Alignment as a Drive Trait
The following is an excerpt from the second edition of Aristotle’s Alignment, reframing classic D&D nine-point alignment through the lens of The Nicomachean Ethics. It’s written with Principia Canonica in mind, but easily serves as a system-adaptable resource for those who want effective alignment-like mechanics in their campaigns. This post contains affiliate links.
Drive turns alignment into a form of forward motion that doesn’t stop when pressure builds and options narrow. It defines what the character moves toward and why that movement continues once the consequence becomes unavoidable. The direction is already set before the moment tightens, so action carries through without hesitation and continues to push even as conditions worsen. That persistence gives alignment weight because it sustains motion when stopping would be easier.
This form of drive appears in a pursuit that stays put across changing conditions. The character doesn’t drift or pause once a goal takes shape, and each decision reinforces that direction as the situation develops. Action continues through cost and resistance, and that continuation reshapes what becomes possible next. Momentum builds through commitment, and that momentum defines how far the character is willing to go.
Each trait below expresses how alignment creates sustained pursuit through action. The phrasing ties the ethical position to behavior that keeps moving under pressure, keeping the focus on what the character drives toward in play. The alignment mapping identifies the source of that drive, while the wording shows how it holds when a consequence can’t be avoided.
Build a Just Order That Holds: Systems are shaped to protect others and endure beyond the moment; maps to Lawful Good. Action works to establish a structure that keeps people safe and holds through strain. Effort continues until that structure stands on its own and carries forward.
Maintain Stability at Any Cost: Functioning systems are preserved regardless of who benefits; maps to Lawful Neutral. Action reinforces what already works and prevents disruption from taking hold. Continuity is maintained even as conditions shift around it.
Seize Control and Enforce It: Structures are dominated and directed toward personal authority; maps to Lawful Evil. Action moves to take control and hold it against challenge. Authority expands through each decision, and resistance is forced into compliance.
Make Things Better Where It Matters: Outcomes improve lives in immediate and tangible ways; maps to Neutral Good. Action focuses on what helps in the moment and continues until that improvement takes hold. Effort follows need and keeps moving where it matters most.
Keep the Balance Intact: No force is allowed to overwhelm the others; maps to True Neutral. Action shifts to counter whatever rises too far and holds the field in equilibrium. Movement continues as long as the imbalance threatens to take over.
Advance Personal Power and Position: Influence and gain define success and direct pursuit; maps to Neutral Evil. Action builds advantage step by step and continues as long as there is more to take. Position strengthens through each move and shapes what comes next.
Break Constraints That Limit Others: Systems that restrict freedom are pushed until they give way; maps to Chaotic Good. Action targets limits that block movement and forces them open. Progress follows that break and continues wherever freedom expands.
Live Without Constraint or Pattern: Experience and action unfold without fixed direction or obligation; maps to Chaotic Neutral. Action follows impulse and continues wherever it leads. Movement never settles into a single path and shifts with each new moment.
Unmake What Exists to Rebuild in Ruin: Collapse becomes the path to reshaping reality; maps to Chaotic Evil. Action drives toward breakdown until nothing holds its previous form. Change emerges through that destruction and carries forward from the ruin.
