The DnD Alignment Chart (Updated for 2024)
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Dungeons & Dragons has always been a game about good and evil, and a key part of understanding that ethical spectrum has been the DnD alignment chart. Originally conceived as a kind of moral compass, it provides both roleplaying guidance for players and minor mechanical implications during gameplay.
Now, with a revised version of DnD 5e upon is, alignment remains a core part of the game, despite the fact that some fans had expected Wizards of the Coast to do away with it entirely.
So just what is alignment and how does it work? Below, we look all the details as per the new 2024 Player’s Handbook.
Has Alignment Changed in DnD 2024?
In the new 2024 rules, Wizards of the Coast describes alignment as following: “A creature’s alignment broadly describes its ethical attitudes and ideals. Alignment is a combination of two factors: one identifies morality (good, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral).”
It’s important to note that alignment as a whole hasn’t changed from the previous 2014 editions (which itself is virtually identical to what’s appeared in past editions). What has changed, however, is the verbiage that’s used when referring to alignment, which is part of a larger shift in social attitudes. In particular, Wizards of the Coast has removed the association of alignment with specific races. For example, in the 2014 Player’s Handbook when describing the Chaotic Evil alignment they note that “orcs are chaotic evil.” This is no longer the case, with WotC now taking a much more nuanced approach to how they handle the new 2024 DnD races, with orcs in particular now being a playable species.
What are the DnD Alignments in the 2024 Rules?
Below are the 9 alignments as they appear in the 2024 Player’s Handbook.
Lawful Good (LG) Alignment
Lawful Good creatures endeavor to do the right thing as expected by society. Someone who fights injustice and protects the innocent without hesitation is probably Lawful Good.
Examples: Superman, Captain America, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Wonder Woman, Jean-Luc Picard, Ned Stark, Optimus Prime, Cyclops, Frodo Baggins
Neutral Good (NG) Alignment
Neutral Good creatures do the best they can, working within rules but not feeling bound by them. A kindly person who helps others according to their needs is probably Neutral Good.
Examples: Spider-Man, Gandalf the Grey, Luke Skywalker, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, The Black Panther, Katniss Everdeen, Sherlock Holmes
Chaotic Good (CG) Alignment
Chaotic Good creatures act as their conscience directs with little regard for what others expect. A rebel who waylays a cruel baron’s tax collectors and uses the stolen money to help the poor is probably Chaotic Good.
Examples: Robin Hood, Han Solo, Arya Stark, Buffy Summers, Wolverine, Buffy Summers, Malcolm Reynolds, Star-Lord, John Constantine
Lawful Neutral (LN)
Lawful Neutral individuals act in accordance with law, tradition, or personal codes. Someone who follows a disciplined rule of life—and isn’t swayed either by the demands of those in need or by the temptations of evil—is probably Lawful Neutral.
Examples: Judge Dredd, Spock, Nick Fury, Batman, James Bond, Mace Windu, Robocop, Commissioner Gordon
Neutral (N)
Neutral is the alignment of those who prefer to avoid moral questions and don’t take sides, doing what seems best at the time. Someone who’s bored by moral debate is probably Neutral.
Examples: Dr. Manhattan, The Dude, Treebeard, The Watcher, The Silver Surfer, Morpheus (Sandman)
Chaotic Neutral (CN)
Chaotic Neutral creatures follow their whims, valuing their personal freedom above all else. A scoundrel who wanders the land living by their wits is probably Chaotic Neutral.
Examples: Jack Sparrow, Deadpool, Rick Sanchez, Q (Star Trek), Catwoman, Mad Max, Loki, The Hound (Game of Thrones), Beetlejuice
Lawful Evil (LE)
Lawful Evil creatures methodically take what they want within the limits of a code of tradition, loyalty or order. An aristocrat exploiting citizens while scheming for power is probably Lawful Evil.
Examples: Darth Vader, Thanos, The Punisher, Dolores Umbridge (Harry Potter), Grand Admiral Thrawn (Star Wars), Agent Smith (The Matrix), Nurse Ratched (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Sauron (Lord of the rRngs)
Neutral Evil (NE)
Neutral Evil is the alignment of those who are untroubled by the harm they cause as they pursue their desires. A criminal who robs and murders as they please is probably Neutral Evil.
Examples: Cersei Lannister (Game of thrones), Jabba the Hutt, Lord Voldemort, The Governor (The Walking Dead), Walter White (Breaking Bad), Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes), Scar (The Lion King)
Chaotic Evil (CE)
Chaotic Evil creatures act with arbitrary violence, spurred by their hatred or bloodlust. A villain pursuing schemes of vengeance and havoc is probably Chaotic Evil.
Examples: The Joker, Ramsay Bolton, Hannibal Lecter, Anton Chigurh (No Country for Old Men), Jason (Friday the 13th), Freddy Krueger (Nightmare on Elm Street)
An Updated DnD Alignment Chart
Below is an update chart which uses the new verbiage from the 2024 Player’s Handbook. We created this as a simple, easy-to-use reference chart you can share with new players at the table to better understand.
For ease of reference, we’ve included specific examples of characters from comic books, film, television and pop culture.
How to Choose an Alignment in DnD 2024
Choosing an alignment in the 2024 version of DnD 5e is a crucial step in defining your character’s moral compass and worldview, plus helps you better understand how your character might react to different situations. When selecting an alignment, consider your character’s personality, goals and their background. A character raised in a strict, honorable society for example, might naturally lean towards a Lawful alignment, whereas one who has lived a life of hardship and rebellion could find a Chaotic alignment more fitting.
When choosing an alignment you should also ensure it aligns with the overall tone and narrative of the campaign. If the game is centered around heroic deeds and saving the world, a Good alignment may be more appropriate. Conversely, in a darker, morally gray campaign, a Neutral or even Evil alignment could provide interesting character dynamics and conflicts. Discuss your alignment choice with your Dungeon Master and fellow players to ensure it complements the group’s dynamic and the campaign’s themes.
It’s important to remember, however, that alignment is not a strict set of rules but a guide to how your character views the world and interacts with others. In this sense, it’s more of a roleplaying guideline than any hard and fast rule. The best alignment choice is one that enhances your role-playing experience and contributes meaningfully to the story you and your group are telling.
Final Thoughts on Alignment
Alignment is one of the oldest rules in DnD, having survived every edition and seeing very few changes, even in the most recent 2024 update of the DnD 5e rules. While it remains a fundamental part of the game, it’s also important to remember that it’s also more of a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule, and you get out the system entirely what you put into it.
For the complete breakdown of the alignments you can pick up the 2024 Player’s Handbook, which is available now on D&D Beyond and Amazon.
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Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).
