http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ll9p7JSc2o
Okay, obviously not REALLY. It's impossible to conquer the Forgotten Realms due to sheer lack of infrastructure to carry the vast armies and so on. However, assume for the sake of our argument, that our young Alexanders the Great in training meets Sauron want to carve as much of a chunk of it for themselves as possible.
1. Where's a good place to start?
2. What groups should he ally with?
3. What sort of acts should he perform?
4. Favored Class?
Etc etc.
Any Evil Overlord advice would be appreciated for our Realms Conquest Campaign.
Any Evil Overlord advice would be appreciated for our Realms Conquest Campaign.
Here, this is helpful: The Evil Overlord List. ;) :D
1. Where's a good place to start?
-Vaasa.
2. What groups should he ally with?
-Groups in which entanglements won't come back to haunt you. For example, using the Zhentarim to your benefit might be a positive thing at first, when the relationship suddenly turns, and you are more of a thorn in Fzoul's side than anything else, you've gotten yourself too deep. Conversely, allying yourself with a group that is too weak to pull it's own weight, and as a result, taxes your own resources, is not a good idea, either.
3. What sort of acts should he perform?
-Um...Evil acts. Lawful Evil acts. Instill fear in others, but, at the same time, don't make them think that being without you would be better than having you around.
4. Favored Class?
-Don't know nothing from 4e, but the Warlord sounds like it might fit the bill.
Start in Netheril, find allies in the Zhentarim and Thay, then get them to conquer as much of the lands surrounding their territory as they can before you swoop in to take them over just after their battles are won and they are weakened from the effort.
That's absolutely terrible advice. It's never a good idea to ally with people who you will ultimately have to fight for control, particularly the Shadowvar Netherese, Thayans, and Zhents. You need minions that are slavishly devoted to you, or easily controlled. You never want extremely powerful allies that could contest you in an overt manner. The potential allies listed here would never consider themselves subordinate to you, and would seek to undermine you in a weak or distracted moment. In a hot minute.
That's absolutely terrible advice. It's never a good idea to ally with people who you will ultimately have to fight for control, particularly the Shadowvar Netherese, Thayans, and Zhents. You need minions that are slavishly devoted to you, or easily controlled. You never want extremely powerful allies that could contest you in an overt manner. The potential allies listed here would never consider themselves subordinate to you, and would seek to undermine you in a weak or distracted moment. In a hot minute.
-Hence my suggestion, "Groups in which entanglements won't come back to haunt you".
-Hence my suggestion, "Groups in which entanglements won't come back to haunt you".
'Zackly. :D
1. Where's a good place to start?
First, you need to be either humans or elves, other races aren't up for that. You need magic, arcane magic, and lots of it. Scimitar wielding armies can help too - do NOT use axes because they're the weapons of shorter, inferior races and dumb races like orcs. Location-wise, don't start in the Underdark, at least, or underwater since no one from those places ever wins. Surface is good.
2. What groups should he ally with?
Good ones or Shar's minions.
3. What sort of acts should he perform?
Killing, especially Chosen and other plot-immune people, and... erhm killing? And looking good doing it.
4. Favored Class?
Wizards and other casters, ninjas, smart warriors, cool looking types, and people who use fast weapons.
He's the Wizard Vector here.
:D Obould's Kingdom could have been a nice source of henchmen if you could set up a suitable Portal.
Pity they're all fluffy Bunny Orcs now.
Why not starting in the underdark? Take the demigod epic destiny and become a god of Lolth alternative, since all other drow gods were killed you could get a lot of drow to worship you, then you tell them to become rangers, dual-wield scimitars and take on names, that can be made out of the following letters: D, R, I, Z, Z, T, '. With them you conquer the rest of the drow, unite them, conquer the other underdark races and then march to the surface.
I actually, bizarrely, had this conversation in character.
Overlord: You want me to recruit the Drow?
no!Guy: Are they bad?
Overlord: NO! Worse! They're elves! All the women look like stick figures and act like they're the center of the universe's attention, just try and get a decent mistress out of them, and the men are all whiny little poseurs even when they're not angsting about their numerous sins. Half the army would be dead from backstabbing by the time I got it mobilized.
Pity they're all fluffy Bunny Orcs now.
-No, no. Subraces don't exist anymore.
Join the Zhentarim, rise in the ranks, and once you're powerful enough, knock off Fzoul and take control of the whole organization.
-Much easier said than done. While using such organizations is the key, one really needs to (initially) keep a balancing act of one part gaining power and influence and one part hiding power and influence. Somebody like Fzoul, Chosen of Bane, isn't going to be "made a fool", so to speak. People have tried to knock him off before, and people will try to knock him off again.
Unless someone comes along who's more impressive than Fzoul is and gets Bane's favor and approval to bump him off and take over.
-How many times has the Sith apprentice been killed by his/her/its master, upon challenging him/her/it? The shame, the shame...
-Much easier said than done.
Nobody said the path to world domination was easy. ;) All things considered, though, it's easier to take over a pre-existing organization/force than it is to create one from scratch.
Nobody said the path to world domination was easy. ;) All things considered, though, it's easier to take over a pre-existing organization/force than it is to create one from scratch.
-Depends. Taking over preexisting organizations is possible, as these organizations naturally allow for conduits for people to work their way through the hierarchy. At the same time, when creating one from scratch, well, you start off in charge.
Yep, but it took quite a long while for organizations like the Zhentarim to get where they are, today. Unless you're playing a long-lived character, you've got a better chance of just working your way through a pre-existing organization than to create one and try to get it into world-conquering shape anytime soon.
-You've obviously never played Suikoden.
Never even heard of it, and I'd prefer to keep it that way. :P
-Well, you're missing out, then. My favorite game series.
My suggestion: the Ring of Winter. Small and portable, with amazing destructive potential, the Ring of Winter can protect its wearer while he terrorizes nations with draught and flash-freezing their crops. Match it with a sturdy ermine cloak and tribal fur clothing.
If you want to be an evil overlord of the realms you need a WMD to terrify people so that they serve you. Fortunately the realms have several of those
-Good idea. A point to remember, though, is that evil for the sake of it creates unnecessary allies. "Is it better to be loved, or feared?"
-Good idea. A point to remember, though, is that evil for the sake of it creates unnecessary allies. "Is it better to be loved, or feared?"
Both at the same time, if possible:
[INDENT]In the place of a Dark Lord you would have a Queen! Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the Morn! Treacherous as the Seas! Stronger than the foundations of the Earth! All shall love me and despair! - Galadriel
[/INDENT]
:D :D :D
Both at the same time, if possible:
-Yes, that'd be the optimum arrangement.
1. Where's a good place to start?
The Western Heartlands, IMHO. Specifically, Baldur's Gate. I have always thought Baldur's Gate was ripe for the picking for an overlord dictator. As much as I like their system of government, the whole 4 elected grand dukes who rule equally thing, when one of your dukes personally commands the city's mercenary army... Its kind of tempting to try and knock over the democracy. And, with the influx of refugees after the 'plague, the place is a bustling recruitment center. And its probably got a fair share of poverty. And poverty, as history teaches, is a dictator's best friend when he's coming to power.
2. What groups should he ally with?
The Harpers
Yes, the Harpers.
The whole sneaky-underhanded-bastard-for-the-greater-good thing can erode a person's morals. So, if you get in the Harpers, you will, with your personal overlord magnetism, be able to corrupt several without much of a problem. And then, you have some evil sneaky spies and assassins, ready to go. Hell, having lost their patron, Mystra, and many of her chosen, I'd say the Harpers are pretty directionless right now, just waiting for a driving will to take advantage of their loss and confusion.
Also, the Yuan-ti. Their right there in the Western Heartlands, and lets face it, administration is a *****. Yuan-ti are nothing if not good administrators. Just look at the Kingdom of Snakes.
Make friends with Bane, or another evil tyrannical god of your choice. Set maybe? Asmodeus? Asmodeus would probably send you some fiendish friends to play with, and a pit fiend on the battlefield is always great, but you want to avoid just being some deific overlord’s no. 2.
In fact, you want some undead mojo. I have no idea if Verlsharoon’s going to be around in the new edition, but get some necromancer types on your team. If you’re going to rule the as much of the continent as possible, recycling your soldiers is a must.
Now, you also want a significant “horde” race of nonhuman death machines. If only so that the other evil overlords in popular culture don’t diss you for your army being human.
I’d suggest Hobgoblins. Not just because they have that organized military Spartan lifestyle, but because they’d be darn eager to join you. Why? Because Hobos have gotten a raw deal in the Realms. Hell, the Hobos rivals, the Orcs, have even got their own kingdom now! I’m pretty sure that, with the Spellplague mixing things up and weakening their enemies, you’ll have to beat off the hobgoblins with a stick (or cudgel) if you want to stop them joining your team.
Also, try and get some giants for your armies. Just cause their giants. With the Feywild suddenly coming into place, you also have Cyclopes to try for.
3. What sort of acts should he perform?
Work to incite a war between other nations, so that they are weakened.
Engineer a drought or the like through magic, to create a food shortage which, amazingly, you are unaffected by.
Organize as much rebuilding of post-spellplague Faerun as possible (under new administration of course). Its good PR, good for infrastructure, and when war comes, the extra territory (read, cannon fodder and the fodder to feed them with) will come in handy.
Stay away, far away, from Waterdeep. It has too much plot armor for any one overlord, bar Hallaster.
Furthermore; genocide, its important. You have to kill a lot of things. Why? Because if not, those things have children who become prophesied saviors, and end your reign. So if any significant minority opposes you, you have to kill all of them. All. Leave even one alive (or, gods forbid, two), and the child of that one will, I guarantee, become the heroic engine of your destruction. You can’t afford any slip ups.
For that matter, make a point of visiting oracles. You want to make a habit of killing prophesied saviors.
4. Favored Class?
I'm really liking the warlock for an evil overlord type.
Nothing says "**** you I'm the boss" like a power that literally makes someone go to hell for a few rounds.
In fact, you really need to go with a spellcasting class, even if its not warlock. Why? Because you want to rule your empire for more than a measly few decades. Lichdom is really a must.
-Don't know nothing from 4e, but the Warlord sounds like it might fit the bill.
It could. Though it would depend on what one wanted to play, too.
Yes, it's a pity that those silly Orcs are no longer all Evil.
Well, they never were all evil, just mostly evil.
According to the 4E MM, they are still mostly evil.It could. Though it would depend on what one wanted to play, too.
-From what I recall of reading of them, they have something like an automatic Leadership feat-type thing going on. So...
-From what I recall of reading of them, they have something like an automatic Leadership feat-type thing going on. So...
Sort of. In combat situations, they are considered to have the "Leader" role. They can of course be leaders in non-combat situations too, but so can characters who don't have the leader role, as the PHB mentions. For example, the rogue is considered a "Striker", but perhaps that rogue is also best suited to be the "face of the party" as well.
Therefore, maybe the rogue is the one setting out to conquer the world, and he has a warlord working for him as his field commander. Just throwing out one example.
-Oh, so confusing...
It's not that hard to understand. I'll bring the 4E PHB to our next D&D game, if you want to look at it.
It's not that hard to understand. I'll bring the 4E PHB to our next D&D game, if you want to look at it.
-Sure, I'd like that.
-Sure, I'd like that.
Will do, if I don't forget.:embarrass
Try to remind me, just in case.;)
Will do, if I don't forget.:embarrass
Try to remind me, just in case.;)
-Sure. Next time I call you, I will.
Yesss. Soon you will feel the irresistible pull to the Dark Side...
-A ha! You're admitting that 4e is bad, is evil. :P :P
Wait, that came out wrong.
Sweet. Where can I get my "PALPATINE WAS RIGHT!" t-shirts?
-He was wrong as well. He believed in a notion of a Dark Side of the Force, which is a fallacy. There is no Light Side, there is no Dark Side. There is only the Unifying Force.
-I don't remember if I mention this or not, but the Sith would be an excellent organization to emulate, when trying to become a dark overlord.
EDIT: Yes, yes I did. :P
-He was wrong as well. He believed in a notion of a Dark Side of the Force, which is a fallacy. There is no Light Side, there is no Dark Side. There is only the Unifying Force.
-I don't remember if I mention this or not, but the Sith would be an excellent organization to emulate, when trying to become a dark overlord.
EDIT: Yes, yes I did. :P
I love how you continue to cling to that, even after Legacy of the Force retconned Vergere into a Sith.
But I prefer "Magneto was Right."
Silly primates. You shall all bow down before the ****-Superior.
Yes, the SORCERER class!
I love how you continue to cling to that, even after Legacy of the Force retconned Vergere into a Sith.
-And, that's wrong. You think that George Lucas knows what he's talking about, when authorizing such changes, and stating, "Ah, there's only a Light Side and a Dark Side"? He's a stupid turkey!
:-)
Indeed... the guy who created the whole notion and setting of Star Wars would obviously know absolutely nothing about it. Sure, that makes sense... :P
-Star Wars is more than just George Lucas. It's greater than the sum whole of it's parts. Whatever that saying is. Half of the stuff, he doesn't know what's going on anyway, so...
Such statements warm my heart, Lord Karsus.
:-)
-I'm happy for you.
We wouldn't have Star Wars without George Lucas, and I'd take his opinion far more seriously than most others when it came to what's in the setting and what isn't...As to him not knowing what's going on... I couldn't say one way or another, as I've no knowledge of the matter.
-He admits that he does not read the Expanded Universe material (which makes up the bulk of Star Wars). He only "signs off" on things. That said, when making "authoritative" rulings, how can you take such proclamations seriously?
-To tie it to the Forgotten Realms, that'd be like Ed Greenwood admitting to not buying and/or reading any of the Forgotten Realms material that's been published since he sold the rights to the setting, but insisting that he is the ultimate authority on everything that goes on within it.
Um... its his IP, he can do what he wants with it is usually good enough for me as far as canonocity goes... honestly though, I don't care either way.
-Somebody's a ray of sunshine.
Which is why I generally don't bother with Ed's replies... besides the format of the threads, which I find far too tedious to sift through in the first place for something that I don't actually care about.
-Agreed.
You'd prefer a ray of gloomy shadow perhaps? Sick of shadowcrap myself... :P :D
-If shadow being attached to a word is simply a "mirrored reflection" of the root, would "shadowcrap" be food?
Why would shadow-whatever be a 'mirrored reflection' of the root?
-Because, in the Forgotten Realms, that's always how it seems to work out:
The Shadow Weave: A dark, mirror of the Weave.
Shadow Tomatoes: A dark, evil reflection of mundane tomatoes.
Shades: Twisted reflections of Humans, the trading incarnum energy of their souls for Shadowstuff.
Sweet. Where can I get my "PALPATINE WAS RIGHT!" t-shirts?
Palpatine was never wrong about anything.
Palpatine was never wrong about anything.
Best character in the prequels.
Best character in the prequels.
-Best acted and portrayed, certainly. Most dynamic, including all of the Prequel-era Expanded Universe sources, no. That would probably go to Quinlan Vos.