Struggle, Innit
We're Sith not Gods
"Ahhhh, I am struggling to hold my saber sensibly!"
We're Sith not Gods
"Ahhhh, I am struggling to hold my saber sensibly!"
Struggle is Sith
One of the key pillars of our guild concept is that we are not playing the all-conquering sith who sweep their enemies aside with little effort. We are playing the underdogs. Our characters fight uphill battles against stronger enemies, often with the odds stacked against them. If they win, they do so through sheer determination and grit, not their superior skill.
But that concept only works if our characters show vulnerability. Struggle, pain, fear, doubt, and even failure are what make our concept real. A character who never falters is not compelling, and they undermine that essential pillar of our concept.
At its heart, Sith roleplay is about conflict. If your enemies cannot test your character, then there is no struggle, no reason to grow stronger, no need to reach higher. The Sith Code is built on the idea that passion and conflict lead to strength. Without powerful enemies, there is no conflict and without conflict, there is no path to power.
When your character shows fear, takes a blow, or falters against a superior foe, you are not showing weakness, you are showing the very foundation of what it means to be Sith. Conflict is the forge that shapes your character. Every wound, every setback, every hard-won victory is what makes your character’s story worth telling.
But I'm playing an Imperial!
Admittedly, your character is less fundamentally fuelled by the concept of struggle and conflict, but unfortunately, you're still beholden to the concept of playing the underdog. Luckily, as a lowly Imperial in a world of space wizards who can kill you with their mind, you've actually got that struggle already built into your roleplay. Or, at least, you should.
This post is primarily directed at Sith players, because this is where most often see players struggling to balance the need for their character to be vulnerable against their need to be competent. But most of what is said would equally apply to any Operative character too.
What Does Struggling Look Like?
Struggling doesn’t neccessarily mean your character is weak, nor does it need to mean they suffer a defeat. Struggling simply acknowledges that the threats they face in our setting are:
- Show the stress. Struggle can be represented most simply in the way your character acts and reacts. There are very few people who are cool when facing adversity, most express their frustration and exertion as they do battle. The stresss can also lead to efforts being abandoned or failing.
Example: “He hissed as the blaster fire struck the rocks beside him, abandoning his attempt to unleash Force Lightning to escape further shots." - Take minor damage. Don’t dodge everything. Show your character getting bruised, cut, or knocked back. These injuries can be trivial enough to be brushed off, but still add to the sense of struggle.
Example: “The saber glanced across her arm, tearing fabric and flesh alike. She snarled through the pain, favouring the arm but refusing to back down.” - Show fear or alarm. Fear can be fuel for your characters' passion, but it can also be an essential ingredient to their survival. Especially when facing unfamiliar foes
Example: “The hulking monster’s roar rattled his chest; and Sith Bob fled down the corridor to escape its razor sharp claws..” - Struggling against odds. Against superior numbers or power, show your character forced to defend, adapt, or barely survive.
Example: “Overwhelmed by three blades at once, she retreated step after step, boots sliding in blood, her breath ragged, but her eyes alight with fury.” - Embracing failure. Sith may fear failure, but they also fear stagnating. A loss fuels hatred, growth, and revenge.
Example: “The strike hurled him against the wall. Broken ribs screamed with every breath. He spat blood, eyes narrowing with the promise that this would not be the end.” - Defeat without injury. Losing a clash doesn’t always mean being cut open. You can show defeat through position, control, or raw power overwhelming your character.
Example 1: “The blast of Force energy tore the saber from his hand, sending it clattering across the floor as he threw up his arms to shield against the wave.”
Example 2: “She was driven back step after step, her boots sliding until she lost her footing and crashed onto her back with a frustrated scream.”
Example 3: “His saber locked against hers, but inch by inch she forced him down, until he was kneeling against his will, teeth clenched in rage.”
Can my character never be overpowering?
If you are playing a Sith facing off against a lone Republic trooper, then the conflict is likely to be very one-sided and the victory pretty clean, but there might still be some hints of stress. If you throw a couple more troopers into the mix, then you ought to exhibit clear signs of struggle. This doesn't have to mean your character takes an injury, but it does mean there should be moments where they show stress as their more numerous foes test them.
As a Sith Lord, the level of threat you can comfortably deal with scales up, but the principle remains the same. A squad of Republic troopers might be an opponent your character can comfortably wipe out, but they should still show some signs of stress, even if it's just grunting from the exertion of parrying their blaster fire as you cut them down.
Why This Matters
When you deny your character struggle, when they never take a hit, never show fear, never falter, it breaks the common setting we are all working to build. It undermines your fellow players who are putting effort into showing hardship and growth if your character never shows a drop of stress in battle.
Our ethos is about underdogs clawing their way up through blood, grit, and defiance. If your character shrugs off everything without cost, they are not playing the same story as the rest of us.
Impact on Advancement
Struggle is not optional in Perfidious. It is the heart of both the guild and Sith roleplay. If you consistently refuse to have your character show it, if they dodge every wound, ignore every threat, and brush off stressful situations with cool indifference, that character will not advance. Bad roleplay cannot be rewarded.