Gamemaster Alignments - Part 2

Welcome back!  We're going to pick up right where we left off last time.  

Neutral Evil (Jasper from Fellowship of the Dice)

The Neutral Evil Gamemaster is there for himself and no one else.  His enjoyment comes first, and is likely to be the only joy found at the table.  He is often adversarial, but doesn't feel the need to restrict his waring on the players to rules often justifying his "boning" of the players by stating some story reason that has superseded them.  The NE GM's vision is supreme and you can get on the bus or get the hell out.  Never wrong in his own mind, he simply rationalizes players leaving as a problem with them and not with him.  Jasper from The Fellowship of the Dice has been chosen to represent the NE GM because he is often self centered, focusing on the amazing story he is laying out without a care in the world as to whether the players are enjoying the game. 


Chaotic Good (Lodge from the Gamers 2: Dorkess Rising)

The Chaotic Good Gamemaster wants the players to have fun, and believes that creating a great story and great roleplaying is the way to accomplish this.  He has no qualms about tinkering, bending, or just flat out throwing out the rulebook to make this happen.  To the Chaotic Good Gamemaster the story always comes first which is why I selected Lodge from the second Gamers movie, Dorkness Rising, to represent them.  Lodge get's called out by his players for breaking the rules to which he firmly replies, "Story trumps rules!"  His disregard for the rules in the game of a great story is typical of a Chaotic Good Gamemaster. 


Chaotic Neutral  (Dragonmaster from Dragon Strike)

The Chaotic Neutral Gamemaster is no less an arbiter than his Lawful Neutral Counterpart, the difference is that he isn't arbitrating using the rules, he is arbitrating a story.  In many was the Chaotic Neutral Gamemaster is the ultimate story teller.  He doesn't let anything get in the way of a great story, not player enjoyment, not even his own enjoyment.  To him the story is tantamount and he will throw away the rulebook to make the story work.  The fierce and bizarre Dragonmaster from Dragon Strike represents the Chaotic Neutral Gamemaster because he is more telling a story than running a game and though the uses the rules in many places he flat out breaks them to keep things moving in many others.  His disregard for for rules is apparent almost immediately when he tells one apprehensive player, "You don't need the hand of anything, imagination is all you need.  Close your eyes, open your mind, and I'll transport you to another realm."  The rules are not important to him, rather he wants his players focused on the journey they will all be taking in their imaginations. 

Chaotic Evil (Christopher Walken from Celebrity D&D)

The Chaotic Evil Gamemaster is an absolute nightmare for most players.  He is usually adversarial looking to kill the players at the first chance, and unlike his Lawful Evil counterpart, he isn't bound by any rules or even logic.  He cares about the story, but only so far as it amuses him, he cares nothing for whether the players are following suit.  Christopher Walken from Celebrity D&D is the perfect example of a Chaotic Evil Gamemaster.  No sooner does the game start than Keanu Reeves is killed off for no reason (though it may have had something to do with the Matrix Revolutions).  When everyone argues that he should be allowed a save Walken rejects the idea out of hand and moves on.


So that wraps up our nine Gamemaster Alignments.  Now the question is, what GM Alignment are you?  When you find yourself on the player side of things, what kinds of GMs have you played under, which was your favorite, and which was you least favorite?