Post by Lilith Nevermore on Aug 21, 2021 3:08:06 GMT -8
~Lilith Nevermore's Guide to Villainy for Inept Peasants~
Tell me...
Are you a real villain? No?
Have you ever faced a proper hero, such as a meddling martial artist? Still no?
Have you ever taken a life? Not even that?
Very well. I can see... that I will have to teach you... how to be VILLAINS.
...What? No, we are not turning this into a musical number. Seriously, put those instruments away this instant. Play even a single note and the rest of your pitiful lives shall be short and COLD.
Now, listen closely... Here is a little lesson in villainy...
Welcome to the Guide to Villainy!
Tell me...
Are you a real villain? No?
Have you ever faced a proper hero, such as a meddling martial artist? Still no?
Have you ever taken a life? Not even that?
Very well. I can see... that I will have to teach you... how to be VILLAINS.
...What? No, we are not turning this into a musical number. Seriously, put those instruments away this instant. Play even a single note and the rest of your pitiful lives shall be short and COLD.
Now, listen closely... Here is a little lesson in villainy...
Welcome to the Guide to Villainy!
(Alternate title: Smiley’s tips for playing a villain on DBBD)
You’re reading this because you want to try playing a villain, or maybe you’re just bored and this seemed fun.
These tips mostly apply to our site and our rules, but some stuff in here is pretty universal.
THE BASICS
Playing a villain is just like playing any other kind of character. I believe nobody is the villain of their own story, not even characters that go around singing “It’s so easy when you’re evil”. In other words, nobody is a villain just for the sake of being a villain. There are always reasons for it. Likewise, nobody should set out to explicitly write a villain. You’ll just box yourself into a role without a clear direction.
Instead, consider the following... Every character, hero or villain, consists of three major parts that make them what they are. These are Motive, Method and Goal, or “why”, “how” and “what”. Think of them as the three cores, around which you build your character. Try to condense each into a single sentence at first, then expand from that.
Simply put: Write the character you want to write. If their motive, method and goal get them labeled as a villain, then so be it.
THREE CORES
1. Motive
Motive answers the question of “why”. All characters have a core motive for doing things. Heroes, villains and that gray-scale rainbow in between all do things for their own reasons. These reasons probably have a whole set of tiny secondary reasons orbiting around them, but it all starts with one main motive. Even the most chaotic, insane characters have a motive. Majin Buu committed galactic genocide for a reason. Because he was bored and it was fun~!
Suggestions:
Perhaps they are driven by a deep-rooted purpose or obsession.
Maybe they feel wronged and lash out.
Or maybe they are just trying to survive.
For example: “He/She seeks to bring order to this chaotic world.”
2. Method
Method answers the question of “how”. This is the part where villains diverge from heroes the most. Villains are more willing to chase their goals through intense or even extreme methods. Lying, stealing, violence and so forth. Think of how far your character is willing to go to get what they want. When adding details, this is a great place to also note what they are not willing to do. This is how you adjust the darkness of the character. Doctor Gero was willing to cast aside his humanity just to settle a petty grudge against a monkey man.
Suggestions:
Perhaps they only lie, steal and play pranks, but don’t want to actually hurt anyone.
Maybe they will resort to extreme violence, but consider their word their honor.
Or maybe no method is too extreme and no price too great.
For example: “He/She will enact his/her idea of order by any means necessary.”
3. Goal
Goal answers the question of “what”. This is the end result your character chases. It’s important to note that not all villains have wicked goals, just like not all heroes have noble ones. In DB, the most typical goals are power, control, or entertainment. Everyone has a goal. It can be as big or small as you like. Simply wanting to stay alive and eat tasty things still counts. With a goal, you can adjust how threatening or silly your villain seems. General Red’s big ambition was to be taller, masked behind all that world conquest bravado.
Suggestions:
Perhaps they want to become a puppet master who rules the world from the shadows.
Maybe they want to gain enough money and power to live a lavish life.
Or maybe they just want to see the world burn.
For example: “He/She wants to become the absolute ruler of the world.”
PLAYING THE PART
Okay, so, you got all the basics down and your villain is ready. Next is the actual hard and fun part: playing the villain. Your three cores guide you on what kind of mischief and mayhem your villain causes. A good rule of thumb is to start small and build big. Do Personal Sagas to scope out your surroundings and get to know people who might get in your way. Join Missions that further your own agenda. Spar against heroes or other villains to form relationships and rivalries. Chase those goals one step at a time.
It’s important to note that being evil doesn’t necessarily mean being nasty or rude. Just because some Wicked Witches take that attitude, doesn’t mean you have to. Many villains are charming, suave, whimsical and even hilarious. Likewise, your threads don’t have to be all serious business all the time. Go with the flow and stick to the methods. Show people how your villain’s methods manifest.
Finally, be willing to try new things. Characters change and evolve. Some villains go darker and edgier, others lighter and softer. If a specific thing drives your character nuts, awesome! Use it to fuel their motivations and sink deeper into villainy. On the other hand, if a noble hero tries to redeem you and kind of ends up making a lot of sense, wonderful! Give the character development a chance and see where that takes you.
COMMON WORRIES
“Villains never win.”
Nobody ever wins a roleplay, because there is nothing to win.
In the same vein, there is nothing to lose. Only to learn and to gain. Battles come and go. You win some, you lose some. The thing that matters is how much fun you have writing each thread and each post.
“Nobody wants to thread with villains.”
They will, if you approach it correctly.
Roleplaying is cooperative, not competitive. Coop, not versus. People will thread with you, as long as they have interesting things to do. You, as a villain, can give them those things to do either directly or indirectly. In turn, their reactions give you stuff to do. It’s a loop.
Think like a villain. How can you take advantage of meeting character X? You can face them head-on and scope out their abilities. Come out hurting, but smarter. Or you can trick them into sabotaging competition. Further your own agenda. It all comes down to villain style. Options, options.
“Heroes will gang up and kill me.”
Not on this site they won’t.
Mechanically, only Life or Death battles can end up in death. Those require a Gamemaster agreeing to oversee and judge before they even begin. So the worst that can happen is you limp away from a bad encounter stronger. Doubly so, if you pick a Saiyan.
Community-wise, people here aren’t jerks who go around doing that. Chat with folks. Snoop the characters. Check what’s going on and you’ll see for yourself.
“The Staff will stop my growth.”
A misunderstanding that comes from the Staff’s duty to keep things enjoyable for everyone.
On this site, every single word written is progress. So as long as you keep writing, your character keeps moving forward. That is growth the Staff and other players will actively encourage. Keep things enjoyable and entertaining, and you’ll get all the help and guidance you want.
However, major events like leveling cities and killing important figures will need to be plotted carefully. If you want to be a big bad, build up to it. Start small. Terrorize a tiny, nameless village in the middle of nowhere. Gain power. Build a following. Then, once you feel ready for the big leagues, present plots with stuff for people to do. Like enacting a plot to overthrow a ruler of some area, with the local heroes acting to stop you.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, playing a villain is like playing any other character. Pick your motive, method and goals. Chase those goals one step at a time. Cause mischief and mayhem in a way that suits you. It doesn’t matter what way you play the part.
All that matters is that you play.