The Wizards first round against the BBEG

[Venator]

Im looking for some ideas / discussion on what the optimal first round would look like for a 20th level Wizard in the final show down with the campaign / adventure path BBEG.

Keep it general. The BBEG is exactly that, Big, Bad, and Evil (End). Nothing more nothing less. No specifics.

You are full, know what he / it is, and know you are going to fight it. You do not know what he / it is capable of or what it is likely to do.

You are in a fairly iconic party of 6. Your weakest area is healing.

Material from Core + Complete + PHBII is fair game.

Assume "typical" builds not necessarily tailored to fight BBEG's.
Assume your character value is in line with what the DMG recommends, but you were not allowed to "shop at the store of DMG." This value has been accumulated by leveling 1-20.
Assume starting Int was 18.



Being the ignorant player i am (havent played up past 7th), id probably start off something like...

Sudden Maximized Time Stop (5 "free" rounds)
- Gate in a Solar (scroll)
- Gate in a Solar (scroll)
- Insert Party Buff here
- Insert Party Buff here
- Self / Party Buff, or maybe another Time Stop (can that happen?)

Ideas?

 

[Bad Paper]

Sudden Maximized Time Stop (5 "free" rounds)
- Gate in a Solar (scroll)
- Gate in a Solar (scroll)
- Insert Party Buff here
- Insert Party Buff here
- Self / Party Buff, or maybe another Time Stop (can that happen?)

A maximized time stop is an effective 12th level spell, and hence is illegal in most games, such as mine, until your wizard hits 23rd level.

I don't think you can gate in anyone during a time stop. I mean, I guess you can open the gate, but nothing steps through during your frame of reference.

I would just open with Mordenkainen's Disjunction on the guy, and let the fighters mop up.

 

[Vorput]

Maximized time stop and a bunch of delayed blast fireballs layed on BBEG... maybe using a quicken rod to get off some extra stuff... and some energy sub feats to change around the damage being dealt in case of resistances.

 

[Shadeus]

Sudden Maximized time stop is a level 9 spell.

 

[MarkB]

Sudden Maximized time stop is a level 9 spell.

As is time stop maximised via a Greater Rod of Maximise.

Then use the other two charges to maximise the delayed-blast fireballs.

 

[zypherillius]

I would just open with Mordenkainen's Disjunction on the guy, and let the fighters mop up.

i wouldnt disjunction him unless your wizard battle is a one shot deal, you risk making the wizard a d4 fighter at that point that would need levels in swashbuckler to make a difference.
for some pre-battle prep, try scrying the bbeg to find out what he is so you can better prepare, if hes immune to fire damage, energy substitute out the delay blast fireballs for something that hes not immune to.
id definatly start off with the time stop, then hope you roll high then park an appropriate amount of delay blast fireballs right in front of him, since DBF doesnt really target, its legal. then when the time stop runs out, open up with a comet fall followed up by a greater celerity into another time stop, then start the process over again.
if you dont like that, id still time stop, but in the time stop throw out some of the biggest summons you can find, or ramp up some kind of gigantic illusion to throw him off. or if all else fails, hit him with energy drain, its no saving throw, but only if hes not undead, dont want to give him hit points.
another good spell is avisculate, i forget if its in any of the completes, but i do know its in the spell compendium and libris mortis. you can split ray it, taking it up to 9th level, then the bbeg will essentially lose 75% if his hit points in one spell if you are allowed to use either of those books.

 

[Question]

Do you have any prep time for the battle, or are you just suddenly walking when BAM BBEG?

 

[moritheil]

You are full, know what he / it is, and know you are going to fight it. You do not know what he / it is capable of or what it is likely to do.

Ideas?

You shouldn't be full on spells if you don't have those facts - that's what divinations exist for.

A 20 Wiz who doesn't cast any divinations is asking to get killed.

 

[Artoomis]

How could you not use Wish for your last hurrah? Make it a BIG one. Go for it!

"You may try to use a wish to produce greater effects than these, but doing so is dangerous."

Live dangerously.

 

[Bad Paper]

i wouldnt disjunction him unless your wizard battle is a one shot deal, you risk making the wizard a d4 fighter at that point that would need levels in swashbuckler to make a difference.

How so? As long as you aren't stupid enough to hit yourself with it, I mean.