The Rivals (Campaign Aspect Idea)

Here's one for you Dm's that want a constant recurring challenge though-out your campaign

The Idea for this one is that thought the players adventure though your campaign there will be a rival team of adventures who they frequently run into, & most likely but heads with. The reason this other team of adventures would want to but heads with the players will be up to the dm. 

There are many different ways you can build the rival team & I'll give a good list of ways I came up with

The Opposite: The Rival team is basically the opposite of the player team in temperament. (IE if the player team is blood thirst, then the rival team will be diplomatic) This should also show though in what classes, that being said there really isn't an opposite for most classes, so I recommend that if the player team is particular non-magic, & or magic heavy then the rivals will be magic heavy & or non-magic heavy to balance them out. This helps build a antagonist attitude between the party & the rivals

The Similars: The rival team is actually very similar to the player party in temperament & class composition, they just so happen to be competing with them, & or working for the big bad. This way of having the rival team built helps shows the players what they could have been, & or will help the players sympathize with them. That or you could use it to show the opposite of this, for instance if the player team is blood thirsty, then the rival will be blood thirst to an absurd amount which once again shows what the players could become.

The Singular: The rival team isn't a team but just one really powerful individual that the players face again & again. The reason there powerful agents the party can be though just shear force of physical or magical power, or it can be due to there wit & intelligence  of outsmarting the players. This helps build a us vs them attitude between the players & the rival. After all it's easier to hate one really asshole person than three- to six semi-asshole charters.

The Friendlies: Who says the rivals have to be a force agents the players. Sure they are directly competing agents the players, but there's no hard felling's for, it just a necessity that has to be. This type of rival composition helps build a friendly composition between the players & the rivals.