Turning to the Dark Side

[ZzaphodD]

I have a player that probably will turn to the dark side. The player is a bit of a 'violence solves most problems' player and this combined with both a combat oriented character and my Will of the Dark Side rules is propelling him to the dark side.

Ok, he turns, then what?

I hate the RAW 'turn over your character sheet, he is now an agent of evil' idea. I think that its a new challenge for the player to play a dark sider. It also gives the player a chance to redeem himself. If he doesnt after a while he will not be playable with the rest of the group. THEN one can turn over the character sheet if that is the case...

How would you handle a 'dark side' character in the group?

[garhkal]

I wouldn't... Simple as that.
He has already shown a lack of desire to NOT turn, by racking up so many DSPs that he is close to turning, and i seriously doubt when he actually turns, he will change his mind. Couple that with his attitude, and imo his character is better off going into NPC hood.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Lostboy]

If he turns then i would rule that he no longer gains darkside points for using darkside powers or he will likely figure out how to xp farm as a dark sider. RAW says that once you fall you only gain a CP when they gain a DSP so as a darksider all you need to do is spam force lightning and BAM instant xp.

As for what to do with the troublesome PC, I say let the players handle it. If he becomes a problem to the party they will move against him for you, if they are to slow to act then they have no one to blame but themselves. With the right in game provocation you should be able to convine the party to solve this problem for you.

[vong]

[Ankhanu]

I'm with the others, sounds like this guy had no intention of avoiding falling Dark... no reason why the character shouldn't be lost. That is, unless you want a dark sider in your campaign. The idea of allowing a fallen character some time to play dark, giving them the chance to redeem themselves is a REALLY solid idea... but only if the player has shown intent to do good before hand; sudden intent to redeem after falling with no signs before hand would feel really cheap. From the sounds of things, this dude's just an unrepentant dark sider waiting to happen; I wouldn't bother with the redemption path.

Personally, I have no issues with having Dark Side characters in my games. That said, I do have limitations. I don't allow the "Chaotic Evil" archetype (see D&D alignments) of dark sider. They're one-dimensional, boring and a detriment to group dynamic and story. I do allow dark siders like Joruus C'boath or something where they really have no idea that they're "evil"... Hell, I'd even allow a Palpatine or Dooku. While dark, they're principled and interesting. The character you have, however, sounds like a boring, garbage dark side character; he'd be lost as a PC and be useful as a Darth Maul or Darth Sion sort of antagonist, kinda boring, one-dimensional bull dogs.

As for rules, I treat them the same as ordinary characters, really. I don't like the DSP = CP idea, it's silly. I do alter the Force Point idea a little, however. Subtle subversion is rewarded, rather than being heroic, and I don't reward the polar opposite of heroism for rewards. The Dark Side is about subtlety and corruption, not suffering for the sake of suffering.
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[ZzaphodD]

The main thing is not 'letting' the player keep his character, but tjat it might be fun playing the switch. Also, this will give the player à chance to play an interesting conflict with himself so to speak..

Edit: Now that Im off my iPhone I can explain a bit more..

I cant really understand why a character should turn into an NPC automatically. The character should be a player character until he/she either: Cant be played together with the group because of problems of 'cooperation' (ie, the group has had it with the character trying to dominate, bully or threaten them); The player cant properly play his characters new personality (in which case the GM takes over); The player loses interest in playing a 'dark sider' and turns over the character; The character keeps going further into the dark side and eventually is deemed 'unplayable' as a normal 'character' as the dark side governs his every action..

[Raven Redstar]

I'm sure that very soon you'll learn that playing mixed parties is folly...

I've lost many of my players because I allowed a mixed party once, more likely than not, the non-evil players will get sick of the game, and quit.

I'm offering a word of caution from personal experience.

[ZzaphodD]

[Raven Redstar]

Because the dark side is irritating for good people. Why let one person get away with doing won ton murder and use of dark powers while everyone else struggles. If the good people aren't following along with his goals, they're expendable. It's not a team oriented character.

[garhkal]

Or the good guys try and bring him back to the light and the conflict erups into flat out group violence... which is worse.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[ZzaphodD]

[ZzaphodD]

[Lancil]

The bad thing here is sometimes "game tension" becomes real life tension. And the last thing you want is for your players your friends to get into it over the game. It happens, trust me. I know this from experience.

[ZzaphodD]

[garhkal]