Alignment Shifts

[broham2]

I was wondering what, if any, the policy was on alignment shifts during events, etc.

I am not a big fan of alignments in general, as I think most people would shift about quite a bit depending upon circumstances and life events. I know in real life it would be awfully hard to pin someone down to a specific alignment that they never stray from.

That said, it's important for some classes and game mechanics, so it is a necessary attribute.

I'm not sure that I always hit the nail on the head when it comes to playing my official alignment, and I am sure there are many other that don't either (we dont see each others alignment so its hard to tell), but i dont think I've ever been shifted on either axis...

Do DMs do that at all? Is it some DMs and not others? Just wondering.

Thanks!

[DM Sir Carnifex]

I do it but not every time. Only if I remember.

[atlas]

My character has had quite a few alignment shifts since he was created, most of them increasing his good and lawful alignment axis but a few chaotic shifts aswell. Right now he's sitting on 90 lawful 100 good, which means the man upstairs must think ive been doing something right. In my opinion, because there are alot of misconceptions about alignments, they should be enforced properly right out of the DnD book or all alignment restrictions to everything - feats, spells, classes etc, should be removed and people be trusted to have a general knowledge/ability to make moral choices with their character or not depending on what they play.

[dyndrilliac]

Even with regular alignment shifts so long as your character balances out acts that would shift his/her alignment on the same axis (law/chaos and good/evil), it should be relatively easy to stay the alignment you chose during character creation.

Alignment shifts are also useful for implementing plot changes. For example, my character Malek Dragonrend just changed from good to evil in order to ally with forces that could help him further his goals. Generally the only classes that are really restrictive are Paladins (they must be lawful good, and can't be any other alignment or they lose their divine powers), everything else if it has an alignment restriction generally requires that you stay to a certain axis. For example, Warlocks can be any chaotic or any evil. I would say pick a character class and alignment that fits your behavioral tendencies and you should have no trouble staying your alignment.

Additionally, it should be noted that while not common, there are other ways to shift your alignment without the actions of a DM. For example, when speaking to Ragefast in the Palace district of BG you have the option of telling him you agree with him or disagree with him when it comes to his tendencies to perform magical experiments on animals. Agreeing with him shifts you one point towards evil, while disagreeing with him shifts you one point toward good.

[DM haunted]

Its really hard to determine if one is necessary. I mean,you do not know what the character is thinking when he does certain acts or exactly why he or she does what they do.