Master Comparison Chart

The Four Faces of Narcissism

Trait	Malignant Narcissist	Overt Narcissist	Covert Narcissist	Communal Narcissist
Presentation Style	Dominating, intimidating, menacing	Loud, arrogant, attention-seeking	Quiet, self-effacing, victim-like	Outgoing, “selfless,” public helper
Core Motivation	Control, domination, destruction	Admiration, attention	Sympathy, validation, control	Recognition for morality/generosity
Primary Tools	Fear, intimidation, smear campaigns	Bragging, one-upmanship	Guilt-tripping, passive-aggression	Public acts of “kindness,” moral superiority
Response to Threats	Vengeful, strategic retaliation	Defensive, argumentative	Withdraws, sulks, plays victim	Public shaming, moral judgment
Social Environment	Thrives in high-power roles	Seeks visibility & influence	Prefers intimate settings for control	Operates in public/community spaces
Impact on Others	Psychological trauma, reputational & financial harm	Emotional fatigue, strained relationships	Emotional exhaustion, chronic guilt	Feeling judged, reputational manipulation
Level of Malice	High—actively enjoys harm	Moderate—self-serving but not sadistic	Low-to-moderate—more draining than destructive	Low-to-moderate—harm comes from ego-driven “help”
Best Defense	No contact, document everything	Firm boundaries, avoid ego-feeding	Resist rescuing, maintain independence	Refuse to be their audience, ignore moral posturing
Analogy	Hurricane—destroys everything in path	Thunderstorm—loud but passes	Puppeteer—quietly pulls strings	Stage actor—performs “kindness” for applause

How to Use This Chart

• If they’re loud and domineering, you’re likely dealing with an overt or malignant narcissist.

• If they’re quiet but draining, it’s often covert.

• If they’re helpful but self-serving, you’re in communal territory.

• If they’re cruel and calculated, that’s almost always malignant.