Summary
When it comes to alignment inDungeons & Dragons, this characteristic is always going to operate on a sliding scale. Depending on the actions your character takes over the course of a session or a campaign, their alignment could shift all the way from Lawful Good to Chaotic Evil. However, your starting alignment can sometimes say more about you as a player than it does about your character.
But what does your alignment say about you? If you’re wondering, look no further than this list. We’re going to break down what every Dungeons & Dragons alignment says about you, and not just about your character.
9Lawful Good
Goody Two-Shoes
Okay, honestly, if you’re playing a Lawful Good character, I simply implore you to go outside and touch grass. There’s a whole wide world out there for you to explore, and you’ve chosen to play a character who is purely good all the time?
Besides, not to get philosophical here, but what is ‘true good’ anyway? Every adult knows that good is a bit of a sliding scale depending on who you talk to. Frankly, Lawful Good is a trap and probably an illusion. If you’ve chosen this alignment, you need to get outside and talk to real people. Log off.
8Neutral Good
Probably The Best One
This is probably the best alignment you’re able to play in my opinion, as it leaves plenty of room for you to be fun, but not so much room that you actively disrupt the party. If you choose to play a Neutral Good character, it means you’re a peacekeeper and want what’s best for the whole table.
However, that doesn’t mean you’re able to’t also look out for yourself every once in a while. If you’ve chosen Neutral Good, you’re likely relatively selfless, but also know how to speak up for your own needs when the time comes. Good for you.
7Chaotic Good
Teacher’s Pet Territory
Chaotic Good is an extremely fun alignment to play, and can prove extremely fun for Dungeon Masters to run games for as well. However, Chaotic Good reeks of Teacher’s Pet energy to me. Yes, you might be doing the right thing by informing the teacher that they haven’t collected the homework, but you’re doing so in such a way that makes everyone else suffer. Not cool.
Plus, Chaotic Good is also the land of attention-seekers. There’s something about this alignment that has a very ‘watch me do a flip!’ energy to it that frankly, just doesn’t sit right with me.
6Lawful Neutral
Bit Of A Wild Card
Lawful Neutral is an interesting alignment that’s not always easily described.The 2024 Player’s Handbookcites those who follow personal codes of honor as Lawful Neutral. In this way, playing a Lawful Neutral character probably means that you don’t put much stock in rules, and that’s really the only rule you actually follow.
Lawful Neutral, and some of the other neutral alignments, also seem to mean that you’re having a bit of an identity crisis. Or, perhaps you’re just more fluid when it comes to how you identify. Oh, and you also probably don’t like rocking the boat or conflict all that much.
5True Neutral
It’s Giving Identity Crisis
Okay, but like, who are you actually? True Neutral is such a creepy alignment to me. Roleplaying this alignment well often means that you don’t really dip your toe into moral quandaries, or have super-strong opinions, which just doesn’t sit right with me.
If you pick this alignment, you definitely don’t like confrontation, and are probably someone who doesn’t like even picking a restaurant for a group to go out to. Either way, you prefer to stay out of things and keep your head down.
4Chaotic Neutral
Probably Where Most Of Us Sit
We all might like to think of ourselves as Lawful Good or even Neutral Good, but frankly, I think most people are probably Chaotic Neutral. We like the idea of being good, but utlimately, are trying our best to keep ourselves afloat. Not to sound like too much of a pessimist, but, I’ve met far more Chaotic Neutral people than I would care to admit.
At the end of the day, if your Dungeons & Dragons character is Chaotic Neutral, it probably means you’re a little bit non-committal in real life. You might think you’re a friend to all, but maybe your loyalties lie with yourself and a few select friends and family. This isn’t a bad thing! It just means you’re like most people in that regard.
3Lawful Evil
Playing evil-aligned characters in Dungeons & Dragons can prove to be an interesting roleplay challenge foreven the most seasoned roleplayer. Lawful Evil is probably the easiest of the evil alignments to play, thanks to the fact that, writ large, you still largely play by the rules. However, Lawful Evil characters do try to bend the law to their will in order to get what they want.
If you’ve chosen a Lawful Evil character for yourself, it can mean one of two things. One, you’re either extremely well-read in history, and know how many historical figures probably fall into this category. Or, you might be blissfully unaware of how much the Lawful Evil alignment has bent the course of history. Either way, you probably enjoy bending the rules a bit more than is good for you.
2Neutral Evil
Slightly More Fun
Neutral Evil characters have a penchant for operating outside of the laws of society and are largely out for their own aims. If you’re playing this alignment, it probably means you have a bit more of a dark side than most people give you credit for. However, it doesn’t mean you’re a lost cause.
One of the best parts about playing an evil-aligned character is getting to potentially roleplay a redemption arc. If you’ve selected Neutral Evil, you may be a bit dark in some respects, but you might also be more persuadable than most in terms of philosophy. Ultimately, you’re open to a good argument either way.
1Chaotic Evil
Lastly, Chaotic Evil is far and away the most difficult alignment to roleplay in Dungeons & Dragons unless you’re playinga straight-up evil campaign. Finding ways to incorporate an evil-aligned character into an otherwise good-aligned party can prove difficult for player and DM alike. Frankly, if you pick this alignment for your character, it probably means you like doing things the hard way.
Additionally, playing a Chaotic Evil character means that you’ve got more than just a dark side, you’ve got a corruptible side. You like being in charge and taking the lead on things, but don’t necessarily care about the consequences of your decisions. Or, at the very least, are just better at indulging in some of your more shameless tendencies.
