Deadhouse Gates

I think that one of the most important roles undertaken by a GM is to be the villain in a game. More than a setting, or the NPC allies, the Villains help define the player characters as Heroes, by being their antithetical. In the campaigns that I’ve played, and in almost any setting, I find the the more memorable the Villains are, the more likely the game will be fondly remembered as well.

That said, some of the most memorable villains don’t have to be the ones with overwhelming stats, or builds that can dish out XdY damage per turn, or has Z amount of attacks (though that often put the fear in my heart as a player). Instead, the most memorable villains are the ones who manage to strike a chord with the heroes. They’re the ones that suddenly remind me that they’re not some random cardboard cutout with targets painted on them… but characters in their own right.

Here are some ideas/tips on what I personally think makes a villain memorable:

show, don’t tell

Villains need to have a good image. His mannerisms, dress, speech and behavior should be considered to make him stand out. Players need to be able to identify him immediately after the first encounter from his description alone. Scars, jewelry, disfigurements and other memory shortcuts come in handy here.

have a goal, evil is never evil for evil’s sake

That way lies lazy thinking, and subpar villains. Every villain, from an evil Land-Grabbing Oil Baron to a Fanatical Religious Manipulator has a Goal. Whether its money, love, pride, his country or revenge, every villain becomes more interesting the moment they’re spurred on to do more.

have a plan

A goal is one half of the equation, the other is to have a plan to reach that goal. Unless the Villain is designed to be a monster with the most rudimentary of goals (sate hunger, find mate, crush puny humans), they usually have some measure of planning capabilities. Having a plan B or C or some form of failsafe will at least keep your Players on their toes.

interact

And I don’t mean “Gloat in front of PCs”. GM techniques such as Cutscenes, or second hand stories from witnesses will go a long way to show the Players what kind of person they’re up against. Have them see the aftermath of his or her work.

groups are good

If you’ve got the hang of the system, feel free to team your villains up. A party of villains with different personality types and methodologies make for a dynamic and interesting opposition to the player characters. Adding a helping of Teamwork would be great too, just to underline that the bad guys are not above using the same tricks that Player Characters do.