Designing a good stronghold for Guards and Wards

[TuggyNE]

Well, obviously, you'll want more than just that, but that was my initial thought: what mundane considerations (architecture, location, construction, etc) would best suit a good wizard's lair when protected with guards and wards, (a hireling's or scrolled) forbiddance, and so on?

To start with, I'm thinking extensive use of Leon's Teeth (http://agc.deskslave.org/comic_viewer.html?goNumber=541), lots of stairs for the webbing, lots of splitting passages that go into other splitting passages for the confusioning, a maze design with one or more sections with walls that don't connect to the outside of the maze to prevent those oh-so-clever "keep one hand on the wall" tricks, and a generally concentric conglomeration that puts the most heavily protected sections as far inside as possible to minimize the utility of unusual movement modes. Any specific materials to use in making burrowing/earth gliding even more difficult than just stone? Also, what other spells might be useful? Maybe permanency'd Energy Substituted/Admixtured wall of fire around a sensitive area to start with. And, I suppose, nothing quite like permanency'd prismatic wall. :smalltongue:

Attempting to stop wish-travel is left as an exercise for the reader for another thread, possibly in homebrew.

[rockdeworld]

It depends on how good you want it.

Simple: Tomb of Horrors + Guards and Wards.

Epic:
http://womantalklive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Hall.jpg
Cruel:
http://crystalmaze.marcgerrish.com/images/games/reddoormaze_1_506x380.jpg

At the level you can cast G&W, Webs shouldn't even register to PCs. Fog does, and means creatures with blindsight/lifesense/etc are better off as defenses. For architecture to really make use of that fog effect, the area should be massive (http://www.legends-station.com/mml1/screens/subcities/019.jpg) (note: that picture is from underground). Widened G&W might actually makes sense, since it lets you cover a bigger area.

A metal keep or fence prevents earthglide and keeps out rabbits. The "confusion" effect of G&W can override the "hand on the wall" plan, because that's what confusion does in real life.

:elan: How did I get over here? I don't remember taking my hand off the wall!
:vaarsuvius: And yet I saw you do it.

If your party is casting Wish, forget about G&W. They can just wish the BBEG/captive princess/whatever out of the area, right in front of them.