Feedback: Alignment System

[MetaWheel52]

Hi there!

I'm looking for feedback for this four-point alignment system:
Good,
Evil,
Vain ("Neutral"), and
Aloof (Unaligned).

I felt that Vain names the limits and possibilities of what constitutes "neutral."
I'm used to the third edition descriptions as selfish, so this felt right.
Aloof is carryover from fourth edition.

Law, Balance, and Chaos are types of magic or existence, so are not alignments.
This is what a protection or detection spell would target, instead of an alignment.

You're welcome to playtest this in your games.
Let me know how it works out.

[chiisu81]

Be sure to check out the Alignment Creator's Kit on Downloads:
https://www.basicfantasy.org/downloads. ... ignmentkit

[MetaWheel52]

So the alignment system is basically about how much
granularity you want in your campaign concerning the concept of morals?

Law vs Chaos is a summary of "We build cities and you pillage them",
and the Good vs Evil adds some incentive for moral detective work,
the answer to the apparent moral relativism of slaughtering entire orc camps?

Example,
"Oh, the king is actually evil, the orcs are reactionary--yet brutal--but the peasants want peace."

Peace seeking could only be vain unless the orcs are sworn to revenge
and can't be talked out of pillaging the peasants as a result of a king's actions.

The extra granularity beyond the classic system is probably
meant for a plot-twist machine like that. ... My trying to name the neutrals
doesn't actually help anything in that respect. Fair enough.