Trickster

Often more of an annoying nuisance than a fearsome or dangerous enemy, a Trickster may take many forms, from a con artist to a mischievous imp. These are villains who enjoy pulling pranks or screwing with the hero, often moreso than doing anything actively malicious. Adventures with trickster-type villains tend to be light and comedy-oriented, and the hero typically finds a way to defeat them non-violently.

Sometimes, there may be a lesson learned from the trickster, even if it's unintentional; the best example of such a character is Mister Mxyzptlk, who torments the heroes of the DC Comics Universe, especially Superman.

Other times, however, there are dangerous and serious villains that deploy very sneaky tactics and deceptive techniques to fool their enemies and/or the heroes. In some cases, Tricksters can be Pure Evil if their actions are particularly heinous, or if their "trickster" persona guises a more sinister personality. Good examples of Pure Evil tricksters are Dimentio, Yuuki Terumi, the Joker, William Wharton, and Evolt.

NOTE: not to be confused with liars who trick others or mischievous characters; this page is just for villains who fit the Trickster archetype.