Defending against Slight of Hand

[Someonelse]

So, a major evil aligned NPC in my game is a high level wizard. He is the archmage of the nearby large city, head master of the local wizards’ school and uncle to the prince, if the prince were to die without producing an heir he would take the throne. The PCs met him for the first time in our last session. It was meant as a role playing encounter (since he is level 25 and they are level 10) but a fight was started (and I must say they did pretty well, even considering the wizard didn’t want to kill them since they are more useful to him alive). During the fight the party rogue made a successful slight of hand check to steal 2 of the wizard’s 3 ioun stones. Now, I’m assuming this annoyed him greatly, in fact he managed to dominate one of the PCs and only agreed to return him to the party if his stones were returned. He is glad he got them back, but now he is preparing for the next time he meets the PCs (or another rogue with a similar idea). What would he do to protect his precious ioun stones? I thought of maybe making a crown or hat of some kind and having the stones installed in it but then the rogue would just take the whole crown. I guess when it comes down to it though, a good slight of hand check can take just about anything from the wizard, like his spell components, pearls of power, anything he has readily available in his pockets is fair game for the rogue to just take. How does one defend against this tactic?

[Segev]

As a powerful wizard, contingent Instant Summons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/instantSummons.htm) are a good start.

Not allowing the rogue within arm's reach is also good. Make sure he can fly and turn ethereal and all the other good stuff wizards can do, and he can probably stay out of the rogue's reach...at least well enough to make it more than a simple SoH check to steal anything. Once the rogue manages to sneak up on or corner the guy enough to do so, he's "won" that aspect of the encounter, so make it harder to get to that point to increase the challenge.

[TheMooch]

You mean the wizard didn't use divinations to know that someone was going to attempt to steal a prized possesion from him the next day and wasn't prepared for it? Doesn't sound like he should have survived to lvl 25, I'm sure your party will rectify this soon...

[Seffbasilisk]

Why were they interacting with the actual wizard instead of an illusion of the wizard controlled remotely?

Put traps on the Ioun stones. Many things trigger with touch.

Then smear them with contact poison.

Then have a contingency to blast'm if they try to touch one, and another contingency if they actually take'm.

[Brookshw]

As a powerful wizard, contingent Instant Summons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/instantSummons.htm) are a good start.

Not allowing the rogue within arm's reach is also good. Make sure he can fly and turn ethereal and all the other good stuff wizards can do, and he can probably stay out of the rogue's reach...at least well enough to make it more than a simple SoH check to steal anything. Once the rogue manages to sneak up on or corner the guy enough to do so, he's "won" that aspect of the encounter, so make it harder to get to that point to increase the challenge.

Contingency's level cap of 6 might make that a challenge, other contingencies however could be great. Ethereals a nice call. Have the wizard meet them astrally projecting or magic jarred into a schmuck w/o the stone (or otherwise not meeting them face to face).

[Segev]

Contingency's level cap of 6 might make that a challenge.

I believe "Craft Contingent Spell" is in Complete Arcane; there's no spell level limit on those.

[ryu]

I believe "Craft Contingent Spell" is in Complete Arcane; there's no spell level limit on those.

Yep. The only limit with that feat is your own imagination. What few other limits the feat imposes are easily bypassed.

[Rubik]

Some gnome twistcloth with armor spikes and gauntlets could hold some ioun stones via the ioun blade enhancement, from the Arms & Equipment Guide. The weapons in question hold one ioun stone each for +4,000 gp.

[Brookshw]

I believe "Craft Contingent Spell" is in Complete Arcane; there's no spell level limit on those.

Agreed though that's not what was said. Kinda cheap to load up an npc with those unless its a high op game.

[Vhaidara]

Step 1: Get an item of permanent fly (or two if you want to be really safe from Dispel)
Step 2: Fly up 40ft
Step 3: Watch Rogue try to steal from you and laugh
Step 4: Profit