Lawful evil

The lawful evil alignment is the methodical, intentional, and frequently successful devotion to a cruel organised system.

Lawful evil characters methodically take what they want in life within the limits of their personally held beliefs. While they care about tradition, loyalty, and order they have little to no regard for the freedom, dignity or overall lives of others.

These people play by the rules, albeit without mercy or compassion, and only obey laws out of fear of punishment. While they won't break a promise, they seldom "give their word" or put themselves on the line, unless it will clearly help them come out ahead. Many lawful evil characters have personal codes of conduct that they self-justifiably circumvent, such as not personally taking a life in cold blood, but have underlings that kill without discretion. These "rules" serve their selfish, twisted view on morality.

Many lawful evil characters use society and its laws for selfish advantages, exploiting the letter of the law over its spirit whenever it best suits their interests. Yet some others commit themselves to evil with a zeal like that of a paladin dedicated to a life of good deeds. Beyond being willing to hurt others for their own ends, they take pleasure in spreading evil as an end unto itself and see committing evil deeds as part of a duty to a higher, or perhaps more correctly, lower power.

A tyrannical ruler who drafts the rules to suit themselves, a corrupt lawyer or judge who uses the law to mask their own misdeeds, and the ruthless bosses and minions of organised crime are all examples of lawful evil characters.

Lawful Evil Characters
Asmodeus

Dispater