Generally I don't worry too much about alignment, I focus more on personality traits, bonds, ideals and flaws to determine the choices my character might make, but I still like to assign an alignment and when my traits don't answer "What would I do here?" I can also consider my alignment.
Anyway, I am making a Warlock and working with my DM on my Patron and the mission they have given me. If I want my character to be wholly devoted to their patron, and to do whatever they feel needs to be done to follow her Patron's orders, what alignment would that be? Is that Lawful in that my character strictly follows the laws of their Patron (my patron [Raven Queen] has some serious dislike for intelligent undead and cheating death), or would the bond with a Patron not apply to alignment?
I think without that bond the character would be relatively neutral in terms of the whole good and evil thing, and pretty much be out for themselves with very little care for anyone else. It is only the recent bond with her patron that has made her care at all for the overall fate of the world, and it's more because she wants to do right by the Raven Queen than that she actually wants to "save the world."
My Hexblade Warlock (also Raven Queen patron) has a CN alignment, and I think that fits her, because she's pretty reckless. Sometimes she's attacking the boss, sometimes clearing the pawns off the map. Not always doing what's in her party's best interest, and stuff like that.
But, as you said, when it comes to intelligent undead, and those who have cheated death (aside from her party mates - so far...) she's singularly focused on their destruction.
I think it sounds like Lawful would fit her well yes. She has a clear code that she lives by (that of the Raven Queen) and that fits the Lawful alignment well. I think of the neutral and good question is what does your character consider herself to be?
Does she consider herself to be a good person? Or does she acknowledge she doesn't care about the bigger picture or doing good, she just wants to serve her patron. I always like to take what the character perceives themselves as into account, as it is a rough idea of what sort of person she is, and can help in certain situations.
I think it sounds like Lawful would fit her well yes. She has a clear code that she lives by (that of the Raven Queen) and that fits the Lawful alignment well. I think of the neutral and good question is what does your character consider herself to be?
Does she consider herself to be a good person? Or does she acknowledge she doesn't care about the bigger picture or doing good, she just wants to serve her patron. I always like to take what the character perceives themselves as into account, as it is a rough idea of what sort of person she is, and can help in certain situations.
Lawful Neutal sounds like it could work for her.
I'm trying not to be too cliche about it, but she'll be a con artist type, lots of charisma. She grew up learning to read people and giving them fake fortunetellings, tarot cards, runes, bones, dice, whatever she can pretend can divine the future. Also using her faux fortuntes to encourage people to buy curses, love spells, protection amulets etc. So she has no qualms about cheating and deceiving people. Despite that though, she wouldn't go out of her way to hurt someone, unless they hurt her first. A bit jaded/cynical she believes that if someone is stupid enough to fall for her schemes, they deserve the result.
On the other hand, if someone does something kind for her, she will return the favor. On the outside it would come off as not liking to be in anyone's debt, and to a point it would be true, but I think deep inside she would genuinely care about certain people. You know, that sad old woman terrified that she's been cursed, who comes to my character for help, pays money to get an "amulet of protection" and the fact that the old woman feels safer makes my character feel a bit good, and maybe (just maybe) she sleight of hands the money the old woman paid her back into her pocket because she feels a little guilty. But she also might just as likely feel very smug and full of herself when she sells a fake love spell to some flippant debutante that could use a dose of reality.
But when it comes to the mission her Patron has given her, she will do whatever it takes to complete it, even if it goes against her other personality traits.
She sounds like a very fun character, and it seems you've got her personality all figured out which is really the most important part. The more I read about her, the more I think the Lawful Neutral alignment could apply well to her.
The fact that she's so devoted to her patron that she'll go against her own personality trait is definitely Lawful, as this means she'll follow a set of codes/decrees/laws and with the Lawful alignment in mind these do not have to be set by a government but by for example a god like your patron. She also fits the Neutral alignment as she seems self-serving for the most part, but she doesn't have as a goal to cause misery to other people and she may also help people if she wants to.
5e doesn't define good, evil, neutral, lawful and chaotic in isolation; it gives each of the 9 alignments its own definition. I recommend you just go down the list and pick whatever sounds more like your character's motivations. Given her willingness to lie and cheat to make ends meet, neutral sounds like the closest alignment.
Generally I don't worry too much about alignment, I focus more on personality traits, bonds, ideals and flaws to determine the choices my character might make, but I still like to assign an alignment and when my traits don't answer "What would I do here?" I can also consider my alignment.
Anyway, I am making a Warlock and working with my DM on my Patron and the mission they have given me. If I want my character to be wholly devoted to their patron, and to do whatever they feel needs to be done to follow her Patron's orders, what alignment would that be? Is that Lawful in that my character strictly follows the laws of their Patron (my patron [Raven Queen] has some serious dislike for intelligent undead and cheating death), or would the bond with a Patron not apply to alignment?
I think without that bond the character would be relatively neutral in terms of the whole good and evil thing, and pretty much be out for themselves with very little care for anyone else. It is only the recent bond with her patron that has made her care at all for the overall fate of the world, and it's more because she wants to do right by the Raven Queen than that she actually wants to "save the world."
Sounds LN to me. You just want to do right by your Patron (and possibly family, party members, etc.)
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Great question...
My Hexblade Warlock (also Raven Queen patron) has a CN alignment, and I think that fits her, because she's pretty reckless. Sometimes she's attacking the boss, sometimes clearing the pawns off the map. Not always doing what's in her party's best interest, and stuff like that.
But, as you said, when it comes to intelligent undead, and those who have cheated death (aside from her party mates - so far...) she's singularly focused on their destruction.
I think playing it more LN would work, too.
I think it sounds like Lawful would fit her well yes. She has a clear code that she lives by (that of the Raven Queen) and that fits the Lawful alignment well. I think of the neutral and good question is what does your character consider herself to be?
Does she consider herself to be a good person? Or does she acknowledge she doesn't care about the bigger picture or doing good, she just wants to serve her patron. I always like to take what the character perceives themselves as into account, as it is a rough idea of what sort of person she is, and can help in certain situations.
Lawful Neutal sounds like it could work for her.
I'm trying not to be too cliche about it, but she'll be a con artist type, lots of charisma. She grew up learning to read people and giving them fake fortunetellings, tarot cards, runes, bones, dice, whatever she can pretend can divine the future. Also using her faux fortuntes to encourage people to buy curses, love spells, protection amulets etc. So she has no qualms about cheating and deceiving people. Despite that though, she wouldn't go out of her way to hurt someone, unless they hurt her first. A bit jaded/cynical she believes that if someone is stupid enough to fall for her schemes, they deserve the result.
On the other hand, if someone does something kind for her, she will return the favor. On the outside it would come off as not liking to be in anyone's debt, and to a point it would be true, but I think deep inside she would genuinely care about certain people. You know, that sad old woman terrified that she's been cursed, who comes to my character for help, pays money to get an "amulet of protection" and the fact that the old woman feels safer makes my character feel a bit good, and maybe (just maybe) she sleight of hands the money the old woman paid her back into her pocket because she feels a little guilty. But she also might just as likely feel very smug and full of herself when she sells a fake love spell to some flippant debutante that could use a dose of reality.
But when it comes to the mission her Patron has given her, she will do whatever it takes to complete it, even if it goes against her other personality traits.
She sounds like a very fun character, and it seems you've got her personality all figured out which is really the most important part. The more I read about her, the more I think the Lawful Neutral alignment could apply well to her.
The fact that she's so devoted to her patron that she'll go against her own personality trait is definitely Lawful, as this means she'll follow a set of codes/decrees/laws and with the Lawful alignment in mind these do not have to be set by a government but by for example a god like your patron. She also fits the Neutral alignment as she seems self-serving for the most part, but she doesn't have as a goal to cause misery to other people and she may also help people if she wants to.
I hope my rambling helped ^^
5e doesn't define good, evil, neutral, lawful and chaotic in isolation; it gives each of the 9 alignments its own definition. I recommend you just go down the list and pick whatever sounds more like your character's motivations. Given her willingness to lie and cheat to make ends meet, neutral sounds like the closest alignment.
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I would probably say LN, or lawful + whatever alignment the deity has.