Darkside Playthrough

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

One of the nice things about KOTOR II is you can be darkside without being a total jerk. Just play the "might makes right" line and then, as you become more and more corrupt just go with it. If you do help people make sure you do it for your own benifit etc.

It's even possible to go DS just dispensing rough justice (to the badguys) choose the angry and hateful responses and you willl be there in no time. Force dominate is a must for playing the darkside too.

 

Even as DS I still did things like side with the Ithorians (easier to push around than Czerka)

Help the people on Dantoonine then have them spend those 4000 creds on a huge statue in my honour.

 

Just because you choose a side, dosnt mean you cant slip up occasionaly or show a shred of humanity. One of my LS characters totally lost it on Dxun when confronted with the Mandalorians.

[Azr1el]

I am playing as a Sith Lord at the moment and I must say the game is full of surprises and the "infulence" thing in K2 is really taking off. (Being DS is tough at times though, because it's not in my nature to be DS, but as someone wrote in a previous post, just imagine you're acting - or close your eyes while you press that button)

 

Anyway, gain enough influence with the good guys among your companions and then lead them to the dark side: my Atton is a Dark Jedi Sentinel who doesn't mind killing innocents as long as you warn him in advance (he just doesn't seem to like surprises).

 

My Handmaiden is a Dark Jedi Guardian and (not sure, maybe someone could tell me) she is either sadistic or just merciful in the following example: on Naar Shada, if you are accompanied by Atton and the Handmaiden, when you meet the real owner of the Ebon Hawk, Atton will want to shoot him, while the Handmaiden suggest a strike to severe some nerve and incapacitate him (let me know...)

 

However, even if she is DS, her Echani code of conduct will make you lose influence over her if you strike someone who wasn't attacking in the first place... so much for turning her into a Dark Jedi...

 

Bao-Dur is also a Dark Jedi Guardian, although I haven't had him in my party while on a "killing spree", so I don't have any feedback on that (not that I enjoy killing, I just want to see how the other characters in the game react).

 

I know Hanhaar is already DS, but it's pretty cool to break his will, once you have enough influence on him. Breaking his will repeatedly increases his strength, while decreasing his intelligence. I haven't done it repeatedly yet, but I have read in a mag that once his strength reaches 32, his intelligence skyrockets, making him a "genius". Will have to try...

[Bastilla_Skywalker]

How do you get Atris in your party?

 

I heard you have to be dark side only? and not turn Handmaiden into Jedi? is this true?

[Reveilled]

Actually, I thought KotOR 2's darkside was easier, precisely because in KotOR 1 the Darkside was all about acting like a school bully of the "give me your lunch money" presuasion.

 

In KotOR 2, it was a lot easier to be the "Bond Villain"; that is, evil, but polite about it. Being able to vent all my hatred of my party and everyone else on my personal livejournal (a.k.a. Kreia) while still being superficially polite and friendly to everyone else made being evil a lot easier. And you could pull of a "acting good with ulterior motives" schtick.

Also, the fact that evil paths were often available where you wouldn't actually have to confront the people you were hurting made things easier too (e.g. when you help Czerka on Telos you're never in the position where the Ithorians start begging you or their lives.

 

All I was disappointed about was that "[ignore him]" was not a more frequent conversation option, as opposed to "get out of my way or I'll kill you!"

[Azr1el]

How do you get Atris in your party?

 

I heard you have to be dark side only? and not turn Handmaiden into Jedi? is this true?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I don't think you can get Atris in your party... She's just a plot character, like Vrook...

[Malagance]

Playing the Dark Side initially made me feel pretty dirty in KOTOR1. The Ithorian getting taunted by the kids was a tough place for me, too. The toughest place by far for me was Kashyyk, though. I couldn't bring myself to side with that pitiful worm of a wookiee and sided with Zaalbar and fought for wookiee freedom. That was the only place where I got LSPs in the original.

 

In Kotor2 it became a little easier to be evil and not feel like a terrible person, but I had played DS through KOTOR1 so many times that I had honestly become desensitized, I guess. I generally have a hard time trying to face Kavar. I honestly really like him. I thought he was a really cool guy and seemed like the only honorable Jedi left in the game. I especially liked his role as an advisor to the queen. It was fun to watch those cutscenes, reminds me of Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan in Episodes I and II.

 

I'm thinking of playing through and just choosing what I feel at the time, I.E. not going in with a preconceived concept of "Oh, I wanna be Light/Dark". The problem is that my inner powergamer is worried that if I do this I'll probably end up slightly dark or light, but never get to a big enough extreme to qualify for a prestige class.

 

My favorite Dark Side moments in KOTOR2, though:

 

First time through, before I knew the story of Loortra on Nar Shadaa, I just waltzed into his room.

 

"You picked the wrong room to break into, friend!"

"You picked the wrong room to die in, friend."

*Force Choke*

 

Never felt any guilt until I went through as a lightsider and found out why he was there.

 

The other one is on Dantooine when you're outside the Jedi Enclave and run into the scavenger group coming out. They ask you what you want.

 

"You. Out of my way. Now."

 

Then they get uppity and say something like:

 

"Watch yourself, this isn't a fight that you can win."

 

"You have greatly overestimated your pathetic abilities."

 

Golden.

[Mak-Sim Malinin]

:D I didn't even try to be dark side. I found it to be impossible. Imagine torturing yourself from the inside. Horrible. Maybe I will play DS when the full game ending comes out, but for now, no.

 

As to some dark side choices, I played LS, but in some cases, I just did dark sid ethings, like forging the will on dantooine, dark options with Kreia, well I just thought it to be neccessery, otherwise, no.

 

ITs like having an HK pacificst package all the time. " :">

[Lord_Nihilus]

[KungFuFerret]

The majority of the DS options in the game in reality seemed more like the standard recruit test for the Exchange.

 

The stereotypical brutality thug thing was fairly lame imo. But I guess some enjoyed being as shallow as Hanharr. /shrug

 

The situation with Mission in KOTOR 1, now that was evil.

 

But for the most part in KOTOR 2, it would have been so much more fun to be able to play DS being more manipulative, like Kreia. You can do far more evil things by getting the thugs to do your dirty work for you, then to do it yourself. In this sense, Goto's a much bigger villain then you are, because you're his lackey.

 

The downside is, they had to make the LS and DS choices very very obvious to people, so I attribute it to that. They did a much better job in Fallout and Fallout 2 with the "dark side" choices.

 

 

The LS path they did a good job on. I was very impressed.

 

The DS path, seemed fairly mindless to me.

 

 

 

So on topic with the thread, I found it somewhat difficult to play DS as well, because I found the options to do so, quite limited.

 

I view the DS more like a disease, and the intention is to spread the disease. Cause more suffering, more hatred, and more despair. If you kill everything in your path, you cauterize all the wounds immediately, thus thwarted yourself.

 

What's the point?

 

On Nar Shadaa there's a guy who lies to the Exchange thugs and tells them you have his money. I found it served the purposes of the Dark Side far better to convince them to take him into slavery, then to force dominate the thugs to jump into the pit, and kill the man.

 

There should have been options like that for every situation throughout the game.

[stujlaird]

I view the DS more like a disease, and the intention is to spread the disease.  Cause more suffering, more hatred, and more despair.  If you kill everything in your path, you cauterize all the wounds immediately, thus thwarted yourself.

 

What's the point?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Some would include the concept of being self defeating as part of the nature of evil. OK, still pointless, but at least it's pointless for a reason.

[Master Dahvernas]

Even though it is just a game... It is still interesting to see people's reactions to it as it is, essentially, a morality simulator in a lot of respects (both I & II).

 

I, like some, did find playing DS a little easier in TSL because the dialogue options, even for LS, were more along the lines of a cynical war vet who has seen it all to where thugs and intimidation wouldn't even phase him/her and my gut reaction... In playing that "role"... Is to throw them right back. Also, for me, it came down to just a matter of respect in that I found some of the more amusing dialogue options like "That's right. Mess with me and you'll find out" more appropriate... Even for LS... In certain situations given the background of my character (male OR female).

 

The big limiting factor with the KOTOR series in playing DS is that it is limited by the game mechanics in that being a truly manipulative Sith Lord like Kriea/Traya and Palpatine in the films would take to long and actually ISN'T good material for a game because the game is after all a hybrid RPG/Action-Adventure game to where violence and thuggery are viewed as the "ultimate" evil one can do to lesser NPCs as well as the existing baddies (Nihilus; Scion; Atris) if the intent behind the violence is self-serving and not for the greater good, or helping the innocent and oppressed.

[Sir Fink]

[~Di]

Eh... I can't play DS. Couldn't play it in KoTOR I, and didn't even try in KoTOR II. It just makes me feel... slimey.

 

Yes, I know it's only a game. But I play games to have fun and feel good. Being cruel, disgusting, murderous or rude isn't fun and doesn't make me feel good even in a game.

 

Unfortunately, that gives considerably less replay value. Bummer. :D

[Exertim]

How do you get Atris in your party?

 

I heard you have to be dark side only? and not turn Handmaiden into Jedi? is this true?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I don't think you can get Atris in your party... She's just a plot character, like Vrook...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Atris was probably at one point in time before retail a Party member. Why else is she in the concept art fighting Nehelis (sp)? To add to this, I found a group portrait of her via the KSE program.

[snowcat]

I do feel a little dirty playing the dark side, but I just remember to give in to my feelings, and I feel better.

 

I love the reaction that the hacker on Oderon gives me as he begs for his life. After I tell him I am going to kill him, he says "You're just evil!"

 

[Rosbjerg]

I always emerge myself in the roleplaying .. I guess it comes from playing so many campaigns with friends, who find it extremely funny to be a bunch of evil cross-dressing dwarfs .. yeah don't ask me! .. but since then I just 'turn on' my inner evil-crossdressing-dwarf .. this way I feel the anger boiling and then I kill who ever is in my way, and who comments on my apperances (in the game of course! " ) which made it easy to get really pissed when they started commenting on my DS looks!

[Bulgaroctonus]

I have to say, I really like being a Gray Jedi. It allows you to be very evil and very compassionate. The problem with it in KotOR II is you don't get to be a Presitge class. I beat it my first time without one, cause I was Gray.

 

I have to say I have some problems with the more extreme dark side choices, but some are just so delicious.......

 

I loved killing the Rodians in front of the Exchange.

 

"Open the door or your dead."

"If I open it I'm dead."

"Then I guess you're dead."

*Kill*

 

"Do you know what happened to the last Rodian who didn't open this door for me?"

"No."

"You got his job. Open the door."

"I can't."

*Kill*

 

"Oh no. Please don't kill me. I simply can't open the door."

"So you know what happened to the last two Rodians?"

"Yes. But I can't open this door."

"Well, then, you're dead."

[Master Dahvernas]

Eh... I can't play DS.  Couldn't play it in KoTOR I, and didn't even try in KoTOR II.  It just makes me feel... slimey.

 

Yes, I know it's only a game.  But I play games to have fun and feel good.  Being cruel, disgusting, murderous or rude isn't fun and doesn't make me feel good even in a game.

 

Unfortunately, that gives considerably less replay value.  Bummer. :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think what you just said is the most simple answer why a lot of people can't play DS and feel "good" about it.

 

The real world, as we all know, is full of gray areas and a lot of terrible things. We play games to escape and do things that we normally couldn't do... One of which is right the wrongs that we could never do in the real world (at least for me). So, playing DS is basically bringing the real world into your time to escape and probably very unappealing for this reason alone.

[213374U]

I have to say, I really like being a Gray Jedi.  It allows you to be very evil and very compassionate.  The problem with it in KotOR II is you don't get to be a Presitge class.  I beat it my first time without one, cause I was Gray.

Hmm, for some reason I can't quite picture a mass murderer that would help old blind women cross the street. But then again, I try to be consequent with the idea of my PC that I have made at the beginning of the game, and I make my decisions accordingly. When I played grey Jedi, I just wouldn't get involved in most stuff. Unfortunately, that's a great way to miss XP.

 

But again, as Rosbjerg said, it's all about the role-playing. I don't consider myself a murderous sociopath, but I have no problems role-playing one. It's just like watching a movie. I just have the PC act as I think he (or she) would, and my conscience is OK with that.

[nerv2112]

I personaly find the bad guys in the star wars universe far more interesting then the good guys so I actaully played the DS first. The hardest thing I did as DS was convincing the diseased guy to kill himself but I did laugh when he actually did it (i think i was shocked it actually happened). And telling the poor girl the path was clear to meet her lost husband.

 

Another shocking moment was when I saw a cutscene with Atton and realized his face was grey and I had corrupted him as well. Oh and when I murdered the reception lady on the way out of the exchange and Atton says something like "I couldnt stop myself" and you gain influence with him.

[Lifthransir Bane]

I wish they inserted dialog like the ones vader do, In the cloud city when he double crosses lando, he says something like, "there's been a change in our agreement, pray that i don't modify it further" or something like that, dark brooding and is definitely not brutish. They could do perhaps the silent type thinker who will unleash a mean force storm when annoyed, now that is what a Sith Lord should be...

 

question: who ripped darth malak's jaw?? was it revan on a anger fit or debris when malachor exploded? or something??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

There are lines like this. You can start making demands from Vaklu when assaulting onderon. One of which is that Onderon give you all the force sensitives on the planet so that you can build your own personal army.

[chibajoe]

Playing a DS character is a mixed bag for me. Although I don't have any problems taking evil dialog options, when it comes to doing evil things, I usually can't. For instance, when talking with Kreia, I can rack up a ton of DS points, but I would never sell the little girl into slavery. Of course, there are some evil things, like telling the two thugs to junp off the ledge, that I have no problems with, but they probably deserved it .

[DSLuke]

Well if there is some justification behind evil deeds then it is easier to do them and satisfying sometimes if I may add

[tmp]

Hmm, for some reason I can't quite picture a mass murderer that would help old blind women cross the street. But then again, I try to be consequent with the idea of my PC that I have made at the beginning of the game, and I make my decisions accordingly. When I played grey Jedi, I just wouldn't get involved in most stuff. Unfortunately, that's a great way to miss XP. 

It all depends on what sort of 'grey' character you choose to play, really. -.^ my Exile was an originally 'good' character who then got warped by things witnessed and done during the war... deep down she still had some shred of humanity left that makes her not do 'evil' things for no greater reason (the same that made her turn away from Revan's path after M5) but on top of that was emotional trainwreck of guilt and anger and doubt which she'd hide from everyone and try to never mention, mixed with outer layer of short temper, lot of cynicism gained over years, and war-induced lack of respect for weakness bordering on disdain. "

 

With this kind of setup it comes quite natural during the game to take the selfish, manipulative route to most of choices, give support to someone like Vakluu (who btw lost all my respect in the end after he cowardly had his goon squad gun down the queen when i told him to do his dirty work himself...) ... hit back when someone is dumb enough to try to push you around and you can't see any potential gain from playing along... and occasionally do something good when there's no good reason not to. End result being most of the quests done with the alignment never moving more than half way towards the 'good' or 'evil' <_<

[KungFuFerret]

For me, it's a lot easier to roleplay DS simply because I'm used to roleplaying in general. I rarely do so, but I can put myelf into the perspective when I do. For KOTOR, you pretty much have to if you want to see the whole story. Due to the wide audience for computer games though, the options have to be so blatant, they're just shy of missing the, "GOOD GUY, Click Here..." "BAD GUY, Click Here..." tags on the dialog options.

 

If you've ever tried to play World of Darkness, you quickly learn no matter how good your intentions, the nature of your situation and the world, makes you powerless to do anything about it. You have to learn to think outside the box. If you don't, you won't survive long. The game has it's own share of people enamored with being very shallow and doing what they think to be evil, which amounts to about how it is in KOTOR to a degree. For them though, that's their escape. To be something they could otherwise not be. As long as they aren't taking it all seriously, I don't have a problem with it.

 

That doesn't mean you can't be a good guy, far from it. But you have to be very thoughtful how you go about it. And more importantly, who knows you've done so. I kind of like that challenge and the fear it inspires wondering who's discovered what you've done. Kind of the reverse of reality.

 

 

I don't look for morality to be taught in computer games. When I'm flying around in Falcon4, I'm not thinking of the 4 bombs I just dropped on the tank convoy below. I'm not thinking of how many people in the office building nearby are going to die. I'm thinking about that MiG group that's trying to sneak up on my right and put my whole flight at risk.

 

When I'm playing a WW2 flightsim and flying for the Luftwaffe (since I enjoy the challenge of flying their planes), I'm definitely not thinking about the ideals of the German High Command. Anyone who is, is just sick and demented.

 

It's not really escapism, if you're making it more then an escape.