Re: what is it about angels?

Blackheart wrote:
> On Jan 31, 10:48 am, Arthur Boff <arthur.b...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> wrote:
> 
>> It's a nasty, inconsistent, brutish feature of the rules which seems to
>> be there to encourage the use of angels as cattle prods.
> 
> no.
> 
> Alignment is the board the GM beats the players with. An angel is the
> nail in it.

I think the angels are an example of alignment-as-blunt-weapon: they're 
basically Good given physical form and ridiculous stats. And I'd agree 
with you it's a symptom of a wider problem with the alignment system, 
but it's also something which goes above and beyond what 
alignment-as-written does.

With the alignment system as written, the GM can say "Don't do that 
outrageous thing, it's obviously contrary to your alignment and if you 
go through with it I will force an alignment change on you". If you add 
angels to the mix, the GM is then able to have them turn up and say 
"Hey, it's cool that you've not done any outrageous stuff that breaches 
your alignment, but now I want you to avoid *this* apparently-reasonable 
action because, erm, the Greater Good demands that you don't." You go 
from a situation where the GM can threaten you with sanctions if you 
commit actions which you can't reasonably claim are in accordance with 
your alignment to a situation where the GM can threaten you with being 
*killed by an angel* if you commit particular actions, and you have no 
inherent right to question the angel because it's a messenger from the
gods.