True Neutral
True Neutral — also called simply Neutral — is the alignment at the centre of the grid. A True Neutral creature either has not committed strongly to any moral or ethical stance, or actively seeks to maintain a balance between the opposing forces of law and chaos, good and evil. It is the most common alignment among animals and many people who simply live their lives without strong ideological commitments.
- Balance matters — no single force should dominate.
- Or: Ideological commitment is a trap; judge each situation on its own terms.
- Or: Self-interest and survival are the primary motivators (most animals and many commoners).
- Extreme positions in either direction lead to trouble.
The Two Types of True Neutral
Druids and certain philosophical traditions genuinely believe the world requires balance between all forces. Such a character might help the underdog in any conflict, siding with good when evil gains power and with law when chaos runs rampant — not from shifting allegiance but from a commitment to equilibrium. This is the rarest and most demanding form of True Neutral.
Most True Neutral characters have simply not adopted strong moral commitments. They do what benefits them, help people they like, and avoid causing unnecessary harm — but they are not crusaders for any cause. Animals are True Neutral because they act on instinct; most ordinary folk are True Neutral for lack of a better description.
Common Classes & Archetypes
| Class | Notes |
|---|---|
| Druid | Must be within one step of True Neutral — N is the canonical Druid alignment. |
| Monk | Lawful only; N does not qualify. Note: some Unchained Monk versions relax this. |
| Rogue | Pragmatic self-interest without strong moral commitment — a natural fit. |
| Alchemist | Scholarly pursuit of knowledge without ideological agenda. |
Mechanical Notes
- Druid requirement: Must be within one step of True Neutral — N satisfies this directly. LN, NG, CN, NE also qualify.
- No opposed alignment: True Neutral has no diametrically opposed alignment. It is adjacent to LN, NG, CN, and NE.
- Detect alignment: True Neutral creatures do not ping on detect good/evil/law/chaos (unless they are outsiders or have class-granted auras).
- Neutral outsiders: True Neutral outsiders include many animals, elementals (as a category), and some rare philosophical constructs like the aeons.
- Alignment weapons: True Neutral characters cannot benefit from holy, unholy, axiomatic, or anarchic weapon properties (they are not opposed to any of those alignments, but they have no associated descriptor either).