BBEGs with really bad sounding nicknames from the PCs...

[Jesus_marley]

I had a character who was horrible at remembering names. Whenever he spoke to (or even referred to) a BBEG or antagonist NPC he would inevitably resort to calling them "Lumpy". or in one case when refering to a character with only one arm... "Stumpy".

 

[Ambrus]

The BBEG of my old long running second edition game, a lich cleric of bane named Nedreczar became affectionally known amongst the PCs as "Dead Ned". I didn't really mind the name... eventually. In retrospec it's actually a good name I think. Would you want to meet a guy called Dead Ned in a dark alley?

 

[Gez]

I just smile and let them finish their mockery. Then I say, "Y'all are going to feel pretty stupid when Squeaky Balls the Domitable throws a TPK on your ass. Roll initiative."

I'm going to dissent. That's a childish reaction.

On the other hand, saying «Well, "Count Squeaky Balls the Domitable" seems chagrined, and maybe even somewhat vexated, by your jokes. He sighs, grumbles something about those young whipper-snapper adventurers with no education or civility, and starts incanting. Roll Initiative, it seems you won't have the plot-explaining gloat this time.» is a fine, mature reaction.

 

[Orius]

And a bit more recently in my campaign I've had another instance of this happen. Nerrath Ap Jerran, a young, capable and wholly evil arcanaloth sorcerer in Sigil. While not a BBEG, but rather the "apprentice" and overall chewtoy/cabinboy for Shemeska the Marauder, Sigil's King of the Crosstrade, and my namesake, he was an interesting character. Then one of my players starts referring to him as "Jingleballs", referring to his mistress making him wear a belled collar, and a possible inference about his repertoir of piercings.

Bam, there goes his credibility in an instant and he's stuck for all posterity to be referred to as "Jingleballs". *facepalm*

Any NPC who serves Shemeska should be used to humiliation, or be capable of taking a lot of it. Or likely they won't last very long. So I don't see it as a big thing.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

This Mr. Happy?

Yes... that's the mental image I got whenever they used that term.

And they managed to do it again. This session they fought against a ragewalker... so they decided that since "Mr. Happy" was taken, they'd name this one "Mr. Grumpy."

It's kinda funny in a weird way to hear them giving their actions as, "Ok, I'm gonna launch a lightning bolt at Mr. Grumpy," or "Can I use my poison blowdarts against Mr. Grumpy?"

 

[Gez]

On the other hand, it would have been really neat to say something like "OK, <insert name of character> has been shredded to death by Mr. Happy's devastating attack..."

 

[dvvega]

I've had this situation occur many times, however it has had many reasons ...

1. the name I gave the BBEG was a pain to remember/pronounce for some players ... I used to have a particular player who was there "to win" the pen and paper version of diablo essentially. He thought that all NPCs were there to be ridiculed and abused. Even after I enacted DM intervention and had the barkeep of a place owned by the Merchant Lords actually be a Merchant Lord "slumming it" he kept up with the nicknames because he couldn't be bothered remembering details (or even writing them down).

2. It also makes the PCs feel familiar with their adversary and not given the BBEG any foothold on them. Take Harry Potter for example ... no one speaks the name of Voldemort, he is referred to in general terms of "the evil that must not be name". Why? Because speaking his name acts upon fears of his power.

3. The only name anyone ever respected was in my long term Greyhawk campaign where Iuz made a very early appearance (when they were around 4th level) to spit on one of them. Essentially I made them fear for their lives and they respected a dem-god who lived a couple of countries away.

However with my new group, the nickname thing hasn't come up. The game is full of intrigue, people have easier to pronounce names, the group wants to get involved in the story as opposed to being the winners of a computer game.

The suggestion of countering a nickname with a nickname for the PCs can be taken even further than just saying "is hit by Mr Happy". Have the BBEG refer to them in some missives or if they eavesdrop by nickname. Make it clear that he hasn't bothered to learn their names, just that they are: Whacky, Sneaky, Zappy, and Prayer Monkey. I've done this before and the PCs were actually outraged. But it was hillarious when one of them died and the BBEG Animated Dead and he was then referred to by his name with Zombie in front of it. "Zombie Crevak, fetch my robe".

D

 

[shilsen]

I just got back from my Eberron game and my PCs have coined a name for one of their enemies. Some of them met the Lord of Blades, after having had their (to quote a PC) "asses handed to us on a golden platter" by some of his minions and captured as a result. After the other PCs launched a successful rescue attempt, they were back in a safe location discussing the LoB and someone referred to him as "Shiny". Somehow I get the feeling he's stuck with that name now. Not that I mind, since it doesn't mean they don't respect him. It just means that (a) they currently abhor Shiny with a hate which is focused, blazing and unending, and (b) if they try to do what they're planning right now, some of them are going to end up buried with tombstones reading, "Slain by Shiny". It's all good

 

[Stone Dog]

Not that I mind, since it doesn't mean they don't respect him.

Those are the best demeaning nicknames. I had a cthulucyberpunk game I was in that had a mad scientist. Not just slightly unhinged mind you, but stark raving mad. The man had used (what I can only assume ooc was reverse engineered mi-go technology) to replace one of his lungs with a lazer and a power source with connection to a City of Lost Children looking thing over his eye to cause devestation. He was a deeply disturbed and frightening character on a few levels, but since we never found out his name we called him Dr. Wacky. The DM didn't mind so much because it was just about always in the kind of voice as those kids in It would say "Pennywise." We hated and feared him.

 

[Shemeska]

Any NPC who serves Shemeska should be used to humiliation, or be capable of taking a lot of it. Or likely they won't last very long. So I don't see it as a big thing.

Oh, he knew what was he was in for when he more or less apprenticed himself to her. He enjoyed as often as he hated the abuse, and even then it might be questionable. Of course, considering what eventually ended up happening to him, I almost for bad for the little godless abomination. But not really.