Counter-smackdowns: Countering a mage using Improved Invisibility + Fly

[Elder-Basilisk]

Enlarged See Invisible is a good idea; otherwise, fireball usually has a longer range than See Invisible which means that the wizard can fly out of range of See Invisible (and glitterdust) and pelt the PCs with fireballs.

Readied actions (fireball the spot I see the pellet of fire emerge from) are one way to deal with the flying improved invisible wizard. Dispel magic would work too (although with the distances involved, it would probably have to be an area dispel to be sure of getting the wizard.

Invisibility and leaving the area would work too. Alternately, invisibility and summoning a dire bat, fiendish dire bat, or something else with blindsight would be a possibility.

Mass Resist Elements would take the edge off of the fireballs.

Since we're obviously discussing high levels (the wizard can cast fly and improved invisibility without significantly diminishing his offensive capability) casting a hemispherical wall of force for protection and waiting the wizard out is a possibility (although not a particularly attractive one).

However, as people have noted, getting under cover is probably the best tactic. Even the cover of trees would most likely prevent the wizard from targetting PCs from beyond the range of See Invisibile.

 

[Pax]

And let's not forget the calssic real-world military techinque of flak. Adapted for DnD, you just plaster the sky with area-affect, indiscriminate, and high damage spells.

Fireball is a classic for sooo many reasons; Ice Storm, Flamestike and Blade Barrier will do for clerics, but require much more luck in aiming.

Firebrand is the ultimate "flak" spell. A 20th level spellcaster (say, Sorceror 15 / War Wizard of Cormyr 5), can pump out Firebrands (a half-dozen times a day) with twenty bursts, each 15' in radius, for 15d6 damage ... that's a LOT of volume filled with fire. a LOT.

 

[nameless]

It might sound like a non-solution, but becoming invisible or improved invisible is a great way for defending against another invisible wizard. If your enlarged See Invisibility can't pick him up, he might still be at Long range and able to Fireball the crap out of you. Throw up an invisibility and he'll be as helpless to target as you are. If he comes closer to look with his own magic, yours will be able to find him also. He'll either close distance, or he'll be letting you escape. Also knowing that Improved Invisibility has a very short strategic duration, he'll be at a big disadvantage.

 

[Hypersmurf]

It might sound like a non-solution, but becoming invisible or improved invisible is a great way for defending against another invisible wizard. Throw up an invisibility and he'll be as helpless to target as you are. If he comes closer to look with his own magic, yours will be able to find him also. He'll either close distance, or he'll be letting you escape.

"Sauce for the goose, Lieutenant... the odds, will be even."

-Hyp.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

on the enlarged see invis front. In my group I made scrolls of enalrged, enlarged, enlarged see ivis a lot, gave seome to myself and the rogue. See invis is the perfect scoll IMO, its nto something you will use every day, but when you need it you need it. So don't prepare it scrollify it. And once your going through the bother to make a scroll, make it a dang good scroll.

And its not an item that sucks for the party to get in their hands, when they inevitibly defeat the oposition.

 

[Pax]

[schlock brogue]
Bah, scrolls. Scrolls are f'r PANSIES, they are!

RUNES, man! Tha's where i's at, I'm tellin' ye!!

Get th' right cleric t'inscribe a RUNE of quadruply-enlarged See Invisible (usin' th' domain spell "Anyspell", o'course), usable once per day, for each member o' th' party! Store it in a wee pouch at yuirr belt ... when y'feel the need, stick yuir finger int'r th' pouch, and *WHAM!* ... one honkin'ly-huge-radius See Invisible, comin' righ' up, lads!

Or, just get yuirself a Quadruple-Enlarged "Improved Blindsight" rune. Blindsight, tae a glorious range o' 300' ... bwa ha ha ... ! That'd cost ... le's see here, spell level 9, caster level 17, four hundred gold per use per day ...

... well, it'll set ye back a righ' hefty 61,200gp, lads ... but 'tis WORTH it, I say! Worth ev'r last bent COPPER, 'tis!!
[/schlock brogue]

 

[Saeviomagy]

It depends what spells the wizard is employing.
In the case of stuff like fireball, I'd consider the tactic "I wait until he casts the spell, then I move my full distance in a random direction" to be more than a little bit effective. Draw out the fight, and the caster will exhaust himself.

Magic missile is more difficult - you have to stop yourself from being seen from the air - preferably when he casts the spell, so he wastes it.

Next up - EVERY fighter (ie - combat-style character) should get a hold of a potion of invisibility purge and a potion of fly. They're that essential, and really cheap to buy. Invisible creatures and flying creatures are some of the most dangerous things a fighter can encounter in D&D. Flying invisible creatures are by far the worst.

Invisibility Purge is good because only one person needs to use it for the entire party to give the target the smackdown. The range is largely immaterial, because the best place to be when up against a mage is point-blank. When he casts, you move your full allocation towards him. He'll often miss with the spell, and at the very least, he's only getting one person with his spells. There's a very good chance that a lone fighter will take out (or force to flee) a lone mage using these tactics (if the mage has a wand of fireballs, then he'll probably still pull through though...).

Next on the list are items to counter magical darkness, although in this case, it can be more of a party thing - you can usually run away from magical darkness.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I forget that Improved Invisibility was a 4th level spell instead of a 3rd level one, and since the tactic would than be possible for a 5th level wizard, I thought about the dangers for a 1st level group - impossible to survive, I guess. (And thus not challenging as a EL = Party Level +4 should be, but deadly )
(A Monk could survive thanks improved evasion, but a DC of at least 15 is difficult at 1st level)

But since it is a 4th level spell, the level of the wizard increases to 7 (that of a Sorcerer to 8, maybe even higher, I can`t remember the exact spells known chart ), it might be ... survivable, but still challenging.

A good defensive tactic will be to spread around the combat area, so that a Fireball can only hit a single target.
Even a Sorcerer does not have enough 3rd level spells to guarantee killing all of his targets in this case.

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Dark Dragon]

If you have a druid around, he should cast Control Winds (level 5). He creates a very small center with calm air (where the party stays) and causes the winds to blow inwards and up. Affected area is 40 ft radius per level ... The winds are usually strong enough to pull a flying mage to the eye of the storm. If not, the druid can alter (and thus enforce) his spell in the next round. The party wizard should have See Invisibility ready and use Dispel Magic as soon as the enemy wizard arrives in the center.

 

[FireLance]

Not in the core rules, but I posted an anti-invisibility feat, spell and magic weapon property in this thread.