Dr. Evil or Scott Evil?

[jodyjohnson]

Do you run your villains like Dr. Evil (toy around, evil rant, escapeable death traps, less than optimal) or like Scott Evil (pop to the head and they're dead)?

I find that I'd like to run more nefarious, evil plot type villains but the heroes make short work of them with their 'Scott Evil' ways.

Basically it's the difference between 'Grim 'n Gritty' and classic movie style villainy and heroism. While I want my villains to be intelligent does this always imply brutal and final efficiency.

 

[Crothian]

A little of both. It depends on what fits at the time. ?Usually though the heros are to small to be noticed by the Big Bad in my games.

 

[GILGAMESH]

More like Hannibel

Calculating, patient, completely unpredictable, and ready to eat you with very little preparation!

 

[Hand of Evil]

Depends on the villian, some are creeps, some are thugs, some are henchmen, some are masterminds. I do like think the players should win, so I guess more on the Dr. Evil.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I've pretty much given up on having my Arch Villains follow the Dr. Evil mold. Whenever my baddies begin to talk, my players begin to "Soup up" for combat or just outright attack.

They make Scott Evil look like ditherer.

I actually instituted a rule in my Super Hero campaign that while anyone was doing a soliloquy, time effectively "stopped". There is a lot of precedence for this in comics

This resulted in certain of my players, during villainous soliloquy, gathering up dice and asking "is he done yet"?

 

[Numion]

I've pretty much given up on having my Arch Villains follow the Dr. Evil mold. Whenever my baddies begin to talk, my players begin to "Soup up" for combat or just outright attack.

It was quite funny that one adventure in newest Dungeon happened to mention this: "The above dialogue might need to be altered somewhat; PCs are notorious for interrupting villains during power-drunk speeches." Too true.

They make Scott Evil look like ditherer.

I actually instituted a rule in my Super Hero campaign that while anyone was doing a soliloquy, time effectively "stopped". There is a lot of precedence for this in comics

This resulted in certain of my players, during villainous soliloquy, gathering up dice and asking "is he done yet"?

I've actually used similar rule; the bad guys can reveal their masterplan as a free action

That is, of course, unless the players already know it.

As to the original poster, It's usually Dr. Evil style. I'm no stranger to nightly scrye-teleport attacks on the PCs. Those are more of a Scott style, since PCs rarely have buffs on at night.

 

[Grazzt]

Depends on the villain. I have had some toy with the PCs; others I have had just off them immediately. Just really depends on the villain, circumstances, etc.

I don't play the role of "Killer DM", but neither do I play under the 2e assumption that "PCs shouldnt die."

 

[SonOfLilith]

Our DM only has one type of villian- The overly calculating, omnipresent and omnipotent one that has no flaws or weeknesses. He's much like the other PC's in the group, except always has the advantage.

 

[ruleslawyer]

I don't play the role of "Killer DM", but neither do I play under the 2e assumption that "PCs shouldnt die."

Pardon, Scott, but why is this a 2e assumption?

 

[mooby]

All of my evil villans are bald.

I just thought I should share that.