Why Wizards DON'T rule the world?

[Cuthel]

One thing people miss about a 20 level Wizard fighting a demon Lord.
A Demon Lord is both a LORD and are Genius level intelligent.
So a Demon Lord should before the fight gather about 50 of his closet friends from his realm, send a message to his High Priest on the mundane plane he wants a dozen or so of his toughest worshippers to get ready to rumble , Cash in that favor a ancient red dragon owes him, Search his palace for magic trinkets he gathered over a few thousand years ,send his worshippers out to search the magic shops of the world to buy even more magic items to cover any weakness he and the 50 demons he bringing has , and check if any enemies the 20 level wizard has made over the years want to join in on the fun.
So the 20 level wizard going to need his own army cause no one in their right mind or with a genius level intelligence is going to fight a 20 level wizard one on one.

[WhiteMagus2000]

Demon lord also has time. Presumably thousands of years to watch and wait for the wizard to screw up (assuming the level 20 wizard took the immortality secret and doesn't die of old age). Seems like the easiest way would be to scry and fry the wizard, while the wizard is scrying and frying some petty underling or ally (is the rule still in place that lets gods and demon lords see and hear when people talk about them?)

[Coidzor]

WhiteMagus2000 wrote:

Demon lord also has time. Presumably thousands of years to watch and wait for the wizard to screw up (assuming the level 20 wizard took the immortality secret and doesn't die of old age). Seems like the easiest way would be to scry and fry the wizard, while the wizard is scrying and frying some petty underling or ally (is the rule still in place that lets gods and demon lords see and hear when people talk about them?)

I don't believe so, no. If it is, then that greatly confuses Lamashtu's backstory, among other deities.

[MKtheDM]

Ravingdork wrote:

I imagine the answer may well be "other wizards." Powerful spellcasters tend to keep other powerful spellcasters in check, if only by reputation.

And there is always a high CR monster waiting to appear to ruin the wizard's day.

[Rysky]

Coidzor wrote:

WhiteMagus2000 wrote:

Demon lord also has time. Presumably thousands of years to watch and wait for the wizard to screw up (assuming the level 20 wizard took the immortality secret and doesn't die of old age). Seems like the easiest way would be to scry and fry the wizard, while the wizard is scrying and frying some petty underling or ally (is the rule still in place that lets gods and demon lords see and hear when people talk about them?)

I don't believe so, no. If it is, then that greatly confuses Lamashtu's backstory, among other deities.

It was a quirk from DnD Settings (maybe just Forgotten Realms but I'm not for sure) that Deities did this. In Pathfinder while full on Deities might be able to do this, the whole aware/observe people talking about them is mainly Pazuzu's thing.