# Alignment

- Term: Tabletop term
- Date: 1974
- Canonical: https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/alignment/

> 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.

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.

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From The Lantern Hall (https://www.lanternhall.org/), a museum of fantasy literature and roleplaying games.