Why Your Villains Ought to Be Making Strikes

At present’s tip is impressed by a query about villains from RPT GM Gerald Lock. You’ll be able to catch his full query, his one-shot Halloween journey, and my video reply right here.

So, you’ve crafted an superior villain, full with a darkish previous and malevolent targets, however when recreation night time comes round, they find yourself feeling extra like a cardboard cutout than a looming risk. Why does this occur? Usually, it’s as a result of we neglect that villains ought to be as lively within the story as our heroes.

Villains aren’t simply ready round of their lairs for the heroes to indicate up. They’ve received plans, they usually’re taking steps to execute them. That’s what makes them harmful and fascinating. Your villain ought to at all times be doing one thing. The minute you begin treating your villain as an lively character, you’ll see speedy modifications in your gameplay. The story will really feel extra dynamic, and the stakes will escalate in a method that’s natural and thrilling.

Make Your Villains Work for It

Don’t simply let your BBEGs sit again and watch the world go by. Have them ship minions to assemble intelligence, steal provides, and even kidnap a key NPC. This places the gamers on the defensive and offers them one thing to react to. Now, they’re not simply looking down a villain – they’re working to thwart a plot that’s already in movement.

The Butterfly Impact

Each motion your villain takes ought to have penalties that the gamers can really feel. If the villain poisons the city’s water provide, abruptly the heroes are on a time crunch to discover a remedy. This sense of urgency makes every resolution that rather more essential and retains your gamers invested.

Fast Ideas for Lively Villains

Timelines. Give your villain a timeline for his or her plans. This helps you retain monitor of what they’re doing and when. I exploit my Crazy Planning methodology for this.

Foreshadowing. Drop clues and hints in regards to the villain’s actions. Make gamers really feel like they’re on the heels of one thing large. (See my “No Extra Missed Clues” three-part sequence I emailed out in April 2023. The sequence is just not on the web site, alas.)

Response. Enable the villain to adapt and reply to social gathering actions. If the heroes thwart one plan, what’s Plan B? See RPTN#1115 “Fast Plot Design: How To Create A Villain Plan First Draft” for extra recommendations on making villain plans.

Abstract

A villain who consistently takes motion offers the catalyst for battle, and that’s what drives a terrific recreation. In case you really feel your journey or marketing campaign lacks drama, have your villain take an motion that ends in battle for the participant characters.