“I wonder if I could be an evil wizard?”
That’s the thought that’s behind this series. Is the game flexible enough to allow me to play as a selfish, power hungry mage who uses others to get what she wants and steps on those unfortunate enough to get in her way?
A lot of role-play games promise freedom; the ability to play as any kind of character you wish.
Vrexia is a mage. If the game allows, she's a necromancer, if not, she'll play a destructive spellcaster. Regardless of game mechanics, Vrexia is a manipulative witch who seeks power and domination over others. She serves when she needs to only to further her own ends, and her trust in companions is only given in exceptional circumstances.
This page features the games in which I try to play as her, and judge the game based on its ability to accommodate her.
Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023)
Drow (Lolth)
Mage (Necromancer)
To the question “can I play as an evil wizard?”, BG3 answers this with a resounding YES.
Yes, player, you can. You want to study the dark arts of Necromancy? No problem! You want to discover an ancient book early in the game that promises power and payoff much later? Here you go! You want to dominate others with your will, manipulate your companions, work with evil sects, raise hordes of the undead, bargain with witches, and make deals with devils?
BG3 set the standard for this. It stated this series because I’m certain no game will come close to what BG3 offers in terms of flexibility in character choice. Never have I have had more satisfaction playing an evil character. Never before has as game been so facilitating of this goal. Despite the misgivings I have about the structure of the game and 5E D&D, it can’t be denied that as a role-playing experience BG3 set a new standard that’ll be hard to surpass.
9.5/10
Oblivion (2006)
Dunmer (Dark Elf)
Custom Class - Necromage
“Live Another Life in Another World”
This is on the back of the Oblivion CD case. That seems to certainly be true as long as it’s one of the lives that Bethesda have planned for you.
Sadly, playing a mage who’s selfish and evil doesn’t seem to be one of those lives.
In this playthrough, Vrexia is a vampire, who works her way through both the Dark Brotherhood and the Mages guild. By the end of the series, she has risen to the rank of Listener in the Dark Brotherhood, and Arch Mage in the Mages Guild. She has discovered and unlocked the Vile Lair. And, she has attained a great deal of powerful spells, items, and abilities.
Yet I found the whole experience dissatisfying. Oblivion is made up of separate storylines that don’t intersect or react with one another, and offer barely any choices within them. The Dark Brotherhood is the evil storyline, and one of the best written in the game. Being an assassin suited Vrexia, who used a mixture of magic, stealth, and summons to achieve her aims.
The mages guild was wholly disappointing – much of it making little sense. It centres around necromancers being banned and rising up against the guild, but there’s no functioning necromancy in the game (aside from one item). There are no choices, no reason why necromancy was banned and nothing changes when you are arch mage – you can’t unban it, which would be Vrexia’s wont.
As such, this game doesn’t suit an evil mage. You can be an evil assassin, or a mage, but you can’t be both – the game doesn’t let you.
4/10
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