No matter whether they are paladins swearing an oath to uphold all vows or guards maintaining law and order in a city, these soldiers follow orders with unwavering devotion – their personal needs come second to keeping their code of ethics.
At odds with this belief system is Sauron, who disregards beliefs and codes in pursuit of power.
What is a Lawful Neutral Alignment?
Lawful neutral is an alignment that leans slightly towards good. Characters with this alignment typically abide by an established code of laws, rules, or personal beliefs which define their morality and enforce these codes with discipline and fidelity. They respect authority and tradition while upholding honor and duty above all else – similar to how police officers and FBI agents prioritize following laws rather than having their own opinions about right or wrong.
However, this does not imply that Lawful Neutral characters will always choose the correct course when faced with moral dilemmas; when faced with ethical difficulties, they will look towards the laws and codes of their organization as guidance in choosing an action plan – which takes a more pragmatic approach than Chaotic Good characters do to morality.
Meant another way, this means they will not hesitate to enforce unjust laws or social norms if it serves their best interests. A Storm Trooper would likely eagerly follow orders and not question the legality of killing someone for theft of food or other minor crimes; similarly, being kidnapped and forced into another system might cause them to break those same laws even though it does not benefit them personally.
Lawful Neutral characters tend to be less predictable than their counterparts from other alignments; nevertheless, they still present a great challenge and opportunity for roleplaying. While often clashing with those from Lawful Evil alignment due to being on different sides of the moral compass, Lawful Good can work well if their goals align and they trust that each party adheres to their set of laws and principles.
Lawful neutral characters include soldiers who follow all orders, judges or enforcers who strictly abide by the letter of the law, and disciplined monks. Each character relies on their code for guidance, often placing it ahead of any feelings of benevolence they might possess. However, this does not indicate they don’t care about helping others. Instead, they will only engage in helpful behavior if their actions comply with their creed’s rules and customs. Lawful neutrals are an invaluable ally to anyone willing to abide by their code of ethics yet will not trust those unwilling to adhere to such ideals; even when being taken advantage of, lawful neutrals won’t go against their values and principles, thus valuing loyalty so highly in friends and coworkers alike.
Lawful Neutral Characters
Lawful neutral characters tend to value organization, structure, and laws. They uphold clear hierarchies and social norms, defer to authority figures, and believe in the power of society rules to create an orderly society. Additionally, these characters prioritize the greater good over personal gain – sometimes even at a personal sacrifice – though there may not always be clear boundaries between right and wrong.
Such characters make the ideal police officers and FBI agents; they abide by and respect laws while upholding ethical codes. Unfortunately, such an alignment can sometimes create tension when two characters differ on how to accomplish their missions; for instance, a police officer that prioritizes protecting civilians might conflict with an agent who refuses to compromise their moral code and may use lethal force instead.
Individuals with neutral alignments may appear distant or emotionless to outsiders due to their emphasis on rules and order over developing deeper connections with people and emotions. As a result, these characters often struggle to connect with characters from both good and evil alignments.
However, these characters tend to be reliable and trustworthy as they tend not to have strong biases when making decisions. Furthermore, these individuals aren’t easily influenced by others’ thoughts and emotions – which is especially useful when working in high-stress situations with others.
Lawful neutral characters also possess unique perspectives that enable them to see events from multiple viewpoints, providing new insight. Furthermore, lawful neutrals can adapt quickly without giving up their core values – making them invaluable assets on any team.
Though emotionally stable characters tend not to be easily persuaded, they still struggle when their personal code conflicts with the law or the needs of a group. For example, should they strictly follow orders when faced with eliminating an entire village that has become infected by the disease? Or should they take measures necessary to stop its spread, even if that means killing innocent people?
Lawful Neutrals can often serve as unpredictable player characters, as they prioritize following their code over strictly adhering to laws. While unlikely to break them themselves, they may be less inclined to help criminals unless their code requires it; for instance, they might aid criminals hunted down by police while less inclined to assist hungry and homeless individuals whom they’ve never encountered – creating attractive roleplay opportunities as players navigate these types of situations with their character.
Lawful Neutral Alignment in Roleplaying
Lawful neutral characters adhere to their code of principles first and foremost, adhering to laws, rules, and social order regardless of whether the laws are just. Furthermore, they respect hierarchies and authorities with whom they interact while upholding traditional values such as honor, duty, and tradition and believe societal norms help build strong communities. Lawful neutral characters may occasionally make decisions that appear evil but only due to personal codes; when ordered by credible leaders to carry out orders that harm others if necessary, they’ll do it as per the order given.
Characters in this alignment often take the form of enforcers, judges, or government agents. They uphold society’s rules with fierce dedication. Still, they may occasionally break them in pursuit of the greater good – using violence when necessary to defend allies or enforce the law, preferring working alongside those with similar moral convictions.
Paladins or monks would make excellent candidates for such alignment, as their subclass and religion may include strict codes defining their conduct. Other classes or groups, such as warrior orders or monastic pacts, might also have specific regulations they enforce on members.
Lawful Neutral characters tend to be confident and self-assured, quick to act when something needs doing and are frequently hot-headed when making decisions based on instinct and quick thinking. While their determination may sometimes get them into trouble, their unwavering dedication to their cause keeps them loyal and dedicated to it.
This contrasts sharply with Sauron from the Lord of the Rings series, who seeks power by any means necessary, including killing people or poisoning them. This story illustrates an excellent illustration of ends not matching standards, demonstrating how an otherwise lawful neutral character may be turned into lawful evil by someone willing to go beyond legal limits to pursue their goal. Lawful neutral characters often find themselves at an advantage when faced with antagonists, as they cannot respond based on personal values. This may lead to them falling into Lawful Stupid territory – with less experienced roleplayers potentially falling into Judge Dredd territory! Therefore, players should first gain in-depth knowledge of Lawful neutral alignment before trying their luck at playing such characters.