Philosophy of Evil

[Howlando]

There are certainly degrees of evil. An evil character might be one who has done terrible acts (murder, sacrifice, animating the dead, summoning demons, enslavement, regular banditry). Something that is evil might also be innately evil (a freshly animated corpse, a goblin hunter).

For a player, it's probably best to choose the evil alignment at the start if you intend on getting involved with evil acts (ruthlessly murdering, animating the dead, involvement in an evil faith, a life of heartless crime, etc.). We don't have enough dm coverage or interest to adjust alignment at every step along the way.

[Talir]

http://easydamus.com/alignment.html

This is a very nice read regarding alignments.

[Seanzie]

I do have a question now, so on my recent PC I have joined the Militia and plan on doing evil things, in a lawful way, I chose LE and don't have the backstory to back it up. But I wonder if I planed on doing evil things, and might have started to do so, DM's will be fine  with it and not see it as playing the wrong alignment?

[Seanzie]

Ah, nevermind, seems I should have looked at Talir's link first because that gave me all the information I needed, thanks!

[Porkolt]

Key word in this discussion is virtue.
 
An evil person consciously makes the choice to eschew virtue.

[Nihm]

Is slavery evil? It strikes me as more Lawful, being normal and accepted in most areas.

[The Boom King]

Er, I'm pretty sure it's evil.

[PlayaCharacter]

It is definitely worth considering, when deciding your alignment at character roll-up, "Would a Paladin be justified for despising and opposing me at every turn?"

Another very good question to ask yourself when rolling up a new evil PC is, "What evil acts has this character committed in the past?"

Did your PC murder someone? Have you bargained with devils / demons? Do you dabble in necromancy or some other dark art? Answering these kinds of questions at character creation can really help round out a good character concept.

[Howlando]

Slavery isn't necessarily evil in and of itself, but the mistreatment and cruelty usually involved in such a practice tends to make those who engage in it evil. Forcibly enslaving someone (i.e. raiding for slaves) else is also an evil act.

[Nightshadow]

For instance, the Duchy's indentured servitude is something most Tormtar should respect, as Torm's dogma says "Salvation may be found through service."

[Ideal_Misconception]

I think most of the problems here stem from nobody knowing what server policy is on alignment. I tend to treat alignment the way it's presented in the NWN character creation descriptions, and alignment as determined by intent. The intent bit is influenced by tabletop D&D books, which tend to treat alignment change due to actions as more of a punishment, implying that changing alignment can be done when one's worldview has changed, with or without actions to demonstrate it.

But as most people can't seem to agree on it, I just play wishy-washy and/or blindly devoted people. It kind of cuts off the 'shades of grey' section when nobody can agree on how it's played.

[Nightshadow]

Well, the interpretation is really only for players on character creation. Once you're done with that, don't view any alignment change as a punishment, but just as a change. Just go with it, do what feels right for your character.

[Drakill Tannan]

D&D morality is retarded and makes no sence. The more evil creatures you kill, the more good you become. Seriously, if an evil man would ask the paladin to get the thief who stole his pouch, and the paladin used detect evil and stabbed him in the face, he'd be cheered as a virtous man and a hero of good. And get a holy avenger. And that just screws with my mind in levels you cannot imagine.

Seriously, going arround slaughtering inocent goblins for fun is a GOOD thing, but if you go and mug a random person because your child is starving makes you an evil person. But only if you are a human or demihuman, else you are born evil (or born good) and no matter what you do, what you try, if you're an orc, you're EVIL and if you suddently become good, it's because you're part of a major plot involving a romantic-rebel feel. Furthermore actions are what marks your alignment, as i said before, so if you are helping the children so you can earn the trust of the town's mayor and when he trusts you you can enslave him and make him worship cyric, you still become more good. On the other hand if you raise a corspe to use it to defend the orphans from hungry wolves, you're evil. No matter how much the orphans disagree, you're evil.

At least from what i've seen, however my knowledge of D&D is reduced to NWN.

What i'm trying to say is... it makes no sence, try not to make sence of it and simply try to enjoy it.

[Thomas_Not_very_wise]

Do what comes naturally and when in doubt, True Neutral is always a good pick if you really don't know yet.

[Equinox]

True neutral is a horrible alignment to be honest.

Evil has many senses, Killing a child to save a thousand. While for the greater good, is still evil but it is methodical and logical evil. Killing a thousand children for shits and giggles, is cold undeniable brutality and chaos.

LE NE CE separates the evils in this way, though it really is all situational.

Evil can also be the byproduct of upbringing, a child raised with values in honor and discipline but selfishness and greed is what creation of evil, but not directly evil itself. If that makes any sense.