Sauron's Alignment in Dungeons Dragons: Lawful Evil or Chaotic Evil?

In the world of Dungeons Dragons where characters are categorized by their alignment, understanding the nature of Sauron is crucial. The question often posed is whether Sauron best aligns with a Lawful Evil or Chaotic Evil alignment. Let's explore why Lawful Evil might be the most fitting classification and how different conflict lines in the story can influence this alignment.

Understanding Alignments in Dungeons Dragons

In the complex framework of Dungeons Dragons, characters are categorized by two main aspects: their Alignment (Lawful or Chaotic) and their Alignment (Good or Evil). These two pieces of information combined help define the overall behavior and motive of a character.

Sauron's Alignment: Lawful Evil

Sauron is a quintessential example of a character whose alignment leans towards Lawful Evil. This classification reflects his adherence to order and hierarchy, coupled with a desire for power and control, which are starkly opposed to chaos and harm.

Lawfulness

Sauron operates within meticulously structured hierarchies. His methods are methodical, planned, and highly organized—all hallmarks of a Lawful-like behavior. Sauron seeks to impose order and control over Middle-earth through a series of calculated steps, including the creation of the One Ring and his domination over various races. His actions are concrete and designed to bring about a clear, albeit oppressive, order, rather than embracing the chaos that might come from undermining structures.

Evil

Despite his adherence to order, Sauron's actions are underpinned by a profound and unrelenting evil. He embodies cruelty, corruption, and the desire to enslave others. His methods are often callous and relentless, and he shows no mercy in pursuit of his goals, which in Dungeons Dragons lore would clearly fall under the Evil category. For example, his use of darkness, fear, and control over his subjects reflects a deep-seated lack of regard for the individual well-being of others.

Conflict Lines in The Lord of the Rings

The nature of Sauron's alignment can also be explored through the various conflict lines presented in The Lord of the Rings. This series presents two primary axes that can influence our understanding of Sauron's alignment:

Technology vs Tradition

The first axis portrays a conflict between technology and progress on one hand, and tradition and the preservation of nature on the other. This axis can be seen as a Law-chaos axis, where the choice on which side to align with depends on the perspective. However, especially when viewed from Sauron's perspective, his actions and motivations tend to favor a structured, hierarchical, and ordered approach to domination, which carries more weight in the Lawful Evil framework.

Ruthless Exploitation vs Companionship and Sacrifice

The second axis focuses on ruthless exploitation and power plays versus companionship and personal sacrifice and perseverance. This can be better aligned with a Good-Evil axis. This axis is perhaps more central to the narrative, influencing characters like Saruman and Boromir. However, as the story progresses, the conflict between these axes increasingly simplifies into a battle between order and chaos, further emphasizing Lawful Evil.

Additional Context From The Silmarillion

In The Silmarillion, Sauron's starting alignment offers yet another perspective. He began as a Maia, initially lawful and neutral, before becoming the lawful evil servant of Melkor. His eventual departure and pursuit of independent agendas solidify his position as a Chaotic Evil character in this narrative. His complex journey and alignment evolve significantly, eventually placing him in the chaotic evil quadrant of the narrative.

Understanding Sauron's alignment in Dungeons Dragons is not only a matter of categorizing his behavior but also exploring the intricate conflict lines that define his character in literary works such as The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. The Lawful Evil alignment best captures both his desire for order and his profound evil, providing a fitting and comprehensive description of this iconic villain.