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Flag Sembian_Book_Trader January 16, 2013 11:04 AM PST
Ever since I was introduced to D&D nearly 17 years ago I've always been interested in the alignment system, then came 4E and the alignment table kinda shrank. Now this topic isn't meant to be a pick on 4E but rather a suggestion and I wish I've always wanted to see. In the player handbook the authors actively discourage players from developing evil aligned characters. Most DMs I've played with do this as well because evil "heroes" are considered counter productive to the common heroic deeds of a D&D game.
In the very rare instances where evil characters fit into a D&D party they tend to be the "diet coke" of evil. Often they're just extremely self centered adventurers. 

What I think would be great would be a book about villainous PCs with guides on how to build an evil group and examples of evil campaign ideas. They could range from a group of mercenaries trying to get an artifact for an twisted sorcer-king for cash or a group of adventurers who are part of a secret organization bent on world domination (similar to the Templars of the assassins creed series). Epic destinies of evil characters could be the personal conquest of a nation, apathiosis (the evil kind), or even becoming an undead lich who rules an army of darkness. The book could have a list of races that are unique to evil beings such as some of the monsters in the monster manual.

I've always thought it would be fun to play the other side of the adventuring coin. It's one of the reasons that I enjoy games like Everquest 1&2 and Star Wars the Old Republic. The fun part would be to create a second campaign after the evil one where your heroes are your previous characters foes and the heroes try to bring peace to the land once more.


 
Flag Deichgraf January 20, 2013 3:01 PM PST
hm...

Such a book exists:

The Book of Vile Darkness

It's mostly aimed at DMs, but it contains a book for players as well.


It contains most of the things you want  
Flag Lordod January 21, 2013 1:29 AM PST
Don't forget the Villans Handbook for the Kingdoms of Kalamar. It is literally what you are looking for.
Flag Deichgraf January 21, 2013 2:09 AM PST
Well the Book of Vile Darkness has a 4e iteration.

But if you want to Consider older Material (like the 3.5E KoK), then also Take a Look at the complete villains Handbook for AD&D. This is meant to Design npcs, but Players can use it to create interesting villainous Charakters too.

Sent via mobile please Pardon the spelling.
Flag Chiba_Monkey January 21, 2013 1:10 PM PST
Indeed, the 4e Book of Vile Darkness is more about running Evil PCs than it's 3e counterpart (which was motly a DM's guidebook)
Flag Bronze_Hero February 11, 2013 8:11 AM PST
Also what's wrong with diet coke evil, it both fuffils my thirst for evil and doesn't add too many inches to my sin wasteline.
Flag mvincent February 11, 2013 2:37 PM PST
An earlier season of the official D&D Encounters, and a recent Lair Assault required that the PC's be evil. This was also supported with an evil campaign setting and treachery fortune cards.
Flag Gatt February 11, 2013 8:48 PM PST
There's actually a reason for that.

IIRC,  right after 3rd edition released,  WOTC aquired a guideline that stated "Evil cannot be permitted to win.  It can take over for a time,  but Heroes of Good must overcome.".

I believe the rule also discouraged official evil campaigns.   

Keep in mind,  this occurred not too long after the restoration of Demons and Devils to the material,  and predated video games like God of War,  Bayonetta,  and their kin who had evil leads,  so I'm sure WOTC was concerned that they'd land back in the public's sights for "Corrupting the youth".

Now,  IMO,  WOTC could print it with impunity,  nothing they could do would compare with the average console video game where you spend 8 hours shooting people in the head non-stop,  or anything in your average game of Grand Theft Auto.    
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