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Old 11-29-2020, 08:47 AM   #1
hcobb
 
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Default Anti-wizard tactics

If a wizard is causing your group problems then there are four general ways to deal with the problem:

1: Outlast the wizard. If the wizard isn't being really effective against your team and is wasting ST on say illusions you rapidly disbelieve then your best option may be simply to ignore him until he runs out of ST/Mana/Power. You may need to dodge or defend for a while to run out the clock on the wizard.

2: Snipe the wizard. Lots of warriors have missile weapons that are a lot more cost effective than missile spells (dodging for a few turns while the wizard runs out of ST if you need to). The main problem is if the wizard put up Reverse Missiles as secret protection and your snipers wind up sniping themselves.

3: Jab and slash. If you can approach to a hex or two you can apply melee attacks that are not subject to Reverse Missiles. The wizard can still use other defensive magics, but if he is burning his own strength to do so this is a matter of running out the clock.

4: Overrun the wizard. Any wizard who depends on the mana and powerstones of a big stick is a lot less powerful once engaged in HTH and hence forced to drop that stick. Even if he pulls out a secondary silver dagger he's still without the big stick. Dagger staffs are resistant to this tactic and wands may or may not be allowed in HTH (ask your GM before trying this).
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Old 11-29-2020, 09:44 AM   #2
zot
 
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

Chemistry and Alchemy are good, if you have the bucks
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Old 11-29-2020, 02:44 PM   #3
Skarg
 
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

5. Counter them with your own wizard(s).

6. Counter them with non-wizard smart counter-tactics for whatever magic they are using.

7. A grenade tends to wipe out or incapacitate most low-armor lowish-ST characters in a mega-megahex area.
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Old 11-29-2020, 03:51 PM   #4
Axly Suregrip
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

Your #1 and #2 is most of it.

1. Outlast: Everything he does offensively, specially anything with maintenance cost, will wear him down. As long as you have ways to countering them and making them ineffective but still costly.

For example, summons a bear: Bola to the legs. That is a loss of at least 6 ST and maybe more if you waited for it to approach. More likely the wizard will let it go and try again instead of paying to maintain a disabled bear for 2 turns. Worst case, 4 ST or more wasted.

But if you don't have a counter, then Outlast can be exactly what he wants.


2. Snipe: This is always my first go to way to deal with wizards. You need an archer with high enough DX to be able to fire before the wizard can enable his Reverse Missiles. Or a low damage archer with armor (eg. Short Bow firing twice a turn but in chainmail). Even if he has Reverse Missile, this may turn into outlast.

With both #2 and #8, if you do damage before he can cast, you have just removed that much more ST from his spells.


8. Pole weapon rush: If you can get past his barriers (illusions, bears, walls, fires, etc) to melee range, to often he can put you to sleep at range 1. But not so if you bring a pole arm as you attack first.

With both #2 and #8, if you do damage before he can cast, you have just removed that much more ST from his spells.


9. Illusion rush: If you out number him with wizards, try making several illusions each to rush him. Say you have 2 wizards to his 1. Each creating a gargoyle illusion every turn for 3 turns. The intent is to fly each into HTH where disbelieving is not an option. He can only disbelieve one illusion at a time, eventually one gargoyle will get to him and then the pile on starts. The weakness to this is Dispel Illusion spell but few wizards know this spell. Well, until this becomes a common tactic. :-)

Last edited by Axly Suregrip; 11-29-2020 at 08:50 PM.
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Old 11-29-2020, 04:36 PM   #5
phiwum
 
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

I like the illusion rush!
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Old 11-29-2020, 09:25 PM   #6
Axly Suregrip
 
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

Quote:
Originally Posted by phiwum View Post
I like the illusion rush!
Thank you. I have used it and it is quite satisfying.
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Old 11-30-2020, 04:36 AM   #7
RobW
 
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

Having set out fully determined to kill Molly in DT2 (working to shoot her, pole charge, overwhelm, etc), I found it was impossible due to Word of Command: Surrender (Obey, Freeze, Lie Down and others would have worked too). When the two octopi fell to the spell I was too demoralised to continue.

There's no counter to Word of Command Surrender. The entire opposing force is immediately neutralised for 3ST. The saving throw is 5/IQ.
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Old 11-30-2020, 07:20 AM   #8
hcobb
 
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

The most massive abuse is Great Voice, Word of Command Believe, Theologian, Charisma, and Halfling.
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Old 11-30-2020, 07:29 AM   #9
phiwum
 
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

That's an abuse for a PC who wants a horde of followers, I guess, but that sounds like an odd path for a player to take. Who wants to run a bureaucracy that manages a huge group of cultists? Most players go for more conventional heroes rather than Jim Jones.

On the other hand, while it's still overpowered, it makes for a formidable baddie. To make it playable, the super-intelligent baddie would have to make some very poor choices on occasion, which is easy to imagine. Extraordinary power leads to overconfidence and hubris, which provides a way to bring down the baddie with some luck and planning.

(Yeah, okay, not really. This combination really would be abusive, but a decent GM would not take it to the logical consequences, stopping instead at the point where the game is fun rather than broken.)
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Old 11-30-2020, 08:22 AM   #10
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Default Re: Anti-wizard tactics

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to assassinate this mad halfling before she forces the entire world to submit to her twisted vision of peace, love, and joy. Should your party start chanting her slogans the agency will deny all connection.
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