This article is part four in a series about how to better understand and roleplay D&D character alignments. At this point, we take a break from the Law-Chaos paradigm to concentrate on the other iconic alignment spectrum: Good and Evil. In this article, we will discuss what moral tendencies and archetypes make a character Good, explain some actions and mindsets that demonstrate a Good alignment, and how to create interesting moral conflicts for Good characters.
What Makes a Character Good?
It's probably safe to say that most characters created for any Role-Playing Game, not just D&D, are Good by default. It makes logical sense, given the suggested dynamic of games and literature to have Good characters squaring off against the forces of Evil. Unfortunately, this can result in players viewing Good alignments as tired or overused, or worse, repetitive, and cause those players to feel frustration at others' "boring" Good characters.
Good alignments are simple to roleplay. It's easy to determine what is an Evil action in a situation and to avoid having your character do that. The challenge comes in roleplaying a Good character in ways that make Good interesting. Simply avoiding or attacking Evil wherever it may be found isn't interesting enough to validate a moral directive of Good. Good needs to have depth, conscious decisions, or conflict in order to really be Good. In books, stories, movies, and television shows, we don't connect with the protagonist because they're always Good. Instead, we connect with them as they try to be Good.
I like to think of Good as needing a reason for being Good in order to separate itself from that pitfall of being boring. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to build reasons for a character to be Good. Maybe considering one of the following questions can help: Why does a particular character choose to behave in Good ways to achieve their goals, as compared to Evil methods? How does a character determine his or her moral perspective? Was there a formative event in the character's past that showed either the superiority of Good or the failings of Evil? Does the character occasionally struggle with being Good, whether as a result of Evil temptations or their life before dedicating themselves to being Good?
It's also important to note that an unique character's perception of Good or Evil is influenced by their background, experiences, and culture, like a character's perception of Law or Chaos. This means that different characters can have differences in what actions or behaviors they think of as Good. Sometimes, this can even create conflict between different standards of Good, which is an interesting way to disrupt the usual dichotomy of Good and Evil.
How Can I Make a Good Character?
First of all, come up with a reason (or reasons, if you want further character depth) for your character to be Good. Those questions from the previous section can be a good start. It's also important to consider if your character has any specific ideas or behaviors that they consider to be Good (or Evil) that others may not always agree with. For instance, a Good warlock may consider their fiendish pact to be a borderline instance of Good, as they plan to use the powers granted from the otherwise Evil connection to serve Good purpose, the ends justifying the means. A Good Paladin may disagree.
Consider how your character's perception of the concepts of Good and Evil have been influenced by their life experiences. Think about where your character's drive to do what is Good may be challenged in the campaign, and how your character will react to situations that cause them to decide where their limits are and how committed they are to their Good values. Does your Good character ever struggle with rare Evil tendencies, or have to overcome Evil temptations? What Good values or ideals does your character hold themselves to? Work with your DM to reach a set of ideals that function for your character while giving them room to grow and develop over the course of their adventures.
Good characters should demonstrate a tendency to behave in ways that emphasize and empower their Good objectives, morals, and ideals for themselves and others. In practice, they should tend to adhere to their Good moral directives in how they treat and observe others, make plans and decisions, and express themselves through actions and words. For example, a Good character may feel compelled to share what they have with others when a need is perceived. Good characters should tend to avoid acting in Evil ways when it can be avoided, and should tend to find ways to lessen the impact of Evil when it cannot be avoided.
What (Usually) Not To Do
Because Good is sort of a default alignment for most settings, Good characters frequently fly underneath the radar so far as alignment stereotypes are concerned. However, it is still important to understand how "Good" behaviors are viewed by others in your party, especially in groups where alignments are a mixed bag and the interactions between party members' alignments feature heavily into the adventure story. While there are circumstances where it's perfectly good to portray Good in these ways, in general, the following behaviors have some flaws behind their Good-ness.
Although Good and Evil are opposites, this doesn't mean that your Good character should plan to destroy every form of evil–no matter where or what it is–casually or out of hand. To choose this route creates additional conflict if someone in your party happens to be Evil, or even demonstrate Evil tendencies on occasion. In this case, your Good characterization would get in the way of someone else's character development, which isn't fair to either party member. If you do choose this route, make sure your actions do not offend the other players in your group or impede their own characters beyond the limits you as players agree to.
Also, the destruction of Evil above all else can prove a slippery slope that leads to engaging in Evil behaviors, which can be a really interesting character path if done intentionally as the player. If done accidentally by the player as a result of taking Good to an extreme, it's another case of the misconception that alignment enforces character behavior. We've discussed this fallacy already, and it's important to remember that the opposite is true: alignment is a moral tendency held by the character that is determined and acted upon by the player. Allowing your character's decisions to be relegated exclusively to destroying Evil everywhere removes player agency and the opportunity to develop your character.
Finally, a Good character shouldn't ignore opportunities to be Good when situations allow. The absence of Evil is not Good, but Neutrality. Instead of being passively "Good" only when faced with Evil, characters who are Good demonstrate that by demonstrating kindness, support, and caring towards those who are in need, as well as any other Good attributes held as values by the character.
A Moral Conflict for a Good Character
A well-used tool to make an adventure engaging and foster character growth is through the presentation of a moral conflict or dilemma that the character must solve or decide upon in order to continue successfully. Handling a conflict-ridden situation well can improve a character's trust in themselves and add depth to their world outlook. A character's alignment is a useful tool for determining what sorts of hard decisions will help the character to grow and develop. Dungeon Masters and players alike can benefit from observing these moral conflicts, coming up with ideas for how to create their own, and thinking about how a character could respond to scenarios that test their personal limits.
Good characters usually have some degree of morality as a character trait that enables them to tell the difference between Good and Evil behaviors. Because Good characters tend to choose Good over Evil when given the choice, a moral conflict designed for Good characters needs to have tangible consequences that are dependent upon their decisions. These consequences should make the character choose between avoiding or preventing an Evil action or temptation and the possibility of a Good side effect to the Evil behavior. Moral conflicts presented in this way require serious thought on the side of the player and the character, and DMs designing moral conflicts of any variety should know for a certainty whether or not their players will be comfortable with the ethics involved in the conflict.
Consider: While investigating (or looting) the abandoned hideout of a wealthy villain, your Good character discovers information proving that the villain has been supporting the livelihoods of the inhabitants of a nearby town that was all but destroyed in a dragon attack. The villain is using the rebuilding process as a front for his plot to overthrow the kingdom, but the money going to the ravaged town has enabled the inhabitants to begin to recover from a devastating disaster, and the villain is considered a hero by every person living and working in that town. How does your character react to this new information? How does this make your character feel about the situation?
Additional questions:
If you leave the villain alone, will his plan to overthrow the rulers and assume control of the kingdom be successful?
If you defeat the villain, will the town's needy recovery efforts be defunded as the ruling body takes control of the villain's funds to assist with the oncoming threat of war?
If the villain is aware that the characters know about his operations in this town, will he withdraw his resources and likewise cripple recovery efforts?
If the population of the town knows that the characters are trying to find the villain, will they attempt to warn or protect their sponsor, further impeding the adventurers?
If you defeat the villain, will the townsfolk still see you as a hero to the people?
Summary
Good is sometimes considered a boring alignment because of how common it is among player characters. In order to avoid this shortcoming, players should give their Good characters depth and founding in their Good personal conducts. This can be achieved by giving a Good character a reason or rationale that explains why they choose to be Good. It can also be effective to define what a character views as Good and Evil, and to include struggles that the character has between the two groupings of values. Instead of fighting against Evil wherever it may be, Good characters demonstrate that they are Good by doing Good where possible. Players should look for ways for their characters to exemplify Good in their interactions and decisions, and DMs should look for ways to encourage players to think about their character's limitations or flaws by presenting choices between Good and Evil that test the will, commitment, and intentions of their characters as they develop and change through their adventures.
This ends part four in our discussion about the alignment stylizations made popular by Dungeons and Dragons. In part five, we will turn the tables by focusing on how Evil alignments should be interpreted.
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