Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
InDungeons & Dragonsand other similar phantasy RPGs , the default assumption is that players portray fabled grinder who set out out protect hamlet from goblins and end their storey by salvage the earth . It ’s just as possible , however , forRPGs likeD&Dto order the stories of ambitious despots , sinister cultists , calculating criminals , and savage reavers who require to congeal the world on firing and rule the ashes . Dungeon Masters and gamers who want to revel running a " villain " RPG effort should always focus their plot sessions with uniform principles of communication and consent , realize perfectly sure no single thespian is using their " villainous " characters as an excuse to be a jerk .
In a foreign way , the combat and geographic expedition - focused mechanics ofDungeons & Dragonsdo encourage players to adopt a pragmatic , almost - but - not - quite - villainous mind-set for their player characters . The archetypal adventuring party ofD&D , inspired by roguish phantasy protagonists such asConan the Barbarian or Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser , is less a stripe of virtuous champions and more a nomadic pack of mercenaries , hired by desperate strangers to figure out their problems with force , magic , and a bit of smooth talk . As they role - play character of great physical / mental art , with the fictional nature of the game isolate them from effect , players ofD&Dand other RPGs can easily err into a " Murder Hobo " mindset where they cover Non - Player Characters as expendable asset and resort to aggregative execution at the top of a hat .
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Deliberately choosing to run a serious villain campaign inD&D(rather than slue into one through"Murder Hobo " anticstaken to the extremum ) can be a sobering and philosophical mental process that explores humanity ’s ability to be cruel to themselves and the human race around them . It can also be a fortune to indulge in harbor devilry desirable of a comic playscript , giving players , through their characters , the probability to lash on a pair of spiked leather shoulder joint - stamp pad and pamper in the aesthetics of " Evil . " In both cases , histrion and Dungeon Masters should plan and put to death their " evil " narrative with great care and adherence to certain standards , lest their campaign go in uncomfortable , unenjoyable way .
Establish What Villain D&D Players Are & Aren’t Comfortable With
Some villains , be they actual or fictional , confide well " sanitized " deed of evil : murder , kidnapping , larceny , deception , usurping political power , betrayal , handling , extortion , and so on . Then there are baddie whose actions arevileon both an cerebral and visceral story ; genocide , psychological abuse , intimate violence , torture , etc . Villainous deeds in the former category are generally toothsome to most participants in a roleplaying plot ; villainous deeds in the latter category are very often upsetting , unenjoyable , or potentially even traumatic for RPG player .
For this reason , aGame Master running a campaignwhere participants are spare to do awful thing should always have a forthright talk with their players they ’ve recruited , confirming their interestingness in roleplaying " bad guys , " warning them about any potentially " trigger " subject matter ahead of time , and give way them the hazard to veto theme or events they just would n’t be well-to-do with . RPG safety toolslike the " X - identity card " or " Lines And Veils " are a good direction to solicit feedback from the role player of a villain movement and make trusted everyone ’s have a upright clock time being " big . "
Decide How Serious Or Hilarious D&D Villain PCs Should Be
There are villainous campaigns that put histrion in the shoe of tyrants and fiend - cruel , crafty individuals likeStrahd from Castle Ravenloftwho will break down innocents under their heels so as to understand their twisted dream . Other villainous campaigns can feature more comical adversaries of righteousness - " Team Rocket"-style minions who examine to steal something and get defeated through slapstick , or blemished friend straight from a Coen Brothers film whose endeavor to pull off the " Perfect Crime " go horribly amiss .
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There are even nefarious campaigns likeDimension 20 ’s " Escape From The Blood Keep,“whose PCs are tyrants and monsters in the service of a Dark Lord AND a group of buffoons at the same time . By decent calibrating the tone of their villainousD&Dcampaign to match the mood of their players , a DM / GM can check that everyone at their play table is enjoying themselves .
Get D&D Players To Create And Execute Villainous Plans
The heroes of a fantasy RPG drive can respond to villains ( stopping a dragon from extorting a village ) or be proactive against scoundrel ( starting a rotatory apparent motion to overthrow an evil Duke ) . Villainous personal computer , in contrast , are generally more interesting if they ’re constantly film the initiative with vicious " plans " and " Machiavellian dodge . "
When putting together a scoundrel - focusedDungeons & Dragonscampaign , player having problem make motivations and goal for their nefarious PCs can always practice theD&DMoral Alignment systemto narrow down their options . If they ’re concerned in play a legitimate malevolent PC , for instance , it would make sense for their characters to have goals relate to build or strengthen a cruel societal order ; an oppressive empire , an exploitive joint - stock company , a offense pool with their digit in every corner of society , and so on .
actor with helter-skelter Evil PCs , in dividing line , may have more playfulness pursue in - game goals related to destruction or upheaval ; running an apocalypse cult , plundering hamlet and trade caravans with band of reavers , etc . Ideally , the villainous adventuring party should also have a single shared " malign program , " a long - term dodging with a reward tantalizing enough to unite Evil PC of various alignment together into the same cause .
Create A World Villainous PCs Can Change Or Overturn
If Evil PCs should always be plat to reshape the world , it logically pursue that theDungeon Master / Game Masterof a villainousD&Dcampaign should choose or create a define players can change in interesting way . In aDungeons & Dragonsfantasy setting , for case , every mountain , tomb , or ancient ruin should have a forgotten token or arcane hush-hush open of granting malign PC utile forms of power and influence . Every political or spiritual introduction , be it phantasy kingdom or venture social club , should have a weakness of some kind , defect nefarious PCs can patiently pry at to destroy , exploit , or co - opt them .
The Evil agonist of this villainousDungeons & Dragonscampaign should also have enemies who hinder their schemes – both heroic champions of righteousness and other villains with reason to play off the malign PCs . The DM / GM can even pamper in poetical caustic remark and dispute their villainous microcomputer with NPC modeled after the authoritative heroicRPG adventuring company , while still giving players a fair chance to defeat the force of good and secure the triumph of " Evil . "
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