What class is your villian?
- Thread starter BSF
- Start date
BardStephenFox said:
For purely scaring the players, I think high level Fighters are best - they _will_ kill you. If they don't, they usually die, though. Wizards are good for flexibility and escaping. Clerics are the most powerful class but probably make better henchmen than lead villains. Rogues are interesting but are easily slain.
Will
First Post
In my campaign, the party nemesis is an evil... (wait for it!) ... Bard.
yes, a bard. Being able to cast Glibness and bedazzle just about any NPC is very handy.
Ok, so he's a half-fiendish bard, but still.
The party was so amused when they (almost) killed the guy... 'We've been flummoxed by a _bard_?'
Said villain is looking for a powerful magic item... or portal... or something. Truth is, nobody, not the villain, not his competitors, not some others arrayed against him, knows what the Well of Stars he seeks actually _is_. Just that it's powerful. Probably.
So the bard has been going about the land, opening ancient sites of the Dragon-demon war, with hilarious(ly deadly) consequences for the local townsfolk. Not that he cares, of course. He also has a powerful artifact that can make and command undead. Fun.
Why does a bard make a good enemy? Bards make good enemies from _afar_. The bard has sent a paladin against them (IDing them as the people creating undead), and turned opinion in numerous places against them.
So the party has to deal with people being sent after them and negative publicity. This is hard to fight... luckily one of the PCs is also a bard and can counter.
yes, a bard. Being able to cast Glibness and bedazzle just about any NPC is very handy.
Ok, so he's a half-fiendish bard, but still.
The party was so amused when they (almost) killed the guy... 'We've been flummoxed by a _bard_?'
Said villain is looking for a powerful magic item... or portal... or something. Truth is, nobody, not the villain, not his competitors, not some others arrayed against him, knows what the Well of Stars he seeks actually _is_. Just that it's powerful. Probably.
So the bard has been going about the land, opening ancient sites of the Dragon-demon war, with hilarious(ly deadly) consequences for the local townsfolk. Not that he cares, of course. He also has a powerful artifact that can make and command undead. Fun.
Why does a bard make a good enemy? Bards make good enemies from _afar_. The bard has sent a paladin against them (IDing them as the people creating undead), and turned opinion in numerous places against them.
So the party has to deal with people being sent after them and negative publicity. This is hard to fight... luckily one of the PCs is also a bard and can counter.
Darklone
Registered User
My villains... Often Experts, Merchants and Politicians. With a lot of henchmen. And mercenaries.
For the abovementioned escape route thread it's useful to have a spellcaster, or at least a warlord with a spellcasting cohort.
Funniest villain? Necromancer with cracked wand of fireball. In the end, he blew himself up.
For the abovementioned escape route thread it's useful to have a spellcaster, or at least a warlord with a spellcasting cohort.
Funniest villain? Necromancer with cracked wand of fireball. In the end, he blew himself up.
I've just got myself a brand-spanking new BBEG!
One of my players has recently decided to retire his character and make up a new one. With his consent, I've ruled that his old PC has gone over to the dark side.
So now I've got a new villainess to whip into shape. It's a ftr4/rog3/brb1/sor1, with a two-bladed sword and a composite longbow. Here are her feats: Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (two-bladed sword), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (two-bladed sword), Weapon Focus (longbow).
Flippin' Christ. What am I supposed to do with _that_?
Maybe I should post this on one of those twink-me-out threads on the Rules forum.
One of my players has recently decided to retire his character and make up a new one. With his consent, I've ruled that his old PC has gone over to the dark side.
So now I've got a new villainess to whip into shape. It's a ftr4/rog3/brb1/sor1, with a two-bladed sword and a composite longbow. Here are her feats: Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (two-bladed sword), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (two-bladed sword), Weapon Focus (longbow).
Flippin' Christ. What am I supposed to do with _that_?
Maybe I should post this on one of those twink-me-out threads on the Rules forum.
Will
First Post
Spellcasters are definitely important for villains. Whether the villain is a spellcaster, or has spellcasting henchman.
Actually, a villain really should have a blend of henchman, much like a party. You don't want to be deficient in some basic way. You want someone with a good Spot, to notice rogues sneaking up on you. Give that someone See Invisibility.
You also want arcane magic, for various important effects and countereffects.
You want divine magic, so you and your henchman can be healed quickly if need be. And to turn/control undead that might pop up. Freedom of Movement can be very useful against Held or Entangle, and Restoration is vital for long term survival.
You want fighter support, to at least beat up villagers, if not fence off foes from dogpiling the spellcasters. Fighters who can fly, at higher levels.
Villains should be quite willing to withdraw. Strongholds protected by permanent Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum are vital at higher levels, but you need an arcane caster of 13th level or more to do it.
Other scry-proofing, like Nondetection, Mislead, or, the ultimate, Mind Blank is very handy.
Cool thing for evil wizards:
Contingency spell - teleport. Contingency: 'If I attempt a teleport and someone interrupts it, teleport me to Safehouse 3.'
Perfect for those 'Aaaarggh! PCs are swarming over me, I can't cast my spells!'
Anyway. Some random points about villains.
Actually, a villain really should have a blend of henchman, much like a party. You don't want to be deficient in some basic way. You want someone with a good Spot, to notice rogues sneaking up on you. Give that someone See Invisibility.
You also want arcane magic, for various important effects and countereffects.
You want divine magic, so you and your henchman can be healed quickly if need be. And to turn/control undead that might pop up. Freedom of Movement can be very useful against Held or Entangle, and Restoration is vital for long term survival.
You want fighter support, to at least beat up villagers, if not fence off foes from dogpiling the spellcasters. Fighters who can fly, at higher levels.
Villains should be quite willing to withdraw. Strongholds protected by permanent Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum are vital at higher levels, but you need an arcane caster of 13th level or more to do it.
Other scry-proofing, like Nondetection, Mislead, or, the ultimate, Mind Blank is very handy.
Cool thing for evil wizards:
Contingency spell - teleport. Contingency: 'If I attempt a teleport and someone interrupts it, teleport me to Safehouse 3.'
Perfect for those 'Aaaarggh! PCs are swarming over me, I can't cast my spells!'
Anyway. Some random points about villains.
Gundark
Explorer
my villians
I've noticed that a lot of people tend to lean toward mages and clerics as their villians. I as a DM have fallen into this pitfall as well
. I'm trying to branch out and make different classes for villains (my next one is an aristocrat). I'm also trying to use different dungeons as the standard ones are getting a little stale (I'm running beast of Burden from dungeon #100 now, really interesting concept). IMO DMs should shy away from the mage/cleric stereotype, it catches the players off guard and makes it more interesting.
I've noticed that a lot of people tend to lean toward mages and clerics as their villians. I as a DM have fallen into this pitfall as well
. I'm trying to branch out and make different classes for villains (my next one is an aristocrat). I'm also trying to use different dungeons as the standard ones are getting a little stale (I'm running beast of Burden from dungeon #100 now, really interesting concept). IMO DMs should shy away from the mage/cleric stereotype, it catches the players off guard and makes it more interesting.
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
Well, as a player, our current unsolved BBEG's include:
A CR20 Half-Fiend
A CR18 Lich
A Demoness of some description
The Overkind of the Largest City in the world
His chief Magistrate
The Warlord of Mount Fire
The Evil Monk who betrayed her Sisters
We have a talent for writing good character backgrounds, and making powerful enemies. The party ranges between 10th-13th level currently, although we're looking for a couple of level-ups this weekend.
A CR20 Half-Fiend
A CR18 Lich
A Demoness of some description
The Overkind of the Largest City in the world
His chief Magistrate
The Warlord of Mount Fire
The Evil Monk who betrayed her Sisters
We have a talent for writing good character backgrounds, and making powerful enemies. The party ranges between 10th-13th level currently, although we're looking for a couple of level-ups this weekend.
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