How do you DM's deal with "Dogpile on the evil wizard" tactics?

[Felon]

Novice players think that the way to deal with evil wizards is to close in and take swings at them with melee weapons, and pray for the wiz to blow a Concentration check when he casts defensively. Now, the players in my group have learned the way to do it right. They've got their act pretty down pat when it comes to big bad mages: one guy hangs back with a ranged attack (preferably touch-based like a spell or a vial of acid) and gets ready to disrupt the wiz's spellcasting, while others charge forward to grapple him. A grappled wizard is a dead wizard, and wizards aren't great at avoiding touch attacks or winning grapple checks.

Of course, the obvious thing to do is have some bodyguards to run interference, but they often just don't do the job they're supposed to do. With the sheer number of players I have, at least a few people beat the bodyguards' initiative, and they just run right past. Even if the bodyguards go first and/or have combat reflexes, a bodyguard generally only intercepts one character (one player basically just maneuvers so that the bodyguards have to leave an opening to intercept them).

I use flight at times to eliminate the grappling problem, but that doesn't eliminate the ranged disruption problem, especially if it's a touch attack that's targeting them.

I'm not really complaining that there's nothing that the mage can do, but rather I'm just looking to hear other folks' notes on the subject. I don't want to keep repeating the same counter-tactics if there are fresh ones out there.

 

[jgbrowning]

Incorporeal. One way to do it.

joe b.

 

[demiurge1138]

A stilled dimension door is always handy. So are fire shields and enlarge spells.

Or, you could always give the wizard a longspear for a staff and Combat Reflexes...

Demiurge out.

 

[Patlin]

Defensive Spells

Depending on the level of the wizard, try spells like Dimension Door, Mislead, or Invisibility. DDoor is a great way to escape a grapple, and the others can make it hard to find the wizard in the first place. Even a lowly first level spell like grease can offer a bunch of protection from grappling.

Spells like disguise self and polymorph can be used to muddy the issue tremendously as to which target is the wizard and which is the bodyguard. Artfull use of illusions can bring massive confusion to many aspects of the battle.

It's a *good* thing that your players are playing smart, so I hope you and they are enjoying it. Throw some more challenges in their way and see if you can get them to play even smarter!

 

[Patlin]

A stilled dimension door is always handy. So are fire shields and enlarge spells.

Dimension Door
Conjuration (Teleportation)
Level: Brd 4, Sor/Wiz 4, Travel 4
Components: V

A stilled dimension door is redundant. It doesn't have a "S" component to get rid of.

 

[MerricB]

Terrain. On an Island in the middle of some boiling Lava. With a cage between the PCs and the Wizard.

Bodyguards. As above - Combat Reflexes + Hold the Line.

Lots of Bodyguards: If there is no free space to move through, the PCs are going to have lots of trouble moving past.

Awareness: A lot of the time, any Evil Wizard worth his salt will be aware of the PCs for hours before they reach him - and get a surprise action on them.

Cheers!

 

[Droogie]

Spiderclimb. Unless they can fly, they can't grapple him when he's on the ceiling. Nice, cheap low level spell.

Throw in a blur or a shield to help deter those ranged touch attacks.

 

[Eldragon]

This is probably the best use for the levitate spell. Can't grapple a mage if you can't reach him! To avoid the ranged disruption by missile, the mage needs to also use protection from arrows. To stop the ranged touch attacks, Try Lesser globe of invulnerability. Most of the damaging ranged spells are level 3 or lower.

I prefer a Stilled Fireshield over dimention door. Mostly because getting away from a grapple once does not prevent another grapple attempt the next round. Fireshield pretty much does that for the entire combat.

Note that Dimention Door does not have Somatic or Material components. So it does not need to be stilled.

 

[Pants]

Contingency is your friend.

Teleport is only a verbal component.

Freedom of Movement keeps those pesky grapplers away.

 

[Hjorimir]

Freedom of Movement isn't on the Sorcerer/Wizards spell list.