On "Bad Guys"

[Kismetic]

Dude, that's not a protip.  I saw Aladdin in theaters with my grandma, and the Genie definitely gives you wishes, man.  Gimme ze lamp

[Fujikoma]

Maybe the djinn from "The Wishmaster" movies instead...

[racurtne]

Not gonna lie. I had a character whose mantra was

"I'm just following orders"   I often thought of Munich

Setting examples was another big part of it. It discouraged bad behavior.

[Scarecrow]

I did play one particularly malevolent person, with a real penchant for vengeance and cruelty, on another mud, and it was great fun. He ended up being an anti-hero to some extent after a good 14 months or so of playing him.

"'Ello, dreadful." 

[Bogre]

Right on the money.   

[Decameron]

Man, really wish I could find where I had posted about this the last time it came up.

In either case, playing a villain, in my opinion, is like playing any other character, it's just a matter of priorities. When you're a villain, you are priority number #1. The first rule of being a villain is looking out for #1.

Let's use a scenario - you and your friend are out in the middle of the sands, and suddenly, you run into a huge problem. You forgot to bring a waterskin, and you're very, very far away from civilization.

This is where your 'sane brain' will kick in and say - "I must alert my friend to this crisis! He can provide me with his water-skin/food/cuddle-power and we can work together to get back to the City, and live in harmony!" Well - that would be all well and good - but it would not be very evil, now would it?

Always remember to think of what's best for #1. Alternatively, let's consider the situation faced from a villain perspective: "I forgot my waterskin! But wait! That's alright, my friend Amos is holding a waterskin for me!" How and where it goes from there depends on a variety of factors, but if it came down to it, the villain isn't going to be the one giving up his waterskin so the 'other guy' can ride into the sun-set.

A normal person can be seen in a very evil light when matters of survival come into play, and it's very easy to sort've snow-ball evil once the ball gets rolling: "I killed Amos - but I had to, because I needed the water, or I would've died. When I get back to the City, there's going to be people asking questions - he was a magicker, he turned, and I had to put him down. He wanted me to betray <whoever the fuck matters> and I didn't have a choice. I'm a hero."

People are always the narrators of their own story, and there's very few cases where people stare into the mirror and say something like, "Oh god, I am a monster!" There's always a reasoning, a justification for their actions, and that's how evil people can do evil things and still live with themselves.

[Barzalene]

People are always the narrators of their own story, and there's very few cases where people stare into the mirror and say something like, "Oh god, I am a monster!" There's always a reasoning, a justification for their actions, and that's how evil people can do evil things and still live with themselves.

In fact, it's more likely that good people will look in the mirror and say "I am a monster." Bad people will check their hair and move along.

(That was a sort of random response. I'm not really ready to stand behind it.)

[Delirium]

People are always the narrators of their own story, and there's very few cases where people stare into the mirror and say something like, "Oh god, I am a monster!" There's always a reasoning, a justification for their actions, and that's how evil people can do evil things and still live with themselves.

In fact, it's more likely that good people will look in the mirror and say "I am a monster." Bad people will check their hair and move along.

(That was a sort of random response. I'm not really ready to stand behind it.)

stamp of approval

[ShaLeah]

People are always the narrators of their own story, and there's very few cases where people stare into the mirror and say something like, "Oh god, I am a monster!" There's always a reasoning, a justification for their actions, and that's how evil people can do evil things and still live with themselves.

In fact, it's more likely that good people will look in the mirror and say "I am a monster." Bad people will check their hair and move along.

(That was a sort of random response. I'm not really ready to stand behind it.)

stamp of approval

Ditto and so quotable!

[Vwest]

People are always the narrators of their own story, and there's very few cases where people stare into the mirror and say something like, "Oh god, I am a monster!" There's always a reasoning, a justification for their actions, and that's how evil people can do evil things and still live with themselves.

In fact, it's more likely that good people will look in the mirror and say "I am a monster." Bad people will check their hair and move along.

(That was a sort of random response. I'm not really ready to stand behind it.)

That is... pretty much spot on.

[Morrolan]

I much prefer to play the systemic monster (Lawful Evil-like) than the homicidal maniac (Chaotic Evil-esque).

After all, it's not "evil." It's a necessary sacrifice for the greater good.

My flaws must be hidden. Your flaws are to be exposed as weaknesses that threaten us all, and purged.

Code Select Expand

>slip hypocrisy bag
>wield tyranny etwo

[Kismetic]

This kind of evil only works when you have actual influence.  The chaotic variety best suits the random nobodies.  There's a place for everything.

[Mood]

I have trouble playing people who aren't morally reprehensible...

[Dalmeth]

You're all nuts.

You can't be evil or even very bad by yourself.

Just go along, do what people tell you, take what gifts they give you, and you'll be evil enough in no time.

Trust me.

[Narf]

I have trouble playing people who aren't morally reprehensible...

I don't have trouble with it, but I do get really bored playing upstanding sorts of characters.

Honestly; Evil is fun. For you and, if done properly, for the people around you.

[Harmless]

You're all nuts.

You can't be evil or even very bad by yourself.

Just go along, do what people tell you, take what gifts they give you, and you'll be evil enough in no time.

Trust me.

You sprieken ze words of wisdom, mein fuerer. Evil needs a partner, or, at the very least, an observer, to exist!

[Zoan]

It's not morally reprehensible if everyone does it.

[PriestlySiren]

I find that going for the extreme is a good way to become someone's personal antagonist. I, personally, don't design characters to be mean. If circumstances crack the outer layer, I've noticed a viciousness that is unparalleled by other characters I've played in other games. Almost as though taking every negative emotion and magnifying it. That's not to say that my character feels no remorse when she murders someone on command, it's just covered up by a sense of duty, excused by commands and laws (mostly), and justified by results. Twinges of guilt are nothing when you feel utter satisfaction at having pleased those who are in charge of your future.

I also tend to note that when around certain personalities, this behavior is absolutely magnified by a thousand. It's almost like some personalites just egg you on, not in a sense that tries to one-up either. Just by bonds of trust and comradeship.

[FantasyWriter]

There is a very useful old thread on the 48 Laws of Power.
If you've never read them, you've never played a badguy.

[Obeliskocism]

The "just following orders" excuse works well, but one still needs a superior giving them villainous orders.  If someone wants to play an evil minion, and they have a nice-guy boss, that can get a little tricky.  In that case, the underling has to interpret their orders more liberally, or take an "ends justify the means" approach, using ruthless methods to bring about the laudable objectives of their nice-guy boss.

There's also a difference between playing a "bad guy" and just playing an a@$hole.
One clan's villain is often another clan's hero.

Personally, I do not have a problem raining on people's parades, making enemies, frightening or angering people, and generally playing a mean person, but even my most villainous character had someone out there who thought of them as a savior or hero.

[Zoan]

One's 'boss' could be Tektolnes, who by all accounts is a huge dick.