Fauchard1520
Adventurer
I have trouble with evil campaigns. As a PC, how do you successfully convey "I'm a bad dude" without going in for cartoonish puppy-kicking? Any hints or tips from the evil campaign veterans out there?
How to Evil Properly?
- Thread starter Fauchard1520
- Start date
For me... my flavors of Evil are the Token Evil Teammate and the Poisonous Friend. I'm not "puppy kicking evil", I'm just ruthless: I will do whatever I have to do to get what I want. What do I want? I want my friends to be healthy and happy. I mean... it's not the only thing I want, but it's near the top of the list.
I'm loyal to the rest of the party... not just because they watch my back and help me get what I want, but also because they're my brothers-in-arms, they're my family and friends, and I love them. Which means that I want what they want... but I'm willing to go further than they are to get it. I'm willing to cut corners and cross lines they won't because that's what they need me for.
They're not always grateful, and I don't expect them to be. Sometimes I advocate passionately for them to do the right thing because they need a little push, and I need their help; other times, it's easier just to do it behind their backs and get it done than waste time arguing. If they're not going to thank me later... at least they're blaming me in a massive palace instead of a tiny prison cell. Or an even smaller grave.
I'm loyal to the rest of the party... not just because they watch my back and help me get what I want, but also because they're my brothers-in-arms, they're my family and friends, and I love them. Which means that I want what they want... but I'm willing to go further than they are to get it. I'm willing to cut corners and cross lines they won't because that's what they need me for.
They're not always grateful, and I don't expect them to be. Sometimes I advocate passionately for them to do the right thing because they need a little push, and I need their help; other times, it's easier just to do it behind their backs and get it done than waste time arguing. If they're not going to thank me later... at least they're blaming me in a massive palace instead of a tiny prison cell. Or an even smaller grave.
If you want to on the psycho side of things, I like just very occasionally saying something really awful, but in situations where I'm not going to have to actually do the thing.
For the guy above, I think Amos from The Expanse is a great example. Dude's definitely a sociopath, but he protects his friends. More generally I think it's a lot easier to do LE as a party than CE. I actually think a lot of players who might fairly be described as inhabiting the more gamist end of the spectrum mostly play something like LE without even knowing it.
For the guy above, I think Amos from The Expanse is a great example. Dude's definitely a sociopath, but he protects his friends. More generally I think it's a lot easier to do LE as a party than CE. I actually think a lot of players who might fairly be described as inhabiting the more gamist end of the spectrum mostly play something like LE without even knowing it.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
Yeah, if I'm going to play evil, it's going to be lawful evil. I'm going to act according to a code, have some sense of honor. And evil or not, my fellow adventurers, those are my comrades, my allies. There might be some disagreements, some gentle ribbing. But outright and mean-spirited conflict, that rarely makes for a fun session or a long-lasting campaign.
Now, were I to be told I had to play a chaotic evil PC, how would I make that work? I would make them be a fairly normal adventurer...except they're a cannibal. I wouldn't just randomly butcher the innkeeper, but those orcs that we just defeated...well, time for some Pal-Orc Paneer.
Now, were I to be told I had to play a chaotic evil PC, how would I make that work? I would make them be a fairly normal adventurer...except they're a cannibal. I wouldn't just randomly butcher the innkeeper, but those orcs that we just defeated...well, time for some Pal-Orc Paneer.
See, and I'm straight up Chaotic Evil. But, hypothetically... if I were an adventurer and my friends were all adventurers... what kind of people would most of their problems be?
Eltab
Lord of the Hidden Layer
NE can be seen as supremely selfish: I do whatever I must to get what I want. Hurting other people is not a deterrent, nor is it a prerequisite. I recognize, though, that there are "rules" about how to not draw attention down on myself that would interfere with my plans / decisions (who needs a random Paladin showing up on a quest to thwart you?).
A Sith Lord, as described in the Darth Bane trilogy, would be the model to "be evil".
A Sith Lord, as described in the Darth Bane trilogy, would be the model to "be evil".
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
How best to Evil? Some options:
Goal-oriented.
My character has its own unpleasant goals, end of story. If what the party is doing can in some way help me toward those goals, I'll join in. If what the party is doing somehow opposes those goals, I'll oppose the party - not overtly, as I know I'm outnumbered and outpowered by the collective rest of them, but covertly for as long as I can. I could even be a secret agent within the party, working for someone else entirely. (generally LE)
Greed-oriented.
What's mine is mine. What's yours just isn't mine yet. I run with the party simply because they're my best chance of getting rich. I make sure I don't die, but I'm not too sorry if any of the others die as it means we can loot the corpse, and I'll get my share of that loot. If I find a hoard on my own I either don't report it or I skim a healthy chunk off the top first. And any town we pass through will be poorer when we leave, by whatever amount I can steal from it without getting caught. (generally NE or CE)
Class-oriented.
If something related to the character's class or whatever is specifically flagged as Evil by the game rules (e.g. poison use, or casting animate dead, or etc.), make that element central to the character and make sure it occurs or arises as often as I can reasonably pull it off. (could be any version of E)
Action-oriented.
A more stereotypical Evil - kill the Orc babies before they grow, the ends justify any means, collateral damage to innocents is a shrug-it-off fact of life, and so on. Follow or worship an Evil deity. (usually CE)
Power-oriented.
Much like 'greed-oriented' above in many ways except the quest is for power (over others) rather than wealth. Maintain a friendly facade with the other PCs while all the while viewing them as just so many expendable resources and meatshields that help me in my quest to become more powerful both personally and within the community/region/nation. Actively plot and-or work to overthrow or destabilize the ruling regime such that I can step in and take over. (often LE, sometimes NE)
Howzat for a start?
Goal-oriented.
My character has its own unpleasant goals, end of story. If what the party is doing can in some way help me toward those goals, I'll join in. If what the party is doing somehow opposes those goals, I'll oppose the party - not overtly, as I know I'm outnumbered and outpowered by the collective rest of them, but covertly for as long as I can. I could even be a secret agent within the party, working for someone else entirely. (generally LE)
Greed-oriented.
What's mine is mine. What's yours just isn't mine yet. I run with the party simply because they're my best chance of getting rich. I make sure I don't die, but I'm not too sorry if any of the others die as it means we can loot the corpse, and I'll get my share of that loot. If I find a hoard on my own I either don't report it or I skim a healthy chunk off the top first. And any town we pass through will be poorer when we leave, by whatever amount I can steal from it without getting caught. (generally NE or CE)
Class-oriented.
If something related to the character's class or whatever is specifically flagged as Evil by the game rules (e.g. poison use, or casting animate dead, or etc.), make that element central to the character and make sure it occurs or arises as often as I can reasonably pull it off. (could be any version of E)
Action-oriented.
A more stereotypical Evil - kill the Orc babies before they grow, the ends justify any means, collateral damage to innocents is a shrug-it-off fact of life, and so on. Follow or worship an Evil deity. (usually CE)
Power-oriented.
Much like 'greed-oriented' above in many ways except the quest is for power (over others) rather than wealth. Maintain a friendly facade with the other PCs while all the while viewing them as just so many expendable resources and meatshields that help me in my quest to become more powerful both personally and within the community/region/nation. Actively plot and-or work to overthrow or destabilize the ruling regime such that I can step in and take over. (often LE, sometimes NE)
Howzat for a start?
hawkeyefan
Legend
I think the best way to play it is to set aside alignment for a bit and apply some bad traits to the character. Maybe they’re selfish. Maybe they’re cold and uncaring. Maybe they’re disloyal. Maybe they’re bloodthirsty.
Think about what you want and then give the character those traits and play them accordingly. Having goals for the character certainly helps. It helps put things in perspective about what’s most important to them.
The problem that I’ve seen come up most for folks playing evil characters is that their goal seems to be “be evil” and it’s utterly dull and it goes nowhere. And very often, these characters can’t work well with a group....which can pose a problem for a game with more than one player.
Look to fiction for examples of characters who we would classify as evil, but who also had some redeeming qualities, and who could cooperate with others and who could be loyal and so on.
Think about what you want and then give the character those traits and play them accordingly. Having goals for the character certainly helps. It helps put things in perspective about what’s most important to them.
The problem that I’ve seen come up most for folks playing evil characters is that their goal seems to be “be evil” and it’s utterly dull and it goes nowhere. And very often, these characters can’t work well with a group....which can pose a problem for a game with more than one player.
Look to fiction for examples of characters who we would classify as evil, but who also had some redeeming qualities, and who could cooperate with others and who could be loyal and so on.
hawkeyefan
Legend
Double post, edited.
Flamestrike
Legend
Lawful Evil tends to be the best alignment for Evil protagonists. You're the guy (or gal) who is prepared to get your hands dirty for 'the greater good'.
Murder, torture, ultra violence, and a lack of pity, mercy and remorse... but coupled with a code that places you above normal villains (you dont harm 'innocents' for example).
Arya Stark, Frank Castle, Carol (TWD) etc are all examples of this trope.
Murder, torture, ultra violence, and a lack of pity, mercy and remorse... but coupled with a code that places you above normal villains (you dont harm 'innocents' for example).
Arya Stark, Frank Castle, Carol (TWD) etc are all examples of this trope.
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