Laws help a society maintain order. They’re crucial to peace and stability, keeping a populace safe and secure.
Though most of us realize that laws are only as good as the society that makes them, the lawful neutrals don’t care. The rule of law stands supreme, no matter how fair or corrupt.
So it is written, so it must be.
The commitment to law above all else makes the lawful neutral character alignment in Dungeons & Dragons a compelling choice for avid gamers.
Character Alignments in D&D
Dungeons & Dragons Character alignments began as basic rules for building in-game characters. However, with a greater acceptance of “nerd” culture, these tropes became ingrained in our social awareness and are used everywhere in pop culture, from movies to video games.
There are nine primary D&D character alignment types:
- Lawful Neutral
- Neutral Good
- Lawful Good
- Chaotic Good
- Lawful Evil
- Neutral Evil
- Chaotic Evil
- True Neutral
- Chaotic Neutral
The lawful vs chaotic scale represents a character’s ethics and their willingness to abide by the rule of law, while the good vs evil scale represents their morality.
Today, we’re deep diving into the lawful neutral alignment, highlighting what it means and how to play these characters.
What Does it Mean to Be Lawful Neutral?
Lawful neutral is an intriguing alignment because these characters only care about the rules, whether good or bad.
They value the rule of law above all else, following the rules of their organization to a tee, whether they’re for the greater good or horribly unjust. Lawful neutrals make no distinction between murderers and poor folks stealing to feed their families; they aren’t guided by a sense of morality or right versus wrong; they only care about the rules.
However, lawful neutrals will not obey all laws. They believe rules are essential to the order of society and will gleefully follow and enforce laws from their side. If kidnapped, for example, they will not automatically obey the laws of an opposing viewpoint just because it’s the law where they are.
Long-time D&D player Roc Bauman, who recently started a D&D podcast, throws in another caveat. He says lawful neutrals may even follow their own personal code of ethics, rather than a society’s law.
Personality Traits of Lawful Neutral Characters
Lawful neutral characters, like any, can have many different personalities. However, they tend to share a few commonalities:
- Obedient – Lawful neutrals will obey the laws and rules of their society
- Strict – There is no spirit of the law. They will follow the letter of the law and expect others to as well
- Authoritative – Lawful neutrals expect others to adhere to the law and enjoy an authoritarian environment where all rules are equally enforced
- Honorable – Honoring their code is vital to lawful neutrals. They value honor above all else, and their definition of honor is the strict adherence to the rules of their society.
Lawful Neutral Ideals
Lawful neutrals elevate whatever code they follow above everything else.
As Bauman says, “they follow even if they find it to be unjust or inherently ‘unfair’ because the overwhelming belief that everything will collapse without rules overrides any change in morality.”
He mentions that their ideals may stem from the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who is attributed with saying, “Without rules, we are nothing but animals.”
How to Play a Lawful Neutral Character
The main point to remember when playing a lawful neutral character is that the law matters. The letter of the law is the most critical aspect of this character’s motivations.
If you choose a lawful neutral character, you must follow the rules and the laws to a fault. Lawful neutrals also want everyone else to follow the law and will strictly enforce both just and unjust laws if in a position of authority.
Not Every Law Though
Remember, though, that it’s not every law. Lawful neutrals have a strict code of honor. They are loyal to their set of laws and personal code of conduct. Other systems of law may hold no meaning for them.
When playing a lawful neutral character, it’s essential to identify and define their backstory and who they work for so that you can ensure they always follow the laws of the system they support, even if it’s their own code of ethics.
Don’t Be Too Rigid
Cody Terry, owner of The Alchemist Circle, a resource dedicated to gear for tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, says it’s crucial to not be so rigid in your “code” that you suck all the fun out of the game.
“Lawful neutral characters can stall a game if they’re played too rigidly,” he says. Terry recommends setting one core law the character will never break, but allowing them to bend on smaller rules.
Be the Voice of Reason
Terry says that lawful neutral characters can sometimes serve as a voice of reason against the worst impulses of chaotic characters.
“They could generally be more like an objective guide,” he says, adding that they can convince the team to do things the right way, even if it takes a bit longer. “It won’t get us executed,” he shares, as the lawful neutral would explain.
Define their Sense of Order
A good backstory is vital to successfully playing any D&D character. When creating a lawful neutral, you must craft a story explaining where their sense of order originates.
Terry says that their code could come from religious laws, military training, a personal vow, rigid organization, or anything else. Defining it before you start helps guide in-game decisions and creates opportunities for tension if another party member’s chaos clashes with your character’s code.
Character Classes and Races that tend to be Lawful Neutral
Though any character can be lawful neutral (or any alignment), monks easily lend themselves to this alignment. They enjoy the structure of being a monk and are well-suited to obeying and enforcing a code of standards.
Bauman says that humans and dwarves often fall under the lawful neutral alignment. Terry agrees with the dwarves, but also adds monks, paladins, clerics, and dragonborns.
Both agree that one of the joys of D&D is that you can make any character be whatever you want it to be – there’s no set rule that any race or class must fall under a particular alignment.
“A creative backstory can make any class or race work, and sometimes the most interesting characters come from odd combinations. For example, a rogue who operates like an accountant, recording every theft and assassination. Everyone else sees them as chaotic, but in reality, they are maintaining a balance in their own personal underworld.” Terry explains.
Examples of Lawful Neutral Characters in Fiction
Fictional characters are complex, like real people. Although they may trend towards a specific alignment, none will fit perfectly. Many traverse multiple alignments as they grow, which makes for compelling storytelling and excellent character development.
However, some fictional characters follow the trends well enough to illustrate the alignment’s archetype.
These are my favorite examples of lawful neutral characters in fiction.
Principal Snyder
Principal Snyder, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, isn’t exactly an evil man. He doesn’t like students and makes that known, but he doesn’t want them to die. He wants them to follow the rules, and he doesn’t care whether those rules are just or not.
Many viewers will see Snyder as an evil character. But it’s important to note that he was on the Mayor’s side before he knew that the Mayor was evil and on a quest to become a demon.
Snyder’s lawfulness could not abide by the Mayor eating students and destroying the school, as a school has rules that must be followed. Snyder stood up to the giant snake mayor’s unlawfulness and was ultimately killed.
Stormtroopers
The Stormtroopers from Star Wars are a classic embodiment of lawful neutral. Although they fight on the side of evil, evil is not their motivation. They are soldiers, cloned and bred for one specific purpose – to be soldiers and follow the Empire’s orders.
A Stormtrooper’s entire existence is to follow orders and enforce the Empire’s laws. They have no moral code and no sense of right or wrong. They are almost machine-like, unfeeling in the way they carry out their orders. Stormtroopers do what they are told because they are told to do it, which is the most simplified example of a lawful neutral character we can find.
Judge Dredd
Lawful neutral is often nicknamed “the judge” because their primary motivation is following the letter of the law. Judge Dredd is a classic embodiment of this archetype, leaning towards the good.
Judge Dredd is primarily motivated by law and order. He will enforce the law by any means necessary. Dredd is judge, jury, and executioner while policing the streets, taking that responsibility seriously. He even arrests his own brother for corruption because his belief in the system of law and order is his supreme guiding force.
Nale
Bauman says Nale from popular author Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series is the perfect embodiment of the lawful neutral character alignment.
“Nale is one of the fabled 10 Heralds of the Almighty that served to protect humanity,” Bauman explains. “He is the Herald of Just and Law, and his belief in that Law should be followed is so unwavering that he will commit atrocities to the land and creatures of the book if it means to follow and keep what ‘Law’ has been laid.”
He leaves us with the quote showcasing Nale’s lawful neutral ideals:
“Our minds are fallible. This is why we must pick something external to follow. Only in strict adherence to a code can we approximate justice.”
-Nale, Oathbringer
Character Alignments are Just Guides
Character alignments aren’t meant to be rigid. They are guides that will help you build your character for both Dungeons & Dragons and creative writing.
However, no character has to strictly follow any specific alignment. They are great starting points to help you determine your character’s goals, motivations, and actions, but there’s always wiggle room.
Use an alignment as a guide, and let your imagination fill in the gaps.