Roleplaying a super-genius(d20 Modern)

[PersonMan]

I'm designing two BBEGs for a campaign in a d20 Modern setting, and both are super-genii, and I've run into a problem...How should I roleplay them? Not being a super-genius(They're some of the most intelligent in the world), I'm not quite sure what to do with them. I'm also having trouble for how to apply their amazing intellect to most situations without just saying "They know your plan. Why? Because they're that smart, that's why." I've tried just searching for help, but haven't found any...So now I turn to the forums for help. Please?

[Learnedguy]

Basically, you're screwed.

But, if you are willing to give it a try anyway, read up on literature containing people viewed as super geniuses to figure out how other people have portrayed super-geniuses in the past.

Death Note is a good example if you like manga, and anything about Admiral Thrawn if you like Star Wars, and there's always the comic route (Marvel and DC comics are both stuffed with the guys)

[PersonMan]

I had a feeling that it wouldn't be easy...Thanks for the help.

[Neithan]

One thing is "preparing" for things as they happen. If the PCs do something that the vilains COULD logically have anticipated or learned of by spies, make it appear that they prepared for it long before the players got the idea. You have to be quite flexible for it, though. Placing "welcome comites" at a moments notice without the players getting the hint, that you're making it up just right now.
And, of course, you must not overdo it. If the players come up with really good plans that could not have been possibly anticipated, it should work out. Also, they have to be successful at least sometimes.

Another way would be, to have the vilains make quite complex plans. They don't make only one move at a time, but many of them simultaneously. Why break into government agencies and steal secret plans for several nights in a row, when you could break into all of them at the same time?
If they control paramilitary forces, keep lots of backup. When the PCs are busy holding some mercenaries of at one place, send second, third, and fourth units to attack from other directions and pin them down in place, while other groups are free to rush to wherever the vilains want them to get.

[Dixieboy]

Having seen quite alot of gifted people in my life, also some who could be considered geniuses (Which is quite lucky since i myself am dumb as a log) i can say one thing is certain:
They are bored, bored out of their skull, constantly searching for a challenge and/or something to keep their mind off things, and even while doing that they'll be doing other things too.

So either go with that, or go with a guy who acts basically normal, since most people do that, but he just KNOWS ****.

Also: Death note is ****, don't read it.

[PersonMan]

(Good advice cut for length)

Thanks for the advice. Overly complex plans with multiple failsafes fit the personality of the character, anyways.

Also-I won't read Death Note. I watched it already and never read AND watch a series, unless it is said to amazingly better than what I've seen.

[Shadowbane]

Look at tvtropes. Look at:

Awesome by Analysis
Crazy Prepared
Badass Bookworm

As for things like talking, being super-genii, they might be extremely complex or erratic. Probably talk fast. (Sesquipidean Loquaciousness)

Do NOT do a TV genius thing.

[Myou]

Also: Death note is ****, don't read it.

Actually, it's excellent.

[InaVegt]

Make sure to follow this list (http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html), any super genius worth his salt will.

In addition, paranoia is a natural trait for evil geniuses, as is building failsaves into your failsaves.

Make the BBEGs make plans that give the PCs the idea that what they are doing helps, when they are actually doing exactly what the BBEG wants.

Don't make the BBEGs afraid to sacrifice family members/friends/treasured belongings; with the condition that the benefit of the sacrifice is greater than it's cost. Everything and everyone is a piece on the board, and sometimes you have to sacrifice a few pawns to destroy your opponent's position.

Place lures, use decoys, never play straight when you can play crooked.

Being an evil genius does not involve fair play, does not involve compassion, it only involves reaching your ultimate goal at whatever cost necessary.

[PersonMan]

Ah, the evil overlord tips. Amusing and useful at the same time. [Insert a long-winded list of thanks to all of those who contributed and declaration of how I can now come a certain distance closer to running the campaign here]

[Hawthorn]

Even though your campaign is a modern one, I think this link (http://www.tuckerskobolds.com/) might be helpful. Evil super-geniuses with minions that fight like that....

[Tam_OConnor]

Remember what Shrek would say, if Shrek was a DM:
'Villains have layers, just like an onion!'

Have them set up fall guys in charge of other fall guys. Heck, I just pulled off a fakeout where the PCs thought they'd won, when most of them actually had their throats slit by the villain's slave, pretending to be the villain (oh, the alarm spell. How I love you! Gives the big boss time to teleport away and prepare the illusory hordes.)

[Sebastian]

One thing is "preparing" for things as they happen. If the PCs do something that the vilains COULD logically have anticipated or learned of by spies, make it appear that they prepared for it long before the players got the idea. You have to be quite flexible for it, though. Placing "welcome comites" at a moments notice without the players getting the hint, that you're making it up just right now.
And, of course, you must not overdo it. If the players come up with really good plans that could not have been possibly anticipated, it should work out. Also, they have to be successful at least sometimes.


As a suggestion, to compensate for the DM fiat, every time you pull a "they are prepared for it because they are Super Geniuses (TM)" you could do what Mutants and Mastermind (2nd ed) does and give all your PCs one extra action point, that would make the arbitrariness of it a little easier to swallow.

[kjones]

Roleplaying an intelligent character is simple. In any situation, consider, "What would someone smarter than me do in a situation like this one?" and then just do that.

[Yellow]

Just have them say "According to my calculations" before everything, instant genius

[Shades of Gray]

Or "ergo" or "one must realize".

[Shadowbane]

Ergo is good. Have them slip little foreign phrases into their sentences.

Stuff like:
"Allons-y" Let's go.
"Va-ten!" Go away!
"Moi?" (Said innocently) Me?

...Yes I speak French.

[pirateshow]

This is metagamey, but it might work. Set out your villain's basic plan, making note of all the clues and hints that are laying around for the PCs to find. Then put yourself in the PC's shoes: based on this information, assuming it to be accurate, how would this villain best be defeated? List every exploitable loophole and weakness that you can conceive of. Then return to the villain's perspective, and assume he's done this research himself: how can those weaknesses be shored up? Can the apparent loopholes be filled with spiky burning acid death? This is the prep work that any evil genius worth his salt would undertake. For further fiendishness, repeat the process several times, looking for new exploitable situations and then adjusting them so they fall in the villain's favour. If, after this, the PCs find a way through your schemes, they've probably earned it.

Alternative: pick up a baby monitor, and conceal it near the gaming table. Contrive to leave the room (ostensibly for snacks or a bathroom break) and give the players the opportunity to scheme in perceived privacy while you listen in from another room. When your BBEG already knows the minutiae of their plan to defeat him, you'll blow their minds.

[PersonMan]

Once again, thanks for the advice. The baby monitor idea is ingenius, and I think I'll use it.

[chiasaur11]

Ergo is good. Have them slip little foreign phrases into their sentences.

Stuff like:
"Allons-y" Let's go.
"Va-ten!" Go away!
"Moi?" (Said innocently) Me?

...Yes I speak French.

Latin works better. You hear a villain speaking Latin, you think he's a classy dude. A villain speaks french, and he's Batroc Ze Lepair.

[Bulwer]

It's been suggested earlier, but it bears repeating.

Grand.
Admiral.
Thrawn.

That is, hands-down, the very best villain I have ever seen created in terms of sheer brilliance. Of course, it's a little easier when the author is in control of everyone, but the portrayal of Thrawn is still brilliant.

For example, he eschews the violent Dath Vader management style with all of the subordinate-killing. When one of his underlings fails to capture a good guy, but does so after valiant and creative attempts, he is promoted. When one fails through incompetence, he is summarily executed. The key in both cases is that Thrawn learned the details of the situation before acting.

Also, little things: Egotism is fun in a villain, but not at the expense of effectiveness. Lead the PCs one way, let them slowly discover a plan that the villain is concocting, then when they bust it up, reveal the hidden aspect of it.

Great fun.

[Ravyn]

Contingencies, contingencies, contingencies! That's always a good start. Figure out the biggest hole in each of your plans, then find a way to plug it up. Then look for the hole in that plan, and plug it up. Repeat until you're sick of it. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, do so with a couple other holes in the plan--then give the plan something that looks like an apparent flaw and arrange a way to take advantage of people trying to exploit it. Repeat a couple times for this, too. Sure, it's a lot of work, but it does mean that you aren't BSing your reactions at the last minute; it's easier to be clever over time than in a moment.

Learn the mistakes villains make and avoid them. If you haven't familiarized yourself with the Evil Overlord List (http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html), do so. I'd also recommend my own Generic Villain (http://exchangeofrealities.today.com/series-and-motifs/the-generic-villain/) series; it deals with a lot of sneaky things an antagonist can do and common mistakes to watch out for.

If they have special abilities, or special resources to fall back on, try to come up with some unorthodox ways of using them. Nothing says clever like someone who uses a power in a way nobody's ever done before. (If you can't think of any on your own, and you think you're safe from reader-vision, toss some of us the abilities and a little more context and we might come up with something.)