Alignment

This article concerns content exclusive to Warcraft RPG and thus unlikely to be canon.

The Alignment system used in the Warcraft RPG is based on the system from the venerable Dungeons & Dragons table-top RPG. There is no true analog to this system in the lore or the in game mechanics. That said, for RPG purposes many layers exist of good and evil, between chaotic and lawful. Alignment does not force characters into cookie-cutter molds. Personality quirks and life experiences make everyone different; it is possible to have a lawful good paladin grumble against the commands of his lord or a chaotic evil barbarian feel the lonely bite of a winter's evening and wish to have a pleasant conversation. Alignment is filled with shades of gray which colors an interesting character, not as a leash with which to chain them.

The animosity between the races of the Alliance and Horde can put lawful good characters at each others' throats. An orc can be raised within the shamanistic heritage of his or her people, learn to channel positive energy and become a healer, follow Thrall and his religion's rules to the letter, and still have no compunctions against killing a lawful good paladin who is following his lord's orders to rid the world of the orcs who killed his parents.

A short summarise in how you can view "Which side am I on?" - is this phrase: "What is normal to the spider is chaos to the fly." An "evil" character is most often not evil in his/her view, for an example... As well as a superficially "good" character might actually be doing evil deeds eventho he thinks otherwise.

People are individuals - No matter what race, gender or class you are. The core of a race may be "Lawful Good" - but your individual could lean more to the Chaotic side, or have gone corrupted completely. Alignments are very versatile in this sense, and differences is what creates the fascination aspect in the world.

The Alignments

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Lawful Good

• The lawful good character acts on the side of goodness, righteousness and order.
  A few examples of this are the Argent Dawn and Uther the Lightbringer is a good character example.
  • The lawful good character will always strive to do good; however unlike chaotic good, they refuse to go against any laws to pursue said good action. Therefore they will not murder an innocent in sacrifice to a greater cause, steal from the rich and give to the poor, or rebel against even the most terrible governments, they shall work within the system to the best of their abililty.

Lawful Neutral

• Lawful Neutral is a character who keeps to the laws, what is expected. They do their best to do good - according to their personal beleifs.
  Titans are a good example of this.
   

Lawful Evil

• A being who gains power through methodically destroying others is lawful evil. Power comes through order, but one can be orderly about slaughtering innocents. Tradition is important, but goodness is not. The Scarlet Crusade and Cult of the Damned are of this alignment.

Neutral Good

• Ultimately a giver, the neutral good character will do what they can to help, working within law or chaos; but ultimately they prefer their own counsel. Thrall is a great pattern of a Neutral Good.

True Neutral

• A very bland alignment, as they often do not care what happens and does not follow any grand plans.
  Usually the type you forget about, the type that just sleeps, eats and fills his/her needs on a day to day basis.

Neutral Evil

• A neutral evil character serves only their own needs/ends, whatever they can get away with - they will most often try.
  They follow no law but also have no drive toward chaos. They kill or steal as they see fit to get what they want.
  The Venture Co. and Defias Brotherhood are prime examples, as is Baron Valimar Mordis.

Chaotic Good

• The hero of the downtrodden, the chaotic good character cares not for laws and order but only for doing good. If they must break the law to help others, they will do so without compunction.
  This character will steal to feed a poor family or stand up to their own master to defend a falsely accused servant. 
  Illidan Stormrage is one of the best examples of this alignment.

Chaotic Neutral

• The true individual, the chaotic neutral character prizes their own freedom above all else. They do not want ties to either good or evil to influence them, preferring to make their own way as they see fit.
• The "Original Adventurer " in World of Warcraft fits into this category, if you base it on the quest-interactions.
  One moment you might help the turtles get to the water, and in another you're helping the crabs eat the turtles.
• Most Elemental Lords, and the Netherwing Dragonflight can also fit in to this alignment.

Chaotic Evil

• With the drive of pure hatred, the chaotic evil character will do whatever they can to attain their goals. They are bound by no laws, masters, or morals. While unlikely to run down the street slaying innocents (chaotic evil does not mean stupid), this character would have no regrets in doing so. Examples are the scourge, Deathwing and the Sha.
• Demons that are not bound by anyone or following under Sargeras’ will are a grand example of this alignment.
  Following Sargeras means they have a moral as his is to cleanse the universe - viewed from his perspective it'd be Chaotic Good, viewed from an Azeroth inhabitants perspective it would probably be seen as pure evil - since most do not understand the grand scheme of the universe.

Alignment groups

Good-aligned

• Lawful good
• Neutral good
• Chaotic good

Evil-aligned

• Lawful evil
• Neutral evil
• Chaotic evil

Neutral-aligned

• Lawful neutral
• Neutral good
• True Neutral
• Neutral evil
• Chaotic neutral

Lawful-aligned

• Lawful good
• Lawful neutral
• Lawful evil

Chaotic-aligned

• Chaotic good
• Chaotic neutral
• Chaotic evil

Use outside the RPG

This section concerns content related to WoWWiki (wiki guidelines, policy, or usage).

Although many people are familiar with the alignment system from D&D, it really has no use or justification outside the RPG. Unless some RPG source assigns an alignment to a character, there really is no system to justify a particular alignment for other characters. In WoWWiki, we do not care what alignment is assigned to a character not mentioned in the RPG, but any mention of alignment without a decent rationale is better off removed from non-RPG articles. In short: Removing an alignment mention from a non-RPG character is fine and possibly encouraged, but adding one is discouraged without very good reasons.

External links

WoW Insider Know Your Lore: Why World of Warcraft needs evil by Matthew Rossi Jun 20th 2012 at 1:00PM

WoW Insider The most wicked creatures in WoW by Anne Stickney Mar 7th 2012 at 9:00AM