This doesn't always need to be the case, but it can certainly help craft some difficult decisions for the players to work through.
It also helps if the players have some type of personal connection to the villain. At the end of the day, that's all a good DM can really hope for. Being able to convincingly portray the villain in a unique way will make them much more memorable, and memorable villains make for memorable campaigns. Having a good backstory will also make it easier to act out a character for those looking to role-play as them. The richer a backstory the villain has, the more players will feel engaged with it. This is something that can be played around with throughout the campaign, as players steadily begin to learn more about the antagonist as they adventure through the world. More than anything, a good villain needs a compelling backstory.
Keep expanding the pool, adding a little bit of creative flair each time to create something truly unique. Which would be a better fit for the campaign’s narrative if they were just to be dropped in? Which traits from each would make for an even better combo? By analyzing these factors, it’s possible to make an amalgamation of other Dungeons and Dragons villains, which can lead to some pretty stellar design. Think about what makes characters like Darth Vader and Handsome Jack cool. It’s okay to draw influence from other villains in pop culture and use them to help influence a design. RELATED: Wendy's Feast of Legends Raises A Lot of Questions Be sure to plan for them messing around, just in case they try anything. There’s always the possibility that the Bard will try and do something stupid to end the campaign in the first 20 minutes - it’s kind of their M.O. Be careful when first introducing the villain to the party. Designing a campaign, in general, is difficult enough, but it can be a lot harder to transition to a new villain without some difficult narrative work or a complete campaign reset. There are a lot of things to consider when crafting a Dungeons and Dragons antagonist. It’s a delicate balancing act that can be difficult to pull off, but there are very few things more rewarding than nailing the perfect design for a big bad. Fail to make them interesting or threatening enough, and players will have little reason to pursue the story’s conflict. It’s an NPC that will regularly antagonize a party throughout their adventure, and making it over or underpowered can have serious repercussions for an entire campaign.
Designing the perfect villain for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign can be incredibly difficult, especially for beginner DMs.