What constitutes a Great Villain?

[bladeofdarkness]

step one
motive
the villain needs a good motive that can be viewed as noble in theory
i'm sick of villains who do evil for the lulz

step two
a good villain needs to be impressive
magnificent bastards are the best types

 

[Arrogancy]

While I despise Eternal Sonata for many things one thing they did well was crafting a great villain. Count Waltz, one of the greatest villains ever. He's a ruthless, cold-blooded monster who cares nothing for life, even those of his subordinates. HIs overriding goal is domination over the world and he does so by turning his entire population into pliable, shambling monsters for his war.

 

[LINKXIII]

Spoiler

It has to pose a serious threat and do something personal to the player. I know in GTAIV when roman was killed I hunted down demetri and killed with glee

 

[nathan-dts]

The Joker is the perfect villain. Insane, unpredictable and deadly.

 

[Yazacoo]

Someone who had the potential to be great, but who was seduced away from the path for they're own selfish desires.

Sephiroth and the Joker are my two favourite villans, in that order.

 

[jockslap]

A super Villian?

A french mustache, top hat, monocle, a cat and a secret lair.

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES. (shall i go on?)

 

[Yoshi-Pop]

There is no set formula. A good villian has to serve the story and he has to be the foil for the hero. Case in point. Batman and the Joker. The perfect hero/villain paradigm. Batman is the world's greatest detective. He follows a strict code of honor and he WILL NOT break it, and he is represented by dark colors like black and grey. The Joker on the other hand is a raging psychopath, no honor or values, and is general represented with bright colors, such as purple, green and red. It's all about counterbalance friend.

 

[ljd184]

president Eden from fallout 3 if he was evil but i think a smart villein and one that goes in to battle not one that keeps in his lear

 

[ljd184]

It has to pose a serious threat and do something personal to the player. I know in GTAIV when roman was killed I hunted down demetri and killed with glee

you should put a spoiler box over that before you get flamed

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

I like batshit crazy. Those super intelligent power hungry types piss me off. I know that's supposed to be the effect. The joker from Dark Knight is a perfect example of a great villain.

 

[Professor M]

After going cliche and naming Heath Ledger's Joker (for the twisted set of principles, the deranged background, and the complete and utter insanity), I'm going to put forward the villain from Watchmen ...

Spoiler

Ozymandias. He betrays the group, betrays the world, and manipulates two global superpowers through a trick, and by killing millions of people. You hate him, he's a traitor, he's a monster, and then you realise in the next few pages (or scene if you saw the movie), he's right, and even he struggles with his own choice

Truly a turning point for me.

 

[nettkenneth]

dark ages a big guy in a black armor

modern times an aging guy with a sligth british accent and grayish hair with an overcomplicated plan

oooor ........me world domination ftw

 

[nettkenneth]

Why is it that a British accent is so sought after as the stereotypical villain mastermind? I'll take it as a sort of weird compliment on behalf of our islands.

A good villain has to be PLAUSIBLE, REMORSELESS, give you the feeling that THAT COULD BE YOU IF YOU EXPERIENCED THE SAME LIFE AS S/HE DID and also, for a REALLY good villain, WIN.

Sorry for the CAPS bummage, I got a bit 'cited.

the british accent i so sougth after because people like their villains to be aristocrats or upper class if you will and the british accent is the stereotypical for aristocrats, and it sound very plesant while hearing their overcomplicated plan

 

[electric discordian]

They have to be Scottish, have one eye and absolutely no grasp of fiscal policy.....

Ah smell the satire!

 

[Magnatek]

To put this concept in simple terms, to be truly evil you must have two things:

1. The brains to conceive your plans in the morally worst way possible (Face it. Without a plan, what can you do?), and:
2. The passion needed to carry out your plans. Unless you can emotionally back every step of your plan, you just can't be evil.

Of course, this is merely one opinion of a person with a fairly decent education. All of this holds true, unless you're just in it to watch the world go down in a blaze (either of glory, or fire).

 

[MercenaryCanary]

One who you think "If I was in his situation, I'd do the same thing." Saren from Mass Effect fits this.

I <3 Saren.
And G.L.a.D.O.S..
I guess you have to either be a crazed robot with a sense of humor, or an evil space version of James Bond. Yes. I just described Saren as James Bond. Think about it.

 

[Dudimus]

Kefka from Final Fantasy 6, you hated him by the end of the game, and then when he did that stupid laugh in the beginning of the final battle, it just made you hate him more.

 

[flare09]

They have an awesome accent, kill a lot of innocent people, and don't lose to crappy super heroes.

 

[Sonicron]

I'll go with the Joker, but NOT the one from the Dark Knight movie. He was good, but

Spoiler

that bit about him "not having a plan" was utter crap, everything he did in that movie hinged on highly convoluted plans.

Instead, I'm going with Mark Hamill's Joker. Most of the time he really was just out for fun and money... and that's what made him scary as hell: some of the things he did over the years were so unbelievably terrifying it would make Ledger's Joker piss his pants, and he still did it for laughs. Anyone who's watched the Batman Beyond movie 'Return of the Joker' knows what I'm talking about.
Plus, doesn't a guy like this just put a smile on your face?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb8fWUUXeKM
Always cheers me up! ^^