The Dark Side

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The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some consider to be unnatural.  It is possible to learn this power. Anger, Fear, Hate, and Aggression are all manifestations of the call of the Dark Side, and are corrupting influences on a Force-user.  Some Force powers require you to call upon the Dark Side exclusively to wield them. The Dark Side can be used to enhance Force Points and Force Powers beyond the normal, but it comes at a cost.  Whenever you call upon the Dark Side of the Force, you gain a Dark Side Point.

Every Dark Side Point you gain drains your physical form.  This doesn’t affect you right away, but with accumulation there is a definite weakening.  A character who accumulates 5 Dark Side Points becomes Tainted by the Dark Side. A character who gains 10 or more Dark Side Points is considered Fallen to the Dark Side.

### **Tainted by the Dark Side**

A character who gains 5 or more Dark Side points is considered Tainted.  This means that they can still call upon the Light Side of the Force, but that their ability to do so is weakened.  Their effective level for using Light Side powers is reduced by 5. If this means that their effective level is lower than 1, they cannot use that power.  Additionally, certain Light Side powers and abilities can now be used against them.

* A Tainted character can still atone, however.  By spending a Force Point and spending 24 hours in ritual meditation, a Tainted character can attempt to remove a Dark Side Point.  They must make a special wisdom check against a DC of 5 + the number of Dark Side Points they currently have. If they succeed on this check, they lose a Dark Side Point.  A character who has fewer than 5 Dark Side Points is no longer considered Tainted.

* Tainted characters often find their physical appearance begins to change as well.  This is a cosmetic change, but it makes it more apparent to an outside viewer that the Tainted character is under the influence of the Dark Side.  Typical manifestations are skin tones fading towards a pale gray, yellowing or reddening of the eyes, the prominence of scar tissue increases, and sometimes hair and or teeth begin to fall out.

### **Fallen to the Dark Side**

A character who gains 10 or more Dark Side points is considered Fallen.  This means that they cannot call upon the Light Side of the Force. Additionally, whenever they spend a Force Point to reroll an attack roll, ability check, skill check, or saving throw they can no longer take the better result.  Instead, they must take the result of the reroll, even if it is worse. They can forgo this penalty by calling on the Dark Side, gaining another Dark Side Point.

* Any Dark Side Points gained beyond the 10th are detrimental to those Fallen to the Dark Side.  Any time they would otherwise gain a Force Point, such as from leveling up, instead that point is taken by the Dark Side and the Dark Side Score of the Fallen is reduced by 1.  Any Force Points the Fallen character had prior to gaining those additional Dark Side Points remain in their use, but it makes them a finite resource until they reduce their Dark Side Score.  A Fallen character can atone the same way that a Tainted character can, but takes a -5 penalty on their wisdom check.

* The physical changes to a Fallen character resemble those of a Tainted character, but on a much more dramatic scale.

### **The Sith and the Dark Side**

The Sith Order has had a long history with the Dark Side of the Force.  As a result, members of the Sith Order are taught that the Dark Side is something to be embraced.  Members of the Sith Order are taught special techniques that allow them to gain additional power from the Dark Side of the Force.  Through a special ritual that takes 24 hours, a member of the Sith Order can turn prepare additional Dark Side Points beyond their 10th into a Dark Force Point.  A Dark Force Point functions exactly like a Force Point and counts against the maximum cap of 5 that a Dark Sider can use.  A Dark Force Point cannot be spent to power a light side abililty, nor can it be used to power any healing ability.

* The Ritual to gain Dark Force Points can be exhausting.  Focusing their rage and malicious thoughts, a Sith can make a special wisdom check against a DC of 10 + the number of Dark Side Points they have.  If they succeed, they can turn up to five of their Dark Side Points beyond their 10th into Dark Force Points.

* The Sith keep this technique to themselves, not wanting regular Dark Jedi to gain this knowledge.  Dedication to the Sith Code is also necessary to make the ritual work properly. Other Groups, such as the Nightsisters of Dathomir and the Blackguard of Mustafar are able to make use of this ritual as well, but also hide their teachings.