Walock of the Fiend supported by two Enchanters
[MENTION=6685730]DMMike[/MENTION], that's the approach I've decided to take. Typically, I do not want to over plan any encounter, but generally most creatures only have a few actions they can take anyway. Spell casters add numerous more options, and if you include multiple spellcasters, well ... its a lot of action to account for. I've decided that planning the encounter in more detail is not so much planning as it is managing. I recall reading in several published adventures modules guidance to the DM on how to play particular spellcaster enemies. That guidance usually included order of spells to cast and when to cast other spells.
For this particular encounter, I have a Warlock of the Fiend and two Enchanters (both from Volo's Guide to Monsters) in an enchanting room performing a ritual the players are supposed to disrupt.
The Warlock of the Fiend has the following spells:
Alter self, False life, Levitate, Mage armor, Silent image - which he can cast at will as an innate ability.
Feeble mind, Finger of death, plane shift -- which he can cast once per day as an innate ability.
Eldritch blast, Fire bolt, Friends, Mage hand, Minor illusion, Prestidigitation -- cantrips
Shocking Grasp, Banishment, Burning hands, Flame strike, Hellish rebuke, Magic circle, Scorching ray, Scrying, Stinking cloud, Suggestion, Wall of fire -- spells which he has 4 spell slots to use.
The two enchanters have the following spells:
Friends, Mage hand, Mending, Message -- cantrips
Charm person. Mage armor, Magic missile - 4 slots
Hold person, Invisibility, Suggestion - 3 slots
Fireball, Haste, Tongues - 3 slots
Dominate beast, Stoneskin - 3 slots
Hold monster - 2 slots
Keeping track of the concentration spells will be key.
The room is a large cave, with a pit in the center (source of magic powers for the rituals). There are five exits to the cavern, one of which leads out of the dungeon, and one of which the players will enter.
So here is how I see the fight playing out: (W)arlock, and (E)chanters
Spell 1 -- (W) Stinking Cloud; (E) Charm Person (if first to act)
Spell 2 -- (W) Feeblemind (Targets a spell caster); (E) Mage Armor
Spell 3 -- (W) Finger of Death (Targets closest threat); (E) Hold Person (target those outside of cloud first, then fighters in cloud second)
Spell 4 -- (W) Firebolt; (E) Fireball (if room to avoid damage to allies)
Spell 5 -- (W) Flame Strike; (E) Dominate Beast (if animal present, or druid wild shape)
Spell 6 -- (W) Wall of Fire (Once Stinking Cloud is ineffective); (E) Stoneskin (if hold person not working and enemies are closing)
Spell 7 -- (W) Levitate to move out of range/Shocking Grasp if too late; (E) Fireball (again if room to avoid damage to allies)
Spell 8 -- (W) Banishment to remove threat from allies; (E) Magic Missile otherwise
Spell 9 -- (W) Burning Hands if friendly out of range and slot available; (E) Invisibility or Haste (to escape to Mage for the Plane Shift)
Spell 10 -- (W) Scorching Ray if slot available
Spell 11 -- (W) Hellish Rebuke if slot available
Spell 12 -- (W) Eldritch Blast otherwise
Spell 13 -- (W) Plane Shift (escape with allies)
Any thoughts on this spell sequence for the Mage and his Enchanters?
[I would have used a table, but I could not get it to work on this post for some strange reason]