Day 26 of RPG a Day 2025 proposes Nemesis as the topic. And all I can say is:
Cobra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!
The first thing that came to mind upon reading the prompt was one of the lamest characters in one of the lamest movies you could ever see —the Nemesis Enforcer from G.I. Joe: The Movie.
I have read that in the new Energon Universe by Skybound Entertainment, the Nemesis Enforcer has been transformed into a frightening creature in modern comics. However, for a fourteen-year-old me, the Nemesis Enforcer was the most entertaining aspect of the otherwise terrible movie.
Of course, a later franchise I enjoyed gave us another Nemesis, in Resident Evil 3. I remember it as a terrifying enemy in the game, granted, I played this 26 years ago. I don’t think it translated as well to the big screen.
According to the Wikipedia entry, the etymology of the word nemesis “is derived from the Greek word νέμειν, némein, meaning ‘to give what is due’, from Proto-Indo-European *nem- ‘distribute’.” This same entry also identifies the goddess Nemesis as the “goddess who personified retribution for the sin of hubris: arrogance before the gods.”
While I read about many Greek gods converted to D&D and AD&D while I was growing up, I do not remember seeing Nemesis as a D&D goddess. I wonder if she’s a deity in any other tabletop role-playing game. She would certainly make an interesting goddess or retribution.
But after all that preamble, what is a nemesis in our RPGs? A nemesis, per the modern meaning of the word, is a rival or arch-nemesis. A good nemesis is a crucial component of a game. Give the players a good enemy to hate, a great rival attempting to foil their plans, and you are on the way to a memorable game.
Since I tend to run long campaigns, recurring nemeses (the plural of nemesis) are a great tool, but often are more arch-centered rather than present the whole campaign. There are exceptions, but more often than not, there is a series of villains that may or may not work for the BBEG.
Some memorable nemesis in my campaigns include Terr Sotor, about whom I wrote before during RPG a Day in 2016, a former street urchin assassin, the players encountered in one campaign, who became one of their biggest rivals in the next campaign.
There was also Von Beck Strauss, an evil military commander, and father of one of the players in my second long-running AD&D 2nd edition campaign. He was created by one of my players as part of his background, and he became one of the major villains in that campaign. Another memorable villain was Admiral Malaver, a thorn on the players’ side in our Pathfinder 1st edition pirate-themed game.
A good nemesis has ties to the players, in their background or as a rival to their goals, as the game progresses. While it is not impossible, brute opponents may be more challenging to turn into a nemesis, unless they are so powerful that their presence and immense power pose a threat. More often than not, a good nemesis is conniving, clever, and returns time and time to challenge the characters. A good nemesis is hard to beat, but not impossible. If a nemesis is undefeatable, then it becomes a frustration. Build them up, make the players loathe them, and it will be all the sweeter when they finally defeat them!
What makes a good nemesis to you? Any memorable ones in your games? Any additional advice to make a nemesis unforgettable? I’d love to read your ideas and comments about the prompt; feel free to share them here in the comments or tag me wherever you do. If you choose to join in the conversation, don’t forget to include the #RPGaDay2025 hashtag so the community can find your contribution.
