Most interesting Dark Side Story

[Dwyn]

Hello everyone

 

First I would like to apologize for the inherent subjectivity of this topic but that is what I am asking - subjective opinions.

 

All my characters until now are somewhere between neutral and light side as I made choices based on personal preference but I would like to play a fully dark side one even though I know it's not recommended to play a character with predetermined choices. I just want to experience how a fully Dark character plays. To reach Dark V, I will probably also pick Diplomacy as crew skill.

 

My question is which dark side story would you recommend?

 

From searching before posting, Smuggler and Inquisitor seem to be popular choices. I would like to mention that I am looking for a "rational" DS story, as in one that doesn't make my character feel like a psychopath. I know Bioware choices are not very complex but still I would like a story that doesn't make the LS/DS dichotomy one about Good vs Evil but one about Reason vs Emotion. Basically, I don't want to kill/cause pain/be an *** for the sake of it but because it's rational to gain more power for my character making the DS choice.

 

One more thought: I honestly don't feel that the DS/LS truly applies to non-Force users. For gaming mechanics of course it's viable but for story purpose to actually chose the Dark Side, I think it's best to be a Jedi/Sith - maybe I am wrong

 

Hope I was clear enough and thanks for your opinions.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Dwyn

[ZeoFiveRed]

I found dark side trooper really fun. I've done a couple classes two times through to see dark and light difference. The Jedi classes always felt weird dark as it just made council seem like idiots who couldn't sense that one of there best was not so secretly a sociopath.

 

Sith warrior is great as pure dark side as you are just an unstoppable killing machine that lays waste to everything in their way. Sith warrior in general is a great class, having one of the best stories and set of companions.

 

Though trooper is the one i personally enjoyed most. As you are just kinda the worst/best soldier ever if your dark side. A light side trooper is pretty dull as its kinda like every well known trooper in star wars canon. Dark side you feel like someone who joined the military not out of pride for the republic but of really hating the empire. Your always out for yourself and hate bureaucracy/jedi. You become a one person army for the republic who is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done ( kinda like black ops). You don't care about saving people, just destroying the enemy and you show no remorse. Also you are cruel to your squad ( such as aric or elara) but they respect you as they see you are only one who can get job done. Best part is M1-4X loves when your dark side and justifies every action you do to himself. Also makes you and Tano Vik like best buds which makes his character arc more fun.

 

Trooper storyline is pretty meh but i found the dark side play through better because of reasons stated above. I will say however i think the trooper has the best companions on the republic side as i genuinely like all 5 of them. Though M1 4X and Tano Vik shine in a dark side play through. Essentially you are kinda the Wolverine/ Riddick of the republic and that just makes you a bad ***

 

Smuggler as a dark side isn't evil, just the biggest jerk in the galaxy. You comes accross as cruel and vindictive just for sake of it, which is kinda fun but goes against you wanting to play a rational dark side character. Inquisitor as dark side is kinda like trooper of light side. Its just what all other canon sith lords do and it sometimes makes you feel like a one note character to play pure dark side, as some times the light side would have more gain and power involved. So playing a full dark side inquisitor makes you feel like someone who worships the dark side and refuses the light exists and that all must suffer.

 

Hope this helped

Edited November 22, 2016 by ZeoFiveRed

[SteveTheCynic]

To reach Dark V, I will probably also pick Diplomacy as crew skill.

I find this interesting. Back in the day, my created-before-2.0 Commando reached Light V part-way round Voss, maybe early Corellia (it was about three years ago...), *without* Diplomacy. Lots of Bounty contracts giving light points, and an unrelenting rule to always pick the LS option any time there was one.

 

As to your basic question:

* DS Inquisitor is a bit crazy, but is worth doing once.

* DS Warrior is, as well, but (if male) gets to bed a seriously crazy woman.

[Cuiwe]

As in full on Dark V story?

 

Probably not a single one due how unrealistic it is. You practically end up as a moustache twirling villain. But I find Smuggler's story good-equally on Light and Dark side. Dark side is like a mafia don / godfather. Almost like goodfellas. I'd suggest that one. But Trooper's DS is good too. I think that you end up as a mix of Garza and Tanno.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Cuiwe

[gaelicvixen]

According to the old D&D alignment quizzes I am myself Lawful Evil and (perhaps as a result) 13 of my 14 characters have been neutral-to-dark, so I certainly have some subjective opinions to share on the subject

 

Everything beyond this point is just that, my very subjective opinion, and as such YMMV

 

Jedi Consular: This story would make no sense whatsoever with a DS playthrough and if a story is nonsensical I lose interest very quickly, so that one I wouldn't recommend.

 

Smuggler and Bounty Hunter: Both have a lot of potential for a DS playthrough given the very nature of their professions. Mine both wound up almost perfectly neutral simply because neither felt any faction loyalty and were motivated by their bottom line, which meant sometimes they went with the DS choice and sometimes the LS choice.

 

Trooper: There's an old saying that what makes a man a hero in wartime makes him a murderer in peace, so if you approach the Trooper with that in mind there's really nothing jarring about making DS choices as one. In fact, there are times when the LS choice is actually the one that felt "worse" for lack of a better word. Mine is a dark leaning neutral because I played him as if he was my father, who is a retired Army officer and decorated war veteran. He's the consummate professional soldier who believes his cause to be just, doesn't take any pleasure in killing, and will minimise civilian casualties when he can but not if doing so will jeopardise either the mission or his men. He also has precious little respect for politicians and even less patience with civilians giving the military orders. The story does support this kind of character and if the idea of a soldier for the "good guys" being no less ruthless than his enemy appeals to you, then you might enjoy trying DS Trooper.

 

Jedi Knight: Mine is for all intents and purposes a Fallen Jedi who has only been spared that realisation and the consequences that would follow because the game doesn't allow faction transfers. I played him as if he was my precious trash son, Anakin, and honestly had a blast. Satele does recognise that a DS JK is a ticking time bomb but in war ideals are often sacrificed for expediency. Knight is one of four classes that feels the most natural as the Outlander, even as DS despite that story so heavily favouring LS.

 

Sith Inquisitor: Considering where you wind up at the culmination of this class story, a DS playthrough makes a fair bit of sense. While it's true that a fair portion of all the DS choices in the game are what I would call Stupid Evil - killing for no discernible reason other than a mindless blood lust - canonically the SI starts out as a slave and as such would have experienced the worst of the Empire. It stands to reason that upon being given a chance to not only be free but to be powerful, some individuals would go to extremes either to fit in or to get a bit of their own back. My Sorc is a dark leaning neutral but my Sin is fairly dark and definitely a bit unhinged; and I've enjoyed both equally. Inquisitor is the second class that has not felt awkward being the Outlander, though so far only my Sorc has made it that far so I can't say how that story feels for DS SI.

 

Imperial Agent: I have three of these because I wanted to experience the three possible endings <_< and more of Bertie Carvel's voice. My fangirling aside, the story is excellent regardless of alignment. But if playing a cold, calculating, ruthless, and amoral spy piques your interest I definitely recommend IA. I'm not always happy with the gameplay as an Operative but he's probably my favourite character. Agent is the third class that I've not had to head canon too much with as the Outlander due to the class story, too.

 

Sith Warrior: I have three of these for a number of reasons, but as it turns out they each wound up with a different alignment. Dark leaning neutral SW is probably my favourite of the three but a DS SW that isn't Stupid Evil is not only possible it's also quite a bit of fun. And you are the Emperor's Wrath, the personification of his rage and vengeance, so if you want to go whole hog and do a full DS playthrough that makes sense, too. A popular opinion seems to be that KotFE was written for the JK and while that may be true, it also works equally well for either a loyal to the end Wrath or a Wrath sick of being betrayed.

 

TL;DR version: IMO pretty much any class except JC has potential for a fun DS playthrough, it just depends on what interests you about a DS character beyond the sheer novelty of it.

[ShadowOfSonic]

Jedi Consular: This story would make no sense whatsoever with a DS playthrough and if a story is nonsensical I lose interest very quickly, so that one I wouldn't recommend.

 

Personally, I enjoyed my DS Consular playthrough. There's occasional discrepancies (similar to DS Knight, actually), but a DS Consular tends to see beyond their immediate circumstances. One of the best examples:

 

 

Whether to kill Vivicar or to use your shielding power on him. If you shield him and free him from Terak Morrhage's influence, he [might] be redeemed but Morrhage will undoubtedly return in the distant future. If you kill him, every Jedi affected by the plague will die, but Morrhage will be gone for good.

 

 

Just because an option is 'Dark Side' doesn't mean that the Jedi making the choice is a Dark Side user. For the Consular, Light/Dark choices are typically measured as immediate consequences vs. long-term consequences (just as how for a SW Light/Dark choices tend to be based on good of the Empire vs. personal ambition).

[gaelicvixen]

Personally, I enjoyed my DS Consular playthrough. There's occasional discrepancies (similar to DS Knight, actually), but a DS Consular tends to see beyond their immediate circumstances. One of the best examples:

 

 

Whether to kill Vivicar or to use your shielding power on him. If you shield him and free him from Terak Morrhage's influence, he [might] be redeemed but Morrhage will undoubtedly return in the distant future. If you kill him, every Jedi affected by the plague will die, but Morrhage will be gone for good.

 

 

Just because an option is 'Dark Side' doesn't mean that the Jedi making the choice is a Dark Side user. For the Consular, Light/Dark choices are typically measured as immediate consequences vs. long-term consequences (just as how for a SW Light/Dark choices tend to be based on good of the Empire vs. personal ambition).

 

All of that makes sense and I'm actually glad to see someone argue in favour of a DS JC because thus far I've seen only the opposite, and I do believe variety is the spice of life.

 

The problem I personally had with Consular was the idea that the character is taking the kind of damage the SI takes in the pursuit of power for purely altruistic reasons. As such, it was impossible for me to make any choice that wasn't equally altruistic because it felt odd. I even took the hits from Qyzen for not encouraging him to hunt Wookies like it was his job for that reason. Of course I'm only talking about the class story here. She's only just hit Makeb and I'm not sure she'll be so quick to volunteer to half-kill herself simply because it's the right thing to do in future

[Dwyn]

Very pertinent arguments - while I agree that basically all stories can be played with a Dark Side approach, I guess I was looking for what would be the most plausible - as in to feel like a justified course of action. Trooper definitely looks like a good option.

 

Thanks for all the opinions

[Cuiwe]

Personally, I enjoyed my DS Consular playthrough. There's occasional discrepancies (similar to DS Knight, actually), but a DS Consular tends to see beyond their immediate circumstances. One of the best examples:

 

 

Whether to kill Vivicar or to use your shielding power on him. If you shield him and free him from Terak Morrhage's influence, he [might] be redeemed but Morrhage will undoubtedly return in the distant future. If you kill him, every Jedi affected by the plague will die, but Morrhage will be gone for good.

 

 

Just because an option is 'Dark Side' doesn't mean that the Jedi making the choice is a Dark Side user. For the Consular, Light/Dark choices are typically measured as immediate consequences vs. long-term consequences (just as how for a SW Light/Dark choices tend to be based on good of the Empire vs. personal ambition).

 

This is a nice bit of info. How'd you summarize each class's LS / DS?

 

As for OP, here's a bit of info:

 

There're obviously intended ways to play a class. There are also other possibilities. I'll list them now:

 

Jedi Knight:

Intended: Full LS(well...Luke? Use the force!)

Available: Gray(DS is weird)

 

Jedi Consular:

Intended + Available: Full LS(sorry, but this story doesn't make any sense as DS)

 

Trooper:

Intended: LS + some DS choices(like

Killing Rakton

or

Punching Tanno

or

Sacrificing Fuse or Dagger Wing leader or both

)

Available: Full LS(though definitely not recommended), Full DS(also not recommended), inverse of intended(DS + some LS choices to show your allegiance)

 

Smuggler:

Intended: Full Gray(credits!)

Available: [LS 2,DS 2] range. You can either go and lean towards the LS or towards the DS. Though I wouldn't recommend going full DS or LS.

 

Sith Warrior:

Intended: DS 2 or LS 2. Can't actually decide. Probably DS 2.

Available: Full DS, Full LS. Both are good. One leads you towards the path of an unstoppable monstrosity and the other down the path of a Ronin(basically).

 

Sith Inquisitor:

Intended: Gray. Why would you throw anything away, hm? Because of a dogma? Then you don't understand what the SI is all about.

Available: Full LS, Full DS. Don't go Full DS here, it's so cliche. Full LS is actually all kinds of interesting.

 

Bounty Hunter:

Intended: Gray(credits) - DS 2. That range. Because of credits, because it's simply insane to kill some targets or such(hence LS points) and DS 2 because of the amount of treachery and revenge available.

Available: Full LS, Full DS. Don't go Full DS, it's stupid as a brick. Makes absolutely no sense unless you want to play one of those "men who just want to see the world / galaxy burn". Full LS(with some minor allowances: why not kill outright evil people?) is actually VERY interesting in a Blondie way. I'd recommend full LS here.

 

Imperial Agent:

Intended: ???

Available: Everything. This is a story that REALLY gives you all the options. Imo, IA's DS(even full) is what you're actually looking for.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Cuiwe

[fovzwk]

Bounty hunter If you ask me.

In all the other stories the lightside version are all more interesting or make more sense than the darkside ones as far as I'm concerned.

Ligt side Jedi is a classical hero story (which isn't that interesting but at lieast it makes sense) while dark side comes of as silly and makes you ask yourself how the Jedi council hasn't fired you already.

Light side Counsular makes perfect sense as a diplomat for the Republic while on Darkside one has to ask oneself why the council would appoint a selfish douchebag who killed a lot of Jedi during chapter 1 as diplomat.

Light side warrior is extremely interesting (especially in act 1) and makes the warrior look ten times as competent as the dark side version where s/he basically a constantly angry brute that acts as attack dog for Baras and later the Emperor.

Light side Inquisitor can be really interesting since you can play that one as a actually nice person who just wants to survive in a society that is built on being a backstabbing evil douchebag (It also has some of the most uplifting Light side moments). Meanwhile the dark side version is a cliche mustache twirling villain who shocks people for the lulz while being on an quest for ultimate power.

Light side Imperial agent and darkside imperial agent are pretty tied, but I personally slightly prefer lightside because it has that little extra interesting part where you can theoretically defect to the Republic in the end.

Soldier is kind of bland either way in my opinion.

Smuggler i've not played as darkside before so that maybe interesting.

Bounty hunter is more interesting as Darkside because the lightside version comes of as a bit delusional with arguing that they aren't bad people yet mercilessly hunting down people for no other sake than money.

[Celise]

Hello everyone

 

First I would like to apologize for the inherent subjectivity of this topic but that is what I am asking - subjective opinions.

 

All my characters until now are somewhere between neutral and light side as I made choices based on personal preference but I would like to play a fully dark side one even though I know it's not recommended to play a character with predetermined choices. I just want to experience how a fully Dark character plays. To reach Dark V, I will probably also pick Diplomacy as crew skill.

 

My question is which dark side story would you recommend?

 

From searching before posting, Smuggler and Inquisitor seem to be popular choices. I would like to mention that I am looking for a "rational" DS story, as in one that doesn't make my character feel like a psychopath. I know Bioware choices are not very complex but still I would like a story that doesn't make the LS/DS dichotomy one about Good vs Evil but one about Reason vs Emotion. Basically, I don't want to kill/cause pain/be an *** for the sake of it but because it's rational to gain more power for my character making the DS choice.

 

One more thought: I honestly don't feel that the DS/LS truly applies to non-Force users. For gaming mechanics of course it's viable but for story purpose to actually chose the Dark Side, I think it's best to be a Jedi/Sith - maybe I am wrong

 

Hope I was clear enough and thanks for your opinions.

 

dark side warrior is the best, full of dark humor and if you are the type of person that laughs at morbid jokes like "i will fill my hands with his entrails" or "i will eat you raw!" "i will use your bones to clean my teeth"

 

by far the most entertaining storyline choice for the dark side.

[PlasmaJohn]

I'm almost exclusively a LS player specifically because the my first few forays into the DS options swung way too far into the Stupid Evil realm. This was in the 2.x timeframe where you pretty much had to do every mission if you wanted any hope of making it to 50 before the end of Corellia.

 

Flash forward to DvL where I needed a fresh Dark V character. I rolled a new sorc and like you loaded up on Diplomacy. Thanks to the DvL XP armor, 2xp, guild boost and the free major xp boosts I only had to do the class missions. I didn't strictly pick DS options (and may have taken the odd LS one) but on the whole even the DS choices were rather pragmatic leading me to believe that it was the planetary mission DS options that went full retard.

 

Obligatory disclaimer: I hit Dark V and 65 shortly before the end of Hoth and since I think Inq. Ch.3 is awful I didn't bother. Maybe the options get worse in that chapter but it's been so long since I played through it that I'm having trouble remembering specifics.

 

The irony of the whole thing: Diplomacy is far more efficient at grinding alignment points than anything else in the game. As long as you have enough companions to run missions for you you're much better off running heroics, pvp and tacticals for levels and funding.

[TinkRN]

I've only played a few DS with intent to be dark. My inquisitor for DvL mission to DS 5 was fun. I am currently working on a DS consular because I was told it was interesting. In some ways it doesn't make sense, though (choosing DS and getting praised for your actions anyway.) Previously when I made a Sith (not sure if it was Inquisitor or Warrior) and wanted to be more DS, I just made sure I didn't do LS choices, but I didn't take the gratuitous DS choices.

 

My favorite was Jedi Knight. I don't think I got to full DS 5, but it is the one that choosing DS had the most affect on conversation / story. How I guided my character though was a channeling of Anikin Skywalker. I see him as a spoiled kid who thinks he knows better than his elders. He initially wanted what he thought was best in fighting the Empire. When he wasn't listened to or appreciated, he fell to the DS and was able to be manipulated. And, since I've always thought it crazy that you have to fight through dozens of troops and sometimes even get bonuses for it only to be told that killing the leader is bad / DS, it was easy to go DS!

[SithKoriandr]

I've only played a few DS with intent to be dark. My inquisitor for DvL mission to DS 5 was fun. I am currently working on a DS consular because I was told it was interesting. In some ways it doesn't make sense, though (choosing DS and getting praised for your actions anyway.) Previously when I made a Sith (not sure if it was Inquisitor or Warrior) and wanted to be more DS, I just made sure I didn't do LS choices, but I didn't take the gratuitous DS choices.

 

My favorite was Jedi Knight. I don't think I got to full DS 5, but it is the one that choosing DS had the most affect on conversation / story. How I guided my character though was a channeling of Anikin Skywalker. I see him as a spoiled kid who thinks he knows better than his elders. He initially wanted what he thought was best in fighting the Empire. When he wasn't listened to or appreciated, he fell to the DS and was able to be manipulated. And, since I've always thought it crazy that you have to fight through dozens of troops and sometimes even get bonuses for it only to be told that killing the leader is bad / DS, it was easy to go DS!

 

You only get DS if you kill after they've surrendered. You kill the swaths of troops before they get a chance to surrender.

 

Besides that, I always felt the enemies outside of missions were more there for filler than actually being there as part of the story, since they respawn and everything

[Excise]

Knight - better than most people assume. You just have to not be stupid about it. If you're going pure darkity dark dark evil, then yeah it comes across as silly. But a Jedi who believes in action over words? Occasionally slips into the ends justifying the means? A lil' militaristic? Works just fine. As the great Vrook Lamar once showed, being a Jedi doesn't mean you can't be an ******e as well.

 

Consular - only dabbled in this but I found the DS too goofy to take seriously. Plus, the Consular's LS lines are so goody goody at heart and the DS lines are so weirdly petty that it seems disjointed if you ever deviate away from pure LS or pure DS.

 

Trooper - works great if you're evil in moderation. You do get a bit of a 'why have you not been fired' if you go pure DS, though.

 

Smuggler - no problems here aside from being forced to work for the common good past Chapter 3 (a trait shared by most DS classes, but Smuggler has it extra bad).

 

Warrior - works just fine as pure evil.

 

Sinq - works just fine as pure evil. A bit disjointed if you dabble in both.

 

Agent - works just fine, but if your agent doesn't at least feel the impact of Chapter 2-3 and be changed by it, then it's a missed opportunity.

 

Hunter - works fine except for, like the Smuggler, you're suddenly forgetting about your greedy ways post Chapter 3. There's the odd throwaway line that "yes you're still getting paid" but it's tough not to feel like a good loyal Imperial citizen despite supposedly being freelance.

Edited November 24, 2016 by Excise

[Rolodome]

I don't think you're going to find any that isn't mustache-twirling to a point. I think the Sith Warrior is a good fit though because of the context. Yes, if you go pure DS, there will be moments where you're just being a dick. But it makes some sense, considering the environment your character is working on. And on a certain level, it's justified and expected within Sith culture.

 

As opposed to, say, being a DS consular, where you're really going to notice how crazy awful you're being.