Creature dispositions (an alternative to alignment)

 A while back, I posted on the old blog about a system to assign dispositions to NPCs and adjust their reaction rolls. As so often happens, my original idea was more complex than it needed to be, and would have benefited a lot from paring down and streamlining.

More recently, I was pondering how to differentiate monsters without using the traditional D&D alignment system, which is fraught with various issues and has fallen out of favor with some players and DMs, including myself. It occurred to me I could repurpose that old idea to fill the gap.

The gist of it is that, instead of an alignment, each monster type, and if desired, NPCs, is assigned one of the following dispositions, which affects its reaction rolls in a particular way.

Average: The creature has no strong tendencies, and makes an unmodified reaction roll. 

Benign: Generally seeking to avoid conflict; agreeable or meek. +1 to reaction rolls.

Antagonistic: Inclined toward anger or hostility. -1 to reaction rolls.

Reserved: Not quick to judge or decide; cautious, curious, even-tempered, or dispassionate. Rolls over 7 are adjusted by -1; rolls under 7 are adjusted by +1, pulling reactions toward neutrality. (Rolls of exactly 7 are unaffected.)

Mercurial: Unpredictable, fiery, passionate, or capricious. Rolls over 7 are adjusted by +1, and rolls under 7 are adjusted by -1, pushing reactions toward the extremes. (Rolls of exactly 7 and unaffected.)

These adjustments are scaled for the traditional 2d6 reaction table used in most iterations of classic D&D and its retro-clones. If you're using my reaction chart using 2d10 (which I highly recommend as it allows you to use the same adjustments for Charisma as every other ability score in B/X) just increase the adjustments to +/-2, and use 11 as the threshold in the case of Reserved and Mercurial types. 

You could go one step further and double the adjustments for any creature you believe is especially strongly of that disposition, e.g. maybe troglodytes (described in the book as usually trying to kill other creatures) are really Antagonistic and react at -2 on the 2d6 table.

I also like to follow up reaction rolls that indicate an attack with a morale check. Success means an attack as normal, while failing the check means the creatures will either flee and seek revenge later or attempt to harm them through stealth or deception without a direct attack.

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