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'Good' Evil character alignment.

VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
in General Discussion (Spoiler Warning!)
So I think most of us can agree evil characters don't always view their actions as evil. I'm trying to come up with a blackguard type character who believes only through using forbidden magic and not-so-righteous ways can he achieve bringing peace to The Sword Coast. What alignment would this character be?

Comments

  • TressetTresset Member, Moderator Posts: 8,264
    I did something kinda similar with my blackguard. Instead of what you say, however, he believes he is doing evil but is so stupid that everything he does makes him a hero. Mazzy even told him that he was the most righteous person she had ever met. I made him chaotic evil, but I am not sure what would be a good alignment for your character.
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    DreadKhan said:

    The best for misguided but sane evil imho would be NE, followed by Lawful Evil. If the character supports the idea of 'protecting people from themselves' to the point of oppression, he'd be LE. If he is very 'ends justify the means/any methods necessary' he's NE.

    CE imho doesn't lend itself to this, unless your PC has is more the dangerously anti authoritsrian version of 'protect people from themselves', but it can work. This would be your best bet if you plan to actually make evil choices in BG2... BG1 its more how you RP the choices you make.

    Hmmmm looks like NE on this one. His alignment may shift to CE depending how his actions go throughout the game. Slip from 'good guy doing bad things' to 'purge everything because the world is evil' XD.
  • DreadKhanDreadKhan Member Posts: 3,857
    Sounds good, and feel invited to post stuff about your PCs playthrough. Its a thing around here. ;)
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    I actually may just do that :D
    Thanks for the idea.
  • GlorenBronzebeardGlorenBronzebeard Member Posts: 45
    Hrmm.. interesting philosophical question here... like your character thinks he is say... lawful good.. but since he is trying to unleash some forbidden magic onto the world that may say... destory everything... then in reality he would be chaotic evil.... the question is... is a persons aligments measured by how they view them selves.. or how say... the dungeon master (an objective force or rule maker which in the real world doesn't make things so black and white... no god is telling us who is really evil and who is really good behind the scenes)

    The way you described it you could play a black guard who thinks he is still a paladin and doing good but really he is doing evil... Its like playing an insane character no?
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    GlorenBronzebeard said:

    Hrmm.. interesting philosophical question here... like your character thinks he is say... lawful good.. but since he is trying to unleash some forbidden magic onto the world that may say... destory everything... then in reality he would be chaotic evil.... the question is... is a persons aligments measured by how they view them selves.. or how say... the dungeon master (an objective force or rule maker which in the real world doesn't make things so black and white... no god is telling us who is really evil and who is really good behind the scenes)

    The way you described it you could play a black guard who thinks he is still a paladin and doing good but really he is doing evil... Its like playing an insane character no?

    Definitely with you on that the character thinks they are a force of rightousness and are a paladin when they are in fact a blackguard. I'd think then though he'd be Lawful Evil. He'd still act like a paladin but would smite down anyone he deemed evil. Evil in this case would be breaking the law. Kid steals food for his sister? SMITE! One assassin within a group of people? KILL ALL THE PEOPLE!

    Hm. . . I think he'd start out in BG1 as NE. He'd say, "Oh, I have to use this power for the greater good!" After a while the greater good would become the law and I'd use EE keeper to make him lawful evil. By the end he'd be chaotic evil when he realizes everyone has a capacity for evil within them and all must be killed to bring about a pure good world.

    By then he'd definitely be insane XD

    An insane God of Murder murdering everyone, interesting.
  • MichailMichail Member Posts: 196
    Doesn't have to be insane (Cyric was, though). Maybe a bit megalomaniac. The "only I/my order/my religion can set things right" mentality. All people perceive themselves as incorruptible, at least beyond a point. So it makes perfect sense to make sure absolute power rests in the right hands, and let the ends justify the means.

    Alternatively, one could go with conspiracy theories. The character could believe some magic is forbidden because it is a danger to an established false religion, a dangerous magocracy, or even a strict social order (a caste system comes to mind).

    One could also go with a Nietzschean philosophy. The moral tenets of the "goodly" churches would be the means to obscure and corrupt the true nature of the world. And the lawful nature of a paladin would preclude any thought of giving in to the "popular" notions of morality. Almost any set of values can be reversed.
  • CaradocCaradoc Member Posts: 92
    edited November 2014
    Only sensible way for me to play evil characters is thinking just like you that I'm actually doing what is best for whole realm.

    Sure my methods may be crude and little people may suffer, but its all for the greater good. The greatest utility is the only sensible choise for such character no matter the personal cost. Personal freedoms and rights have to be ignored because we don't have the luxury of being civilized during these turbulent times.

    Common people may hate me, but they need people my like me to do their dirty deeds. For example a city Nashkel may need to be "purified" from the corrupt officials because they let the common people and their betters down by not dealing the mine problem sooner. Such lazyness and apathy only sets bad example for hard working people in the realm.

    Or perhaps my party must rob a merchant because they can't be bothered of spending preciouss time on mundane jobs. We take what we want, because the situation is grim and during times of war good men must do evil deeds for us all to survive.

    And so on :)

  • dementeddemented Member Posts: 388
    Might I suggest the Noble Demon. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NobleDemon

    A character who believes that the ends justify the means; that even though they might cause suffering and death it's for a noble cause. It's a type of Lawful Evil, where the person believes that because they have values and a code of honor they're above such notions as good or evil.

    Though probably my favorite type of evil to play is Affably Evil http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AffablyEvil . A nice, well rounded guy who just happens to want to enslave the human race.
  • elementelement Member Posts: 833
    my assassin is neutral evil

    he thinks of himself as a hero but is really a paranoid, narcissist
  • chbrookschbrooks Member Posts: 86
    Ammon Jerro from Neverwinter Nights 2 is a great example of the type of character you are describing. He made pacts with demons and devils because he felt it was necessary to stop a greater evil. For what it's worth, he was Neutral Evil.
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    Oh no. TV tropes!
    /gets sucked into the void

    Speaking of affably evil, I just thought of an Alora type character being SUPER evil.
    Like, "Ohh! Come on, dieing is fun!"
    /pink haired gnome girl swings greatsword at you.
    XD

    Anyway, I need to finish NWN2. I love the hell out of the game but can never decide on a class. . . Rerollitis is OP.

    The Noble Demon also sounds great. Maybe the charname only becomes a blackguard to fight against Sarevok? Use unholy power vs unholy power and all that. Might kill some people along the way but hey, that's just how business goes. Could RP it that while in Candlekeep charname is a fighter and after witnessing Sarevok's power wishes to obtain something similar. Unfortunately there are no Blood Magic-y tomes in the game. This char would probably have better worked as 3e prestige class character but I'll just avoid using Drain Life and Poison Weapon for the first few levels.

    Maybe I can just RP that charname found a tome on ancient black magic in Candlekeep's library. I would imagine such a library would hold such things. Hm. . . maybe even Imoen is the one that steals it for him since it would probably be guarded.

    So many good ideas! Thanks guys!

    I never play evil characters and didn't realize there was so much flavor XD
  • OudynOudyn Member Posts: 74
    Vallmyr said:

    Oh no. TV tropes!
    /gets sucked into the void

    Speaking of affably evil, I just thought of an Alora type character being SUPER evil.
    Like, "Ohh! Come on, dieing is fun!"
    /pink haired gnome girl swings greatsword at you.
    XD

    Anyway, I need to finish NWN2. I love the hell out of the game but can never decide on a class. . . Rerollitis is OP.

    The Noble Demon also sounds great. Maybe the charname only becomes a blackguard to fight against Sarevok? Use unholy power vs unholy power and all that. Might kill some people along the way but hey, that's just how business goes. Could RP it that while in Candlekeep charname is a fighter and after witnessing Sarevok's power wishes to obtain something similar. Unfortunately there are no Blood Magic-y tomes in the game. This char would probably have better worked as 3e prestige class character but I'll just avoid using Drain Life and Poison Weapon for the first few levels.

    Maybe I can just RP that charname found a tome on ancient black magic in Candlekeep's library. I would imagine such a library would hold such things. Hm. . . maybe even Imoen is the one that steals it for him since it would probably be guarded.

    So many good ideas! Thanks guys!

    I never play evil characters and didn't realize there was so much flavor XD

    Sounds fun! I've been meaning to do such a playthrough, though I would want to take evil companions as a blackguard. Hmm, a belief that no one can be trusted and any who think otherwise are fools? That could work as an extreme end. A self righteous delusion that you can redeem anyone, even the likes of Dorn? Would also work.
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