[3.5] Epic spellcaster duels?

[Wonton]

(I don't mean Epic as in 20+, I just mean epic)

Have any of you ever participated in one/DM one? How did it work? D&D just doesn't seem to support the idea of two mages fighting very well. The two combatants usually just take turns throwing spells at each other until one fails a saving throw or runs out of hit points.

[TaintedLight]

(I don't mean Epic as in 20+, I just mean epic)

Have any of you ever participated in one/DM one? How did it work? D&D just doesn't seem to support the idea of two mages fighting very well. The two combatants usually just take turns throwing spells at each other until one fails a saving throw or runs out of hit points.

This is the case, yes. There are rules for spell duels in CArc, but they're frankly boring. Summoner's Chess is kind of cool though.

[gallagher]

This is the case, yes. There are rules for spell duels in CArc, but they're frankly boring. Summoner's Chess is kind of cool though.

alot of dispelling in my case, mixed with alot of miss chances and many will saves

[TaintedLight]

alot of dispelling in my case, mixed with alot of miss chances and many will saves

The miss chance helps a bit, but dominating the guy is just another way of saying "save, save, save, whoops."

[jseah]

It gets better at higher optimization levels.

In an arena of two wizards it usually boils down to:

Invis/Silence/Hiding methods
vs
Various Detection methods

Action Economy (to the tune of getting three spells off in 1 round)
Mobility
vs
Battlefield Control

Summons
Blasting
Various other offensive methods
vs
Dispel
Immunities

It's awesome when you have players fighting each other on multiple levels at the same time.
"Do I throw my deathorb now or is that just an illusions?"
"HA! I eat your deathorb to the FACE!" <- immune to dmg
"Too bad, it was actually a Disjunction..."
"Well, fine, you got my illusion then. "

[SurlySeraph]

Read some of the Test of Spite matches. Epic spellcaster combat is generally doing one's best to be undetectable, and invincible if detected, while throwing out ludicrously powerful tricks.

Perhaps the most entertaining match was melee vs. spellcaster, which involved the fighter balancing on the caster's head in the middle of a raging whirlwind while the caster tried to knock him off with a stick.