How do you properly depict evil in games?
I've always considered senseless violence, rape and genocide to be ever so bland when roleplaying. When was the last time you felt that "Man oh man, this shit is bad" feeling?
Cruelty, hatred, malice, bitterness, those are good evil traits.
>>47101907
I think the best evil is good intentions gone awry. Going against the status quo because you simply don't agree.
A man who topples an entire kingdom because growing up he hated that his mother was a slum dwellers and didn't understand why the upperclassmen didn't help him.
I feel like you can simply be evil by just being on the contrary.
>>47101844
Evil is often somebody who believes themselves to be so right they're blind to all the flaws in their plan. Hitler never once stopped to think "Hm, maybe Genocide was bad" because he was on a mission to make Germany great again. Mao never thought about starving peasants because he was making China a communist utopia. ISIS fighters can rape the 12-year-old slave they just bought without a second thought because Allah wants them to in order to bring about the apocalypse. KKK members could hang a 16-year-old black kid because he "defiled" a pure white teenager.
Evil as an expression of the ends justifying the means can be a powerful storytelling tool. Ideally the players should be working towards similar ends as the villain, or at least be able to see his or her point of view. Then, throughout the story, you demonstrate how the antagonists are willing to do almost anything to achieve their goal.
Done gradually enough, this creates a sense of unease which turns into outright horror.
Honestly? I would say ambition without remorse could serve as a key point. Whether it be political, military, religion, or economics, it's that simple drive to succeed even if others would balk at the acts. Even if the acts were something he would consider wrong if done to him and his own. All paths are open if they lead to achieving the goal he desires with 'minimal' loss.
Burn a forest down to deal with guerrilla warriors. Staging a false claim that would force a more fitting political candidate to stand down. Denying people needed resources to drive up the price and lowering it 'slightly' when they need it most to have them run for that sale. Even making up false miracles and making martyrs to drum up more support for their religion. These are some examples of evil.
>>47101844
>How do you properly depict evil in games?
Not caring about the consequences that actions have on other people.
Good people are concerned about others, and will take pains to avoid doing things that would harm them. Neutral people aren't that concerned about others, but will generally limit what they do to others to avoid causing too much harm. Evil people just don't care, and will consider harming or killing someone the same as leaving them alone if they can avoid consequence.
>>47102082
>Hitler
>Mao
>ISIS
>KKK
I dont see how these are "bad". If good and bad is not inherit in the system(ie gods), then good and bad are meaningless.
>>47101844
Binge watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
>>47101844
Do some research on some of the standard "evil" historical figures.
Read/watch media with well-portrayed villains.
Think of that one kid in high school you hated (don't lie, we all have one) and impart some of their qualities onto your villain.
>>47101844
Violence, rape, and genocide are so clumsy, messy, and unproductive. There's a place for violence and maybe genocide as means to an end, but that end, the only thing that matters in the long run, is acquiring more power.
>>47105831
This.
You know what's really horrifying? When the big bad evil dude is a well respected member of society operating entirely within the law and there's literally nothing you can do to stop him.
>>47105831
I liked the first Jackal tape in Far Cry 2. Gratuitous violence makes a good show, especially if you can get somebody else to do it for you, but violence for its own sake doesn't make you evil, it makes you an animal somebody will surely put down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Axba_QS1VC0
There's OP's answer: A goal. Edgelords just write evil on their character sheet and fuck up your campaign. A good evil character has a mission and will do anything to accomplish it. As long as you keep his goal in mind you can figure out consistent and interesting things to do, instead of just being an asshole for no reason.
>>47101844
The evil life is really the thoughtless life. Shielded from oversight, accountability, otherwise normal people who don't think about the suffering of others do evil.
>>47105881
i want to do one of these pretty badly
>>47101844
The most evil mortal in my setting got that way because he started seeing the world as a bunch of people beating each other over the head to get what they wanted, and he decided that when the time came, he was going to be the toughest guy with the biggest stick.
He's an emotional child who desires more than anything to feel safe, to feel strong, to be in control. He wants the whole world to run by his schedule, not because it's the most efficient, the most just, or most moral, but because he would be in control, he would be unassailable, and he would finally be safe.
And he doesn't care how many minds or bodies he has to break to make that happen.
Callousness.
The 'evil' in my game stems from people being too jaded/lazy/greedy go make good decisions or perform good deeds.
Furthermore, I think genuine malice is an incredibly rare trait that should not be used often, as it is more interesting to have relatively "normal" people commit atrocities and then cope with the guilt and consequences.
>>47101938
That's a grim fucking outlook.
>>47101844
There's really no proper way to depict evil. Really, it all boils down to conflict of interests between the heroes and the villains and the opinion of those observing. A better question would be "How do you depict a villain well?"
>>47106771
The Big Bad sits calmly in the middle of the Senate, surrouned by his friends and respected opponents, living in the community that he helped build and protect. He explains to the party who he is and what he's done and how they can't possibly do a thing to him. There's a bit of doubletalk so he can get across that he knows the party knows what horrid shit he's been up to, but nobody else around them has a clue. He then leans back and smiles, serenely not smugly, and asks the party to leave.
Then the paladin puts his warhammer through the senator's skull.
Not because of muh detect evil or any shit like that. But because he knows the senator was evil, unrepetant, and that stopping him was more important than the paladin's own life.
>>47108664
There is nothing great about Dr. Brine. He's not even remotely redeemable because he's a coward and a sell-out who saw a situation to position himself above the shit hole and took it. Although I suppose I can't blame him for doing so but it hardly makes him a great villian, he's just petty.
Work out what your players are afraid of.
Are they mostly conservatives? Then use progressive groups and activists as their villains. Like >>47101938 is talking about.
It's not even about if the change they want to bring would actually benefit more people, the fact they want it should rustle the jimmies.
If your party is more liberal use an individal or group in traditional power who is holding the position to keep others down and line their own pockets.
Either way, the most effective evil never realises that it is infact evil. They will believe themselves to be good and that your PC party is infact the evil ones because they oppose them.
You can make it as big or as small as you need.
>>47105645
>good and evil don't actually exist
But who will I point my finger at and say omay wakano shigeru miyamoto at?
And then the evil mohawk man's head explodes, splaboom! Hah hah, LG best alignment, amirite teegee?
>>47101844
dnd5's dmg has a fun list of traits for villians.
remember to kick the puppy every now and then.
>>47101844
When I wanted to make my players see that the BBG was evil, I made it evident that he was lying and willing to betray his own people, but was still charismatic and powerful enough to maintain the loyalty of his other followers.
It's not easy.
I think anyone can be decent if you saw life through their eyes. Unless they were just a true psychopath that views other people as objects.
