What's Good about being Evil?

niwre

I have owned and played the entire saga several times, but I have never finished an "evil" run.
What usually happens is, that after a couple of sessions (at most), it grows tedious and I get bored, to paraphrase Firkraag.

The thing that gets to me, usually, is that it feels forced, in a RPG-way, for evil characters to be doing most of the missions.

Apart from the obvious power (especially with Dorn added to the mix), and the fact that Viconia is very beautiful (which is not a reason for starting a game anyway), what is the attraction to an evil party?

Shin

Never really saw the allure myself either, except maybe to start out with an arrogant and selfish character who gradually grows more benevolent over the course of the adventure.

AcridSyphilis

You get to kill Nalia's aunt.

KidCarnival

We have cookies.

booinyoureyes

Viconia's (.)(.)s

the_spyder

I'm not Bad. I'm just drawn that way.

Kamigoroshi

For one you get all warm and fuzzy inside when playing pure evil. Well, I feel that way anyhow.

booinyoureyes

also, you can actually attack Noober

nano

You can use Slayer Mode more often? Also you can kill good NPCs like the silver dragon.

I usually run with neutral/mixed parties anyways, I don't see why only evil parties should get to have Viconia. And if there's someone annoying me... oh wow, Viconia, that was a little harsh, you didn't have to kill him for that.

the_spyder

Most if not all of the best benefits from the trials at the end of SoA go to the 'Evil' Charname.

At the end of the day, the 'Best' benefit is variety. If you are a big RP fan like myself, you might have a hard time having Dorn, Viconia and Edwin in a party of goodie, goodies. Playing Evil allows someone to role play that scenario.

In my current play through, I have those three plus Shar-Teel and kagain. We have a bit of trouble with reputation but are getting to the point where we may not care very much anymore.

But yeah. To answer the OP's question, variety is just about it. Instead of picking all of the nice answers and doing all of the positive outcome quests, demand more money. Or, side with Bodhi for a change. Kill Valgyar. Don't track down Irenicus to save Imoen. Do it merely to kill the heck out of him.

But if you don't enjoy that, don't sweat it. that is merely one aspect of the game. There are loads of others.

Ferluci

You don't need people to comment on how much of a hero you are for saving them, and how they look up to you.

Not being bound to rules, murdering anyone you come across and don't like. Expressing your inner savageness, greed and desire for power. That is what this is about.

GemHound

So many people like the evil characters since they are all for yourself do whatever you want types of characters, instead of "My inner code tells me I have to do this."

kamuizin

niwre said:

I have owned and played the entire saga several times, but I have never finished an "evil" run.
What usually happens is, that after a couple of sessions (at most), it grows tedious and I get bored, to paraphrase Firkraag.

The thing that gets to me, usually, is that it feels forced, in a RPG-way, for evil characters to be doing most of the missions.

Apart from the obvious power (especially with Dorn added to the mix), and the fact that Viconia is very beautiful (which is not a reason for starting a game anyway), what is the attraction to an evil party?

I will agree with you ONLY in one point, that BG and BG2 make somehow evil playthroughs a bit forced. It's still funny but could be better.

Evil charnames can normally send to hell or kill those annoying NPCs, as Nalia's aunt or the pompous racist members of the order of radiant cross, you have the feeling of really pursue the power you get instead of just surprise yourself with it falling in your head. Some evil items are nice also as human flesh armor (for hexxat) and soul reaver blade. The Evil NPCs are more powerful too.

booinyoureyes

I personally rarely play evil. If I want evil characters I'll be chaotic Neutral. The one evil game I played was Lawful Evil

Mathsorcerer

Kamigoroshi said:

For one you get all warm and fuzzy inside when playing pure evil. Well, I feel that way anyhow.

Evil characters allow us, the player, to be a bastard with no actual repercussions other than in-game ones. That kid in BG1, the one who wants you to get his brother or cousin or something...my evil characters like to tell him "go away kid--you bother me". We get to steal money from dirt-poor farmers, sell Joia's ring for cash, kill that girl's cat and sell the ring, etc.

Evil characters, especially ones who have traversed the Capital Wasteland, know that hard work pays off.

Naveen

Well, for starters, you can say things like this one: "Yes, we killed your brothers. We admit it freely. We drank their blood and ate their spleens"

When I play Evil I usually play psychotic evil [NE] (Planescape Torment is a much better choice for a cold, calculating evil) or at least seriously deranged [CN], so I murder cats (and cows) and say the craziest possible thing. For example, in BG2 a common adventure I always enjoy is to tell the kid in front of the circus to stop whinning about his mother, enter the tent, confront Aerie with "I'm not going to believe a foul creature such as yourself. Have at you!" and kill her. Next you talk to the pleasure slave ("I've come to see the circus, not some half-dressed tart spouting dire warnings!") and attack her.

It's even funnier if you bring Jan Jansen because then Quayle doesn't realise Aerie is dead.

Of course, if you think "evil" in terms of money, items and so on, nope, I guess there is not much good in it, but some of the best dialogue choices are evil, or at least "dickish". On the other hand, if you play like I said before, you'll probably die a lot more.

Shar

I have no strong feelings towards either good or evil... but i usually play any shade of neutral. Though i do want to do a F/M/T solo evil run as a char who is completely and utterly self indulgent.

Eudaemonium

But you're frickin' @Shar!

booinyoureyes

@mathsorcerer

http://minscandboo.com/quotes/Yes-Boo-I-agree.WAV

Shar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_d4I_VYDj8

Eudaemonium

I think the Dark Moon Monks would get a lot more respect if Shar's avatar turned up wielding a shotgun.

TheGraveDigger

Playing a truly GOOD character always makes me feel like an insane fool. Atleast being EVIL makes some sense...

DrHappyAngry

If you've got a copy of NWN2, this mod is just what you need
http://neverwinter2.nexusmods.com/mods/18//?

Definitely feels like a love letter to Baldur's Gate, but geared to an evil protagonist.

Some of the best parts are taunting adventurer parties that come after you.

"Why is it that all paladins use great swords? You think they're compensating for something?"

CoryNewb

Because it ts fun to walk on both sides of the train tracks.

booinyoureyes

Eudaemonium said:

I think the Dark Moon Monks would get a lot more respect if Shar's avatar turned up wielding a shotgun.

Or looked like the legend that is Bruce Campbell!

Ryofu

i always rp my LE character as a kind and caring person on the outside but a cruel and calculating person inside using the carefully calculated love and respect of the masses to further his own ambition

GamingFreak

All the cool kids are doing it, like those two jockeys Dorn and Korgan, or the cute girls like Hexxat and Viconia. Then there's Edwin, but you need at least one nerd in your cool-kid group to make the rest of you look cooler.

Alexisisinneed

KidCarnival said:

We have cookies.

But never any milk.

Dragonspear

I'm on my first evil run atm and I've adopted this basic philosophy for my NE Blade:

Power is good, I like power. But the masses coming after me with pitch forks and torches is bad. After all a bard who's not allowed into inns in the end isn't any fun.

It also helps that I have a good reason to be "nice":

I have 18 int, so I'm smart enough to know that while I'm evil at heart, I'm not going crazy with evil.

Help/Kill Drizzt: Sure my bard WANTED those weapons and doesn't particularly like Drizzt, (Sidenote: I REALLY wish Viconia would say something when encountering Drizzt), but is smart enough to have good idea of who he is and know better than to fight him. It's not worth the possible sacrifices etc.

Brage? Sorry bud, you pissed off some people now you die, and your little sister too.

Joia: thanks that ring was 50g

The gnome in the inn who you return the girdle of piercing too, what gnome? Thanks for the tip, sorry you were so stupid you lost it.

I'm smart enough to respect Elminster when we meet him, however I am still a bit terse.

I think my favorite one though was letting Officer Vai know that her "laws" did not extend within the range of my blades.

So as others have said, I look out for what's best for me. Sometimes I'm impulsive, I think I was with Elminster at first, but overall I try to be as reasoned and cautious as my 10 wisdom allows.

Tenrecc

niwre said:

The thing that gets to me, usually, is that it feels forced, in a RPG-way, for evil characters to be doing most of the missions.

This is a common misinterpretation of what it means to be evil in the Baldur's Gate series. Evil doesn't have to be a murderuous, brutal, violent douche who doesn't care to do anything unless he's showered in money, Evil people can be smart and calculating and easily undertake "good" missions if just to uphold their appearance. The difference might be while nobody is looking - the evil one having no remorse in killing off someone who *might* have been innocent, because they simply doesn't care.

Think more nuanced.

(Although admittedly, the game forces evil stereotypes down your throat.)

niwre said:

Apart from the obvious power (especially with Dorn added to the mix), and the fact that Viconia is very beautiful (which is not a reason for starting a game anyway), what is the attraction to an evil party?

Not much of an argument there, since the good side have equivalent characters such as Keldorn, and some power houses too...

The biggest asset, I'd say, is the possibility. I rarely play evil parties either, despite my love for Vic and Edwin, but I love that you have the option to, and whenever I do play it it differs from the previous playthrough quite a bit. It's not a better way to play it, just like taking the bike isn't a better way to get to the work in the morning, but it happens that I do that anyway because it's a breath of fresh air and a nice change of phase and scenery.

Evil isn't better, it's just different. Different bonuses (Edwin, Hell Trial pickings and Human Flesh over Keldorn, High Rep reaction and Carsomyr), different playstyles (Gold, Fame and Riches over aiding the needing), different motivations (Assuming the position of your dead father and crushing everyone in your path, over fighting the calling of your heritage and burning the darkness in its cradle).

And... let's face it... sometimes you just want to give in to your dark side and gut every single bastard who stands in your way because you ARE the son of a dead god and they are really just being annoying...

Dragonspear

@Tenrecc:

I'll admit, with my current run, the guy who you pick pocket for Algaron's cloak ended up having quite the untimely death not long after losing the cloak. I was so irritated on my bard about being unable to pick pocket him for so long. I went back and just killed him (and I was up to 13 rep, which isn't acceptable!)