Play Like You Have To! > This Game is Rated M for Mature Audiences Only

PCs as the "villains"?

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ImperatorK:
Anyone ever tried to play a game in which the PCs where the villains? Either part of an evil organization, or sect, or just some ruthless mercenaries and they had to fight (or just oppose) a party of NPC "heroes"?  :smirk
I think it's a cool idea and good opportunity to bring some adult themes into a game ('couse the PCs would most probably be evil).
P.S. I am not speaking about PCs being BBEG, more like minions/lackeys, but more significant.

veekie:
Generally they don't seem to end up well, I think. Independent villain types tend to degenerate into backstabbing and horribly cliche villainy(raping houses, setting villagers on fire), while most of those running on the minion basis tends to either chafe or backstab their master before each other. You need a Right Group for this.

weenog:
I played one that worked out pretty well.

I think it helped a lot that the characters had (relatively, this was a fantasy RPG after all) genuine motivations instead of just being evil for evil's own sake, there was no need to lash out just to prove how evil they were.  The characters' goals, while not identical, overlapped enough that they could work toward their own ends without pulling in opposite directions or getting in each others' way, and they were big enough that unassisted pursuits of those goals would likely be inviable.  The characters were fairly close to each other in terms of power; each had multiple contingency plans to kill the others in case of necessity or betrayal, but none could be sure that they'd come out on top if it came to infighting.

Before the game even started, the DM gave us a brief outline of what he expected from the characters in terms of ability and attitude.  Nothing too strict, but it helped to ensure a moderate level of compatibility as they were all designed and built to the same standard.  He also pushed the party together at the beginning to give them some time to figure out they got along, and in a way that they felt they were doing what they wanted to do instead of being railroaded.  Specifically, each received a divine calling to go to a certain location and join the others for a task to be revealed to them all at that time, with a promise of excellent rewards and a small taste of it to show this was worth checking out.  The thief got a magic lockpick that could open any mechanical lock if he was willing to invest the time and give up his silence advantage by speaking the command word and waiting for it to operate instead of just using it to pick the lock himself, for example.

I think it might also help to remind the players to think of it as a role playing game instead of the other way around.  Having fun with it and your friends is more important than, say, having your tyrannical Hextor follower keep trying to subjugate the barbarian because that's what fits his backstory and style.

Kormoran:
TBH the majority of my campaigns both as player and DM were with PC evil or at best neutral.
In the best situation players were simply a mix of ambition and selfishness... and it happened they associated with evil organization for their own interest.
In the worst they were directly evil... first working as minions then ranking up.

I do not think it's anything new.

It's important, anyway, a little bit "serious" attitude by players and DM alike. And the quiet acceptance by PCs that party infighting could happen and it's normal... and being backstabbed by a party member IS NORMAL.
No whining after such a case... neither creating a new PC with only target to "avenge" the dead one.

Finally it'll happen they'll be hunted down by paladin, good clerics, heroes & similia. DM IMO should not try to make gooddoers win anyway as they were the PC party but players should know they lives will be a little bit more dangerous than usual.

Final note: in my experience, it's damn more funny playing on the "dark side".

Kajhera:
My first group ever, we tried - drow party.

However, the only female drow cleric in the party had a player who really couldn't do evil very well. The slaves erred on the side of neutral and my male wizard was more the loyal, lawful evil, obedient and very quietly scheming type than someone who could actually push us toward evil.

It didn't really last long and we realized we weren't quite cut out for it.

Later, I ran a campaign for undead players. They went and started a powerful, utopic civilization of equality and tolerance, with epic spellcasting ensuring an awesome life for all their residents who don't quite fit anywhere else properly. ... They were granted divine rank 0 by ... by Heironeous.

We only really can do evil right in mixed parties.

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