It's tough to be a villain. More importantly it's tough to roleplay a villain.

The problem with being a villain is that you better plan on being alone, hunting alone, and forget entertaining any ideas about being in an order. This aside from knowing that 99% of Elanthia is coming after you wants the fact that you are a villain has been established.

The villains life is a lonely, dark life to live unless he or she forms or is part of some sort of gang or mob. This is one of the main reasons there are few roleplayed villains in Elanthia, and it's quite sad. Even those who play darker based characters must face the same realization that unlike the real world Elanthia has very little to offer in terms of diversity when it comes to behaviors. The majority of Elanthians believe that one must be social and good and caring in nature. In the real world you can find large groups of society whos views are more gothic or dark based, people that lack religion, people that are non-social, hell many people in this game in reality are non-social and this is their medium to bridge the gap.

The other issue is that most successful villains are either smarter or more powerful than their counterparts but their downfall is that evil always undoes itself because of their lack of trust and selfish natures.

In Elanthia your surrounded by a society in which everyone wants to be the hero so the odds are simply overwhelming even for the most skilled of characters.

The reward that I personally enjoy as being a darker natured character is that I know that my roleplay is effective when people percieve me to be a certain way. I don't patrol through the streets speaking about my deeds, hell its not often you will hear me speak more than a few sentences. Yet the majority of Elanthia thinks me to be some sort of egotistical, evil, and sometimes even intimidating person. And I create this perception often without having to say a single word. I let my actions and mannerisms create the aura. That is rewarding. Now some people do actually get past the surface to want to explore what actually makes me tick...and those people I have a lot of respect for...but they are few. So if you are really just into the roleplay aspect there is reward, but if you want a social life...forget it because perception rules Elanthian society, not what actually makes you, you.

I think its truely sad that Elanthia lacks such diversity in character, especially when a villain can be wily, charismatic, charming, entertaining, humerous etc. Just like any other character.

>It'd be easy enough if life were a comic book ... alas reality (even in RP'd fantasy environments) is shades of grey. The normal person will have friends and people they do not like. Conflicts arise naturally, disagreements and dislikes are part of human nature and needn't be contrived. Create a character, give him certain guidelines (i.e., loves dwarves, doesn't like tarts, hates rangers, is short tempered) and let him react to his environment accordingly. To issue such an overwhelming guideline as "this character is evil" is limiting and unrealistic.<

I believe I stated much of the above in terms of shades of grey. However in the real world we all know that there are groups of these individuals who realize that life is more than a popularity contest and with the mindset of "What is going to get me looked at favorably in the eyes of the GMs". In real life some of us feel we have only to answer to a higher power and some of us believe we don't have to answer to anyone at all. A villain does react to his or her environment accordingly, they generally dislike either the way they grew up, are out for revenge, dislike certain laws, etc etc. I don't believe anywhere in my post it says that a character has to be completely evil...it is about perception.

>One last point and I'll shut up ... I don't know you, this is in no way a personal attack but those who consider themselves to be charming and charismatic are rarely either.<

Umm in all your thoughts when it comes to villains, be it in stories, movies, etc. You have never seen or read of a charismatic or charming villain? Perhaps you should do more reading.

One of the main reasons, at least in my opinion, that their are so few good villains in DR is because of the limitations of the game. People usually want to be the main villain if they are playing them, and not the sidekicks who do all the work. Honestly who would really want to be a sidekick?

You end up with one guy trying to be bad with no backup. He gets killed pretty quickly because everyone else is a good guy. You cant really set traps or devious plots because the same people arent always OL. Since the main bad guy does all the work, he just ends up being thought of as a thug as opposed to a mastermind.

The consent policy is another thing I really have issues with. Its hard to reveal yourself to be a bad guy if you have to be worried about getting reported.

I mean, do something bad to player X and player X reports "<you> are ruining my fun by engaging on non-concensual harassment"

Get a bunch of people RPing and you can do it, but there is no way to tell easily whether someone will participate or report.

Solution: Join clerics guild, refuse to raise, you'll see what it's like to be the badguy pretty quick, I have. I've been killed a lot yes, but I've also come out on top for the most part. Yes people will hate you, many will spurn you but ya know that's half the fun.
-Gridaksma

Graverobbing is allowed so long as you don't abuse mechanics to do it (ie, grab an item and log off, go hide in a lockable area, etc...) Other than that, if graverobbing were not allowed, there would be no mechanic to support it.

As far as villains go, maybe the best villains are the ones you don't realize are villainous at all ;-)

Krymson I show you evil. Just let me wake up a bit, and have more coffee, and finish my work. Oh wait, then I get to go home. Hmmm...Evil will be tonight. I will show you all evil. You can all call me Dr. Evil.

Arctuniol <who wants 1 million plat kronars or he blows up Aesry.>

>You might even want to think about forming some type of order yourself. Maybe some type of Dark Paladin sect or even some kind of general Cleric/Paladin order of Urrem'Tier. I know associating Death with Dark and evil is rather simple minded, but hey! drastic times call for drastic measures. Someone needs to stir something up because it's boring here in Elanthia<

::laugh:: I really appreciate the input. It's rare (extremely) that I actually get anything positive in regards to how I play Krymson again because of his nature.

Again I think the reason I started posting here is because I have thought of many of the same ideas around orders (I started Li Tumbra Mir in the hopes of edging darker characters to be more accepted rather than going full force with a dark based guild) but just haven't been able to see a demand for it here in Elanthia. I mean Li Tumbra Mir alone was very confrontational because too many people just could not deal with a dark based character in its midst. An entire dark guild might be the answer but again I think I'd end up getting people who were either too interested in general snert type of activities instead of actual roleplay or some who are under the impression that wearing black clothes and speak darkly make someone dark natured.

Dunno, but again I really appreciate that feedback, nice to be appreciated.

Arctuniol and Krymson, can you two get in contact with me at your earliest convenience? I have a few character questions that I think you two are well-qualified to answer.

Ryeka

>I posed a question one time to Treveri. Will there ever be second tier guilds. He at the time said possibly. It would be nice if we did. This way we could implement a second level, where each guild gets one light and one dark. Or you stay in your current area.<

I have been advocating this for what seems like forever. I absolutley agree.

<<In any event, I would love to see more dark people. Those that are evil that actually role play something evil. Not just the run of the mill snert types. That is what TF is for.>>

Agreed but I do see a vast difference between being dark and being evil. I tend to find evil overrated and most of the people that claim to be evil have a hard time pulling it off. But being dark....ah that is where it's at. I find that much more interesting and intriguing.

Ravennesque

>>Too many people feel that being evil means running around killing people.

Same for the reverse.

Too bad many people feel that being a 'hero' means running around and killing evil people.

>Darth had tried to start a group, but it did'nt quite work out.

Looked so promising, too.

I like GS3 for this reason...there's a few decent 'villain'-type characters.

-Mad Mage Kilan...just is

>We just need a really good villain in DR to become a "rolemodel" for other mini-me villains too look up to.

The greatest evil, typically, does not think it is evil at all.

It does what it does for the common good.

-Seldaene

>Evil doesn't exist in DR.

Better take that back, DAC. Maelona will get angry at you for slighting her power.

~Kodiac

>Maelona is not evil. She is a barbarian. She is not smart enough to be evil.

::patiently waits for the lightning bolts and "Arctuniol was just struck down!"::

~Kodiac

PS I understand your point about report. Kind of bites, but then too many abused it in the past.

>>I wish I could RP even more evil. Unfortunately I can't due to the bounds of the game. One thing I had always wanted to do was get a group together to start Robbing the Trade Routes on a regular basis including killing the traders that tried to run. Leaving the ones alive that just handed over some items.

Me too, not a trade route thing, but more of a "leader" of necromancers. and a Jack the ripper type...*I'll even drop the gory details to just "kill someone"...not just a killer, but a serial killer. Wear a mask, hide my name...But can't do either. If I do something bad it's "crusinix" not some shadow man...even if I do it where no one is at, they can depart, get their stuff and gweth "Crusinix just waisted me, find him!"...even if they never met me.

as for the necromancer...clerics can't do that.

Dark Angel Crusinix

"There's something dark within me now."

>>You can do all those thing if you all just accept being kill constantly or being walked


AHh...no.

Do not pass Go, do not collect 200 kronars.

~Ternith

I don't see you villain wantabe type get what you want your way until

1. DR created another server for your type of RP, ie wanting killing, hold up, no GM interference, killing without fine, do what you want invirment etc ...

Ohh wait they did it call DR:TF

In Prime or Plat server if you want to RP hold up or assisnation or whatever you want just get together a group of people who want to RP your way and do it, it not that hard. Or you mean your so call "RP plots" where you think you are RPing by killing them, raping them or general.....why you can do that in DR:TF unless you can't make it overthere.

player of

>>1. DR created another server for your type of RP, ie wanting killing, hold up, no GM interference, killing without fine, do what you want invirment etc ...

You're taking it to extreams what people are asking.

Dark Angel Crusinix

>>really? are you sure?

Ahh yea.

>>Ohh wait they did it call DR:TF

Yawn. Can we get another answer please beside this same old crap. No one is asking for unlimited scripting and all of that crap. Just a place to RP a dangerous game.

~Ternith