r/wizardposting Mar 05 '26

Post From the All-Knowing Mods A Roleplay Guide for Villainy

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Meme taken from SkeletorIsLove http://skeletorislove.com/

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/Uw

Hey all. I know we've had a few posts already that outlined handy rules for roleplay etiquette. Here are some: 

  • RP Etiquette:

https://www.reddit.com/r/wizardposting/s/hDv5wbuOF7

  • When to play an OP character and how to do it well:

https://www.reddit.com/r/wizardposting/s/7RX9Zwmp8H

  • Recognizing abuse and manipulation in roleplay environments:

https://www.reddit.com/r/wizardposting/s/MuYKwuy2Ef

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But it has come to my attention that we might want a guide specifically focusing on the more villainous side of wizardposting. This is partially because matters concerning ethics have a way of getting more heated and partially because playing a villain (or even a morally questionable character) can present unique challenges. Conflict is the driving force behind story, after all, and we want to make sure we do it in a way that's fun for all parties. 

This post is targeted at the subreddit villains primarily, but I think anyone engaging in roleplay could benefit. 

Anyway, here we go:

1. None of this is personal.

This probably seems obvious, but I'd like to stress it because the kinds of in-character clashes that a straight-up villain gets into can sometimes create high tensions. Remember that the person on the other side of the screen is almost certainly not seriously evil. And they almost certainly do not think that you are either. We might write about doing evil things. We might roleplay evil things. But none of this means anything in regard to the real-life ethics of the flesh and blood person you are interacting with.

2. If it does become personal, be careful.

Ideally, we would be rational actors all the time, but unfortunately we are all mere humans (probably). Even when you know perfectly well that none of this is personal, it can still be hard to fully keep your emotions separate. This is understandable. We all get attached to our wizard characters, we all take moral stances, and we all get invested in plotlines. I mean, hey, if we aren't personally invested in our wizard roleplay, why are we even here?

When this happens, just be sure to proceed with caution. Try not to let out-of-character feelings influence what you do in-character. And, of course, it's basically never a bad idea to be open with people about it.

3. Get permission.

Another one that's been thoroughly covered before. But I bring it up because, as a villain, whatever evil thing you're doing is probably quite a bit more distressing than your run of the mill wizard shenanigans. Perhaps unsurprisingly, stepping on another roleplayer's toes is a bit more severe when you do it by burning their tower and kidnapping their apprentice. And if it's something particularly bad that you're planning, you should make sure to be very clear about your intentions and the potential consequences so the other person isn't taken by surprise.

4. It will probably feel a little unfair sometimes.

I will make no bones about it. Playing a villain will make people hostile to you. Do not take it personally.(see rule 1) But I will not deny that it can feel overwhelming sometimes to attract a lot of hate, even if it is all in-character. Further, as a villain, you will probably need to be more gracious about losing fights. While it's true that every character has to accept losses sometimes, playing a heel means you can generally expect to 'hit the mat' more often and more definitively. 

It's not all bad though. Villains are empowered to behave badly in creative ways. And sometimes even losing can be fun.

5. Consider content warnings.

This is not a hard rule, but if you are writing something particularly upsetting, it might be wise to provide a content warning. This is not a condemnation of the presence of dark or serious content. It's just nice to give people the opportunity to decide if they want to deal with it.

6. Morally ambiguous characters.

Not all characters fit neatly into the villain/hero dichotomy. Much of the advice here will apply to anyone who's character steps outside the category of 'good guy'. But it's still important to remember that explicitly and intentionally playing a villain is very different than playing a morally ambiguous character (even if you personally do not find their actions ambiguous). Condemning actions in-character is absolutely fine, but it's still up to the person writing the character to define that characters morality. I understand that this gets messy in a community with a lot of differing views, so if it becomes clear that you are at an impasse, it might be best to back off. 

That said, for any morally ambiguous characters, if you do something bad, you should expect people to react realistically in-character. You can't really be shocked that other characters don't like your cool new murder spell.

7. Note for heroes and other non-villains.

Lastly, I just want to address the protagonist types. Cut villains a little slack sometimes. Setting aside that it's more fun for us if we occasionally get a win, it also generally makes a better story.

And keep in mind that the person saying and doing horrible things in-character is there to have fun too. This is a cooperative activity, after all.

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With all that said, I'm off to do some evil scheming. Have fun. Be good to each other.


r/wizardposting Feb 07 '26

Post From the All-Knowing Mods WELCOME TO WIZARDPOSTING!

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Welcome to r/wizardposting! Assuming you just wandered in and have no idea what the hell you're looking at, this is a place people pretend to be are wizards and other magical things. That can range anywhere from just posting a meme while ranting about the Council and casting testicular torsion, to our more niche subcommunity of full-blown roleplay, creative writing, and interactive fiction.

When commenting:

/uw means unwiz

/rw means rewiz

We have an official DISCORD if you're into that kind of thing.

Other than that? Have fun, drink water, and remember to step away from the orb every once in a while. Be sure to review the rules in the sidebar before posting, and have fun.

Thanks for stopping by!


r/wizardposting 28m ago

Academic Discussion/ Esoteric Secrets I need to make this clear

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Every time I make reference to me being an archer people always think I'm using it to assist with my archery which is false, I DON'T used tracking spell, I DON'T enchant my arrow and definitely DON'T enchant my beautifully made bow, I shoot my arrow raw and if I hit a target I'm happy and if I don't I'll cry myself to sleep that night, I only used short and mid range spell.

Also I don't use those crude wooden bows the bloody ranger/druid used I am a woman with class all my bow are made with fancy wood and horns and I know I cannot replace it in the middle of the battle but I don't care.


r/wizardposting 6h ago

Evil pyromancer

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

What spell do i need to use to bing him back?

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r/wizardposting 8h ago

I just recreated the first light

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I accidentally recreated while testing my transmutation magic with my scholars so if one of my higher up could help me i would appreciate it


r/wizardposting 18h ago

Oh, wizard of the race, what is your wisdom?

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

Occult Practices Dont forget to bust out the Charcuterie spell in a duel

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r/wizardposting 7h ago

Academic Discussion/ Esoteric Secrets Guide to buy a staff for apprentice

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Many wizards kinda just passed through and tell their apprentice to get the correct shape of crystal for you but not explaining anything.

Fig 1: Shard type staff, as the name suggests it crystal has a shard/diamond shape it is the best for casting controlled offensive spell making it the choice for many young wizards especially those who spammed fireball.

Fig 2: A orb staff, the crystal is a rounded ball shape and funnily enough is the most well rounded for casting multiple type of spells both offensive and defensive due to this it is both preferred for both apprentices and powerful mages.

Fig 3: An all wooden staff, no crystal to amplify your spell but it does also mean you're forced to learn mana control and actually learn how to cast spell without the damage buff also casting with it usually costs less mana perfect for apprentices or more defensive mage.

These 3 are by far the most common and the one I recommend for newer mages.


r/wizardposting 14h ago

Occult Practices The casting time is long but worth it

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r/wizardposting 23h ago

I have stopped pondering my orb becouse I saw everything. What should I do now?

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r/wizardposting 10h ago

Wizardpost I'm sorry but you DO NOT need that on your wand for just general spell casting and self-defense

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

Bear study

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r/wizardposting 18h ago

Academic Discussion/ Esoteric Secrets My fellow wizards, I just discover a cheap and simple cure for depression, female hysteria, schizophrenia, demonic possession, insanity, impotence, and socialist ideas

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You see, I am a novice wizard who has always been fascinated by the secrets of electricity.

I recently received an INCREDIBLE, MAGNIFICENT AMULET from my master.

A dear friend of mine was having trouble with his familiars, who were stirring up a revolt over "unfair treatment" and "fair payment." My amulet revealed to me the secret to solving the problem; after a few months of my "electric therapy" (a name I coined myself), the Minions cast those absurd ideas aside AND keep serving.

Seeing how effective it was, I decided to try it on other cases. I treated a beautiful lady suffering from chronic sadness, and after the treatment, she passionately assured me that she no longer felt depressed.

A man who said he heard voices in his head thanked me through tears after the treatment. He said, "I can't hear them anymore, please stop I'm cured!!"

I have achieved a miracle and want to share it with everyone; my AMULET says this could revolutionize mental science!!!!


r/wizardposting 3h ago

Starting my day by pondering cereal

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

About to show why those dances classes wasn't just for extra credit

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

Foul Sorcery Hello can anyone tell me how to counter this I just cast fireball an- mmmfgghh

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

Wizardpost Learned the instant version from my friend Nasir

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r/wizardposting 16h ago

Lorepost (open interaction) 📖 Begin Again.

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following the battle with TFC, Max was blinded and వ was... gone. No one knows where he was sent when he was hit by the strike the first curse threw. Cross-planet scans didn't detect him, divination magic gave no result, even necromancy failed, so he's either still alive, or outside the range of the modern day.

Now, a few days after, Max is still getting used to being blind, but he's been able to manifest his curiosity soul as a temporary method of sight, if only for a few minutes at a time.

Knowledge that the head minister of Calarakis is now blinded, though it was originally kept on a little known basis, eventually people notice the blindfold and the stumbling, and the fight with the first curse spread through rumor, so the news breaks. Originally simply gossip before being confirmed.

/uw art from Pinterest, edited by me.

General interaction post, Max is currently in Calarakis, so interactions would occur there!


r/wizardposting 19h ago

Academic Discussion/ Esoteric Secrets For the last time not all wyrm are dragons

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Fig 1: A great wyrm salamander a type of dragon also known as a dragonic wyrm, typically larger and much more dangerous.

Fig 2: A great dessert serpentine wyrm a subtype of wyrm that isn't dragon only evolves to look like one to discourage predators.

If I order a dragonic wyrm it is NOT the spiky and dragon looking one, it is the salamander looking one, I know it might be confusing considering the non dragon one has a dragon looking face but you gotta understand the biology of beasts before becoming an adventurer.


r/wizardposting 1d ago

Magickal Art (User Creation) 🎨 Remembering the wizard war.

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

Foul Sorcery Ha! He can't heal a body without it's head? Amateur!

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

Wizardpost Even the mighty pin wizards must keep their orb in good condition.

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r/wizardposting 1d ago

Academic Discussion/ Esoteric Secrets Dawg look at my minions I'm NOT beating the evil allegations

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These 2 are local demons from my homeland that I tamed via beating the shit out of them, now they follow me as their boss and I love them and all very goofy guys, but LOOK AT THEM I'm not gonna beat the evil witch allegations wiz.

I need help to improve my PR because looking like an evil witch doesn't help me with being a proper and heroic noble family reputation I need to uphold for my future.


r/wizardposting 1d ago

Academic Discussion/ Esoteric Secrets Any tips for dealing with kappa infestation?

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My close friend and covenant member in the forgotten tottori prefecture of japan is currently dealing with a big amount of kappa activity and he fears that if they get too familiar with the area they'll start...you don't wanna know what kappas do when they get cocky. Any tips?