I think Wizards of the Coast have been a pretty big villainous cabal

"What separates a villian from a monster is intention."

And what separates a villian from a super villian is presentation.

I think Fzoul Chembryl should be in the list. Chosen of Bane, Exarch of Bane, killed Manshoon and got rid of the Manshoon's clones within the Zentharim, made alliances with a baatezu's army, betrayed Scyllua Darkhope after inciting her to attack Shadowdale and managed to strike a pact with the elves of Cormanthor where he got Hillsfar and free passage as he "promised" not to harm elves or trees but still can do the rest of the Zhentarim's business through the areas.

That Szass Tam guy seems like he would be an interesting read.

You know, the fact that five of these are archmages says a lot about wizardry.

I'd say Larloch and Daurgothoth are more powerful than those listed but being that they mostly keep to themselves and dont cause trouble I think your list is perfect. Excellent job and great lore!

Great vid, just to note though I believe Ed Greenwood has suggested that the "Original" Manshoon is still alive.

Szass Tam has to be my personal favorite fantasy villain. He’s the perfect example of the ‘Gentleman Villain,’ and feels no need to push this. He’s simply does as he wishes, hatching plans within plans within plans, and even when they get thwarted, he just moves on. He treats people politely, even before he kills or ends them in some horrific manner, such as what he did to the red wizards at the end of the Haunted Lands trilogy.

The arcane age supplement “Fall of Myth Drannor” describes what happened between the beast tamers guild of myth Drannor and Halaster as an almost informal contact that the guild was unaware that they signed. The beast tamers were unknowingly able to link a gate from their guild hall to undermountain while not knowing that’s what they had done. Then for years they explored undermountain and took monsters to study so halaster decided to allow it but would abduct a wizard here and there as payment for the abducted monsters which halaster held to the end of myth Drannor since when hundreds of elves, humans and Demihumans escaped myth Drannor through that very same portal halaster responded by sending hundreds of monsters through the portal that inadvertently disrupting the army of darkness’s offensive and allowing the defenders to withdraw.

Sammaster was killed by Lathander's avatar near Hap in 916 DR. Four drops of the avatar's blood fell and was scooped up into an amber flask and became the Blood of Lathander.
Sharrans much later had stolen the relic and were ambushed and defeated near the river Chiontar by Lathanderians led by Vaseid, the amber was damaged and considered too unstable for transport so they built a monastery around it, the Rosymorn Monastery you can visit in Baldur's Gate 3.

Major oversight - the most notorious slaughterer of foolish adventurers: Klarg the bugbear 😎😂

And yet: with the immense bias of childhood on my side I would argue Joneleth 'Jon Irenicus' is by far my fave villain in the series.

Yvonell the Eternal alsi successfully completed Zin'Carla twice. This visible ages the caster but also extends life as well as grants Lloths highest favor.

9:30 All I remember is my quest to rizz up a manic pixie girl wild mage somehow leading to me kiting this guy through multiple archways to avoid his spells and repeatedly whacking him over the head with two flails after he melted all my buddies.

Cool list, I would have added Telamont Tanthul, Chosen of Shar and the leader of the Shade Empire.

Ioulaum the father of Netheril a 41st level mage, 5th level netherese arcanist and an undead elder brain CR 72 in 3e, I always thought a series with his undead ilithiliches and creatures under his command, rising to wage war in the underdark, then ultimately to the surface.  I think that would be a great threat to forgotten realms, make it very lovecraftian horror, who knows what type of creatures Ioulaum could have created or beings he has enslaved from other planes, add in he knows how to make a mythillar and so many other things, it makes me just giddy thinking about it.

I like  how most of the Greatest Villains of the Realms are Liches. Though I do wish more variety of Monster types was included in this list.

Phenomenal video, some of the greats on here! I was a bit surprised to learn that Larloch wasn't mentioned but there likely isn't much on him to put together a video on.

I know Jon Irenicus is just from the BG games, but he was a great villain too

First! Hope you keep this up. Great art!  Many characters are more neural now. Waiting for Updated Gromph video. Maybe Liriel too!