A character's moral and ethical outlook, expressed on D&D's grid of Law versus Chaos and Good versus Evil, from Lawful Good to Chaotic Evil. Endlessly debated at the table, the nine-box chart later became a popular internet meme applied to everything from sitcom characters to sandwiches.
Origin
Original D&D (1974) offered Law, Neutrality and Chaos, drawn from Poul Anderson and Michael Moorcock; Gygax added the Good–Evil axis in The Strategic Review in 1976, and AD&D made the nine alignments standard.
Quick answers
- What does "Alignment" mean?
- A character's moral and ethical outlook, expressed on D&D's grid of Law versus Chaos and Good versus Evil, from Lawful Good to Chaotic Evil. Endlessly debated at the table, the nine-box chart later became a popular internet meme applied to everything from sitcom characters to sandwiches.
- Where does the term "Alignment" come from?
- Original D&D (1974) offered Law, Neutrality and Chaos, drawn from Poul Anderson and Michael Moorcock; Gygax added the Good–Evil axis in The Strategic Review in 1976, and AD&D made the nine alignments standard.