Dark Side Points and metagaming

[Esoomian]

When a character is about to do something you consider DSP worthy do you warn them? If so how?

In my mind Jedi have the least leniency with DSPs so if something might be worth a DSP then it probably should be a DSP however if they're about to do something that is worth of a DSP they should always get a warning first. No matter how much I feel that the player should know better.

I rationalize this by imagining that if the Jedi code has all sorts of rules to suppliement a character's morality then knowing those rules well would mean you'd know every time you're going to break them.

In game I'd probably say something along the lines of:

"You remember Master Generic Background Character's warnings The force should only be used for knowledge and in defence, never in anger. Your cheeks flush slightly when you recall the chidings you were given in front of the other padewan."

Characters with a more flexible moral code might get away with a little more than a Jedi would without getting a DSP but they wouldn't get a warning every time either.

What about in your games? How often do you warn people and what form do the warnings take?

Please note we're not discussing what is worthy of a DSP in this thread.
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[Bigkrieg]

I usually do warn my character's about darkside points. It does not matter usually because I allow them to play darkside characters. Sometimes, one or more of our players will be darkside which will create conflicts in the group. The players usually enjoy that tension and rivalry.

[Fallon Kell]

I warn. Usually if a player is making a move you consider stupid, they misunderstand the situation, and that is primarily the GM's fault.
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Or that excessively long "Noooooooooo" was the Whining Side of the Force leaving him. - Dustflier

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[garhkal]

If a blatant evil act, skip warning go straight to acquire DSP. If not blatant, give warning.
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[Whill]

Force-sensitive or not, I always give a warning to players playing PCs with no DSPs currently (with the opportunity to change their mind and declare another action). If a PC has 1 DSP, then I do not usually give a warning to represent the PC's loss of internal moral guidance just from starting down the path to the DS. If a PC has 2 or more DSPs, then I do not give warnings and I actively provide temptations and rationalizations to represent the influence of the Dark Side itself on the PC. Since I don't normally tell players what to do, it should be obvious what is occuring so that should in of itself serve as a warning to the player.

I do not allow DS characters, so I make all of these guidelines known to players up front. I expect that players will head the warnings and never even take that first step down the path of the DS. Most players do. If a player does knowningly accept his first DSP by going through with the evil action, then I expect the PC to begin to atone. In the rare cases a PC of mine even gets the first DSP, they usually do atone to get rid of it.

Since 1988, I've only had three PCs ever had more than 1 DSP at a time, and not surprisingly, all three eventually did cross over to the Dark Side, instantly becoming NPCs. The 1st player (a high school student) always argued with getting the DSPs so when he crossed over he still didn't accept it but I ripped up the character sheet in front of him and he never roleplayed with me again. The 2nd player intentionally crossed-over to the DS because he realized playing a Force-PC was not as fun as he thought it would be, so knew I would allow him to make a new non-Force character to replace the one that became an NPC. The 3rd player also intentionally crossed-over, but he did so because it was the last adventure of the campaign and it was very tragic anyway so did it for dramatic/story reasons.
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[garhkal]

That's an interesting way to handle it.. base it on whether they already have any..
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[Jatrell]

I would definately warn them if they think they are doing something righteous but the ends don't justify the means. But if it was blantently an evil act (intent to cause harm) anyone should know better.
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[Bren]

I base it on three things. First, on how experienced and mature the player is. Players unfamiliar with the system and the movies need warnings at least until they understand the rules and ethics in play. Second, on how clearly wrong the action is. Murdering helpless, incapacitated prisoners or killing infants and small children - I am unlikely to provide a warning. These actions seem pretty clear cut. Using powers like force lightning - I may remind the player that such powers are of the Dark Side - though I may not tell them using a power that is of the Dark Side will net them a DSP. If there are some tricky ethics regarding using telekinesis to do damage - this seems like an area where it is fair to ensure that the player understands the house rules and interpretation. Third, like Whill, once a PC has gone down a dark path, warnings become much fewer and far between. In fact I will most likely try to tempt the player/character to take more actions that will result in a DSP. Though like Palpatine in the films, my temptation tends not to be very subtle.

[garhkal]

Its a real pity the book didn't list more "concrete" situations that would give one.. over those which would not.. That imo would help a lot of newer folk into the game figure out what can and what cannot give a DSP.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Bren]

[dadofett]

[CRMcNeill]

Very nice. And really, it's as good a standard as any
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

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[Fallon Kell]

[CRMcNeill]