Using Forcecage defensively?

[Bungus]

A powerful lich (level 19-20 arcane caster) is going to be faced off against a large and powerful party of players a few levels below the lich.

If the lich has a round or 3 to prepare, could it use barred version of Forcecage as a defensive means of stopping the party's melee attackers, who bring considerable force to bear?

I was thinking the lich puts itself in the middle of the 20 foot cage and is beyond reach weapons, but can still cast spells through the bars. The PCs could dimension door into the forcecage, but I figure the lich could have some sort of trap there (symbol spell maybe?) for anybody that does a short-range teleport or dimension door. Alternatively, the lich could have a Projected Image in the forcecage pretending to cast the spells, but really be behind the cage, or behind the party.

Thanks for your input

 

[Jack Simth]

Yes, all of that is quite feasible... although if he's going the Symbol route, he might as well just have it randomly in the room. Do note, though, that Disintegrate will get ride of the cage, no problem, and that he'll want to use targeted spells, rather than touch-attach spells, while he's in there.

 

[Bungus]

Thanks - was thinking of the symbol spell in case they tried to teleport or DD into the Forcecage "room." The lich obviously would have means of escape via its own DD or teleport.