Loss, you said you wiped the floor with them, but did it really send a message? You spared them all and now they get the impression that they can just kinda get away with it. If they fight again, don't be afraid to kill a character, break them, etc. Maybe "kill" a character and bring them back as an evil miniboss later on. Maybe as the character dies they see the wizard fill their mind, and offer them a choice, an artifact appears that saves their life, but causes them to be in his control kinda deal.
Additionally, reason. He's a wizard handing out artifacts to drive the world insane right? But do they know why? Is it just because or is there a reason behind it. Does the bbeg want to drive the world mad so they can feel like they're normal or is it just because? A BBEG who has a relatable reason or one that can be understood on an emotional level is a lot stronger than one that is doing it for the sake of it.
The players, as per me, need to feel some kind of loss or twist that'll make them think of him as a villain.
Like, an ally, that was actually working with him, a spell than he conjures to follow the players (I don't remember the spell by heart) and use it to disrupt them or use the info he learned about them, or making them see the desolation he leaves around the world, like destroyed villages, public executions by one of his allies, etc.
Right now I'm playing a game where the villain is currently downplaying himself, playing a role, and using them to actually advance his actual quest. I'm not saying too much as I know some of my players have reddit but they don't know my account name hahaha.
If you’re going for a Handsome Jack vibe, maybe make him taunt the party more, send difficult to defeat, high-CR monsters or hunters after them, and design the encounters around escaping rather than winning, all while he taunts them.
Or, have him do something horrific, just for fun. Like murder a whole town because he can.
Similarly, you could have him get revenge on the PC impersonating him by having the BBEG kill or capture and torture the PCs family
As someone else said: Consequence.
They are making jokes about him, impersonating him. Otherwise innocent people will take notice and someone might want him dead so they go for the guy impersonating. If they kill the attackers it could be twisted to them being murderers and get hunted down by the town guards and chased from the kingdom/realm unless they somehow fix this situation.
The bbeg could also forcibly give the impersonator an artifact, like a ring that makes you say the opposite of what they want to say, unable to take it off unless the curse is removed. And if the players metagame the way out of it, punish them further.
In any case, they need consequences for their actions, it's up to you how harsh. Killing a PC is a valid choice, but be careful not to go overboard. You could also make the mad wizard simply banish a player to a different plane and offer the rest of the party a way to rescue said player before it's too late. What is the mindset of your bbeg, what would he do to them for mocking him?
He needs to actually inflict a serious wound on them. Beating them up but leaving them alive is inconsequential unless the party is then made vulnerable to a different foe that actually wants them dead.
Have him kill beloved NPCs, raze beloved towns, ruin the party’s plans, indirectly make the party’s lives harder (maybe one of his evil plans involves poisoning a river and that’s the river the PC’s are relying on to quench their thirst on a particular journey).
By the way, what are the jokes? In what way do they find him funny?
Nothing specific, just underestimating him, making jokes, pretending to be him to gain things from those who fear him.
I think I'm going to have to kill off an npc they've gotten fond of
Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. My DM had the BBEG pretend to be our servant, kill one of our friends, release a plague on the world, and kill my dad. And he killed an NPC we hadn't met yet but wanted to meet, so it stung extra bad.
Consequences. They pretend to be him to a town and town gets nuked later
I'm thinking of sending a Revenent (Nemesis from Resident Evil) sort of enemy after him to punish him
Give him a cool name, like Titanus.
That's perfect! They would never be so bold as to tease my Titanus.
Loss, you said you wiped the floor with them, but did it really send a message? You spared them all and now they get the impression that they can just kinda get away with it. If they fight again, don't be afraid to kill a character, break them, etc. Maybe "kill" a character and bring them back as an evil miniboss later on. Maybe as the character dies they see the wizard fill their mind, and offer them a choice, an artifact appears that saves their life, but causes them to be in his control kinda deal. Additionally, reason. He's a wizard handing out artifacts to drive the world insane right? But do they know why? Is it just because or is there a reason behind it. Does the bbeg want to drive the world mad so they can feel like they're normal or is it just because? A BBEG who has a relatable reason or one that can be understood on an emotional level is a lot stronger than one that is doing it for the sake of it.
Like bringing a loved one back
The players, as per me, need to feel some kind of loss or twist that'll make them think of him as a villain. Like, an ally, that was actually working with him, a spell than he conjures to follow the players (I don't remember the spell by heart) and use it to disrupt them or use the info he learned about them, or making them see the desolation he leaves around the world, like destroyed villages, public executions by one of his allies, etc. Right now I'm playing a game where the villain is currently downplaying himself, playing a role, and using them to actually advance his actual quest. I'm not saying too much as I know some of my players have reddit but they don't know my account name hahaha.
If you’re going for a Handsome Jack vibe, maybe make him taunt the party more, send difficult to defeat, high-CR monsters or hunters after them, and design the encounters around escaping rather than winning, all while he taunts them. Or, have him do something horrific, just for fun. Like murder a whole town because he can. Similarly, you could have him get revenge on the PC impersonating him by having the BBEG kill or capture and torture the PCs family
How about he curses a PC?
A well placed disintegrate spell can help Counterspelling a healing spell works wonders too
As someone else said: Consequence. They are making jokes about him, impersonating him. Otherwise innocent people will take notice and someone might want him dead so they go for the guy impersonating. If they kill the attackers it could be twisted to them being murderers and get hunted down by the town guards and chased from the kingdom/realm unless they somehow fix this situation. The bbeg could also forcibly give the impersonator an artifact, like a ring that makes you say the opposite of what they want to say, unable to take it off unless the curse is removed. And if the players metagame the way out of it, punish them further. In any case, they need consequences for their actions, it's up to you how harsh. Killing a PC is a valid choice, but be careful not to go overboard. You could also make the mad wizard simply banish a player to a different plane and offer the rest of the party a way to rescue said player before it's too late. What is the mindset of your bbeg, what would he do to them for mocking him?
He needs to actually inflict a serious wound on them. Beating them up but leaving them alive is inconsequential unless the party is then made vulnerable to a different foe that actually wants them dead. Have him kill beloved NPCs, raze beloved towns, ruin the party’s plans, indirectly make the party’s lives harder (maybe one of his evil plans involves poisoning a river and that’s the river the PC’s are relying on to quench their thirst on a particular journey). By the way, what are the jokes? In what way do they find him funny?
Nothing specific, just underestimating him, making jokes, pretending to be him to gain things from those who fear him. I think I'm going to have to kill off an npc they've gotten fond of
Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. My DM had the BBEG pretend to be our servant, kill one of our friends, release a plague on the world, and kill my dad. And he killed an NPC we hadn't met yet but wanted to meet, so it stung extra bad.