Villianous Characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Villianous Characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Talinsword
11-15-05, 08:26 AM I'm DMing a game for a group of friends, and I've always had a soft spot for a villian group that counter-acts the PCs. For whatever reason, my PCs, as well as myself, enjoy those people who just can't seem to die popping back up to mess with them... So I tend to put a bit of work into fleshing the main villans out... They do tend to be the biggest NPCs in the game.

Anyways... I'm trying to put together a group of four (4) NPC characters... They are basically an anti-party. They work together to bring down the PCs and further their own efforts... I don't want to put more emphasis on them than the actual PCs... But their work should be seen in most aspects of things.

I'd like some ideas for 3 of them... Right now, I've played around with one of them being an Incarnum going into Necrocanate. Undead Zombies at it's best...

Any ideas and builds for the other 3 would be great... I'm thinking one should be str junkie, one dex/skill-monkey, and the other arcane caster. Even evil parties get balanced. =P They should be able to work on their own, but compliment each other when working together... And any flavor ideas would also be good...
Level 10 is what I'm working with right now... My PCs aren't even close to powerful enough to take that on... But they are certaintly feeling their effects and being toyed with...

Thanks for all the ideas and help.
Ulden Throatbane
11-17-05, 01:18 AM For the str junkie, how about an unflappably loyal paladin whose nonetheless gone bad because her patron has turned evil. Now a LE blackguard, she is charged with implementing the church's "paradigm shift" within the area the campaign is taking place in.

For the skill junkie and/or arcane caster, how about a NE bard-as-politician. Instead of bardic music, he uses oratory and demagoguery to achieve the same affects. Backed by a campaign-spaning criminal network, he's used his abilities to take control of a city-state republic. His goal now is to join the inner ranks of the network that brought him legal power. Though corrupt, he'll only bend so far as it will serve his objectives.
erbmjw
11-17-05, 08:23 AM Loving the NE bard-as-politician I may grab that for a campaigh I am putting together.
Morka
11-17-05, 11:33 AM Are you looking for recurrent villains, or a concurrent NPCs? Because the Blackguard and Necrocanate looks more like recurrent villains, while the bard-as-politician can be a good concurrent NPC.

Here's another idea for a concurrent NPC, it also need some kind of DMPC and a few rule bending.

The concurrent NPC is some kind of Harper group, some chaotic good ultracharismatic adventurers, stealing the glory the PC might get with their deeds.
- Party Leader: CG human or half-elf bard/fighter, perhaps duelist or archer. Excellent singer.
- Party Healer/Tank: CG human cleric, has a few ranks in Perform: Drum
- Party skill junky: CG female, elven rogue with red hair, has a few ranks in Perform: Dance
- Party arcane support: CG female gnome illusionist, has a few ranks in Perform: String Instrument.

The first time the party meet them, the human rogue try to seduce one of the PC, but the bard is very angry, and she leaves with him. After that, every time the PCs meet this party, she talk to the same PC.
A days later enter the DMPC: a human sorceress using mainly wands and other magic items. She has black hairs, with a blue lock. She has heard about the PCs, and wish to adventure with them.
The PCs keep meeting the concurring party, but make sure the two girls never meet. Until the two groups run into each other during an adventure. There is the usual pranks between the bard and the PC's leader, or the cleric and PC cleric, etc. BUt the sorceress and rogue begin to violently insult each other, in draconic. A violent catfight ensue, at the surprise of everyone. If anyone attempts to separate them, they polymorph in dragons! (The red haired elven rogue in a Red Dragon, the black haired sorceress with a blue lock into a blue dragon.) And they continue their fight until one of them is dead.
What truely happen here is there is a secret contest amongst evil she-dragons, of helping some adventurers becoming famous heroes, and then eating them. The winner is the one who eat the most famous hero. Each dragon has her territory, but one of them entered the other one's territory...
erbmjw
11-18-05, 07:23 AM Morka you're a genius! Loved the idea - the last part still has me laughing.
Good Agnostic
11-25-05, 06:43 PM Great idea in general. My idea for this kind of thing is to always just cover the four character archetypes and then focus on developing some personality quirks.memorable motivations.

A good CLR/FTR/ROG/WIZ party with a common alignment of LE. Perhaps the Cleric is one or two levels above the other three and the other three are "devotees" (whether actually the PrC or not) of the Cleric's diety. That way, no matter how bad the PC's might ever bang them up, they always have the religious/temple infrastructures to retreat to. It also puts them in the position to have plenty of low level minions to challenge the party as the PC's progress in levels.

The Anti Party members all serve good roles in the community as a cover. The cleric of (evil God here) actually works as the leader of an orphanage. The Rogue is a member of the city council. And of the Thieve's Guild. And of the (evil God here) Church. And of the City Watch. And of several noble social clubs. Etc. The figter owns and operates a very popular Tavern. The Wizard owns a riverboat casino and a library.

That way, as th ecampaign progresses, it seems that there is a "bigger power" behind sever different things in the city. THen, at teh end, it is revealed that the four are actually connected.
Harrow Blade
11-26-05, 01:46 AM Morka I love your idea. It is truly off the wall and humorous to boot.

With the Bard as polition you could stir up towns against the pc's so that the towns people belive that the pc's are actually the evil ones. It could make the pc's try even harder to prove they are the good ones, taking on quests and the like only to be ambushed by the anti-group who claim the glory and reward. you wouldn't to do that too often but it would shake the pc's up.

A changeling rogue (skill/dex monkey) could really be a versitile npc, while giving him a nack for gadgets, traps and exotic equipment can add an identifying trait as well as a suprise or three for the pc's. For example, the rougue uses a fake arm that if hit with any force breaks and releases the equivilent of a stinking cloud spell from a mix of chemicals, a grapple launched from a crossbow that has built in rope reel and handles for winding ones self up the rope quickly (double climb speed dc 10), Blade boots that actually fire the blades range 20', cloak that has ribbing in it so that when left in correct manner looks as if someone is still in the cloak but it is empty. there is a lot of possibility and flexibility for some one with a bit of cash and who better than a rogue to be aquiring cash.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Talinsword 11-15-05, 08:26 AM	I'm DMing a game for a group of friends, and I've always had a soft spot for a villian group that counter-acts the PCs. For whatever reason, my PCs, as well as myself, enjoy those people who just can't seem to die popping back up to mess with them... So I tend to put a bit of work into fleshing the main villans out... They do tend to be the biggest NPCs in the game. Anyways... I'm trying to put together a group of four (4) NPC characters... They are basically an anti-party. They work together to bring down the PCs and further their own efforts... I don't want to put more emphasis on them than the actual PCs... But their work should be seen in most aspects of things. I'd like some ideas for 3 of them... Right now, I've played around with one of them being an Incarnum going into Necrocanate. Undead Zombies at it's best... Any ideas and builds for the other 3 would be great... I'm thinking one should be str junkie, one dex/skill-monkey, and the other arcane caster. Even evil parties get balanced. =P They should be able to work on their own, but compliment each other when working together... And any flavor ideas would also be good... Level 10 is what I'm working with right now... My PCs aren't even close to powerful enough to take that on... But they are certaintly feeling their effects and being toyed with... Thanks for all the ideas and help.
Ulden Throatbane 11-17-05, 01:18 AM	For the str junkie, how about an unflappably loyal paladin whose nonetheless gone bad because her patron has turned evil. Now a LE blackguard, she is charged with implementing the church's "paradigm shift" within the area the campaign is taking place in. For the skill junkie and/or arcane caster, how about a NE bard-as-politician. Instead of bardic music, he uses oratory and demagoguery to achieve the same affects. Backed by a campaign-spaning criminal network, he's used his abilities to take control of a city-state republic. His goal now is to join the inner ranks of the network that brought him legal power. Though corrupt, he'll only bend so far as it will serve his objectives.
erbmjw 11-17-05, 08:23 AM	Loving the NE bard-as-politician I may grab that for a campaigh I am putting together.
Morka 11-17-05, 11:33 AM	Are you looking for recurrent villains, or a concurrent NPCs? Because the Blackguard and Necrocanate looks more like recurrent villains, while the bard-as-politician can be a good concurrent NPC. Here's another idea for a concurrent NPC, it also need some kind of DMPC and a few rule bending. The concurrent NPC is some kind of Harper group, some chaotic good ultracharismatic adventurers, stealing the glory the PC might get with their deeds. - Party Leader: CG human or half-elf bard/fighter, perhaps duelist or archer. Excellent singer. - Party Healer/Tank: CG human cleric, has a few ranks in Perform: Drum - Party skill junky: CG female, elven rogue with red hair, has a few ranks in Perform: Dance - Party arcane support: CG female gnome illusionist, has a few ranks in Perform: String Instrument. The first time the party meet them, the human rogue try to seduce one of the PC, but the bard is very angry, and she leaves with him. After that, every time the PCs meet this party, she talk to the same PC. A days later enter the DMPC: a human sorceress using mainly wands and other magic items. She has black hairs, with a blue lock. She has heard about the PCs, and wish to adventure with them. The PCs keep meeting the concurring party, but make sure the two girls never meet. Until the two groups run into each other during an adventure. There is the usual pranks between the bard and the PC's leader, or the cleric and PC cleric, etc. BUt the sorceress and rogue begin to violently insult each other, in draconic. A violent catfight ensue, at the surprise of everyone. If anyone attempts to separate them, they polymorph in dragons! (The red haired elven rogue in a Red Dragon, the black haired sorceress with a blue lock into a blue dragon.) And they continue their fight until one of them is dead. What truely happen here is there is a secret contest amongst evil she-dragons, of helping some adventurers becoming famous heroes, and then eating them. The winner is the one who eat the most famous hero. Each dragon has her territory, but one of them entered the other one's territory...
erbmjw 11-18-05, 07:23 AM	Morka you're a genius! Loved the idea - the last part still has me laughing.
Good Agnostic 11-25-05, 06:43 PM	Great idea in general. My idea for this kind of thing is to always just cover the four character archetypes and then focus on developing some personality quirks.memorable motivations. A good CLR/FTR/ROG/WIZ party with a common alignment of LE. Perhaps the Cleric is one or two levels above the other three and the other three are "devotees" (whether actually the PrC or not) of the Cleric's diety. That way, no matter how bad the PC's might ever bang them up, they always have the religious/temple infrastructures to retreat to. It also puts them in the position to have plenty of low level minions to challenge the party as the PC's progress in levels. The Anti Party members all serve good roles in the community as a cover. The cleric of (evil God here) actually works as the leader of an orphanage. The Rogue is a member of the city council. And of the Thieve's Guild. And of the (evil God here) Church. And of the City Watch. And of several noble social clubs. Etc. The figter owns and operates a very popular Tavern. The Wizard owns a riverboat casino and a library. That way, as th ecampaign progresses, it seems that there is a "bigger power" behind sever different things in the city. THen, at teh end, it is revealed that the four are actually connected.
Harrow Blade 11-26-05, 01:46 AM	Morka I love your idea. It is truly off the wall and humorous to boot. With the Bard as polition you could stir up towns against the pc's so that the towns people belive that the pc's are actually the evil ones. It could make the pc's try even harder to prove they are the good ones, taking on quests and the like only to be ambushed by the anti-group who claim the glory and reward. you wouldn't to do that too often but it would shake the pc's up. A changeling rogue (skill/dex monkey) could really be a versitile npc, while giving him a nack for gadgets, traps and exotic equipment can add an identifying trait as well as a suprise or three for the pc's. For example, the rougue uses a fake arm that if hit with any force breaks and releases the equivilent of a stinking cloud spell from a mix of chemicals, a grapple launched from a crossbow that has built in rope reel and handles for winding ones self up the rope quickly (double climb speed dc 10), Blade boots that actually fire the blades range 20', cloak that has ribbing in it so that when left in correct manner looks as if someone is still in the cloak but it is empty. there is a lot of possibility and flexibility for some one with a bit of cash and who better than a rogue to be aquiring cash.