Chaotic Good

Chaotic good combines a good heart with a free spirit.

A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he’s kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations. He hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He follows his own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society.

Chaotic good characters follow their own consciences and are adaptable, easily rolling with life’s punches. They rarely make plans too far in advance, preferring to take a wait-and-see approach to most things, which allows them to adjust their actions or reactions in a single heartbeat. They have no qualms about breaking laws, especially when doing so will save others or protect others’ rights from being trampled. Chaotic good characters want freedom for themselves and others, and find it difficult to live in societies they deem too restrictive to individuals. They view laws and regulations as unneeded mechanisms of control rather than protection. Deeply inherent in the chaotic good character’s philosophy is the belief that most individuals are good and will do good if given the freedom to act as they please. In this regard, these benevolent, kind-hearted individuals can be viewed as the most idealistic of the good alignments. Other good characters call their live-and-let-live attitude overly idealistic, instead believing that individuals are more selfish than kindhearted in nature and need guidance to become good. The chaotic good philosophy, however, holds that because individuals are not all like-minded persons, imposing such guidance and laws to force them to conform to a single mold deforms their spirits, creating flaws and cracks where evil can more easily find a foothold.

Chaotic good characters are strong-willed and self-directed—masters of their own destiny. They act as their consciences dictate, viewing the plights of the weak and innocent with compassion and correcting injustices when they can. Chaotic good characters disregard others’ expectations of their behavior, finding many laws and regulations too limiting to their personal freedom. They resent those who inflict their ideals on others, especially through intimidation, and are often reluctant to conform. Chaotic good characters want the freedom to do as they will and desire others to be free of oppression as well.

While chaotic good characters do not accept that individuals must sacrifice their ideals and follow laws for the good of the whole, they willingly sacrifice themselves (and their individuality) to protect the whole in the name of good.

Opportunities and Allies

Chaotic good is not an alignment embedded in any particular character class, though it can be an excellent one for barbarian characters, who must avoid lawful alignments. The most difficult character class to portray with a chaotic good alignment might be the cavalier, as cavaliers are tied to teamwork by the nature of their combat skills and must follow an order as well. Such knights, however, could serve as effective freedom fighters and leaders in the fight for liberty.

Racial Allies: Chaotic good characters might find allies among the elves and half-elves, with whom they share not only an alignment (generally speaking), but also a curiosity about life and a zeal to forge their own paths in the world. This tendency is even stronger in the case of half-elves, who often find themselves without a unified homeland and feel they must create their own destinies. Elves are more commonly found in the wilderness, making it reasonable that they could be useful allies for druid and ranger characters. Chaotic good characters might also find allies among aasimars who tend toward chaos, or perhaps even among the rare but free-willed catfolk.

Philosophies

Chaotic good characters vary widely, especially in terms of their zeal for their beliefs. Some chaotic good characters seem to be fanatical examples of their alignment, while others apply these ideals more loosely in their lives. These carefree souls follow their own whims and pleasures, harming no one unless their personal sense of justice is inflamed. They find slavery an utter abomination, and fight against all instances of it they encounter. The following examples showcase just a few of the possible approaches to this alignment.

Activists

Activists ensure others question and reflect upon the origin of beliefs and knowledge, both their own and that of others. They do not do so out of malice or a desire to disrupt others’ thoughts, but rather out of a duty to help others realize their true selves—a person cannot truly be a free person until her thoughts and beliefs are, in fact, her own, not the rote drivel instilled by those wanting a society of faithful sheep. If you are an activist, you:

• Value questioning the establishment.
• Are motivated to “awaken” other free thinkers.
• Are a seeker of knowledge and truth.
• Live life without restricting others.

Code: You want others to question what they know, ensuring each individual is truly living honestly and thinking for himself.

Freedom Fighters

Freedom fighters believe no one should suffer the indignity of slavery or be forced to serve a government that rejects or ignores the rights of its people. Everyone is born free and should remain so. Liberty is the right of all, and tyrants and slavers must be thwarted or eradicated by any means necessary. Freedom fighters spread their ideals in hopes of inspiring others to wage war against slavers and oppressors.

If you are a freedom fighter, you:

• Value freedom and liberty for all.
• Are motivated to eradicate slavery.
• Ensure laws do not restrict individuals’ rights.

Code: You find tyranny and slavery the most intolerable crimes in existence, and you long to free every man, woman, and child from their grip.

Vigilantes

Vigilantes believe those individuals enforcing the laws of the land are too lazy or uncaring to effectively punish evildoers, or that their hands are tied by the law. Therefore, vigilantes step forward to deliver justice to wrongdoers, serving as both judge and punisher for thieves, thugs, and murderers. When their prey happens to be slavers or violent oppressors, vigilantes sometimes cross paths with freedom fighters. For vigilantes, justice must be delivered at all costs, and they risk their own lives to keep the lives of innocents safe and secure.

If you are a vigilante, you:

• Value the justice delivered by your own hand.
• Are motivated to punish evildoers.
• Disregard laws to bring about your own justice, and are, therefore, often a wanted individual.

Code: You risk limb and life to bring wrongdoers to justice for their crimes, and in doing so, make life better for others.