Been wanting to do something like this for a long time, and I assume someone has already done something similar but here goes.
Alignment points work like this.
Basic rundown: make alignments more meaningful by awarding things based on how many points they have in that alignment.
Long version:
Your character starts as true neutral with 0 points. All deities etc. Assume your intentions until you align more. So for example a paladin will be considered lawful good or what not if their faith requires it. This way it does not get in the way of initial class building. Important RP actions award points towards a particular alignment based on the player's response and actions. Example: randomly attacking an allied npc or setting a bar on fire to light your pipe would award points in chaotic evil. The dm decides how many point to award if any and in what category.
You are the alignment you have the most points in. If there is a tie the player chooses.
Having a lot of points in a particular alignment can result in it directly affecting your character at the dms discretion. For example a paladin doing evil things may end up have to be an oath breaker or take a level in warlock. Another example a warlock may have to change subclasses to a celestial lock if they end up being more lawful good than their patron originally expected. Another example is maybe changing patrons and deities or in extreme cases maybe reclassing the chara ter altogether including their background. Dm would have final say but is expected to work with the player to determine new class etc so as to keep drama to a minimum.
Other things like stronger guards following your characters if they act up or if they are good maybe an npc will join the party and aid them depending on the campaign theme. It's not all good though, maybe your lawful good reputation precedes you and a corrupt official takes notice and tries to get you out of the way.
The awards go by how much the alignment you have the most points in is ahead of the second most. Example: 15 points in lawful good and 10 in chaotic evil means you get the bonus for having 5 or more lawful good including lower tiers.
So good deeds do not erase bad one and vice versa but it's more about how your character acts as a whole and how frequent.
So the dm needs to decide which events award points and how much. Even random ones like giving a few gold to a beggar can be something not just crucial plot points. Also if the party takes a mundane situation into their own hands with unexpected results you can judge it accordingly. Did the good guy in the group stop the tavern brawl? Did the druid randomly decide to heal and enemy? If so why?
This is the general theme as to each alignment I was going with. Lawful good: model citizen. Neutral good: a do gooders but not as strict as lawful. Chaotic good: good intentions but wrong methods. Lawful neutral: plays by the rules but is not passionate about it. True neutral: no real opinion... can go any way. Chaotic neutral: impulse driven. Lawful evil: legally selfish. Neutral evil: immorally indifferent. Chaotic evil: a fun loving criminal.
Now onto the bonuses since you know that's what you wanted to see the most. When I refer to guards it can be substituted for any official at dms discretion.
Lawful good:
1+ gain +1 to persuasion and deception against guards
5+ free healing at temples that would accept you. You can often convince them to heal other party members.
10+ 25% discount with merchants and inns.
15+ you can make a signet in the form of a letter magically sealed by you that can not be forged. It costs 2,000 hp to create and is destroyed upon use. It will pardon a party member of any crime in the name of the greater good because they are allied with you. However, you add 10 points to chaotic evil.
20+ you can cast wish ONE time without it affecting your chances to cast wish in the future. You have done so much good the lawful good deity of your choosing grants you this wish and their energy is why it doesnt hurt you.
Neutral good:
1+ advantage on persuasion checks against guards.
5+ a non evil temple etc will give your party shelter for a night including food and water.
10+ 10% merchant discount.
15+ if arrested you can get out on bail regardless of charges and dm sets price.
20+ you get a business of your choosing in a town of your choosing and get 500 GP a month from it.
Chaotic good:
1+ if you have a negative modifier in persuasion when talking to a guard it is treated as 0.
5+ 50% discount on staying at an inn but only applies to shelter.
10+ 5% merchant discount.
15+ if any party member is imprisoned they will be treated fairly and healed and receive decent food and beverage.
20+ a magic item of your choosing.
Lawful neutral:
1+ guards rolling insight against you have -1 to the result.
5+ when staying at an inn roll 1d20 if the result is 10 or less nothing happens. If it is 11 or more roll percentile. That is your discount. Roll each time you pay for inn services.
10+ when purchasing from a merchant roll 1d20 if the result is 10 or less nothing happens. If it is 11 or more roll percentile. That is your discount. Roll each time you pay for mervhant services.
15+ when in jail roll percentile and the roll 1d10. Multiply them and that is your bail amount.
20+ can erase any or all party members criminal records and release them from jail immediately. One time use.
True neutral:
1+ gain +1 to insight.
5+ add 1d6 to persuasion checks against guards and innkeepers.
10+ when receiving gold from a quest roll 1d12 and add that to the total. Dm can scale as they see fit.
15+ when paying bail roll a percentile and that's your discount.
20+ if your character dies you are instead set to 1 HP. Usable 1 time.
Chaotic neutral:
1+ when deceiving or persuading guards roll 1d20 if 11 or above add 1d4 to the rill if 10 or less subtract 1d4.
5+ when guards roll insight on you subtract 1d6 from the total.
10+ when buying equipment roll 1d20 if 11 or more roll percentile and that is your discount if rolled 10 or less on the d20 then add the percentile as mark up.
15+ when paying bail roll 1d20 if 11 or more roll percentile and that is your discount if rolled 10 or less on the d20 then add the percentile as mark up.
20+ fulfill your chara terms greatest impulse one time. The dm decides how it plays out.
Lawful evil:
1+ gain -1 to persuasion and deception against guards. You haven't always broken the law but they have their eye on you.
5+ advantage on persuasion with innkeepers and merchants.
10+ when selling items to merchants you always get the full value if its something they would normally buy.
15+ when paying bail you get 50% discount. You have a great lawyer apparently.
20+ whenever you get gold from a quest or an enemy treasure hoard you personally magically get 25% more. It is generated not taken from others.
Neutral evil:
1+ advantage on insight checks. You moral indifference allows you not be persuaded easily.
5+ innkeepers and merchants are wary of you and tend to not offer discounts.
10+ if jailed, guards will become wary of you and leave you unattended for extended periods of time. Perhaps you can use it to escape...
15+ you gain 100 GP a month from unknown sources. You really are ambiguous.
20+ one time you roll 1d20 and add that to your maximum health, permanently.
Chaotic evil:
1+ the authorities are on to you. Gain disadvantage on persuasion and deception against guards
5+ merchants and innkeepers fear you. You get a 20% discount on there services.
10+ you can easily bribe merchants and inn keepers to say you were never there. Dm sets the price.
15+ average guards fear you. They will not try to arrest you unless in public.
20+ you gain a black market lackey. Make a level 10 character. You now play it in addition to your current character.
So anyways I'm looking for constructive feedback. A few things may need adjustment but overall I like it and wanna use it.
I....really don’t like this honestly as it starts to mix the lines between alignment being a social mechanic to a game play one, and some of the perks make no sense to be honestly, like... extra health for being evil or get a free level 10 character offer there own slew of problems
to me alignment really doesn’t have a lot of use out of maybe defining the basics of a persons morals, if you want have there choices impact how that world views them that shouldn’t really be connected to there alignment, a good person could be doing horrible things and an evil person might he giving away food to an orphanage to improve there self imagine.
I’d say the biggest problems with this system are that it focuses to much mechanically on actions and almost forces the player down a permanent alignment path if they want these perks, and it makes alignment into a scale of, Well ya you did burn down a tavern once and killed someone in cold blood..BUT, you have pet like 500 puppies
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Marvarax andSora (Dragonborn) The retired fighter and WIP scholar - Glory
Brythel(Dwarf), The dwarf with a gun - survival at sea
Jaylin(Human), Paladin of Lathander's Ancient ways - The Seven Saints (Azura Claw)
Urselles(Goblin), Cleric of Eldath- The Wizard's challenge
Viclas Tyrin(Half Elf), Student of the Elven arts- Indrafatmoko's Defiance in Phlan
Very good point, it all relies on how the dm awards points and why. It does mimic real life though, to an extent, as in some people do horrible things but are nice in person, etc. Etc.
As far as being a gameplay one I agree it makes it more mechanical, but that was the entire point. Anyways thank you for the feedback. 😃
Well I’m just saying certain things shouldn’t feel so mechanical, like if a player seems to be in good with the authorities the rewards should maybe feel a bit more social, even if it’s just the occasional thumps up or looking the other way and small favors, I just believe it should be more then on, you get a plus 1 for persuasion to guards feels a bit...bland, I love the idea of a system that rewards players for fitting on a path and such but I think it should be more meaningful then a few plus and minuses
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Marvarax andSora (Dragonborn) The retired fighter and WIP scholar - Glory
Brythel(Dwarf), The dwarf with a gun - survival at sea
Jaylin(Human), Paladin of Lathander's Ancient ways - The Seven Saints (Azura Claw)
Urselles(Goblin), Cleric of Eldath- The Wizard's challenge
Viclas Tyrin(Half Elf), Student of the Elven arts- Indrafatmoko's Defiance in Phlan
Been wanting to do something like this for a long time, and I assume someone has already done something similar but here goes.
Alignment points work like this.
Basic rundown: make alignments more meaningful by awarding things based on how many points they have in that alignment.
Long version:
Your character starts as true neutral with 0 points. All deities etc. Assume your intentions until you align more. So for example a paladin will be considered lawful good or what not if their faith requires it. This way it does not get in the way of initial class building. Important RP actions award points towards a particular alignment based on the player's response and actions. Example: randomly attacking an allied npc or setting a bar on fire to light your pipe would award points in chaotic evil. The dm decides how many point to award if any and in what category.
You are the alignment you have the most points in. If there is a tie the player chooses.
Having a lot of points in a particular alignment can result in it directly affecting your character at the dms discretion. For example a paladin doing evil things may end up have to be an oath breaker or take a level in warlock. Another example a warlock may have to change subclasses to a celestial lock if they end up being more lawful good than their patron originally expected. Another example is maybe changing patrons and deities or in extreme cases maybe reclassing the chara ter altogether including their background. Dm would have final say but is expected to work with the player to determine new class etc so as to keep drama to a minimum.
Other things like stronger guards following your characters if they act up or if they are good maybe an npc will join the party and aid them depending on the campaign theme. It's not all good though, maybe your lawful good reputation precedes you and a corrupt official takes notice and tries to get you out of the way.
The awards go by how much the alignment you have the most points in is ahead of the second most. Example: 15 points in lawful good and 10 in chaotic evil means you get the bonus for having 5 or more lawful good including lower tiers.
So good deeds do not erase bad one and vice versa but it's more about how your character acts as a whole and how frequent.
So the dm needs to decide which events award points and how much. Even random ones like giving a few gold to a beggar can be something not just crucial plot points. Also if the party takes a mundane situation into their own hands with unexpected results you can judge it accordingly. Did the good guy in the group stop the tavern brawl? Did the druid randomly decide to heal and enemy? If so why?
This is the general theme as to each alignment I was going with. Lawful good: model citizen. Neutral good: a do gooders but not as strict as lawful. Chaotic good: good intentions but wrong methods. Lawful neutral: plays by the rules but is not passionate about it. True neutral: no real opinion... can go any way. Chaotic neutral: impulse driven. Lawful evil: legally selfish. Neutral evil: immorally indifferent. Chaotic evil: a fun loving criminal.
Now onto the bonuses since you know that's what you wanted to see the most. When I refer to guards it can be substituted for any official at dms discretion.
Lawful good:
1+ gain +1 to persuasion and deception against guards
5+ free healing at temples that would accept you. You can often convince them to heal other party members.
10+ 25% discount with merchants and inns.
15+ you can make a signet in the form of a letter magically sealed by you that can not be forged. It costs 2,000 hp to create and is destroyed upon use. It will pardon a party member of any crime in the name of the greater good because they are allied with you. However, you add 10 points to chaotic evil.
20+ you can cast wish ONE time without it affecting your chances to cast wish in the future. You have done so much good the lawful good deity of your choosing grants you this wish and their energy is why it doesnt hurt you.
Neutral good:
1+ advantage on persuasion checks against guards.
5+ a non evil temple etc will give your party shelter for a night including food and water.
10+ 10% merchant discount.
15+ if arrested you can get out on bail regardless of charges and dm sets price.
20+ you get a business of your choosing in a town of your choosing and get 500 GP a month from it.
Chaotic good:
1+ if you have a negative modifier in persuasion when talking to a guard it is treated as 0.
5+ 50% discount on staying at an inn but only applies to shelter.
10+ 5% merchant discount.
15+ if any party member is imprisoned they will be treated fairly and healed and receive decent food and beverage.
20+ a magic item of your choosing.
Lawful neutral:
1+ guards rolling insight against you have -1 to the result.
5+ when staying at an inn roll 1d20 if the result is 10 or less nothing happens. If it is 11 or more roll percentile. That is your discount. Roll each time you pay for inn services.
10+ when purchasing from a merchant roll 1d20 if the result is 10 or less nothing happens. If it is 11 or more roll percentile. That is your discount. Roll each time you pay for mervhant services.
15+ when in jail roll percentile and the roll 1d10. Multiply them and that is your bail amount.
20+ can erase any or all party members criminal records and release them from jail immediately. One time use.
True neutral:
1+ gain +1 to insight.
5+ add 1d6 to persuasion checks against guards and innkeepers.
10+ when receiving gold from a quest roll 1d12 and add that to the total. Dm can scale as they see fit.
15+ when paying bail roll a percentile and that's your discount.
20+ if your character dies you are instead set to 1 HP. Usable 1 time.
Chaotic neutral:
1+ when deceiving or persuading guards roll 1d20 if 11 or above add 1d4 to the rill if 10 or less subtract 1d4.
5+ when guards roll insight on you subtract 1d6 from the total.
10+ when buying equipment roll 1d20 if 11 or more roll percentile and that is your discount if rolled 10 or less on the d20 then add the percentile as mark up.
15+ when paying bail roll 1d20 if 11 or more roll percentile and that is your discount if rolled 10 or less on the d20 then add the percentile as mark up.
20+ fulfill your chara terms greatest impulse one time. The dm decides how it plays out.
Lawful evil:
1+ gain -1 to persuasion and deception against guards. You haven't always broken the law but they have their eye on you.
5+ advantage on persuasion with innkeepers and merchants.
10+ when selling items to merchants you always get the full value if its something they would normally buy.
15+ when paying bail you get 50% discount. You have a great lawyer apparently.
20+ whenever you get gold from a quest or an enemy treasure hoard you personally magically get 25% more. It is generated not taken from others.
Neutral evil:
1+ advantage on insight checks. You moral indifference allows you not be persuaded easily.
5+ innkeepers and merchants are wary of you and tend to not offer discounts.
10+ if jailed, guards will become wary of you and leave you unattended for extended periods of time. Perhaps you can use it to escape...
15+ you gain 100 GP a month from unknown sources. You really are ambiguous.
20+ one time you roll 1d20 and add that to your maximum health, permanently.
Chaotic evil:
1+ the authorities are on to you. Gain disadvantage on persuasion and deception against guards
5+ merchants and innkeepers fear you. You get a 20% discount on there services.
10+ you can easily bribe merchants and inn keepers to say you were never there. Dm sets the price.
15+ average guards fear you. They will not try to arrest you unless in public.
20+ you gain a black market lackey. Make a level 10 character. You now play it in addition to your current character.
So anyways I'm looking for constructive feedback. A few things may need adjustment but overall I like it and wanna use it.
I....really don’t like this honestly as it starts to mix the lines between alignment being a social mechanic to a game play one, and some of the perks make no sense to be honestly, like... extra health for being evil or get a free level 10 character offer there own slew of problems
to me alignment really doesn’t have a lot of use out of maybe defining the basics of a persons morals, if you want have there choices impact how that world views them that shouldn’t really be connected to there alignment, a good person could be doing horrible things and an evil person might he giving away food to an orphanage to improve there self imagine.
I’d say the biggest problems with this system are that it focuses to much mechanically on actions and almost forces the player down a permanent alignment path if they want these perks, and it makes alignment into a scale of, Well ya you did burn down a tavern once and killed someone in cold blood..BUT, you have pet like 500 puppies
Marvarax and Sora (Dragonborn) The retired fighter and WIP scholar - Glory
Brythel(Dwarf), The dwarf with a gun - survival at sea
Jaylin(Human), Paladin of Lathander's Ancient ways - The Seven Saints (Azura Claw)
Urselles(Goblin), Cleric of Eldath- The Wizard's challenge
Viclas Tyrin(Half Elf), Student of the Elven arts- Indrafatmoko's Defiance in Phlan
Very good point, it all relies on how the dm awards points and why. It does mimic real life though, to an extent, as in some people do horrible things but are nice in person, etc. Etc.
As far as being a gameplay one I agree it makes it more mechanical, but that was the entire point. Anyways thank you for the feedback. 😃
Well I’m just saying certain things shouldn’t feel so mechanical, like if a player seems to be in good with the authorities the rewards should maybe feel a bit more social, even if it’s just the occasional thumps up or looking the other way and small favors, I just believe it should be more then on, you get a plus 1 for persuasion to guards feels a bit...bland, I love the idea of a system that rewards players for fitting on a path and such but I think it should be more meaningful then a few plus and minuses
Marvarax and Sora (Dragonborn) The retired fighter and WIP scholar - Glory
Brythel(Dwarf), The dwarf with a gun - survival at sea
Jaylin(Human), Paladin of Lathander's Ancient ways - The Seven Saints (Azura Claw)
Urselles(Goblin), Cleric of Eldath- The Wizard's challenge
Viclas Tyrin(Half Elf), Student of the Elven arts- Indrafatmoko's Defiance in Phlan
That is also a good point. I was worried people would only dabble to get big bonuses, but I definitely see what you mean 😃