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View Full Version : Evil Economist: Stock Broker as BBEG



Leliel
2008-02-08, 02:29 PM
In my next planar campagin, the PCs are in the quickly run foul of a multiplanar megacorporation who, they discover, has a shall we say...amoral R&D department.

Now, who controls this economic conspiracy? A Corrupt Corporate Executive (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CorruptCorporateExecutive) trying to start a war for the bottom line? A mad scientist who uses the facade of the company to gain a slightly legal excuse to carry out his insane experiments? Actually, no, he's just one of their stockholders. You heard me: a stockholder. He isn't even on the board of directors: He doesn't have that much share in the company.

True, he is a greedy bastard with something to prove (That he's a self-made man), but really, in the grand scheme of things, he isn't that important. The company can continue without him: they just chalk up his schemes to "contained corruption", and continue doing whatever stuff they do. What's more, you can't kill him: Well, you can kill him, and pretty easily too (he has an NPC class), but he's richer then Bill Gates after finding El Dorado, and combined with the fact that there are a potentially unlimited number of clerics who can cast True Resurrection in the planes, ditto for the diamonds needed to cast the spell, he won't stay down for long.

Now, I'm not trying to go for a "hopeless" feel here. His schemes have a lot of nasty consequences, and exposing him will have a lasting positive impact on the world. I'm actually going for a postcyberpunk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postcyberpunk)
feel (empathizing the good aspects of cyberpunk society as well as the bad, with a sense of humor). So...

Is this villain a good idea?

Well, I'm sorry to say that this forum has been bought out by Leiliel. Really, you shouldn't have been constrained by petty concepts such as morals in your pursuit of the bottom line. It's just good business.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-02-08, 02:46 PM
Expect it to take 3 tries for the PCs to kill him. Once to figure out he gets rezed fairly easily, a second time where he escapes prison, and a third time where they get creative.

Also, this will destroy WBL. The PCs are going to take everything that isn't nailed down, shove it in a portable hole, and call it a day.

However, this will probably be incredibly fun for them, so go for it.

Nerd-o-rama
2008-02-08, 02:49 PM
Leliel, you have a problem. Don't feel bad, a lot of people have a dangerous addiction to TVTropes, but it's getting to be the only thing you're known for (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Flanderization).

Anyway, yes, this is one of my favorite kinds of villains (in fact, a lot of my Eberron bad guys end up being like this, but in a fantasy setting and with higher ambitions). He's outside a typical RPG hero's sphere of influence, using the corrupt legal/economic system instead of brute force, which makes him a tricky opponent. However, he can still (through hired proxies) provide for a gaming group's taste for straightforward violence. Finally, he's a great opportunity for a believable recurring villain (in the vain of modern Lex Luthor or Dr. Doom; villains who always get away due to legal maneuvering rather than deus ex machina)...assuming your characters are the type to work within the law. If they're typical cyberpunk heroes, count on this villain's career ending with an elaborate assassination attempt. Which, to me, is just as fun as the traditional Boss Fight, because I like planning and strategy.

Telonius
2008-02-08, 03:08 PM
I'd take him down using the "Trading Places" method. Find his broker, eliminate his wealth, and he's got nothing.

XiaoTie
2008-02-08, 05:05 PM
I like that kind of villains as much as I like the crazy-evil-warrior ones. The perfect thing (IMHO), however, is a combination of both.

So, yeah, your villain is a very good idea :smallbiggrin:

Frosty
2008-02-08, 05:54 PM
With spells like Trap the Soul and other things that prevent ressurection, this villain may not last as long as you'd think.

Leliel
2008-02-08, 06:09 PM
With spells like Trap the Soul and other things that prevent ressurection, this villain may not last as long as you'd think.

As if he'd be dumb enough to let himself be caught in another situation where he'd be killed by the same people again, and if they do, not hiring out an "insurance policy" that would undo whatever spells that prevent rez.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-02-08, 06:17 PM
As if he'd be dumb enough to let himself be caught in another situation where he'd be killed by the same people again, and if they do, not hiring out an "insurance policy" that would undo whatever spells that prevent rez.Someone proposed this long ago here, and it was so good that I have to repeat it. Flesh to Stone. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fleshToStone.htm) Note the "Not Dead" portion of the text. Transmute Rock to Mud. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/transmuteRockToMud.htm) Note they still aren't dead. Purify Food and Drink. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/purifyFoodAndDrink.htm) Note how now they are a puddle, and still alive. Drink them. By this point, even Wish and Miracle, cast together, can't bring them back.
Your players are going to try stuff like this, and there's really nothing you can do to stop some of the combinations.

Frosty
2008-02-08, 06:47 PM
As if he'd be dumb enough to let himself be caught in another situation where he'd be killed by the same people again, and if they do, not hiring out an "insurance policy" that would undo whatever spells that prevent rez.

Right. And fighting off the insurance policy would be good fun, but then it'd more like standard DnD again.

UglyPanda
2008-02-08, 09:24 PM
Of course, you can always have the stock broker possess a life insurance policy and a will, and voila! Evil stock broker II: Electric Boogaloo. Maybe the guy they killed wasn't even the real BBEG and the "Heir" is his real identity.

Hecore
2008-02-08, 09:46 PM
Someone proposed this long ago here, and it was so good that I have to repeat it. Flesh to Stone. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fleshToStone.htm) Note the "Not Dead" portion of the text. Transmute Rock to Mud. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/transmuteRockToMud.htm) Note they still aren't dead. Purify Food and Drink. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/purifyFoodAndDrink.htm) Note how now they are a puddle, and still alive. Drink them. By this point, even Wish and Miracle, cast together, can't bring them back.
Your players are going to try stuff like this, and there's really nothing you can do to stop some of the combinations.

I don't think that'd work via RAW for 2 reasons. First 'Magical stone is not affected by the spell.' Seeing as the stone is created by a magic spell it seems to invalidate Transmute Rock to Mud on Flesh to Stone. Even if you argue the stone is unmagical ' [...] transmute rock to mud can’t affect worked stone [...]' - a statue is clearly worked stone. Also, for Purify Food and Drink 'This spell makes spoiled, rotten, poisonous, or otherwise contaminated food and water pure and suitable for eating and drinking.'. Mud is more a solid then it is a liquid; I sincerely doubt a 0th level spell can turn something that is clearly undrinkable even if it were sanitary and pure into water.

Rutee
2008-02-08, 10:36 PM
Someone proposed this long ago here, and it was so good that I have to repeat it. Flesh to Stone. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fleshToStone.htm) Note the "Not Dead" portion of the text. Transmute Rock to Mud. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/transmuteRockToMud.htm) Note they still aren't dead. Purify Food and Drink. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/purifyFoodAndDrink.htm) Note how now they are a puddle, and still alive. Drink them. By this point, even Wish and Miracle, cast together, can't bring them back.
Your players are going to try stuff like this, and there's really nothing you can do to stop some of the combinations.
After being digested, they are quite dead.

I like the idea, Leliel. Are the PCs from a plane at a high enough level of understanding to know what a Corporation is? That'll help a bit, ICly, as well.

Yakk
2008-02-08, 11:33 PM
How is the stockholder, not on the board, directly influencing corporate behavior?

SilentNight
2008-02-08, 11:40 PM
Does he have a big Machievellian web like Manshoon? One of those could explain the immense wealth.

:elan: Manshoon is a fun word to say. Manshoooooon! *Thwack*

Leliel
2008-02-09, 11:14 AM
How is the stockholder, not on the board, directly influencing corporate behavior?

Simple. He's a major stockholder, so he both (A), gets a vote in the copmpany, (B), People listen to him, and (C), he has enough minions that he made the directors promote to thier positions as high ranking offices that he can use to secretly sway the corp.

And yes, the PCs are at a high enough level ofdevelopment to understand what a company is.

Woot Spitum
2008-02-09, 04:25 PM
Of course, you can always have the stock broker possess a life insurance policy and a will, and voila! Evil stock broker II: Electric Boogaloo. Maybe the guy they killed wasn't even the real BBEG and the "Heir" is his real identity.Mind controlled by an extremely powerful intelligent magic item, one that isn't visible or easily found by the PC's. Or have a villain that makes extensive use of psychic clones and body swapping. That'll keep the PC's on their toes.

bosssmiley
2008-02-09, 05:48 PM
You might want to look at the Tome of Fiends on the WOTC boards. IIRC that had a section on lower planar plots and a couple of useful PrCs. Do you think classes like "Barrister of the Nine" and "Trader in Souls" would have any utility?

CASTLEMIKE
2008-02-09, 06:54 PM
Sounds a little like Estavan of the Planar Trade Consortium. There was a nice dragon article back around 300 regarding a minor noble with a small organization and how wielding his influence could make things unpleasant for PCs.

Aquillion
2008-02-09, 10:47 PM
So, to quote Zero Punctuation, your villain is basically SHODAN with a waistcoat and a copy of Atlas Shrugged?

That could work. Things to consider:

As someone else mentioned, the PCs are quite likely to just grab the loot and run. If you have the enemy throwing billions of gold at them, they are going to catch some of it and pocket it unless you're very, very careful. This could provide a reason to have the villain take special interest and hold a special hatred for them, but it could also break WBL wide open if you're not careful.

One option is to keep the villain's wealth in a form where the PCs can't easily get at it... land, sworn servants, bound demons, titles, stock options, souls, etc. There was a thread a while back about alternate currencies... since this adventure is apparently inter-planar, you have a chance to get creative. It's not like gold would be valuable on all planes... your villain would probably want to rely on a form of wealth that is more reliable.

Make sure your PCs are interested in this kind of adventure. Players who just like to boot down the door, kill everything with green skin, and grab the treasure would probably hate it. Even though there's certainly plenty of chance for fighting, the real meat of an adventure like this will be in investigating the villain, making plans to thwart or destroy him, etc. Especially given your 'postcyberpunk' comment, this sounds more like a Shadowrun campaign than a D&D one, in many ways. That's good if it's what your players want... but if they like just kicking down doors and killing things with no larger plan, they'll probably hate it.

And make sure the PCs have plenty of chances to thwart him; one advantage to a villain like this is that they can undo schemes he spent years or decades to put together and earn his eternal enmity even as he flies off to safety in his force-shielded rocket-throne.

I would try to avoid relying on the 'resurrection contract' bit too much, although of course you can use it when it's necessary. Making it obvious to the players that they can't kill him might just prove frustrating. It might be better to try and convince them not to kill him... if several of the PCs have respectable social presences in the city that they want to keep, that might prevent them from just pulling out their swords and lunging at him in broad daylight. You should also make it difficult for the players to completely pin anything on him, legally... perhaps his reputation could be damaged, but if he's forced to flee the city with his wealth than he's basically just been reduced to another generic evil overlord with a particularly posh organization. Making them talk to him in public without being able to attack him directly would be much more interesting.

Demented
2008-02-10, 12:25 AM
Nothing bad about him.

The nice thing is that his "self-made man" complex makes him vulnerable. He only has his own money and his own power to play with. He's probably too proud to align with the Powers That Be, so he can't order the CIAs and KGBs of the world to catch you and send you to a nameless prison complex in northern Siberia, while eradicating your citizen status and history to make you a non-person. He can only catch you with corporate mercenaries and make you disappear (probably into one of those amoral R&D labs).

Not to mention, if he goes throwing too much money around trying to catch and silence the PCs, he might run afoul of the Powers That Be. (See: Microsoft) That gives him some vague limits.

Makes me think of the movie, the Sixth Day. The BBEG clones himself every time he dies. Though, in that movie, he could only rely on a couple of half-wits for goons and didn't have any strong political connections, so he's not a nefariously difficult foe.