11. Manshoon, the Manyfaced

One of the most popular mages in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, Manshoon was the founder of the Zhentarim, until he was slain by Fzoul Chembryl and Lord Orgauth in 1370 DR. Things get interesting from this point on, since Manshoon’s paranoia led him to create dozens of clones of himself, all of which awoke at the moment of his death.

Rumours say that more than 40 clones have been created. Nobody knows exactly how many, and how all of the clones were awoken at the same time. As an effect of the spell, the clones started to try to find and kill each other, an episode known as the Manshoon Wars.

Three of the clones survived in the end. One of them came back to Zhentil Keep, to serve as a lieutenant to Fzoul Chembryl (and was killed during the Netherese invasion). The second one took refuge in the Undermountain with Halaster Blackcloak, but later died after the Spellplague events. The last one had awaken as a vampire and became the leader of the Night Masks of Westgate. He raised some undead followers and rebuilt the forces of the Zhentarim, although they’re just a shadow of their former power.

• Manshoon is so powerful that he is one of the few mages in Faerûn who Elminster would not like to confront directly;
• He created several clones of himself, who awoke and tried to kill each other after he died;
• Through his cleverness and manipulations, he took control of Keep Zhentil and founded a guild of assassins to protect himself, which later became the Zhentarim;
• One of his clones is a vampire, commander of several thralls and know as the Night King;

Manshoon’s story is better described at the WotC official website. His stats for the 3.5 edition can be found in the Forgotten Realms book. There are many materials on the internet bringing lots of interesting information about Manshoon, as he is such a classical villain of Faerûn. He was recently featured in the adventure Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, as one of the antagonists behind the events in the city.

10. Acererak

The iconic lich featured in the Dungeon Master's Guide cover is not only a mighty wizard and a former apprentice of Vecna, but also the creator of the infamous Tomb of Horrors, a more-than-classical module who is certain to have killed hundreds of adventurers since its publishing.

Acererak lures unlucky explorer into his deadly dungeons with promises of holding invaluable treasures, only to trap their strong souls and feed his plans of ascending to power and infesting the world with undead.

He has recently appeared in Tomb of Annihilation (but only in the cover), but is present in several other adventures published before. Although he doesn’t play a role of a final boss, Acererak is always a hidden force behind the events of these adventures, usually diabolically watching as the explorers die in innumerable ways to his deadly traps.

• Some editions describe him as being a half-fiend before becoming a lich;
• As an apprentice of Vecna, Acererak has learned secrets from the first and most famous lich in the world;
• Acererak has a demesne in the Negative Energy PLane (or Shadowfell, according to the edition);
• His phylactery has never be found, which makes him impossible to truly destroy;
• Tomb of Horrors was such a deadly dungeon that few parties have managed to finish it with success. It was created by Gary Gygax to challenge overconfident players and crush their expectations with cruelty and a touch of sadism;

When faced directly, Acererak is certainly powerful. Although some DMs think his stats for 5e described in Tomb of Annihilation are too weak (or even wrong), he is still a formidable opponent of CR 23, and can deliver a beat if that’s what your party needs.

9. Lord Soth, Knight of the Black Rose

Lord Soren Soth of the Dargaard Keep, the Knight of the Black Rose, was in life a Knight of Solamnia, who fell to become a Death Knight and one of the most memorable villains of Krynn, the world described in Dragonlance.

Lord Soth is strong due to his undead abilities, but also skilled in the sword thanks to his training as a Knight of Solamnia. He fled the Order of the Rose to Dargaard Keep after killing his wife and having a bastard child with an elven priestess. His heart grew darker with each day while being besieged by the other knights, until he accidentally killed his new wife and child. The priestess, before dying, cursed him, which caused the entire keep to burn and killed Soth and his servants. Lord Soth raised again as a Death knight, and his servants as undead warriors.

The Death Knight served the Blue Lady, Kitiara, in the name of Takhisis, the Dragon Queen (a villain goddess of Dragonlance, much similar to Tiamat), and became one of the main antagonists in the War of the Lance.
Lord Soth was later brought to Ravenloft where he served and fought Count Strahd von Zarovich, although there is controversy about this facts.

• Lord Soth was a fallen Knight of Solamnia, highly skilled with the sword and very honorable;
• Even after becoming an undead villain, he still kept his sense of honor and pride, and never attacked an unarmed enemy or ambushed them from behind;
• He commanded legions of undead who follow him in his path of destruction;
• Lord Soth had an appearance on several novels and adventures based on the Dragonlance setting and is one of the most classical villains in Dungeons and Dragons;
• He was used as the quintessential Death Knight in the Monster Manual (5e);
• In the end, Thakisis returned his mortality and crushed him under the rubble of his castle as a form of punishment. Lord Soth somehow managed, after being such an evil being, to restore part of his honor before dying;

Lord Soth can be used as an exemplary Death Knight (a CR 17 monster), or you can check some of the homebrew stats created for him on the internet. All in all, Lord Soth was always considered one of the greatest villains of all time. Such a classic!

8. Graz’zt, the Dark Prince

If you’ve been reading this list from the beginning, you must probably have heard this guy’s name about a dozen times already. Graz’zt is one of the Demon Princes, standing amongst the most powerful demon lords of the Abyss. He is also one of the oldest and most recurrent characters in the D&D universe, with participation in many adventures and stories (as you might have noticed).

The origins of Graz’zt are uncertain, some academics believing he was a former archdevil who conquered three layers of the Abyss in the Blood War and then betrayed Asmodeus, while others believe he is a child of the Pale Night, the Mother of Demons (and one of the most ancient entities in the multiverse). Truth is, Graz’zt is now a powerful Demon Prince who rules not one, but three layers in the Abyss.

The Dark Prince is a skilled politician and a master tactician who is always plotting and scheming against his innumerable enemies. He prefers guile and seduction as weapons for manipulation, but he can also be a fierce fighter with whis acidic sword, the Wave of Sorrow. Graz’zt is described as a handsome demon with ebony skin, very erotic and depraved. His greatest ambition is to defeat his ultimate rivals, Demogorgon and Orcus, and become the true Prince of the Abyss.

• Graz’zt is one of the oldest villains in D&D, his most recent appearance being in Out of the Abyss;
• Graz’zt has had relationships with Eclavdra, is the father if Iuz, and is both a lover and an enemy of Iggwilv (who he helped creating the Demonomicon);
• He is worshipped by Lamias, escorted by two powerful Mariliths, and has at his service some powerful Bodaks. Witches make sexual pacts with him, giving birth to many tieflings. Many of his allies, brothers and sisters are also demon lords;
• His realm extends to three layers of the Abyss and hasremained so large for centuries. When at his palace, the Dark Prince keeps many attractive demons at hand, to feed his ferocious sexual appetite.
• He has many powerful enemies, which include Demogorgon, Orcus, Yeenoghu and Baphomet (among many other demon lords);
• He betrayed and kidnapped the goddess Waukeen while his daughter Thraxxia impersonated her, wanting to become the new goddess of wealth;

In combat, Graz’zt use his innate spells to confuse and control his enemies minds, and his mighty sword Wave of Sorrow to dilacerate those who resist. His stats can be found in the Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes and in Out of the Abyss. When he is not in combat, he uses his cunning and sensuality to manipulate his adversaries and conquest his objectives.