Meta:Alignment

Removal of alignment mechanics

The Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project removed alignment as a mechanic from the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and replaced it with mechanics using edicts, anathema, holiness, unholiness, and sanctification.¹

The underlying concepts of alignment remain part of the Pathfinder campaign setting.²³⁴ As such, details such as the nine-segment alignment grids that rely on alignment's game mechanics might be removed from Pathfinder Second Edition infoboxes, but relevant information (including the past presence of alignment traits) should be retained in footnotes.

Relevant canon or mechanical Pathfinder First Edition details should not be removed as a result of this decision. -Oznogon (talk) 21:28, 14 November 2023 (UTC)

References

↑ Logan Bonner, et al. “Rules Changes” in Pathfinder Core Preview, 3–4. Paizo Inc., 2023
↑ "I'm sure Jason will go into this a little deeper in today's stream, but just because we are removing the classic nine-alignment grid does not mean we are abandoning the idea of certain creatures being "good" or "evil" in a cosmic sense.
"The significant majority of Pathfinder rules regarding alignment hinge on that aspect, so expect the remastered books to cover this in a way that doesn't wreck the champion or demons, for example." Erik Mona. (April 26, 2023). Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project!, Paizo Blog comments.
↑ "We've eliminated alignment as a game mechanic in the remastered rules with a 9-part combo, but the concepts of law, neutrality, chaos, good, and evil are still a part of the setting." James Jacobs. (July 16, 2023). Comment on The Windsong Testaments: The Three Fears of Pharasma, Paizo Blog.
↑ "Those nine alignments and the features they represent all still have real-world definitions (law, chaos, good, evil, and neutrality). The Harrow itself is, despite being organized around the nine alignments and six abilities, non-edition specific—those concepts can work jest (sic) as well for any game or even for real life.
"If we do someday republish the Harrow deck, we'd adjust the formatting of the one rules element in there (the harrowing ritual) to follow the remastered rules, and we'd likely make slight changes to those five words (maybe going with heroism, villainy, order, chaos, and unaligned, for example)." James Jacobs. (August 25, 2023). Comment on Pathfinder Harrow Deck, Paizo Store.

[pathfinder-core-preview-3-4-1] Logan Bonner, et al. “Rules Changes” in Pathfinder Core Preview, 3–4. Paizo Inc., 2023

[2] "I'm sure Jason will go into this a little deeper in today's stream, but just because we are removing the classic nine-alignment grid does not mean we are abandoning the idea of certain creatures being "good" or "evil" in a cosmic sense.
"The significant majority of Pathfinder rules regarding alignment hinge on that aspect, so expect the remastered books to cover this in a way that doesn't wreck the champion or demons, for example." Erik Mona. (April 26, 2023). Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project!, Paizo Blog comments.

[3] "We've eliminated alignment as a game mechanic in the remastered rules with a 9-part combo, but the concepts of law, neutrality, chaos, good, and evil are still a part of the setting." James Jacobs. (July 16, 2023). Comment on The Windsong Testaments: The Three Fears of Pharasma, Paizo Blog.

[4] "Those nine alignments and the features they represent all still have real-world definitions (law, chaos, good, evil, and neutrality). The Harrow itself is, despite being organized around the nine alignments and six abilities, non-edition specific—those concepts can work jest (sic) as well for any game or even for real life.
"If we do someday republish the Harrow deck, we'd adjust the formatting of the one rules element in there (the harrowing ritual) to follow the remastered rules, and we'd likely make slight changes to those five words (maybe going with heroism, villainy, order, chaos, and unaligned, for example)." James Jacobs. (August 25, 2023). Comment on Pathfinder Harrow Deck, Paizo Store.

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