Customer Reviews

The Complete Book of Villains (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition)

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. . . in or out of AD&D. I say that because, although I don't DM anymore, I still use this book. The title is a bit deceiving-- although it's useful for creating villains, it can be used equally well for creating any sort of NPC, and almost as well for creating characters in any other role-playing system or none at all! This book takes characters off the paper and into flesh with a helpful system and ideas for creating backgrounds, motives, resources available, organizations, and abilities. One of the most useful guides for a DM.

Don't be fooled by the title. Although this book definately focuses on villains, there are tons of plain ol' good ideas in here that apply equally well to neutral or even good organizations and individuals. ANY focal organization or individual in your campaign can be truly fleshed out with some of the ideas presented herein. As always, you'll get more out of this reference if you contribute some of your own uniqueness to it. It makes a fantastic springboard for your own imagination to run rampant.

Highly recommended!

The Complete Book of Villains is, hands-down, the best resource book TSR ever produced. Ever. For a DM, this is a must-have, no matter what; it should be right next to the DM Guide on your bookshelf. It's like spun gold.

After reading this book, you *will* be able to create detailed, memorable villains. I guarantee it. I created a villain for my Dark Sun campaign that people still talk about, five years later. And they never did fully uncover the secret of the organization behind him.

CBV helps you build any kind of villain, from the single, brutish badguy to a cunning secret organization spread across your gaming world. Whether you "roll your own" or use one of TSR's campaign settings, this book is an absolute necessity. It's more important than even the book of monsters (whose title I dislike; I'm glad they're going to go back to calling it the Monster Manual) for creating a detailed, memorable campaign.

This book is useful for a GM in ANY system. Like the "Campaign Sourcebook and Catacomb Guide," it provides methods useful in any campaign, in any RPG. It focuses on designing villains who are memorable, engaging, and realistic. And it does a *very* good job of teaching you how to do so.

If you want a campaign with villains that just suck your players right in and get them seriously wanting to take on the villain for his own evil rather than the rewards they can get, you should buy this book.

The Complete Book of Villains is without a doubt one of the most useful tools a GM can have, regardless of the game s/he is running. It helps you create engaging and believable villains sure to keep your players' attention over long-term campaigns. I have already used it to create some four villains and an interfering neutral NPC network. I don't expect to need any more recurring villains. It also helps address the problem every GM eventually seems to run across-- the PCs have been around so long that there's nobody they can't destroy in combat. The Complete Book of Villains helps you take the fight into non-combat arenas. Highly reccommended for any game master who wants engaging, reasonable, and threatening villains. Another excellent resource is GURPS Supporting Cast.

I found myself using this book over and over again in order to gain interesting hints on how to flesh out believable villains and other bogies. It gives clear, readily usable, and concise tactics of creation of everything starting with the antagonists and finishing with their dinner habits. Can be used in any system.

Ever wanted to create a villain for your story but not sure how to go about it? Not sure how to make the villain believable? Not cliched? How to fathom his or her motivations, give a supporting cast, flesh out your evil network, make recurring villains to flesh out and give depth to your campaign.

CH 1 - Defining your Villain

CH 2 - Henchmen, Flunkies & Lackeys

CH 3 - Villainous Organisations

CH 4 - Introducing your Villain

CH 5 - Delivering the Goods

CH 6 - Monsters into Villains

CH 7 - Advanced Villains

CH 8 - Creative Villainy

CH 9 - A Compendium of Villains

CH 10 - A catalog of Villains

Villain Tables

All this goes towards the key question - the villain's motivations, aspirations, intentions and natural leanings. This helps shape your imagination and can be used by all DMs and aspiring writers.

Of all the "Complete Guide" books that I've seen, this is the best. If you're a DM looking for great ideas, look no further. Inside are guidelines for fleshing-out any character, villain or player character. Overall, just great for those who truly role-play (not for the hack & slash audience).

I would have to agree with the posts listed before mine. It is a great book because it makes creating memorable villains that much easier, they can be whipped out spurr of the moment if thats what it takes. There has been many a time that I have underestimated how resourcfull my players would be and I would have to throw another enemy or two just to even things out a bit. But anyways, this book has helped me out quite a bit and every DM should own one( if you can get you hands on it that is.)

Have a good story plot but want to throw some extra spice and give an older villan new spice or need one right a way this book is good for all dms who want to go beyond the Monster Manuals