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Exploring the mindset and motivations of true neutral characters
Ever wondered how a true neutral character thinks or behaves? Perhaps you're considering creating a true neutral character in Dungeons & Dragons, or you've noticed this alignment in one of your favorite TV shows. True neutral individuals are those who remain indifferent to concepts like good, evil, law, or chaos—or those who strive to maintain equilibrium among these extremes. This guide provides a detailed breakdown of the true neutral alignment, including key traits and practical advice for role-playing or writing such characters.
Key Insights
- True neutral is one of the nine alignments from D&D, shaping a character’s ethical outlook, values, and behavior.
- Characters with a true neutral alignment show no bias toward good, evil, law, or chaos. They prioritize self-interest and avoid rigid moral frameworks.
- Certain true neutral characters, such as druids in D&D, view good, evil, law, and chaos as essential forces that maintain universal harmony.
Guidelines
What does “true neutral” mean?
True neutral is a character alignment frequently featured in roleplaying games. Within the Character Alignment framework, two axes exist: good versus evil and lawful versus chaotic. True neutral characters, often referred to as “neutral,” are characterized by their impartiality on both axes. They avoid favoring any extreme—whether good, evil, law, or chaos—and strive to uphold equilibrium in their actions and decisions.
- The Character Alignment system was introduced in Dungeons & Dragons and is predominantly used in D&D and similar games such as Pathfinder.
- Examples of true neutral characters: Treebeard (Lord of the Rings), Horace Slughorn (Harry Potter), The Watcher (Marvel), Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), Booker DeWitt (BioShock), and Tom Bombadil (Lord of the Rings).
True neutral also embodies a philosophy that emphasizes harmony and personal freedom. Individuals who align with true neutral believe that both altruism and self-interest hold equal value. They advocate for the freedom to pursue reasonable personal goals while balancing individual ambitions with societal needs, aiming to create a harmonious coexistence.
- True neutral philosophies are often linked to ethical equitism.
- Ethical equitism promotes minimizing harm to others while pursuing personal interests and reducing harm to oneself while aiding others.
- True neutral thinkers view the universe as spiritually balanced and endorse moral relativism—the belief that universal morals do not exist, and societies should respect differing perspectives.
- True neutrals typically support governance systems that allow individuals to pursue their interests without infringing on others' rights, alongside fair and impartial justice systems.
What is the Character Alignment system?
Alignments categorize D&D characters based on their moral and ethical beliefs. The Character Alignment system maps a character's stance on good versus evil, law versus chaos, and neutrality, resulting in nine distinct alignments: lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, true neutral, chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, and chaotic evil.
- Law reflects a character's commitment to a moral code. Lawful individuals are disciplined, dependable, and respectful of authority.
- Chaos signifies a character's preference for freedom and aversion to societal constraints. Chaotic individuals are flexible and occasionally impulsive.
- Good represents a character's selflessness and reverence for life. Good individuals are empathetic and willing to sacrifice for others.
- Evil denotes a character's self-serving nature, often at the expense of others. Evil individuals may act out of duty or personal gratification.
- Neutral characters occupy a moral gray area. They lack the selflessness of good characters but do not exhibit the predatory tendencies of evil ones. Similarly, they neither strictly follow laws nor embrace chaos.
True Neutral Attributes & Behavior
True neutral characters embrace complete impartiality. They view everything in existence as interconnected, each part essential for the universe's proper functioning. Good, evil, law, and chaos are seen as forces that naturally counterbalance each other; none is inherently “right” or “wrong” since each depends on the others. True neutrals avoid taking sides, refusing to lean too heavily toward any extreme.
- They see all alignments as components of a larger system that self-regulates. Conflicts between good, evil, law, and chaos are viewed as mechanisms that maintain equilibrium.
- For instance, druids in D&D often embody true neutrality, as their primary goal is to preserve the natural order and ensure balance in the world.
True neutrals aim to preserve equilibrium and uphold the status quo. Believing that good, evil, law, and chaos are all essential, they oppose any force becoming too dominant. If a true neutral character perceives an imbalance, they will act decisively to restore harmony.
- At times, a true neutral character may seem to align with specific moral stances, but their actions are always driven by the need to rebalance the world.
- For example, a true neutral character might join forces with good-aligned characters to combat a bandit threat—not out of moral obligation, but because the situation threatens their immediate safety.
They prioritize their own well-being and interests. True neutral characters focus on their personal goals and the people who can help them achieve them, rather than adhering to rigid moral codes. While they are not entirely self-centered, they are more likely to assist friends and family than strangers.
- Often seen as unpredictable, true neutrals act based on self-interest and rarely align with heroes or villains in a given scenario.
- For instance, a true neutral character would help a close friend out of genuine affection.
- However, if a stranger sought assistance, they would carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks before deciding.
- If an enemy needed help, a true neutral might exploit the situation to gain an advantage.
They honor commitments only when it suits them. True neutrals are independent thinkers who make decisions based on their immediate needs rather than a sense of duty or honor. If keeping a promise benefits them, they will uphold it; if not, they may break it without hesitation.
- For example, a true neutral character might attack or kill an unarmed foe if they believe it serves their interests.
- While they may follow laws or respect authority, they will resist any attempts to restrict their personal freedom.
True neutral characters are impartial and unbiased. They avoid aligning with specific moral or legal systems, choosing instead to remain neutral. As a result, they often refrain from taking sides or judging other viewpoints, provided those beliefs are not excessively extreme.
- It’s important to note that true neutral characters are not indifferent. They possess goals, passions, and emotions, just like any other character.
- In games like D&D, many humans are considered true neutral because they focus on living their lives without taking strong moral stances.
- Animals are also classified as true neutral, as they act based on instinct and survival needs without inherent bias unless threatened.
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True neutrals are repelled by extreme or prejudiced views. To many true neutral characters, someone who is excessively good-aligned can be just as problematic as someone who is excessively evil-aligned. They reject extreme ideologies and are often disturbed by individuals who hold overly rigid or biased beliefs.
- For instance, a true neutral character would likely oppose a neutral evil assassin who kills for profit.
- Similarly, they might disapprove of a lawful good official whose strict adherence to the law leads to harsh or unjust actions.
Playing or Writing a True Neutral Character
Values True neutral characters have their own set of principles, but unlike good-aligned characters who prioritize selfless acts or evil-aligned characters who seek power at any cost, true neutrals strive for balance.
- For example, if you’re role-playing a true neutral character, they might:
- Avoid lying unless absolutely necessary.
- Refuse to harm innocent individuals.
- Assist others if it benefits them or if they’ve received help in return.
- Abide by the law unless breaking it offers an advantage without harming others.
- Retaliate against those who have wronged them.
- Pursue their own goals as long as it doesn’t negatively impact others.
- Conversely, your true neutral character might consider it wrong to:
- Take sides in conflicts that don’t concern them or pressure others to do so.
- Ignore a friend in need.
- Kill unless it’s a matter of survival.
- Show leniency to a dangerous foe.
- Inflict unnecessary pain or torture.
Adventuring actions Unsure how your true neutral D&D character might behave during adventures or in various scenarios? Typically, a true neutral character views “honorable” actions as those that ensure survival and freedom, while avoiding behaviors they see as overly selfless or selfish.
- For example, your true neutral character might:
- Use underhanded tactics to overcome a formidable opponent.
- Flee from a battle to ensure their survival.
- Embarrass or play pranks on an enemy.
- On the other hand, they might avoid actions such as:
- Allowing an enemy to strike first in combat.
- Attacking someone who has shown them kindness.
- Surrendering to an enemy or allowing themselves to be captured.
Influence in society A true neutral character’s connection to society is often shaped by their personal relationships. They are generally amiable but don’t actively seek to better society as a whole. They assist their friends and avoid harming others for personal gain, yet they remain indifferent to the struggles of the less fortunate. For instance, a true neutral character might:
- Support their country because it safeguards their lifestyle.
- Comply with laws when it’s practical.
- Stay out of political matters unless compelled to engage.
- Steer clear of roles that grant authority over others.
- Assist friends but expect something in return.
- Take calculated risks if the potential rewards are substantial.
- Help family members, but only if it doesn’t cause them personal harm or inconvenience.
- Honor their commitments unless they have a strong reason to break them.
True Neutral vs. Other Alignments
Lawful Neutral Lawful neutral characters adhere to a strict moral or legal code, whether it’s societal laws or personal principles. They make decisions based on this code and strive to operate within established systems. In contrast, true neutral characters don’t feel bound by any specific code and act based on their own judgment.
- For example, a lawful neutral character might enforce a law even if it harms a friend, while a true neutral character would prioritize protecting their friend, provided it doesn’t endanger themselves.
Chaotic Neutral Chaotic neutral and true neutral characters share similarities, but their views on laws differ significantly. Chaotic neutral individuals reject societal rules and prioritize personal freedom above all else. True neutral characters, while valuing freedom, are willing to work within the law if it benefits them.
- For instance, a true neutral character might occasionally break the law if it clearly serves their interests, but they generally prefer to follow the rules.
- Chaotic neutral characters, however, see no value in adhering to laws and view them as unnecessary constraints.
Neutral Good Neutral good and true neutral characters both believe in using any means necessary to achieve their goals, whether within or outside the law. However, their motivations differ. Neutral good characters are driven by altruism and a desire to help others, while true neutral characters focus on their own interests and well-being.
- For example, a true neutral character might help someone with the expectation of reciprocity, whereas a neutral good character would help simply because it’s the right thing to do.
Neutral Evil Both true neutral and neutral evil characters are primarily driven by self-interest and remain indifferent to the concepts of law or chaos. However, true neutral characters exercise restraint; they seek personal gain but avoid causing unnecessary harm. In contrast, neutral evil characters are ruthless and will stop at nothing to achieve their desires.
- For instance, true neutral characters rarely resort to murder or assassination unless provoked (e.g., seeking revenge for a loved one). They recognize the value of compassion and kindness.
- On the other hand, neutral evil characters would willingly kill or torture others to obtain power, wealth, or other goals.
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Numerous character archetypes in fiction can be classified as “true neutral.” These include the Anti-Hero, the Anti-Villain, the Drifter, the Ineffectual Loner, the Lovable Coward, the Nominal Hero, certain pacifist characters, and those who manipulate both sides of a conflict.
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True neutral can also serve as a transitional alignment in character development. If you’re illustrating a shift in a character’s alignment and morality, you might temporarily place them in a true neutral phase as they evolve from one alignment to another.
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For example, a character who was once lawful evil might enter a phase where they no longer engage in overtly evil acts but haven’t yet embraced consistent altruism to be considered good.
