Will you get to choose alignment?

ca7boy420 · September 2012

One thing that I didn't like about DDO was no choice in alignment, which IMO is a must have for any DnD game. So will there be alignments in this game? If not I will be sad but, I will still play the game.

The reason why I think its a must is because it Roleplaying has been lost in MMO's nobody really cares about it these days and one of the best parts about DnD is roleplaying your alignment. Yeah I guess you could still do it without the option but what about armor and weapons that only Chaotic Evil or Lawful Good characters can wear. IMO it helps make your character different then everyone else.

aescleal · September 2012

Hi ca7boy420,

When did Turbine take Alignment out of the DDO character builder? It was always there before! Are you sure you just never noticed it? I have several toons in DDO with different alignments. It matters a great deal in DDO, when you get weapons or armor that is specific to your alignment... If you are a Lawful alignment, no way you will both wielding a Chaotic weapon.

One of us must be confused on this point. I don't think it's me (this time). Yay!

aandrethegiant · September 2012

ca7boy420 wrote: »

One thing that I didn't like about DDO was no choice in alignment, which IMO is a must have for any DnD game. So will there be alignments in this game? If not I will be sad but, I will still play the game.

The reason why I think its a must is because it Roleplaying has been lost in MMO's nobody really cares about it these days and one of the best parts about DnD is roleplaying your alignment. Yeah I guess you could still do it without the option but what about armor and weapons that only Chaotic Evil or Lawful Good characters can wear. IMO it helps make your character different then everyone else.

This is not true.

You in fact MUST pick an alignment to roll a character in DDO. Some classes can not be, or must be a certain alignment. Furthermore there's alignment penalties for wielding mis-aligned weapons, and you can both take and delve out alignment based damage from melee & ranged weaponry as well as from spells.

There are also some quest objectives in game that require a certain alignment.

gillrmn · September 2012

aandrethegiant wrote: »

This is not true.

You in fact MUST pick an alignment to roll a character in DDO. Furthermore there's alignment penalties for wielding mis-aligned weapons, and you can both take and delve out alignment based damage from melee & ranged weaponry as well as from spells.

There are also some quest objectives in game that require a certain alignment.

Not to forget restrictions - barbarians(non lawful) and monks(lawful). I was never able to make a chaotic drunken monk.

Also alignment are not required to RP imo as OP claims.

aandrethegiant · September 2012

gillrmn wrote: »

Not to forget restrictions - barbarians(non lawful) and monks(lawful). I was never able to make a chaotic drunken monk.

Also alignment are not required to RP imo as OP claims.

Killer timing, I just edited my post to include just what you said, then I see your post!

muzrub333 · September 2012

Per Truthseekers awesome FAQ, alignment does not factor into the game. That could change, but as of now, no alignments or factions.

FAQ: http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=5211

aandrethegiant · September 2012

Here ya go OP

http://ddowiki.com/page/Alignment

Now the question remains, just twisted around a bit, will Cryptic expand upon the importance of alignment in Neverwinter, remain about the same, or be completely unimportant.

Well here's an educated guess based on 4e rules:

In 4e, nine alignments were pared down to only five; and two of the remaining alignments are, for the most part, off limits to players. So with only three real choices remaining does alignment even matter? They left it up to the DM.

As a player and a DM I believe that alignment is a vitally important part of every character sheet and that it doesn't get nearly enough attention. Therefore I'm extremely dissatisfied with how alignment has been man-handled in 4e D&D, in lieu of "simplicity".

Hopefully, at least from this old timer's frame of reference, I hope Cryptic puts alignment in the game and lets us use it in the Foundry so we can make it as integral, or insignificant as each modder wishes.

aandrethegiant · September 2012

muzrub333 wrote: »

Per Truthseekers awesome FAQ, alignment does not factor into the game. That could change, but as of now, no alignments or factions.

FAQ: http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=5211

Yeah just read a devs comment on the matter:

"Neither alignment nor factions play a role in Neverwinter."

This will be a great turn off to many old school D&D players.

muzrub333 · September 2012

aandrethegiant wrote: »

Yeah just read a devs comment on the matter:

"Neither alignment nor factions play a role in Neverwinter."

This will be a great turn off to many old school D&D players.

It's the biggest turn off so far for me. Well, second biggest, PvP being the first. I am holding off judgement for the time being, but I don't see how it is possible to have a rich, lore filled game without Alignment and Factions. The Faction game is often my favorite part about MMO's, although it seems to be something many MMO players can't be bothered with; it or anything else that requires more than just "click to accept".

The Foundry will make or break this game for me.

gillrmn · September 2012

muzrub333 wrote: »

Per Truthseekers awesome FAQ, alignment does not factor into the game. That could change, but as of now, no alignments or factions.

FAQ: http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=5211

That is half knowledge. That comment is too old to still be relevant. Latest response was:

RolePlay
--pantheon(gods) and Alignment --
Q: Will we be able to choose alignment and deities?
A: I'm not sure if we'll have flags for this, or will just leave it up to the RPers to handle it.

In 4e, alignment is not too relevant and it is very laxed (only a few things have any alignment related property, apart from the fact that evil alignment or good cannot decide the actions you are going to take) to allow flexibility for the DM. In the game, I don't see alignment playing a larger role due to the lines of good and evil having further been blurred due to recent changes in lore.

enygmasoul · September 2012

The overall point of the 4e D&D alignment changes was to make it less of a mechanical consideration and more of a story-related decision. Simplifying down to five alignments was not something I approved of, but the decision to remove alignment considerations from special abilities, class entry requirements, and items is something I agreed with wholeheartedly. Suffice to say I will not be overly disappointed if Neverwinter continues that line of reasoning -- nothing is stopping me from role-playing my alignment of choice even if it is no longer a salient point in combat performance and design decisions

iamtruthseeker · September 2012

Sorry to say there is no mechanical change to alignments/factions since my last posting in the FAQ. Allies and enemies rather than alignment or factions are done in the overall storyline, and as per the post here, flagging alignment may not be available in the first place.

aandrethegiant · September 2012

iamtruthseeker wrote: »

Sorry to say there is no mechanical change to alignments/factions since my last posting in the FAQ. Allies and enemies rather than alignment or factions are done in the overall storyline, and as per the post here, flagging alignment may not be available in the first place.

This breaks one of my favorite classes, the paladin class in my eyes. A paladin should never be... neutra..err "unaligned."

Zero alignment options in the ultimate fantasy game that pits good versus evil seems like a terrible
oversight on the part of Cryptic.

Now you can argue it both ways, and certainly not having to worry about alignments is "easier."

To me tho, it will always be a blaring omission.

iamtruthseeker · September 2012

I understand the WoTC reasons to keep seprate the mechanical and role play alignment reasons (and blame the people playing CN as anything goes as a big cause) I just completely hate it.

remedialhappyman · September 2012

I've never really liked alignment.

I guess it is required because in Dungeons and Dragons there is such thing as actual good and evil but the terms are far to broad to try and restrict character choices.

Ive seen DM's restrict people from breaking the law under any circumstance because someone was lawful neutral and restrict killing is someone is good.

I feel like someone can still be chaotic good and not give a hoot about killing people.

An example would be a soldier who is defending his land from a foreign invading force. Lets say he goes beyond the call of duty to help his comrades in need and even innocents. I could completely understand not caring about killing the invading people, even executing them if they surrender (depending on how vicious the conflict is). Really in a world were you are fighting rampaging orcs, demons and the like, where death is around every corner. I feel like most people would be semi desensitized to death.

Also the best type of Paladin is the Lawful <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> Paladin.

remedialhappyman · September 2012

I guess what I am trying to say is,
Really in a fantasy world good should be a lot rarer than it is.

Good example http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/KnightInSourArmor

iamtruthseeker · September 2012

One act doesn't define your alignment, but many acts in a certain way can.

ambisinisterr · September 2012

aandrethegiant wrote: »

This breaks one of my favorite classes, the paladin class in my eyes. A paladin should never be... neutra..err "unaligned."

Well in all honesty I never understood why a paladin had to be lawful good.
Why shouldn't there be paladins of Lathander, Shar, or Ohgma which are't bound to lawful good.

If a paladin is a warrior of a god, as I always interpreted it to be, why should they only be warrior's of goodly gods.
Or furthermore what's the distinction between being lawful for the paladin's god if the paladin's god is that of a chaotic nature? Wee confusing philosophical thoughts.

In any case, Truthseeker's last post is both short and sweet and perfectly defines my stance on what alignments truly are compared to how they have always been in D&D's past.

One act doesn't define your alignment, but many acts in a certain way can.

Perfectly stated.

pilf3r · September 2012

aandrethegiant wrote: »

This breaks one of my favorite classes, the paladin class in my eyes. A paladin should never be... neutra..err "unaligned."

Zero alignment options in the ultimate fantasy game that pits good versus evil seems like a terrible
oversight on the part of Cryptic.

Now you can argue it both ways, and certainly not having to worry about alignments is "easier."

To me tho, it will always be a blaring omission.

I see things a little different. My view on a paladin is that the class is basically a Knight that has some divine abilities. He has HIS god on his side, therefore he follows the tenants of HIS god/gods. That would make his alignment vary depending on his god/gods wouldn't it.

I've always hated that in ddo my pally must be lawful good, has always annoyed me when using my pink khopesh.

aandrethegiant · September 2012

Oh yeah, I respect the no alignment argument and the paladin argument, but I've played paladins as long as I can remember, to me the Paladin LG alignment option is inseparable.

Not a game changer for me anyways, I'm just against what WotC did with the alignment re-structure in 4e.

jadescimitar · September 2012

I don't mind the no alignment thing; have alway acted Neutral Good for most of my role playing.

I really won't miss the factions in EQ1. Kill the wrong person by accident and be banned from certain areas.

Or try to get another player to kill someone so you can loot a quest item you need without incurring the negative faction

Nope not going to miss any of that.

JS

aandrethegiant · September 2012

jadescimitar wrote: »

I don't mind the no alignment thing; have alway acted Neutral Good for most of my role playing.

I really won't miss the factions in EQ1. Kill the wrong person by accident and be banned from certain areas.

Or try to get another player to kill someone so you can loot a quest item you need without incurring the negative faction

Nope not going to miss any of that.

JS

Oh yea factions I agree 100%. I wouldnt miss it... but some will.

Will you get to choose alignment?

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