So, we all are familiar with the classic "dark and evil place, overflowing with the Dark Side" from the various Star Wars stories out there.

So, how do you get rid of them? I don't recall seeing anything in Force and Destiny specifically referring to this, though I could've overlooked it. If so, please tell me the page number, that would be great.

But I'm pretty sure it's not in there. So, if your players want to actually cleanse the site of it's evil taint, how do they go about doing that mechanically? Mostly just looking for brainstorming ideas to incorporate into my game. I'm running an Old Republic era game, with 2 friends, and they've found themselves marooned on a primitive world, and accidentally just unleashed a person who is currently possessed by an ancient sith spirit. Ideally, they will try and expel the spirit from the host, and save her, but hey, these are players we're talking about, so who knows what they might try and do.

So I was curious how, if the situation presents itself, I might allow them to actually roll to try and accomplish this. I'm fine with narratively speaking having them accomplish this: Destroy some focus item that is the anchor for the spirit, uncover some ritual that would let them actually destroy the spirit after doing some kind of vision quest, etc. But, if they just try "I want to try and tap into the Force, and basically banish the Dark Side influence from the area" how would they pull that off? Just a Force Die roll with an opposed Discipline check, against some difficulty to represent the power of the Dark Side? Have them try and develop some new Force power to do exactly this? And if so, any ideas on the mechanics of this new Force Cleanse power that is theoretically going to exist?

Again, this is mostly a mechanical question, because I know my 2 players, and they are very literal, crunch heavy players. I try and get them into the narrative, roleplaying aspect of the system, and they do ok most times, but they always revert back to roll-playing when they feel unsure on how to proceed. So, while I would love for my players to just blurt out "I am going to hurl myself at the focus item, and sacrifice myself to cleanse the location!" or something equally badass and heroic, I suspect it will be more along the lines of "I want to roll to try and shut down that influence."

So, thoughts? Actually, while typing this out, the idea of coming up with a new Force power to try and purge Dark Side locations sounds fun. I had an idea to have them be forced to go through a native culture ritual/vision quest, to prove their worth to try and stop this threat, and I'd like to give them some kind of benefit for it. So, a new power might be the right way to go. But, other ideas with existing mechanics are equally appreciated.

Not in the book, and not something I've ever seen for certain in Star Wars, but I've toyed with the thought before. I don't know if this is something you want to handle mechanically , but through story telling, but a good start would be the adventure in the beta rulebook, Lost Knowledge . It ends with confronting a dark side entity in a Sith tomb. The game master would lay out several Destiny Points, and would flip them based on the characters' reactions. If they did 'light' things, more light points, and vice versa. Maybe something like that?

Not in the book, and not something I've ever seen for certain in Star Wars, but I've toyed with the thought before. I don't know if this is something you want to handle mechanically , but through story telling, but a good start would be the adventure in the beta rulebook, Lost Knowledge . It ends with confronting a dark side entity in a Sith tomb. The game master would lay out several Destiny Points, and would flip them based on the characters' reactions. If they did 'light' things, more light points, and vice versa. Maybe something like that?

Hmm, maybe. Personally I would rather the players handle it narratively, but like I said in the OP, I know my players. They're very analytical, it's a herculian effort to get them to try and roleplay without feeling self conscious about what they're doing. *shrugs* It's just how it is. Been playing with these guys for over a decade, they're just more crunchy than fluffy when it comes to gaming, always have. I was thinking perhaps something like, using the fear chart, depending on how powerful the location is. Depending on how powerful the site is, that would dictate the difficulty of the Discipline check for the Force power. If they succeed, they can basically channel light side pips into the site, diminishing it over time. Obviously dark side pips wouldn't work for this. So if they succed at the Discipline check, and also generate light pips, it would reduce it from a 5 difficulty site, to a 4 difficulty, and so on. Assuming they don't get cut down while doing this, 'cause obviously the site would have some kind of guardian/BBEG, thus making it a risk. If they succeed at doing this 5 times, they've purged the site. Of course, since the location is a Fear site, they could possibly be suffering from ongoing setback dice, assuming they fail the fear check, and other situational penalties. And I will probably require a strain cost for each attempt, or possibly a wound cost for each attempt, so there is a direct, mechanical cost/risk to it. Thoughts?

Well given that the Jedi know of many darkside places and near as I can tell they have never purged them I think it can't be done. If it could I am pretty sure they would have done so. Same goes for Dark Side Holocrons. They lock them up. As they have no ability to destroy the taint.

There is a darkside place at the bottom of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant...

Well given that the Jedi know of many darkside places and near as I can tell they have never purged them I think it can't be done. If it could I am pretty sure they would have done so. Same goes for Dark Side Holocrons. They lock them up. As they have no ability to destroy the taint.

Well given that I'm the GM and it's my campaign, I'm saying that nobody every thought to try and do it. I'm asking for ideas on how to accomplish it. I personally take issue with the idea that it's impossible to purge a dark side location, considering a location that wasn't tainted can become tainted. No reason it couldn't be purged in some way, other than "we've never seen it done before".

I think the method should still work, as there were mechanical ways to go about it. It started with a fear check, then there were things the characters could do to turn it from dark to light and back again. Succeeding the fear check flipped a point, meditating on the light side did, fighting the apparition flipped a dark point, etc., etc.. My players are not particular, well, quick on the uptake, so it was a bit over their heads, but if you drop the right hints and they really are analytical it might work. I would at least find a copy or get somebody to send you the specifics; it might be worth looking into.

Not that there will be mechanics for what you are describing, but this seems a tailor made question for after Nexus of Power hits the stands.

Well given that the Jedi know of many darkside places and near as I can tell they have never purged them I think it can't be done. If it could I am pretty sure they would have done so. Same goes for Dark Side Holocrons. They lock them up. As they have no ability to destroy the taint.

Well given that I'm the GM and it's my campaign, I'm saying that nobody every thought to try and do it. I'm asking for ideas on how to accomplish it. I personally take issue with the idea that it's impossible to purge a dark side location, considering a location that wasn't tainted can become tainted. No reason it couldn't be purged in some way, other than "we've never seen it done before".

No need to get snippy about it. The material we have implies it can't be done. As I am sure the Jedi would have tried. You can do whatever you like in your game. Just telling you what the evidence we have in the universe implies.

What about giving the location "psychic wounds" and using the Heal power with Knowledge: Lore replacing Medicine?

When the heroes have cured all of the wounds, the area is cleansed.

What about giving the location "psychic wounds" and using the Heal power with Knowledge: Lore replacing Medicine?

When the heroes have cured all of the wounds, the area is cleansed.

And perhaps Discipline for meditation.

Honestly I'd go with using the Supress power for purging the dark side or light side from an area.

Start with Sense and perception rolls to determine the cause.

Then Supress and discipline to meditate and purge the area.

Also it may require healing people and force corrupted animals then finally a confrontation of the root cause.

Rebels actually has an episode involving purging the dark side from the Jedi Temple on Lothal when Ezra gets his light saber crystal. It seems one of the bigger reasons Jedi don't purge them is because of the value in giving fledglings a trial to determine the worth of the person.

Don't forget Seek to see past illusions. Anytime you can make that part of the power enticing is a plus.

In the beginners game you must meditate wiry the gatekeeper to cleanse the temple. One of the sessions I ran in a dark temple, I made them destroy a large glowing kyber crystal that was tainting the world around it.

You can also take a page out of Nightmare on Elm Street and bury the body of the Sith Lord properly to end it. Oooh Nightmare haunting Sith Lord on a darkside planet where you have to defeat him both in the real world and in your dreams....

While it's not shown up in the canon, doing a purge of a dark side location is possible, but it should be incredibly difficult, and something that takes time, not only to accomplish but also for the last lingering traces of the dark side to fade away as well.

It most certainly should not be "Oh, I wipe out Force Power X, score a few Light Side pips, and viola!"

I like the idea of Suppress being a necessary component of the process, used as a final component in the many steps taken to remove the dark side taint from a location.

But at the same time, there are likely some dark side sites that are so tainted and corrupted by centuries if not millennia of being suffused in dark side energies that there's no chance to purge them of the dark side's influence.

I think the key thing to remember is that the Force is mysterious, and even the Jedi Order (probably the galaxy's leading experts on the topic) didn't have all the answers, or generally claim that they knew with 100% certainty how the Force operated on a grander scale. Something like purging a dark side site should be the focus of an entire story arc that takes several adventures to complete, as it's a major accomplishment.

I would say that such a feat should require some kind of sacrifice. The Jedi doing the purging should be giving their life in the process. Maybe that's why it's never been done before, or why we've never heard of it being done: the process doesn't leave survivors, and/or the cost is simply too much for most people to consider.

It's kind of like redeeming oneself after having fallen to the dark side. It involves much personal sacrifice, and usually involves one giving their life.

There's the Force light power , but that just always seemed like a really cheap construct to me. It's like, "lemme just make my skin glow, and now you dark-siders can't hurt me."

It should certainly be possible, but very difficult. Like, just shy of Campaign-worthy. Now, on the other hand, temporarily purging a site should be much more manageable. Still tough, but if you just need to drive back some dark spirits while you complete your quest, that should be doable. Oh, you want to build a Rebel base in an old Massassi temple? Well, if you're good, you might be able to suppress the Dark Side for a few years (but really, doesn't someone just have like a clubhouse you could use?)..

There's the Force light power , but that just always seemed like a really cheap construct to me. It's like, "lemme just make my skin glow, and now you dark-siders can't hurt me."

Given the source of origin and especially the author of said source, calling it a "cheap construct" is probably being generous.

There's the Force light power , but that just always seemed like a really cheap construct to me. It's like, "lemme just make my skin glow, and now you dark-siders can't hurt me."

Given the source of origin and especially the author of said source, calling it a "cheap construct" is probably being generous.

Well, I am a pretty generous guy.

There's the Force light power , but that just always seemed like a really cheap construct to me. It's like, "lemme just make my skin glow, and now you dark-siders can't hurt me."

Given the source of origin and especially the author of said source, calling it a "cheap construct" is probably being generous.

Without even clicking, let me guess - KJA? That totally sounds like the bullshittery that he would pull.

Power of the Jedi Sourcebook, according to the page.

In the beta book's adventure there was a process to banish the dark side influence from a temple on Athiss. I think those rules can be applied to removing a dark side taint, at least temporarily.

It would depend on the cause of the dark side taint.

If it's a natural vergence than this cannot be changed however if the taint is due to the corruption by a dark sider then this should be fine.

Although I do think the focus shouldn't be on shifiting it to the light side but bringing balance to the site.

As for a mechanical way of doing it I think the Lost Knowledge adventure has a fantastic process using the destiny points lay them out all dark side (with a couple in hand) they then have to complete a series of tasks that require various tests to be completed.

These could include discipline checks, Sense and meditation to calm to sense of anger in the area; Cool checks including seek to get around fear etc.

Success means that the dark side token flips to the light side, failure flips it back to the dark side

If they have ten dark side tokens and fail put another token on top of one of the ten this will put a setback dice on the required tests.

Three advantages or a triumph puts a boost dice on the next test

Three disadvantages or a despair adds setback dice.

Their objective is to flip five to the light side and thusly balance the area in the force.

You'd probably need to come up with ten different tasks and randomise which ones you hand out.