Whats your advice on running Dark Side characters?

[ZzaphodD]

I have a player that had his Jedi recently turn to the dark side. The Jedi is an 'untrained' jedi in the sense that his master got killed while he was a padawan, and he got little formal training. He started the game as a 'failed jedi'. Later, during Scavenger Hunt, they came across part of the wreck of DV:s personal Star Destroyer where he found a 'tainted' (Dark Side) lightsaber which he began using, not realising what it was (even though the player did). In the end somewhat reckless playing coupled with the influence of this artifact (see my Will of the Dark Side rules elsewere) eventually turned him (bad luck, he turned at 3 DSP when we roll 2D).

He dropped the character for a gunslinger type character living as a slave to a crimeboss on Nar Shaddaa, but now he feels this change was a mistake. I dont have anything against players playing dark side characters, as long as they manage to play with the group..and do it right. Also, the player must have as a goal to return to the light side. However, the main problem would be to find a reason for the player to stick with the group that doesnt immediately clash with the groups goals (at least short term). So, for example a wish to use and dominate the group wont fly as this will result in more or less immediate conflict.

The players are loosely connected to two different rebel organisations (one small and Kotas militia) and the period we play in is just before 'The Rebellion' as a larger movement is created. In my games turning to the dark side doesnt automatically mean that you join the Empire, even if that may be a 'logical' choice for a dark side character.

Any ideas for how to handle this or for motives to stick with the group?
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[Bren]

It is hard to craft good reasons without knowing a lot more of the backstory of the Dark Sider and the other characters. Three reasons to work with the Rebels or oppose the Empire include:

Revenge against the Empire for the loss of friends/loved ones is best, but could also include loss of wealth, status, or position.

Better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven - the character knows that as an Imperial he would, at best only be a minion or servant to Palpatine or Vader. By working with the Rebels as a Force User/Jedi he can achieve a position of real authority and power in the Rebellion.

Overwhelming love/attraction for one of the other characters. This is the motif seen in the later seasons of Buffy that motivates Spike's face turn. A variant of this might also work if one of the other characters is a blood relation (sibling, child, or parent work best).

It will be difficult since Dark Side characters are typically not pleasant to be around which may make it difficult for the other characters to tolerate or embrace the Dark Sider as a team member.

[Ankhanu]

I love the idea of Dark Side characters, actually... but there are limits People playing evil for evil's sake type dark siders is a really bad idea, but playing a principled or simply selfish dark character can be very rewarding. If the character's goals are death and destruction, then they should probably be scrapped, but a character with good intentions and questionable choices to enact them can be pretty interesting, there's a lot of inner conflict there.

I really dislike the Dark Side RAW... it's somewhat... silly. In terms of rules and character rewards, I treat them like standard characters. The only place that things get a little complicated are in the expenditure of Force Points, and getting them back... of course, with the ability to call on the Dark Side, it's a little less important, I suppose, than it is for light siders. I don't think that recovering FPs when "used for evil" should really be a polar opposite of "for good"... the Dark Side is somewhat more subtle than that; the dark side is subversive more than outright "evil", it's subtle, it's malicious, but it's not really a punch to the gut and a slap in the face evil. For simplicity you could just use a more simplistic idea of evil, however.

Obviously, once the character's fallen they should lose the bonus 1D to Force Powers per DSP granted while the Dark Side is tempting the character. Once they've fallen, the draw wouldn't be as strong. The Dark Side should also slowly hinder the character's ability to use more "light" Force Powers, like those associated with healing (especially others), while perhaps offering bonuses to those that bring harm... perhaps offering a +1D to uses that would incur a DSP?

Just some ideas. In the end, whether to allow a Dark Side character should be made with the rest of the group, and the nature of the character in mind. In many groups there's no reason why certain values of Dark Side wouldn't be an utter boon to the group, but it all depends on the actual circumstances and outlook of the character. Be VERY careful on this choice, it can have serious implications for the entire player group, not to mention the characters.
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[garhkal]

Especially if the acts of the darksider bring ill repute to the group as a whole..

imagine if you will a standard planet with some people leaning to siding with the rebels. If this darksider goes on a willful spree of violence against the empire, his acts may taint those peoples beliefs about whether the rebellion IS right for their support.
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[Bren]

garhkal wrote:

[garhkal]

Precicely. When my former character turned to the darkside i sparks, he went on his own to 'bring the pain' to the imperials.. more effectively than he could as a rebel (constrained by rules of engagement etc), and was even though to have brought some bad marks against the group cause of his acts. BUT after redemption most of those were repaired...
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[ZzaphodD]

[Bren]

Thanks for the extra info ZsaphodD. That helps add context and I can certainly see why you are concerned about the playability of the Dark Jedi.

Of the first four characters you describe: the Khazorian and the Human Mercenary are both out for revenge; the Wookiee has an anger management problem; and the Twilek is shady. You did not mention any higher purpose (e.g. freedom and safety of others) in their service with the Rebellion. It seems like none of the four would have a problem with a Dark Side Jedi as long as his anger is focused predominantly on the Imperials and not at all focused on them. Even if they notice he is evil, as long as he is killing, torturing, maiming the Imperials will they really have a moral problem with that? From the short descriptions I would think maybe not.

The only exception seems to be the fifth character, the young female force user. She seems to be the only character for whom the Rebellion provides a purpose in life and service in a just cause. For the turned character to have a chance at Redemption it would have to be through some positive connection with her. If both players are good roleplayers and the two characters have or can forge a strong connection whether romantic, personal, or even a previously unknown family connection – maybe she is his…sister? – something to give a compelling reason for the turned character to risk all to come back to the light, then this plot has a chance at success.

But it looks like this is a risky strategy from a metagame perspective since it seems more likely that this group will drag the young jedi down to the Dark Side rather than facilitate a return from the Dark Side for the Jedi who has turned. I think it would be more likely to succeed if the young jedi is looked on as a bit of an innocent by the other four characters or maybe the conscience of the party. If they value her opinion of them, that may help them to reinforce her POV rather than simply accept the Dark Jedi’s actions and arguments that the ends justifies the means.

It certainly seems like it would be good to get buy in from all the players on undertaking a risky campaign sub-plot, since this may just get all of their characters dead or turned to the Dark Side. But it does have potential for an epic campaign subplot.

[ZzaphodD]

I think that a few of the characters will 'grow into' the rebellion as the campaign proceeds. Atm we are some time before the battle of Yavin, and 'The Rebellion' (Alliance) does not exist yet. Instead there are several groups of different sizes that fights the empire. I think the Mercenary and the Wookie are the ones with most 'issues' (both are rather short tempered and tend to act on violent impulses) keeping them from becoming truly integrated in the rebellion. The Twilek has more or less reformed allready, even though he is still a bit fishy. The Khazorian has his honour code that will keep him on the right side of the line.
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My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course..

[Bren]

I know nothing about Khazorians. Are they something you invented for your campaign?

If he has an honor code and it can somewhat align with whatever moral code the young Jedi has and if both are somewhat similar to the Jedi code, then they might be the best bet to help bring the Dark Sider back to the light.

If you and your group decide to play that out, I'd be curious to hear how it works out.

[garhkal]

[ZzaphodD]

[garhkal]

Just looking through the Aliens book, the following races look/are short and would have easily fit in for dwarves in space...

Bimms.
Caarite
Drall
geelan
Jenet
Kitonak
Najib
Ugunaughts

Could not one of those worked..
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[ZzaphodD]

[garhkal]

To me the bimms and drall are close to what i would have envisioned for dwarves in space.

But i was merely pointing out there were examples out there...
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!