Lightsider Sith... What has happened to the Empire?

[Asavar]

Have you actually played light side sith anything?

 

Because a ton of the choices are actually more cynical and evil than the dark side choices.

 

I played my Sith Juggernaut completely dark side to 50, I then made a Marauder and decided I wanted to see the Light side of the story. It's pretty funny.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Asavar

[bahdasz]

For many people, RP is just stupid. I am not a sith. I know I am not a sith. I am not pretending I am a sith. I am a person playing a game, and I want to answer conversations a certain way for whatever reason I want to.

 

Who are you RPers to tell me how I should have to play the game that I paid for anyway? That's right... nobody.

[Rabenschwinge]

I agree that passion doesn't extend to just "Murder, Death, Kill" but in the same vein, someone subscribing to the Sith philosophy and tenets isn't going to choose light sided options due tot he whole nature verses nurture conflict (I opt to agree with the latter as opposed to the former); if a dog is beaten down it eventually is going to bite not lick the hands of a stranger..

 

That is more often true than not, but not inevitable. Especially since you don't know how much beaten down the Sith pupils will be. Maybe a teacher is actually fond of a pupil, maybe he just doesn't care and realizes that on a particular pupil the carrot yields better results than the sticks. Maybe they underestimate how the degree of personality a young girl has already developed. Maybe that pupil is just the exception from the rule - if unlikely it's still possible to become a decent, balanced person after a hard youth, as much as - if I may quote Nightwish in this instance - "Good wombs have born bad sons." - people are not robots after all. Ultimately everyone chooses who they are.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Rabenschwinge

[Cernow]

I've played both Light Side and Dark Side characters on Imperial and most of my favourite storylines so far have been Light Side, they are better rounded, with more depth to them. Imp Agent and Sith Warrior stories are especially interesting playing LS and even with Bounty Hunter LS seems to get most of the interesting dialogue choices.

 

Dark Side by comparison is mostly like playing a cardboard cutout comic book villain. The choices are usually kill without bothering with any dialogue, bully/torture a bit and kill or throw some insults and then kill. Yawn.

 

I expected Dark Side to be about scheming, plotting, deviousness, being underhand and so on. Instead it's mostly about being a stupid murderous jerk at every opportunity. The Dark Side script seems to be mostly aimed at giving adolescent players a power trip and letting them be a jerk without any real consequences beyond developing a bad skin condition with optional on-off switch.

[Jeweledleah]

I tend to lean Light Side.

 

That does NOT mean I'm playing my Sith good and pure and moral (eww), just that when given the option between 1. Murder them all, or 2. Bend them to your will, I will pick #2 nearly every time (unless they angered me enough that #1 became a more valid option).

 

I choose to embrace my emotions as a Sith... ALL OF THEM, not just hate. The Jedi deal with ignoring all emotions is so bloody boring. Emotions are fantastic, and I let my emotions make my Sith's decisions because, to me, that's what 'There is only Passion' is all about.

 

I'm pro-Empire, pro-Sith Superiority, and I lean Light Side and have no qualms about that. I'm just the more long-term, manipulative, power-mongering type than the MURDER DEATH KILL type.... and the options that are more in line with my point of view tend to be Light Side.

 

(It also means that I'll never be Light V or Dark V, because I make plenty of choices on BOTH sides of the spectrum. But, oh well, I play the way that 'feels' right.)

 

this basically.

 

except I cheesed getting to light 5 through diplomacy missions (of not for that, my main probably would have been light 3ish, tops)

 

Malgus, incidentally, would have been light side leaning, had he played through Sith stories.

 

in Empire side stories - light side=/= kind or nice.

by that same virtue, a lot of dark sided choices on republic side are not evil, but rather expedient. and with jedi especially, dark side often ends up being a nicer choice.

[Estriga]

At the same time, I wish that there were consequences for those choices apart from relationship ones. My first character--that fully lightside character--was my most involving and making choices was fairly terrifying, because I expected him to be called to account or attacked for it at every turn. He was threatened, but nothing ever came of it. I'd like to see more in terms of concrete fallout in future chapters even knowing how much whining that would cause in the forums I suspect that some of those threats were intended to result in action, but it was abandoned the way the possibility of losing a companion was. People *say* they want consequences, but....

Well, depends on how that plays out. For example, I started Tatooine last night on my bounty hunter. I was sent to kill the sons of whatever to begin the search for the Czerka facility, and had the option of killing lead warriors of that group. I'd assume choosing to kill them may just have them steer away from me out of fear, while letting them live (which I did as Mako was with me) may have them randomly ambush me from that point of the story on, as I "made enemies" with them. That might be a way to implement consequences and going through with the threats you get based on certain decisions.

 

As most have said, light side choices empire-side are more rational, and even the game itself shows you that some sith that show these dark side traits are outright stupid and a detriment to the empire instead of a benefit.

[IndigoHawk]

Some of the light side choices are more insidious than the dark side choices and take a longer view towards creating a lasting Empire and personal power structure. They also tap into different emotions and passions, which many Sith ignore. One reason that Sith fail to destroy the Jedi time and time again is that so many on the dark side are simply psychotic children who can't stop destroying their own toys long enough to see their will fulfilled.

 

If you play your character as an Empire loyalist, often you'll end up taking light side choices because you want to further the Empire, not destroy it. If you play as a rage filled Sith, then pretty much all you can do is destroy things and hope that the Imperials can clean up the mess before you accidentally destroy too much of the Empire. So ... loyalty to Sith philosophy and to the Empire are slightly different. Also, it's not clear why mainstream Sith use so few of their emotions and passions.

[KotWR]

i just ignore lightsider siths.. they are traitors to the empire and do not deserve my attention.

 

My Legacy founder character is a Sith Pureblood, Purebloods have "a reason for being dark-sided"... and Sith or Sith Purebloods who go lightside are simply trators and unloyal to their own species.

 

even worse are Republic Sith Purebloods.... traitors deserve to burn... nothing less

 

Yet being a Sith Pureblood in the Sith inquisitor story makes zero sense.

[Tattari]

I tend to lean Light Side.

 

That does NOT mean I'm playing my Sith good and pure and moral (eww), just that when given the option between 1. Murder them all, or 2. Bend them to your will, I will pick #2 nearly every time (unless they angered me enough that #1 became a more valid option).

 

I choose to embrace my emotions as a Sith... ALL OF THEM, not just hate. The Jedi deal with ignoring all emotions is so bloody boring. Emotions are fantastic, and I let my emotions make my Sith's decisions because, to me, that's what 'There is only Passion' is all about.

 

I'm pro-Empire, pro-Sith Superiority, and I lean Light Side and have no qualms about that. I'm just the more long-term, manipulative, power-mongering type than the MURDER DEATH KILL type.... and the options that are more in line with my point of view tend to be Light Side.

 

(It also means that I'll never be Light V or Dark V, because I make plenty of choices on BOTH sides of the spectrum. But, oh well, I play the way that 'feels' right.)

 

This is my Sith Warrior right there.

 

She's from a family of very powerful Sith and Humans. She's a hybrid and she's very very Empire oriented. She DOES want to do good....for the Empire. She wants it to succeed. She even has some views that people would see as problematic, especially regarding slavery. But, she sees doing certain things to make the situation better for them, despite seeing them as fully in their place. As in, "make things better accessible for them, but they know they'll always be servants and never be free." You know? Poor Jaesa has conflicts with that....

 

But anywho, my SW is LS and also does DS choices, so long as they benefit the Empire.

[AsheraII]

Yet being a Sith Pureblood in the Sith inquisitor story makes zero sense.

Once you met your great-great-grand-dad, you'll agree that a Twi'lek Inquisitor makes even less sense. It's a matter of suspension of disbelief. I'd actually find it easier to think up a reason for a Pureblood to be sent into slavery, than for a Sith Lord to be even remotely capable of maintaining his position for longer than an afternoon with half his brains cut off.

[Tattari]

It's easy to play a fully lightside sith--easier than being a fully lightside jedi, imo, as a fully lightside jedi has to do things that are a clear risk to victory in a way that a warrior does not. Sith aren't necessarily born to sith parents so they can have other influences. They can still be loyal to the empire and be lightside, too. From an imperial pov, the republic is chaotic, hypocritical and appears to encourage criminality. One of my warriors has a backstory of having parents who were officers in the military, giving him a sense of obligation to the troops and preserving the empire. The sith code speaks of passion and that can mean more than rage. Fully darkside sith come off as sociopaths and can be viewed as weakening the empire and lessening the chances of victory. They did a good job of making both lightside sith and darkside jedi seem reasonable within the storylines.

 

That being said, if you rp characters, giving them a set of beliefs that inform their decision making rather than just picking ls or ds because of the label, most characters are going to end up picking both. I only have one character who is fully lightside or ds with no opposing points--and that's one of my warriors. A lightside one.

 

At the same time, I wish that there were consequences for those choices apart from relationship ones. My first character--that fully lightside character--was my most involving and making choices was fairly terrifying, because I expected him to be called to account or attacked for it at every turn. He was threatened, but nothing ever came of it. I'd like to see more in terms of concrete fallout in future chapters even knowing how much whining that would cause in the forums I suspect that some of those threats were intended to result in action, but it was abandoned the way the possibility of losing a companion was. People *say* they want consequences, but....

 

That is true, but, there is one NPC...either on Dromund Kaas or Koriban, I can't remember which, that question you and if you play a SW, you can make a comment calling them out with something like, "how dare you question my family line/my superior sith linage."

 

I can't remember the exact phrasing, but your SW is assumed to be from an influential sith family.

 

But, since this game is very RP friendly, you can make your backstories however you want. But for just pure game sake, the SW is supposed to from a high standing family.

[uramu]

The Dark Side script seems to be mostly aimed at giving adolescent players a power trip and letting them be a jerk without any real consequences beyond developing a bad skin condition with optional on-off switch.

 

Thanks for the newest addition to my sig.

 

Love,

A light side inquisitor who just finished his story line a few hours ago.

 

Note: My first 50 was a full dark Jugg. It made sense for the Jugg. I am very happy with the strangely appropriate light side options for my 'Sin ... I won't elaborate on either due to spoilage. I got much more into the 'Sin I quit playing some 10 months ago when I unsubbed once I quit shocking and murdering everything. Much more interesting and in-character this way.

[Eittik]

So first off, I just want to make it emphatically clear that I have no issues with light-sider characters perse; Jedi (of course) and pretty much all the other no-force related classes can be perceived as light side in one way or another if the player chooses and more the power to them. My question is simply this; why play a character that is based off of the Sith philosophy and tenets then simply say "Nuts to all his, I'm going to hug a wookie and maybe save some Jawas!"

 

This isn't a bash by any means and I am sure someone is going to say "It's a matter of personal preference and you can't judge yadda yadda yadda." But I just want to know why you choose to play a Sith and then go lightside; how did you make your decision, what swayed you etc. I'm just curious...

 

 

Because you can skip a ton of junky fights as LS. Thats pretty much what was the deciding factor when I leveled my first and only lightside toon.

[SithKoriandr]

For many people, RP is just stupid. I am not a sith. I know I am not a sith. I am not pretending I am a sith. I am a person playing a game, and I want to answer conversations a certain way for whatever reason I want to.

 

Who are you RPers to tell me how I should have to play the game that I paid for anyway? That's right... nobody.

 

I keep telling people this is most likely the most common feeling towards anything in the game, RPer or not.

[BrianDavion]

look at it this way. it's a matter of prespective. just because it's a lught side choice for the empire doesn't mean the person would be classed as lightside outside that class storyline.. as I've noted a lightside sith warrior is "still a concentration camp guard"

[Arkerus]

I';e played part of a light side sith....and he's still an a%&hole, just a nicer &%&^$@.

 

He/She is still very pro empire and pretty much carries out the empire's dirty deeds.

 

I wish they hadn't called it light and dark side. They should have use "honor" and "chaos" or something like that. They could have just made the force part of the dialogue in the game.

 

The other way to think about it is this:

 

2000+ years before "A New Hope" light and dark side was NOT indictative of your chosen side in the galaxy. Light and Dark side was more of a personal choice but both sides accepted them with some reluctance.

 

For example, if you play a dark side Jedi they aren't going to kick you out of the order because you still faithfully serve the republic. Way back then, it was more of a matter of who you serve rather than what side of the force you respect.

Edited January 28, 2013 by Arkerus

[Coinspinner]

The real problem is that they gave no benefit for being neutral (grey), so you could play each piece of the story according to the situation. It forces people to go to extremes just so they can max the light/dark points for the perks.

 

It's much less fun to play a story when you feel like you have to be completely good or completely evil at every given moment. The choice, it seems, is just the facade, masking what is only our end game fashion.

 

Disclaimer: This post is meant to be taken lightly.

Edited January 28, 2013 by Coinspinner

[Xienive]

The real problem is that they gave no benefit for being neutral (grey), so you could play each piece of the story according to the situation. It forces people to go to extremes just so they can max the light/dark points for the perks.

 

It's much less fun to play a story when you feel like you have to be completely good or completely evil at every given moment. The choice, it seems, is just the facade masking what is only our end game fashion.

 

Disclaimer: This post is meant to be taken lightly.

 

I very much so agree.

 

I played a neutral Scoundrel and there was no benefit to it at all. I couldn't use relics, I couldn't use some weapons and I get no special ability for not maxxing out one or the other.

 

Playing just one side on any class is boring imo. I only play all dark on my Inq because I want the corruption from dark IV but I think it would be much better if I didn't do that.

[MariaD]

Well, my Inquisitor wants to reform the Empire so it's even more orderly and rational. That includes removal of slavery and some reduction of war and violence (after the Republic is crushed). The Light Side choices align very well with those goals.

[DevonDs]

I think what you may be missing OP is that one of the Sith's core values is freedom. They want to do what they want, if it includes "light side" then they do it. Some have a sense of loyalty to the Empire. I've racked up light-side points turning down graft, making choices that were the best for the long term interests of the Empire.

[amnie]

"Peace is a lie,there is only passion....through victory,my chains are broken."

 

I find it easy and natural to play a DS inquisitor. If you were brought up as a Sith slave you'd quickly learn that only the strongest and most cunning survive. I doubt that there would be much room for compassion in that environment. You'd grow up independent, uneducated, resourceful, pragmatic and selfish out of necessity. You'd have hatred and resentment by the bucket-load, but you'd quickly appreciate the truth of the Sith code as you learn to channel that anger to literally break your chains. If you were forced into slavery instead of being born to it, then you may perhaps have a very different perspective. Different again too, if you were the personal slave of a compassionate master rather than a dehumanised resource in a labour camp.

 

funny that. what I said earlier still applies: when I was a slave why the hell would I ever bend to their code?

 

not forgetting to mention that according to your logic of growing up around the code I would also know that 'chains' refer to chains of the mind, not physical chains. in fact I'd argue the sith code even tells you to.. well.. break the code. maybe my LS inquistor is just smarter than your DS inquisitor

[MariaD]

I've always wondered about some of the choices. Run BT for a perfect example. Killing the general is dark side, taking him prisoner is light side. Okay, but given that he's going to be tortured and interrogated basically to death, killing him would be a mercy.

Imperial LS is not about mercy - it's about loyalty (to the Empire) and keeping order. DS is about chaos and sadism. So, bringing someone in for interrogation benefits the Imperial citizens more, so it's Light - by the Empire's standards.

[Caelith]

For me Sometimes the darkside choices are just plain stupid.

 

My Inquisitor for example is mostly lightside because he wants to see the Empire win the war, and he knows that a kind act or a soft word win people over quicker than mindless murder.

 

My Warrior will be of the same mindset but more darkside, but i will take lightside choices if they benefit the Empire.

[ScarletBlaze]

For many people, RP is just stupid. I am not a sith. I know I am not a sith. I am not pretending I am a sith. I am a person playing a game, and I want to answer conversations a certain way for whatever reason I want to.

 

Who are you RPers to tell me how I should have to play the game that I paid for anyway? That's right... nobody.

 

Actually this can go both ways. While it is not right for RPers to tell people how to play the game it is also not right for non RPers to tell Rpers how to play the game.

 

And RP is not stupid just like doing pvp isn't stupid. It is the way some people like to play a game. Calling one area stupid just because you don't like it is wrong no matter what area of the game it is.

[Keadil]

My sage is DS, my sentinel is LS. It doesn't really matter, just gives you a different perspective. You can still be loyal to your faction without serving their stereotypical views.