Common High-Level Tactics

[jodyjohnson]

Druid: Wildshape into a big grabby animal, like a dire bear. Cast wall of thorns. Hang out in your wall of thorns, grabbing enemies and pulling them into your square...which is in the wall. You, of course, can move freely through the wall because of your nature's stride ability.

I believe Wall of Thorns falls under the magical manipulation clause.

Woodland Stride (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

I believe Wall of Thorns falls under the magical manipulation clause.

Wall of Thorns is an explicit exception to that. "Creatures with the ability to pass through overgrown areas unhindered can pass through a wall of thorns at normal speed without taking damage."

 

[jodyjohnson]

At least I learned something today.

Sounds kind of weak as a tactic anyway.

 

[Ferghis]

Wizards who Scry (buff) and Fry

In 1e, at high level, there was a decent chance for a character to notice being scryed. In a whole group of high level characters, one's bound to make the roll. Isn't there a 3e equivalent to this?

Pre-emptive apologies for the noobish question.

 

[jmucchiello]

In 1e, at high level, there was a decent chance for a character to notice being scryed. In a whole group of high level characters, one's bound to make the roll. Isn't there a 3e equivalent to this?

From the SRD, Magic Overview:
Scrying: A scrying spell creates an invisible magical sensor that sends you information. Unless noted otherwise, the sensor has the same powers of sensory acuity that you possess. This level of acuity includes any spells or effects that target you, but not spells or effects that emanate from you. However, the sensor is treated as a separate, independent sensory organ of yours, and thus it functions normally even if you have been blinded, deafened, or otherwise suffered sensory impairment.
Any creature with an Intelligence score of 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a DC 20 Intelligence check. The sensor can be dispelled as if it were an active spell.
Lead sheeting or magical protection blocks a scrying spell, and you sense that the spell is so blocked.

 

[MarauderX]

I think of epic levels like two opponents that research each other before facing off. Each knows the other is out there, has done great/dispicable things, and predicts that one day they will meet. Some have done their homework before scry/buff/teleporting or working to prevent the scry/buff/teleport; others have not. Whether the PCs are the targets or the targetees may be all the difference.

Choosing the battlefield becomes even more important at high levels. Pick the terrain, pick the mooks, buffs and spells that go with it. It can make a cunning group of level 10s tough for an 18th level party, which I did fairly recently.

Add a critter, like a Drowned in a desert fight, to change the setting of the fight completely. Suddenly the party is scrambling for water breathing items instead of suntan lotion.

Surprising the party before they get a chance to buff - attacking in the middle of the night isn't supposed to happen when you're high level, right?

Beyond enervation, hit them with a few other ability draining effects. Stirges are great - the PCs will ignore them for a bit when there are larger, tougher opponents to fight. Add a few cohorts with UMD to launch wands with crippling things like maximized enfeeblement. Then grapple him with a six-armed giant zombie and let the stirges do their work.

 

[Darklone]

Is there still a wizard around who doesn't cast Detect Scrying every day???

In my games a player group of level 10 without that spell is asking for disaster.

 

[Slife]

Surprising the party before they get a chance to buff - attacking in the middle of the night isn't supposed to happen when you're high level, right?

Yeah, since you're in your own secret extradimensional space.

 

[airwalkrr]

Polymorph rogues into sneak attacking hydras

Doesn't work with new polymorph rules.

Archers that can deliver 400 hit points of damage before your opponent moves

I've seen builds that attempt it, but it usually doesn't work as consistently as you suggest. But maybe you are aware of a tactic that I am not aware of.

Casting spells that target opponents (particularly mooks) low save - Wail/Delayed Blast/Mass Hold

That is evident at all levels of play.

AC Nerf Debuffs + Sneak Attack/Dual Wielding/Blinking Rogue wielding Ghost Touch weapons

I think you mean brilliant energy. Rogues can't sneak attack undead so ghost touch is hardly useful.

Anti-magic shell + Fighter

What edition are you playing? The one I'm playing has anti-magic field as a personal range spell.

Summon Behmoth Gargantuan Silliness IX - we'll go in ethereal behind them

Summoning kinda sucks. Gate spells can do this, but it costs 1,000 XP. Hence it is not a common tactic that I've seen.

Let's see, my bluff's +38, my diplomacy's a +42 - did I convince him to surrender?

Never met a DM who doesn't have a way to deal with this. The idea is pretty silly when you think about it. Even the most silvered tongue in the world won't convince a dedicated opponent to surrender without a fight.

HiPS/Spring Attack/Sneak Attack(Skirmish)/HiPS

Doesn't work with Spring Attack. The Hide skill technically requires a move action, although I can see how some might view it otherwise.

Time Stop/Delayed Blast/Delayed Blast/Delayed Blast/Maximized Fireball

The maximized fireball doesn't work unless you have some way of quickening it. Time stop requires a standard action.

Every attack: take 20 and make a save or be knocked down/stunned/held/grappled/slain

Huh???

 

[airwalkrr]

For wizards, Time Stop, Prismatic Sphere above enemies, then Reverse Gravity.

Its great success!

Now that I like.