Evil / good spells

[Fezzik]

Alright, I can understand the concept of NOT doing an alignment shift each time you use an evil spell. "Hey, I'm LG, and I want to be a Red Wizard/Pale Master... etc, I'll just cast this spell a bunch of times and Wham! Yeah, goal accomplished and no need for any DM intervention"

HOWEVER, ... perhaps we could consider a cap on the amount of evil required to cast one of these spells (I'm looking at you Abyssal Might and Summon Nightmare!), so that otherwise semi decent (read mostly Neutral) casters can't just use them willy nilly without some long and deliberate thought and action (like eating little babies and spanking paladins for fun).

[Rhifox]

That sort of takes away what it means to cast an evil spell, though. Evil is often about temptation, about offering great power for what appears to be no risk. When you make an evil spell require the user to already be evil, that removes the temptation aspect. A good person would need to make a conscious change in behavior before ever getting to actually delve into the power of evil.

I personally believe people should just be conscious about the fact that these spells are evil and to acknowledge that fact when deciding whether to use it or not. If a character is consciously opposed to such magic (regardless of whether they are good or neutral), then they should not use it. If a character is willing to use it, then they should be allowed to do so regardless of their alignment--but they must acknowledge that they are on the path to evil.

In short: It should be determined by RP, not by game mechanics. Don't use spells that are out of character for your character, just because they give you an edge.

Also, neutral does not mean you'd be opposed to using the occasional evil method/spell. It means you either have no ideological drive towards evil (or good) or that you're balancing (precariously) on the fence and have not yet taken the full plunge into one or the other (a good character that sometimes uses evil acts to advance their cause but has not yet crossed the moral event horizon... basically, for every 10 points of evil he gains, he gains another 10 points of good and thus balances out). Casting a few evil spells without any desire to actually advance the cause of evil is not that plunge. Vile Darkness specifically states that.

Sometimes, a nonevil spellcaster can get away with casting a few evil spells, as long as he or she does not do so for an
evil purpose. But the path of evil magic leads quickly to corruption and destruction.

[Saulus]

DM's are notified when people cast spells against their alignment, if we see certain people doing it too much, they get dinged.

[Rhifox]

DM's are notified when people cast spells against their alignment, if we see certain people doing it too much, they get dinged.

This is a much better solution than restricting them to evil alignments or having a hit on every cast. By making it random, it tempts the person into using it because they're not expecting that shift for it. It feels free... up until you get dinged.

[Snowmane]

Good/Evil isn't the only dichotomy we should be concerned with. Fire and Ice are also prominent conflicting elements in Sundren and should affect Aurilites and Followers of Kossuth. I am sure there are others as well.

[thaelis]

What about if casting such spells gave you a 5% chance of gaining one evil point?

That way those who use it very occasionally probably won't feel that much affect, but those who use on a regular basis will eventually succumb to the Dark si....I mean alignment shift

And even casting it once would incur a small risk, making Good players think twice.

Also, if someone wants to shift their alignment towards evil willing, why would they not be able to?! Evil isn't exactly a restricted Class/Race, carries very little benefit and is something you can choose at character creation anyway.

[Saulus]

Also, if someone wants to shift their alignment towards evil willing, why would they not be able to?! Evil isn't exactly a restricted Class/Race, carries very little benefit and is something you can choose at character creation anyway.

You're missing the bigger picture, what if someone changes their alignment from good to evil to flip between classes? They could basically just spam that spell at a rest zone until that 5% chance is reached enough times.

Sure you could put in other checks and balances to try to figure out if it's legit or not, but then you're just complicating the issue more.

[Thief Of Navarre]

and spanking paladins for fun).

Im in, where do I sign?