Steve Jackson Games Forums - [DF] Why isn't Detects as Evil more of a disadvantage?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sir_pudding (Post 1032853)

In D&D (up until 4th edition anyway) everybody has an alignment, in GURPS only people with certain Holy or Unholy Powers or rare creatures with an appropriate feature detect as good or evil.

Actually, in AD&D 1st & 2nd edition (don't know enough about 3rd off-hand and never paid much attention to the Basic/Expert/Masters/Companion stuff), the vast majority of people didn't detect as good or evil. It took something supernaturally good/evil or someone who was at that instant thinking truly good/evil thoughts...and catching someone at the instant they were planning a saintly/dastardly deed and actively focused on it is pretty rare.

In general, only an assassin who was about to assassinate you (guards about to kill you are just guys doing a job) or demons/devils/other evil critters detected as evil.

The Know Alignment spell was something else and was limited to clerics, gods, and really powerful supernatural creatures. It was a social no-no to use that spell particularly on top of the big social no-no of casting spells on anyone who hadn't asked for it to be done. Not something that should be done in town at all...certainly not openly.