The Legendary Pixel Crew

At 19th level, it's *very* easy to find people and things* and then immediately appear in the area from any distance on any plane.

*provided such people and things aren't protected by magic near your level

As that guy with so little D&D but a little more various other RPG experience, I'm used to these kinds of effects being a mixed bag. If you have a character with comparable abilities, the GM builds the adventure so that you need to use it. While sometimes it isn't an option because it would shortcircuit the adventure, it avoids at least looking like you're being railroaded because your PC's aren't the only strong or clever characters in the setting...

...so someone is going to just be better at hiding than you are at seeking, whether through whatever resists the search effect or knowing specifically how to fool it (like no mana zones).

Yeah that's true, i'ts mostly up to the DM as to how useful divination becomes and weither the villians do the splatbook diving needed to defend against it.

I don't think I just rolled a "1" while trying to compose a response, but if we use a system where critical failures require verification... yeah, I botched the first time but succeeded the second, so I posted a confusing response even by my standards before deleting it. XP

On topic, it is all about game balance and design. If something like scrying is part of the core rulebook and it'll "break" the game if it isn't counterbalanced, countermeasures to it ought to be in the core rulebook. There might be an explanation for why it isn't e.g. not enough space but that doesn't excuse it, just explain it. :)

If it is from a supplement, hopefully, that supplement addresses it. If it only causes "issues" for a particular style of campaign, okay, okay: it makes sense for it to be in a different, follow-up supplement. Of course, a good game system knows it cannot be perfect and leaves the GM enough wiggle room to house rule the situation.

Ugh, still longwinded, but I'm saying if super-reliable scrying is gonna wreck the adventure, you come up with a plausible reason it isn't going to work (or at least, work well enough to cause problems). XP

There's an entry in Mr. Welch's list, something to the effect of 'If we're running a murder mystery, I will inform the DM beforehand that I have speak with dead, instead of finishing the adventure in five minutes.'

High level abilities wreck low level adventures. Stat gains mean nothing compared to the abilities, spells, and feats you get.

Also if you have the ability to bring people back to life with no harm to them at no cost (with their remains in any condition including completely disintegrated) then it becomes very easy... Keeping people dead is an interesting exercise at epic levels.

Well, a good DM could make it so the murdered has no clue how they died.

You're so funny mr wizard. It's almost as if you really think you'll leave this encounter alive.