Shattered Kingdoms

Just split scrupulous into two different alignments. One that is just not so edgy, and the other that is.

Scrup that isn't so edgy is called Principled.

Maybe there's a beyond principled level, instead of "life and freedom" values "life" above all else and will go to all lengths to peacefully resolve situations, refusing even to defend themselves.

But I don't think it'd be much fun to play Ghandi

Eh, there's a "left of principled" that could be called Pacifist or whatever that I'd considered before making my original post, but it's not tenable within the context of the game. That kind of character couldn't level without breaking alignment, and there's a pretty strong argument that that kind of character actually wouldn't be considered "good" in a world where bad guys routinely murder the ever living hell out of innocent people.

Also, no one would ever actually play that alignment, since they'd literally just be walking loot pinatas for every less-than-light aura in the game.

There have been pacifist characters in the game many times before. I've tried to make it possible to level without killing even though it's hard. In past discussions about that topic, I've acknowledged that there are some things that could be done to improve the situation. If there were a genuine pacifist alignment, I'd have more motivation to try to make that system work.

That still doesn't address the genuinely undesirable nature of such a character for most players. Why create an entire alignment to select at character creation to address a fringe situation when existing alignments (both light and grey) already suit the needs of someone looking to attempt to play a total and utter pacifist?

Also, creating the alignment before creating the means of generating progress for such a character seems a lot like putting the cart before the horse. Whatever the attempts that have been made, and I know there have been some to varying degrees of success, to make it possible to level without killing the infrastructure just is not there as of now.

Even if it was, I don't think it would be a significant lure to playing a character of that kind. You're still literally choosing to play a punching bag that would face administrative punishment for so much as typing bash when you get attacked by another PC or NPC. Given the danger of travel outside of cities, and the near-constant threat of invaders in cities, an alignment that prohibits even self-defense just isn't a feasible or desirable choice in SK.

EDIT: Also, someone who stands idle instead of involving themselves physically or magically in some way and says "Please stop" to a deep-elf necromancer throwing lethal magic around Sith'a'niel, killing elven children left right and center, should probably not be considered a good person. And, in the context of the precedent set by SK's alignment system, actually wouldn't be considered a good person.

Just to clarify, I'm not pushing for a pacifist alignment, but since it was brought up I stated some possibilities. If there were support for such an alignment, I'd make it a priority to update the system to allow for better XP gain simultaneously with introducing such an alignment.

I can imagine that some people, perhaps yourself OA, might be incredulous at the thought of playing a pacifist in a game such as SK. To you it may just have no appeal whatsoever, to the point where it's nonsensical. But that's not true of everyone. There have been quite a few characters who have played pacifists in spite of its being a fringe situation. I can only imagine that if that state of play were encouraged, even more would follow in their footsteps.

It's certainly debatable though whether that's where the game should attempt to stretch. Certainly it would validate a style of play that is the antithesis of what many PvPers enjoy about the game. It would generate even more pathos between RP-intense and PK-intense play styles.

I support the pacifist alignment.

I'd try it out.