I've generally found that alignment means jack all. It's the player. A player that plays interesting, non-edge lord, not-annoying characters can play any alignment an it's fine. Ones that don't know how to play anything other than those doesn't even care about the alignment and will be annoying to play with. They'll always play that same flipping character, just with different names and stats.
Sometimes, an alignment choice can be a heads-up on how a new player will play their character. In reality though, those players are quite happy to pick alignments that don't suggest the behaviour that causes issues, and sometimes really good players pick those alignments that you'd think would cause issues, but then play them in such a way that don't.
Alignment isn't the issue. It's just a scapegoat for being unable to predict and avoid bad behaviour.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
In the majority of the games I play in, the majority of the players are fairly new to D&D, and thus, don't think about Alignment much outside of 'it something they pick during character creation' and that is about it.
They give their character's a personality, and RARELY think of Alignment.
If a player is annoying, it is almost always the player, not what they chose for alignment.
Just my opinion though :)
Cheers!
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Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Agree that oftentimes alignment is a non-issue, i.e., doesn't affect a PCs personality, background, etc. I'm asking about circumstances where players are intentionally trying to role play their alignment.
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Started playing AD&D in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023
Generally anything that leans on chaotic, neutral to evil (chaotic or lawful). I've found that it often means all a person wants to do it act stupid in the party. It's the whole, "Its what my character would do" garbage all over again no matter what kind of "D" action they want.
I've found the game generally revolves around doing good things and I have less "trouble" when players role play those good leaning characters. Maybe I've not ran across anyone that can play something neutral or evil that isn't looking for the reason to just kill everything that doesn't do what they say.
Chaotic anything is hard to play for new people for the reason that a party & its roles (& rules) to follow mean acting anti chaotic to be successful.
New players are better off doing an alignment similar to what they actually are. As their inherent alignment in real life actually dictates their initial role play choices.
The alignments are not so specific that "playing your alignment" says much about how the character will behave. The problems are people doing annoying things that they want to do anyway, and justifying it by "my alignment says so". Your LG paladin can be stick-in-the-mud moralizing crusader, or "I will be the example that brings these people to righteousness". Your CN character can be self-centered and prone to arbitrary decisions, or "I'm gonna do random crap!" Your CE rogue can be stabbing random NPCs for no reason, or they can be after wealth and power, and working with the party is how they get it.
It's all about motivations. If people play their PCs like people who have reasons to be doing the things they do, in particular working with the rest of the party, then things are likely to work.
I think it's possible to 'play an alignment' while still reading the room and knowing the group. It's up to each player to have an understanding of what the expectations are for the group and for the individual players. If playing to an alignment is going to cause issues or disrupt others' enjoyment of the game, then the actual alignment doesn't matter. To put it another way, if a player isn't capable of playing an alignment in a way that doesn't interfere with group cohesion or stepping on other players' toes then they need to pick a different alignment (although in my experience, as mentioned above, usually this is a general issue with the player, not that they've chosen a chaotic or evil alignment in an otherwise lawful party, etc.)
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Wondering your thoughts on what alignment of a fellow PC in your party is the most annoying to play with
Started playing AD&D in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023
I've generally found that alignment means jack all. It's the player. A player that plays interesting, non-edge lord, not-annoying characters can play any alignment an it's fine. Ones that don't know how to play anything other than those doesn't even care about the alignment and will be annoying to play with. They'll always play that same flipping character, just with different names and stats.
Sometimes, an alignment choice can be a heads-up on how a new player will play their character. In reality though, those players are quite happy to pick alignments that don't suggest the behaviour that causes issues, and sometimes really good players pick those alignments that you'd think would cause issues, but then play them in such a way that don't.
Alignment isn't the issue. It's just a scapegoat for being unable to predict and avoid bad behaviour.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Greetings Shoktona70,
I would have to agree with Linklite.
In the majority of the games I play in, the majority of the players are fairly new to D&D, and thus, don't think about Alignment much outside of 'it something they pick during character creation' and that is about it.
They give their character's a personality, and RARELY think of Alignment.
If a player is annoying, it is almost always the player, not what they chose for alignment.
Just my opinion though :)
Cheers!
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Agree that oftentimes alignment is a non-issue, i.e., doesn't affect a PCs personality, background, etc. I'm asking about circumstances where players are intentionally trying to role play their alignment.
Started playing AD&D in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023
Generally anything that leans on chaotic, neutral to evil (chaotic or lawful). I've found that it often means all a person wants to do it act stupid in the party. It's the whole, "Its what my character would do" garbage all over again no matter what kind of "D" action they want.
I've found the game generally revolves around doing good things and I have less "trouble" when players role play those good leaning characters. Maybe I've not ran across anyone that can play something neutral or evil that isn't looking for the reason to just kill everything that doesn't do what they say.
Chaotic anything is hard to play for new people for the reason that a party & its roles (& rules) to follow mean acting anti chaotic to be successful.
New players are better off doing an alignment similar to what they actually are. As their inherent alignment in real life actually dictates their initial role play choices.
No, really, it's the player.
The alignments are not so specific that "playing your alignment" says much about how the character will behave. The problems are people doing annoying things that they want to do anyway, and justifying it by "my alignment says so". Your LG paladin can be stick-in-the-mud moralizing crusader, or "I will be the example that brings these people to righteousness". Your CN character can be self-centered and prone to arbitrary decisions, or "I'm gonna do random crap!" Your CE rogue can be stabbing random NPCs for no reason, or they can be after wealth and power, and working with the party is how they get it.
It's all about motivations. If people play their PCs like people who have reasons to be doing the things they do, in particular working with the rest of the party, then things are likely to work.
Its not the alignment that makes the PC annoying to play with...
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I think it's possible to 'play an alignment' while still reading the room and knowing the group. It's up to each player to have an understanding of what the expectations are for the group and for the individual players. If playing to an alignment is going to cause issues or disrupt others' enjoyment of the game, then the actual alignment doesn't matter. To put it another way, if a player isn't capable of playing an alignment in a way that doesn't interfere with group cohesion or stepping on other players' toes then they need to pick a different alignment (although in my experience, as mentioned above, usually this is a general issue with the player, not that they've chosen a chaotic or evil alignment in an otherwise lawful party, etc.)