Magnificent Bastard/Sandbox

The old Magnificent Bastard Description in case we still want it.
The Magnificent Bastard is what happens when you combine The Chessmaster, the Trickster, and the Manipulative Bastard (Large Ham is optional): bold, charismatic, independent, and audacious -- and never petty. Unlike The Chessmaster, who seeks to control every single minute aspect of a situation, the Magnificent Bastard plays the odds and wins regularly. Another difference is the Bastard's willingness to step onto the playing field in person. The risks are obvious, but the strategic advantages are numerous. With charm, style, and an understanding of the human psyche, the Magnificent Bastard can play people's emotions like a piano and often come up smelling of roses afterwards. As a Trickster, he or she can easily adjust strategy on the fly; Xanatos Speed Chess is the Bastard's signature technique. This character is likely to remark that he or she likes those odds, especially if the odds are stacked heavily in the opponent's favor.

Generally, this character is really good at being bad.

The Magnificent Bastard can be at any level of the villainous hierarchy - the Big Bad, The Dragon, or a Wild Card trusted by neither side (note that if a Magnificent Bastard works for a Big Bad who is not one himself, he's likely to be a Hypercompetent Sidekick, Dragon-in-Chief, or Dragon with an Agenda -- these guys don't give their loyalty to inferior people without qualifications). Also, the Magnificent Bastard is likely to appear as a Villain Protagonist or dark Anti-Hero, whose nature allows more of an emotional investment in his or her chess pieces than many other types of Villains. Sometimes he will even appear on the good side of the ledger as a somewhat untrustworthy ally whose methods are less than scrupulous, but as long as you don't ask too many questions, he might just do you a good service. (Though if the Bastard ever moves completely out of the 'evil' spectrum, he becomes a different trope). Some characters are even adept at straddling the two tropes.

The term was first used by General Patton in reference to Erwin Rommel in the film Patton. It acquired its current meaning courtesy of Lionel Luthor of Smallville, who was given this nickname by the Television Without Pity boards.

Might also be Abusively Sexy. Compare and contrast Smug Snake, who are a similar archetype but allow their cowardice to overtake their awesomeness. Can overlap with Crazy Awesome if the crazy has a strong element of cunning (although Crazy Awesome is more often a specifically heroic trope, one that relies on more improvisation than the Bastard). (Mostly) Contrast the Complete Monster, whose acts fill the audience with hate and revulsion. The two can overlap as in the case of Hans Landa, the Joker, M. Bison and Palpatine. For just the villainous charm, see Affably Evil, Evilly Affable, and Wicked Cultured. For just the ingenious planning, see The Chessmaster (events) and Manipulative Bastard (emotions). Very likely to receive a Love to Hate reaction from the audience. Often a beneficiary of Jerkass Dissonance. Compare and contrast Villain Sue, where this is taken so far that it breaks the audience's suspension of disbelief and therefore becomes annoying rather than cool. If these guys are in charge and good at it, expect Vetinari Job Security to rear its ugly head.

Has nothing to do with Heroic Bastard, which is about literal bastards. The Guile Hero is the heroic analogue to the Magnificent Bastard. Please confine heroic examples to that page.

While the Magnificent Bastard is clever, he or she usually know they're clever. If anything leads to the downfall of the Magnificent Bastard, it is their overconfidence.

It should be noted that one person's Magnificent Bastard can be another person's Smug Snake, Complete Monster or Villain Sue, making this one of the biggest Your Mileage May Vary tropes out there.

Please confine discussion to the discussion page. See also our guide on how to Write a Magnificent Bastard of your own.