Meanwhile Paragon just make you 'Jesus Shepherd' AND gives more lasting rewards. Granted I would say 'Shut up reporter and ♥♥♥♥ YOU in particular Council.' but while it IS one of their more subtle works, they still cannot help themselves as some decisions are somewhat evil while not giving you anything really meaningful. Renegade actions are just more you being '♥♥♥♥ Shepherd' if not out and out evil WITH said actions actually damaging that character's appearance if they decide to be a ♥♥♥♥. This game is one example but here's another: MASS EFFECT. As good as they can be in making games, they are TOO prone to making games have blatant 'Good and Evil' options even when they try to be subtle. That bit really SUCKED for me, considering that Bioware CANNOT help themselves in that regard. Why give you the option of going the 'evil' route if there's no reward for it? I'm trying to get some of the closed fist stuff, like the Tempest style, and this is just hell. but you already have enough silver as is, even if you've been making Open Palm choices. If you did poison her, you get an offer from Soldier for him to take a dive and give you silver if you do a mission for him. Yet, not poisoning her is an Open Palm action, even if you don't warn her about the attempt on her life. The Arena: There's zero benefit to poisoning Khanna, as she teaches you a weapon style when you beat her and she's not even remotely challenging. But siding with the Forest Shadow against Mother is automatically an Open Palm action.

The Forest: Don't even get me started on how piss-easy Mother is compared to Shining Tusk. Even if you dickishly beat the thief up, that does NOT give you any closed palm points to counterbalance it! Meaning that if you don't want to get those points, you can't get that experience at all. Tien's Landing: Get the merchant's figurine back? Open Palm points gained, and experience.

or does the game actively reward you for Open Palm actions and actively penalize you for Closed Fist actions?

Jade empire viper style