How to write a good villain - DM Tips

Some of these tips may seem cliché, but they are that way for a reason.

Creating a villain with complex motivations, moral gray areas, and believable humanity will add a third dimension and may make the players more hesitant to do full frontal battle with them.

Though there is something to be said about a villain like Richard "the fireball" Boom-Boom, who just loves fireballs and must be stopped.

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Or just have a villain who's evil because he's evil. Not every villain needs 5 pages explaining why you should get why he's doing what he's doing.