come over the the dark side we have cookies.

[griff]

As I have over the last several years been trying to compile and create a "complete" version of Star Wars the role-playing game with as many ships, vehicles aliens and droids, and also character templates. I have found all the different template types, with the WEG material I have and cut it down to only a hundred (about a third, and not even counting ones like rodian bounty hunter), one I am conflicted on - the Dark Jedi. While I consider this different than a Sith should this character be allowed. The background of this template would be that as Order 66 is unleashed on the Jedi, this Jedi was overcome with anger (I have a problem with anger being the path to the dark side anyway)and was able to escape the Purge. The character would start with 2 dark side points, the minimum you can have and turn to the dark side. There would also be an Objective hook as this Jedi is looking for redemption. Would this character be allowed as a starting character with any of the GMs out there.

[garhkal]

Well, 1e and the base 2e (not the revised book) did have the Fallen jedi template, who started with 1dsp already, so had most likely turned, but had redeemed one of them in his back story..
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

It was actually a Failed Jedi template, who had minimal Force skills and was essentially a wandering alcoholic curmudgeon. Fallen Jedi implies that he fully turned to the Dark Side (at least to me).
_________________
"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

[griff]

Failed Jedi to me implied just that failure. An apprentice that didn't make it through the "trials" or just couldn't live up to the commitment of the Jedi order. While this Dark Jedi didn't pull a full Anakin (yes I'm using a noun as a verb), became a Sith and hunt down Jedi, he went Dark to try to stop the Purge where he was. He would start with the telekinectic kill force power with a easy to use, and a difficult willpower difficulty not to use it.

[CRMcNeill]

There is that, but under the RAW, WEG did not allow for characters who had fully turned to the Dark Side, mandating that characters who did so automatically became NPCs. Of course, it doesn't have to be that way in your game (check my signature), so the Failed Jedi could easily be a minor Dark Jedi / Fallen Jedi / insert-your-title-here.
_________________
"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

[Tinman]

Personally, I absolutely agree with WEG when it comes to characters who fall to the dark side.. they cease to be PCs. We haven't ever had this happen, since I don't play with an "amorality is fun!" or "I want to play evil!" type of crowd. Those we've met over the years, who fell into those categories, were just a poor fit for the group and ended up moving on sooner than later. There've been a couple brushes with the dark side which were deliberately played out as part of personal character story arcs, that's about it. We MIGHT allow a fall and redemption scenario, but only if it were a planned thing rather than a player just trying to save their character from becoming part of the GM's NPC stack.

The closest to "play evil!" we've ever gotten were either privateers games (and our standards of behavior actually exceeded what the Rebellion expects of its privateers,) and a couple of VERY gritty Rebel Intelligence games. The latter included one cold blooded (unsanctioned) assassination, and did result in a Dark Side Point, which was mostly the result of the GM failing to consider one particular character's very likely reaction to being given the opportunity against that particular target. There was a rather interesting moment after our debriefing.. "If you had anything to do with that, and I can't prove that you did, do my descendants the courtesy of leaving it out of your memoirs even after we're both dead."

[CRMcNeill]

I tend to agree. Losing your character to the GM as an NPC is a good impetus to the player to not allow his character to turn to the Dark Side, and to struggle to stay in the Light. I do wish the character's resistance to the darkness were based on skills or attributes of his own rather than the player's decisions. I've proposed rules in the past for using the Willpower skill roll as a way for the character to resist falling to the temptation of Darkness, but I haven't gotten it as ironed out as I would like.
_________________
"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

[griff]

While I agree "want to play evil" isn't for the best, but this Dark Jedi is looking for redemption, and isn't evil, just reacted very badly to an evil situation (Order 66). This could also be an interesting hook to play through "How did you survive Order 66 when so many Jedi didn't" (hiding his past)

[CRMcNeill]

[shootingwomprats]

Keep in mind that a single DSP will not cause a character to be consumed by the Dark Side. So the introduction of a single DSP in indeed character concept.
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[garhkal]

[griff]

I guess I am just splitting hairs.

[DougRed4]

I could see doing that, as long as the redemption storyline is played out and stuck with.

Star Wars to me is very much about the Light vs. Dark/Good vs. Evil, and I think that's part of the fun, too. If a player were going to play up that conflict, I would expect they would have fun with the journey and struggle, rather than simply using it as a means of sampling from the Dark side Force powers menu.
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[shootingwomprats]

Well to be honest SWD6 is not so much about the stats or skills but about character concept. However you want to work it out or incorporate the DSP, mechanically 1 DSP will not make a character be consumed by the Dark Side. So again, however your character concept fits into that, fantastic, now roleplay it out.
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[Leon The Lion]

Personally, I'm a sucker for a good redemption story.

In my game one of the PCs has an (adopted) sister, and they both became Jedi together. Then the sister fell to the Dark Side and started working for the Sith badguy. Trying to get her sister back was a major personal subplot for the character. After much struggle she finally succeeded, and the sister was brought back into the light. Soon after that, for other story reasons, the need arose for the PC to take a few years leave of absence. For that time, as to not be left out of the game, the player took control of the formerly NPC sister. She's currently playing said girl, reformed but not yet fully redeemed, struggling with her internal conflict and guilty conscience. We're both having great fun with that.

On the mechanics side, I actually started said NPC-turned-PC with 6 DS points, to symbolize her just having crossed the threshold back into the light, and the danger of slipping right back over with one wrong step. I provide her with opportunities to be truly heroic and noble, to really live up to the Jedi ideal. Then at the end the end of the adventure, I let her choose, either earn a Force Point, or reduce her Dark Side Point count by 1. She's currently dow to 3 DSPs. But, although it's voice is much quieter now, the Dark Side still wispers in her ear...
_________________
Plagiarize! Let no one else's work evade your eyes,
Remember why the good Lord made your eyes! So don't shade your eyes,
But plagiarize, plagiarize, plagiarize... Only be sure to call it, please, "research".
- Tom Lehrer