On the Morality of Domination Magic

[ancientempathy]

Sept 29, 2010 18:16:05 GMT -5 @ancientempathy said:

Sept 29, 2010 17:39:33 GMT -5 catmage said:

I'm currently lost in the shadow realms of the net, but when I beat the will DC to leave my computer, I'll grab the Book of Exalted Deeds and respond with it's take. If I recall properly, it permits domination, as long as the victim is treated with respect, not harmed, and not forced to commit acts of EVIL!.

If you're lost in the net realms, you might want to check the FRC forums, then. I wrote up a lot of Exalted Deeds information in the LotL boards our forums got that just might cover this aspects. I'm too busy writing up papers right now to thoroughly search through an intel-heavy thread.

Easier to respond to a post than it is to research, right? *shift eyes*

Yep

Also within the context of respectful relationships, good characters exercise caution in the use of compulsion magic to force others’ behavior. Spells such as dominate person, geas, and suggestion allow a caster to control another person, robbing that person of free will. This may not be an inherently evil act, but it certainly carries a tremendous ethical responsibility. Forcing anyone to commit an evil act, of course, is evil. Furthermore, a creature under compulsion should be treated the same as a helpless prisoner, since that creature no longer poses a threat, at least for the duration of the spell. Once an enemy is dominated, for example, he should not be killed, but shown mercy and treated the same as a prisoner who had willingly surrendered. (The same holds true for charmed and compelled creatures.)

[lucid]

I'm curious why people are calling this a chaotic act. Some of the primary tennets of Chaotic alignment are Individuality, Independence and Freedom...domination obliterates all of those rather savagely. Whereas it seems to me a lawful alignment would have less issue with forcing people to behave a certain way, as long as it's the "right" way.

[Not so surly dwarf]

Oct 21, 2010 9:51:36 GMT -5 lucid said:

I'm curious why people are calling this a chaotic act. Some of the primary tennets of Chaotic alignment are Individuality, Independence and Freedom...domination obliterates all of those rather savagely. Whereas it seems to me a lawful alignment would have less issue with forcing people to behave a certain way, as long as it's the "right" way.

I've always felt that way too, especially as it seems clerics of gods like Bane or Helm have always had less scruples about this kind of thing being used, as well as the (largely Lawful aligned) Red Wizards, not to mention Lawful-aligned Devils.