A villain needs to be understandable, but not necessarily relatable. Â There are very few villains that bask only in the fact that "Yes, I'm evil! Â Evil is what I do!" Â And it's generally just a mask. Â Villain characters need to believe that they are right in what they do, or at least that it's then only correct way to go about their goal. Â If your villain is simply a black cloak figure in the back of the tavern who kidnaps women and makes them sex you... well, you're certainly evil, but you're not quite a villain. Â Mad possibly, or criminally insane. Â
Unfortunately at the end of the day, criminally insane or mad villains are not that interesting. Â They're one dimensional tropes that don't have any redeemable value. Â There's no moral questioning, no thoughts on how they work or function, they just do because do. Â There's very little there to play off of outside of "behead it and call it a day." Â
Even villains that are traditionally insane, Kefka and Joker which are constantly brought up here, have reasoning behind their actions. Â Joker wants to break Batman. Â Kefka wants to attain godhood because he learnt the only true good in the world is nihilistic (and it's a damn good way to get revenge).
Reversed morality is another good, understandable, goal for a Villain that isn't relatable. Â Jack the Ripper's motivations could have been surmised by his victims and a very extreme sense of morality when it comes to sex. Â See also Jason Vorhees and his Mother; it certainly becomes a bit of a tropish/parody, but laziness/sexual promiscuity and the negligence that came from it plays deep into both characters.
Ultimately, playing a villain, you should at least try to leave a trail or some hints on your true reasonings. Â Give a purpose for the heroes to debate and theorize over, craft them a story. Â As a villain, it isn't about you. Â It's about everyone who is going to stop you or is afflicted by you.
As a villain, you are essentially a DM for a free-form RP event. Â If your own personal OOC reasons are greedy (I want to powertrip/I want ERP/I want to make players suffer/They're playing wrong and should pay), then the villain isn't your character. Â It's you, the player. Â If your character is nothing short then a one-dimensional insane criminal, then you're just an exceptionally powerful kobold that needs to be put down for XP and loot.
Don't be that.
Unfortunately at the end of the day, criminally insane or mad villains are not that interesting. Â They're one dimensional tropes that don't have any redeemable value. Â There's no moral questioning, no thoughts on how they work or function, they just do because do. Â There's very little there to play off of outside of "behead it and call it a day." Â
Even villains that are traditionally insane, Kefka and Joker which are constantly brought up here, have reasoning behind their actions. Â Joker wants to break Batman. Â Kefka wants to attain godhood because he learnt the only true good in the world is nihilistic (and it's a damn good way to get revenge).
Reversed morality is another good, understandable, goal for a Villain that isn't relatable. Â Jack the Ripper's motivations could have been surmised by his victims and a very extreme sense of morality when it comes to sex. Â See also Jason Vorhees and his Mother; it certainly becomes a bit of a tropish/parody, but laziness/sexual promiscuity and the negligence that came from it plays deep into both characters.
Ultimately, playing a villain, you should at least try to leave a trail or some hints on your true reasonings. Â Give a purpose for the heroes to debate and theorize over, craft them a story. Â As a villain, it isn't about you. Â It's about everyone who is going to stop you or is afflicted by you.
As a villain, you are essentially a DM for a free-form RP event. Â If your own personal OOC reasons are greedy (I want to powertrip/I want ERP/I want to make players suffer/They're playing wrong and should pay), then the villain isn't your character. Â It's you, the player. Â If your character is nothing short then a one-dimensional insane criminal, then you're just an exceptionally powerful kobold that needs to be put down for XP and loot.
Don't be that.
