It's pretty much a staple dark side power, though. It's power varies depending on a number of things. Vader couldn't use it but not because he wasn't strong in the Force. Maul's training and expertise was very focused on the saberstaff and martial arts. He didn't really get a chance to use lightning most of the time, and even when he did it makes sense that he prefers to stick with using his saber.

There would be a power vacuum in just about every criminal syndicate. Former slaves would either be enslaved to somebody else, or run off to join another faction, or alternatively form an independent faction. Former lackeys would fight for control of the Cartel. The black market would be impacted one way or another by a sudden disruption in the slave and spice trades. In terms of the war, the Republic would lose its Hutt allies and the Empire would likely move in to acquire the resources of Hutt worlds. Think of it as a Cartel Civil War.

YES! My main is an IA Sniper. The Agent's role in the war after what happened on Makeb is uncertain given It doesn't really make sense to ignore those with whom the Agent worked in the class story, either, given the kind of information they must still have. So I'm not really convinced at all that involving the wider, less "personal" conflict can be so easily separated from the events of class stories in a way that consistently makes sense.

Y'all are such buzzkills. I'm looking forward to chilling in my own luxurious Kaas City apartment in between missions/warzones instead of Fleet.

Pretty much this, but at least Jar Jar was useful to somebody (i.e. he was useful to Palpatine when he proposed Palpatine's emergency powers).

This. We know Sith have a history on Onderon, not to mention the conflict between the Beast Riders & Iziz. Manaan would be cool, but more than anything I'd like to see Dantooine. It's just such an iconic Old Republic-era planet in my opinion. There was also something about "mysterious cloning experiments" at the Jedi Enclave, which we never really saw explained at all as far as I'm aware. It would also be a great opportunity to explore Haruun Kal, given that the Korunnai were believed to be descendants of Jedi who crashed on the planet during the Exar Kun war (granted, Dromund Kaas and Dxun together would probably be enough of the dark-side-corrupted jungle theme), so I'd lean more toward Manaan in its place).

Best-case scenario, my Agent will survive the destruction of the Sith Empire and go into 'hiding' as an SIS Operative secretly in contact with the remnants of Imperial Intelligence. He will work on the inside to troll the Republic at every opportunity and train another Agent to continue his work.

'Til next Life Day! So...just out of curiosity, is there maintenance this week?

But yeah pretty much this. Everyone won't have the same reason for choosing their faction, though people may have similar ideas. I understand how morality is sort of tied to faction loyalty in this game, but I was always more intrigued by characters who don't just kowtow to the whims of a political elite, and there just seems to be more of that in the Empire. (though you can play as a sycophant as well).

The United States has/does plenty of pervasive terrible stuff (or more accurately certain persons/groups in it do), though, and none of it is justified by anything North Korea does. Same goes for the Republic/Empire. In any case, a small isolationist Empire is brutally repressive because it can't afford to ignore those who don't 'rally around the flag'. Still, you're right, I wouldn't suggest that a smaller Empire would be proportionally less oppressive if it were somehow dramatically expanded (as we indeed see in the at least temporary expansion of the Sith Empire). What we might start to see in place of direct oppression, however, is indifference. In the overly expansionist Republic, many citizens don't live fulfilling lives, and don't even have the sense of purpose that regular soldiers who might care nothing for the Sith themselves get in the Empire. They just wallow away in squalor. This is not to say that either society is desirable, but the Republic has vastly greater resources and manpower yet still haven't beaten the Sith. If it actually learned the Empire's lessons about not squabbling amongst its own or ignoring disadvantaged beings who could be easily made ready to serve, it would crush the Empire easily. Instead the pervasiveness of its own corruption is shown by the fact that this hasn't happened. Awareness of the importance of social cohesion ("loyalty and passion") is what makes those calling for retreat in the Sith Empire more far-sighted than expansionists on either side. Personally I'd like neither, but there are interesting arguments for both if it has to be a choice between these two societies. Indeed, I said as much in my post above. Sith are willing to blow up entire cities/planets/etc. to catch or kill a single Jedi, and like Ben Skywalker said, Jedi seem occasionally willing to blow up the grunts who didn't choose to be there along with the bad guys, and show no signs of regret about it (even killing a high enough number of evil conquerors at once can cause a wound in the Force). Not that the two are necessarily equivalent, but no matter what side you're on by choice or by Force, you'll get caught up when sabers start flying. I agree.

Yeah but that misses the point---that it might do that in time, but not all Sith are necessarily motivated the same way and fallen Jedi typically have different motives than, say, Zannah or even Malgus others born pretty much raised as Sith. It doesn't change that there's something arguably sound to what she said/her motives. Compassionate people can get angry too, and we have plenty of canonical cases of Force users brushing with the dark side while not being twisted...just not of fully immersing themselves in it. We never really saw that play out for Yuthura anyway because Revan redeems her.

The dark side can trigger people to do some pretty evil stuff, but so can any ideology that enforces social stagnation. "Peace is a lie", because when the current order is as corrupt as the Republic is, it will inevitably be upheld by some use of force (or Force). Yuthura Ban pretty much sums it up: "Sometimes anger and hatred are so deserved and right. Sometimes things change because of it.: Unfortunately her plan to use anger and hatred in a crusade against slavery is an exception rather than a rule among the Sith, but there's something worth at least considering there. I'd prefer change guided by the "Light" (i.e. reasoned emotional detachment), but when that is claimed in service of the status quo, anger might be a necessity.

Perhaps, but the Republic does things on a much larger scale. There was a point made in one of the Legacy Era novels (I forget at the moment which one) that life doesn't change for most beings in the galaxy no matter whether a Republic or an Empire governs. 'Grunts' still go about the paperwork and factory labour, gangs still roam the streets, etc. etc. Things probably change for the Jedi & Sith and high-level bureaucrats most of all, except periodically when something gets blown up and many of the faceless masses suffer in an ideological war. As for those runaways on Tython, they got what was coming to them for naively interpreting their base biological urges as "love" () and letting this drive them to behave irresponsibly.

Labyrinth of Evil was good...but the suspense in a novel surrounding the search for Darth Sidious can only go so far given what we already know now.

Hmm. I might come back and edit this list later. I'm currently reading the Darth Bane trilogy and would definitely recommend it (same writer as KOTOR 1 and SWTOR: Revan as well as, I think, at least part of the JK story in SWTOR). Truce at Bakura (I'll try not to spoil it but let's just say in one chapter a certain Force ghost gets a long-overdue telling off and then disappears in shame ). Darth Plagueis Yoda: Dark Rendezvous & Legacy of the Jedi are both great if you want more insight into Dooku's history. Shatterpoint The Revenge of the Sith novelization Death Troopers Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader SWTOR: Deceived is pretty good, but Fatal Alliance is nothing special. I'll grudgingly add TOR: Revan because while there are things about it that I can't stand, it gives crucial background about the Emperor and ties the KOTOR duology to SWTOR's timeline.

I wasn't talking about Malgus.

Throw rugs? Nonsense. That's a waste of perfectly good slave labour!

Nonviolent physical contact with Wookiees is unpatriotic? Wow, and here I was thinking that the Empire was pragmatically loosening up its anti-alien policies. I guess we can't expect much more from a society that's cut off all contact with outsiders for centuries! EDIT: Regardless, Life Day is a primitive tradition based on old myths. I say we just find some patriotic reason to celebrate and "borrow" Life Day traditions. Let's call it "Sith Day" and treat any disagreement about the celebration as a declaration of war by nonbelievers.

Jedi: Qui-Gon, because he was an embodiment of the patience, humility and compassion of a dedicated Jedi, yet he was willing to question the 'wisdom of the Council'. Sith: Dooku, but I was torn between him and Plagueis. Mainly because he wasn't a typical raging reckless Sith but turned more for political reasons. He's kind of an ambiguous character since he was almost brought back into the Jedi by Yoda even near the end of the Clone Wars. He's also pretty damn good with a lightsaber!

"Wars not make one great." Always loved this one.

Not really, no. Much easier not to have another window open and streaming a video.

As a rule, I agree with you. However, as a rule one should expect hostility in return for hostility, not that it's justified but it's a common response. Seems to me in this case he's retaliating, not starting fights. It's an understandable frustration about having something forced on him by other players. In trying to force Double-XP on those who don't want it, people are imposing it on other players. Those asking for an opt-out, on the other hand, are simply saying it should be a matter of personal choice. As a rule, the latter should be preferred because forcing it on everyone isn't necessary. So all the knee-jerk negativity over even suggesting we should be allowed to choose to opt-out should and will be resented.

Not nearly as much, and this is not an argument for making it worse by doubling XP, or a reason to be hostile because someone doesn't share your opinion of it.

So is there an opt-out option this time for those of us leveling a character who don't like Double-XP? I mean, of course, besides having to not play the character because we would be forced to outlevel everything too fast.

I concur! I just solo'd the Voss Kingpin, and it was a nice challenge since I usually group up for that.