History Main / EvilSorcerer

* In [[Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaAkiraHimekawa Akira Himekawa's adaptation]] of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', the evil wizard Agahnim reprises his role as the main villain. [[spoiler:However, instead of being merely a disguise of Ganon, this time he's a former friend of Link's father who swore allegiance to Ganon in exchange for powerful magic.]]

* In ''Literature/RuslanAndLudmila'', the evil wizard Chernomor kidnaps Ludmila, the daughter of Prince Vladimir of Kiev, on her wedding night.

The Evil Sorcerer can be at several levels of the SuperWeight scale (depending on how strong magic is in a given setting) but he'll almost always be far more powerful than the heroes (unless they [[SquishyWizard manage to get physical with them]]), and will probably be at least superficially stronger than their good counterparts (owing to possessing [[BlackMagic powers]] that the good can't or won't use). If they're an Evil ''[[TheArchmage Archmage]]'', ''everybody'' should watch out.

** ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheMagicOfPegasus'': Wenlock uses his powers to [[AndNowYouMustMarryMe force women to marry him]], turn victims into a BalefulPolymorph, [[AndIMustScream or worse]].

** ''WesternAnimation/BarbieOfSwanLake'': Rothbart turns Odette and various children into [[BalefulPolymorph animals against their will]]. He also attempts to murder Odette [[spoiler:and later the prince]] on more than one occasion.

* BigBad Zeref from ''Manga/FairyTail'' is a {{deconstruction}}: He [[spoiler:UsedToBeASweetKid who just wanted his baby brother back, and never quite understood why researching the connection of life, death, and magic was so taboo]]. As a result of his curiosity and dedication to somebody he loved and cared about, he was [[spoiler:cursed by a JerkassGod]], and everything went downhill for him there. His turn to [[CreatingLifeIsBad Living Magic]] was less about power for power's sake and more about ending his own life [[spoiler:and saving his brother's]]. His actual StartOfDarkness came after his curse "[[OnlyMostlyDead killed]]" the [[LoveMakesYouEvil love of his life]] and he came to believe that HumansAreBastards thanks to the unique prospective of CompleteImmortality provides on the more unfortunate side of human nature that he ''truly'' became this.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': King Sombra is a powerful and tyrannical unicorn wizard who used to rule the Crystal Empire with an iron fist (metaphorically speaking) as a SorcerousOverlord; it's not exactly clear what he did during this period, but it was bad enough that his former slaves refuse to even think about his rule if they can.

* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'': Shadow Weaver. ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' keeps her evil and sorcerous, but also makes her an {{abusive parent|s}} just for added HateSink points.

* ''WesternAnimation/RandyCunninghamNinthGradeNinja'': The BigBad, simply called the Sorcerer, uses his magic [[VillainPosessedBystander to make monsters out of people]] to fight TheHero.

** Mamba from ''Anime/DragonBallGTAHerosLegacy'' is a demon who uses her magic to lure people in her home and then [[IAmAHumanitarian eat them]].

** FillerVillain Oacus is nothing less than a evil mysterious Sorcerer who [[PyroManiac loves watching stuff burn]] and has a creepy fondess for young girls. Like Thaegan he is more just a byproduct of the Shadow Lord's evil, and wasn't born into it.

* BigBad Zeref from ''Manga/FairyTail'' is a {{deconstruction}}: He [[spoiler:UsedToBeASweetKid who just wanted his baby brother back, and never quite understood why researching the connection of life, death, and magic was so taboo.]] As a result of his curiosity and dedication to somebody he loved and cared about, he was [[spoiler:cursed by a JerkassGod]], and everything went downhill for him there. His turn to [[CreatingLifeIsBad Living Magic]] was less about power for power's sake and more about ending his own life [[spoiler:and saving his brother's]]. His actual StartOfDarkness came after his curse "[[OnlyMostlyDead killed]]" the [[LoveMakesYouEvil love of his life]] and he came to believe that HumansAreBastards thanks to the unique prospective of CompleteImmortality provides on the more unfortunate side of human nature that he ''truly'' became this.

** Ryomen Sukuna, the secondary BigBad of the main series, was the most powerful Curse User a millennium ago, at the height of Jujutsu sorcery during the Heian era, earning the title of [[RedBaron "the King of Curses"]]. Eventually, he died and rose again as an Imaginary Vengeful Spirit, before being defeated and his power and soul [[SealedEvilInACan sealed into his twenty fingers]]. Unlike Geto, who is a ManipulativeBastard with [[WellIntentionedExtremist ultimately noble (if extreme) intentions]], Sukuna lives only for violence, bloodshed and his own amusement stemming from such, having led a lonely life of wanton slaughter and [[IAmAHumanitarian cannibalism]] prior to his sealing. He even prefers GoodOldFisticuffs to using his supremely powerful Techniques in combat, though in terms of Jujutsu talent and understanding, he remains near-unrivalled.

** Blackbriar Thorn (actually an evil ''druid''), a minor Franchise/{{Batman}} foe from the '80s. Would later return to battle the ComicBook/{{JSA}}.

** Karmang, the BigBad of the ''ComicBook/SupermanVsShazam'' crossover, is a very old and very mad sorcerer who intends to destroy two parallel Earths. He is powerful enough to crush ComicBook/BlackAdam easily, and his fire spells almost burn ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} and ComicBook/MaryMarvel to ashes.

** ComicBook/DoctorDoom. A rare example of one who is also a MadScientist.

** Gravemoss, foe of ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}.

** Formerly, ComicBook/{{Loki}}, [[GodOfEvil God of Mischief]] and archenemy of his brother ComicBook/TheMightyThor, is perhaps the most powerful sorcerer in all of Asgard, rivalled only by evil [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor (mostly)]] sorceress Karnilla. Now, both occupy a position of amiable neutrality.

* The Phantom Blot takes on this role in ''ComicBook/WizardsOfMickey''

%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}}'': Rasputin (in a rather egregious HistoricalVillainUpgrade). Doubles as a {{lich}}, although he's never explicitly referred to as such.

* ''Film/GhostbustersII'': Seventeenth century mass murdering tyrant Vigo the Carpathian, who "dabbled in all the [[BlackMagic black arts]]", was, at the age of one hundred and five, "poisoned, stabbed, shot, hung, stretched, disembowelled, drawn and quartered." Spiritually preserved in a self-portrait, he later draws strength from New York's underground river of anger-infused [[{{Ectoplasm}} psycho-magnatheric Mood Slime]]. Having [[TheRenfield bent to his will]] Dr Janosz Poha, Vigo tries to transfer himself to Dana Barrett's baby son Oscar.

** Malekith, the BigBad of ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. He is the leader of the Dark Elves, SufficientlyAdvancedAliens. Malekith has nearly destroyed the universe in the past and tries doing it again, using the dark power of the Aether.

** Overlapping with WickedWitch ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' [[spoiler:Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch thanks to the corrupting Darkhold and her own trauma has upgraded from PsychicPower DarkActionGirl to PersonOfMassDestruction evil goddess. Her chaos magic was more than enough to overpower the army of sorcerers at Kamar-Taj, annihilate the Illuminati whom had killed Thanos in their universe and overpower Strange himself, who had to tap into Darkhold himself just to get an edge. Speaking of Strange, the version of him seen in the BadFuture universe where he’s been corrupted by the Darkhold certainty counts as this, even if he’s not wholly evil.]]

** ''Film/The7thVoyageOfSinbad'' has Sokurah, who shrunks the female lead, turns a BedlahBabe into a dancing snake woman and controls a chained dragon at the end.

* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'' has [[JerkassWoobie Zedar]], [[TheDragon Ctuchik]], [[AxeCrazy Urvon]], [[VainSorceress Zandramas]], [[StarterVillain Asharak]], and every single Morindim magician.

** In ''Literature/TheHourOfTheDragon'', Xaltotun. He scares even his own allies into stealing his Artifact of Doom. There's a reason why Creator/RobertEHoward was the TropeMaker for SwordAndSorcery — and why "sorcery" got put in the title.

** Played straight with Ipslore the Red, BigBad of ''Literature/{{Sourcery}}'' who cheerfully abandons all sympathetic qualities with the death of his wife and becomes the ManBehindTheMan to his son, the sourcerer in question (so called because [[MagicalSeventhSon his place in the birth order]], Coin is capable of generating magical energy-which makes him a PhysicalGod). He exists only in a SoulJar, but how he was able to sneak that one past [[GrimReaper Death]] cements his place here; he made it so that reaping his soul will ''[[OffingTheOffspring kill Coin]]''. Subverted with Coin himself, however; while he at first makes a terrifying impression, killing several people, he turns out to be acting under his father's orders and is a remarkably sweet kid for someone with such a terrible role model.

* ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'' is said to have been adept in the dark arts due to being trained as a Solomonari, a dark wizard from Eastern European foklore. It's heavily implied that he rose as a vampire in the first place through magic rather than being bitten like all of his victims, and his more famous powers like turning into mist, bats, wolves or summoning storms are likely product of his black magic rather than inherent vampire powers.
* ''Literature/{{Dragaera}}'': Sethra Lavode is considered by many to be an EvilSorceress. On the one hand, everything we've seen of her from Vlad's first-person PointOfView indicates she's not that bad a person. On the other hand, every once in a while a member of the [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy House of Dzur]] will go off to slay her, and none of these people are ever heard from again...

** Yyrkoon is Elric's cousn and an EvilPrince who twice attempts to usurp Elric's throne. Though Elric cared little for his throne, Yyrkoon also attempted to usurp his lover Cymoril both times by placing her into a sorcerous sleep.

* Partly averted in Creator/SergeyLukyanenko's ''Literature/NightWatchSeries''. While Zabulon is TheArchmage, a MagnificentBastard, and TheChessmaster, he never does anything ForTheEvulz. Everything he does tends to be part of some bigger plan to advance the cause of the Darkness. Since DarkIsNotEvil, there are even a number of times he cooperates with his Light counterpart Gesar against a bigger threat. It's stated that many Dark sorcerers were evil in centuries past, this sort of behavior is now frowned upon by all Others, both Light and Dark, as both sides are interested in maintaining TheMasquerade, and the [[AncientBindingTreaty Treaty]] provides checks and balances for the actions of both sides. In fact, if a Dark Other starts to openly use magic, the Day Watch (the official Dark institution that polices the Light Others) is likely to be the first on the scene to stop him or her. After all, if the Night Watch does it instead, the Light ones may demand that the Inquisition grant them the right to a high-level intervention to compensate for the damage. There ''were'' many Dark Ones in the past (before the Treaty), who fit this trope, though. One story deals with the possible attempt by one faction to resurrect an ancient Dark mage named Fafnir, who would likely end up going on a rampage across Europe before being stopped by [[MugglesDoItBetter advanced human military technology]].

** In Season 8 of ''Buffy'' (which [[ArcWelding crosses over]] with ''{{ComicBook/Fray}}'') it is revealed that Willow [[ForegoneConclusion will eventually become]] a female version [[Really700YearsOld in the distant future]]. She is unaware of this, though she tries to stay away from black magic to prevent this.

* [[BigBadWannabe Vern]] and [[SmugSnake Omen]] in ''Series/DarkOracle''. Subverted by Doyle; he's creepy and neurotic, and it is repeatedly suggested that he is the real cause of all the twins' problems. He remains one of the good guys until the end though, becoming a semi-{{Mentor}} to the main cast.

** Baron de Belleme, a icy Satanist Norman aristocrat with Hermetic powers and a tendency to brainwash people, who actively used magic to fight his enemies and sought the limelight at every opportunity.

* ''Series/StrangerThings'' Season 4 BigBad has Vecna christened after Lich of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' who is a HumanoidAbomination who “curses” troubled teens as a [[Characters/ANightmareOnElmStreetFreddyKrueger Freddy Krueger]]-esque monstrous DreamWalker. [[spoiler:In actuality he is Henry Creel a human [[{{Mutants}} mutant]] with PsychicPowers, who was used a [[FirstOfItsKind progenitor]] in Department of Energy to develop more psychic children such as Eleven, although by the time Eleven has banished him to Upside Down due to his BewareTheSuperman behaviour he isn’t remotely human anymore and is closest equivalent to an actual evil sorcerer within the relatively realistic ''Stranger Things'' universe.]]

* ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'' plays with this trope. The main adversary of most PlayerCharacters, the Technocratic Union, use {{Magitek}}, and are corrupt but generally not evil. They conflict with the Traditions (who, it must be stated, are absolutely not without bad eggs of their own) mostly over worldview, turning the conflict into one of GrayAndGreyMorality where it's RomanticismVersusEnlightenment tragically fighting it out. But then the Nephandi, mages who have sworn themselves into the service of one EldritchAbomination or another, are this trope personified.

* ''VideoGame/CastleInTheDarkness'': The Dark Sorcerer is the BigBad, being a mastermind behind the monster attacks on the kingdom of Alexandria and the disappearance of King Elmore II. [[spoiler:As it turns out, he ''is'' Elmore II, [[DemonicPossession possessed by the Demon King and forced to do his bidding]]. In the GoldenEnding, the hero is able to purify him of his darkness and put an end to the Demon King's threat]].

** ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'': Arius, one of the main antagonists, is a great sorcerer whose magic allows to fight a [[OneManArmy powerful]] HalfHumanHybrid LightningBruiser like Dante and summon great monsters, teleport and create magical barriers. Although similar to the Saruman and Sauron example, he's still just one strong wizard trying be a god and gets overshadowed by the true antagonist Argosax, a Demon Lord who rivalled Mundus and Dante's father Sparda.

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'', Dunmeri [[TheClan Great House]] Telvanni is a [[TheMagocracy Magocracy]] that specifically appeals to Evil Sorcerer types. MightMakesRight is an official policy within the House, and KlingonPromotion is an official means of advancement. [[SubvertedTrope Strangely enough]], not very many of its upper echelon members seem to be outright ''evil'', though all are at least somewhat [[PragmaticVillainy morally corrupt]] and several are [[AxeCrazy completely insane]].

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'': Kuja. EvilSorcerer, AgentPeacock, TheStarscream and the eventual BigBad.

* ''VideoGame/GemsOfWar'': Karakoth is lousy with them. They have towers all over the place, and use them as bases for excavating ancient ruins full of things better left undisturbed. The Warlock's flavor text even lampshades some of the nature of the EvilSorcerer.

* ''VideoGame/{{Lusternia}}'': [[NietzscheWannabe The Nihilist Priesthood]] is a whole ''church'' full of Evil Sorcerer[=s=]. They worship extradimensional [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Demon Lords]], practice [[{{Necromancer}} Necromancy]] and wage a [[RageAgainstTheHeavens veritable war]] against the [[TheHecateSisters Three Fates]] (since the Nihilists regard predestination as slavery, and undead immortality as the path to freedom from it).

** In the main campaign, much of the plot is driven by Black Garius of the Arcane Brotherhood in Luskan, Neverwinter's historical rival. BigBadWannabe Garius and his minions seek to undermine Neverwinter to make it easy prey for Luskan conquest. After the Knight-Captain foils these plans, Garius and his inner circle seek out their true master, the King of Shadows, who transforms them into Shadow Reavers, powerful {{lich}}es bound to his command -- and it is in this form in which Garius is finally fought and killed.
** ''NeverwinterNights2/MaskOfTheBetrayer'': The Knight-Captain is drawn into the political machinations of the Red Wizards of Thay. While party member Safiya makes the point that [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch not all Red Wizards are evil]], one of the main villains is Araman, a fellow red wizard who kills Safiya's mother in a coup to take over the academy at Thaymount, sends Safiya's own students and fellow faculty members to kill her, and [[spoiler:is bound by his oath to the death god Myrkul to ensure that the Spirit Eater curse is never broken, even if that means killing the Knight-Captain to ensure it moves on.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': King Sombra is a powerful and tyrannical unicorn wizard who used to rule the Crystal Empire with an iron fist (metphorically speaking) as a SorcerousOverlord; it's not exactly clear what he did during this period, but it was bad enough that his former slaves refuse to even think about his rule if they can.

* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'': Shadow Weaver. ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' keeps her evil and sorcerous, but also makes her an AbusiveParent just for added HateSink points.

* ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}:
** Zee's ArchEnemy is Brother Night: a SerialKiller turned necromancer who controls San Francisco's underworld.
** Nimue Ravensong is a low-level magician and an annoying thorn in Zatanna's side. she cannot cast spells without making a sacrifice to power it.

** TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms: Halaster Blackcloak, Manshoon([[CloningBlues s]]), the ruling council of the city of Shade, Szass Tam and the rest of the Red Wizards of Thay. And these are just the most notable/infamous. There's probably hundreds of 'em.

* ''ComicBook/ElfesEtNains'': The Dark Elf Lah'Saa is a powerful necromancer who becomes the BigBad of the series and leads an army of ghouls to lay waste to the world of Arran.

* ''Literature/TheCrewOfTheCopperColoredCupids'':
** The [[SorcerousOverlord Dark Lords of Shenanig]], a centuries-old dynasty of [[CardCarryingVillain proudly evil]] sorcerers whose magic is powered by ThePowerOfHate. The line culminates in Emperor Steer, who is both the most powerful and the most [[SanitySlippage unstable]] holder of the title in recorded history, much unlike his predecessor Lord Nefarious, a NobleDemon who was "a good ruler — albeit not a good man".
** Mandragora, Pythe's ArchEnemy, is an [[AlchemyIsMagic alchemist]] who went mad in his quest for ultimate enlightenment, and has also used other schools of magic to achieve his ends, including demon-summoning.

* ''Series/StrangerThings'' Season 4 BigBad has Vecna christened after Lich of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' who is a HumanoidAbomination who “curses” troubled teens as a [[Characters/ANightmareOnElmStreetFreddyKruger Freddy Kruger]]-esque monstrous DreamWalker. [[spoiler:In actuality he is Henry Creel a human [[{{Mutants}} mutant]] with PsychicPowers, who was used a [[FirstOfItsKind progenitor]] in Department of Energy to develop more psychic children such as Eleven, although by the time Eleven has banished him to Upside Down due to his BewareTheSuperman behaviour he isn’t remotely human anymore and is closest equivalent to an actual evil sorcerer within the relatively realistic ''Stranger Things'' universe.]]

* ''Series/StrangerThings'' Season 4 BigBad has Vecna christened after Lich of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' who is a HumanoidAbomination who “curses” troubled teens as a [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Kruger]]-esque monstrous DreamWalker. [[spoiler:In actuality he is Henry Creel a human [[{{Mutants}} mutant]] with PsychicPowers, who was used a [[FirstOfItsKind progenitor]] in Department of Energy to develop more psychic children such as Eleven, although by the time Eleven has banished him to Upside Down due to his BewareTheSuperman behaviour he isn’t remotely human anymore and is closest equivalent to an actual evil sorcerer within the relatively realistic ''Stranger Things'' universe.]]

[[folder:Film — Animated]]
* Rasputin (in a rather JustForFun/{{egregious}} HistoricalVillainUpgrade) in ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}}''. Doubles as a {{lich}}, though he's never explicitly referred to as such.
* Franchise/{{Barbie}} movies:
** Gothel in ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAsRapunzel'' uses her magic to trap Rapunzel in her tower and even to [[WouldHurtAChild attempt to murder innocent children]].
** Rothbart in ''WesternAnimation/BarbieOfSwanLake'' turns Odette and various children into [[BalefulPolymorph animals against their will]]. He also attempts to murder Odette [[spoiler:and later the prince]] on more than one occasion.
** Wenlock in ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheMagicOfPegasus'' uses his powers to [[AndNowYouMustMarryMe force women to marry him]], turn victims into a BalefulPolymorph, [[AndIMustScream or worse]].

** The (unnamed) evil Queen from ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', who uses a spell to transform into an old hag to deceive and kill Snow White.
** Maleficent from ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty''. While she is more of an evil fairy, her long, black dress, scary castle, and terrifying abilities definitely gives her the appearance of an evil sorceress. Averted in both her [[Film/{{Maleficent}} live adaptation appearance]] and [[Film/MaleficentMistressOfEvil the sequel]] where she [[AdaptationalHeroism is portrayed more sympathetically]].
** The Horned King from the film version of ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron'' (where he takes on the role filled by Arawn in the novel), who attempts to revive the dead with the Black Cauldron.
** Ursula from ''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid|1989}}'', a sea witch who turns merfolks into polyps once they failed to meet her demands from her deals.
** Jafar from ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', who uses his second wish in order to become one. Also applies to his LiveActionAdaptation.
** Dr. Facilier from ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'', a witch doctor who was responsible for turning Prince Naveen into a frog and has made deals with his "friends on the other side".
%%* Ommadon the Red Wizard, from ''WesternAnimation/TheFlightOfDragons''.
* Koshchei from ''Animation/TheFrogPrincess'' is a powerful sorcerer as well as an evil jerkass who turned his whole kingdom into gold.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNimh 2: Timmy To The Rescue'': While his powers are all based around technology, [[spoiler:[[BrainwashedAndCrazy Martin]]]] certainly seems to enjoy the trappings of this trope. Complete with robe and staff.

* Blackwolf in Creator/RalphBakshi's ''WesternAnimation/{{Wizards}}''. He's the EvilTwin of Avatar.

* Almost all magic users in ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu'' will turn into this, spend the rest of their lives eating bugs in an insane asylum, or else die so horribly that seeing their remains could cause Sanity loss on the SanityMeter. The "or" in the proceeding sentence is not an ''exclusive'' or, and you can bet the head of a cult will fit this trope well. MagicIsEvil here.
** ''TabletopGame/CthulhuTech'' is the marriage of RealRobot mecha anime, ''The Guyver'', and ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu''. Needless to say, twisted sorcerers are a dime a dozen.

** ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'': While all members of the Arcanite Cults have some level of arcane skill, the Magisters of the Cult’s leadership are the true masters of TheDarkArts who will stop at nothing to lead their Cult to victory and gain favour with their profane god. Having sold their souls to Tzeentch, the Chaos God of Sorcery, magical energy saturates their bodies allowing the Magister to draw upon the raw power of Chaos to power their spells.

* ''TabletopGame/FengShui'''s 69 AD juncture is ruled by the Eaters of the Lotus, a sinister cabal of evil eunuch sorcerers and their human and demonic servants. The Four Monarchs, banished to the Netherworld, are another example, except for the smartest one of the lot [[DefectorFromDecadence who's not so bad anymore]] for someone who [[EvilOverlord ruled 1/4th of the world for centuries with absolute power]]. The best part about the price they pay? They either don't care or they think it's [[CursedWithAwesome awesome]].

* ...and ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' loves it almost as much. The most prominent is Lim-Dul, the Necromancer, whose hordes of [[ZombieApocalypse undead]] and [[DemonicInvaders demons]] plagued the continent of Terisiare during the Ice Age; [[spoiler:Lim-Dul is later revealed to be another Evil Sorcerer, Mairsil the Pretender, whose soul had been trapped and possessed an innocent man years later]]. Lim-Dul was followed shortly after by Heidar of Rimewind, a mad [[AnIcePerson ice wizard]] who wanted to return the world to a second Ice Age. There's also Lord Dralnu, the Lich-Lord of Urborg, a zombie wizard with whom the forces of good were forced to ally against the invading Phyrexians; Memnarch, an [[AIIsACrapShoot evil artificial being]] with powerful magical abilities; and Virot Maglan, the Cabal Patriarch, who runs a sorcerous mafia.
** BigBad Nicol Bolas is an Evil Sorcerer ''[[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]]''. He is the oldest and the last of the Elder Dragons in a setting where dragons become more powerful and dangerous with age. While he was originally represented in-game as an "ordinary" legend type creature card (with a special ability that has him ''MindRape'' the opponent instead of dealing damage), he is now a ''planeswalker''. As in a ''PhysicalGod''.
** Generally speaking, Blue and Black as a whole play a lot into this trope's archetypes.

* The ''TabletopGame/SpiritOfTheCentury'' supplement ''SpiritOfTheSeason'' brings magic more fully into the game, and naturally has a couple of magical villains, including Salomon Mizrahi, a evil kabbalist who is convinced he is a Tzadikim Nistarim, one of the 36 Righteous People whose existence supports that of the world. Interestingly, he's actually better at Science! than he is at magic, making him particularly dangerous.

* Miseria, the main villain of ''Theatre/TheEighthVoyageOfSindbad'' show at [[Ride/UniversalStudios Universal's Islands of Adventure]], is an evil sorceress.

* ''[[VideoGame/AncientDomainsOfMystery ADOM]]'': Keethrax, the Black Druid; Nonnak the necromancer; Yulgash, the Master Summoner; Nuurag Vaarn, the Chaos Archmage; Gaab'Bay, the old crone.
** Oh, and [[EverythingTryingToKillYou if you live]] [[NintendoHard long enough]] to see them all, you'll also meet liches, necromancers, dark sages, black wizards, chaos wizards, the skeletal king, a variety of wyrms (which can cast spells), and possibly an evil god. Also, depending on your choices, [[VillainProtagonist you.]]
* Ba Rouryuu, the BigBad of the GirlsLove VisualNovel ''VisualNovel/AoiShiro''. [[HarsherInHindsight If no one stops him, a tsunami of unbelievable magnitude will hit all of Japan in no time]].

* The Lotus Clan from ''VideoGame/BattleRealms'' is ruled by a cabal of immortal Warlocks. In-game the Warlock (which consist of lesser members of the cabal) is one of their higher-tier units and the leaders of the cabal are their hero units.
* The Dark Sorcerer is the BigBad of ''VideoGame/CastleInTheDarkness'', being a mastermind behind the monster attacks on the kingdom of Alexandria and the disappearance of King Elmore II. [[spoiler:As it turns out, he ''is'' Elmore II, [[DemonicPossession possessed by the Demon King and forced to do his bidding]]. In the GoldenEnding, the hero is able to purify him of his darkness and put an end to the Demon King's threat]].
* Dimos, the BigBad from ''VideoGame/CirqueDeZale'', who uses his magic to terrorize the land and capture and enslave its citizens.
* Seath the Scaleless in ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' is a dragon credited with inventing sorcery. He's an insane wreck in the present after vainly trying to solve the mystery of the scales of immortality that every dragon ''but'' him possessed.

** Arius one of the main antagonists of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'' is a great sorcerer whose magic allows to fight a [[OneManArmy powerful]] HalfHumanHybrid LightningBruiser like Dante and summon great monsters, teleport and create magical barriers. Though similar to the Saruman and Sauron example, he’s still just one strong wizard trying be a god and gets overshadowed by the true antagonist Argosax, a Demon Lord who rivalled Mundus and Dante’s father Sparda.
** Arkham from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' is another human sorcerer who desired to have the power of a demon so sacrificed his loving wife Kalina Ann in ritual to become a demon, but messed up and only gained a MonsterClown SuperpoweredEvilSide Jester. He spends the rest of the game, attempting to gain the power of Sparda and is even able to fight and overpower both half-demon boys Dante and Vergil as well as his own ActionGirl daughter Lady whose blood he uses to open the demon world. Similar to Arius however, he soon becomes a secondary threat to real BigBad (in this case Vergil) by the end since he can’t properly utilise the power of Force Edge and eventually devolves into a gooey monster before getting his ass kicked out of the demon world by Dante and Vergil.
** Agnus from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'' is a ScienceWizard example having studied the demon world and using Yamato was able to be a MookMaker and is able to open the Hell Gate. He’s also powerful enough to fight Dante and Nero despite his [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass feigned]] DirtyCoward behaviour.

* The Summoner from ''VideoGame/DiabloII'', who used to be the Sorcerer from the first game before being driven mad by Diablo.
* The Tevinter Magisters of ''Franchise/DragonAge'', which is much more pronounced in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII''. In fact, according to the lore the Tevinter Imperium was responsible for creating the [[TheHorde Darkspawn]] after using magic to try and reach the equivalent of heaven, only for it to go horribly horribly wrong. They're still around, mostly seen as slavers or maniacal and powerhungry blood mages. ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' makes it seem like they're little more than a VestigialEmpire. The sequel reveals that, while they've suffered from the rebellion in the Southern lands (e.g. Ferelden, Orlais) and the never-ending war with the Qunari, the Imperium is still strong and has large holdings in the North. They're also slowly recovering and may threaten the Southern kingdoms in the future.
* Nasira from ''VideoGame/DisneysAladdinInNasirasRevenge''.

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena Arena]]'', BigBad Jagar Tharn acted as an EvilChancellor to Emperor Uriel Septim VII. Tharn trapped him within a pocket realm of Oblivion and usurped his position for 10 years. Naturally, it is up to the PlayerCharacter to stop him and restore the rightful emperor.

** A particularly disturbing example can be found in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]''. Arondil the Necromancer is a perverted creep who was exiled from Dawnstar because he became a StalkerWithACrush to the village's milkmaids. He went into hiding in some nearby ruins to perform his practices in secret, and when one of the adventurous girls went exploring in the ruins he killed her and raised her as a thrall to sleep with her. Now he sends undead draugr to capture Dawnstar's women and bring them back to Yngvild to ''create his own undead harem''. If you ever go into Yngvild, please do waste him.
** Speaking of ''Skyrim'', the BigBad of the ''Dragonborn'' DLC Lord Miraak is an extremely powerful magical Dragon Priest and is the first Dragonborn himself able to give the player a taste of their own SuperScream medicine. The irony of him of being a sorcerer is that he's actually a [[HornyVikings Nord]], a race that mostly DoesNotLikeMagic on principle. Although as explained by the lore, ancient Nords like Miraak (especially their Atmorans ancestors) used magic all the time, it just fell out of practise by Nords in the modern times where the games take place.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Faria}}'', the BigBad is a nameless Wizard who was formerly a SealedEvilInACan. This Wizard has two horns and a scarlet body, though he otherwise doesn't look much like a BigRedDevil. He magically disguises himself to obtain the King's scrolls that were used to subdue him long ago, and [[spoiler:uses them to [[ScaledUp turn into a dragon]]]]. His evil magic is also responsible for [[spoiler:transforming all men in the player character's kingdom into women]].
* This is a recurring villain archetype in the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series:
** The first Evil Sorcerer in the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series is TheEmperor, Mateus Palamecia, of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII''.
** Golbez from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'', who also doubles as a TinTyrant. [[spoiler:In the sequel, he goes the other way, picking up a {{BFS}} and becoming a [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damn Hero.]]]]
** Exdeath in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' is first made to be one of these when the player doesn't know him very well. Then, he's hinted to be a HumanoidAbomination. Finally, he's revealed to be... [[WhenTreesAttack an evil tree]].
** [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Kefka Palazzo]] starts as this, but ends up becoming something [[OmnicidalManiac much worse]].
** Sephiroth in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' much like his nemesis Cloud is a MagicKnight thanks to Magic Materia, being able (as seen in the flashback battle on the road to Nibelheim) use Earth Materia on a massive dragon before killing it with a single stroke [[MasterSwordsman with his sword Masamune]]. When you fight him at the end of [=FFVII=], ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake Remake]]'' and optionally during ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' he will bust out massively powerful spells as well as slash you up close in the latter two games.
** Sorceress Ultimecia from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' is very much an evil sorceress. Her goal is to compress time so that all creation would be centered around her, thus making her a goddess to reshape reality as she sees fit.

** Kuja from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'': EvilSorcerer, AgentPeacock, TheStarscream and the eventual BigBad.
* Several ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' antagonists such as [[VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight Gharnef]], [[VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade Nergal]] and [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Validar]]. Some may overlap with SinisterMinister.
* In ''VideoGame/GemsOfWar'', Karakoth is lousy with them. They have towers all over the place, and use them as bases for excavating ancient ruins full of things better left undisturbed. The Warlock's flavor text even lampshades some of the nature of the EvilSorcerer.

* The Archmage from ''VideoGame/GrimGrimoire''.
* At one point in his campaign, Gauldoth Half-Dead of ''[[VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic Heroes IV]]'' lampshades the tendency for necromancers to become the evil TakeOverTheWorld overreaching villain. That said, it's not ''that'' common an affliction: over the course of the six games taking place on Enroth, a grand total of ''one'' character (Sandro) fitting this description shows up, and he survives the ordeal and aims for more modest goals after that.

* Most of the Society of the Black Cloak from ''VideoGame/KingsQuest''.
* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' it's suggested that falling victim to this trope was the underlying cause of Revan's fall to the dark side. In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', [[spoiler:Atris]] embodies it, and in somewhat more rounded fashion, Darth Traya does as well.

** Primary BigBad Ganon has taken on many forms, but one trait they all share is an aptitude for powerful magic, which is revealed in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' (his chronologically first appearance) to be the result of him being raised by two Gerudo witches.
** Agahnim in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'' is a powerful wizard who used his magic to win the trust of Hyrule's king before seizing the entire kingdom for himself, [[spoiler:though he may just be [[HijackedByGanon an alter ego of Ganon]], depending on the version and the translation]].

** The BigBad of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle of Ages]]'' is the Sorceress of Shadows, Veran. [[spoiler:The people pulling the strings behind both ''Oracle'' games are the witches Twinrova (the same ones who raised Ganon).]]
** Zant, the primary antagonist of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', has incredibly powerful dark magic gained from [[spoiler:his deal with Ganon, who proceeds to once again hijack the game after Zant's defeat]].
** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds A Link Between Worlds]]'' has Yuga, a sorcerer from Lorule who seeks the power of Hyrule's Triforce and can turn people into literal paintings. [[spoiler:He even manages to successfully fuse with Ganon while ceding little of his original personality.]]
** ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity'' has Astor, a hooded man working with the Yiga Clan to resurrect Calamity Ganon. He is able to directly manipulate Ganon's [[MadeOfEvil Malice]] and uses it to shoot fireball-like projectiles and produce shadowy {{Doppelganger}}s of the Champions among other things.
* Bair from ''VideoGame/LuciferRing'', the game's main villain, an evil warlock who wants to revive a powerful demon to TakeOverTheWorld.

* [[NietzscheWannabe The Nihilist Priesthood]] in ''VideoGame/{{Lusternia}}'' is a whole ''church'' full of Evil Sorcerer[=s=]. They worship extradimensional [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Demon Lords]], practice [[{{Necromancer}} Necromancy]] and wage a [[RageAgainstTheHeavens veritable war]] against the [[TheHecateSisters Three Fates]] (since the Nihilists regard predestination as slavery, and undead immortality as the path to freedom from it).
* The titular antagonist of Creator/{{Compile}}'s ''VideoGame/MadoushiLulba'' is an eons-old undead wizard who seeks to throw the world into darkness, and is a deadly master of [[PlayingWithFire fire magic]].
* Shang Tsung and Quan Chi of ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' embody this trope very well. Shao Kahn and Shinnok pull this off as well, while also overlapping with GodOfEvil. There’s also Ermac who is always somewhere between [[EliteMooks Elite Mook]] and TheDragon being MadeOfMagic and judging by hierarchy among the villains is likely the most powerful under Shao Kahn himself. [[spoiler:Justified since being a SoulJar made up of Edenian souls LongDeadBadass King Jerrod (Kitana’s father) is inside Ermac.]]
* This would be ''[[VillainProtagonist you]]'' in ''VideoGame/{{Nekro}}'', an AffablyEvil sort of man with a legitimate grievance against [[TheCaligula the King]], and quite willing to voice your grievances with the assistance of TheLegionsOfHell.
* A number of examples in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'', set in the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' tabletop setting:
** In the ''NeverwinterNights/ShadowsOfUndrentide'' expansion, J'Nah is a wicked elven sorceress hired to sack the village of Hilltop and assassinate the player's mentor, the wizard Drogan. [[spoiler:J'Nah is revealed to be a half-demon daemonfey as well, while her shadowy employer turns out to be Heurodis, a far more powerful and mage who once apprenticed under one of the few survivors of the ancient empire of Netheril, and who now seeks to reclaim its lost glory so that she can TakeOverTheWorld.]]
** In something of a [[TheCameo cameo appearance]], the first chapter of ''NeverwinterNights/HordesOfTheUnderdark'' sees the player descend into the dungeon of Undermountain, personal playground of the mad archmage Halaster Blackcloak, a nigh-endless, ever-shifting maze stocked with monsters and traps. After freeing the mage from his drow captors, Halaster [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished "rewards" them]] by placing a {{Geas}} on them that compels them to slay the newly risen Valsharess (queen or empress) of the drow, playing no further role in the story.
* In ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'':

** In ''NeverwinterNights2/MaskOfTheBetrayer'', the Knight-Captain is drawn into the political machinations of the Red Wizards of Thay. While party member Safiya makes the point that [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch not all Red Wizards are evil]], one of the main villains is Araman, a fellow red wizard who kills Safiya's mother in a coup to take over the academy at Thaymount, sends Safiya's own students and fellow faculty members to kill her, and [[spoiler:is bound by his oath to the death god Myrkul to ensure that the Spirit Eater curse is never broken, even if that means killing the Knight-Captain to ensure it moves on.]]
* The BigBad [[spoiler:Great Zaroff]] of ''VideoGame/TheNightOfTheRabbit''.
* Rashidi of ''VideoGame/OgreBattle'' and his apprentices.
* ''VideoGame/PaperSorcerer'' has you playing as this trope, attempting to escape your magical book prison with your EvilMinions.

* The text-based ''[[VideoGame/TheSpellcastingSeries Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All The Girls]]'' has the BigBad and Evil Sorcerer turn out to be [[spoiler:the protagonist's [[WickedStepmother abusive stepfather]]]].

* Windy of ''VideoGame/SuikodenI'', one of the more ObviouslyEvil villains in the series.
* [[BigBad Mikado Sannoji, the SHSL Wizard]] from ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganronpaAnother2''. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment His first major action is]] ''[[ManOnFire setting someone on fire]].''
* Many ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' villains. Foremost being Kamek, but to an extent King Boo and Bowser himself (the original NES game had him using BlackMagic to take over). As well as quite a few RPG villains that have traces of this (Fawful, Grodus and Smithy are {{Technopath}} variants, [[spoiler:The Shadow Queen]] in ''VideoGame/PaperMario 2'' is this kind of thing played straight).
* Druaga in ''VideoGame/TheTowerOfDruaga''.
* Several in the ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' universe. Examples include Kel'thuzad, Medivh (after [[DemonicPossession being possessed by Sargeras]]), prince Kael'thas (after joining forces with the Legion), and archmage Arugal. The playable warlock class has this vibe going on, too.
* Malkil from ''VideoGame/WizardsAndWarriors''. He was considered one of the greatest wizards in the land, such that Merlin was one of his students. However, the aging Malkil has gone mad and has started using his magic for evil. As a result, Malkil has captured the princess and holds her prisoner in Castle IronSpire, deep within the forests of Elrond.
* Werdna from the ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}}'' series. Five years before the events of the game unfold, he managed to steal a powerful amulet from Trebor the Overlord. Using the amulet's powers, he created a maze of ten levels beneath Trebor's castle. He then hid in the lowest level, guarded by the monsters in the maze.

* Black Mage of ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' is this mixed with TheChewToy and VillainProtagonist. [[spoiler:Sarda]] is a straighter example.
* Lord Dragos from ''Webcomic/TheBeastLegion'' is probably one of the most sadistic Evil sorcerers around, if not ''the'' most sadistic.
* In ''Webcomic/CrimsonKnights'' the Brotherhood of the Snake is an entire secret society of these. Also, fighting BlackMagic users is the second part of Crimson Knights' profession alongside monster-slaying.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Xykon is a literal sorcerer; a spellcaster who was born with his powers rather than learning magic through study.
** [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius]] practically became one for a while, thanks to an obsession with ultimate power. Whether or whether not it will ''actually'' happen remains to be seen.

* Calamitus from ''Webcomic/RustyAndCo'' is a comically inept if still quite dangerous one. He may also be a [[OurLichesAreDifferent lich]], as he has stated that he has transcended the flesh and is not alive.
* Kakralomino, the BigBad of ''Webcomic/TailsOfLanschilandia'', though with more of a focus on his EvilOverlord characteristics than his magic abilities.

* Koteph in ''Literature/{{Dragoneyes}}''

* The Necromancer, in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse.

* Mozenrath, Caliph Kapok and Khartoum from ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries''.

* Eli Pandarus from ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong''. Pandarus is the Wizard of Wall Street and desires to be the most powerful magical being.
* Hex from ''WesternAnimation/Ben10''. Hex is a self-proclaimed "Master Magician" who desired to rule the world with his vast magic powers and lives in a large tower-like building.
* No Heart from ''Franchise/CareBears''. He’s an evil sorcerer and shapeshifter who commands a lot of magic spells. His goal is to destroy both the Care Bears and all caring in the world from his home (since he rarely likes to go out), which rests atop a perpetual storm cloud. He wants to get rid of caring, and according to one episode, this is to make it easier for him to take over the world.
* Wrath-Amon and Ram-Amon from ''WesternAnimation/ConanTheAdventurer'', the latter being an obvious {{expy}} of the Conan books' Thoth-Amon.
* Malsquando, Princess Irmoplotz and Queen Zonthara from ''WesternAnimation/DaveTheBarbarian''.

* ''WesternAnimation/DrDimensionpants'' has 2 evil wizards, the brothers Silas and Murray.
* Mr Crocker becomes one of these in ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' episode "Timmy the Barbarian".
* Venomous Drool, the BigBad of ''WesternAnimation/{{Fangbone}}'', is a parody of those found in Creator/RobertEHoward's stories.
* The Archmage from ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. Demona, the primary BigBad of the series, was formerly his apprentice and though not as powerful (she makes up for it by being physically tougher and tech-savvy), she often uses magic in her plots.
* Skeletor in ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'' is a borderline [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain sympathetic]] variant on this.
** Also Evil-Lyn.
** He's somewhat more competent, dangerous and evil in the [[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2002 2002 remake series]]; we also get to see two other {{Big Bad}}s who fit the bill: King Hiss and Hordak. Unfortunately, the new series was cancelled before we could get to see Hordak really strut his stuff outside of the BackStory and {{flash back}}s, as he gave every indication of being far more badass than his ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' incarnation.
* There are eight DEMON sorcerers who make up the BigBadDuumvirate of the second season of ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'', with one of them, Shendu, acting as the primary antagonist for a good chunk of the show.
** Daolon Wong, the BigBad of Season 3 and Season 2 filler villain, is also one, being sort of an EvilCounterpart to Uncle.
* As mentioned above, Felix Faust and Tala from ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''.
* Renvick of ''WesternAnimation/LittleWizards'' is a powerful and malevolent magician who used his powers to take over a kingdom upon the death of its benevolent king through the sheer strength of his magic. His sorcery is so powerful that the rightful heir, Prince Dexter, turned to studying magic himself to be able to eventually oust the tyrant.
* [=SkullMaster=] from ''WesternAnimation/MightyMax''. Although if you thought you could get the upper hand on him by forcing a close-quarters physical confrontation, you're in for a ''[[LargeAndInCharge very]]'' [[GeniusBruiser rude]] [[HeroKiller awakening]].
* King Sombra from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', combined with EvilOverlord and SorcerousOverlord. Also, while not discussed in the episode, WordOfGod states that the villain of the series premiere, [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Nightmare Moon]], was the result of [[FallenAngel Princess Luna]] being corrupted by dark magic, making her an earlier example.
* Warlock from ''WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfSuperman''.
* Mondraggor, the purple cloak wearing alien sorcerer who seeks to control the Pyramid of Power in ''WesternAnimation/{{Pandamonium}}''.
* The evil magician who created ''WesternAnimation/RubikTheAmazingCube''.
* Shadow Weaver from ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower''. ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' keeps her evil and sorcerous, but also makes her an AbusiveParent just for added HateSink points.
* Gargamel from ''Franchise/TheSmurfs'' is called an evil wizard but he comes across as more of a crazy hermit, down on his luck alchemist.
* The time-traveling sorcerer known as the Pastmaster in ''WesternAnimation/SwatKats''.
* Any wizard from ''WesternAnimation/ThundarrTheBarbarian'', though some of them tend to cross over into MadScientist territory.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'' have Mumm-Ra, '''[[LargeHam THE EVER-LIVING!!!]]'''
* ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa'' has the Evil Wizard, an evil intergalactic wizard who looks surprisingly like Uncle Grandpa, and even sounded like him too. [[spoiler:It wasn't.]]
* Both {{Big Bad}}s from ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}'' -- Prince Phobos is a SorcerousOverlord, while Nerissa augments her innate Guardian powers with learned (or stolen) magic. In a series full of powerfully magical characters, they sit near the top.
* Carl the Evil Cockroach Wizard from ''WesternAnimation/YinYangYo''.

** Agahnim in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'' is a powerful wizard who used his magic to win the trust of Hyrule's king before seizing the entire kingdom for himself, [[spoiler:though it turns out he's actually just [[HijackedByGanon an alter ego of Ganon]]]].

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'': While the users of the local variant of FunctionalMagic are known as Jujutsu Sorcerers, those who break the laws of Jujutsu society in some way – usually, but not always, for nefarious reasons – earn the moniker of Curse Users. The distinction is largely “legal”, since both categories have the same types of powers and are bound by the same supernatural rules, and Sorcerers can and do become Curse Users from time to time. Among these, there are a few noteworthy examples:

* In ''ComicStrip/SnarfQuest'', Snarf's principal adversary is Suthaze; a bald, bearded, evil wizard. He possessed a "magic time jumping glass" – an hourglass that could transport the user into the future for 72 hours – with which he would plunder the future for fantastic treasures.

** Grindelwald - who apparently did a number of [[DealWithTheDevil deals]] to amp himself to power levels generally described (by Loki, who would know) as 'god-like'. Strange stripped him of most of this power, flattening most of Berlin in the process, and left him and Dumbledore to fight on more even terms.

** Doctor Doom might be this - no one's quite sure if he actually uses dark magic or not, but the aforementioned Mordo is his teacher...

** Rothbart in ''WesternAnimation/BarbieOfSwanLake'' turns Odette and various children into [[BalefulPolymorph animals against their will]]. He also attempts to murder Odette [[spoiler: and later the prince]] on more than one occasion.

** Overlapping with WickedWitch ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' [[spoiler: Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch thanks to the corrupting Darkhold and her own trauma has upgraded from PsychicPower DarkActionGirl to PersonOfMassDestruction evil goddess. Her chaos magic was more than enough to overpower the army of sorcerers at Kamar-Taj, annihilate the Illuminati whom had killed Thanos in their universe and overpower Strange himself, who had to tap into Darkhold himself just to get an edge. Speaking of Strange, the version of him seen in the BadFuture universe where he’s been corrupted by the Darkhold certainty counts as this, even if he’s not wholly evil.]]

** Joseph Curwen from ''Literature/TheCaseOfCharlesDexterWard'', who murders his descendant Ward after Ward has resurrected him and usurps his identity. Curwen never hesitates to stoop to murder, torture or blackmail to achieve his ends; he also uses – and kills – vast numbers of living slaves as subjects for his magical experiments.

** ''Literature/{{Once}}'': Nell Quick, by occult ritual, gives [[spoiler: protagonist Tom Kindred a stroke]]; conjures horrifying phantasms and [[EverythingTryingToKillYou manipulates]] [[WeirdWeather nature]], all to [[spoiler: acquire the Bracken estate]].

* Arunis Wytterscorm, the [[BloodMagic BloodMage of Gurishal]], [[EvilChancellor chief advisor]] to [[GodEmperor the Shaggat Ness]] and [[TheManBehindTheMan true power behind his throne]], millennia-old [[GrandTheftMe body snatcher]] and most prominent of the several {{Big Bad}}s of ''Literature/TheChathrandVoyages''. Generally a real nasty piece of work. The third and fourth books of the series introduce Macadra the [[RedBaron White Raven]], head of [[AncientConspiracy the Raven Society]] and ''de facto'' ruler of [[TheEmpire Bali Adro]]. She's Arunis's contemporary in age, power, and wickedness, and his on-and-off ally and perpetual rival. [[spoiler: She's also his sister]].

** Played straight with Ipslore the Red, BigBad of ''Literature/{{Sourcery}}'' who cheerfully abandons all sympathetic qualities with the death of his wife and becomes the ManBehindTheMan to his son, the sourcerer in question (so called because [[MagicalSeventhSon his place in the birth order]], Coin is capable of generating magical energy-which makes him a PhysicalGod). He exists only in a SoulJar, but how he was able to sneak that one past [[GrimReaper Death]] cements his place here; he made it so that reaping his soul will ''[[OffingTheOffspring kill Coin]]''. Averted with Coin himself, however; he's a remarkably sweet kid for someone with such a terrible role model.

** Notable examples of the former include Victor Sells from the first book, Kravos from the third - though the former was UnskilledButStrong (which Dresden used against him), and the latter was little more than a two-bit sorcerer before he [[spoiler: killed himself to become the Nightmare, a psychotic super-ghost]].

** Additionally, Denarians (human hosts to Fallen Angels in thirty silver coins. Yes, ''those'' thirty silver coins) with natural magic abilities become this, even if they weren't to begin with - practitioners get StrongerWithAge and practise, and as Bob the Skull points out, after a few centuries, "even modest talents can grow teeth." Quintus Cassius, both as a Denarian and after (though he's not very powerful), Thorned Namshiel (who's both powerful and very skilled), and Tessa (who makes a habit of chucking lightning bolts around) all qualify.

* ''Literature/{{Hurog}}'': In ''Literature/DragonBones'', Oreg's father. Turning Oreg in the child in a castle PoweredByAForsakenChild, and, despite Oreg being a powerful mage himself, making it so that Oreg is enslaved to whoever wears a certain ring and can't break this curse ... no mean feat. That evil sorcerer is long dead when the story begins, but there are others, such as [[spoiler: Bastilla]] who is a very powerful, very sadistic mage and the antagonist of the protagonists for much of the plot.

* Avshar the wizard-prince of Yezd from ''The Literature/{{Videssos}} Cycle'' is an exceptionally powerful sorcerer and MagicKnight and the DragonInChief of the empire he allegedly serves. He's a vicious sadist who worships [[GodOfEvil Skotos]] and is feared by allies and enemies alike, and always conceals his face behind a veil [[spoiler: because he's ReallySevenHundredYearsOld and suffers from AgeWithoutYouth]]. Near the end of the series, he [[spoiler: graduates to SorcerousOverlord when he overthrows his "master", Khagan Wulghash, and takes over as overlord of the Yezda empire. It ultimately takes getting DraggedOffToHell to stop him]].

** ''Any'' [[DarkIsEvil Shadow]]-affiliated channeler qualifies, the most infamous of these being the thirteen [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Forsaken]] [[SealedEvilInACan imprisoned]] with [[GodOfEvil the Dark One]] at Shayol Ghul. Of the Forsaken, [[TheAntichrist Ishamael/Moridin]] is the most powerful and feared, and one of the few able to access the Dark One's own form of magic, [[BlackMagic the True Power]], which is extremely [[AddictiveMagic addictive]] and can cause [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity madness]]. Non-Forsaken channelers who serve the Dark One use the title [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "dreadlord"]]; they're not as powerful or totally evil as their superiors, but still nasty pieces of work [[spoiler: especially Mazrim Taim, who eventually gets promoted to the Forsaken for his efforts]].

* ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'' has Darken Rahl, the BigBad of the first season, who has some magical abilities, not that we see many of those. The one we see several times is his ability to do an OffscreenTeleportation during sword battles to stab the opponent in the back. He also has many sorcerers serving him, including a Wizard of the First Order named Giller. The BadFuture season finale also features Nicholas Rahl, the son of Darken Rahl and [[spoiler: Kahlan Amnell]], combining his parents abilities to become an even worse tyrant than his father. It's stated that the entire Rahl bloodline is full of examples of this trope. In fact, Darken's father Panis is actually a relatively mild example (especially compared to his son), whose main on-screen villainy comes from a BedTrick ([[spoiler:to produce Richard to rival Darken]]) and killing [[spoiler:Zedd's father]] (which he may or may not have deserved for [[spoiler:trying to kill baby Darken]]).

** Briefly [[spoiler: Emma and later Hook as they too become dark ones]].

* ''Series/StrangerThings'' Season 4 BigBad has Vecna christened after Lich of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' who is a HumanoidAbomination who “curses” troubled teens as a [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Kruger]]-esque monstrous DreamWalker. [[spoiler: In actuality he is Henry Creel a human [[{{Mutants}} mutant]] with PsychicPowers, who was used a [[FirstOfItsKind progenitor]] in Department of Energy to develop more psychic children such as Eleven, although by the time Eleven has banished him to Upside Down due to his BewareTheSuperman behaviour he isn’t remotely human anymore and is closest equivalent to an actual evil sorcerer within the relatively realistic ''Stranger Things'' universe.]]

[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]

*** As well as almost every lich ever - [[MoralEventHorizon the terrible things the ritual requires to be done]] makes it a prerequisite.

* ...and ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' loves it almost as much. The most prominent is Lim-Dul, the Necromancer, whose hordes of [[ZombieApocalypse undead]] and [[DemonicInvaders demons]] plagued the continent of Terisiare during the Ice Age; [[spoiler: Lim-Dul is later revealed to be another Evil Sorcerer, Mairsil the Pretender, whose soul had been trapped and possessed an innocent man years later]]. Lim-Dul was followed shortly after by Heidar of Rimewind, a mad [[AnIcePerson ice wizard]] who wanted to return the world to a second Ice Age. There's also Lord Dralnu, the Lich-Lord of Urborg, a zombie wizard with whom the forces of good were forced to ally against the invading Phyrexians; Memnarch, an [[AIIsACrapShoot evil artificial being]] with powerful magical abilities; and Virot Maglan, the Cabal Patriarch, who runs a sorcerous mafia.

* Elphaba in ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'' is treated as this by the citizens of Oz, but we find out in the show that she is NotEvilJustMisunderstood. Madame Morrible would be a more clear-cut example, using her sorcery [[spoiler: to gain more political power for herself throughout Oz. She even summons a twister to murder Elphaba's sister so Elphaba would be grief-stricken and thus vulnerable for attack]].

** Zigzagged with Vergil himself. Despite having vast demonic power like the usual evil sorcerer able to imbue his demonic power into objects to augment them, generate barriers, teleport and cut through reality itself. He generally FightsLikeANormal compared to others listed here with his [[KatanasAreJustBetter Katana]] Yamato and more often just uses his demonic powers to create a StormOfBlades. [[spoiler: Ironically his good half V from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' is more like the standard wizard whilst his SuperpoweredEvilSide Urzien is pretty much a GodOfEvil.]]

** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV''': Aamon is a terrible sorcerer who intends to wipe all humans out.

** Golbez from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'', who also doubles as a TinTyrant. [[spoiler: In the sequel, he goes the other way, picking up a {{BFS}} and becoming a [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damn Hero.]]]]

* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' it's suggested that falling victim to this trope was the underlying cause of Revan's fall to the dark side. In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', [[spoiler: Atris]] embodies it, and in somewhat more rounded fashion, Darth Traya does as well.

* Shang Tsung and Quan Chi of ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' embody this trope very well. Shao Kahn and Shinnok pull this off as well, while also overlapping with GodOfEvil. There’s also Ermac who is always somewhere between [[EliteMooks Elite Mook]] and TheDragon being MadeOfMagic and judging by hierarchy among the villains is likely the most powerful under Shao Kahn himself. [[spoiler: Justified since being a SoulJar made up of Edenian souls LongDeadBadass King Jerrod (Kitana’s father) is inside Ermac.]]

** [[spoiler: Vaarsuvius]] practically became one for a while, thanks to an obsession with ultimate power. Whether or whether not it will ''actually'' happen remains to be seen.
** [[EvilTwin Nale]] is this in a strictly literal sense-- he's Evil and has levels in Sorceror-- but he doesn't really fit the spirit of the trope, as Sorceror is not his only character class, meaning his magic is much weaker than that of the above characters and rarely gets used. It's not played up as much as his being Elan's brother and leader of the [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Linear]] [[EvilCounterpart Guild]].

* ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa'' has the Evil Wizard, an evil intergalactic wizard who looks surprisingly like Uncle Grandpa, and even sounded like him too. [[spoiler: It wasn't.]]
* Both {{Big Bad}}s from ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}'' - Prince Phobos is a SorcerousOverlord, while Nerissa augments her innate Guardian powers with learned (or stolen) magic. In a series full of powerfully magical characters, they sit near the top.

* Precia Testarossa of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', who also has MadScientist leanings thanks to the {{Magitek}} setting. She’s also an [[AbusiveParents abusive mother]] to [[TheDragon Fate]].
* In ''Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic'', many members of [[NebulousEvilOrganization Al-Thamen]] qualify as this, but the most notable example is Judar.

** "Warlock's Daughter", a ''ComicBook/Robin1993'' villain that ComicBook/{{Shadowpact}} tried to reform.

* Wanda, the croakamancer from ''{{Webcomic/Erfworld}}''.
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''. Xykon. He's also a ''literal'' sorcerer; a spellcaster who was born with his powers rather than learning magic through study.

* ''TabletopGame/FengShui'''s 69 AD juncture is ruled by the Eaters of the Lotus, a sinister cabal of evil eunuch sorcerers and their human and demonic servants. The Four Monarchs, banished to the Netherworld, are another example, except for the smartest one of the lot [[DefectorFromDecadence who's not so bad anymore]] for someone who [[EvilOverlord ruled 1/4th of the world for centuries with absolute power]].
** The best part about the price they pay? They either don't care or they think it's [[CursedWithAwesome awesome]].
* Iuchiban in ''TableTopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings''.
** Daigotsu was raised from birth to be the embodiment of this trope. I mean, the guy serves an evil god ''willingly''...

They're the mage who has delved too deeply into ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow and mastered TheDarkArts. They've achieved great power, but at the expense of [[OurSoulsAreDifferent their soul]]. They deal in BlackMagic and might well have made a DealWithTheDevil. Evil Sorcerers are very dangerous foes, as they are creative as well as clever. From them, one can expect anything; hordes of demonic (or undead) {{Mooks}} as the bluntest tool, MoreThanMindControl as the subtlest one, and anything between those two and beyond. They will probably be a SorcerousOverlord, dwelling in an EvilTowerOfOminousness and ruling the land with an iron — but also magical — fist, though they may also show up as an EvilChancellor, using their powers to subvert the throne more subtly.

The Evil Sorcerer nearly always [[BigBad gets top billing as a villain]], as one of their most common traits is {{pride}}. Where they're a second-stringer, they're likely to only be one-upped by a [[DealWithTheDevil demonic bargain]] gone wrong — probably because they cheated. This makes them prone to learning the painful lesson that EvilIsNotAToy. They might also be upstaged by a GodOfEvil — but then, the most powerful Evil Sorcerers often have [[AGodAmI delusions of godhood themselves]]. In a villainous hierarchy, they'll most likely be the BigBad, TheDragon, or the EvilGenius (though they could also be TheManBehindTheMan or, if they're little loyalty to any particular faction, the WildCard). Killing the Evil Sorcerer is one way to stop their KeystoneArmy.

* Wagnard from ''Roleplay/RecordOfLodossWar''. He starts off as a normal man who's just a little too eager to gain arcane knowledge, but decades of dealing with the forces of darkness eventually turn him into a fiendish figure with pointed ears and claws. The wizard Groder edges on this trope since he ostensibly serves Wagnard, but he's more of a sympathetic AntiVillain due to his loyalty to Ashram. Two minor characters, the evil cleric Gaberra and dark elf shaman Astar, also fit the bill.

** Speaking of ''Skyrim'', the BigBad of the ''Dragonborn'' DLC Lord Miraak is an extremely powerful magical Dragon Priest and is the first Dragonborn himself able to give the player a taste of their own MakeMeWannaShout medicine. The irony of him of being a sorcerer is that he’s actually a [[HornyVikings Nord]], a race that mostly DoesNotLikeMagic on principle. Although as explained by the lore, ancient Nords like Miraak (especially their Atmorans ancestors) used magic all the time, it just fell out of practise by Nords in the modern times where the games take place.

** A particularly disturbing example can be found in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]''. Arondil the Necromancer is a perverted creep who was exiled from Dawnstar because he became a StalkerWithACrush to the village's milkmaids. He went into hiding in some nearby ruins to perform his practices in secret, and when one of the adventurous girls went exploring in the ruins he killed her and raised her as a thrall to sleep with her. Now he sends undead draugr to capture Dawnstar's women and bring them back to Yngvild to ''create his own undead harem''. If you ever go into Yngvild, please do [[KickTheSonOfABitch waste him]].