There are multiple classes of Sith in the upcoming Star Wars universe MMORPG – Star Wars: The Old Republic. BioWare writer Rebecca Harwick posts on the official website what difference is between the Sith Inquisitor (think Emperor Palpatine) and the Sith Warrior (think Darth Vader).

According to Rebecca the comparison gets the general point across but, “It’s not the destination, or the road we take to get there, but the guide. The Sith Inquisitor is Raistlin. The Sith Inquisitor is Lucifer. The Sith Inquisitor is Julius Caesar. The Sith Inquisitor is what you make him.”

She adds “When we set out to build our game, we knew we needed more than one Sith class. The original trilogy only has two Sith in it, but they couldn’t be more different: the heavily armored brutal physicality of Darth Vader compared to the frail but immensely powerful Emperor Palpatine. When we extend our inspiration to Episodes I-III and The Clone Wars cartoons, Count Dooku, Darth Maul, and Asajj Ventress further expand our concept of what a Sith can be. Is a Sith a lithe quick fighter who uses the Force to enhance his/her physical combat prowess, a calculating deceiver adept at Lightsaber duels, or a master manipulator and amasser of dark side secrets? Does a Sith use one lightsaber, two Lightsabers, or a dual-bladed Lightsaber? Having multiple Sith classes allows us to embrace all of those Sith inspirations, instead of having one Sith class that was the jack-of-all-trades and the master of none.”

“Whereas the Sith Warrior class is all about the martial side of the Sith, the Inquisitor is about the darkest of dark side secrets; everything that’s weird and unsettling and dangerous about the Force. The Inquisitor is about power not (solely) through brute force and intimidation, but through manipulation, corruption, and knowledge.”

While the Sith Warrior is groomed from the beginning to become a dark lord, a Sith Inquisitor starts the life of the Dark Side without a choice. “The Inquisitor quickly learns that the opportunity the Sith promises if he passes his trials comes with its own set of rules and masters. The so-called freedom of the Sith is reined in by deep traditions and a society where the powerful do their utmost to keep their inferiors under control.” Hence, Raistlin.

If you’re out of the loop, Raistlin is the (originally red) black-robed mage from the Dragonlance series who’s body was destroyed during the trials and tests to become a mage. Prunty wizard.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is an upcoming MMO which takes place thousands of years before the (original) movies and approximately 300 years after Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic; in a time where the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy. Players can choose to be Jedi, Sith, or other classes such as Bounty Hunter and Trooper, or Smuggler (Han Solo style!), and align with the Light Side or Dark Side of the Force.

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