countering dispel magic

[Ettina]

OK, so I'm working on a campaign where the BBEG is a level 17 wizard with a mother cyst, who has given necrotic cysts to almost everyone in a particular kingdom and is using necrotic tumor to control the higher-ups, including the king. (Necrotic tumor is a 7th level spell with a permanent duration that gives mind control with no restriction on self-destructive acts and no Will saves to resist acts against your nature.)

In another thread, sleepypheonixx pointed out that since necrotic tumor has a permanent duration (rather than instantaneous), it can be dispelled. Which would unravel the whole plot, since several NPCs intended to ally with the PCs would have access to dispel magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm) and greater dispel magic (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Greater_Dispel_Magic), and would have absolutely no reason not to have used it immediately on some of the suspected victims. Which would blow this BBEG's plan to pieces, because the necrotic tumor victims have access to crucial information against him and are put in some very sensitive roles. (Such as managing his Liquid Pain-producing torture farms full of feeblemind (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/feeblemind.htm) victims.)

So, he needs a way to shut down those two spells, or else to plug the leak automatically once necrotic tumor is dispelled. Something that is pretty much foolproof, or else these determined NPC rebel characters (who so far are clerics, druids and rangers between levels 7-13) would have freed some of his necrotic tumor victims already.

Any ideas?

[Andreaz]

Have the big bad get the allegiance of most such people instead of direct domination. Nothing like a dream to motivate people.

[Troacctid]

He cast the spell at a really high caster level using temporary boosts?

[Cruiser1]

So, he needs a way to shut down those two spells, or else these determined NPC rebel characters (who so far are clerics, druids and rangers between levels 7-13) would have freed some of his necrotic tumor victims already.
Indeed, have the BBEG buff his caster level, so dispel checks fail. The highest a standard dispel check for Greater Dispel Magic can ever be is 40 (20 on 1d20 roll + CL 20). If the highest rebel is level 13, reduce that to 20+13 = 33. A level 17 Wizard should easily be able to use various items, buffs, or circle magic to increase his CL to 34 before casting to create the necrotic tumors.

[Ettina]

He cast the spell at a really high caster level using temporary boosts?

What kind of boosts would you suggest?

[Flickerdart]

(Su) effects are not subject to dispelling, so pull out that Dweomerkeeper nonsense.

Also, a Red Wizard or Hathran could use Circle Magic (perhaps even coercing dominated casters to provide slots) in order to boost their CL super-high.

[Nibbens]

OK, so I'm working on a campaign where the BBEG is a level 17 wizard with a mother cyst, who has given necrotic cysts to almost everyone in a particular kingdom and is using necrotic tumor to control the higher-ups, including the king. (Necrotic tumor is a 7th level spell with a permanent duration that gives mind control with no restriction on self-destructive acts and no Will saves to resist acts against your nature.)

In another thread, sleepypheonixx pointed out that since necrotic tumor has a permanent duration (rather than instantaneous), it can be dispelled. Which would unravel the whole plot, since several NPCs intended to ally with the PCs would have access to dispel magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm) and greater dispel magic (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Greater_Dispel_Magic), and would have absolutely no reason not to have used it immediately on some of the suspected victims. Which would blow this BBEG's plan to pieces, because the necrotic tumor victims have access to crucial information against him and are put in some very sensitive roles. (Such as managing his Liquid Pain-producing torture farms full of feeblemind (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/feeblemind.htm) victims.)

So, he needs a way to shut down those two spells, or else to plug the leak automatically once necrotic tumor is dispelled. Something that is pretty much foolproof, or else these determined NPC rebel characters (who so far are clerics, druids and rangers between levels 7-13) would have freed some of his necrotic tumor victims already.

Any ideas?

Plot armor FTW! lol.

Seriously though, how about a kill switch. He's altered the Tumor to coexist with it's host so that the host depends on it to survive. If dispelled other than using X method of your choice (which could also happen to be plot appropriate macguffin for the PCs to learn about (or not)) the person infected with the tumor dies instantly via bodily disintegration. In other words, as the tumor is dispelled - so is the host body.

This should be a horrifying revelation the first time the PCs try it as they are made painfully aware that dispel magic actually dispelled the innocent person, and the PCs should feel guilt as they are the sole reason for that poor unfortunate slobs death.

[Extra Anchovies]

What kind of boosts would you suggest?

Circle Magic can produce some absolutely phenomenal caster levels.

[Honest Tiefling]

Make it into the plot! Firstly, they need to convince these NPCs to be on their side. Have the first chapter be that they are framed for something they didn't do, so the NPCs have reason to not trust them. They either have to be on the run from the law and somehow talk to these people, or prove their innocence.

Okay, so now they have the NPCs. Presumably, these NPCs don't have infinite spells. Now, if the BBEG knows what they are about to do, they'll attack the NPCs instead of the party. So the NPCs also need to divert resources from their own protection to cure these cysts. The party can either learn the spells from these people, or protect them. There is also the issue of getting to the other NPCs to cure (such as a king), without wasting so much magic they can't dispel the cyst anymore. If they never proved their innocence, then the populace might be hostile to them and their allies. They might have the information, but not be able to get their witnesses to testify against the BBEG safely or the reputation of the witnesses might be tainted by their association with the PCs. If the PCs did manage to salvage their reputation, I'd go with the assassin route and force the PCs to try to get their witnesses to be able to spread word safely. They also need to make sure they don't get re-tumored.

As a last ditch attempt, the BBEG takes hostages. By now, they might know who the PCs or NPCs helping them are, and takes their loved ones hostage. Time for a daring rescue! The NPCs can continue to dispel the cysts, but might lack protection. They might also be needed to break in to save their loved ones. They also might refuse to help, fearing for the life of their loved ones.

Eventually, they'll cure enough people to get the kingdom on their side. Okay...Now, the BBEG should have enough time to have gathered an escape route. I'd avoid teleporting unless you can wrangle up a way to make it an exciting chase scene. The BBEG might also have unleashed a wight apocolypse, so while his cover is blown it buys them time to get away. During events, they could have also instigated a conflict with a weaker nation to divert attention, which might be unfolding now, or providing more distractions from the BBEG's chase.

[Deadline]

Seriously though, how about a kill switch.

Could this be done with the Craft Contingent Spell feat and a spell that would kill the victim keyed to a condition like "the cyst spell is dispelled?". So the cyst gets dispelled, and the contingency kicks in and kills the victim?

[With a box]

Could this be done with the Craft Contingent Spell feat and a spell that would kill the victim keyed to a condition like "the cyst spell is dispelled?". So the cyst gets dispelled, and the contingency kicks in and kills the victim?

Contingency can be dispelled, too

[Rubik]

An at-will magical trap of Magic Mouth at a high CL in a public place, on something that isn't at all questionable to touch, with a trigger being "the target dies." The BBEG commands his minions to go there several times per day (any time they have a spare moment) and touch the item as often as they can get away with without being questioned, and purposefully fail their saving throws.

Have the "message" be something like the cloaker's moan.

If the players try to use Dispel Magic, they'll almost certainly get a Magic Mouth first, which uses up the Dispel.

Even better, the trap targets everyone who passes by, so everyone will have a few MMs on them, meaning "search for Magic Mouth targets" won't work.

[Deadline]

Contingency can be dispelled, too

Not the Contingency spell, the feat that works like an item creation feat.

[Rubik]

Not the Contingency spell, the feat that works like an item creation feat.Can also be dispelled.

[Deadline]

Can also be dispelled.

Ah, and area dispel targets the lower level spell effects first, right? So that's probably a no-go.

[Rubik]

Ah, and area dispel targets the lower level spell effects first, right? So that's probably a no-go.Highest, actually. I edited my earlier post after I looked at the spell description.

[Ettina]

Thanks everyone! Red wizard is exactly what I was looking for, and it fits so well thematically.
He's dominated his circle participants and then given them necrotic tumors too. His earliest necrotic tumors have a dispel DC of 47, so that's not getting dispelled.