You’re sitting at the table. Your Paladin has a sword to the throat of a goblin scout. The party is arguing. One person says, "We need info, let him live." Another screams, "He’s a monster, kill him!" Then someone drops the line that ruins the night: "But my character is Neutral Good, I wouldn't do that."
Everything stops.
The dungeons and dragons alignment chart is arguably the most famous part of TTRPG history, yet it’s the one thing most players totally misunderstand. It’s not a straightjacket. It’s not a computer program. Honestly, it’s a philosophical mess that Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson threw together decades ago to give players a nudge toward how their characters might behave. It started as a simple Law vs. Chaos axis in the 1974 "White Box" set, inspired heavily by Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion series. Later, the Good vs. Evil axis showed up, giving us the nine-square grid we argue about on Reddit today.
The Grid is Not a Personality
If you think your character's alignment is their personality, you’re doing it wrong. A "Lawful Good" character isn't a robot who follows every speed limit. They can be a grumpy veteran, a naive priest, or a ruthless revolutionary who believes only a strict new world order can save the poor.
The grid is basically a map of your soul's "GPS" setting.
The vertical axis deals with morality: Good, Neutral, and Evil. Good is generally defined as altruism and respect for life. Evil is about narcissism and a willingness to hurt others for power or fun. Neutrality? That's usually the "I just want to feed my family" or "The universe needs balance" crowd.
Then you have the horizontal axis: Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic. This isn't about whether you like the police. It’s about your internal logic. Lawful characters have a code—maybe it’s the law of the land, maybe it’s a personal vow. Chaotic characters value freedom above all else. They hate being told what to do, even if the person telling them is right.
Lawful Good: The Crusader or the Bureaucrat?
Most people play Lawful Good as "The Boring One." Big mistake. Think about Batman. Depending on who is writing him, he’s the textbook Lawful Good. He has a strict code (no killing) and operates within a disciplined framework to achieve a moral end. But he’s terrifying. He's a vigilante.
Then you have someone like Superman, who is Lawful Good in a more "boy scout" way. Both are on the same spot on the dungeons and dragons alignment chart, but they would probably argue for six hours about how to handle a common thief. Lawful Good means you believe that order is the best way to preserve what is right. It doesn't mean you're nice. A Lawful Good inquisitor might burn down a village to stop a plague because "the law of the greater good" demands it. That’s dark. That’s interesting.
Why Neutrality is the Hardest to Play
True Neutral is the "Switzerland" of the chart. In early editions of D&D, especially for Druids, you actually had to maintain balance. If the Good guys got too strong, you might have to help the Evil guys just to keep the cosmic scales even. That's kinda weird, right?
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Most players who pick Neutral aren't actually looking for cosmic balance. They just don't want to be bothered with moral dilemmas.
- Neutral Good: You’re the "Normal Person." You’ll help someone if they’re hurting, and you don't care if you have to break a rule to do it, but you aren't looking to burn down the government.
- Lawful Neutral: The Judge. The Soldier. The person who says, "I don't care if the law is unfair; it's the law."
- Chaotic Neutral: The "Wild Card." This is the most hated alignment in D&D because players use it as an excuse to be annoying. "I burn down the tavern because I'm Chaotic Neutral!" No, you're just being a jerk. Real Chaotic Neutrality is about valuing your own freedom above everything else—even the party's goals.
The "Evil" Problem in Modern Gaming
A lot of Dungeon Masters flat-out ban Evil alignments. I get it. It’s hard to have a team-based game when the Rogue is busy stabbing the Cleric in his sleep. But "Lawful Evil" can be the best teammate you’ve ever had.
Think of a Lawful Evil character like a corporate lawyer or a mob boss. They have a contract. They have a code. As long as you are useful to them and part of their "inner circle," they will protect you with everything they have. They don't kill for fun; they kill for a reason.
On the other end, you have Chaotic Evil. This is the Joker. This is pure destruction. It’s almost impossible to play this in a long-term campaign unless the rest of the party is also Chaotic Evil. Otherwise, the Paladin is going to smite you by session three. It’s just math.
Real Talk: Does Alignment Even Matter Anymore?
In 5th Edition D&D, alignment has been pushed to the background. In the old days (1st and 2nd Edition), your alignment dictated what magic items you could use and what spells could hurt you. Protection from Evil actually meant something mechanical.
Now? It’s mostly flavor.
Wizards of the Coast has moved away from tagging entire races as "Typically Chaotic Evil." They want to emphasize that Orcs, Drow, and even Red Dragons have agency. Your alignment is a choice, not a DNA trait. Some people hate this. They want the world to be black and white. They want to know that if they see a goblin, they are allowed to hit it with a mace without a moral crisis.
But the shift toward "Character Bonds, Ideals, and Flaws" is actually a better way to roleplay. Instead of saying "I'm Neutral Good," you say "I will always protect those who cannot protect themselves." That tells the DM way more than a spot on a 3x3 grid.
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How to Actually Use the Chart at Your Table
If you’re going to use the dungeons and dragons alignment chart, use it as a starting point, not the finish line.
- The "Alignment Shift" is your friend. If your Lawful Good Cleric starts stealing from the poor, their alignment should change. It shouldn't be a punishment; it should be a story beat.
- Forget the labels during play. Don't ask yourself "What would a Chaotic Good person do?" Ask yourself "What would my character, who hates tyrants but loves his mother, do?"
- Use it for NPCs. This is where the chart shines. If I’m a DM and I need to improvise a shopkeeper, I can just think "Okay, he's Lawful Evil." Immediately, I know he’s going to try to scam the players within the strict confines of a legal contract.
There’s a reason this meme format has leaked into every other fandom. We love putting things in boxes. We want to know if Walter White is Lawful Evil or Neutral Evil (he’s Lawful Evil until he isn't, honestly). We want to know where Michael Scott fits (Chaotic Neutral, leaning toward Good).
The chart is a mirror. It shows us how we perceive right and wrong.
Moving Forward With Your Character
Stop treating alignment like a cage.
Next time you’re building a character, leave the alignment box blank for the first two sessions. See how you actually play the character. Do you find yourself being more merciful than you expected? Do you find yourself stealing every shiny object in sight?
Once you know who the character is, then you pick the alignment that fits.
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If you're a DM, stop letting players use their alignment to justify ruining the fun for everyone else. "It's what my character would do" is the battle cry of the bad player. Alignment is meant to create conflict with the world, not with the people sitting around the table eating pizza.
Actionable Next Steps for Players and DMs:
- Review your current character's actions. Does your playstyle actually match the box you checked on your sheet? If not, ask your DM to change it. It makes for a great roleplaying moment.
- Try the "Inverted Alignment" challenge. Play a Lawful Evil character who is a perfect, loyal teammate because they believe the party is the most efficient way to gain power.
- Focus on Ideals and Flaws first. Use the 5e "Background" traits to build a moral foundation before you even look at the 3x3 grid.
- Talk to your group. Ensure everyone has the same definition of "Chaotic" and "Good." Most table arguments happen because one person thinks "Chaotic" means "random" while another thinks it means "anti-authority." Clear that up before the first d20 is rolled.