Most Iconic D&D Villains

[the_brazenburn]

In your experience, what are the most iconic villains from D&D. To clarify, I'm looking to run a one-shot in which the players each run an iconic villain and tackle some iconic gods of "good" alignment. These villains will, as such, have to be of extremely high level, in order to fight gods (i.e. Demogorgon, Imix, Tiamat, Strahd, etc.)

[JackPhoenix]

Lord Soth
Strahd von Zarovich
Acererak
Asmodeus
Demogorgon
Orcus
Graz'zt is certainly an icon of something

If gods count, Vecna, Lolth, Tiamat/Takhisis, Tharizdun. Bhaal, because I liked Baldur's Gate.

Less iconic and not entirely villainous(?), but from more interesting setting: Lord of Blades (the LoBster), Kaius I(II) ir'Wynarn, Erandis Vol (lady Vol, the Lich Queen).

Good luck getting more than one of them in a single room without killing each other, though.

[Ivor_The_Mad]

I call Asmodeus

Or El Snippo and Blinsky

also is there going to be any plot/story to it or is it just a fight?

[the_brazenburn]

Thank you, I wouldn't have thought of Tharizdun on my own.

[Vaz]

Ashardalon.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Lord Soth
Strahd von Zarovich
Acererak
Asmodeus
Demogorgon
Orcus
Graz'zt is certainly an icon of something

If gods count, Vecna, Lolth, Tiamat/Takhisis, Tharizdun. Bhaal, because I liked Baldur's Gate.

Less iconic and not entirely villainous(?), but from more interesting setting: Lord of Blades (the LoBster), Kaius I(II) ir'Wynarn, Erandis Vol (lady Vol, the Lich Queen).

Good luck getting more than one of them in a single room without killing each other, though.

Technically he’s Kaius I and III, not 2.

Has Ashardalon been mentioned?

[Ivor_The_Mad]

would king Hekaton count?

[JackPhoenix]

Technically he’s Kaius I and III, not 2.

Yep... I + (II) = III

[Wilb]

Bargle, Szass Tam, Rary, Warduke and Iggwilv maybe? Of course there is Waldorf as well...

[Unoriginal]

Less iconic but still notable, there is Venger from the 80's cartoon.

Also, on a more comical tone, Profion and Damodar, from the first two D&D movies.

[Corsair14]

Mention D&D and villain to me and Lord Soth, Takhesis, and Vecna are the first ones that come to mind.

[Nifft]

Tiamat and Lolth are both iconic and archetypal in the sense that their aesthetics have become definitional for swaths of D&D's subordinate antagonists, and their subordinates have themselves become iconic antagonists.

Additionally, though, they're not merely conceptual: they were also fully statted opponents with whom the PCs were expected to join battle.

IMHO that latter fact makes them better examples than e.g. Tharizdun or Iggwilv, who seemed more like background antagonists.

Finally, Tiamat and Lolth appear in several different settings -- though Tiamat appears more often than Lolth, so perhaps that's a point against the spider-queen -- but anyway, appearing in more places seems like a valid criteria for being iconic to D&D as a whole.



In terms of single-setting villains, the various Dragon-Kings of Athas might also be valid iconics, but I never got high enough level to seriously contemplate fighting (or becoming) one of them.

[Waterdeep Merch]

That Damn Crab. If anyone played in 3.x, they'll probably get a chuckle out of it. Before screaming in terror.

Saint Kargoth, the King of Death Knights.

Iuz the Evil.

The Queen of Chaos and Myshka the Wolfspider, best as a duo.

Rary and Robilar if you want some OG adventurer villains.

[Callin]

Kas the Betrayer
Fzoul Chembryl
Manshoon


And typing it into Google if comes up with http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Category:D%26D_Villains

[the_brazenburn]

would king Hekaton count?

I think he's Chaotic Good, so not a villain. Are there any other significantly powerful giant villains?

[the_brazenburn]

Thanks all, I've got some ideas.

My final list includes the following:

Asmodeus,
Orcus,
Demogorgon,
Graz'zt,
Lolth,
Strahd,
Lord Soth,
Tiamat,
Vecna,
Auril,
King Snurre,
Vlaakith,
Szass Tam,
Acererak,
the Xanathar,
and the Elderest Brain.

Any problems?

[Waterdeep Merch]

I think he's Chaotic Good, so not a villain. Are there any other significantly powerful giant villains?
King Snurre, lord of the fire giants.

[Vaz]

Any problems?

I have an ingrown toenail.


King Snurre, lord of the fire giants.

Knows nothing.

[Willie the Duck]

Any problems?

Where's Bargle?

Also, although none of us ever ran into him, we wouldn't have a cleric class if not for Sir Fang, so he should probably see some representation.

[RazDelacroix]

Tenebrous/Orcus

[the_brazenburn]

What about the Queen of Air and Darkness and the General of Gehenna? I've heard them mentioned in the lore, but I know very little about them. Are there stats, and are they good villains? Also, is it true that the QoAaD is really similar to the Hag Countess from 3.X?

[Dudewithknives]

I will go with T$R.

[Naanomi]

Miska the Wolf-Spider, The Queen of Chaos, Tenebrous, Father Llymic, Zargon. The Dragon of Tyr.

What about the Queen of Air and Darkness and the General of Gehenna? I've heard them mentioned in the lore, but I know very little about them. Are there stats, and are they good villains? Also, is it true that the QoAaD is really similar to the Hag Countess from 3.X?
General of Gehenna is one of the main leaders of the Yugoloth. The Queen of Air and Darkness is the head of the Evil Fey, probably an Archfey in 5e. I'll bet the former got stats somewhere, the later I doubt (since she was a Goddess, and after the time when they commonly stated them)

[Pex]

Try getting two players to play Vecna and Kaz.

Manshoon

Xanathar

Kyuss

[alchahest]

Seconding Warduke

[The Shadowdove]

Thanks all, I've got some ideas.

My final list includes the following:

Asmodeus,
Orcus,
Demogorgon,
Graz'zt,
Lolth,
Strahd,
Lord Soth,
Tiamat,
Vecna,
Auril,
King Snurre,
Vlaakith,
Szass Tam,
Acererak,
the Xanathar,
and the Elderest Brain.

Any problems?

This, pretty much.

[Foff]

doesn't it depend on the alignment of the player characters?
from an evil point of view, like a band of zenths, I guess Elminster Aumar or Mystra herself ought to be some tough Villains XD

[Kalashak]

I don't think they've done much with him but Flame was on the first cover of Dungeon, surely that counts for something.

[Unoriginal]

Thanks all, I've got some ideas.

My final list includes the following:

Asmodeus,
Orcus,
Demogorgon,
Graz'zt,
Lolth,
Strahd,
Lord Soth,
Tiamat,
Vecna,
Auril,
King Snurre,
Vlaakith,
Szass Tam,
Acererak,
the Xanathar,
and the Elderest Brain.

Any problems?

Well, pretty sure most of those couldn't defeat a god even if they tried, and that most of them would never work with each other.

[SkylarkR6]

Karsus maybe? I always liked the idea of him being pulled through time or true resurrected to try to steal the mantle of magic again. He's the morality story told to mages after all to beware of hubris and whatnot.

[RedMage125]

Lots of good stuff in here. I'm especially fond of people giving further in-depth explanation of why those individuals belong on those lists. To me, "iconic" is when these are the villains you think of when you say "D&D villain". Their image, or their name.

I'd subdivide my lists.

Deities:
Vecna (his artifacts are widely known in D&D)
Tiamat/Takhesis (Most iconic draconic villain from multiple settings, D&D cartoon, and Tyranny of Dragons)
Lolth (Drow themselves are pretty well known, as is their spider goddess)
Bhaal (almost everyone recognizes his symbol-if not him-due to Baldur's Gate)
Kyuss (not only Age of Worms, but the band "[Sons of ]Kyuss", the cover for Elder Evils, and, of course, the monsters that bear his name)
I really don't know if Iuz is "iconic" or not. VERY iconic to Greyhawk fans, but those who have never played that setting may not know him.

Fiends:
Orcus (matches iconic "demon" appearance, and 4e MM really bumped his popularity)
Demogorgon (between Throne of Bhaal, 4e MM2, and Out Of The Abyss in 5e, widely known)
Asmodeus (the King of Hell uses an old real-world name for the devil in Judeo-Christian tradition; also, he's a deity in Pathfinder and 4e)

Undead:
Strahd Von Zarovich (not only iconic of the Ravenloft setting, but stereotypical vampire appearance)
Lord Soth (his image, if nothing else)
Szass Tam (has become iconic of the Red Wizards, even when they weren't all necromancers, but still setting-specific)
Dragotha (using the name as being iconic of the "dracolich" creature, as he was the first undead dragon in D&D)
Kas the Betrayer (through association with Vecna)

Other:
WARDUKE (He had an action figure in the 80s, and has been prominent in a lot of D&D artwork)
Lord of Blades (probably the most iconic villain of the Eberron setting, because warforged are themselves so iconic to the setting)
The Dragon of Tyr (iconic to the Dark Sun setting)
Eclavadra (She's the first name I think of when the iconic drow priestess holding the tentacle rod is shown, even though she betrayed Lolth)
The Xanthanar (namely because it's the only named beholder, and beholders in general are iconic)
Mind Flayers (just as a whole species. They are a unique D&D IP, like Beholders, and they're great villains)

That's my list. I was surprised to see deities like Auril mentioned, she doesn't even rate in my top ten first evil deities when I think of that SETTING. Myrkul rates above her, and he's been dead for most of the time I've played D&D. Cyric, Bane, Talos, hell even Loviatar all come to mind before the Frostmaiden. Ashardalon surprises me, too. I suppose the Wrath of Ashardalon game boosted his popularity a bit, but I don't know many people that played the Forge of Souls, and even less who know the backstory about a dragon with a fiend's heart. I can't include Vlaakith because not enough people know her name. Even me, for years of playing D&D and knowing enough about githyanki to know they served a lich queen, but her name was pretty obscure. While I like King Snurre's image (fire giant wrapped in a white dragon's hide), I don't think he is "iconic" to the game. He's a major player in Against the Giants, but he's not even the mastermind of that series, Eclavadra is. Fzoul Chembryl and Manshoon are both too setting-specific. And on the note of settings, the sorcerer-kings of Athas, while usually depicted in some pretty iconic artwork, are not individually widely known as much. I love Dark Sun, and I don't think I could name more than 2 without looking them up. And Kaius...his very existence as anything other than the completely-human-Kaius III is a pretty major secret in that setting. He's also probably the most influential voice for the end of the Last War. I wouldn't even necessarily paint him as solidly a "villain". I mean, Vol and the Lord of Blades are, certainly.


And finally, probably the MOST iconic in D&D, which someone mentioned-but has gotten little attention, but the Red Dragon which is on the cover of so many D&D Boxed Sets, Flame. He may not have appeared in much, but his image, the Red Dragon looking at the "4th wall" and reaching out towards the viewer is one of the most iconic images to the entire GAME of Dungeons and Dragons.

[Anonymouswizard]

Acererak

Little Tomb, Little Tomb of Horrors... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4ADCCr_N4s)


It really depends on the setting, and what you mean by iconic. The Sorcerer Kings as a whole are Iconic to Dark Sun, but I think the only specific one that manages to reach that status by themselves would be the Dragon of Tyr.

[Monavic]

Acererak, infamous demilich from tomb of horrors.

[Unoriginal]

Asmodeus (the King of Hell uses an old real-world name for the devil in Judeo-Christian tradition; also, he's a deity in Pathfinder and 4e)

He's a god in 5e too.

[Ganymede]

One of the most Iconic foes in my previous adventures was the ghost of the elven serial killer Quentin. He harried the party for quite a long party, targeting the vulnerable around them. The climax was a memorable battle in pitch blackness at the base of a gigantic rowan tree; there, he was put to rest and his wretched realm destroyed.

[RedMage125]

He's a god in 5e too.

Not in every setting. I know he's not in FR anymore.

[Naanomi]

In past editions, Asmodeus has taken active steps to *avoid* accidentally becoming a God... it comes with too much responsibility and opens up vulnerabilities; for not a lot of the kind of power he craves.

In most ways, the planar ‘leaders’ like Asmodeus are much more politically powerful and generally influential than any given God... after all there are countless Evil Gods in existence, but only one ruler of Baator

[Unoriginal]

In past editions, Asmodeus has taken active steps to *avoid* accidentally becoming a God... it comes with too much responsibility and opens up vulnerabilities; for not a lot of the kind of power he craves.

In most ways, the planar ‘leaders’ like Asmodeus are much more politically powerful and generally influential than any given God... after all there are countless Evil Gods in existence, but only one ruler of Baator

Maybe in past editions, but in 5e being a god does give the power he craves, without unwanted responsabilities or vulnerabilities.

Also, it helps that while there is plenty of Evil Gods, you can still be One Particular Evil God. There is only one Tiamat, after all.

Though what helps the most is that 5e's Asmodeus would get rekt by his godly enemies if he wasn't a god himself. Or at least he wouldn't be able to be the ruler of Baator without that.

[Natasha]

Hrm... Iconic D&D villains. I think that 13th Age actually hit a good part with their Icon list.

The Dark Knight (lord soth types)
The Diabolist (female reflection of Asmodeus, reminiscent of Iggwilv mixed with Bryseis Kakistos)
The Lich King (Vecna is the most obvious Ur-type, but there are others)
The Orc Lord (Gruumsh, or goblin king, or anything along those lines)
The Prince of Shadows (human criminal empire)
The Three (Tiamat replacement)

I would add on the Elder Brain / mindflayer, Beholder and Drow Queen (lolth). The only other thing I would possibly add on is a gelatinous cube, but that's not really a villain, just a mindless monster.

These might not be all named villains, but the images of these baddies are all well something that stands out in D&D more than any others. And its not like most of these don't have associated gods to give them a name. Bane/Bhall tend to have direct control over the criminal empires. Tharizdun has ties to mind flayer types and other abominations. There are numerous examples of named beholders.


Not in every setting. I know he's not in FR anymore. Ah... yes, he very much is a god in FR. The end of the Brimstone Angel series flat out said it, the devs and writers said it. Lorewise, he's lost power as a god, but still serves as one. From a design point, pretty much anyone who's been a god in the history of Faerun, including Asmodeus, is a god in 5e.

[Monavic]

Maybe in past editions, but in 5e being a god does give the power he craves, without unwanted responsabilities or vulnerabilities.

Also, it helps that while there is plenty of Evil Gods, you can still be One Particular Evil God. There is only one Tiamat, after all.

Though what helps the most is that 5e's Asmodeus would get rekt by his godly enemies if he wasn't a god himself. Or at least he wouldn't be able to be the ruler of Baator without that.
This may be true, but I find the idea that Asmodeus can rival gods with his insidious intellect, his hordes of devils, and use of the law makes a more interesting villain.

[Unoriginal]

This may be true, but I find the idea that Asmodeus can rival gods with his insidious intellect, his hordes of devils, and use of the law makes a more interesting villain.

I don't see how that'd make him more interesting, IMO.

Plenty of gods have hordes of minions just as tough as the devils, many are also incredibly intelligent, and the "use of the law" would ends up being an excuse to make any good guy either impotent or a jerk for complying to a clearly unjust law.

If anything, I see 5e Asmodeus being a god a testament and a recognition of how great he truly.

Remember, guys like Orcus dream of being a god, and spend every existing moments trying to gather more power to achieve that goal. Asmodeus, meanwhile, is a deity, and his goals are rather greater.

[Naanomi]

Being a God grants you the ability to directly empower worshipers, a good boost in your physical and magical capabilities (though not huge compared to already being a planar leader), and almost absolute control over your own Divine Realm. There are several demon princes and a few dukes of Hell who seek it.

However, it comes with a lot of drawbacks. Most notably, divinity ties you to your worshippers... if he loses them, Asmodeus wouldn’t go back to being the Lord or Hell, he’d be a floating corpse in the Astral like any other fallen God.

More directly though it puts you under the control of the rules that govern Gods. Ao and the other overpowers don’t have anything to do with the doings of the Lord of Hell... but if you are a God then suddenly you have bosses looking over your shoulder.

As the head of Hell, Asmodeus has an especially onerous concern for Godhood: Godhood puts you under the expectation of following the various Pacts that determine how God’s behave... the Pact Primeval yes, but also agreements to not meddle in other pantheons, not to influence Prime worlds where you don’t have at least one worshiper, and the *agreement to not interfere with the Blood War, at risk of being drained of your divine power*. Becoming a God is functionally admitting defeat in the Blood War.

Very few Planar Leaders are Gods as well... Zaphkiel, most Demon Lords (including the current prince of Demons Demogorgon, and the last one Miska the Wolf-Spider), Primus (who also takes very active steps to avoid divinity)... same with the leaders of the Inner Planes as well... and those that are (like Lolth) are often all the weaker for it in the grander pictures of Planar Politics.

4e threw all planar lore in the trash can, and in the process ‘simplified’ Asmodeus into an evil God, when really he is (and always has been) so much more than that

[Monavic]

I don't see how that'd make him more interesting, IMO.

Plenty of gods have hordes of minions just as tough as the devils, many are also incredibly intelligent, and the "use of the law" would ends up being an excuse to make any good guy either impotent or a jerk for complying to a clearly unjust law.

If anything, I see 5e Asmodeus being a god a testament and a recognition of how great he truly.

Remember, guys like Orcus dream of being a god, and spend every existing moments trying to gather more power to achieve that goal. Asmodeus, meanwhile, is a deity, and his goals are rather greater.
I guess it comes down to how you define a god in d&d. If you become one because of influence and accomplishment then Asmodeus deserves to be one. If its just raw power that is given to you from destiny or followers it feels like cheating. It intrigues me if he can play god games with skill and machiavellian schemes alone. I would say its the same reason some people think Batman is a better character then Superman.

[Millstone85]

Ah... yes, he very much is a god in FR. The end of the Brimstone Angel series flat out said it, the devs and writers said it. Lorewise, he's lost power as a god, but still serves as one. From a design point, pretty much anyone who's been a god in the history of Faerun, including Asmodeus, is a god in 5e.Also, SCAG lists him right there in the Faerûnian pantheon on page 21. Asmodeus, god of indulgence, lawful evil, with the domains of Knowledge and Trickery.

[Unoriginal]

More directly though it puts you under the control of the rules that govern Gods. Ao and the other overpowers don’t have anything to do with the doings of the Lord of Hell... but if you are a God then suddenly you have bosses looking over your shoulder.

As the head of Hell, Asmodeus has an especially onerous concern for Godhood: Godhood puts you under the expectation of following the various Pacts that determine how God’s behave... the Pact Primeval yes, but also agreements to not meddle in other pantheons, not to influence Prime worlds where you don’t have at least one worshiper, and the *agreement to not interfere with the Blood War, at risk of being drained of your divine power*. Becoming a God is functionally admitting defeat in the Blood War.

I don't think those limitations are a thing in 5e anymore

[Naanomi]

I guess it comes down to how you define a god in d&d. If you become one because of influence and accomplishment then Asmodeus deserves to be one. If its just raw power that is given to you from destiny or followers it feels like cheating. It intrigues me if he can play god games with skill and machiavellian schemes alone. I would say its the same reason some people think Batman is a better character then Superman.
A God in DnD isnt just any very strong being, and divinity isn’t just a set of power ups to use at your whim.

There are beings out there who can smack a God around in a fair fight (Primus and Ssendam probably could; Draeden definetly can and have); and a handful of entities that are so far cosmically above the Gods that they are almost beneath their notice.

Godhood is a unique relationship between worshipers and the Great Wheel. It allows a being to be empowered by... and tied to... the worship of mortals, and shaped by their belief into having a fundamental connection with some aspect of reality; both on the plane of worship and (to a lesser degree) the cosmology as a whole. It comes with powers, both inherent to divinity and specifically related to your portfolio (the divine aspect of the universe you represent/oversee)... but also responsibilities that are enforced both by other Gods and by the cosmos itself.

It isn’t so much that Asmodeus is stronger than any given God, but that Gods are (have to be) involved in worshipers and eachother, so that they neglect the larger Planar picture that rulers of the Planes (like Asmodeus) are more concerned about.

Asmodeus, as the universe’s pinnacle of Lawful Evil, is just more... unique and influential... than any particular God, and whether or not he is a God (which I maintain would be largely a bad thing for him) his role as the Lord of Baator would be more important than that as the God of Sin on a few Prime Material worlds

[TalksAlone]

Yeenoghu deserves a spot I think.

[Millstone85]

I don't think those limitations are a thing in 5e anymoreFiguring out D&D lore across editions and settings continues to be a bother.

For example, I love the description of Maanzecorian and Ilsensine in VGtM. These are not deities, it says, but mental states in which illithids believe to achieve a personal and universal transcendence, respectively. I find that to be an interesting bit of psionic religiosity. And the Astral Plane being the realm of thought that it is, the two can still manifest in boss form. But how compatible is that with old edition / classic Greyhawk lore, I don't know.

[rferries]

I'm late to the party but I'd add Raistlin as another iconic villain.

[Naanomi]

Figuring out D&D lore across editions and settings continues to be a bother.
My assumption is that since we are back on the Great Wheel (more or less, kind of a 1e/4e take on the Inner Planes) that the old Great Wheel fluff is valid until explicitly counter-indicated (and maybe even then, I don’t buy the ‘yugoloth are made by nighthags’ story at all!); but I freely admit this is just my own bias and not necessarily representative of ‘cannon’