New Net Guid idea

[PapaSith1]

ok i was wondering this last time our group met.
according to the original D6 rules you where not allowed to play a dark side character but that rule is out of date so we where goinng to come up with a guide to playing a dark side character. i know they have info in the D20 source book on this but i am poor and lazy so i will not buy it but i am wondering if we might be able to assemble a dark side net guide for people that want to play a dark side character in D6

[evan hansen]

Great idea!

One place I would suggest starting is the commonalities between playing any evil character and Dark Siders. For example, what are the similiarities between playing an Imperial, a Sith Lord, a random dark side force user, an especially bad pirate or bounty hunter, etc... Find the common threads and use that as a basis for your explination. You may find it easier to break down your guide that way.

just a thought. (I'd be more than happy to help, btw)

[Slave-1]

Actualy in 2ndEd R&E they give a genral outline for Gamemasters with players as Dark Side jedi. No hard and fast rules, tho the GM is STRONGLY encouraged to be ... well ... lets say not so nice to these characters.

[evan hansen]

Wow. Do they give an explination for that?

If I were writing the book, I'd give suggestions for running an entire Dark Side campaign rather than suggestions for how the GM can intentionally treat a player negatively. Obviously, I don't have this book, but based on what I've read here, it seems to be a strange way to handle it.

i'm familiar with the thinking that SW-RPG is heroic and heroes are "good," so no one should play evil characters.

But I find it interesting to play it from the viewpoint of a person who doesn't find his actions evil -- someone who actually thinks he or she is doing what's best for them, and, thus, it's OK. Even a Grand Admiral might not be "evil." He might be motivated by a sense of order. Imitating that can be a pretty stimulating game.

[jarv]

Actualy, there is some kind of DS sourcebook for d6. It's not quite like D20, but it seems fine...

PDF files (each one is one chapter) can be found here:
http://www.geocities.com/keyofsolomon/

[Empireof1]

About the "Grand Admiral" thought...

I once played an Imperial Naval Admiral, from his start in Imperial Intelligence, all the way through to his "retirement." He served his cause, obeyed his orders and, most of all, he did his best to keep his crew and his ships intact.

Yes, the Empire itself was never evil. It was the psychopath at the helm that ruined it.

[The Admiral]

perhaps worth noting that Heroes and Rogues had about a third of the book dedicated to running games on the other side of the fence.

[Empireof1]

I never had the chance to look through that book.

[Slave-1]

Here are the 'Rules' from 2nd Ed R&E for playing dark side characters, and they have a section on returning to the light. I wont quote exactly as this is copywrittien material. The information is found on p152 of 2nd Ed R&E

Consumed players retain all charater and force points

Dark Side characters only recieve force points when they spend one commiting evil at a 'dramaticaly apprpriate time' all other uses you just looses it. You also gain 1 charater point when you recieve a force point. This is the only way to recieve character points for these players.

You gain a dark side point normaly(just for committing or bringing about evil acts)

The dark sider can call upon the dark side to gain dark side points, special rules apply that i wont list

If the character calls upon the dark side and fails a roll, roll 1D, and loose that many charater points, if you dont have enough, you lose 1D in a force skill (Control Sence Alter) or an attribut, GM's choice on wich happens.

This is only part of the section on dark siders, you should really read it as soon as you get the chance too.

[Jastor]

the fan made Dark Side Sourcebook is one big .... WOAH ... everything, nothing, + a little more is covered there.. I give it 5/5 .. IF you plan to play .. or gm any dark side characters i recommend reading it.

btw. how long hasnt it been: "soon to be finished"?

[Emporer-Palpatine]

Is this online? were would i get it?

[jarv]

I posted the url above.

As far as I know, it's "it will be finished" from long time...
maybe someone could contact the authors, and get permissions to finish it ?

that's quite nice idea...

[PapaSith1]

i read there book and there is a bit more i feel there nedds to be written, more like HOW you can play a character with evil intentions while the party is completely good. for instance hiden motives and eventual betral make for an interesting game

[evan hansen]

Oooooooooooh. That is *so* my specialty. :-D

I have so many things I'm working on now, I'll get spread out if I do anymore. But if no one tackles this, I'm going to add it to the plate for the end of the summer.

In reality, though, there isn't actually that much to say. Some good examples would be nice. But here are some suggestions, ideas based on my own experiences playing these types of things with characters.

1 - Any "double agent" type PCs should always talk with the GM before hand. He could surprise the GM if he wanted, but I think that it's almost more interesting if the GM helps the PC really, really get his character over as a good guy. So, for example, you might have a group of Rebels, but one of them is a double agent. The GM could orchestrate some situation where the double agent saves all their lives or something to that effect. In reality, he's an evil Imperial undercover specialist, and he turns on all of the other players at the end of the campaign. He very well might die or kill all of them or simply escape them, but the twist ending is something they'll never see coming. Especially with the GM looking out for him.

2 - Truly evil characters have no alliances. They do whatever they can do to advance their motives. They work with someone until that motive no longer exists, and then they dispose of that person because that person is now a hinderence. No friendships, no alliances, and no contracts -- at least, none that get kept. :-)

3 - Real evil seems to come in two forms: complete randomness and very masterminded. There seems to be very little gray area with the really disgustingly bad stuff. Someone is simply psychotic and does a terrible act for no reason at all (random) or someone, like the Emperor or a Moff, plans some terrible act and has people carry it out (masterminded). I try to reflect one of those extremes because they seem to be the most tragic, most punishing, or most gruesome. A random act of violence or terror seems to always draw the "Why?" questions. Masterminded events get the same reaction along with the coldness of knowing someone planned out and wanted to execute this plan.

4 - Evil is subjective. Not to start a moral relativism thread here, but I think that if you're on the side of the "evil," you don't always know it. That's why I liked to play Imperial campaigns where the players are Leiutenants or Ensigns (or whatever) who simply have no idea the scale of power and evil put behind the Empire. They think they are free from any manipulation, lead to believe that they are in the right. Rebels are terror-loving anarchists in their eyes. So always keep in mind Obi-Wan's speech to Luke about "from a certain point of view."

Those are just a few quick thoughts to consider for those of you pondering this kind of game.

[Slave-1]

Perception is reality. Here is an example:

4 PC's are tie fighter pilots. They are patroling an area of a planet. Suddly they spot 4 x-wings. Suspecting rebel activity (who else would have them) they move in to investigate. The x-wing make a break for it. Now they something is up. They follow. The x-wings turn and fire when they are cut off by another fliet of ties. All the PC's in the tie's know is that some one is shooting at them, there not going to care about the who's and why's at the moment, maybe later, but not now.

Perception is truely reality, and every one always thinks there doing there best to do the right thing. Even palpi, he wanted to bring order and justice to the galaxy. Of course he is pure evil, but i am sure he doesn't see it that way.