I would like to suggest the following perks to being light alignment or dark alignment.

 

Energy Pools and weapon type

 

Light alignment should provide a bonus to the health bar regeneration rate and total amount. The higher your alignment, the better the regeneration rate and total bonus amount.

 

Dark alignment should provide a bonus to the secondary power bar regeneration rate and total amount. The higher your alignment, the better the regeneration rate and total bonus amount.

 

So the way this would work would be as follows....

Light V - 10 percent Health bonus, 50 health every 4 seconds

Light IV - 8 percent Health bonus, 40 health every 4 seconds

Light III - 6 percent Health bonus, 30 health every 4 seconds

Light II - 4 percent Health bonus, 20 health every 4 seconds

Light I - 2 percent Health bonus, 10 health every 4 seconds

Neutral - 1 percent Health Bonus, 1 percent Power bonus, 5 health every 4 seconds, 5 power every 4 seconds

Dark I - 2 percent Power bonus, 10 power every 4 seconds

Dark II - 4 percent Power bonus, 20 power every 4 seconds

Dark III - 6 percent Power bonus, 30 power every 4 seconds

Dark IV - 8 percent Power bonus, 40 power every 4 seconds

Dark V - 10 percent Power bonus, 50 power every 4 seconds

 

Maxing out your alignment would allow you to change your weapon type as follows:

 

Force based characters would receive the ability to use either dual sabers, single saber or a double saber.

Weapon based characters would get the ability to use either pistols, rifles or cannons.

 

Note that though animations would change the damage output would remain the same. The only benefit is the appearance change. Naturally any ability that requires a unique animation based on the prior weapon setup would still work, but would now use a standard animation.

 

Here is an example. Rupture for a Sith Warrior requires two lightsabers to use. For a Sith that has chosen a dual saber or a single saber, he draws out two single sabers to do the special, then redraws the original weapon choice.

 

This already happens in the game with companions and with your character during cutscenes...you will pull out the weapon appropriate to the situation, fire it, then return it. So this can be done so that current animations can be used.

 

Changes to the behavior and appearance of abilities as your alignment changes - Jedi and Sith

 

Right now Sith use the dark side of the force for their abilities, Jedi use the light side. That much is obvious. However, you can turn to the light or dark side based on your alignment, and in spite of your class. You can be a Jedi and have a Dark alignment, or visa versa.

 

I am suggesting that once someone actually reaches Dark or Light 5 and they are the opposite class...Jedi at Dark 5 or Sith at Light 5, your abilities should no longer appear to come from the side of the force that you started with or usually use in your class. Here is how I would suggest it works.

 

Dark side force user

 

Light III - The dark power begins to diminish from your abilities. You can see that the light side is beginning to take hold of you. (dark side effects are dialed back, the animation effects look like a mix between light and dark)

 

Light V - You have now turned to the light side of the force. Your abilities are now vested in light force energy. (your abilities now visually match a Knight or Consular)

 

Light side force user

 

Dark III - You are tempted by the dark side of the force. You can see that the light side is beginning to leave you as you walk further down the dark path. (light side effects are dialed back, the animation effects look like a mix between light and dark)

 

Dark V - Your journey to the dark side is complete. Your abilities are now empowered by dark force energy. (your abilities now visually match a Warrior or Inquisitor)

 

Note that since Dark and Light side abilities, within specific classes are mirrors. The animations are essentially the only difference. Therefore the animations and effects can be changed without effecting the function or output of the abilities.

 

Emote perks for reaching max alignment

 

The following are suggested emotes that would unlock for a character when they reach max alignment, light or dark.

 

Dark Side

 

Shaking the back of my fist at someone with a vocal emote....

 

"If you only knew the POWER of the dark side!!!!"

 

Regular vocal emotes

 

"I am altering the deal, prey I do not alter it any further"

"You have failed me for the last time!"

"I sense great fear in you."

"Release your anger!"

"Only your hate can destroy me!"

"This is your end....Jedi"

"The force is strong with you."

"Join me and together we can rule the galaxy!"

"You cannot escape your destiny"

"Your thoughts betray you."

"Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey toward the dark side will be complete!"

"If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed."

"Peace is a lie"

 

Light Side

 

All vocal emotes

 

Hand on chest, then vocal emote....

 

"May the force be with you. Always."

 

Regular vocal emotes

 

"The force is an energy field created by all living things."

"I feel a great disturbance in the force."

"I can sense a great disturbance in the force."

"I sense great anger in you."

"I sense the dark side in you."

"The dark side is strong in you."

"If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

"The force is strong with you."

"Beware of the dark side."

"Do not be seduced by the dark side."

"The dark side will destroy you."

"You must learn to control your emotions."

"You are only a master of evil."

Edited September 18, 2013 by LordArtemis

Or they could simply remove the arbitrary weapon restrictions for certain classes...

Or they could simply remove the arbitrary weapon restrictions for certain classes...

 

Doing that at least would work. I just wanted to also find a way to make alignment more relevant in the game.

What about Grey/Neutral alignment? Which reminds me, Any new news on that?

What about Grey/Neutral alignment? Which reminds me, Any new news on that?

 

Not that I know of. I wish someone would compile together the great suggestions in the forum with respect to neutral alignment and perks for it.

Check out the suggestion in my Sig. It kinda of would do this, but not complete freedom of weapon choice.

Check out the suggestion in my Sig. It kinda of would do this, but not complete freedom of weapon choice.

 

I like that....could I add some of those items to this suggestion?

To date this is the best idea that I've read for making me care if i'm light side or dark side other than the answers to the questions themselves. I still don't care about emotes but everything else was awesome!

To date this is the best idea that I've read for making me care if i'm light side or dark side other than the answers to the questions themselves. I still don't care about emotes but everything else was awesome!

 

Thanks, I appreciate it. It has evolved a bit since I first suggested it.

Not sure about the rest of it but I like the notion of force effects changing with alignment, A light sider throwing around lightning is just odd. So a LS5 sith using telekinesis would work for me, DS5 knight force choking someone? Hell yes.

 

Even if all they did was change the colour of force effects to represent the chars developing corruption/redemption, it would make your choices seem that little bit more visually impact-full.

 

Just my 2 creds

Edited May 15, 2013 by Barxus
Spell checker gave daft solution

Not sure about the rest of it but I like the notion of force effects changing with alignment, A light sider throwing around lightning is just odd. So a LS5 sith using telekinesis would work for me, DS5 knight force choking someone? Hell yes.

 

Even if all they did was change the colour of force effects to represent the chars developing corruption/redemption, it would make your choices seem that little bit more visually impact-full.

 

Just my 2 creds

 

IMO it would also distinguish the light and dark side more in used powers...the idea is that for a Jedi or Sith, as you fall the dark side or turn to the light side you would not continue to use opposite powers.

 

One example could be Count Dooku...when he is depicted as a member of the Jedi Council you can see him using light side powers. Naturally, when we see him in the movies his now using dark side powers, like lightning.

 

It just points to the idea that your abilities become more or less aggressive depending on which side of the force you follow and use.

What about Grey/Neutral alignment? Which reminds me, Any new news on that?

 

As a follow up to this comment, I have added a graduating scale for the health and power boost for light and dark side, so neutral gets a small boost to both.

One thing I don't like about this idea, or maybe I'm just not understanding correctly, is that there is an obvious unbalance between stacking dark and stacking light.

 

Regenerating your resources quicker is a much more useful thing than regenerating your health. Now assuming health regeneration is only outside of combat, it makes resource regeneration the only actual useful thing and therefore we would start seeing groups requiring that you be Dark V to play with them.

 

Now, if you mean health regen while in combat, that still isn't a big enough advantage over resource regeneration. This is because there are entire class roles designed for regenerating your HP: healers. And healers use their resources to make those heals happen. So if their heals are coming out faster, then there is little need for everyone else's HP to regenerate on its own. Plus, even if the healers didn't stack to regen their resources, the fact that they still heal you nullifies the importance of having a health regen ability.

 

 

That would be my largest complaint about the idea. I also have one comment on the ability animations pertaining to alignment. I actually have had the exact same idea you suggest here about making abilities look more light/dark depending on your alignment. However I ultimately decided that full-blown copies of the dark or lightside counter parts for abilities wasn't a good idea.

 

Mainly because even though the abilities are to the same general effect, some tend to behave differently. In addition, the specific abilities per each class should remain specific for their class and not be interchangeable with the opposite faction's abilities. That's why I think that when maximum alignment is achieved, instead of a consular move becoming an inquisitor move, it should remain distinctly a consular move but look much, much darker than it ever did before.

 

For example, Telekinetic Throw would still look like Telekinetic Throw, but it could have some lightning thrown into the attack on top of the stones. Or Project would still be Project, but maybe the impact of the rock could make a dark looking impact on the target (like a sudden flash of purple sparks or smoke from the impact of the attack). etc.

 

 

 

Other than that, I think this is a very good idea.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Soul_of_Flames

One thing I don't like about this idea, or maybe I'm just not understanding correctly, is that there is an obvious unbalance between stacking dark and stacking light.

 

Regenerating your resources quicker is a much more useful thing than regenerating your health. Now assuming health regeneration is only outside of combat, it makes resource regeneration the only actual useful thing and therefore we would start seeing groups requiring that you be Dark V to play with them.

 

Now, if you mean health regen while in combat, that still isn't a big enough advantage over resource regeneration. This is because there are entire class roles designed for regenerating your HP: healers. And healers use their resources to make those heals happen. So if their heals are coming out faster, then there is little need for everyone else's HP to regenerate on its own. Plus, even if the healers didn't stack to regen their resources, the fact that they still heal you nullifies the importance of having a health regen ability.

 

 

That would be my largest complaint about the idea. I also have one comment on the ability animations pertaining to alignment. I actually have had the exact same idea you suggest here about making abilities look more light/dark depending on your alignment. However I ultimately decided that full-blown copies of the dark or lightside counter parts for abilities wasn't a good idea.

 

Mainly because even though the abilities are to the same general effect, some tend to behave differently. In addition, the specific abilities per each class should remain specific for their class and not be interchangeable with the opposite faction's abilities. That's why I think that when maximum alignment is achieved, instead of a consular move becoming an inquisitor move, it should remain distinctly a consular move but look much, much darker than it ever did before.

 

For example, Telekinetic Throw would still look like Telekinetic Throw, but it could have some lightning thrown into the attack on top of the stones. Or Project would still be Project, but maybe the impact of the rock could make a dark looking impact on the target (like a sudden flash of purple sparks or smoke from the impact of the attack). etc.

 

 

 

Other than that, I think this is a very good idea.

 

As to the health and power regeneration issue, I see your points and would like you elaborate on them further...IE how can the amounts be adjusted, if at all, to better suit the idea, or should it be scrapped.

 

One thing I noted that was odd was that Sorcs have no health regeneration mechanic...like a life leech. I could adjust the ls/ds innate to be connected to damage (ds) and healing (ls), but then that would exclude some classes from the mix.

 

Yes, the idea was to have this as both in combat and out of combat...an adjustment to your base regeneration rates based on your alignment.

 

To the second point, that sounds interesting...certainly dark side users in the movies have obviously used "push" and "grab" in force power...so it could just have light or dark side identifiers added to the effect.

Sorry I haven't responded to you, I haven't checked the forum in a while.

 

Anyway, I think that as long as their is a dividing line between rewards from Dark and rewards from Light it's going to end up coming to a point where they will be required for completing content (at least in the eyes of many raid teams).

 

Like I said in my first post, I'd personally vouch for free resource regeneration as being a much more worth wile tool than health regeneration simply because healer players can already regen your HP but there is no class that regens your resources.

 

If there is going to be a reward for reaching higher levels of Dark/Light, they should be the same reward. Now if you want to have some sort of trade off, I'd say that you trade off between Neutral to Dark/Light. Where being neutral would have it's own benefits but as you grow in the light or dark side, you slowly lose the neutral benefits and gain the dark/light benefits in a two-way gradual swap. But I want to stress that the rewards for dark should be the same as the rewards for light and that the only identifying difference between the two would be the visual impact they have on your character's abilities.

 

Now, what the benefits for being neutral are and what the benefits for being dark or light are would still need to be decided but I don't think it should be anything that could impact the balance of a class. Because even the smallest amount of additional resources can toss the whole balance system out of whack. Note that how in a number of patches you see changes to abilities that merely adjust the points by 2 or 4 resources (out of 100 or 500 or w/e). Those are small numbers but the devs obviously saw that the tiny change could impact the balance enough to fix any issues. So when you start applying new regeneration bonuses out of left field it will completely make resource management for each class a lot easier and could potentially ruin class interactions.

 

Unfortunately, I can't think of any idea as to what sort of benefits being light or dark could give you. I will continue to think on it and if I do I'll be sure to let you know though.

Old thread, but some fun ideas here and I love the one about changing animations to match alignment.

 

I've always wished LS Sith didn't have such, well, evil looking combat animations. It's the main reason why I switched to Warrior from Inquisitor -- it's easier to imagine my character isn't an evil psycho when he doesn't have that decrepit looking posture and isn't constantly flinging purple lightning around.

I could change the light and dark side bonus to be for health, since technically both jedi and sith classes have heals. So it could just a be a dark or light health boost.

 

I could even make it just something that reduces down time outside of combat....down time is not important to balance, but makes PVE play much more enjoyable, especially when solo.

 

So, perhaps it could be done this way...neutral, you get a bonus to health and power regeneration. As you move up the light or dark side ladder you lose power generation but gain health generation.

 

But, if it is moved to outside combat, having health for one and power for another will not create imbalance, and IMO is more appropriate for the light or dark side....dark side would increase power, light side increase health IMO.

Some very interesting ideas here. As for the alignment bonuses, how about DS increases health and LS increases defence? And out of combat, both get increased regeneration. This is because, in my mind, dark siders are much more brutish and simply take a hit while preparing to stike back at the enemy, channelling their rage and pain into the attack, while light siders are much more focused and react more quickly to deflect or avoid a strike before countering

Some very interesting ideas here. As for the alignment bonuses, how about DS increases health and LS increases defence? And out of combat, both get increased regeneration. This is because, in my mind, dark siders are much more brutish and simply take a hit while preparing to stike back at the enemy, channelling their rage and pain into the attack, while light siders are much more focused and react more quickly to deflect or avoid a strike before countering

 

Its a good idea IMO, but some folks have expressed concerns about creating imbalance by boosting stats other than outside of combat.

True, but I figure it would be similar to the class buffs, so say a 1% boost per alignment level to a max of 5%. Maybe not exactly that because I'm not really sure how the Defence stat translates into chance to avoid damage, but with careful calculations, I'm sure it would be possible to balance the defence and health boosts so that the end result is the same (increase the number of attacks needed to kill the player by X). It would also give light siders a small advantage against direct weapon attacks, because every time Defence triggers they completely avoid damage, and dark siders would get a small advantage against Force and Tech attacks due to their slightly increased health pool.

 

I haven't seen anyone complain that players with the Trooper/BH buff have an unfair advantage due to 5% more Endurance, and this would be pretty much the same

I like this and I don't at the same time. There are some bits I like a lot and others not so much.

 

Light alignment should provide a bonus to the health bar regeneration rate and total amount. The higher your alignment, the better the regeneration rate and total bonus amount.

 

Dark alignment should provide a bonus to the secondary power bar regeneration rate and total amount. The higher your alignment, the better the regeneration rate and total bonus amount.

This is a cool idea from the get go, I always felt that besides some awkward looking orange gear there was no incentive to choose an alignment past how your character would act. The ideas you gave were quite well thought out but perhaps try it this way.

 

Each alignment tier adds a bonus as you stated above.

 

Light V - 20 percent Health bonus, 50 health every 4 seconds

Light IV - 10 percent Health bonus, 40 health every 4 seconds

Light III - 8 percent Health bonus, 30 health every 4 seconds

Light II - 5 percent Health bonus, 20 health every 4 seconds

Light I - 2 percent Health bonus, 10 health every 4 seconds

 

Dark I - 20 point Power stat buff built every 4 seconds, exhausts after first ability use

Dark II - 20 point Power stat buff built every 4 seconds, exhausts after first ability use (Stacks 2 times)

Dark III - 20 point Power stat buff built every 4 seconds, exhausts after first ability use (Stacks 3 times)

Dark IV - 20 point Power stat buff built every 4 seconds, exhausts after first ability use (Stacks 4 times)

Dark V - 20 point Power stat buff built every 4 seconds, exhausts after first ability use (Stacks 5 times)

 

Neutral/Grey alignment needs a bonus as well. To do this you must remain at Neutral 0 the entire game, (Take note, this does not mean that you cannot make Light/ dark choices, just that you can't allow them to shift your alignment.) For every 2 Social tiers that you remain at Neutral 0 you will receive 1 Grey tier. Each tier grants the following buff.

 

Grey I - Heroic Moment does not require a companion

Grey II - Heroic Moment does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 10 minutes

Grey III - Heroic Moment does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 10 minutes, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 300 seconds

Grey IV - Heroic Moment lasts 90 seconds, does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 5 minutes, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 100 seconds

Grey V - Heroic Moment lasts 90 seconds, does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 60 seconds, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 30 seconds

 

Force based characters would receive the ability to use either dual sabers, single saber or a double saber.

Weapon based characters would get the ability to use either pistols, rifles or cannons

 

This I don't believe would work well because it would diminish the advanced class value. You choose your advanced class based on your combat/weapon preference in the first place, changing that changes who your character is.

 

Changes to the behavior and appearance of abilities as your alignment changes - Jedi and Sith

 

Right now Sith use the dark side of the force for their abilities, Jedi use the light side. That much is obvious. However, you can turn to the light or dark side based on your alignment, and in spite of your class. You can be a Jedi and have a Dark alignment, or visa versa.

 

I am suggesting that once someone actually reaches Dark or Light 5 and they are the opposite class...Jedi at Dark 5 or Sith at Light 5, your abilities should no longer appear to come from the side of the force that you started with or usually use in your class.

 

The problem with this is that the alignments do not necessarily classify you as the opposite faction. The Light Side options for the Sith Warrior for example are more based towards his own personal honor as opposed to "Doing the right thing". Choosing light side options doesn't make you less Sith or more Jedi, it just makes you less of a murderous psychopath.

Also it wouldn't change how you were taught to fight.

 

Emote perks for reaching max alignment

No Sith would ever stoop to using the Jedi catchphrase, no matter how far he strays from his teachings. Edited October 9, 2013 by Vorian-Rob

Some interesting points, I'm going to look it over more closely before I comment on it.

Neutral/Grey alignment needs a bonus as well. To do this you must remain at Neutral 0 the entire game, (Take note, this does not mean that you cannot make Light/ dark choices, just that you can't allow them to shift your alignment.) For every 2 Social tiers that you remain at Neutral 0 you will receive 1 Grey tier. Each tier grants the following buff.

 

Grey I - Heroic Moment does not require a companion

Grey II - Heroic Moment does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 10 minutes

Grey III - Heroic Moment does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 10 minutes, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 300 seconds

Grey IV - Heroic Moment lasts 90 seconds, does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 5 minutes, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 100 seconds

Grey V - Heroic Moment lasts 90 seconds, does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 60 seconds, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 30 seconds.

 

You do realize at Grey V that you have Heroic Moment lasting longer than its cooldown? On top of that you give Grey V a free stun (Smuggler), a damaging channeled stun (Warrior), and a smattering of strong AOEs (Agent, Hunter, Inquistor, Knight, and Trooper) each on a 30s CD. The Free Orbital Strike every 30 secs by itself is pretty dang OP, it is better than my Sniper gets it and he is specced to have it on a shorter cooldown.

 

I would re-roll my current toon and grind my behind to Social X just for that, and I can totally seeing it rapidly become raid standard. With Legacy gear I would only have to re-acquire my Earpiece, Implants, and Relics.

So the way this would work would be as follows....

Light V - 10 percent Health bonus, 50 health every 4 seconds

Light IV - 8 percent Health bonus, 40 health every 4 seconds

Light III - 6 percent Health bonus, 30 health every 4 seconds

Light II - 4 percent Health bonus, 20 health every 4 seconds

Light I - 2 percent Health bonus, 10 health every 4 seconds

Neutral - 1 percent Health Bonus, 1 percent Power bonus, 5 health every 4 seconds, 5 power every 4 seconds

Dark I - 2 percent Power bonus, 10 power every 4 seconds

Dark II - 4 percent Power bonus, 20 power every 4 seconds

Dark III - 6 percent Power bonus, 30 power every 4 seconds

Dark IV - 8 percent Power bonus, 40 power every 4 seconds

Dark V - 10 percent Power bonus, 50 power every 4 seconds]

 

Ok.. Over all I like this idea.. But I have some concerns.. How is this going to effect balance??

 

Is 8% power equal to 10% health??

 

What about tanks?? They have a lot of health.. Is that going to become a tank thing??

 

Liked I said.. I live the idea.. I would very much like our force alignment to actually mean something.. I just don't want to throw the game out of balance in the process..

 

Good idea Lord.. This one really does have promise..

Edited October 12, 2013 by MajikMyst

Grey I - Heroic Moment does not require a companion

Grey II - Heroic Moment does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 10 minutes

Grey III - Heroic Moment does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 10 minutes, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 300 seconds

Grey IV - Heroic Moment lasts 90 seconds, does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 5 minutes, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 100 seconds

Grey V - Heroic Moment lasts 90 seconds, does not require a companion and has its cooldown reduced to 60 seconds, Legacy abilities cooldowns are reduced to 30 seconds.

 

How do you become a grey V?? I am guessing that alignment will have to be added..

 

I am not sure that messing with Heroic moment is a good idea.. Suddenly people with all 4 skills become a huge asset to anything.. That to me is a great way to unbalance the game.. Not to mention the heals a player gets.. Someone is going to have to crunch the numbers on this one.. But I honestly don't see this one working out..

 

I am not even sure the light and dark ones will work out either.. Is life and ammo/force a fair trade off??

Edited October 12, 2013 by MajikMyst