ACE: Alignment Chart Expansion
The alignment chart is fairly limited. Why can’t a character be Chaotic but still abide by law? Why limit roleplaying to Good, Neutral, and Evil? How do you cover moral grey areas?
This is where the Alignment Chart Expansion comes into play. Designed to represent the full spectrum of personality traits, it covers every basic roleplaying aspect you need to know about a character. Each trait value ranges from -3 to 3.
The Five Traits
Each trait represents an independent roleplaying aspect of the game. The following charts contain guideline descriptions for each unique value.
Altruism
How much your character is willing to go out of their way to help someone.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| 3 | Tenderhearted. Loves to help, to the point of being slightly naive and easy to take advantage of. |
| 2 | Kind. Would go to great lengths in order to help someone in need. |
| 1 | Neighborly. Happy to help as long as it doesn’t come at their own expense. |
| 0 | Collaborative. Willing help, but won’t go out of their way to do so. |
| -1 | Selfish. Won’t do anything for anyone without asking for payment. |
| -2 | Uncaring. Holds no regard for other people’s needs. |
| -3 | Narcissistic. Regularly takes advantage of others. |
Courage
Your character’s ability to stand up to opposing forces and take risks.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| 3 | Lunatic. Reckless and unable to tell when their own life is in danger. |
| 2 | Brave. Would take on dangerous challenges to achieve their goals. |
| 1 | Bold. Isn’t afraid to stand up and hold their ground or take calculated risks. |
| 0 | Sensible. Doesn’t overestimate themselves but doesn’t cower in the face of danger. |
| -1 | Timid. If the odds are against them, not likely to risk it. |
| -2 | Cowardly. Would do anything to avoid dangerous situations. |
| -3 | Anxious. Cannot go adventuring without protection. |
Sociability
Your character’s receptiveness to other people’s feelings and perceptiveness to social queues.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| 3 | Compassionate. Susceptible to manipulation and averse to conflict. |
| 2 | Empathetic. Cares about other people. |
| 1 | Friendly. Has good social skills and likes to make friends. |
| 0 | Approachable. Can hold a conversation and negotiate effectively. |
| -1 | Reserved. Doesn’t open up very often. |
| -2 | Unsocial. Closed off and doesn’t mind offending others. |
| -3 | Psychopathic. Has no regard for thr pain and suffering they cause. |
Morality
How much your character adheres to the law or other moral codes.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| 3 | Radical. Would rather die than betray their idealistic morals. |
| 2 | Honorable. Adheres to a high moral code. |
| 1 | Fair. Generally honest and doesn’t break the law. Doesn’t deceive, lie, or steal. |
| 0 | Adequate. Abides by the law when it’s convenient, but may break it under justifiable circumstances. |
| -1 | Negligent. Easily tempted by bribes and may commit minor crimes. |
| -2 | Miscreant. Shady, unreliable, cheats, steals, lies, and deceives. |
| -3 | Sociopathic. Has no conscience and no sense of right and wrong. |
Entropy
How orderly or chaotic your character tends to be.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| 3 | Tyrannical. Won’t tolerate mistakes and hates uncertainty. |
| 2 | Disciplined. A true professional. Always ready for the unexpected. |
| 1 | Organized. Fairly logical and can follow or even create intricate plans. |
| 0 | Poised. Practical and makes informed decisions without being too hasty. |
| -1 | Intuitive. Follows their intuition and knows what they want. |
| -2 | Wild. Follows their instincts rather than rely on sound logic. Unpredictable. |
| -3 | Chaotic. Unpredictable, whimsical and volatile. Possibly psychotic. |
Designing Your Character
To determine your character’s personality traits, you first generate five numbers and then assign them to your five traits.
Generate Your Values
Determine your traits by using one of the following methods.
Standard Array. Choose one standard array from the following:
| +2 | +1 | +1 | 0 | -1 |
| +1 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -2 |
| +3 | +1 | 0 | -1 | -1 |
| +1 | +1 | 0 | -1 | -3 |
Random Generation. Roll two d4s and subtract the second value from the first. Do this four more times, so you have five numbers.
Assign Trait Values
Once you’ve generated five traits, assign them to Altruism, Courage, Sociability, Morality, and Entropy. Keep in mind your class and ability scores.