Sarge Potteiger
Emotional Damage
First off, I'd like to remind people this exists: http://starwarsrp.net/topic/7879-guide-alnas-guide-to-god-mode/ It's a great read, and immensely applicable to those gifted with the powers of Space Wizardry.
But, to start on my actual guide, I would like to say that at no point in my two year career here at Chaos (mostly writing Sarge) did I ever think that I would be writing a guide, let alone one in regards to Force Users. As many of you know, Sarge started out as a Force Dead character with an unpleasant history with the Vong.
Part of this was, admittedly, motivated by Special Snowflake Syndrome. In a galaxy of Force Users, how does one stand out? For me the answer was simple; you don't. You fade into the background, being noticeable in your absence rather than your presence. It is in the nature of our Force Users - and Sith especially - to want to stand out; to showcase those talents that make them so fundamental to this world we're writing in.
And that's good. Star Wars is founded on these strange quasi-religious sects devoted to this underlying current of energy that exists within all living things. That's an amazing concept, and I love every bit of it. We aren't here to debate the sects, however.
I chose to write this for a very simple reason; In the past few months, I've noticed a sharp uptake in the number of complaints about Force Users. Not in that they don't belong in the story, or that they should be done away with. In doing so, we would kneecap this universe we are here to write in. Rather, the murmur of discontent comes from what I see as a lack of ability to moderate oneself in a PvP setting.
So, to this end, I will split the guide into three parts. The first is how I view the Force, and my understanding of how it works/should work. From there, I will move onto Jedi and Sith (to a far lesser extent.)
Some like to point to the Original Trilogy, pointing out that at best its a guide and sometime tool to be used only at its most sparingly. After all, Yoda himself had a rough time lifting that X-Wing out of the swamp. Some point to the New Trilogy, pointing to Yoda flipping around with his saber and the Sith throwing about lightning. Some point to the cartoons, where, again, the writers strike a balance between superhuman and gifted.
The Force does not make you Superhuman. The Force makes you gifted. It's like being talented at playing an instrument; those who cant play will be immensely jealous, and those who do play will compare you to your peers. Are you a First Chair? Lead Guitarist? A novice taking his first steps into the musical world? Who knows. But once you're in, you're in, and those outside will forever compare you to your betters.
The Force is like this. Not everyone will be the lead guitarist, or the lead singer or what have you. Most of us, at best, will be backup singers. We sound good, we might look good, but alone we'd never be good enough to make ourselves shine.
Usually when I consider the Force, I think of it like an assault rifle; take your pick, M4, AK, whatever. An assault rifle is an immensely useful tool. It's applicable in a variety of combat situations, is relatively easy to maintain and allows us to act far beyond our limits as humans in a way only a machine could allow. But, these tools wear with use and must be maintained to be functional. You have to regularly clean them, oil them, and generally treat it like an extension of your own body for it to perform at peak functionality.
From the moment you are given that rifle, you are handed a great responsibility. In it, you are given the capability to protect and destroy, and how you choose to use it is as much a personal decision as it is your enemies. This rifle becomes a burden, something you can choose to apply to any situation you want - sometimes it will save your life, sometimes it will turn you into a villain.
The Force, in many ways, is that rifle. Useful, but limited. Your carbine won't stop a tank, nor will it shoot down a fighter jet or a high altitude bomber. It can't sink a battleship, or become a cruise missile on a whim. It is only a rifle. But this doesn't take into account the fact that the Force is apart of your character at a molecular level. It would be more apt to view your character's body as the rifle, and the Force as the bullet. The characters mind becomes the squeeze on the trigger. When you are handed the Force, your body is turned into a weapon.; a very limited weapon. One that can only do so much, so often, before it breaks and shatters. Only so many bullets can be fired before you have to replace the magazine or the barrel.
You can achieve amazing things with the Force, but you can't make your body something it isn't; a limited conduit through which your gifted self can influence the world around you. We are shown time and again how Jedi topple pillars with a few seconds effort, or how they readily throw people around. But I feel that at times there is a tendency to avoid the context of these efforts.
When the Force is used, it is used at a point of tactical advantage. The Saber is their main weapon, and it is only when the opponent exposes themself (or your guard slips) that you use the Force to shore up your shortcomings. The Force draws upon your own energy in a deeper way than even physical exertion can, and to deplete its reservoir is to tire yourself out of the fight faster than you could ever hope for.
Moderation is the name of the game with the Force. Be impressive by not being noticed. Fly under the radar. Conjuring up Storms on a whim or throwing around starships is a quick way to get a whole lot of 'nope' from anyone looking to fight you. Stand out by blending in. I'm sure someone will make a sheeple joke about it, but its true. How often did Jedi have to work together because one wouldn't have been enough? Pretty often.
You're gifted. Not superhuman. If you remember that you won't have to worry about the respect of your fellow writers, because it will be given freely. You'll also find that it will reduce the amount of time people spend telling you what is and isn't reasonable, and allow you to have more fun in the process. Win/Lose/Story, whatever, when you are free to worry about the character and not the limits of your ability..? That's when you're truly free.
The Force was just extra to them. Words were the weapon, the lightsaber came second, and only if that failed was the Force to be used. Brilliant. Escalation at its finest. This isn't to say all Jedi are perfect, however. There are plenty of instances of Jedi falling in love, and developing attachments, but they always, in the end, strayed back onto the path of the Jedi... or they left the Order.
In leaving the Order, they handed over their blades and, in the process, reminded themselves the Force was a gift. It shouldn't be squandered. I imagine those who left to form families and the like rarely, if ever, used the Force. If you were raised from near-birth to handle yourself a certain way, you will only affect so much change on yourself willingly. Now, some will likely point out New Order Jedi, but I've never been a fan of the EU [old EU that is.] I didn't like the Vong (loathed them), I didn't like that there wasn't a Republic. I vastly prefer the Old Republic for my material.
That's personal preference. But it also limits my understanding of Jedi to this olden time where they were paragons of justice, selflessness and just about everything 'good.' Jedi should strive to be like that. That's when they're at their best, I think. And should you step down the path of the Dark Side, you've settled onto an inexorible journey to becoming...
Not in any meaningful way.
In many ways I view the Dark Side like I view a Stuart armed with a 105mm cannon. OK, you've got a ton of power, but the second you fire that turret is coming clean off the tank and you're out of luck. Every use of the Dark Side drains your life, withering you and darkening you until you become this macabre caricature of Evil and Wrong. That's great in its own way, really. That is your trade off.
You're more 'powerful' but you'll die long before your time, and you will always act in your own self interest at the expense of others. This will leave your life barren, lonely and generally unfulfilled in the eyes of, say, a Jedi.
But make no mistake. You are an evil, selfish thing, and teamwork is beyond you except when it directly allows you to increase your own personal power. The thing that always interested me about Sith is why they never were able to work together for long, and it did take me awhile to process. And it's simply this. Jedi are taught that in order to reach the top of the mountain, everyone must contribute and help each other.
Sith are taught that in order to reach the top of the mountain, you have to collect all the gear, find people to help you carry it, and then as you no longer need the gear dispose of the people carrying it. In this way, when you reach the top, you can say 'I did it alone' and take your place as being on top of the metaphorical world.
It's really that simple.
But [member="Darth Janus"] summed it up perfectly.
"Sith are bad people doing bad things for bad reasons."
But, to start on my actual guide, I would like to say that at no point in my two year career here at Chaos (mostly writing Sarge) did I ever think that I would be writing a guide, let alone one in regards to Force Users. As many of you know, Sarge started out as a Force Dead character with an unpleasant history with the Vong.
Part of this was, admittedly, motivated by Special Snowflake Syndrome. In a galaxy of Force Users, how does one stand out? For me the answer was simple; you don't. You fade into the background, being noticeable in your absence rather than your presence. It is in the nature of our Force Users - and Sith especially - to want to stand out; to showcase those talents that make them so fundamental to this world we're writing in.
And that's good. Star Wars is founded on these strange quasi-religious sects devoted to this underlying current of energy that exists within all living things. That's an amazing concept, and I love every bit of it. We aren't here to debate the sects, however.
I chose to write this for a very simple reason; In the past few months, I've noticed a sharp uptake in the number of complaints about Force Users. Not in that they don't belong in the story, or that they should be done away with. In doing so, we would kneecap this universe we are here to write in. Rather, the murmur of discontent comes from what I see as a lack of ability to moderate oneself in a PvP setting.
So, to this end, I will split the guide into three parts. The first is how I view the Force, and my understanding of how it works/should work. From there, I will move onto Jedi and Sith (to a far lesser extent.)
The Force
I've said it before and I will say it again, and I feel this really does need repeating before we continue;The Force is Infinite. Your ability to use it is not.
We all want to be the characters we see in the video games, taking on hordes of soldiers and walkers and not afraid of anything. We love our characters. We want them to be the best they can be. The only way we really know how to do this is by being the best at everything. Such is the nature of what we do. But in emulating these characters - especially that pain in the rear Starkiller - we lose sight of what the Force really is and what we can do with it.Some like to point to the Original Trilogy, pointing out that at best its a guide and sometime tool to be used only at its most sparingly. After all, Yoda himself had a rough time lifting that X-Wing out of the swamp. Some point to the New Trilogy, pointing to Yoda flipping around with his saber and the Sith throwing about lightning. Some point to the cartoons, where, again, the writers strike a balance between superhuman and gifted.
The Force does not make you Superhuman. The Force makes you gifted. It's like being talented at playing an instrument; those who cant play will be immensely jealous, and those who do play will compare you to your peers. Are you a First Chair? Lead Guitarist? A novice taking his first steps into the musical world? Who knows. But once you're in, you're in, and those outside will forever compare you to your betters.
The Force is like this. Not everyone will be the lead guitarist, or the lead singer or what have you. Most of us, at best, will be backup singers. We sound good, we might look good, but alone we'd never be good enough to make ourselves shine.
Usually when I consider the Force, I think of it like an assault rifle; take your pick, M4, AK, whatever. An assault rifle is an immensely useful tool. It's applicable in a variety of combat situations, is relatively easy to maintain and allows us to act far beyond our limits as humans in a way only a machine could allow. But, these tools wear with use and must be maintained to be functional. You have to regularly clean them, oil them, and generally treat it like an extension of your own body for it to perform at peak functionality.
From the moment you are given that rifle, you are handed a great responsibility. In it, you are given the capability to protect and destroy, and how you choose to use it is as much a personal decision as it is your enemies. This rifle becomes a burden, something you can choose to apply to any situation you want - sometimes it will save your life, sometimes it will turn you into a villain.
The Force, in many ways, is that rifle. Useful, but limited. Your carbine won't stop a tank, nor will it shoot down a fighter jet or a high altitude bomber. It can't sink a battleship, or become a cruise missile on a whim. It is only a rifle. But this doesn't take into account the fact that the Force is apart of your character at a molecular level. It would be more apt to view your character's body as the rifle, and the Force as the bullet. The characters mind becomes the squeeze on the trigger. When you are handed the Force, your body is turned into a weapon.; a very limited weapon. One that can only do so much, so often, before it breaks and shatters. Only so many bullets can be fired before you have to replace the magazine or the barrel.
You can achieve amazing things with the Force, but you can't make your body something it isn't; a limited conduit through which your gifted self can influence the world around you. We are shown time and again how Jedi topple pillars with a few seconds effort, or how they readily throw people around. But I feel that at times there is a tendency to avoid the context of these efforts.
When the Force is used, it is used at a point of tactical advantage. The Saber is their main weapon, and it is only when the opponent exposes themself (or your guard slips) that you use the Force to shore up your shortcomings. The Force draws upon your own energy in a deeper way than even physical exertion can, and to deplete its reservoir is to tire yourself out of the fight faster than you could ever hope for.
Moderation is the name of the game with the Force. Be impressive by not being noticed. Fly under the radar. Conjuring up Storms on a whim or throwing around starships is a quick way to get a whole lot of 'nope' from anyone looking to fight you. Stand out by blending in. I'm sure someone will make a sheeple joke about it, but its true. How often did Jedi have to work together because one wouldn't have been enough? Pretty often.
You're gifted. Not superhuman. If you remember that you won't have to worry about the respect of your fellow writers, because it will be given freely. You'll also find that it will reduce the amount of time people spend telling you what is and isn't reasonable, and allow you to have more fun in the process. Win/Lose/Story, whatever, when you are free to worry about the character and not the limits of your ability..? That's when you're truly free.
The Jedi
Jedi are what got me into Star Wars. A monastic order of self-denying monks bent on one thing; the betterment of the universe. 'The ends justifies the means' is a thought that doesn't even cross their mind, even when self preservation comes to mind. A Jedi doesn't care about themselves, only others. That was cool to me as a kid. The perfect good Samaritan with the perfect weapon to defend themselves.The Force was just extra to them. Words were the weapon, the lightsaber came second, and only if that failed was the Force to be used. Brilliant. Escalation at its finest. This isn't to say all Jedi are perfect, however. There are plenty of instances of Jedi falling in love, and developing attachments, but they always, in the end, strayed back onto the path of the Jedi... or they left the Order.
In leaving the Order, they handed over their blades and, in the process, reminded themselves the Force was a gift. It shouldn't be squandered. I imagine those who left to form families and the like rarely, if ever, used the Force. If you were raised from near-birth to handle yourself a certain way, you will only affect so much change on yourself willingly. Now, some will likely point out New Order Jedi, but I've never been a fan of the EU [old EU that is.] I didn't like the Vong (loathed them), I didn't like that there wasn't a Republic. I vastly prefer the Old Republic for my material.
That's personal preference. But it also limits my understanding of Jedi to this olden time where they were paragons of justice, selflessness and just about everything 'good.' Jedi should strive to be like that. That's when they're at their best, I think. And should you step down the path of the Dark Side, you've settled onto an inexorible journey to becoming...
The Sith
If there is one thing canon established in any significant way, it's that once you went Sith, the odds of coming back were next to none. They even went so far as to say once you started to go, you were generally done for. That's impressive, really. That's a lot of power to hold down a will like that. Of course you're given the promises of power and eternal life and all that, but no one ever truly finds that.Not in any meaningful way.
In many ways I view the Dark Side like I view a Stuart armed with a 105mm cannon. OK, you've got a ton of power, but the second you fire that turret is coming clean off the tank and you're out of luck. Every use of the Dark Side drains your life, withering you and darkening you until you become this macabre caricature of Evil and Wrong. That's great in its own way, really. That is your trade off.
You're more 'powerful' but you'll die long before your time, and you will always act in your own self interest at the expense of others. This will leave your life barren, lonely and generally unfulfilled in the eyes of, say, a Jedi.
But make no mistake. You are an evil, selfish thing, and teamwork is beyond you except when it directly allows you to increase your own personal power. The thing that always interested me about Sith is why they never were able to work together for long, and it did take me awhile to process. And it's simply this. Jedi are taught that in order to reach the top of the mountain, everyone must contribute and help each other.
Sith are taught that in order to reach the top of the mountain, you have to collect all the gear, find people to help you carry it, and then as you no longer need the gear dispose of the people carrying it. In this way, when you reach the top, you can say 'I did it alone' and take your place as being on top of the metaphorical world.
It's really that simple.
But [member="Darth Janus"] summed it up perfectly.
"Sith are bad people doing bad things for bad reasons."
