BBEG – Gamer Peak

Professor Ratican – Greatest Disney BBEG?

21 people have played Moriarty on TV. Twenty One. Add up all the movies and stage shows and audio productions and we’re closing in on 100 variations. The Professor’s shown up in at least five different video games too.

It’s not simply because Sherlock Holmes is a compelling character/story. There are many storylines that do not include the Professor. He’s been seen and heard in so many times because he is a great villain. A Big Bag Evil Guy that enjoys begin mean and intelligent and better than everyone else. He is so successful that he will often bully Sherlock out of sheer boredom.

So a Table Top RPG villain based on Moriarty is a good idea. I would argue that, with clear evidence to prove it, that the rat crime lord based on Moriarty is an even better inspiration for your BBEG.

Elsa – Greatest Disney BBEG?

Ah, what could have been. Early on production, Elsa called ‘Greta’ and was a cold-hearted villain. I thoroughly enjoy the more heart-felt, nuanced take we ended up with, but I can’t help wondering what darkness we missed out on.

Elsa is still a villain though. She gets good right at the end, but before that she plunges her kingdom into ice, nearly kills her sister and several NPCs and only gets more and more powerful.

If this was the basis of a Table Top Role Playing Game, what we have hear is an adventure with two very different outcomes. Either the heroes convince Elsa to listen to sis and find her compassion… or they have to kill an ice queen.

Spoilers: And yes, I know who the ‘real’ villain is, we’re going to score them at the same time. He’s not worth a separate score sheet, and Elsa makes a much more fascinating BBEG.

Coco – Greatest Disney BBEG?

In order to figure out which Big Bad is the best for any Roleplaying Game, we must hold them all to the same standard. Otherwise, this very serious discussion lacks credibility.

Having said this, certain villains would be poor for the average fantasy adventure, but excellent for very specific game types or storylines.

The villain of Coco (spoilers incoming) would be a pitiful BBEG in a regular hack and slash. With a game more centred around roleplay, or a game where everyone is a travelling bard, this dastardly individual has some merit.

Lady Tremaine – Greatest Disney BBEG?

Not every Disney movie has a Big Bad Evil Guy. I recently skipped Bolt (unless you count the pretend villain… or the lawyer) and I went right past Cars (that one car is a bit mean?). Of the movies that do have villains, not all of them are going to make good inspiration for the Big Bad in your Table Top RPG.

Lady Tremaine is not going to win this imagined contest. She might win last place though. She’s not taking on any adventurers with any amount of success. Even in a game where you play the talking mice…

Big Hero 6 – Greatest Disney BBEG?

Another Disney movie with a mystery villain. If you’ve seen Big Hero 6, you know who we’re talking about and we can discuss their potential as your Table Top Games big baddy. If you’re not up to speed, go give this cracking movie a watch and come back to us.

Edgar – Greatest Disney BBEG?

Well I hardly think we need look any further. Clearly we have found the most ultimate villain Disney has to offer. Who better to inspire the Big Bad for our TTRPG!

….

Alright, let’s get this over with.

Cruella de Vil – Greatest Disney BBEG?

“If she doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will” is a bold statement. Not only does it imply that Cruella is the scariest thing imaginable in the world 101 Dalmatians, but the same character that sings that line is standing up the fur-obsessed villain just a few scenes later.

Scary, to some extent, sure. Hateful, despicable and unsettling, definitely. If you’re looking for inspiration for a villain in a Table Top Role Playing Game, Cruella gives some great ideas on how you can make a your main evil guy a great source of grief for your players.

But is Cruella the Greatest Disney BBEG?

Who is the Greatest Disney BBEG?

Big Bag Evil Guy. It’s a term many gamers are familiar. No matter what Table Top Roleplaying Game you are into, there’s usually a big bad waiting for the players at the finish line. If they’re a decent BBEG, they’ve probably shown up a few times to give the team a bad time (but in a good way). There may have been a few bad guys/gals along the way, but there’s often that one Big Bag that outshines the rest.

Today, and for the next few Mondays, I’ll be asking the question:

Which Disney villain should be the BBEG in your TTRPG?

This is partly because I’ve watched a few Disney movies with my daughter recently, partly because I’ve been enjoying the board game Villainous, partly because I’m always thinking about new scenarios for the games I’m running, and partly because I like having these silly thoughts.

But before we can get going, how do we judge the ‘Best BBEG’?