Able-Minded Villainy!

[FalloutJack]

So, a friend of mine said to me that she'd never really seen a villain getting by on wits alone. No grandiose powers or large sums of money. Just him and his brain, thinking things through. But I figure they must exist, right? So, from ANY MEDIA, tell me Escapists...

What quick-witted villains do you know?

 

[staika]

*thinks*
got nothing but let me think a little harder.
*thinks more*
Yep I still got nothing almost all villain's I've seen either have large sums of money, super powers or an army of minions because they are so charismatic. But I'd like to see a villain get by on his wits only I think that would be a nice change of pace.

 

[FalloutJack]

*thinks*
got nothing but let me think a little harder.
*thinks more*
Yep I still got nothing almost all villain's I've seen either have large sums of money, super powers or an army of minions because they are so charismatic. But I'd like to see a villain get by on his wits only I think that would be a nice change of pace.

Hmmm...this may be harder than I thought.

 

[Velvo]

Um... Moriarty, maybe? Arguably the first super-villain ever? No powers, nothing but sheer brainpower, taking on Sherlock Holmes. Really, come on guys.

 

[FalloutJack]

Um... Moriarty, maybe? Arguably the first super-villain ever? No powers, nothing but sheer brainpower, taking on Sherlock Holmes. Really, come on guys.

Of course! I can't believe I forgot about him! Thanks, mate.

 

[YawningAngel]

Ozymandias.

He just did the sensible thing and used the aforementioned wit to make a fat pile of cash.

 

[The Clitosaurus]

What about Iago from 'Othello'? He pretty much winged it throughout the whole play with only his wits, and managed to orchestrate the downfall of his superior and the murder of his wife.

He was a dab hand at delivering awesome monologues too.

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

Doctor Doom uses mostly his brain and his ability (intelligence) to create powerfull devices

Does that count?

 

[nukethetuna]

In the manga Liar Game, most of the notable characters (including the protagonist and villains) get by on wits alone. Then again the entire point of the manga is people trying to outsmart/deceive/manipulate each other.

Delita had no special powers of note (compared to anyone else in the story) throughout the story of Final Fantasy Tactics, but was able to manipulate a war that engulfed an entire country into ending with him as its king.

Spoiler

Then he murdered his wife and went down in history as a hero. All while leaving the real unholy demonic threat of terror to Ramza, who went down in history as a heretical coward.

Following the trend of his family, Albert Silverberg in Suikoden 3 was a brilliant strategist whose strategies almost allowed his boss to destroy the world. He can't actually fight, either. When you encounter him at the end of the game he pretty much admits you'd slaughter him and leaves.

Just a few that come to mind.

 

[zane224]

Well, they need the money to create the things that they think of. So they often first use their genius to amass a fortune and then use that to fund their research and plans.

PS: Doctor Horrible

 

[LostCrusader]

.... Last time I checked the Joker didn't have superpowers or money, just his completely insane brain.

 

[LostCrusader]

edit: oops double post thanks to the rules agreement

 

[teqrevisited]

I think Carcer might count? From Nightwatch, by Terry Pratchett.

He's a cunning backstabbing conman who does nothing but think, stab people and think about stabbing people. I don't think it's mentioned anywhere that he has any large fortunes and his only powers are being fairly agile and having a mind so sharp he could stab you with that if he wanted aswell.

 

[KaiRai]

The Lib Dems.

OHHHHHHHH xD

Ermm....I dunno actually. I guess mind alone wouldn't do much would it?

"Answer me this Mr President.....what gets wetter as it gets drier? Failure to answer will result IN.....You feeling like a bit of a tit for not knowing it."

Doesn't have the same pizazz as a giant laser

 

[Scarim Coral]

Wow no one said Light Yagami from Deathnote yet? Ok sure he had the Deathnote but none the less he had one heck of a thinking powers.
I guess Kazundo Gouda from Ghost in the shell: TAS 2ndGIG and Dewey Novak may count although they had underling to do their dirty works.

 

[darth.pixie]

Riddler or Joker? Riddler just ..er...asked riddles before killing. Do the deathtraps count?

Joker as in Dark Knight Joker mostly because in cartoons and such he has ridiculously odd weapons. Mr. Teatime from Hogswatch, too.

 

[Orange Lazarus]

The Master, perhaps? Unless you count having a time lord's mental capacity as a super power.

 

[FalloutJack]

The Master, perhaps? Unless you count having a time lord's mental capacity as a super power.

Much as I'd love to say that The Master gets by on brains alone, he's a Timelord. Even without his TARDIS, his exploitation of technology, or even the deadly powers he used when last we saw him...he has regeneration and a Gallifreyan biology, which can withstand so much more than a human can. Really, he's brilliant, but he's also superhuman.

EDIT: You guys are, by the way, doing an excellent job. And I don't know if I can or CAN'T count people who used brains to GET their money and such. I mean, David Xanatos technically brought himself up from nothing and has a gambit named after him. Does he count? You tell me.

 

[DevilWithaHalo]

So, a friend of mine said to me that she'd never really seen a villain getting by on wits alone. No grandiose powers or large sums of money. Just him and his brain, thinking things through. But I figure they must exist, right? So, from ANY MEDIA, tell me Escapists...

What quick-witted villains do you know?

The Joker (batman)
The Riddler (batman)
Two Face (batman)
Scarecrow (batman-movie)
...really the majority of Batman villains.
Jack the Ripper (real life)
Ted Bundy (real life)
...normally any real bad-guy who wasn't an evil dictator
The bad guy from any Die Hard movie
...most bad guys in non-super powered movies that don't involve secret agents

...and of course... Hannibal f**king Lecter.

Should I go on?

 

[FalloutJack]

So, a friend of mine said to me that she'd never really seen a villain getting by on wits alone. No grandiose powers or large sums of money. Just him and his brain, thinking things through. But I figure they must exist, right? So, from ANY MEDIA, tell me Escapists...

What quick-witted villains do you know?

The Joker (batman)
The Riddler (batman)
Two Face (batman)
Scarecrow (batman-movie)
...really the majority of Batman villains.
Jack the Ripper (real life)
Ted Bundy (real life)
...normally any real bad-guy who wasn't an evil dictator
The bad guy from any Die Hard movie
...most bad guys in non-super powered movies that don't involve secret agents

...and of course... Hannibal f**king Lecter.

Should I go on?

Dude, if you have more, keep it up! I literally want to show my friend that villains aren't all overwhelming power and money.