Alignment is a two-word summary of a character’s outlook. It is a roleplaying prompt, not a rule you have to obey, and plenty of groups barely use it.
The two axes
- Law vs chaos: does the character value order, tradition and promises (lawful), personal freedom (chaotic), or neither strongly (neutral)?
- Good vs evil: do they put others first (good), themselves first at others’ expense (evil), or sit in between (neutral)?
Combine one from each to get nine alignments.
The nine alignments
- Lawful good: keeps their word and protects others. The noble knight.
- Neutral good: does the right thing, whatever the rules say. The kind healer.
- Chaotic good: follows their conscience and distrusts authority. The rebel with a heart.
- Lawful neutral: the law, the code or the oath comes first. The strict judge.
- True neutral: avoids extremes or simply looks after their own. The pragmatist.
- Chaotic neutral: values freedom above all. The free spirit (not “random”).
- Lawful evil: uses rules and systems to get what they want. The tyrant.
- Neutral evil: does whatever benefits them. The mercenary.
- Chaotic evil: cruel and destructive. Usually villains, rarely player characters.
Using it well
- Treat it as a starting point for how your character reacts, then let the story change them.
- Ask your DM before playing an evil character — most groups prefer a party that can work together.
- “Chaotic neutral” is not a licence to annoy the rest of the table.
- Bonds, ideals and flaws often say more about a character than alignment does.
Build the rest of the character
The Backstory Roller gives you ideals, bonds and flaws to go with an alignment, and our guide to writing a backstory shows how to tie it into the campaign.