Last updated on January 22, 2023
Alignment as a concept has transformed and changed in the lives ofDungeons and Dragons. It has been a storytelling tool, a mechanical reasoning, or both over the years.nine lineups, Chaotic Evil is often misrepresented as indiscriminately destructive and is usually used simply to justify rude, "anti-plot" oriented behavior that brings down plots.
WhilePlayer's Handbooksays that Chaotic Evil is fueled by rampant violence and selfish bloodlust, that's a bit immature. Yes, bullies are messy and mean, but they don't have to be erratic and impulsive. You can be calculating, patient, and even see your actions as some kind of perverse kindness.
This post is about that dissonance, as well as everything else I can think of about the chaotic-evil alignment. We'll start with examples from fantasy, science fiction, and the real world. After that, we'll discuss some of the underlying ideas behind this chart in the Alignment Chart, and then follow up with tips on how to apply the rules to create a character whose chaotic evil alignment is reflected in his build.
Index
What is the Chaotic Alignment of Evil?
Chaotic Evil is one of nine alignments you choose during character creation to develop your character's personality and behavior. Chaotic evil people are against any kind of social hierarchy and commons.
Chaotic and evil characters in pop culture
Before I get into the technical aspects of the Chaotic Evil lineup, I want to start with a list of examples to give us an overview of Chaotic Evil in different media. I wanted to vary but stay in a common cultural lexicon. So I picked some popular franchises.
Barto Crouch, Jr.
Vonharry potter, Barty Crouch Jr. can be seen as chaotic evil
When Barty Crouch assumes the identity of Mad-Eye Moody, he immediately repudiates his disrespect for any social order. He teaches as he suits him. Most importantly, he manipulates the sacred magical rules of the Goblet of Fire tournament and shows the chaotic nature of him.
Still, as a Death Eater, it would be easy to identify Barty Crouch as such.mal legalServing Voldemort, he is truly motivated by a selfish need for approval, as opposed to the genuine love for the institutions that Voldy would bring. He is obviously evil, as he attempts to kill various people and uses various forbidden curses nonchalantly.
"You won because I did, Potter. You ended up in this graveyard tonight because it was meant to be. And now the deed is done. The blood that flows in these veins flows to the Dark Lord. Imagine how he will reward me when he finds out about it! that I have silenced the great Harry Potter once and for all!
Senator in Palpatine
From Star Wars, Senator Palpatine is Chaotic Evil.
Again we have another character that could be interpreted as Lawful Evil. He eventually becomes emperor and clearly expects everyone to follow his orders. However, he uses the Empire as his personal instrument of power. There is no social order that really appeals to him per se, he just wants to be able to do what he wants with as many means as possible.
It doesn't have to be the dark side of the force, although it does come across as evil. However, he is definitely messy. He encompasses the passions, whims, and impulses of the Force user.
As the universe's primary user of the dark side, Darth Sideous is downright messy. A power-hungry tyrant, he is utterly evil.
"Those who do not serve my purposes, no matter how powerful, will be eliminated."
ultron
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ultron is messy and evil.
Ultron thought that mass extinction was the only way to create a better world. He honestly believed that the best way to bring about evolution was to destroy all civilizations. This is messy and illegal. anti-society.
He is evil because not only does he not care about the deaths he will cause, but he actually WANTS to cause deaths.
This is not some tattered "you need to crack some eggs" argument. This could be justified asmessy neutral. He wants to wipe out humanity and replace the world with machines.
“There were over a dozen extinction level events before the dinosaurs had theirs! When the earth begins to calm down, God throws a stone at it. And believe me, it's coming to an end. We have to keep evolving. There is no place for the weak."
"And who decides who is weak?"
"The living. *laughs* Life always decides."
the piadist
embat Man, the Joker is messy and evil.
At the risk of quoting a meme, some men just want to watch the world burn. The Joker is not like the mafia: he does not want money or social privileges. He wants to burn down the social structures that give meaning to money and privilege, and he wants people to suffer in the process. He is so tired and hates law, order and any concept of morality that he wants everyone to be like him. He wants violence and disorder.
It is the best example of Chaotic Evil.
Other chaotic evil characters are:
- Smaug does Hobbithe refused Sauron's advances to join the dark side simply because he wanted to have his own power base and answer to no one. He is the epitome of selfish greed and there is no society that is attractive to him.
- Obito deNaruto Shippudenit is a chaotic evil. Giving himself up to despair, he becomes the personification of entropy, decay, and destruction. He makes the world his source of power, undoing all social structures and annihilating all power that rivals his.
- The Tyrannosaurus Rex ofJurassic Park. This dinosaur does not work in herds and goes from food to food. Lack of order and social cohesion. This monster is presented as a destruction machine.
Messy evil organizations in the real world
Any organization that anticipates the downfall of society. at the cost of sacrificing innocent lives is Chaotic Evil.There are several of these and many of them can be found online.
Please don't look for her.
Even when they pray for an apocalypse because they think what's to come is better, they can still be messy and evil. Check it out: Chaotic means violent resistance to existing social orders. Evil means that they are willing to kill innocents to achieve it. Think about it.
What do we mean by "chaotic" and "evil"?
It is clear from the above examples that "Chaotic" is not just about disrespect for social cohesion and social structure, but also about violent antagonism towards institutions of authority and social power.
Chaotic Evil characters don't just ignore the law. They break because "I do what I want!"
Evil is a term that means selfishness motivated at the expense of your compassion. It implies an innate antagonism towards other creatures, not just a lack of empathy for them.
Therefore, Chaotic Neutral attempts to actively disrupt social norms to disrupt society, and the more people who get hurt, the better.
Alignment in previous editions
em1callemi2North DakotaspentAlignment was a way of dictating character behavior to control the adventure. It was a storytelling tool for DMs and players alike. This had advantages and disadvantages.
It was nice that the DM could set boundaries as to who the characters in the story were. If the story is about saving the world from a tyrannical overlord, it would be very difficult to get a Lawful Evil player to stand up for what is "right" if it means breaking the law without profit. Similarly, a heist adventure with a legal character that cares too much about legality would be difficult to pull off.
However, it could also be used to force players to perform certain actions, and that was not a good thing. At the same time, players can be complete idiots and say, "That's what my character would do."
No action shows maturity or respect at the gaming table.
to cushion this3thirdeditionit turned alignment into a mechanical tool, reflected in languages, energy types, and energy sources through flat energy. They could speak languages called Just or Good when interacting with beings from the planes of Law (Mechanus) or Good (the celestial heavens).
The different alignment differences were philosophies that manifested on these levels and their common language reflected this. These embodied philosophies also went into the types of energies you could use in your magic.
There was legal damage or legal magic. Certain weapons dealt additional "legal" damage to creatures that were considered "chaotic". Good and evil were represented by "positive" and "negative" energies.
Every plane of existence was sustained by this type of magical energy and they all came to rest here on the material plane. In Eberron, while3ePlanes existed in orbit, and at certain times of the year their magic could be amplified or punished depending on how close or how far the plane's energy was from their time and place. Fascinating stuff, really.
How to play Chaotic Evil characters in 5e
alignment in5eIt's not an exact science, nor is the roster table reflected in a mechanical decision, unless you want it to be.
Each player will have a slightly different interpretation of how to play Chaotic Evil. Excellent! If people don't agree with you, you can tell them where to take your stupid argument.
In general, the characters in Chaotic Evil are motivated by their own thirst for power and the will to remake the world in their own image, a process that often begins with the death of ships full of people. So they commit contradictory and vulnerable selfish acts without consulting the party or asking for permission.
A chaotic evil character can be ambitious, ruthless, cunning, tyrannical, erudite, sophisticated, or wild. They can be anything as long as they want and fuck you if you have an opinion.
It's important to remember that just because a Chaotic Evil character is anti-order and good doesn't mean they're randomly violent.
The most common misconception about chaotic evil
In my more than 20 years playing and competingDungeons and Dragons, I have often found Chaotic Evil to be illogical and prone to breaking taboos for no reason. I think it lacks maturity and nuances.
Chaotic Evil can be subtle, mysterious, and clever. These people may have motivations and agendas. They may have reasons for what they do. They don't have to be warlike, drooling monsters. They can, but they DO NOT HAVE to. Sometimes they can even be both in different situations.
Feel free to play your Chaotic Evil character in a way that doesn't break the cohesion of the party. Just be motivated and don't take orders.
Chaotic and evil as a mechanic
emDungeons and Dragons 5e, your alignment doesn't have to represent your build in any way. Generally, Barbarians and Wizards are slightly chaotic and evil characters, as Barbarians have an entire skill tree called Rage, and Wizards get their magic from no source other than their own willpower.
However, you don't have to feel restricted. You can even play as a multiclass cleric/monk and still be Chaotic Evil. Heal people just because they are useful to you.
If you want to reflect your Chaotic Evil alignment in your character build, there are several things to consider at each stage of the building process.
chaotic neutral races
When choosing your race, consider choosing a species known for its ill-tempered views of society and its inherent lack of compassion, empathy, and propensity to create violent cultures, much like humans.
LateD&DTraditionally, these breeds are often found without a group structure and often view the outcome as a matter of luck. It's not their fault if you die because of their actions. You should have been a better person.
Man as a chaotic evil
Humans tend to create the simplest and messiest of evil characters. Although they tend to work together in large groups, these groups are always organized under the leadership of a charismatic figure who holds power.
A strong man. A powerful leader. Someone who gets things done regardless of the obstacles in the way. If you agree with the worldview in this guide, he will benefit. If you don't agree, you better stay out of the way.
People will let such a person get away with public murder. It doesn't matter what that person does. Chaotic evil societies are built on the idea that it can work and if you have all the money and power then the Universe has blessed you for being the smartest and best person for the job.
People are willing to eat and lie on any line, as long as it validates their world view, no matter how weird and illogical. This is the epitome of chaotic evil.
chaotic and evil backgrounds
Any background can work for Chaotic Evil characters; However, some are better than others. Consider the following background when creating your Chaotic Evil character. All of them are antisocial (but willing to abuse privileges) and will use violence due to their selfish whims.
- strange
- hermit
- Offender
- Pirate
- Gladiator
- Edel
Pay particular attention to the Flaws, Ideals, Personality Traits, and Background Links sections.
You'll use them to develop your backstory, which in turn will help you develop your personality, and personality is key to expressing alignment.
chaotic neutral classes
When choosing your class, you should primarily consider what activities your character will participate in.
Are you looking for a job that suits your personality? Are you trying to make the world a better place? Are you ready to take orders from someone more powerful than you? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you need to address how and why you remain Chaotic Evil. Still, it's not impossible.
Of course, the simplest classes in Chaotic Evil are Barbarians, Mages, and Wizards. All three can pursue their own power without regard for others.
Clerics and Monks are generally chaotic and evil bad characters due to the required discipline and submission to authority. Mages must swear allegiance to a patron, which can interfere with their style.
Rangers can also make good chaotic and evil characters because they can avoid company and delve into the Darwinian ethic of predator and prey.
Clerics, monks, chaotic and evil elves and questionable combinations
When it comes to playing Chaotic Evil characters with highly disciplined race and class combinations, it's best to make the character cocky.
Yes, the cleric must submit to a god or a church, but that simply gives him the moral high ground with which to mock and judge others. They believe that a person's worth is related to his power and that if a person were morally good enough, he would not suffer from disease, poverty or any other negative thing.
The monk probably got into a lot of trouble in his monastery as a child, but the overwhelming destruction they can wreak with their bare fist is exciting.
Most elves try to live within the invisible laws of nature and magic, but once in a while one of them realizes that the food chain doesn't have to look like an ordered pyramid. It can be a roiling cesspool of blood, lust, and power.
evil chaotic magic
When using magic, you must consider what your power source is. Remember that in3eThere was "positive and negative" energy to represent good and evil. In general, these energy types have been superseded by Radiant and Necrotic. When something is good and magical, it does radiant damage. If it's evil and magical, it causes necrosis.
Where is she as a Chaotic Evil character? You must first consider her background. Do they have a monstrous past, such as Draconian or aberrational? Consider combining an element for Dragons or Psychic for Aberrations with Necrotic for Evil or Force for Chaotic.
Violent damage is another good option. Chaos and Evil is all about the willpower to reshape the world in your image. Who cares what anyone says or thinks? Is his strength stronger than yours? That is the question that really matters.
Chaotic Neutral Spells
There are spells that can be used to represent chaos. spell asmagician's hand,Catapult,unseen servant,and other power spells can allow you to create the most chaos. You don't just move an object, you launch it through space. You didn't just hurt the villain with a flying chair. They also messed up neat feng shui!
Also,Caosbolzen.I just leave it there...
increaseSpells can be a great way to wreak havoc. They essentially violate the laws of nature to create such a creature. You completely change the battlefield with your additional ally and add a little more chaos.
Finally, evocation is perhaps the most chaotic school of magic. They start fires where there aren't any, they cause lightning on a clear day, they cause earthquakes, and they drop balls of acid out of thin air.
But what about spells for the evil side of this axis? Evil is illustrated by exercising power without consent. For this reason,hold, enchant, zMaestroSpells are perfect for evil characters. In this way you can exercise your will to dominate others.
How does chaotic evil relate to similar alignments?
One of the best ways to understand your alignment is to compare yourself to others. In this section, we compare Chaotic Evil to rosters that are only 1 degree apart.
Following the scenario below is a graph showing how Chaotic Evil would react compared to the other chaotic and neutral lineups.
The phrase
Suppose you have decided to take a job that involves escorting a donkey cart loaded with supplies to a nearby town. Along the way, you discover that your employer's horse was lying dead on the ground and you were ambushed by goblins while you investigate.
You kill the goblins. After…
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