I want to.......Destroy the World!

[Eyada]

48. It's the only way to undo something horrible that happened to the BBEG. For whatever reason, a consequence of his scheme results in the world's destruction. This can take on many different flavors, from a "suffering" BBEG whose efforts are actually noble but misguided, to a greedy villain who will stop at nothing to regain the magical power stripped from him in the past.

49. The BBEG is being coerced/forced into it by a greater entity. (Usually some mighty agent of destruction --a demon, a Far Realm entity, you know the type). This is a way to include the typical "Exists purely to end existence" type of entity while adding some flavor to the situation.

Probably the most effective antagonist I've ever used was a combination of those two. He was a tortured cultist warlord whose attempts to withdraw from the cult led to the death of his young daughter (the only person he loved --a notable distinction, given that he didn't even value his own life). Due to her soul being held prisoner by the demonic entity that slew her, the BBEG was forced to work tirelessly to break its prison in order to save his innocent child. He didn't do it for himself, and while he ultimately died trying to save her, his plight really struck a chord with the players, and helped enhance their hatred for the demonic entity.

 

[Brudewollen]

Oh, I just remembered I recently read the book [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Soon-I-Will-Invincible-Vintage/dp/0307279863/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215383833&sr=8-1"]"Soon I Will Be Invincible" by Austin Grossman[/ame]. The main villain in the book, Dr. Impossible, is in the process of his 12th or 13th attempt at either destroying or conquoring the world - unfortunately for him he usually gets beat at the last second by one superhero or another. A lot of the book deals with him sort of explaining why he and other super-villains are always trying to do these things. Ultimately, it's probably just a derrangement as pretty much everyone who is a super-duper-genius (300 IQ, we're talking) seems to get it in their head to take over the world or, if they can't have it, to destroy it instead.

It's a very amusing book, a lot of fun.

 

[LostSoul]

Your goals conflict with the PC's goals.

Worth reading: The Bad Guy Plot

 

[Merkuri]

That reminds me of Judge Death from the Judge Dredd comics - he sentences everyone in the world to death because without any people there can be no more crime...

Isn't that the same basic idea behind Skynet in the Terminator movies as well?

 

[Rechan]

Isn't that the same basic idea behind Skynet in the Terminator movies as well?

Actually, I believe Skynet just attempted to seize control of all computer networks, in order to do its job (Defend). The human response was "Nuke it". Skynet interpreted this as an attack by the Human Race, and followed its programming (erradicate a threat once it is detected) by attacking the world in retaliation.

 

[Rechan]

50. The BBEG has been told what his destiny is. He does not like it ONE BIT. So, in order to circumvent his destiny, he plans on obliterating the world. That way, his fate will not have to come true if there's nothing left to enforce it.