Force Power: Temptation of the Dark Side

[MrNexx]

So, just a sketch right now, but:

Alter Power

Alter Difficulty: Special. Modified by proximity and relationship. Opposed by Control.

Requires that the user be lost to do the Dark Side.

The Dark Side user temporarily gives the target a number of Dark Side points, from 1-6. The power begins at Difficult level, plus 1D per Dark Side Point granted. While the power is kept up, the target will have that number of Dark Side points added to their own (though exceeding 6 Dark Side points in this manner does not automatically cause a fall). The target must either resist the Dark Side influence (reducing their Force skills), or risk the Lure of the Dark Side. The target may roll Control to resist the additional Dark Side influence.

Basically, this works best on young and inexperienced Jedi... boost them up with Dark Side points and make it easier for them to slip away. However, Jedi who are in a vulnerable position might still take advantage of it, and Jedi who are otherwise pure must resist the temptation (and thus make all of their own powers more difficult).
_________________
"I've Seen Your Daily Routine. You Are Not Busy!"
“We're going to win this war, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”
http://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/

[CRMcNeill]

IMO, this should be more than just an Alter power. If you look at how temptation works in the films, there's an obvious verbal battle, where the Dark-Sider uses the Force to probe his opponent's thoughts and emotions and call them out on perceived weaknesses.
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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.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[MrNexx]

[CRMcNeill]

[MrNexx]

[CRMcNeill]

Another thought...

Maybe rather than giving the target additional DSPs, have the power generate a modifier to the character's DSP roll. Per the RAW, when a character gets a DSP, they roll a D6 and if they roll less than their number of DSPs, they turn to the Dark Side. Maybe have this power generate a -1 modifier to the D6 roll for however many points of success the Sith beats the Difficulty by.

Just thinking that modifiers applied to dice rolls is more in keeping with the theme of the system than giving a character temporary DSPs.

And maybe have it so that the modifier can't be less than 0, so if the character doesn't have any DSPs, they are effectively immune to it?
_________________
"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.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[MrNexx]

I went with "temporary DSPs" to leverage the existing DSP mechanics... that these temporary DSPs would increase one's Force skills, or force (no pun intended) the Jedi to actively suppress them. Embracing the DSP bonus makes it more likely that you will fall to the Dark Side; rejecting it makes you less effective in using the force.

I worry that a straight modifier to the DSP roll makes it WAY too likely that someone will fall... each -1 would increase the likelihood of falling by ~16%, whereas this leaves the choice about falling still within the control of the Jedi... they can stop using the Force, and thus reduce their vulnerability to the Dark Side, they can use the DSP bonus only for pure purposes (and thus avoid getting more DSP), reduce their effectiveness by rejecting the DSP, or embrace the bonus for less-than-pure purposes and flirt with the Dark Side.

I picture this as somewhat like the Emperor tempting Luke in the Throne Room fight... offering Luke the power of the Dark Side to defeat Vader, but Luke knowing that taking the offered power would make him more vulnerable. Luke first responds by accepting the bonus (and thus takes off Vader's hand through his boosted Lightsaber Combat power), then by not using the Force and saying "I'm not going to kill Vader. I'm not going to fall to the Dark Side."

This falls into my conception of the Force that the Dark Side is not an active entity, but rather a corruption of the Force... that using the Force is convincing the Force to do what you want, while the Dark Side is more or less making it do what you want by "torture". Going to the Dark Side makes the Force "afraid" of you, doing what you want because it knows you will "hurt" it.
_________________
"I've Seen Your Daily Routine. You Are Not Busy!"
“We're going to win this war, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”
http://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/