Why does the BBEG always delegate?

Li Shenron · Jul 6, 2024

cranberry said:
Why do they always delegate dealing with low level PCs to their minions?

The chef, the dandy and the mastermind.

The BBEG is like a chef: there are things only they can do, and their time is better spent doing those, that's why they have assistant cooks to deal with generic tasks like slicing onions or adventurers.

The BBEG is a bit of a dandy: simply doesn’t like getting dirty or bloody, or even losing a single HP, if they can have someone else do that in their place.

The BBEG is a mastermind: their power is in their brain, not their arms, they rule by genius or charisma or simply money, but they are actually less effective than their minions in combat.

The last option is actually almost never used in RPGs, thanks to a certain american movies culture that dictates that the main antagonist must always die in the end preferably killed directly by the heroes, so 99% of the adventures assume they need to end in a fight and it has to be challenging.

KYRON45 · Jul 6, 2024

Plot device aside; its basic command structure.
Vader doesn't get sent to reprimand cadets in some far off academy.
Even my mom delegated to the porchlight to tell me it was time to come home at night.

cranberry · Jul 6, 2024

Thanks for the great responses everyone.! It will help me make my BBEG's more interesting in the future.

Some quick context- The PCs came across a large ornate door with a seal and somehow managed to open it, releasing the BBEG (a fiend of some sort) from imprisonment. There was no build up or extensive planning by the BBEG (I presume), other than to get out.

IMHO, if the players are arrogant enough to take on a big threat because they "know" the game must be balanced, then I have no problem making them regret their decision. (Which I did a few months ago) when my 2nd level players came across a young green dragon)

GMMichael · Jul 6, 2024

cranberry said:
Why do they always delegate dealing with low level PCs to their minions? Well, I know the answer. Because if they did, there wouldn't be many 2nd level PCs.

"Always" is a strong word. There are dead 2nd level characters out there. Since most of them aren't dumb enough to piss off BBEGs, most of them are actually still alive. And the BBEGs just become their leaders.

Cadence said:
Now I'm imagining a game where the PCs regularly find other completely decimated adventuring parties' remains as they try to track down the BBEG.

This does seem to logically follow. It's a problem for the GM though, unless the BBEG is the looting type.

Cadence said:
If it is a world where there aren't powerful opposing factions, and it's just the future PCs who are a threat, then I'm not sure why the BBEG wouldn't nuke the party, except that maybe they have doubled down on living up to some tropes.

Q: Why doesn't the BBEG rule the world?
A: Because there are powerful opposing factions.

Q: Great. Why don't those powerful opposing factions deal with the BBEG, so my 2nd level character doesn't have to?
A: Food for thought. I guess they do, right up until the end of the campaign when the PCs gloriously destroy her.

Q: If there's a BBEG, is there a BBGG?
A: Here we go...

BookTenTiger · Jul 6, 2024

If you're in a situation as a GM where you want to have the characters encounter the BBEG early, I think it's a good idea to consider why the BBEG doesn't just kill the group. Some fun ideas could be:

The BBEG mistakes the characters for minions / worshipers.

The BBEG offers the characters a deal.

The BBEG is grateful for a real challenge and can't wait to fight the characters when they're more powerful.

The BBEG recognizes one or more characters from a prophesy. It would be fun to have the BBEG see the group and go, "Oh no, the hero of the prophesy returns! I must flee or be destroyed!" And then the characters have to figure out which one of them is the hero of prophesy!

overgeeked · Jul 6, 2024

Hriston said:
It's a legacy of the progressive "fair" challenge focus of "Classic" play culture. You can see proponents of OSR eschew this in favor of more variable challenge in statements about players learning when to run from a fight and the like.

Sort of, but not really. I’ve seen the “learn to run” thing and said it myself. I’ve never seen anyone suggest having the BBEG attack the PCs at low level because of that statement. It’s mostly as CandyLaser suggests, they’re busy, they’re arrogant, and they delegate the task.

Deset Gled · Jul 6, 2024

Critical hits. There's always a risk of some 2nd level David randomly throwing down enough 20s in a row to really hurt a Goliath who has a bad string of 1s. This is also quite realistic; even a master martial artist is careful around sharp swords, just in case. And people accidentally die in bar fights from one punch if they fall wrong.

Resource and time management. The BBEG had better things to do today. Spells to cast, abilities to use. No one wants to push back their plans for a dinner ritual because some 2nd level guest showed up unannounced.

Leveling up the minions. If your level 1 mooks never fight any battles of their own, they'll never get the experience they need to become level 2 guards.

Hriston · Jul 6, 2024

overgeeked said:
Sort of, but not really. I’ve seen the “learn to run” thing and said it myself. I’ve never seen anyone suggest having the BBEG attack the PCs at low level because of that statement. It’s mostly as CandyLaser suggests, they’re busy, they’re arrogant, and they delegate the task.

The this in my statement, that I'm saying the OSR eschews, is a focus on progressive fair challenge, not "not having the BBEG attack the PCs at low level". It's a very strange thing to imagine I'm saying the OSR supports.

Theory of Games · Jul 6, 2024

The BBEG doesn't always delegate. Some of the best stories like "The Usual Suspects", "Hannibal" and "Dark Knight" feature an antagonist who does his own dirty work. Usually because he has an intricate plan that accounts for his being captured. That old "Now I have you right where you want me" Gambit.

Dannyalcatraz · Jul 7, 2024

Even some of the world’s most dangerous combat sports participants hire bodyguards. A pro boxer or MMA fighter has no reason to risk injury dealing with idiotic street fighter wannabes, stalkers and what have you, even though they could make short work of 99.99% of them. Bodyguards take that risk for them, saving their skills for when it can make them $$$$$. (Also, avoiding lawsuits.)

BBEGs are no different in a sense. They have plans, and their involvement is essential (at least, from their POV). Why risk missing The Great Ritual to personally deal with the uninvited smelly little murderhobos who just busted into their keep? That’s why you have minions in the first place: to deal with the small stuff. And other than The Great Ritual, it’s ALL small stuff.

Why does the BBEG always delegate?

Li Shenron

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KYRON45

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cranberry

Adventurer

GMMichael

Guide of Modos

BookTenTiger

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overgeeked

B/X Known World

Deset Gled

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Hriston

Dungeon Master of Middle-earth (He/him)

Theory of Games

Disaffected Game Warrior

Dannyalcatraz

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