Changes

===Alignment System===

===Alignment System===

Because D&D players can basically "do" anything there are moral implications to the choices players make. To provide a frame of reference and to help the game make sense Gygax devised an alignment system. All characters are required to choose an ''alignment'' and the character must adhere to the beliefs of that alignment. Similarly, all monsters have alignments and thus their actions can be predictable and make sense. 

Because D&D players can basically "do" anything there are moral implications to the choices players make. To provide a frame of reference and to help the game make sense, Gygax devised an alignment system. All characters (and monsters) are required to have an ''alignment'' and they must adhere to the beliefs of that alignment.

"Good" characters strive to do acts of goodness and while avoiding actions which are hurtful to others. "Evil" characters think only of their own desires. Morally "Neutral" characters don't care much about good or evil.  At the same time "Lawful" characters believe that it is important to adhere to the rule of law, while "Chaotic" characters are more concerned with personal freedoms than with laws. Ethically "Neutral" characters do not care whether an action is lawful or chaotic.  By combining these two frameworks, we arrive at the nine alignments: lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, true neutral ("neutral neutral"), chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, or chaotic evil.

Morality is divided into "Good," "Neutral" and "Evil" while ethics are divided into "Lawful," "Neutral" and "Chaotic." By combining these two frameworks, we arrive at the nine alignments: lawful good, neutral good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, true neutral ("neutral neutral"), chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, or chaotic evil.

These alignments help a player separate what the player or referee would do in a given situation from how the character or monster might react in the same situation. Some DMs forbid evil characters as they are often disruptive to the game, though the rules do not expressly require that players choose good characters.  The ability to play evil characters has been among the criticisms against the game.

These alignments help players and referees roleplay characters and monsters.

In the original versions of the game, only the "ethical" (Law/Chaos) axis of morality was present.  The "moral" (good/evil) axis was added in later editions.  4th Edition removes the axis concept, resulting in the alignments lawful good, good, unaligned, evil, and chaotic evil.

In the original versions of the game, only the "ethical" (Law/Chaos) axis of morality was present.  The "moral" (good/evil) axis was added in later editions.  4th Edition removes the axis concept, resulting in the alignments lawful good, good, unaligned, evil, and chaotic evil.

===Components of a Character===

===Components of a Character===