High Level Enemies and How they Protect against Spells

[BurgerBeast]

So, I'm not very experienced as high-level DM. My experiences as a mid-level DM (5-9ish) have taught me that (1) I am not very familiar with the higher-level spells and (2) I am not very good at playing high level enemies optimally.

Most of my "big bads" do things during play that, in hindsight, are just stupid. For example I once had the PCs fight a black dragon in its lair, and they killed it. Later, I realized that I made its lair in a cavern with only one real exit. This is obviously just stupid, and I'll never make that mistake again. But, like most things in life, I had to learn the hard way. If the experience of the GiTP posters can save me the hard lessons, then that would be great.

Can you give me some specific examples of

(1) mundane methods that any high level enemy might use to protect themselves and their items

(2) magical safeguards that high-level villains might use to protect their treasure hoards or their important items (such s spell books)?

(3) mundane or magical means of escape from PCs. This seems particularly hard, not just for me but for all of the DMs in my group. It seems that every big bad gets lock down and killed, regardless of plans for escape. I'm at the point now where I think I need to have a deadly encounter, plus a big bad, and the big bad will have to flee on about round 2 in order to avoid getting counter-spelled and locked down and prevented from retreating.

[RickAllison]

Secret tunnels are great combined with minion reinforcements. The little guys charge in, shields erected and arrows flying, and the boss flees. The PCs win the day, but the guy can antagonize them again.

Contingency+Teleport is also a great thing for survival, triggered on being knocked unconscious. A magic item could do the trick. Glyphs of Warding work just as well, and prevent the PCs from taking it.

[Dark Ass4ssin 1]

Secret tunnels are great combined with minion reinforcements. The little guys charge in, shields erected and arrows flying, and the boss flees. The PCs win the day, but the guy can antagonize them again.

Contingency+Teleport is also a great thing for survival, triggered on being knocked unconscious. A magic item could do the trick. Glyphs of Warding work just as well, and prevent the PCs from taking it.

Minions distracting the PCs with collapsable escape tunnels is a great idea, but contingency only allows 5th level spells or lower if I'm not mistaken.

Also the BBEG doesn't need to be there if its not the final fight. He could have a second in command or other powerful peon. If you want him to still be able to taunt the player or monologue he could have a programmed illusion set to activate before or after the fight. If the bad guy is within 500 miles of the fight he could cast project image and actively taunt the party, and be completely safe. (BTW I am imagining a villain like Handsome Jack who is always interacting with the party, but is just out of reach until the final fight.)

[Madbox]

Keep in mind the creature's movement capabilities. A beholder floats, so it's lair is very vertically oriented, with no way for non-flyers to get around. Same could go for dragons and spellcasters who can fly. A shapeshifter might flee into a crack or fissure that's too small for others to follow.

[Sigreid]

I think the answer to this is fairly obvious. How do player characters protect themselves against the magical abilities of their opponents? In addition to everything else, if it is the BBEG at the end of a story arch, he's probably had ample opportunity to study the powers our heroes have been known to use and prepare accordingly.

[BurgerBeast]

I think the answer to this is fairly obvious. How do player characters protect themselves against the magical abilities of their opponents? In addition to everything else, if it is the BBEG at the end of a story arch, he's probably had ample opportunity to study the powers our heroes have been known to use and prepare accordingly.

It's not necessarily obvious to me. Player characters face a different set of challenges, because they're not really trying to hide away and protect things in the same way. The pattern in my games is generally that the PCs are pursuing the big bad. I see that this present the opportunity for me to turn the tables, so to speak, but I'm looking for the general answers.

[Occasional Sage]

In general:

action economy needs to favor the BBEG, to prevent shut-downs
the BBEG needs to be planning for the encounter; every surviving minion will describe tactics and abilities the BBEG can plan against
if the party shows a capability the BBEG can't surmount, hirelings are a thing
fudge it; for instance, leave a few slots unaccounted for when prepping spellcasters, and fill in as necessary. Or, heck, simply cast the spell and retcon
don't play fair; if the BBEG is expecting a confrontation, interrupt sleep, send waves of enemies to wear them down and exhaust per-short abilities like Rage.... Stack the deck like the PCs do



From a meta-perspective, imagine the scene you want for the final encounter. Then, imagine that you are the PCs and brainstorm solutions to the scene, using the strengths and resources you know your party has. Now, you can create a counter to each one.



It's not necessarily obvious to me. Player characters face a different set of challenges, because they're not really trying to hide away and protect things in the same way. The pattern in my games is generally that the PCs are pursuing the big bad. I see that this present the opportunity for me to turn the tables, so to speak, but I'm looking for the general answers.


This gives the players the initiative, but generally robs them of the ability to plan and lay traps. If they're aggressive, they'll walk right into a situation that looks good without checking things out carefully. Protection may well be a feint, since anything can be rebuilt or replaced after the adventurers are gone.

[Safety Sword]

Kill the spell casters.

All out, full on, no holds barred, brazen assault on the robe wearing spell slingers.

Make the PCs reactive through the application of overwhelming force.

PCs like to dish it out but rarely are prepared to take it.

[Sigreid]

It's not necessarily obvious to me. Player characters face a different set of challenges, because they're not really trying to hide away and protect things in the same way. The pattern in my games is generally that the PCs are pursuing the big bad. I see that this present the opportunity for me to turn the tables, so to speak, but I'm looking for the general answers.

I don't see that as a conflict, really. If the party wizard is known to chuck fireballs, he'll secure potions of fire protection or some such. Or maybe have his more expendable minions fight while hiding behind barrels of alchmist fire (without their knowledge). If the party uses a tone of illusions, he'll get that word out and may assume strange things are illusions. It's true that the party usually plays offense, but the defensive measures the party takes should be considered by the bad guys too.

[Occasional Sage]

If the party uses a tone of illusions, he'll get that word out and may assume strange things are illusions.


I now wonder how well it would work to hire a marching band to lead the way into the dungeon.

[Shaofoo]

The biggest thing is that your big bad should be reactive, more than just being able to plan for the future but also reacting to the present. If the fort is breached he should be aware that something is going on and either activate his plan of escape or lock down his fortress with traps and defensive positions.

Also is the big bad supposed to be afflicting a wide area? Then he should have many safe houses that he can duck into when push comes to shove, he shouldn't put all of his eggs in one basket.

Also the biggest thing you should do is always put a time pressure on the group, if they don't hurry then someone very important dies or the BBEG becomes a god or a huge war will break out and so on. If you really want to put the pressure then hang a clock over them, every rest means that have that less time to finish their goal or something catastrophic happens.

Also as the Dm you have full creative control how things happen in the world, you could just design a failsafe where the most important objects are teleported away safely.

Also another huge thing is to not put all of your power in the BBEG, spread it around with other minions; the big bad might not even have to be the strongest person in the group, he could just give huge buffs to the minions or have one huge minion. Also remember that Concentration is a huge thing now, the wizard casting a spell that is keeping the big bad down can be rescued if enough minions beat up on the wizard enough.

[Malifice]

Weaken them with minions first.

Spells run out.

[RulesJD]

1. Counterspell. Learn it, live it, love it.

2. Greater Invisibility + See #1. This prevents the players from Counterspelling the Counterspell.

3. Contingency + See #2. Contingency (When about to be counterspelled -> Greater Invisibility).

4. Illusions. Have BBEG appear from >60ft away. Player unloads massive spell. BBEG is completely unharmed because it was just an illusion. Player wastes high level spell slot.

[MrStabby]

A weapon of warning is almost mandatory.

Having a chance to launch proactive spells/abilities on the first turn before too many buffs/offensive spells have been launched can make a huge difference.

Silence, darkness, fog cloud or a huge number of other spells can provide quite a bit of cover. Give the big bad a few levels of monk as well if you want to be able to move out of areas of effect, stun enemies, silence etc..

[Dalebert]

Many spells require line of sight to the target. Being invisible by magical (like invis or darkness) or mundane means (like 100% cover) block a lot. Remember, darkness on a familiar means the enemy can move it around at his convenience--be inside it when defending and move it to attack.

Nystal's Magic Aura can make creatures or objects read differently. This might help compliment illusions like Disguise Self. The paladin Divine Senses on the enemy, a fiend, and he reads as celestial.

Expounding on a previous suggestion--Major Image is permanent cast at 6th level. The enemy could accumulate multiple duplicates of himself over days of casting that move as his action so he could position them conveniently or in different places to waste spells and actions. Occasionally he could be watching while invisible and use his action to have it react accordingly as if the spell worked and act like it harmed him only to flee. Having secret passages and hiding places set up can assist with this.

Silence spells. These can also be set up in advance in such as way that they're nigh unavoidable due to the terrain while leaving the villain outside of them.

[TentacleSurpris]

For an escape, all you need is Dimension Door and a physical way to block counterspells which require line of sight. I have a recurring wizard in my game, and the first time the party met her, she ran down a hallway and cast Dimension Door. They spent forever searching the manor for her, but she was long gone, having teleported outside to the stables to get on a horse and was miles away. The next time the party fights her, she will open up an adjacent window, jump out, and cast Dimension door again and just start running. She might take an AoO or two, but she will probably survive it.