Darth Malak

An Expanded Universe Character From
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

By Cory Herndon

Four millennia before the man called Palpatine became Emperor, Malak shone brightly as one of the greatest Jedi heroes. With his comrade Revan, he defeated the Mandalorians in a fierce war that rocked the Republic to its core. But the final victorious battle against the Mandalorians on the Galactic Rim changed the two Jedi. They both gave themselves to the Dark Side, and the newly rechristened Darth Revan and Darth Malak returned from the Outer Rim with a space fleet bent on conquering the galaxy.

Though Revan was the master to Malak's apprentice, the senior Sith Lord soon fell to treachery. Enraged by the death of his master, Darth Malak declared himself the Dark Lord of the Sith and renewed his campaign of hatred and bloodshed. At his disposal was a thousands-strong army of trained Sith conscripts and corrupted Dark Jedi, and a rumored alliance with the massive Czerka Corporation. Malak's Sith fleets were comprised of Republic defectors and a seemingly limitless supply of strange, alien battleships.

An imposing figure with ghostly pale features, prominent Sith tattoos, a gleaming red lightsaber, and devastating Dark Side power, Malak struck terror into the hearts of his former allies. He also wore a vocal mask that may have concealed a form of cybernetic life-support. Did it provide him with powers far greater than even Exar Kun or Freedon Nadd, or was cybernetic enhancement too simple an explanation?

Darth Malak makes an excellent villain for a higher-level campaign set during the Golden Age of the Republic. And if the heroes expect to find him, they'll need to fight their way through the Sith. Once they reach Malak, he may face them with his own lightsaber or, if he feels the occasion calls for it, an ancient Sith sword recovered from ruins on Korriban.

Darth Malak: Male Human Jedi Guardian 11/Sith Lord 9: Init +2 (+2 Dex); Defense 26 (+2 Dex, +14 class); Spd 10 m; VP/WP 158/16; Atk +23/+18/+13/+8 melee (7d8 +5, lightsaber) or +24/+19/+14/+9 melee (2d6 +9, crit 19-20, ancient mastercraft Sith sword), +20/+15/+10/+5 ranged; SQ Block, DR 5, enhanced Force powers, deflect (defense +2, attack -3), exceptional minions, Jedi Knight, resource access; SV Fort +16, Ref +15, Will +14; SZ M; FP 11; DSP 30; Rep +5; Str 20, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 20. Challenge Code H.

Equipment: Lightsaber, ancient mastercraft Sith sword (attack +1, damage +4), vast resources of mysterious origin.

Skills: Balance +7, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (Sith lore) +14, Pilot +11, Read/Write Basic, Read/Write Sith*, Speak Basic, Speak Sith*.

Force Skills: Affect Mind +9, Control Mind +14, Battlemind +17, Enhance Ability +15, Fear +20, Force Defense +15, Force Grip +18, Force Lightning +24, Force Strike +11, Move Object +15, Telepathy +13.

Feats: Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (lightsaber), Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Sith sword)*, Force-Sensitive, Power Attack, Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [Sith Lore]), Weapon Group Proficiency (blaster pistols, simple weapons).

Force Feats: Alter, Burst of Speed, Control, Drain Force*, Force Mind, Force Whirlwind, Hatred*, Knight Defense, Lightsaber Defense, Malevolent, Master Defense, Mettle, Rage*, Sense, Sith Sorcery*, Sith Sword Defense*.

Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 5 -- Darth Malak ignores the first five points of any kind of damage. Whether this is due to hidden armor linked to his voice mask or the physical result of Sith alchemy is anyone's guess.

Enhanced Force Powers -- Using a mysterious power source as yet undiscovered (complete Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic to learn more), Darth Malak possesses extraordinary dark side Force powers out of proportion, in game terms, with his class and level. He gained three additional Force feats and 24 bonus skill points exclusively for dark side skills. In any battle, the first Force point Darth Malak spends on a dark side-related roll does not subtract from his total.

* Described in The Dark Side Sourcebook.

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