preventing air raids?

[Braininthejar]

I need a countermeasure for the villains.

Basically, whenever they're forced to move through the open, the druids solve the encounter by wildshaping into birds and dropping something nasty right on top of them in the surprise round. (typically wall of thorns followed by a wall of fire, sometimes tigers) This tends to end the encounter as the villains are rarely more optimised than the players, and so they cannot keep too many buffs going.

How can I guard from this kind of surprise attacks at teen levels?

[OblivionSmurf83]

Who are the villains? Do you have someone particular in mind, or are you happy with any sort?

Also, what's the actual terrain set up? Totally wide open, or with some hiding spaces?

[Braininthejar]

At the moment it's a pair of wizards who managed to find out the party is in the swamps and now went there with some mercenary bodyguards, sending their prying eyes all over the area.

But the party druid has made a habit of turning into an environment-appropriate bird whenever she scouts and that eliminates many encounters (at teen levels, opponents of equal level are rare - most challenges come from weaker foes who use proper strategy and teamwork - but if they get surprised, the druid can often solo such encounters)

So any general advice will come in handy sooner or later

[Mithril Leaf]

Have the enemies fly, which is the typical solution to being a mid level character who dies due to being ground based.

[Braininthejar]

It will make them move around more, less chance of all fitting under attack template at once. doesn't solve the "guaranteed surprise round" thing though.

[SolEiji]

Do the wizards not have some form of sentry, be it magic or simply their familiar flapping over the tree line who can spot incoming danger?

Especially if this is a common trick, word will get out: Look out for the birds, some are heroes with grenades.

[Braininthejar]

For word to get out there need to be survivors.

So the enemy can simply be paranoid enough to shoot birds. I guess the next step will be for players to ask their wizard for help and upgrade to stealth bombers.

Fortunately, for someone who can see invisible (which can be made permanent) that will make them more conspicuous.

[vaz]

Divinations are kind of built for this purpose.

[Braininthejar]

yes they are. But which one would provide adequate warning?

[wotmaniac]

Quick-and-dirty:
Wizard + familiar have Arcane Sight mad permanent -- this doesn't let you see true forms (sadly, true seeing isn't permanency-able), but it does let you discern spellcasting ability.  Familiar scout, sound alarm if it sees any birds (or other animals, for that matter) that have spellcasting ability.
Make sure they have contingency plans.

Much more can seem a little too metagamey; but this is all fair play.

[Braininthejar]

Arcane sight range 120'

Flame strike range: 100' +10'/level

 

[SolEiji]

It's late, but also...

Aerial Alarm is a thing.

[phaedrusxy]

Travel at night?

[Rejakor]

Divination - 'will we be attacked'

- 'when'

- 'by what'

etc.

I'd just send foes powerful enough to shrug off those attacks and then respond, either with long-duration buff spells or with energy resistance possibly from race.  The response should be 'take to the air, launch explosions of their own'.  I.e. you are not the first to use this tactic, and there are responses.

Seems like your enemies are too weak overall.

[phaedrusxy]

Divination - 'will we be attacked'

- 'when'

- 'by what'

etc.

I'd just send foes powerful enough to shrug off those attacks and then respond, either with long-duration buff spells or with energy resistance possibly from race.  The response should be 'take to the air, launch explosions of their own'.  I.e. you are not the first to use this tactic, and there are responses.

Seems like your enemies are too weak overall.

Contact Other Plane is typically used for this, and... you're REALLY opening up a can of worms if you start using it like this...

Some other things that might work:
1) take hostages/innocents along to deter "nuke it from orbit tactics"
2) similarly, a bunch of decoys/mooks that are spread out to draw fire (maybe even illusions)
3) disguises (maybe mundane ones if the PCs run around with True Seeing) to look harmless/helpful/like allies
4) don't travel overland... Stick your mooks in an Enveloping Pit and Teleport to where you're going (or fly through the clouds, etc)

[Unbeliever]

Yeah, illusory mooks/decoys was the first thought I had, too.  Also, Invisibility, etc. 

Finally, Wizards can probably escape when the encounter goes sour against them.  So, I'd probably let the PCs rain down death upon them once, have them vanish, and then prepare for it the second time around.

[phaedrusxy]

Yeah, illusory mooks/decoys was the first thought I had, too.  Also, Invisibility, etc. 

Finally, Wizards can probably escape when the encounter goes sour against them.  So, I'd probably let the PCs rain down death upon them once, have them vanish, and then prepare for it the second time around.

Good idea there, also. Immediate action spells and a way to not be flat-footed (or to be able to act, at least) should go a long way towards that. Hell... even being inside a carriage could probably get them outside the blast by providing cover.
Contingency is another possibility. Set it to go off when you cast Nerveskitter, and you can control when it activates, and it basically becomes a way to cast any spell (that can be used in it) as an immediate action, even when flatfooted.

[Braininthejar]

I'd just send foes powerful enough to shrug off those attacks and then respond, either with long-duration buff spells or with energy resistance possibly from race.  The response should be 'take to the air, launch explosions of their own'.  I.e. you are not the first to use this tactic, and there are responses.

Seems like your enemies are too weak overall.

As I said, there is a limit to what level I can realistically make enemies in side quests. teen level mages don't grow on trees. It's not a computer game where city guards are level 7. There are still guys stronger than the party, some overwhelmingly so, but they are limited to the main plot.

It's late, but also...

Aerial Alarm is a thing.

"Medium or larger" The only time the druid is medium or larger is if she carries a rider.

Yeah, illusory mooks/decoys was the first thought I had, too.  Also, Invisibility, etc. 

Finally, Wizards can probably escape when the encounter goes sour against them.  So, I'd probably let the PCs rain down death upon them once, have them vanish, and then prepare for it the second time around.

In this instance, they nuked the mooks and one wizard, who was teleported home by his contingency spell before the burns killed him. They managed to finish the other one and get his loot... then his boss teleported in and almost killed them. They won thanks to a lucky roll on slime wave, but the guy was an astral projection and will keep coming back. Now it's their turn to watch out for surprise attacks. 

[Unbeliever]

Now it's their turn to watch out for surprise attacks. 

Yeah, and the key thing here is that it's not just you being a mean DM.  There's a perfectly reasonable, in-story, reason for some magical sneak attacking.

[altpersona]

Burrowing?

Gust of Wind for 'regular' birds/flyers.

reverse gravity? Nets? Illusions?