Help me capture my PCs

[Piratecat]

I did try to capture my PCs once using 3.0 rules; I did it with low level wizards on rooftops, armed with wands that had a unique (but already known in the campaign) spell... effectively fireball that do subdual damage and use a fort save. Three 1st lvl wizards with wands, each drinking a potion of haste, equaled 30d6 or so of subdual damage before the group could even react.

Of course, the stinkin' PCs had cast a divination that day about their safety, and had gotten a clue about the ambush. They ambushed the ambushers instead!

And that's the way it should be. I go into these sorts of encounters expecting the PCs to win, and I get surprised if they don't. Makes it easier to plan.

 

[was]

Being a thieves' guild they most certainly have access to wealth and magical items enough to ensure that people don't magically pop in and out of their headquarters whenever they feel like it....Perhaps they have an item or have had a high level wizard cast a spell that prevents such actions.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Do it while they're sleeping. That's when they're most vulnerable. And if they're sleeping at an inn, their guards will be down and in all likelihood they won't have posted a watch.