Teynara Jeralyr
Resident Sig Lord
Having explored the pathways, I wanted to look at some of the archetypes often seen around here, and discuss how they fit in and work with Sith ideology: what their role is, which pathway they likely fit into, and how you can adapt such an archetype for your own use, if you're so inclined. Worth noting: this isn't a comprehensive list, and there are probably a truckload more archetypes. If anyone wants to suggest some, send them my way!
Also, these are written mostly from my own perspective (as is everything in the guides I've written so far). Take them with a pinch of salt, if you wish.
The Politician
The Politician is almost always of the Inquisitor pathway: these are the Sith who actually spend as little time as themselves as possible, presenting a very different face to the Galaxy, using this identity to spread chaos, dissension and undermining those that might oppose the final elevation of the Sith. They can, of course, even be seen to act against the interests of the Sith, but this is usually done in the short term: the support Palpatine had for the Jedi Order during the early days of the Clone Wars was an exquisite example, positioning them so as to be so critical to the Republic that they were decimated by being on the front lines. He'd not overtly acted against them, but placed them in such a way that he ensured their destruction all the same. This is very much a Politician role.
Palpatine is your exemplar from the Star Wars canon: a consummate Sith who lies in wait, biding his time but not inactive. These Sith play chess on a galactic scale - it doesn't matter if a battle is lost or a planet reclaimed by the opposition. Those are pawns to be sacrificed. A Politician Sith plays the long game, and will often spend decades planning and preparing for their move.
[member="Silencia"] is a more relevant board example: her character has ruled the planet of Kuat for years under the identity of Lorelei Darke, often staying out of the conflict between the Sith and everyone else, but nonetheless remains a Sith at her core.
Playing as a politician is a particularly difficult role to maintain on our board, particularly with shifting allegiances and constantly-fluctuating factions. You'd expect a politician Sith to inveigle themselves with the Galactic Alliance or Commonwealth, joining their governmental branches and steering things that way. They might be part of the First Order's upper echelons, pushing forward the Supreme Leader's agenda. They might even be joined with the Mandalorians, or a major corporation, quietly playing them to the advantage of the Sith.
If it's something you want to do, you're primarily looking at the Inquisitor pathway, but more than that, you need to be developing a character that is comfortable with being two different people, perhaps many more than that: their Sith identity is the core of the onion, but nowhere near the surface, something they can expose when the time is right. Their training must be done in secret, and chances are they will often spend time among other Sith covertly, though never abandoning their post at the wrong moment, when doing so might expose them. It's a tricky one to write, but I daresay you'll have fun!
The Monster
This one's a shout-out to the excellent [member="Darth Carnifex"], who has perfected this role. A few characters I've written with at other sites before Chaos had also got this one down, but this particular archetype is one that a lot of people attempt and entirely fail at. That's going to require some explanation...
The 'Monster' is a Sith that is utterly devoid of a moral centre: they are domineering, ruthless, merciless, easily pushed towards violence, and yet consummate Sith. They believe in the superiority of the Sith and in their right to rule above all things, and therefore see all living beings as game pieces: pawns to be moved around and used as they will. The Monster has little respect for life, seeing it as cheap and expendable (except for their own, of course, since they will often also seek Immortality to maintain their power). They will kill without hesitation, but not without some sense of flair: if they can murder a being while using them as an example to others that might challenge them, all the better.
This kind of character is one that a lot of people attempt: this is the 'evil' Sith, the kind that will see their will done no matter what, and has little compunction about exterminating planets or population centers if they feel they must. The problem is that so few have the actual background to pull this one off: many Acolytes mistakenly start out trying to be The Monster, but it isn't something that just happens. Most of this archetype start out as something else entirely: Carnifex, as I recall, started out mostly as an Inquisitor/Politican archetype that slowly evolved (or devolved, if you prefer) into a Monster.
That's the key to this archetype: they have a reputation, and develop this over time through ruthless actions, strength of rule, utter conviction both in themselves and in the truth of the Sith way (even if they have a different view of that than the one I've presented to you - which is often the case). They may start out as a team player, but they don't end up as one: they have more faith in themselves than in the others among the Sith, whom they will often view as half-measures, or weak.
You'll note that many of the Galaxy's most powerful Sith Lords became the 'Monster': Marka Ragnos, Darth Andeddu, Darth Nihilus, and so on. These are beings that bathe unrestrained in the powers of the Dark Side and become very powerful, but also dangerously corrupted. They're as close to madness as you can come, but that's what makes them interesting!
The Trickster
This one's always struck me as a blend of Inquisitor and Shadow: the [member="Darth Hauntruss"] of Chaos, the kind of character who is capable of doing many strange, dangerous and exotic things, and that might come from any angle. Like the Politician, the face they present to you may not be the one that they really wear in private, but their aims are less about the grand scheme of things than about their own agenda. They're the Loki of the Star Wars Universe, content with sewing chaos and uncertainty.
Because they tend to be more of a field operative rather than a back-room planner, their schemes tend to be grand but directly executed: using an underling is only effective if it is step one of twelve. These are the sorts of Sith character that grandstands (in a hugely entertaining way!): everything is big, bad and beautiful. If what is going on seems wildly outside the box, chances are it is because you are in the presence of The Trickster.
Skills vary wildly: Sith Sorcery and Alchemy are excellent choices, but even mundane skills applied in weird and wacky ways work, too: the key is always to be surprising, to do one more thing that confuses, surprises and scares the hell out of everyone. Playing such a character requires you to be imaginitive, creative and willing to push the boundaries (but stay within the rules, or you'll get stamped on pretty damn hard).
These Sith start out as the slightly unhinged ones: I've often felt that they're the Shadows that go a little nuts because of their work in the field, from being on edge just a little too long. Even the name of 'Sith' is oftentimes just an affectation for them: their agenda is their own, and they're not usually interested in advancing the Sith themselves, so much as using that title for their own ends. Dangerous, reckless, incredibly entertaining to write with, but very difficult for anyone to write. If you're interested in this kind of Sith, I really suggest you bounce it off someone!
The Warrior
A pretty straightforward Darth Vader archetype: this is the battlefield commander, the guy in the front lines, and everything in-between. If there's a problem, it can be resolved with a lightsaber (or even two). This is the Marauder, the Juggernaut, the epitome of the Pathway of the Saber: the one who sees a threat to the Sith and goes forth to take them down.
I will note, though, that this role often applies as much to Sith as to everyone else: a very effective way to play the Warrior is as the 'Zealot': a true believer in the superiority of the Sith, one that will seek to crush any that subvert this in any way. They are just as willing to murder Sith as they are Jedi, and really anyone else that seeks to question Sith superiority. They're very good at killing subordinates that step out of line, but they're also willing to punch above their weight, too.
Put simply, this character is fearless, determined and violent. Not all the time, of course, but they are the sort of Sith who is indoctrinated with a sense of their own superiority. Think Bane, think Maul, think Sion: these are all Warrior archetypes at the beginning (regardless of what they may have turned into later). They don't have to be drawn from the Saber pathway, either: there are plenty who walk the Shadow pathway, too.
Playing this kind of character is pretty simple: your job is to be a weapon for the Sith. That can be as simple or as complicated as you choose to make it, and I know a lot of talented writers have often crafted this archetype just to blow off a little steam and go forth and slaughter in a Dominion or two. These characters don't lack for intelligence or subtlety (most of the time), but they're an easy archetype to write, though difficult to write well (note the distinction, please!). Thus, we find a lot of these on the site: not a bad thing, though. Every war needs warriors, and that's these guys.
Focus is on training in combat and lightsaber skills, domination of the opponent, and oftentimes, moving very close to the next archetype:
The Anti-Jedi
I'll be blunt: I despise these particular kind of Sith. Their sole focus in life is on the destruction of the Jedi Order. They're the ones who have inherited thousands of years of grudge directed at our counterparts, and want them gone, whatever it takes. Palpatine ended up this way after a while, as did Maul, as did Bane: the notion that the Jedi might survive and thrive is just anathema to them.
That said, they're a complex archetype that can be played in many, many different ways: the Politician can be an Anti-Jedi, as can the Monster. Characters from any of the pathways I mentioned in Part Three can be from this archetype: the assassin that specialises in hunting down and killing Force Users; the Inquisitor who focuses on destruction of the Jedi Order as a long-term goal; the Saber who seeks to dominate, convert or kill any she can get her hands on - and more besides.
I expect to find these characters at the forefront of any invasion force or dominion where Jedi might come into play. They regularly offer challenges to the Jedi, and oftentimes see them both as an enemy and a means to grow a reputation among their own kind: they are a Slayer of Jedi, and will style themselves accordingly. Versatile, but very focused on their particular objective: Jedi, expect to see lots of these characters.
Fairly unlikely to be a philosophical character, I might add: these ones don't spend a lot of time struggling with Light and Dark. They're dark to the core, despise the Jedi as weak or as half-measures, and will have an awful lot of pent-up rage directed at the Jedi in particular. They do pretty well with the Zealot subtype I mentioned earlier, I might add.
The Idealist
This one's a complicated kind of Sith: the type that contrasts the Sith as they are, and the Sith as they should be. They're the [member="Darth Ignus"] character, the one that falls into line with the Sith and their doctrines, but also sees them as less than they should be. Let's be honest: many that write the Sith write characters that are bland, boring, aggressive and ruthless, lacking any moral edge or anything other than simply wanting to be evil. The Idealist is the kind of Sith that sees this and frankly despises it: whatever else they may believe, there's a considerable disdain for their own kind.
They are often a Politician or Warrior: a Sith who sees that the purity of the Sith has been diluted (a pretty common theme for those of the Sith race), watered down and corrupted by millenia of fighting, of different philosophies and focuses among those who call themselves Sith: to this person, many who call themselves Sith are merely Dark Jedi masquerading as Sith. It's often fair to say that the Idealist will kill more Sith than the Jedi: their duty is to cleanse the ranks of the Sith of the impure, restoring the sanctity of the Sith way, whatever they perceive that to be.
Playing an Idealist is not a simple task: expect to be hunted by everyone! Many of your fellow Sith will see you as an extremist to be shunned or stopped, and the Jedi will hate you just because you call yourself Sith. Your job is to have a very fixed view of what a Sith should be, and hold disdain (weak or strong) for those that step out of line.
You don't have to go with an aggressive line on this, though: you could easily be a highly-conservative Sith that simply dislikes the direction that many others take, but fly the flag all the same. You could become a Sith Killer, the type to root out heresy among the Sith and purify the Order. You might simply be the kind that shuns the Sith, maintaining them as corrupted. Your call! The beauty of it all is that you don't need to have any particular characteristics other than that perspective.
The Scientist
I don't necessarily hold this archetype to be a true Scientist: they may have zero interest in science whatsoever. These are the Sith that feel inclined to play around and experiment, and thus are the type to hold many weird powers and esoteric abilities than others. These are the Sith Priests, the Alchemists, the Sorcerers: the ones who have delved into some deeper areas of study to master pathways that the majority of Sith will never touch.
They hold little fear of the Dark Side, and see it as a tool to be played around with an experimented with. They're often drawn from the Inquisitor Pathway, and tend towards gross inventions, creating beast armies, developing techniques for imbuing objects with energy (and thus count as some of the finest crafters in the Sith ranks), and become capable of truly terrifying abilities and spells.
I've often thought them slightly unhinged: devoted to their craft, they often remain Sith by association and playing with the Dark Side rather than through allegiance to the doctrines of the Order. They're unlikely to be Idealists or Politicians: they'll hold little true loyalty to the Sith as a group, seeing them instead as a means to an end: offering access to many dark and forbidden arts that they wish to learn, develop and manipulate. You may get the occasional Scientist who remains true to the Sith, but most are utterly insane, devoid of morality or consideration for the grand plan: their job is to advance their craft, no matter the cost.
You'll often find this character leashed to the entourage of another Sith, a powerful being that will use the Scientist to advance their own ends. Provide me with technology, creations, wield your powers in my cause, and I will grant you access to Holocrons and Artifacts, research and test subjects, and so on. It's perfectly possible to establish a strong bond with other characters in this fashion, by both characters maintaining a dependent relationship with the other.
Plenty of areas that can hold your attention, of course: perhaps you're a droid manufacturer, hellbent on producing an army capable of taking down even the Sith. Perhaps you're an Alchemist that wants to unlock the ancient arts that have been lost down the millenia. Perhaps you're a Sorcerer obsessed with your own powers, and will use them to destroy any that challenge your pursuits. The possibilities are quite endless.
Also, these are written mostly from my own perspective (as is everything in the guides I've written so far). Take them with a pinch of salt, if you wish.
The Politician
The Politician is almost always of the Inquisitor pathway: these are the Sith who actually spend as little time as themselves as possible, presenting a very different face to the Galaxy, using this identity to spread chaos, dissension and undermining those that might oppose the final elevation of the Sith. They can, of course, even be seen to act against the interests of the Sith, but this is usually done in the short term: the support Palpatine had for the Jedi Order during the early days of the Clone Wars was an exquisite example, positioning them so as to be so critical to the Republic that they were decimated by being on the front lines. He'd not overtly acted against them, but placed them in such a way that he ensured their destruction all the same. This is very much a Politician role.
Palpatine is your exemplar from the Star Wars canon: a consummate Sith who lies in wait, biding his time but not inactive. These Sith play chess on a galactic scale - it doesn't matter if a battle is lost or a planet reclaimed by the opposition. Those are pawns to be sacrificed. A Politician Sith plays the long game, and will often spend decades planning and preparing for their move.
[member="Silencia"] is a more relevant board example: her character has ruled the planet of Kuat for years under the identity of Lorelei Darke, often staying out of the conflict between the Sith and everyone else, but nonetheless remains a Sith at her core.
Playing as a politician is a particularly difficult role to maintain on our board, particularly with shifting allegiances and constantly-fluctuating factions. You'd expect a politician Sith to inveigle themselves with the Galactic Alliance or Commonwealth, joining their governmental branches and steering things that way. They might be part of the First Order's upper echelons, pushing forward the Supreme Leader's agenda. They might even be joined with the Mandalorians, or a major corporation, quietly playing them to the advantage of the Sith.
If it's something you want to do, you're primarily looking at the Inquisitor pathway, but more than that, you need to be developing a character that is comfortable with being two different people, perhaps many more than that: their Sith identity is the core of the onion, but nowhere near the surface, something they can expose when the time is right. Their training must be done in secret, and chances are they will often spend time among other Sith covertly, though never abandoning their post at the wrong moment, when doing so might expose them. It's a tricky one to write, but I daresay you'll have fun!
The Monster
This one's a shout-out to the excellent [member="Darth Carnifex"], who has perfected this role. A few characters I've written with at other sites before Chaos had also got this one down, but this particular archetype is one that a lot of people attempt and entirely fail at. That's going to require some explanation...
The 'Monster' is a Sith that is utterly devoid of a moral centre: they are domineering, ruthless, merciless, easily pushed towards violence, and yet consummate Sith. They believe in the superiority of the Sith and in their right to rule above all things, and therefore see all living beings as game pieces: pawns to be moved around and used as they will. The Monster has little respect for life, seeing it as cheap and expendable (except for their own, of course, since they will often also seek Immortality to maintain their power). They will kill without hesitation, but not without some sense of flair: if they can murder a being while using them as an example to others that might challenge them, all the better.
This kind of character is one that a lot of people attempt: this is the 'evil' Sith, the kind that will see their will done no matter what, and has little compunction about exterminating planets or population centers if they feel they must. The problem is that so few have the actual background to pull this one off: many Acolytes mistakenly start out trying to be The Monster, but it isn't something that just happens. Most of this archetype start out as something else entirely: Carnifex, as I recall, started out mostly as an Inquisitor/Politican archetype that slowly evolved (or devolved, if you prefer) into a Monster.
That's the key to this archetype: they have a reputation, and develop this over time through ruthless actions, strength of rule, utter conviction both in themselves and in the truth of the Sith way (even if they have a different view of that than the one I've presented to you - which is often the case). They may start out as a team player, but they don't end up as one: they have more faith in themselves than in the others among the Sith, whom they will often view as half-measures, or weak.
You'll note that many of the Galaxy's most powerful Sith Lords became the 'Monster': Marka Ragnos, Darth Andeddu, Darth Nihilus, and so on. These are beings that bathe unrestrained in the powers of the Dark Side and become very powerful, but also dangerously corrupted. They're as close to madness as you can come, but that's what makes them interesting!
The Trickster
This one's always struck me as a blend of Inquisitor and Shadow: the [member="Darth Hauntruss"] of Chaos, the kind of character who is capable of doing many strange, dangerous and exotic things, and that might come from any angle. Like the Politician, the face they present to you may not be the one that they really wear in private, but their aims are less about the grand scheme of things than about their own agenda. They're the Loki of the Star Wars Universe, content with sewing chaos and uncertainty.
Because they tend to be more of a field operative rather than a back-room planner, their schemes tend to be grand but directly executed: using an underling is only effective if it is step one of twelve. These are the sorts of Sith character that grandstands (in a hugely entertaining way!): everything is big, bad and beautiful. If what is going on seems wildly outside the box, chances are it is because you are in the presence of The Trickster.
Skills vary wildly: Sith Sorcery and Alchemy are excellent choices, but even mundane skills applied in weird and wacky ways work, too: the key is always to be surprising, to do one more thing that confuses, surprises and scares the hell out of everyone. Playing such a character requires you to be imaginitive, creative and willing to push the boundaries (but stay within the rules, or you'll get stamped on pretty damn hard).
These Sith start out as the slightly unhinged ones: I've often felt that they're the Shadows that go a little nuts because of their work in the field, from being on edge just a little too long. Even the name of 'Sith' is oftentimes just an affectation for them: their agenda is their own, and they're not usually interested in advancing the Sith themselves, so much as using that title for their own ends. Dangerous, reckless, incredibly entertaining to write with, but very difficult for anyone to write. If you're interested in this kind of Sith, I really suggest you bounce it off someone!
The Warrior
A pretty straightforward Darth Vader archetype: this is the battlefield commander, the guy in the front lines, and everything in-between. If there's a problem, it can be resolved with a lightsaber (or even two). This is the Marauder, the Juggernaut, the epitome of the Pathway of the Saber: the one who sees a threat to the Sith and goes forth to take them down.
I will note, though, that this role often applies as much to Sith as to everyone else: a very effective way to play the Warrior is as the 'Zealot': a true believer in the superiority of the Sith, one that will seek to crush any that subvert this in any way. They are just as willing to murder Sith as they are Jedi, and really anyone else that seeks to question Sith superiority. They're very good at killing subordinates that step out of line, but they're also willing to punch above their weight, too.
Put simply, this character is fearless, determined and violent. Not all the time, of course, but they are the sort of Sith who is indoctrinated with a sense of their own superiority. Think Bane, think Maul, think Sion: these are all Warrior archetypes at the beginning (regardless of what they may have turned into later). They don't have to be drawn from the Saber pathway, either: there are plenty who walk the Shadow pathway, too.
Playing this kind of character is pretty simple: your job is to be a weapon for the Sith. That can be as simple or as complicated as you choose to make it, and I know a lot of talented writers have often crafted this archetype just to blow off a little steam and go forth and slaughter in a Dominion or two. These characters don't lack for intelligence or subtlety (most of the time), but they're an easy archetype to write, though difficult to write well (note the distinction, please!). Thus, we find a lot of these on the site: not a bad thing, though. Every war needs warriors, and that's these guys.
Focus is on training in combat and lightsaber skills, domination of the opponent, and oftentimes, moving very close to the next archetype:
The Anti-Jedi
I'll be blunt: I despise these particular kind of Sith. Their sole focus in life is on the destruction of the Jedi Order. They're the ones who have inherited thousands of years of grudge directed at our counterparts, and want them gone, whatever it takes. Palpatine ended up this way after a while, as did Maul, as did Bane: the notion that the Jedi might survive and thrive is just anathema to them.
That said, they're a complex archetype that can be played in many, many different ways: the Politician can be an Anti-Jedi, as can the Monster. Characters from any of the pathways I mentioned in Part Three can be from this archetype: the assassin that specialises in hunting down and killing Force Users; the Inquisitor who focuses on destruction of the Jedi Order as a long-term goal; the Saber who seeks to dominate, convert or kill any she can get her hands on - and more besides.
I expect to find these characters at the forefront of any invasion force or dominion where Jedi might come into play. They regularly offer challenges to the Jedi, and oftentimes see them both as an enemy and a means to grow a reputation among their own kind: they are a Slayer of Jedi, and will style themselves accordingly. Versatile, but very focused on their particular objective: Jedi, expect to see lots of these characters.
Fairly unlikely to be a philosophical character, I might add: these ones don't spend a lot of time struggling with Light and Dark. They're dark to the core, despise the Jedi as weak or as half-measures, and will have an awful lot of pent-up rage directed at the Jedi in particular. They do pretty well with the Zealot subtype I mentioned earlier, I might add.
The Idealist
This one's a complicated kind of Sith: the type that contrasts the Sith as they are, and the Sith as they should be. They're the [member="Darth Ignus"] character, the one that falls into line with the Sith and their doctrines, but also sees them as less than they should be. Let's be honest: many that write the Sith write characters that are bland, boring, aggressive and ruthless, lacking any moral edge or anything other than simply wanting to be evil. The Idealist is the kind of Sith that sees this and frankly despises it: whatever else they may believe, there's a considerable disdain for their own kind.
They are often a Politician or Warrior: a Sith who sees that the purity of the Sith has been diluted (a pretty common theme for those of the Sith race), watered down and corrupted by millenia of fighting, of different philosophies and focuses among those who call themselves Sith: to this person, many who call themselves Sith are merely Dark Jedi masquerading as Sith. It's often fair to say that the Idealist will kill more Sith than the Jedi: their duty is to cleanse the ranks of the Sith of the impure, restoring the sanctity of the Sith way, whatever they perceive that to be.
Playing an Idealist is not a simple task: expect to be hunted by everyone! Many of your fellow Sith will see you as an extremist to be shunned or stopped, and the Jedi will hate you just because you call yourself Sith. Your job is to have a very fixed view of what a Sith should be, and hold disdain (weak or strong) for those that step out of line.
You don't have to go with an aggressive line on this, though: you could easily be a highly-conservative Sith that simply dislikes the direction that many others take, but fly the flag all the same. You could become a Sith Killer, the type to root out heresy among the Sith and purify the Order. You might simply be the kind that shuns the Sith, maintaining them as corrupted. Your call! The beauty of it all is that you don't need to have any particular characteristics other than that perspective.
The Scientist
I don't necessarily hold this archetype to be a true Scientist: they may have zero interest in science whatsoever. These are the Sith that feel inclined to play around and experiment, and thus are the type to hold many weird powers and esoteric abilities than others. These are the Sith Priests, the Alchemists, the Sorcerers: the ones who have delved into some deeper areas of study to master pathways that the majority of Sith will never touch.
They hold little fear of the Dark Side, and see it as a tool to be played around with an experimented with. They're often drawn from the Inquisitor Pathway, and tend towards gross inventions, creating beast armies, developing techniques for imbuing objects with energy (and thus count as some of the finest crafters in the Sith ranks), and become capable of truly terrifying abilities and spells.
I've often thought them slightly unhinged: devoted to their craft, they often remain Sith by association and playing with the Dark Side rather than through allegiance to the doctrines of the Order. They're unlikely to be Idealists or Politicians: they'll hold little true loyalty to the Sith as a group, seeing them instead as a means to an end: offering access to many dark and forbidden arts that they wish to learn, develop and manipulate. You may get the occasional Scientist who remains true to the Sith, but most are utterly insane, devoid of morality or consideration for the grand plan: their job is to advance their craft, no matter the cost.
You'll often find this character leashed to the entourage of another Sith, a powerful being that will use the Scientist to advance their own ends. Provide me with technology, creations, wield your powers in my cause, and I will grant you access to Holocrons and Artifacts, research and test subjects, and so on. It's perfectly possible to establish a strong bond with other characters in this fashion, by both characters maintaining a dependent relationship with the other.
Plenty of areas that can hold your attention, of course: perhaps you're a droid manufacturer, hellbent on producing an army capable of taking down even the Sith. Perhaps you're an Alchemist that wants to unlock the ancient arts that have been lost down the millenia. Perhaps you're a Sorcerer obsessed with your own powers, and will use them to destroy any that challenge your pursuits. The possibilities are quite endless.
