Starting a game soon that will involve dragon riders. I need some memorable villains.
I need classes (its a gestalt game), but more importantly I need motivations and goals. Many of them control large sections (kingdoms) of the land in question and it's the PC's job to take them down.
I have one, I like (feel free to add suggestions on him as well).
LE (race not yet implemented) Monk(unchained)/Kineticist(Earth/Air)
Blue Dragon
He holds control over a large portion of the desert area of the realm. He has manipulated the underground waterways so that only his oasis can access water. Cities within his territory are allowed to purchase water with gemstones or contracted slave labor. He also runs fighting pits/ arenas for sport (one of the things slaves can be sold/volunteered into).
He honors all contracts he makes, but if you steal anything, especially water, from him he destroys your world with a savage ruthlessness.
Alright, I'll throw out an idea. I'm assuming, when you state that the game is Gestalt, that these villains are also Gestalt. With that assumption...
Villain: CE Elf Antipaladin/Unchained Rogue
Dragon: Prism Dragon (Yes, this is a CN dragon for a CE villain)
Region: A wartorn sector of multiple smaller countries. New kingdoms rise and fall regularly, with the diplomatic and strategic fields constantly shifting from the shifts in alliances. Tyrants rule, are overthrown, and replaced by new tyrants with different slogans. The commonfolk huddle in their villages in fear, and the specter of fear and death hang over the land.
Villain Motivations: The Villain and the Prism Dragon have a friendly wager between themselves to see who is the better manipulator. As such, both work in the area to keep it in perpetual destabilization. For the Prism Dragon, this is an exciting game that staves off the boredom of ages. For the Villain, this is a perfect means to create widespread devastation, chaos, and catastrophe. Each sees the other as both a rival and an old friend, and neither would take well if their game was interrupted by well-meaning 'heroes'.
Villain build ideas: With high skills and presumably good Charisma, the villain should be a master of social situations, able to easily slip between whichever court he wishes to play with. Depending on what level/wealth you're building at, it may be entirely possible to take a Dex build, using Celestial Plate Armor to ensure that your high dex is still useful as you utilize the Antipaladin's heavy armor proficiency. With full BAB, and all good saves between classes paired with Unholy Resilience, your Villain will be an exceptionally dangerous opponent in combat once his plans have been ruined, and he comes for his revenge.
Yes, I tend to build my villains with the same rules as the players, just a few levels ahead. Your idea sounds cool, but I’m not sure how to implement it.
The black dragon has me stuck. From my reading it sounds like they don’t want any outsiders in their area. What would motivate them to be a ruler? Religion?