Force Alignment

Optional variant rule

RuleExpanded Content

At a glance

Book
Expanded Content
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Variant rule

The Force is manifested by two powerful and opposing aspects: the Ashla and the Bogan, more commonly known as the light side and the dark. As force-wielding characters evolve throughout the game, they can gravitate towards one side or the other (or neither, should they choose), resulting in physical manifestations and boons.

Alignment Score

How much a character embodies an aspect of the Force is calculated using their Alignment Score. The Alignment Score is an ever-shifting value falling between Light 100 to Dark 100. Characters gain an Alignment Score by gaining Light/Dark Points, as determined by their actions.

Gaining Light/Dark Points

When a character performs an act associated with one side of the Force, they gain points accordingly. Players can gain Light Points through a multitude of actions:

  • The first time you cast a light side force power of 1st-level or higher, you gain Light Points equal to the power's level. Subsequent castings of that power earn you 1 Light Point.
  • Committing selfless acts, such as deliberately saving others at the expense of yourself, can earn you 1 or more Light Points.
  • Other benevolent acts, as determined by your GM, can earn you 1 or more Light Points.

Consequently, players can also gain Dark Points through various actions:

  • The first time you cast a dark side force power of 1st-level or higher you gain Dark Points equal to the power's level. Subsequent castings of that power earn you 1 Dark Point.
  • Committing truly heinous acts, such as harming or murdering an innocent, can earn you 1 or more Dark Points.
  • Other evil acts, as determined by your GM, can earn you 1 or more Dark Points.

If a character has a score and performs an opposing act, instead of gaining points towards the other aspect of the Force, they lose them from their current score. For instance, if a player has 5 Light Points, and casts a dark side power of 4th level, they would have their Light Points reduced to 1. If the player instead casts a dark side power of 7th level, their score would shift to Dark 2.

Alignment Tiers

As you earn Light/Dark Points, you reach certain tiers of Alignment Score that manifest themselves in varying ways. If you ever fall below the Light/Dark Points threshold for a Major tier, you immediately lose that tier's benefits. You regain the benefits when you meet the criteria again. Minor tier effects are permanent unless another similar effect occurs.

Force Alignment

Alignment ScoreFeatures
100Luminous Being (Major Benevolence Tier V)
90Minor Benevolence (Tier V)
80Major Benevolence (Tier IV)
70Minor Benevolence (Tier IV)
60Major Benevolence (Tier III)
50Minor Benevolence (Tier III)
40Major Benevolence (Tier II)
30Minor Benevolence (Tier II)
20Major Benevolence (Tier I)
10Minor Benevolence (Tier I)
0Balanced
10Minor Corruption (Tier I)
20Major Corruption (Tier I)
30Minor Corruption (Tier II)
40Major Corruption (Tier II)
50Minor Corruption (Tier III)
60Major Corruption (Tier III)
70Minor Corruption (Tier IV)
80Major Corruption (Tier IV)
90Minor Corruption (Tier V)
100Dark Entity (Major Corruption Tier V)

Minor Benevolence/Corruption

At certain tiers of Light/Dark Points, you risk manifesting Minor Traits, as shown in the Force Alignment table. When you would earn a Minor Trait, you must first make a saving throw (Charisma for Benevolence, Wisdom for Corruption), the DC of which varies depending on the tier of the Minor Trait, as shown in the Minor Benevolence/Corruption Save DC table below. On a failed save, you must roll on a Minor Benevolence/Corruption tables, depending on the tier of the Minor Benevolence/Corruption. You can choose to fail this saving throw, if you wish.

Minor Benevolence/Corruption Save DC

Minor Benevolence/Corruption TierSave DC
Minor Benevolence/Corruption (Tier I)12
Minor Benevolence/Corruption (Tier II)14
Minor Benevolence/Corruption (Tier III)16
Minor Benevolence/Corruption (Tier IV)18
Minor Benevolence/Corruption (Tier V)20

Minor Benevolence (Tier I)

d4Minor Benevolence
1Your eyes tend to brighten during moments of satisfaction.
2Your body is less likely to scar or show lasting signs of injury.
3Your voice becomes slightly more eloquent.
4Tame animals seem less uneasy around you.

Minor Benevolence (Tier II)

d4Minor Benevolence
1Your eyes become more stark and vibrant.
2Any existing scars on your body fade, and wounds never scar or fester.
3Your voice gains a pleasant, melodic speaking cadence.
4Your hair gains subtle highlights of gold or silver that occasionally reflect light.

Minor Benevolence (Tier III)

d4Minor Benevolence
1Your eyes gain flecks of an unusual, complimenting color, such as amber or emerald.
2Your skin always has a healthy tone.
3You never suffer from minor illnesses, always appearing to be the pinnacle of health.
4Wild animals become significantly less prone to attacking you.

Minor Benevolence (Tier IV)

d4Minor Benevolence
1Your eyes permanently take on an unusual, complimenting color, such as green becoming bright emerald.
2Your voice has a naturally calming quality that puts others at easy.
3You seem all but immune to naturally occurring illnesses.
4Your hair takes on visible streaks of gold or silver.Your hair begins to wither and fall out.

Minor Benevolence (Tier V)

d4Minor Benevolence
1Your eyes permanently gain a faint glow.
2You exude a calming presence that brings a slight feeling of peace to those around you.
3Withered or sickly plants seem to liven in your presence.
4You appear 1d10 years more youthful than you actually are. This does not change your actual life span.

Minor Corruption (Tier I)

d4Minor Corruption
1Your eyes turn a pale yellow during moments of anger.
2You more easily become scarred.
3Your voice becomes slightly hoarse.
4Your hair starts to lose its color, with gray streaks appearing throughout it.

Minor Corruption (Tier II)

d4Minor Corruption
1Your eyes turn a luminous, sulfuric yellow with fiery red rims around the irises during moments of anger.
2Any scars on your body become more noticeable, and your wounds become more pronounced.
3Your voice lowers in pitch and becomes raspier.
4Your hair becomes predominantly gray.

Minor Corruption (Tier III)

d4Minor Corruption
1Your eyes permanently turn a luminous, sulfuric yellow with fiery red rings around the irises.
2Your skin begins to lose its pigmentation, becoming pale and mottled.
3Your veins become increasingly visible across your entire body, as if they are sticking out.
4Your hair loses its color entirely, turning a stark white.

Minor Corruption (Tier IV)

d4Minor Corruption

| 1 | Your eyes permanently turn a luminous, dark orange with fiery red rings around the irises.

| 2 | Your skin loses its pigmentation, turning nearly stark white, while your veins become even more accentuated. |

| 3 | Your nails and claws begin to wither and grow longer, turning a vile yellow color. |

| 4 | Your hair begins to wither and fall out. |

Minor Corruption (Tier V)

d4Minor Corruption
1Your eyes permanently turn a luminous, blood red with fiery red rings around the irises.
2You appear physically devoid of emotions. Your feelings never project outwards.
3You develop a sickly, uncontrollable cough.
4You appear 1d10 year older than you actually are. This does not change your actual life span.

Major Benevolence

At certain tiers of Light Points, as shown in the Force Alignment table, you manifest a Major Benevolence.

Tier I

When you or an ally within 30 feet of you makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check to attempt to calm a creature or bring peace/alliance, you may spend a force point to add 1d4 to the result of the roll.

Tier II

When a friendly creature other than you within 30 feet that you can see fails a saving throw against being frightened, you can spend 1 force point to have them reroll the die. They must use the new roll.

Tier III

When an ally within 30 feet of you rolls a 1 on the d20 for an ability check or saving throw, you can spend 1 force point to let the ally reroll the die. They must use the new roll.

Tier IV

Casting light side force powers of 1st level or higher costs 1 fewer force point, but casting dark side powers of 1st level or higher costs 1 more.

Luminous Being (Tier V)

You have become a physical manifestation of the light side of the Force, gaining one of the following boons. Your GM can choose the boon for you, or roll a die to determine it randomly.

d6Boon
1Lightbringer
2Protection
3Immutable Defense
4Quick Casting
5Lay On Hands
6Healer

Lightbringer. Your maximum force points increases by 10.

Protection. When a friendly creature other than you within 30 feet that you can see takes damage from any source, you can reduce that damage to 0. Once you've used this boon, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Immutable Defense. The damage resistances of friendly creatures other than you within 30 feet of you cannot be ignored.

Quick Casting. Choose one light side force power you know of 1st through 3rd level that has a casting time of 1 action. That power's casting time is now 1 bonus action for you.

Lay On Hands. You can use a bonus action and touch a friendly creature other than yourself, causing them to recover a number of hit points equal to half their hit point maximum. Once you've used this boon, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Healer. If a friendly creature within 30 feet of you regains hit points at the end of a short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, that creature regains additional hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Major Corruption

At certain tiers of Dark Points, as shown in the Force Alignment table, you manifest a Major Corruption.

Tier I

You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks and disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made against creatures with a higher Wisdom score than you.

Tier II

You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened, and disadvantage on saving throws against being charmed.

Tier III

You have advantage on saving throws made against dark side force powers. Additionally, when you receive healing from light side force powers, you only regain half the amount of hit points.

Tier IV

Casting dark side force powers of 1st level or higher costs 1 fewer force point, but casting light side powers of 1st level or higher costs 1 more.

Dark Entity (Tier V)

You have become a physical manifestation of the dark side of the Force, gaining one of the following boons. Your GM can choose the boon for you, or roll a die to determine it randomly.

d6Boon
1Deathbringer
2Invincibility
3Irresistible Offense
4Quick Casting
5Recovery
6Power Mastery

Deathbringer. Your maximum force points increases by 10.

Invincibility. When you take damage from any source, you can reduce that damage to 0. Once you've used this boon, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Irresistible Offense. You can bypass the damage resistances of any creature.

Quick Casting. Choose one dark side force power you know of 1st through 3rd level that has a casting time of 1 action. That power's casting time is now 1 bonus action for you.

Recovery. You can use a bonus action to recover a number of hit points equal to half your hit point maximum. Once you use this boon, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Power Mastery. Choose one 1st-level dark side power that you can cast. You can now cast that power at its lowest level without expending force points.