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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Unwise" data-source="post: 5851231" data-attributes="member: 98008">It's a little dangerous using an ex-PC as a nemesis, as it can feel a little personal if the person rage-quit or parted with the PC on bad terms. I recently had a player rage-quit and don't want to use his assassin as an enemy, as how I make him act might blur the line between the character and player. If the PC was played in a rage filled, explosive and unpredictable way, that makes for a good villain, but if the PC was played that way because the player is like that, then it feels wrong to use that character.That being said, our favourite bad guy was an ex-PC. He was a pretty immoral guy, who descended into insanity so deeply he came out the other side looking and acting sane. For warhammer fans, he grabbed a Grey Seers miniature Screaming Bell and ran away with it. He ran, it rang and made him mad, so he ran, so it rang, so he ran...before too long his mind was utterly shattered. This led me to bring him back at a later date as a villian who wanted to destroy the world, but would still help the PCs on their quest (unknown to them they were going to accidently destroy the world).The three take away tropes that having that villian taught me were:1. Just because someone is a villain, does not mean they won't work with the PCs on occassion. It is a great way  for them to get to know the villain and turn the villain into a person rather than a concept. Why would the Death Knight be impolite to a lady he passes? Maybe that Evil Sorcerer stops to appreciate the flowers and listen to poetry. Maybe that mad berserker stops to let the civilians leave the field of battle before engaging his fury. The Drow who is proud of his heritage and genuinely loves his people. A true patriot is a scary thing.2. Civilised Evil is unreal. I love lawful evil guys. Make deals with the PCs that benefit them, but make them feel dirty and wrong about it. Try to make the bad guy tempt them into accepting his help and benefiting from infernal pacts or using the unwilling undead. Make them feel that if they just attack the guy after they have made a deal that they are being the dishonourable ones.3. I love having a villain that is utterly insane, so far removed from sanity that he does not appear insane at all. His mind just does not work like a normal person any more. Let them forget that this guy is insane so it re-shocks them now and then. A seemingly calm, calculating mad man who wants to release Cthulu or something similar.</blockquote>

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