D&D General How do you do smart chaotic evil?

[Shades of Eternity]

I blame the current climate, but I can't imagine a smart chaotic evil.

Can somebody explain how your GM would pull it off?

 

[payn]

 

[bloodtide]

Chaotic Evil is basically complete and total freedom with no moral restraints what-so-ever. Okay realistically they aren't completely amoral, but they have very minimal or very loose moral constraints. A chaotic evil character is free to just do what he wants and take what he wants.

Thanos(in the comics by a good writer), Hannibal Lector, The Master (Classic Doctor Who), Davros(Classic Doctor Who), Cobra Commander, The 10th Doctor (New Who), Merle (Walking Dead), Eric Cartman(Southpark).

 

[overgeeked]

Evil. Lacking empathy, self-centered, and motivated only by self-interest.

Chaotic. Dismiss all laws or moral codes of any kind.

Chaotic Evil. Do whatever you want regardless of rules as long as it benefits you personally.

 

[Kurotowa]

Totally self-centered, but aware that actions have consequences and other people have object permanence.

They don't believe in the moral authority of law and only follow it when they think they'll be punished otherwise. They don't care about other people except as extensions of themselves, but understand you want to avoid angry mobs and that allies or underlings can be useful.

In other words, a smart CE is someone who can fake being LG whenever it's useful, but turns it off as soon as it isn't required. A brilliant CE is someone who realizes that faking being LG is always useful, and so keeps it up all the time.

 

[THEMNGMNT]

Heath Ledger's Joker from The Dark Knight.

 

[Reynard]

What do you mean by "smart" in this context?

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I tend to give acts alignment, and in my system, an act is chaotic if you do it to defy some convention or social structure, and it is evil if you enjoyed the pain the act caused. I would have the CE acting individual oppose something that the PC's would also oppose (be careful not to pick something that would cause players trauma) but go too far in the opposition (and enjoy it). If the PC's aren't buying it, have the person be backed by LE types who are hoping the CE guy will do something bad enough that they can spur an oppressive reaction (and then have the CE guy tell the PC's he knows and doesn't care, because oppression will spur revolution).

 

[TorgoTheWhite]

Chaotic Evil is basically complete and total freedom with no moral restraints what-so-ever. Okay realistically they aren't completely amoral, but they have very minimal or very loose moral constraints. A chaotic evil character is free to just do what he wants and take what he wants.

Thanos(in the comics by a good writer), Hannibal Lector, The Master (Classic Doctor Who), Davros(Classic Doctor Who), Cobra Commander, The 10th Doctor (New Who), Merle (Walking Dead), Eric Cartman(Southpark).

The Joker

 

[TorgoTheWhite]

Evil Anarchists can be pretty dang intelligent. Just destroying status quo and smashing "eggy-waggies"... not sure how to reference Clockwork Orange, but there is an intelligent evil gangleader as well