interact with a lawful character, they will usually assume that he is somehow reliable: he will keep his word, get organized, show up when he is supposed to be; if he can't keep up to his word, he will see this as a major failure in his behavior.

They won't assume the same for a neutral character, who will try to stick to his promises, but who will not lose his sleep in case something goes south, and even less from a chaotic character.

Your friends or companions (i.e. the other adventurers) will put up with you no matter what, probably. But the rest of the world will not.

So, if your alignment is "a-hole", be prepared to be treated in that way.

 Image by Engin Akvurt

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