True Neutral

Part of the Alignment Rules

## True Neutral definition

A neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. She doesn’t feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs evil or law vs chaos. Most neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil – after all, she would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, she’s not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. Mialee, a wizard who devotes herself to her art and is bored by the semantics or moral debate, is neutral.

Some neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run.

## ‘Neutral’ and ‘Neutral’

True Neutral is the alignment right in the center of the nine grid alignment chart. It’s sometimes just called Neutral. If you follow the format of the other alignments, it’s Neutral Neutral. That sounds silly, but it’s helpful for understanding what this alignment is all about.

Each alignment has two main aspects. The first word Neutral, explains that alignment’s ethics and their perspective on order vs chaos in society and how it affects individuals. The second word in the alignment describes that alignment’s morals in terms of good vs evil.

### The first ‘Neutral’

Sitting in the middle of the ethical axis, Neutral characters do not feel compelled to follow every rule and societal belief, nor do they feel the need to disrupt and rebel against everything. A Neutral character follows the rules that align with their own agenda, that are convenient to them, or they think are necessary.

Neutral characters will usually follow the rules because they generally lead to a better outcome for them. However, they can break the rules if they believe the benefits to them outweigh the risks.

Characters with a Neutral alignment may see themselves as superior to Lawful and Chaotic aligned characters because in not taking sides, they are the only alignment with true freedom to decide.

### The second ‘Neutral’

Morally Neutral characters do not go to the extremes of Evil characters and eliminate the innocent, and likewise, they will not go to the extremes of Good and take actions that harm themselves to help others.

The actions of Neutral characters are driven by their loyalty to others and themselves. If an action is in their best interest or in the best interest of those to whom they are most loyal, they will take it.

While all characters may naturally change alignments through character development, it is especially common for Neutral characters to move to a Good or Evil alignment if the majority of their actions favor one moral alignment over the other.

## True Neutral

True Neutral characters don’t like to take sides. They see Good, Evil, Order and Chaos as extreme perspectives and none of which are right. They are relative. What is considered Good in one situation and society, could be considered Evil in another.

Because of these beliefs, True Neutral characters are pragmatic and independent in their decisions and actions. Rather than choosing the path which they feel they should take according to society or laws, they can make up their own mind.

What they choose is likely to be driven by their own personal motivations. For example, they might be motivated by gaining knowledge of the arcana, becoming a master of the broadsword, or even in being a passive observer of life who minimizes their involvement in events.

These motivations mean that True Neutral character’s actions are not as unpredictable as some might assume. They don’t just move between all the alignments on the alignment chart. They won’t be Lawful Evil one minute and Chaotic Good the next! That would make for a very crazy character!

However, they may lean more towards one particular alignment for a while if their adventure takes them that way. For example, if they are supporting a party of Good characters trying to rid a region of a controlling ruler, their decisions will likely align with Neutral Good during that time. But once that goal is accomplished, they return to making True Neutral decisions again.

There will be times when a Neutral character has to make a choice between siding with Good or Evil, perhaps casting the deciding vote in a party. In these situations, they usually side with whichever decision they will gain the most from. Generally, a True Neutral will follow the rules and favor Good over Evil, but only because it makes their life easier and they may be rewarded for it, not because they are obliged to by their morals or ethics.

Neutral characters don’t believe in upholding the rules and laws of society, but nor do they feel the need to rebel against them. They will follow orders from people in authority, but only if it suits them. If that authority tries to get in their way, or is disrespectful, they will not follow them.

A True Neutral character takes a very balanced view of relationships. They will show respect to people who respect them, harm those who harm them, and be kind to those who show them kindness. This means they will help and defend their allies, and hinder and take out bad guys. If someone is in need and they don’t know them, a True Neutral character will weigh up if helping them is worth it or not. In their everyday life, they don’t get involved in the lives and business of people they don’t know.

Because a True Neutral character considers the immediate and long term circumstances of every situation in relation to their primary motivation, two True Neutral characters may act very differently in the same circumstances.

A True Neutral character may also change their minds if a situation changes. For example, they will usually keep their word, but if circumstances change and it’s better for them to break their promise then they will.

Likewise, they will not usually use poison, but they will do if they think it is the best action at the time. The same with betraying allies, they will, but only if lives are at stake.

In a physical encounter, True Neutral character will eliminate others but only to defend themselves or their allies. They will not go on a rampage because they don’t take pleasure in harming others and aren’t motivated to spread Evil. In fact, they will avoid promoting Good, Evil, Order or Chaos whenever possible and get annoyed by the zealots who do.

True Neutral characters may take pride in their independent thinking which allows them to make completely impartial decisions without feeling like they must act in a particular way.

On the negative side, True Neutral characters can come across as apathetic and indecisive. They can be frustrating to work with because they don’t want to commit to any side.

## True Neutral traits

The exact personality traits will vary from character to character, even if they both have the same alignment. However, there are some traits that are commonly associated with True Neutral characters.

* Sceptical
* Pragmatic
* Detached
* Independent
* Judgemental
* Fair
* Uncommitted
* Indifferent
* Diplomatic
* Mysterious

## True Neutral personal code

While a True Neutral character takes a skeptical view of ethics and morals that doesn’t mean they don’t have any themselves. The personal code of a True Neutral character might be this.

* I will help others if there is something in it for me.
* I will not spread good, evil, order or chaos in the world.
* I will give respect to those who give respect to me.
* I will harm those who harm me.
* I will follow law and order unless breaking it is better for me and no-one will be hurt.
* I will rely on my own judgement rather than doctrines and morals.
* I will be loyal to my friends and family unless my life is at risk.
* I will eliminate others if my life or the lives my allies depend on it.
* I will keep my promises so long as it benefits me to do so.
* I will pursue my own interests over those of others.

## True Neutral character’s perfect world

A True Neutral character’s ideal world might look like this.

* Everyone makes the best decisions for themselves.
* There is a government overseeing society however it is not corrupt and does not meddle in the day-to-day activities of people.
* Law breakers are brought to justice in a fair, non-corrupt system which treats everyone equally.
* Everyone is given the same level of respect they give to others.
* People are free to pursue their own interests.
* There are no zealots promoting good, evil, order or chaos.
* People generally respect their promises, but understand they can be broken for personal gain.
* Whenever someone does something nice for someone, that person does something nice in return.
* People in power do not use it to take advantage of others.
* Individuals are only hurt in extreme circumstances.

## True Neutral decisions

As a True Neutral adventurer explores, they will come across situations where they need to decide what to do. Their alignment guides the decisions they make.

Given that a True Neutral character doesn’t follow Good, Evil, Order or Chaos, from the outside it may seem like it is hard to predict what a True Neutral character will do. But when you get to know a True Neutral character, they actually apply consistent logic to their decision making. You just need to know what drives them and how they think.

When they make a decision, a True Neutral character will always think about their primary driver first and then apply their personal beliefs and judgement.

For example, your character is returning from an errand for a wealthy merchant and you come across the entrance to a mine that has collapsed. You know that a group of bandits live in this mine. You can hear people yelling for help from inside. No one is around. The bandits can’t see you and haven’t heard your approach. Do you help them?

Whether you help or not depends on your character’s outlook. If your True Neutral character believes in balance in the universe, they may think that the mine collapsing is karma for the bandits causing so much harm to others. As a result, they will leave them. Or they may think that it is destiny that has sent them past the mine on this very day, and they will help the bandits.

A different True Neutral character who loves money might think they will get a generous reward for rescuing the bandits so they will help. Or they might think that taking hours digging them out just for the chance of a reward isn’t worth it. Especially because they are already on their way to complete an errand and get paid by the wealthy merchant.

Over the course of a campaign, the decisions your character makes will show a pattern and your party members will start to understand your character’s underlying motivations.

## How True Neutral views the other alignments

A True Neutral character will judge the other alignments based on this question, “Do they take action pragmatically and are they realistic in the expected outcome of moral decisions?”