Your favorite "villain" race and why?

[Moe Ronalds]

D&D is filled with various races that are not only powerful, monstrous, and evil, but are also tremendously cool and such make EXCELLENT villains for campaigns. From the Tan'ari, to the Drow, to the everpopular Illithid, there are dozens of great monster races of every shape, size, and power level. And there are usually one or two new ones with every monster-related supplement (MMII had Neogi, Fiend Folio has Kaotori, etc...).

So, which monster race do you like, and why?
I'm fond of Illithids (then again, who isn't?). They strike me as being the right combination of power, creepiness, and attitude. The idea of a race whose average is in every way superior to the human average (especially in intelligence), who ADDED to this has psychic powers and the power to eat your gray matter quite efficiently (and, indeed, very much wants to do so) is terrifying to think about but wonderful to play with.

 

[alsih2o]

moe! change your post! this discussion always comes back to humans being most evil and useful. remove humans as an option now or listen to half your respondents point out the horridnes of the human heart...

 

[Crothian]

I always liked Giants. Give them class levels especially Sorcerer of Cleric and they really can be truely frightening and do so many unexpected things.

 

[Nightfall]

Give me Slacerians! Or Slitheren/Ratmen! Assathi are cool too.

 

[Moe Ronalds]

moe! change your post! this discussion always comes back to humans being most evil and useful. remove humans as an option now or listen to half your respondents point out the horridnes of the human heart...

Bah! Anyone preaches to me about the extent of human depravity, and I'll put my fist through their eye sockets and rip their brains out through their...

*ahem* I'm sorry, what was I talking about? I got a tad sidetracked...

 

[Psion]

Or Slitheren/Ratmen!

Preach it, brutha!

A few faves:
Drow: For that whole dark fey attitude thing. No Drizzt clones in my game. D1-3 style drow all the way, bay-bee (A little Plot & Poison doesn't hurt.)
Illithids: Horrifying. Psionic. Need I say more?
Yuan-ti: So Clark Ashton Smith-y.
Demons: Gotta love demons. Unmitigated evil. No excuses.
Humans: The evil you know.

 

[Wombat]

Humans.

After reading enough history, why search for a group that can be more evil? Or, for that matter, more good?

Humans make the best villains.

Followed by various homebrew races.

 

[Wikidogre]

Hobgoblins, very under-rated in my opinion.

 

[Henry]

Awakened Dire Carnivorous Apes.

Think "Evil Wookiee."

 

[geezerjoe]

Kobolds are my favorite simply because the are so often under appriciated. I especially like tree dwelling kobolds ... that confuses the heck outta players

After that I really like the Naga and the Ixichiallica, Ixizil..., Izizll...., the evil manta rays ... but I only like those because no one seems to use them and they look kewl!