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Jan 10, 2013 -- 8:34PM, DemonicDream wrote:

I understand the Alignments,  and this is more 3.5 than anything. But my main issue is, what dictates what's exactly Evil and not Evil. I ask mainly cause Paladin's have the ability to sense Evil, and I'm not sure how to list characters. Obviously, Preforming acts of breaking law like robbery and theft is not Evil, just Chaotic. But where does Killing people fall down to? Killing cannot be an Evil act, as even Paladins kill. Even when it's just a disagreement.

The reason I ask is because I have an NPC who my Paladin demands is Evil. She has killed people, but she was hired as a Merc to kill. Which she did, she killed thugs, and thieves, but some were unarmed. And obviously, as some mean people have in stories, she has a heart of gold. In the sense, she took the Merc job to pay a healer to cure her Tribe of a sickness.

Regardless of cliches or not, how do I judge this of alignment?

There is a reason the game has moved away from the alignment system since 3.5, and this is it.  Try not to think of it as "detect evil". Try to think of it as "detect evil to me".  What exactly is it that your paladin thinks he is detecting?

Jan 10, 2013 -- 8:34PM, DemonicDream wrote:

I understand the Alignments,  and this is more 3.5 than anything. But my main issue is, what dictates what's exactly Evil and not Evil. I ask mainly cause Paladin's have the ability to sense Evil, and I'm not sure how to list characters. Obviously, Preforming acts of breaking law like robbery and theft is not Evil, just Chaotic. But where does Killing people fall down to? Killing cannot be an Evil act, as even Paladins kill. Even when it's just a disagreement.

The reason I ask is because I have an NPC who my Paladin demands is Evil. She has killed people, but she was hired as a Merc to kill. Which she did, she killed thugs, and thieves, but some were unarmed. And obviously, as some mean people have in stories, she has a heart of gold. In the sense, she took the Merc job to pay a healer to cure her Tribe of a sickness.

Regardless of cliches or not, how do I judge this of alignment?

I judge your NPC as neutral (most mercs are) but definitely not evil.  Even neutral or evil charactors make personal sacrifice for the well being of people they care about so that don't make them good either.

Your player judges her alignment as evil.  (he's not wrong. however he justifies his conclusion.)  If killing alone makes someone evil, then next time he kills something, armed or unarmed, ask him does that make him evil too? 

How you judge her alignment... well only you can answer that question.

The problem with Detect Evil spell occurs when you all define the result as black and white.  Give it a spectrum of color that may vary.  Between pure evil and pure good, there is such a spectrum.  Pure evil (demons) bright red or black. Good person doing some bad things (orange), Neutral person (yellow), Totally pure and good person (white or deep blue).    Let color change a bit depending on what npc or pc just might have committed or done.  Just selflessly fed the poor? Streak of blue in a orange spectrum of a neutral person.  Let your player chew on that.  Detect Evil ability should rarely give a definite Black or White answer.  Players want a easy solution to utilize it to make a cookie cutter decision;  Detect Evil.  It's evil.  Kill.  Detect Evil.  It's not evil. Not kill.

hehe a demon with a streak of white in his Detect Evil aura...now that can throw your paladin off.  Wuz up with this demon.

If going to use alignment and alignment detectors, make it not black and white.  It should be a flavor that adds, not take away, or ruin ones game.

Jan 12, 2013 -- 10:38PM, MadIceQueen wrote:

I don't know if a guide for that edition has been posted yet, but I have descriptions that I'll post that might be what you're looking for when I get home (on my phone). It sort of describes what actions fall into each alignment which helps for role playing. It's fairly wordy though.

There are articles about this sort of things in the wizards main site if you really want to cripple yourself with alignment in the "right" way.

There was a great old dragon Magazine article about Paladins and evil.
The paladin (prior to 4th Ed), couldn't just run around killing everything that set of as evil. That could be unlawful.
But, he would not voluntarily have anything to do with someone who was evil.
Take the case of the evil shepherd. He treats his flock poorly, and is a petty miser. He is jealous of his neighbor, who always gets a better price for his sheep at market (because the neighbor does the work and takes care of his own flock). The evil shepherd might even take out his frustrations on his livestock.
The paladin, sensing evil, would not buy sheep from the evil shepherd. He might try to reform him, pointing out the benefits of care and compassion, and that if he starts taking better care of his animals, he might start to see the rewards of the efforts.
Is the shepherd evil? certainly.
Is the shepherd a threat to society deserving of smiting? no.

The article went on with more examples and much more eloquent phrasing.