Detect Evil and you.

[Magonushi]

OOC-wise I think it'd be a good idea for all attempts of detecting an alignment to have a DM present. Just using such an ability is enough to merit immediate CvC since it completely negates one of evil's best defenses, secrecy. Make Paladin's work a little harder for their bread, even if you're neutral or good, ask for a DM to be present. It helps protect against the assumption that anyone who asks for a DM must be evil.

[Vendrin]

The IC tension between cmy PC and characters of other faiths has been a major tool for RP and character development. While there has been the possiblity of CvC, it has not been the primary result.

Rathalan's conversations with Barid have given my PC the opportunity for introspection (something his personality *rarely* allows for ).

Speaking of which, Rath really should stop by BG again some time soon for another conversation.

OOC-wise I think it'd be a good idea for all attempts of detecting an alignment to have a DM present. Just using such an ability is enough to merit immediate CvC since it completely negates one of evil's best defenses, secrecy. Make Paladin's work a little harder for their bread, even if you're neutral or good, ask for a DM to be present. It helps protect against the assumption that anyone who asks for a DM must be evil.

Against dms being required. Being evil is not against the law in any civilized area to my knowledge, and a paladin who kills someone for just being evil will soon be under arrest themselves, or at least should be. Otherwise you'll soon have loads of crazy people running around killing people because a magic voice told them the other person was evil.

[danielmn]

OOC-wise I think it'd be a good idea for all attempts of detecting an alignment to have a DM present. Just using such an ability is enough to merit immediate CvC since it completely negates one of evil's best defenses, secrecy. Make Paladin's work a little harder for their bread, even if you're neutral or good, ask for a DM to be present. It helps protect against the assumption that anyone who asks for a DM must be evil.

Against dms being required. Being evil is not against the law in any civilized area to my knowledge, and a paladin who kills someone for just being evil will soon be under arrest themselves, or at least should be. Otherwise you'll soon have loads of crazy people running around killing people because a magic voice told them the other person was evil.

I would have to concur with the above sentiment. Paladins are the essence of all that is good and lawful...the act of a paladin killing someone else just because they show up as evil is in itself a non-lawful act. Now...if a paladin is in a group of people, some being of the CG alignment, and the paladin senses evil on someone and broadcasts this feeling to the group, the paladin should under their own code of conduct prevent any action being taken against said evil whilst the paladin is around...upholding law, unless the evil person is caught red-handed breaking the law. Then the rule of laws apply for the area in which the paladin resides. The real issue with it becoming cvc is when the paladin broadcasts the information, and the CG or less than lawfully aligned PC's take matters into their own hands later on when the paladin isn't around. In my mind this constitutes pre-meditated cvc, and the dm team should ALWAYS be notified of any pre-emptive cvc possibilities. In essence, the aura of evil does not constitute a death sentence in a lawful society, as evil comes in many forms, many of which would not dictate a death sentence.

The better way to rp this out...is if evil is detected, the paladin and other lawful companions keep a close eye on said evil, waiting for them to slip up. Other good companions can make efforts to thwart at every turn the plans of those that are evil...this in my mind is a much more interesting way of rping the ability, it brings out a lot of good rp between good and evil, rather than hack hack evil is dealt with...don't know why he was evil.

[hollyfant]

Don't let them fool you. Real Paladins lurk in dark alleys, covertly Detecting Evil on passers-by. When someone pings as evil, they throw a poisoned dagger in their back and then run away cackling.

[Waffles]

I have always preferred the house rule where the Detect Evil ability only detects creatures with the [Evil] descriptor, such as demons and stuff. Then you wouldn't have to worry about a paladin walking down a country road and freaking out because Joe the Farmer once stole some money or something.

[Brokenbone]

If only there was a Detect Good Idea spell...

...

Yeah, acting hastily on divinations is not a great idea in a magical world. Misdirection is also possible, a guy having washed in an evil fountain that morning and picking up some radiation would be pretty keen too. Oh well. People like geiger counters I guess.

[hollyfant]

I have always preferred the house rule where the Detect Evil ability only detects creatures with the [Evil] descriptor, such as demons and stuff. Then you wouldn't have to worry about a paladin walking down a country road and freaking out because Joe the Farmer once stole some money or something.

That's not a house rule, that is how it works. And theft is Chaotic, not Evil.

[Waffles]

I have always preferred the house rule where the Detect Evil ability only detects creatures with the [Evil] descriptor, such as demons and stuff. Then you wouldn't have to worry about a paladin walking down a country road and freaking out because Joe the Farmer once stole some money or something.

That's not a house rule, that is how it works. And theft is Chaotic, not Evil.

Nah, by the book detect evil picks up beings with evil alignments too, not just creatures or magic with the evil descriptor.

[Veilan]

It's a non-issue if a player chooses to cooperate.

Still, that a player retains the right to refuse cooperation to another player's demand to reveal information about their alignment is a good thing. After all, DMs are the arbiters of our rules, not players, and a player not versed in PnP can rightfully claim that the paladin in the game he is playing - ALFA's NWN 2 - does not possess the ability the other party claims.

Of course, a DM present is no guarantee you can use the ability either, since this spell-like ability falls in the "out of engine" category.