"Evil is, ultimately, petty. Thousands of minor inconveniences will make the hero's lives harder than a single, horrible scheme. In the event of defeat and conviction, the jury may find you too petty to even imprison and give you a slap on the wrist. This is most effective if you plan to become an Evil Overlord in a children's TV show. But this rule can also be coupled with your grander schemes, for any who are in the 13+ demographic."