See also: Philosophy, The Dark Path
The Force has two aspects, one Light and one Dark. The Dark Side lurks in the shadows, whispering to Force-users, tempting them with quick and easy access to power. While seemingly stronger, The Dark Side is only easier. It consists of the destructive impulses of all living beings. Anger, fear, hatred, and aggression are expressions of The Dark Side, and such emotions can quickly lead a Force-user down The Dark Side's corrupting path. Early on in their training, a Force-user finds that The Dark Side greatly enhances their abilities. After a time, The Dark Side demands more and more of those in its embrace.
Dark Side Score
Your Dark Side Score measures the extent to which you've been corrupted by The Dark Side of The Force. A 1st-level character begins play with a Dark Side Score of 0. The only way to increase one's Dark Side Score is to commit evil acts.
A character who commits an evil act increases their Dark Side Score by 1. What constitutes an evil act is discussed under The Dark Side Transgressions, below. Regardless of how many evil acts a character commits, the maximum Dark Side Score a character can possess is equal to their Wisdom score. Thus, a character with a Wisdom score of 15 can have a maximum Dark Side Score of 15. A character whose Dark Side Score equals their Wisdom score has fully embraced The Dark Side and is wholly evil. A hero who falls to The Dark Side becomes a GM character (Unless the GM wants to allow the player to continue playing The Dark Side character as a sort of campaign anti-hero).
Dark Side Transgressions
The GM should use the considerations detailed below as guidelines for whether or not to increase a character's Dark Side Score. The guidelines are separated by degree: Major transgressions are acts that definitely deserve an increase, moderate transgressions are acts that probably deserve an increase, and minor transgressions are acts that could be considered dark but probably don't deserve an increase.
Major Transgressions
Any of the following transgressions should increase a character's Dark Side Score by 1:
- Performing a blatantly evil act: This includes deliberately killing or injuring another character who hasn't done anything wrong or who honestly seeks redemption for evil acts they performed in the past.
- Using a Force Power with the [Dark Side] descriptor: A few Force Powers are, by their very nature, evil. Examples of Force Powers with the [Dark Side] descriptor include Force Lightning, which channels dark energy, and and Dark Rage, which feeds on negative emotions.
- Using the Force in anger: Using the Force in anger or hatred is bad, but this can be hard to enforce. It's difficult to determine the emotion a character is experiencing. The GM should increase a character's Dark Side Score by 1 in these situations only when the player specifically states that their character is feeling fear, anger, hatred, pride, jealousy, greed, vengeance, and so forth.
Moderate Transgressions
Any of the following transgressions might increase a character's Dark Side Score by 1, at the GM's discretion:
- Using the Force to cause undue harm: Many uses of the Force are not overtly of The Dark Side, but they can be harmful or even fatal in their applications. When a Force Power that isn't specifically tied to The Dark Side is used to harm living beings, the GM should consider increasing the character's Dark Side Score by 1.
- Performing a questionably evil act: Some acts, while seemingly cruel, aren't necessarily evil. The GM should consider the intent behind the action before deciding to increase a character's Dark Side Score. For example, it may be a transgression to deliberately kill or injure (or allow someone else to kill or injure) a character known to have committed evil acts without remorse, but who is otherwise helpless.
Minor Transgressions
Any of the following transgressions might increase a character's Dark Side Score by 1, at the GM's discretion:
- Performing a dubiously evil act: Increase a character's Dark Side Score only when the act is out of proportion to the situation. In most cases, the GM shouldn't increase a character's Dark Side Score for a single incident, but multiple incidents may indicate that the character has an unconscious cruel streak. For example, a hero who kills an opponent in combat while ignoring opportunities to end the situation without the loss of life might deserve an increased Dark Side Score, though a specific situation might not appear quite so clear-cut.
Additional Resisting The Dark Side's Call
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Jedi Academy Training Manual
The lure of The Dark Side is strong. It will tempt you in ways you never thought possible. Only the strongest of wills is able to resist succumbing to The Dark Side after being tainted by its power for so long.
If a character's Dark Side Score is equal to more than half of his or her Wisdom score, he or she can attempt to resist taking a Dark Side Point. If they make a successful Wisdom check (DC = 5 + their Dark Side Score), they avoid increasing their Dark Side Score in a situation where they normally would.
Atoning
A hero tainted by The Dark Side can work their way back to the light through heroic deeds, the use of Force Points, and by atoning for past misdeeds. A dark character's only path back to the light is to accomplish a truly epic act of heroism against the dark and in the service of the light.Effectively, the tainted character accomplishes this by reducing their Dark Side Score. A character can sacrifice 1 Force Point to reduce their Dark Side Score by 1 and clear one box on their Dark Side Score Tracker. This form of atonement represents a period of meditation, reflection, and absolution on the part of the character. If desired by the player and GM, this can be worked into the campaign as part of an adventure, but it isn't necessary. It can occur between adventures.
In addition, an act of Dramatic Heroism by the character- if performed without calling upon The Dark Side- reduces the character's Dark Side Score by 1 and clears one box on their Dark Side Score Tracker.A dark character can't reduce their Dark Side Score by atoning. Such a character's only option is an act of Dramatic Heroism.
Dramatic Heroism
A dark character may attempt to turn away from The Dark Side by performing an act of Dramatic Heroism without calling upon The Dark Side of the Force. Such an act should require extreme personal cost, be made in a selfless manner, and provide a significant benefit to the galactic balance. Darth Vader performed such an act of Dramatic Heroism at the end of Return of the Jedi when he sacrificed his own life to save his son and destroy the Emperor. Kyp Durron (In the expanded Star Wars universe) performed a similar act of Dramatic Heroism by destroying the Sun Crusher, a super weapon prototype. Additionally, Jedi history tells of a Jedi named Bastila Shan (From Knights of the Old Republic) falling to The Dark Side, but in an act of Dramatic Heroism she turned the Republic fleet against Darth Malak using a powerful form of Battle Meditation.
If the GM accepts the act as being appropriately heroic, dramatic, and selfless, the character's Dark Side Score drops to 1, and they clear all but one of the boxes on their Dark Side Score Tracker (So that they have a number of empty boxes equal to one less their Wisdom score). In addition, The Dark Side exacts a final toll by drawing away all of the character's current Force Points. Henceforth, the character must strive to walk the path of The Light Side.
Additional A Helping Hand
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Jedi Academy Training Manual
Dark Side Score Tracker
The Dark Side Score Tracker is a useful tool for tracking a hero's devotion to The Dark Side. The Dark Side Score Tracker is represented as a row of 24 numbered boxes at the bottom of your Saga Edition Character Sheet.A character's Dark Side Score Tracker should have a number of empty boxes equal to the character's Wisdom score. Any extra boxes should be shaded in or blacked out.
Whenever a hero's Dark Side Score increases by 1, the player fills in one of the empty boxes on the character's Dark Side Score Tracker. When a character has no more empty boxes on their Dark Side Score Tracker, they are considered to be dark. They are now effectively lost to The Dark Side and have little hope of finding redemption.Whenever a character's Wisdom score increases by 1, they gain an additional empty box on their Dark Side Score Tracker. This box remains empty until their Dark Side Score increases by 1.
A hero who still has empty boxes on their Dark Side Score Tracker may be tainted by The Dark Side, but not beyond redemption. A tainted character can rid themselves of The Dark Side's taint by atoning.
Heroes and the Dark Side
A GM may decide to run a completely heroic campaign. In this case, the GM can rule that once a Force-using character becomes dark, that character becomes a GM character and is no longer under the control of the player. If you're the GM, consider this option carefully before implementing it, because it takes away player freedom. If you put this rule in place at the start of your campaign, then it just becomes part of the rules and everyone is aware of the consequences of walking down the dark path.
Beware the Dark Side
Most players don't want their Jedi characters to slip over to The Dark Side of the Force. If you want a campaign where all the heroes most constantly strive against the lure of The Dark Side, then the GM should increase a character's Dark Side Score for even the most minor of transgressions. If you want a campaign where the heroes have more room to explore options, or if you don't want slipping to The Dark Side to be a major theme of the campaign, then the GM should consider increasing a character's Dark Side Score only for major or moderate transgressions.
Sensing The Dark Side
You must be aware that your target has a Dark Side Score of 1+ to use Talents, Feats, or other abilities that depend on your target having a Dark Side Score. Witnessing a target performing an action that would earn an increase to one’s Dark Side Score (Such as using a Force Power with the [Dark Side] descriptor) satisfies this requirement. Gamemasters may also waive this requirement when you encounter an opponent that you know to have a Dark Side Score due to previous encounters (such as having past experience with Stormtroopers or Sith Lords) or for opponents taking no particular precautions to conceal the presence of a Dark Side Score (such as Thugs, Bounty Hunters, Crime Lords, etc.).