An Evil Campaign?

[Belkarsbadside1]

Allright, so I am going to be running a 3.5 campaign where my players all are the cliche villains out to destroy the world. They will be tenth level. Now I need a few Ideas on what kind challenges and adventures to send them on for them. Also I need to know how I should build my world to suit them. Can anyone give me ideas?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Paladins. Everybody loves killing Paladins.:smallwink:

[Salz]

I did this once...

Made them work for a Demon, they had two missions for them. One was to kill a guy and I forget the other. They had to join a underground group to do the thing I can't remember. To earn their trust they had to protect someone... someone they were suppose to kill. The rogue tries to follow them when they transfer the guy... he got caught. He botched the explanation. Such was the first suicide bomber in D&D. Forced of course.


Just make sure its not mindless killing... you will go insane. Come up with a rival bad-guy group to, no holds there... they fight dirty.

[Emperor Tippy]

That's simple. Tell them that their goal is to take over the world. The only rule is that they can't betray eachother, why they can't is up too them (best buddies for life, brothers/sisters, magical compulsion, whatever). Then you sit back and play the world. If they want to focus on building up a trading empire and use economic force to take over, then build around that. If they want to play politics then do that. If they want to raise and undead horde and conquer their way to power then do that.

Nutjob evil is no fun. The kind of evil that works for evil campaigns is the kind that just doesn't care. "I have a goal and I don't care what I have to do to accomplish it" evil. "I like killing puppies" evil doesn't work for games.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

"I like killing puppies" evil doesn't work for games.

Of course it does. "I like killing puppies" =/= "I'm stupid". Think of the Joker in the Dark Knight. Totally chaotic evil guy that killed for fun. But he had a plan.
Look at the imp Druzil in the "Cleric Quintet". Totally chaotic evil guy that killed for the glory of killing (read: fun). But he had a plan.
Look at the entire "War of the Spider Queen" series. Best chaotic evil party I've ever seen. They did end up killing eachother but so what? That was after 6 books of awesome.

Just because you kill for fun does not mean you're stupid or incompetent at it.

[Prometheus]

That's simple. Tell them that their goal is to take over the world. The only rule is that they can't betray eachother, why they can't is up too them (best buddies for life, brothers/sisters, magical compulsion, whatever). Then you sit back and play the world. If they want to focus on building up a trading empire and use economic force to take over, then build around that. If they want to play politics then do that. If they want to raise and undead horde and conquer their way to power then do that.
This really is the best approach, because if there is one thing intriguing about being evil, it's the feeling that you, and no one else, controls your own destiny. It's a sandbox instead of a railroad. Sometimes this makes for unpredictable DMing, so once your villains start their plan in motion you have to make sure that there are surprises and challenges along the way. Also, taking over the world is a big task and the villains should act strategically. If they try to take over a large city by force, have them get beaten up and thrown in jail (but that's where they meets a vital contact and find a way to escape...).

Be sure to include enemies that are both good and evil. Too much of the later takes out the fun, too much of the former makes it seem like evil is homogenous. You still need a BBEG or RNGG (Really Nice Good Guy).

Gauge how comfortable you are with things like PCs defending a stronghold or PCs playing a major role in wars. If those things sound like they are too complicated or not the direction you go, be sure to keep things local.

[Nerd-o-rama]

You know, while a sandbox game is easier for Evil characters than for non-Evil ones (Evil people generally having more defined end goals and being more proactive than Good people in fiction and debatably history), it still depends heavily on a GM and players that are willing to put forth the effort; the GM to improvise, the players to plan and stay goal-oriented. It can be a lot less frustrating to lay out a general path to World Domination: prophecies they can fulfill, empires ripe for coup d'état, etc., if they're not already evil masterminds in real life.

If you think you can all handle a sandbox game, though, it can be very rewarding.

[Keld Denar]

Needs moar Lantern Archons!!!! LAZERZ PEW PEW

Horrible internet memes aside, I leave you with 2 parting words.

Blood War

[wikipedia it]

[Mastikator]

Maybe they're on a search for the artifact(s) of doom which promises to give them power to take over the world.
Make it interesting with it only being able to power one character at the time, but also guarded by things that is far too powerful for any one of the players to take on alone. So they'll have to work together, but will also have to fight in the end. Sounds cliche-, yet not dull-, enough for me.

[Kaiyanwang]

This really is the best approach, because if there is one thing intriguing about being evil, it's the feeling that you, and no one else, controls your own destiny. .

Why you must be evil to control your destiny? :smallconfused:

(assuming someone can)

[Athaniar]

Oh no not an evil campaign Wizards will not allow this!

But seriously, perhaps a crusading army as enemies? Stop the crusade before they put an end to whoever you work for.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Why you must be evil to control your destiny? :smallconfused:

(assuming someone can)Evil people, generally, live for their own wants and needs above all else (not counting willing servants of Evil powers).

Good people, generally, live for the wants and needs of others above all else.


Basically, when you're Evil and someone asks you to save the farm/town/kingdom/world, you can tell them to screw off and take over the farm/town/kingdom/world yourself.

[hamishspence]

Save the world, Then take it over, or even make handing it over to you, condition for saving it. Evil guys are pragmatic, and this can include helping others for hefty rewards.

[Kizara]

You can simply have them be mercenaries to an evil overlord/organization that gives them various objectives that they creatively and evily solve.

Devils would be great for this, as would a dragon playing the "great game" (see MM5). But really, you could easily make your own BBEG their boss.


You can mix things up with quests like "stop a rival evil group from completing a major plan that would give them power over a good-aligned town." With a bonus side objective of taking the town for your master.

Assassination missions, escorts, spying, raiding, etc etc. Lots of possibilities for whatever kind of challanges your group enjoys.

[potatocubed]

Why you must be evil to control your destiny? :smallconfused:

(assuming someone can)

I would have said that it's generally (although by no means exclusively) the case that good characters tend to be more reactive than proactive.

In a fantasy setting where things are pretty much okay, good characters try to maintain the status quo. If no one threatens the kingdom, or kidnaps any villagers, the heroes are left standing around doing nothing.

Evil characters, on the other hand, typically don't consider things 'pretty much okay'. This idyllic society that the good characters protect is lacking something that calls to them - equal rights for halflings, a crown with their name on it, a ready supply of corpses for insane necromantic experiments, whatever - and they are ready to wrench the world around to fit their own vision with whatever tools they have handy.

Sure, a good character can campaign for social justice or rulerhood too, but they're going to get mired in bureaucracy and politics and all the other crap that makes fixing problems so difficult in real life. Evil characters have the ultimate option of just killing (or mind-controlling, or cloning and replacing, or...) anyone who disagrees with them. It might not be pleasant, but it sure as hell gets things done.

EDIT: To put it another way, good characters respect people and so try to minimise the harm their actions cause. This makes controlling your destiny near-impossible, because you have to take into account the greater consequences of everything you do. Evil characters don't give a spoon. They sieze their destiny, and everyone else can take a runnung jump.

[Coplantor]

Make them look for an apocalyptic device hidden in the depths of a massive ancient dungeon at the same time that a good party is raiding the dungeon to destroy it.

[serok42]

I ran an evil mini campaign once.

They were all Drow from Menzoberanzan and their house was destroyed by a rival house. The first adventure was the escape from their house (They were tipped off by a mercenary group out of Skullport that the house attacking was not all they seemed and they needed to get out once the battle started) their eldest sister took the opportunity to murder their mother (she was sure that their house would come out ahead). They ended up having to fight her to escape (she fled once they got her down so much though)

They ended up in Skullport working for the mercenaries (ran by a drow psion and an Illithid body tamer)

I was putting them up against a group of Sheverash (elven god of killing drow) worshipers.

Their sister (She ended up being the main villain in this whole thing) with a group of their houses warriors in tow.

Cult of a shadow dragon.

You can always have evil fight other evil.



This makes me want to start this campaign again now.

[hamishspence]

heroes of Horror suggests much more antiheroic characters "you are tainted and evil. your enemies are much worse." might be a good hook.

[Fan]

I ran an evil mini campaign once.

They were all Drow from Menzoberanzan and their house was destroyed by a rival house. The first adventure was the escape from their house (They were tipped off by a mercenary group out of Skullport that the house attacking was not all they seemed and they needed to get out once the battle started) their eldest sister took the opportunity to murder their mother (she was sure that their house would come out ahead). They ended up having to fight her to escape (she fled once they got her down so much though)

They ended up in Skullport working for the mercenaries (ran by a drow psion and an Illithid body tamer)

I was putting them up against a group of Sheverash (elven god of killing drow) worshipers.

Their sister (She ended up being the main villain in this whole thing) with a group of their houses warriors in tow.

Cult of a shadow dragon.

You can always have evil fight other evil.



This makes me want to start this campaign again now.

Change cult of the shadow dragon to Cult of dagon, and you've got some almost Lovecraftian stuff there.:smallwink::smalltongue:

[hamishspence]

Dragon mag made Dagon even more lovecraftian, and added in Kuo-toa-human hybrids, appear human, mutate into kuo-toa. Shadow Over Innsmouth can be done very easily with this.

Tales from Innsmouth has, in one story, Dolphins as the intelligent, ruthless allies of the Deep Ones. Might be a nasty surprise to spring on players.

[Project_Mayhem]

"I like killing puppies" evil doesn't work for games.

Someone's never played a certain disgustingly funny indy roleplaying game ...

[Emperor Tippy]

Someone's never played a certain disgustingly funny indy roleplaying game ...

I meant D&D games.

[Kaiyanwang]

I would have said that it's generally (although by no means exclusively) the case that good characters tend to be more reactive than proactive.

This is true.. at least, in most settings. In other (example: BBEG-won setting) the differences blend.



In a fantasy setting where things are pretty much okay, good characters try to maintain the status quo. If no one threatens the kingdom, or kidnaps any villagers, the heroes are left standing around doing nothing.


see above



EDIT: To put it another way, good characters respect people and so try to minimise the harm their actions cause. This makes controlling your destiny near-impossible, because you have to take into account the greater consequences of everything you do. Evil characters don't give a spoon. They sieze their destiny, and everyone else can take a runnung jump.

I see your point, but I generally think that ANY action has consequences. In other worlds: the control on your destiny, at least in the D&D world, is more linked to your HD or CR (assuming mental stats) than your alignement :smallbiggrin:

[monty]

Sure, a good character can campaign for social justice or rulerhood too, but they're going to get mired in bureaucracy and politics and all the other crap that makes fixing problems so difficult in real life. Evil characters have the ultimate option of just killing (or mind-controlling, or cloning and replacing, or...) anyone who disagrees with them. It might not be pleasant, but it sure as hell gets things done.

In other words, good characters use diplomacy, evil characters use Mindrape.

[Veneficus]

I was once involved in an Evil campaign years ago.

The basic plot was that we were out to destroy the world by stealing a precious gem and using it in some magical ceremony from a group of about 200 paladins and lackys.

[akira72703]

I ran an evil campaign for over 2 years and the way I structured things was similar to rival mafia families and i made sure the focus was on resource control and management, whatever that might be. Essentially everything had a value placed on it (including the PC's) and depending on their actions their value increased (prompting rivals to attack, or weaker former enemies to seek alliance) they also routinely double crossed each other.

We had an understanding up front that this was not to be taken personally and it caused them to seek their own resources in game (prompting the players to engage in various arenas for support, the church, politics, and sheer martial or magical power.) Once they became balanced as they saw it with each other the double crossing became more subtle and i guess you can see where this goes.

I also never let it be known who was evil, or who was good (and misguided). They had to weigh everything and never took anyone at their word (after being set up a couple of times and used to further other peoples ends.) There was a hierarchy and they knew roughly where they fit into it.

[Farrago]

Right now I'm DMing an "evil" campaign. By evil I mean only one of the characters in the party is actually good, and everyone wants to kill him because he keeps ruining their fun. I find it amusing, the campaign I find itself to be totally neutral, they could go kill the paladin leader or the blackguard lord, that sort of thing, as long as I get to cause several deaths along the way.

Simply put, the party has recently met the resistance against both the good and the evil kingdoms. I leave it up to them where to go now. Both kingdoms are trying to kill each other, the resistance intends to overthrow them both, and at the same time, there's a vampire cult trying to assemble an ancient superweapon built by a mad lich in an attempt at godhood.

Crazy fun?

Indeed. So far, they've burned down two cities, slaughtered an orphanage, stolen suits of armor and other valuables from the manifestation of a god, sentenced ten innocent men to their deaths at the same time, fought off a crapload of cultists, and have been put on trial only once so far.

Now I have them set up to encounter my new antagonist, a hobgoblin cleric, and see what kind of things ensure.

Wing it, I say, but killing orphans to attract paladins to kill is always a good way to start.

[Ixahinon]

I find the best way to go this route is to have a Good vs. Evil Campaign, meaning that you find an equal number of people that will play the good aligned people that are out to stop the evil aligned people. Admittingly, it is hard on the DM to keep track of both sessions, but I find it easier if you split up the group to say like "Evil People meet on Fridays, and Good People meet on Saturdays." Then keep track of what both groups do, and relay any significant events that happen in the world to the other group.

Example: As their first mode of action, the evil party wants to test out what they are up against, so they desicrate a temple to a good deity on the outskirts of a major city. For this session, you have the evil group fight a few encounters, do their dasterly deed, then anything else you have planned.

When the good Aligned people meet up, you have an NPC (Perhaps one that escaped the onslaught, or one that witnessed it) Or some other means of action make sure the information that the temple was desicrated has happened.

Then the chain of events happen, The Evil aligned group is getting orders from their cult, and the good aligned group is either hired on by an opposing force, our out to stop them themselves, and pick up the clues they (Inadvertantly) leave behind.

This works infinately better if you don't tell the two groups that there are actual PCs under the control of the opposistion, this way they aren't actively planning on cleaning up after themselves, or deliberately leaving out clues for them to catch on.

When X amount of quests are done from the evil group, the good group heads them off, or you feel the 'final battle is neigh' You have the groups meet up for the 'end game.'

It would also be fun if you could find away to have the groups have minor fights along the way..you know battle until one of them needs to retreat...etc.

The game I ran this way went smooth as could be, and all eight players were shocked as all get up when they realized the other side was being operated by other PCs.

If you have an assistant DM to help you keep track of notes, it might help save you some headaches, too.

[FoE]

Allright, so I am going to be running a 3.5 campaign where my players all are the cliche villains out to destroy the world.

Why would you want to do that?

Why destroy the world? What do you gain from it? :smallconfused:

Look, you must have a reason for wanting to destroy the world. Otherwise this whole campaign is just pointless bickering! :smallannoyed:

[Brauron]

I actually played in a really amazing evil one-shot last night. The party was as follows:

LE Human Enchanter 5/Red Wizard of Thay 3 (this player has never played an arcane caster except as NPCs in his own campaign, so this was an experiment for him. He said if he had it to do over again he might have gone Transmuter instead)

LE Human Fighter 5/Thayan Knight 3 (me, playing as the Red Wizard's bodyguard, but really serving as the party's leader, strategist, and face -- I rolled godly good for my stats, with a 17, three 16s, a 14, and a 13 before level-related attribute bumps)

NE Human Warlock 8 (the only reason he wasn't the party face was that the player was not at his most attentive, played as a blasty semi-maniac)

LE Halfling Rogue 3/Swashbuckler 3/Occult Slayer 2 (a former Thayan slave, who has trained himself to kill mages, though willing to accept aid from them if they're offering it -- hooray moral flexibility)


We were hired by a minor noble to retrieve a ring that was stolen from him -- just an ordinary ring of Fire Resistance, but he said it had great sentimental value to him, and he was offering us 1500 GP each to retrieve it. He explained to us that it was in a bog, four days north of the village he lived in, and had been placed in the safe-keeping of a dragon.

We go there, fight some Paladins who were guarding the dragon (after massively demoralizing them with some good Intimidate rolls and a Greater Invisiblity'd rogue with a Shortsword of Subtlety), killing them and I think I almost talked one of them into falling by explaining that my character, a career soldier, was really not that different from them.

However, even after downing several healing potions, I was still not doing well and knew that realistically I could not fight the dragon. So our Wizard parlayed with the dragon, who explained to us that the minor noble who had hired us in the first place was in fact a former Paladin, and was working on what was essentially a vaccine for death. He'd realized that the only way to get enough time to work with was to become a lich. The gods took note of this, said "Hey! No breaking down the fabric of reality!" and sent Paladins to steal the ring, which he was in the process of making his phylactery. So while the ring was ready to receive his soul, he was still for the moment mortal.

We go back to see him (I think I was the only one with a solid in-character reason for doing so -- an end to death would put me out of a job) but he realizes that we're double-crossing him and before our Wizard can cast Touch of Idiocy on him, he casts Ray of Enfeeblement on the Wizard, paralyzing him. He runs, and sics a trio of Flesh Golems on us. We throw a couple Alchemist's Fires to slow them down, pick up the mage, and dash out of the house. I stash the wizard somewhere safe, and then the rogue and I make a search for another, less Golem-guarded entrance, while the Warlock flies up into the air and starts shooting out windows.

The Rogue and I find ourselves in the noble's Frankenstein Laboratory, where he's working to wake up three more Flesh Golems. He pauses long enough to zap me with a Ray of Enfeeblement. Ouch. I stagger up to him, the rogue ducks in to Sneak Attack him, and then I say, "For every soldier everywhere" and hit him with my longsword.

Critical threat.

Roll to confirm. Crit threat on the confirm roll.

DM says confirm that. Crit threat on that confirm roll.

DM says confirm that, "I want to see how far this goes." Natural 1.

DM says, "Well, you get the crit, at any rate. Roll for damage.

Minor Noble dies under my blade.

We take his head back to the dragon (why, I'm not exactly sure), who says, "Well, that's just great. Now I'M out of a job."

So I recruited him into the Thayan Army (natural 20 on a Diplomacy roll).

End glorious session.

[Istari]

You could have them already have taken over the world and they have to quell the resistance.

[Cathaidan]

I played in a game where you were allowed to create an evil character, but it wasn't mandatory. Around the time the game ended we were 4 evil PC's and the party leader was LN. We were given a dual mission of stop an invasion from the plane of shadow / make the surface world inhabitable again. This was perhaps the most fun that I've ever had playing an evil character. Yes we were trying to save the world from an invasion of an "evil" plane, but the general attitude of our party was, "Not our plan then we aren't going to let it work." And yes we were trying to give the overcrowded cities of the underdark some additional breathing space on the surface, but that took on more of a shaping the world to our own dark desires aspect. All in all it was good times.

[Yahzi]

Can anyone give me ideas?
At 10th level, they're not just evil, they're evil monsters and thus the target of all good and decent folk. I would think the only adventure seed they need is: trying to survive.