Fantasy Villain Ideas

[cybershocker455 324]

Been a while since I posted here. Anyway, I've been thinking up some great ideas for villains any wannabe fantasy hero could fight.

 

One idea is a sorcerous overlord but with some twists. He was a former scholar who only wanted to do good in the world. As he became more reclusive studying magic, he began to reject civilization, society and the world in general. As his relationship with magic became deeper, he rejected the idea of morality and character alignment outright and later became dedicated to become the very embodiement of magic itself. He later decides to attain as much magic power as possible and become magic itself that way he can destroy civilization and become the very force that can control the world, rejecting any beliefs and ideals any civilization tries to strive for.

 

I know he's a complicated character.

[Odyssey 5,716]

Hello @cybershocker455,

 

Since your topic deals with character ideas and seeking for feedback for it, I have moved it to a more appropriate section -- Original Character Help.

[AzureNightLight 122]

Just gonna leave this here. Genesis.

[MDLineArt 93]

One thing that helps me write villainous characters is to inverse the process I do for antagonists.  With Protagonists, you want to start with their core character flaw, to avoid the dreaded mary sue.  With Antagonists, the opposet is true.

 

Dont look to make a badguy worse, it's a very easy road to go down and if writen well, the character will naturally start to decline as you listed.  Instead, start on the other side, and ask yourself "Where is the light?  Where is the virtue in this corrupt soul?"  Really, once you start taking Virtues and dragging them into the realm of extremes, they become a darkness in their own right.  Maybe your character is ruthless, but honourable (When he says he's gonna do something, he is gonna do it).  Find out what that thing is, and make it very prevalent.  This can often help steer you away from villains who are cardboard cut-outs, and make them as well-rounded character's who while we may love to hate, we at least understand them.

 

This is NOT requiring a sympathetic backstory, this is requiring a core piece of the villain's decision making to rooted in that tiny part of himself that may still believe that what they are doing is 'good' or 'just'.

[AmbientBeat 27]

When I make villains, I think of abilities it would have that would make people paranoid. I've been working on a good villain I would use ifthe situation would arise where I would have the opportunity of writing an episode of MLP. I want it to make you paranoid, but not super paranoid like my general monsters. After months of concept making, I now know it manipulates inaudible frequencies to make ponies insane. I want to outdo Changelings, which I admired(monsters disguising as people you love? Awesome!)  My point is a good villain has an emotional impact on the audience.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,307]

One idea is a sorcerous overlord

 

 

Just a minor little point. A sorceress is a female sorcerer.

[Grtxkkyz 388]

Well, you could take a look at certain well-known villains from franchises, read their stories and take inspiration to make your own. Just don't make your villains outright, blatant copies of already-existing antagonists!

[MDLineArt 93]

When I make villains, I think of abilities it would have that would make people paranoid.

....

I want it to make you paranoid, but not super paranoid like my general monsters. After months of concept making, I now know it manipulates inaudible frequencies to make ponies insane. I want to outdo Changelings, which I admired(monsters disguising as people you love? Awesome!)  My point is a good villain has an emotional impact on the audience.

 

Hey AmbientBeat,

 

I am noticing that you've taken on my old approach to creating villains.  Glad to see I am not the only one who enjoys the occasional psychological villain, but I think you have it backwards.  Starting with an ability is good if you can reverse-engineer the purpose and psychology of the villain based on their powers and how it influences their behaviour.  What I find is more solid though is to work on the psychology first, find where that villain is broken, build them into a full on character, THEN work on their capabilities.  You'll find it a little easier once you get into the gears of the villain's head-meat.

 

Glad you are a fan of Changelings as well!  One thing I would ask though is, if the same effect can be done WITH a changeling, why not use a changeling?  Unless I missed something, you stated you would like to make this villain worthy of the MLP franchise, so why re-invent the wheel, rather than explore the unexplored territory with what has been established?  Personally I find Changelings fascinating, and a little disturbing, and I think that's what I love about them!  They serve as a very good plot device and have interesting themes to explore simply by the basis of what they are.

 

Originality doesn't need to necessarily come from the character itself, but in it's use.  I am pretty sure we all can think of at least 5 solid plots using Discord, as his themes of chaos, corruption, and misery in Season 2 run perfect with him being able to bring things together that wouldn't be possible in any other way.  We wouldn't need to design a new Villain for it, because the nature of Discord is already presented.

 

Just a few thoughts.

 

[AmbientBeat 27]

Hey AmbientBeat,

 

I am noticing that you've taken on my old approach to creating villains.  Glad to see I am not the only one who enjoys the occasional psychological villain, but I think you have it backwards.  Starting with an ability is good if you can reverse-engineer the purpose and psychology of the villain based on their powers and how it influences their behaviour.  What I find is more solid though is to work on the psychology first, find where that villain is broken, build them into a full on character, THEN work on their capabilities.  You'll find it a little easier once you get into the gears of the villain's head-meat.

 

Glad you are a fan of Changelings as well!  One thing I would ask though is, if the same effect can be done WITH a changeling, why not use a changeling?  Unless I missed something, you stated you would like to make this villain worthy of the MLP franchise, so why re-invent the wheel, rather than explore the unexplored territory with what has been established?  Personally I find Changelings fascinating, and a little disturbing, and I think that's what I love about them!  They serve as a very good plot device and have interesting themes to explore simply by the basis of what they are.

 

Originality doesn't need to necessarily come from the character itself, but in it's use.  I am pretty sure we all can think of at least 5 solid plots using Discord, as his themes of chaos, corruption, and misery in Season 2 run perfect with him being able to bring things together that wouldn't be possible in any other way.  We wouldn't need to design a new Villain for it, because the nature of Discord is already presented.

 

Just a few thoughts.

 

My problem with using old villains is that I ind them easier to drive out of character,  moreso than the heroes, since after awhile, the effect the villain had would start to lose its effect if done incorrectly

[MDLineArt 93]

My problem with using old villains is that I ind them easier to drive out of character,  moreso than the heroes, since after awhile, the effect the villain had would start to lose its effect if done incorrectly

 

If you wouldn't mind, I would like you to elaborate.  Do you believe it is an personal issue with your own writing style or is it because of the material given?

 

Any character can lose their effect, but that's usually because someone is trotting on old ground, a story we have seen told already, and hasn't really latched onto the possibilities of a character as they are.  There is something to be said about wasted potential, and what I would say is when playing with an established franchise is add a new character when the current elements cant work for the tale you intend to weave.  I think that's why OCs as Protagonists in their own stories make so much more sense than Villains.  Villains of destruction, corruption, consumption, and worse already exist. 

 

I guess the core question would be, Why is it that a new villain is necessary for the story you want to tell?  Because if it is, great!  But if it's not, I don't think anyone would want to feel like there was a missed opportunity.

 

Thanks for the quick response!

[AmbientBeat 27]

If you wouldn't mind, I would like you to elaborate.  Do you believe it is an personal issue with your own writing style or is it because of the material given?

 

Any character can lose their effect, but that's usually because someone is trotting on old ground, a story we have seen told already, and hasn't really latched onto the possibilities of a character as they are.  There is something to be said about wasted potential, and what I would say is when playing with an established franchise is add a new character when the current elements cant work for the tale you intend to weave.  I think that's why OCs as Protagonists in their own stories make so much more sense than Villains.  Villains of destruction, corruption, consumption, and worse already exist. 

 

I guess the core question would be, Why is it that a new villain is necessary for the story you want to tell?  Because if it is, great!  But if it's not, I don't think anyone would want to feel like there was a missed opportunity.

 

Thanks for the quick response!

That's a good point. I never made a reoccurring enemy in my stories, so I never thought of it that way

Edited February 29, 2016 by AmbientBeat