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View Full Version : [3.5] At last, no more fear or hatred (New Lich Template)



Xefas
2009-06-18, 06:50 AM
I admit that, in my mortal life, I was filled with fear. It was all that drove me, and the more I feared, the more I hated. I was driven by fear to commit horrible acts; acts that would damn my very soul. In my final years, such was my fear of death's judgment that I turned to the prospect of lichdom. In a way, it felt even more terrifying than death; being torn from all that made me a person. But in a way, I thought it would be a relief. I would feel no more pain, no more fear; I would be immortal!

I was wrong, of course. After rising again in undeath, I continued to feel. I gazed upon the living, and was scared of my own foolishness. What had I done? What could I do? I hated them, as they enjoyed the pleasures of life that would be forever denied to me. I no longer felt the blood pumping in my veins, but I yearned for it; my shadow of a heart ached. The bitterness consumed me, and so I secluded myself, alone, in madness.

It was not until my aimless wandering brought me to the Gray Wastes of Hades that I was truly enlightened. It was there I found what I was truly searching for all along; the existence that could not be given even by removing every shred of my humanity and embracing the empty grasp of undeath. My decrepit, imperfect form was united with some strange substance native to the plane and became so much more...and less.

Now I feel nothing. I am not alive. I am not dead. I am not undead. I feel neither hate nor fear. It is as a peaceful unconsciousness, but I am awake to experience the void in perfect clarity. Mortal lives revolve around happiness and tragedy, Gods bicker amongst themselves, Vestiges cling to mortal hosts in desperation, even the unfathomable horrors that lurk in the Far Realm beyond all reality consider aberrant emotions alien to mortal minds but still existing. So what am I? If there is nothing that I am, then I must be Nothing.

Allow me to show you True Peace.

~Alethius, the First Liberated

Alethium is a special alloy created by the mixture of Shadesteel (Monster Manual 3) and Bloodiron (Planar Handbook). Shadesteel is itself made from iron mined and forged on the Plane of Shadow. Bloodiron is a substance found exclusively on the Lower Planes. After eons of fighting in the Blood War, the blood of Demons and Devils mix and seep into metal deposits, fusing with it over a long period of time and becoming Bloodiron.

The Shadesteel and Bloodiron must then be brought to the Gray Wastes of Hades and forged together in an extended process that forms Alethium. It takes about 10,000gp worth of Shadesteel and 10,000gp worth of Bloodiron to make enough Alethium for a Medium Sized creation, such as a golem or lich.

Creating an Alethium Lich
"Alethium Lich" is an acquired template that can be applied to a pre-existing Lich still in possession of their phylactery. The process of becoming one involves meditating in the Gray Wastes with a properly sized portion of Alethium nearby for several days. During this time, the Lich's soul is moved from its phylactery into the metal, along with its consciousness torn from the Lich's undead form. The Lich's phylactery is destroyed in the process.

Size and Type
The base creature's type changes to Construct and it loses all alignment subtypes. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size changes to the size of the Alethium body infused with the base creature's soul.

Hit Dice
Decrease all current and future hit dice to d10s. However, the base creature receives bonus hit points based on their size for being a Construct (see the Monster Manual).

Damage
The Negative Energy damage dealt by the Lich's touch increases to 2d8+10

Special Attacks
The Lich loses its Fear Aura and Paralyzing Touch abilities and gains the following ability.

Touch of True Peace (Su)
Any creature hit by the Alethium Lich's touch attack must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Alethium Lich's hit dice + their Intelligence of Wisdom modifier; whichever is higher) or be dealt Charisma Drain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#abilityDrain) equal to their current Charisma score and Charisma Burn (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicPowersOverview.htm#abilityBurn) equal to their current Charisma minus one as all sense of their existence is stripped from them. The Alethium Lich gains no temporary hit points from the ability drain.

Special Qualities
The base creatures loses the Turn Resistance and Damage Reduction granted by the Lich template and gains immunity to Negative Energy damage in addition to the following.

Empty (Ex)
An Alethium Lich is nothing but a soul and a shell, with the two having been inexorably bound into one. It does not have an alignment at all, nor is it effected by things that require the target to have a soul.

Damage Reduction (Ex)
Alethium is resilient, granting the Lich damage reduction 15/adamantine

Immortality (Ex)
Alethium Lichs have Regeneration 1 which is not bypassed by any specific substance. Unlike normal Constructs, they may also sustain Nonlethal damage, though only if it would be Lethal damage converted by their Regeneration. Bits broken off of them invariably crawl, dissolve and reform, or otherwise reattach themselves to the largest surviving piece.

Abilities
An Alethium Lich's Charisma is permanently set to 1 and cannot be raised or lowered by any means.

Challenge Rating
Same as base creature +1

Level Adjustment
Same as base creature


http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad91/bluejanus/NecronLord.jpg

Alethium Equipment

Any weapons or armor composed of Alethium regain 1 hit point per round if they are damaged, and if they are completely sundered or otherwise destroyed, they may automatically reform if all of their pieces are fit back together, as any small fractures regenerate.

Only weapons or armor that can be primarily composed of metal can be made from Alethium.

Extended contact with Alethium is unhealthy, sapping the user's self awareness. For every 16 hours a creature holds an unsheathed Alethium weapon, they take 1 Charisma Drain. For armor, the amount of contact is greater, taking only 6 hours of being worn to deal 1 point of Charisma Drain.

Weapons
The malicious nature of Alethium's two component metals make it perfect for fashioning into a killing implement. It is naturally corrosive to living matter, and any blow dealt with it confers an additional 1d8+5 negative energy damage. A weapon made of Alethium costs 10,000gp more than one of a more traditional metal.

Armor
Creatures that wear Alethium armor become more like empty vessels than real people. After at least 4 continuous hours of being worn, the wearer gains resistance 10 to negative energy. At 6 hours, the wearer is considered of no alignment for all spells and effects that depend on alignment. After 8 hours, they become immune to fear effects and effects related to emotions, such as a Rage or Calm Emotions spell. After 16 hours of continuous use, the wearer no longer needs to sleep, and does not suffer from fatigue or exhaustion. After 36 hours, the wearer becomes immune to negative energy damage.

A suit of armor made of Alethium costs 20,000gp more than one made of a traditional metal.

Alethium Holy Symbol
A holy symbol created from Alethium is a blot on the divine process wherein deities hold sway in the mortal realm by means of granting spells to their followers in exchange for service. By meditating on the truly empty meaning of the symbol, a cleric can sever their tie to the divine process.

A cleric so severed no longer has a patron deity. Their spells are willed into existence from Nothingness, and consequently, they no longer gain domain spells or have domain spell slots. If they previously could Turn Undead, they can no longer do so, and instead Rebuke Undead. Their number of Rebuke Undead attempts and the strength of those attempts is now determined by Wisdom instead of Charisma. Additionally, the cleric gains Spell Resistance against divine spells equal to their cleric level + 15.

An Alethium Holy Symbol requires 1,000gp of Alethium to create and must be anointed with a flask of Nihilistic Water before it can be used for meditation.

An Atonement spell can reverse the effects of an Alethium Holy Symbol, though most deities are slow to forgive such a blasphemy and may penalize the atoning cleric (at the DM's discretion). Common penalties include a period of time in which the cleric must not wear equipment, using only their spellcasting abilities to survive, a mandatory tithe, experience loss, or time spent on the deity's home plane of existence being lectured, scourged, or some equally unpleasant punishment.

Nihilistic Water
Invented by a Cleric turned Alethium Lich, Nihilistic Water is created from powdered Alethium magically infused in water. A flask of Nihilistic Water can be thrown as a splash weapon just like a flask of Holy Water. Those struck take 2d4 negative energy damage and are incapable of using spells, spell-like abilities, or martial maneuvers with an alignment subtype for 1 minute as their connection with the cosmological concept of alignment is deadened.

Efface Water
Transmutation
Level: Clr 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Flask of water touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

This transmutation imbues a flask (1 pint) of water with Alethium, turning it into Nihilistic Water.

Material Component
Powdered Alethium worth 200gp

Alethium Material Components

Augury
By substituting a 150gp Alethium talisman in place of the normal focus, the caster becomes more aware of the various shades of 'nothing' one can experience. When they get a result of 'nothing' for their augury, they are aware whether it was because of the failure of the spell or because their question actually came up with a 'nothing' answer.

Stoneskin
By substituting 400gp worth of powdered Alethium in place of the normal material components, the Stoneskin spell also infuses the target with necrotic energy. Anyone successfully striking the target takes 5 points of negative energy damage.

Other Alethium Creatures

Often, the holy forces of the Upper Planes get involved in the Blood War for one reason or another. On rare occasions, a powerful good-aligned dragon will be part of the forces sent to the Lower Planes. Should its corpse fall in the Gray Wastes of Hades, it has a chance of rising as an Alethium Dragon; a metallic dragon whose heritage has been tainted in a process similar to the creation of Alethium. The blood of Demons and Devils must flow on its fallen body, drying on its hide, and it must then be present for a powerful display of negative energy before its flesh has completely decayed.

Its scales then turn the color of Alethium, and it rises again as a new kind of dragon altogether.

Creating an Alethium Dragon
"Alethium Dragon" is an acquired template that can be applied to any living metallic dragon.

Size and Type
The base creature's type changes to Undead. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice
Change all current and future hit dice to d12s.

Damage
All of the Alethium Dragon's natural weapons deal an additional 1d8+5 negative energy damage.

Special Attacks
An Alethium Dragon loses its Frightful Presence ability and one of its breath weapons (of the DM's choice) and gains the following abilities in their place.

Vacant Presence (Su)
Creatures that enter within a radius of 30 feet x the Alethium Dragon's age category are filled with an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. They must succeed on a Will save (DC equals 10 + 1/2 the dragon's hit dice + the dragon's charisma modifier) or forget that they exist, becoming dazed for 1d6 rounds. A creature that succeeds on their save is immune to its effects for 24 hours. Other Alethium Dragons are immune.

Flaying Breath (Ex)
The most terrifying ability of the Alethium Dragon is its ability to release a brilliant beam of green energy from its mouth that rips the very fabric of those struck by it from reality. This is considered one of the dragon's two breath weapons. Its range is based off of a Line breath weapon of the dragon's size. The target must make a Fortitude save (DC equals 10 + 1/2 the dragon's hit dice + the dragon's charisma modifier). On a success, the target takes 1d6 damage per age category of the dragon. On a failure, it takes 2d8 damage per age category of the dragon, and that damage can not be healed in any way until the target has been treated with a Regeneration spell, as some of the matter that previously composed it simply no longer exists to be healed.

Special Qualities
An Alethium Dragon retains all special qualities of the base creature and gains the following.

Turn Resistance (Ex)
An Alethium Dragon has +4 Turn Resistance

Abilities
As an undead creature, an Alethium Dragon has no Constitution score

Alignment
Most Alethium Dragons rise as Neutral Evil creatures, though many are tainted by some Demonic or Diabolical corruption and turn to Chaotic Evil or Lawful Evil. A rare few retain the goodness of their metallic heritage and do not change their alignment, becoming powerful (if rather awkward) champions of righteousness in the Outer Planes.

Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature +3

Level Adjustment
Same as the base creature +3

DracoDei
2009-06-18, 07:32 AM
So there is no way at all to destroy one?

Also, they still have an alignment for purposes of determining their actions I should think. I mean even golems are True Neutral. Just because they detect as inanimate or whatever... I mention this because the fluff could support either anything from "Always True Neutral" to "Any Evil" to "Any".

Karma Guard
2009-06-18, 07:41 AM
So there is no way at all to destroy one?

Also, they still have an alignment for purposes of determining their actions I should think. I mean even golems are True Neutral. Just because they detect as inanimate or whatever... I mention this because the fluff could support either anything from "Always True Neutral" to "Any Evil" to "Any".

You can't kill Necrons. :V

DracoDei
2009-06-18, 07:58 AM
Also, needs CR and LA boost I should think, because mechanically I am not seeing any drawbacks...

Lysander
2009-06-18, 08:50 AM
You can't kill Necrons. :V

But would it be possible to keep the pieces apart so they could never reform? For example, scooping up the bits into different metal jars and dropping each jar on a different plane?

Also, what do they want? Would a lich like this still do evil deeds? Or any kind of deeds? With 1 Cha it seems like they might be content to sit in one spot and simply think all day.

Dagren
2009-06-18, 10:24 AM
Also, what do they want? Would a lich like this still do evil deeds? Or any kind of deeds? With 1 Cha it seems like they might be content to sit in one spot and simply think all day.Eh, a lot of regular liches are more interested in continuing their research than terrorizing anyone. (Gods help you if you interrupt it, though) Evil can be as much who you are as what you do, after all.

Xefas
2009-06-18, 02:38 PM
So there is no way at all to destroy one?

Also, they still have an alignment for purposes of determining their actions I should think. I mean even golems are True Neutral. Just because they detect as inanimate or whatever... I mention this because the fluff could support either anything from "Always True Neutral" to "Any Evil" to "Any".

You can't destroy one in the standard way. You'd have to get mildly creative with it. Plane Shift him to somewhere unpleasant, stuff him in an anti-magic field inside a big metal box he can't punch his way out of, Bind an Outsider whose job it is to stand above his corpse for all eternity dealing enough damage every round to keep him from coming back, throw him in a lake of acid that deals at least 1 point of damage every round so he can't get back to full, or just hit him with a Scroll of Imprisonment.

Alternatively, if a DM is looking to reward player creativity and doesn't adhere strictly to the rules to the exclusion of everything else, such a method described in Lysander's post, I think, would be adequate.

Them not having an alignment was more divorcing them from the cosmological effects of alignment. Being "Lawful Evil", to me, says "The very real and tangible substance, Law, which I can actually summon and beat people to death with, has a stake in my soul. I am on some small level, composed of Law. Look at me use this Axiomatic weapon. Same goes for Evil." Even being True Neutral - there are Outsiders actually composed of Neutrality. It's a substance and it has a stake in you if you're True Neutral.

I wanted it to be somewhat like nothing has a stake in you. No one cares about you anymore. The Great Wheel has forgotten you exist. You're outside the cycle; you can't die, and even if you did, there'd be nowhere for you to go.

Obviously they can still act in whatever way they want. Does that make sense, or do you think I should still change it?


Also, what do they want? Would a lich like this still do evil deeds? Or any kind of deeds? With 1 Cha it seems like they might be content to sit in one spot and simply think all day.

That's certainly possible, and it *is* immortal, so it could spend quite a few days sitting and thinking before getting any sort of inclination to do anything. But, for instance, my example lich, Alethius, is concerned with bringing what he calls True Peace to all living things, because even in Death, people's souls are still active. Only by removing your self awareness can you actually be at rest.

I feel like that's a goal someone with a considerable intelligence or wisdom score, but no more personality than a zombie, would come to. "Everything should be like me".

Alternatively, find one of those infinite planes the Great Wheel is full of and go nuts with your infinite free-time (http://xkcd.com/505/).


Also, needs CR and LA boost I should think, because mechanically I am not seeing any drawbacks...

Do you mean on top of the Lich's CR and LA boost? 'cause it still has the standard Lich template, and so +2 CR and +4 LA; it just loses most of the abilities granted by the Lich template, and has them replaced by different ones.

Undead -> Construct
Paralyzing Touch -> Touch of True Peace
DR 15/bludgeoning and magic -> DR 15/adamantine
Phylactery -> Immortality

Is their enough of an increase in power to justify an even higher CR and LA than the standard Lich (who I think is actually a little over-LAed)?

arguskos
2009-06-18, 02:49 PM
Question: is Alethium useful for anything else? It's a cool sounding material, but what else can it do, other than create Alethium Liches?

Xefas
2009-06-18, 03:15 PM
Question: is Alethium useful for anything else? It's a cool sounding material, but what else can it do, other than create Alethium Liches?

I'm thinking of making Golems, as well as Weapon and Armor rules, and possibly other things. I just haven't yet :smallredface:

arguskos
2009-06-18, 03:19 PM
I'm thinking of making Golems, as well as Weapon and Armor rules, and possibly other things. I just haven't yet :smallredface:
Eeeeexcellent. /mrburns

Can't wait. I love new materials and new things to do with said materials. Besides, I need to see if I can make a Gauss Flayer out of Alethium now. :smallwink:

Rizban
2009-06-18, 03:49 PM
Looks good, except for Touch of True Peace.

I'm not sure I'm reading this right. Either, it's based on the target's Charisma, which means that a guy with 10 Cha would end up with 0 Cha, having it all drained away and -9 Cha from the ability burn. If it's based on the lich's Cha, then the target receives 1 Cha drain and 0 burn (1 - 1 = 0).

arguskos
2009-06-18, 03:58 PM
Looks good, except for Touch of True Peace.

I'm not sure I'm reading this right. Either, it's based on the target's Charisma, which means that a guy with 10 Cha would end up with 0 Cha, having it all drained away and -9 Cha from the ability burn. If it's based on the lich's Cha, then the target receives 1 Cha drain and 0 burn (1 - 1 = 0).
It's likely meant to be based on the target's score, since Touch of True Peace replaces the Paralyzing Touch of the normal lich, and serves the same role (incapacitate them through ability damage).

Rizban
2009-06-18, 04:04 PM
It just seems like "their" could refer to either the lich or the target in an instance or two. Just clarifying the wording of the ability would be nice.

Edit: The lich's ability can be removed by remove paralysis or curse breakers. Touch of True Peace seems overpowered if it puts them into negative Cha. Restoration would return them to a Cha of 1, but then only natural healing could return the rest (due to the Ability Burn).

Xefas
2009-06-18, 04:07 PM
Looks good, except for Touch of True Peace.

I'm not sure I'm reading this right. Either, it's based on the target's Charisma, which means that a guy with 10 Cha would end up with 0 Cha, having it all drained away and -9 Cha from the ability burn. If it's based on the lich's Cha, then the target receives 1 Cha drain and 0 burn (1 - 1 = 0).

It's based off the creature being attacked. And scores can't go below 0, I don't think. It's made that way so that the two effects have to be healed separately.

Ability Drain cannot be healed naturally; it has to be healed by magic such as the Restoration spell. Ability Burn cannot be healed magically; it has to be healed through natural recovery.

So, for instance, if a random guy with 10 Charisma gets hit with the Touch of True Peace, his Charisma becomes 0, as he has 10 Charisma Drain and 9 Charisma Burn.

Even if his friends cast, say, Lesser Restoration to heal 4 points of his Charisma Drain, he still has 6 Drain left, which, on top of the Charisma Burn still leaves him at 0.

If, however, he is hit with a regular ol' Restoration, he'll have no more Charisma Drain, which on top of his Charisma Burn will take him to 1 Charisma (basically a zombie). He must then recover from that Charisma Burn at the natural rate (1 point per day of normal rest, 2 points per day for complete 24 hour bed rest).

In practice, I feel like it'd be about as effective as the normal Lich's touch permanently paralyzing you.

DracoDei
2009-06-18, 04:08 PM
Lets see here:
The immunity to alignment based effects (Paladin Smite comes to mind)
Double the hp damage on the touch (no big deal).
Much harder to cure status effect on the touch.
I think Construct is better than undead I think, except for getting healed.
Charisma of 1 doesn't matter in a fight, and for a PC they will have another party member to do that sort of stuff...

Yeah, probably needs some LA and CR... drop some off the Lich if you want, but this is definitely as step up from lich.

Rizban
2009-06-18, 06:39 PM
There's kind of a difference between permanently paralyzed but healed by a single spell and robbing a sorcerer of all class features for two or three weeks with no chance of restoration. Except for good Will saves, he might as well be a commoner. Make it just Cha drain with no Cha burn, because that can at least be healed without being completely out of commission for weeks at a time.

Xefas
2009-06-19, 12:14 AM
Lets see here:
The immunity to alignment based effects (Paladin Smite comes to mind)
Double the hp damage on the touch (no big deal).
Much harder to cure status effect on the touch.
I think Construct is better than undead I think, except for getting healed.
Charisma of 1 doesn't matter in a fight, and for a PC they will have another party member to do that sort of stuff...

Yeah, probably needs some LA and CR... drop some off the Lich if you want, but this is definitely as step up from lich.

Undead is actually the better type in this case. The only difference is that the Construct type has a lower hit die and is a lot more difficult to heal. I consider the additional damage on the touch pretty much an afterthought which wouldn't get much used anyway. The immunity to alignment stuff doesn't seem like a big game-altering ability. A True Neutral person is immune to the vast majority of alignment stuff anyway (including a Paladin's Smite Evil), and I don't think that alignment has ever been considered +LA worthy.

The increased difficulty in removing its touch's debilitating effect is a valid point, though. At least, it is for an NPC Alethium Lich. It's hardly ever relevant whether a PC's victim recovers in 1 day or 5 days, because it happens off screen (if at all; most PC victims don't walk away from the confrontation after being rendered unconscious). But a PC with a charisma-based class who is taken out of commission for a week is a serious issue.

I'll increase the CR by another 1, for a total of +3. Do you think that's enough? Or agree/disagree at all?


There's kind of a difference between permanently paralyzed but healed by a single spell and robbing a sorcerer of all class features for two or three weeks with no chance of restoration. Except for good Will saves, he might as well be a commoner. Make it just Cha drain with no Cha burn, because that can at least be healed without being completely out of commission for weeks at a time.

I don't really think that's a proper solution. The fact that the creature is actually threatening is a good thing in my opinion. The CR for this dude is something like 14 minimum. If the Sorcerer is running into melee range without any kind of protection and fails on his good save, perhaps there should be repercussions at this stage.

EDIT 2: Your signature made me laugh :smallbiggrin:

----

EDIT: Also, some Alethium-based equipment should be ready to be posted by tomorrow.

Xefas
2009-06-19, 01:24 PM
Alright, I added some Alethium equipment to the first post. I'm also working on the Alethium Golem and an Alethium Dragon (:smallannoyed: why didn't I reserve a second post; this stuff is gonna take up a lot of room)

DracoDei
2009-06-19, 01:36 PM
Consider making seperate threads and cross-linking them...

EDIT: All the items look interesting. The water is a very nice "cheap trick" with an appropriately narrow but potentially effective breadth of effect.
Are the effects of meditating on the Holy Symbol perminant, or do they last 24 hours, or until you get an Attonement or what?

Xefas
2009-06-19, 11:32 PM
I added a paragraph to make it more clear. It's permanent until you receive an atonement.

I figured the loss of precious spell slots needed to be balanced by a pretty powerful gain, but I'm not sure if it's completely equal. Whaddaya think?

puppyavenger
2009-06-19, 11:52 PM
That's certainly possible, and it *is* immortal, so it could spend quite a few days sitting and thinking before getting any sort of inclination to do anything. But, for instance, my example lich, Alethius, is concerned with bringing what he calls True Peace to all living things, because even in Death, people's souls are still active. Only by removing your self awareness can you actually be at rest.

I feel like that's a goal someone with a considerable intelligence or wisdom score, but no more personality than a zombie, would come to. "Everything should be like me".

wait, isn't a CHA 1 thing barely able to recognize it exists? I mean, CHA 0 is a pile of bricks and its strength f personality its measuring.

Xefas
2009-06-20, 01:07 AM
wait, isn't a CHA 1 thing barely able to recognize it exists? I mean, CHA 0 is a pile of bricks and its strength f personality its measuring.

That's the point. It's only barely self aware, but being a creature with extensive spellcasting requirements to become, it likely has other high mental scores.

So, imagine something with Charisma 1 (so far below a human its hard to imagine) and, say, Wisdom 26 (so far above a human, there's never been someone so wise in real life) and Intelligence 10 (completely average human). How does such a creature act? It's hard to say, but that's why its 'fantasy'. The fun is in the imagining.

Rizban
2009-06-20, 01:34 AM
That's the point. It's only barely self aware, but being a creature with extensive spellcasting requirements to become, it likely has other high mental scores.

So, imagine something with Charisma 1 (so far below a human its hard to imagine) and, say, Wisdom 26 (so far above a human, there's never been someone so wise in real life) and Intelligence 10 (completely average human). How does such a creature act? It's hard to say, but that's why its 'fantasy'. The fun is in the imagining.

People come to him to answer all of life's mysteries but hate him for it, yet he doesn't really care?

Teln
2009-06-20, 01:29 PM
Sorcerers will never become this. The CHA penalty hurts waaaay too much.

Mando Knight
2009-06-20, 02:19 PM
You can't destroy one in the standard way. You'd have to get mildly creative with it. Plane Shift him to somewhere unpleasant, stuff him in an anti-magic field inside a big metal box he can't punch his way out of, Bind an Outsider whose job it is to stand above his corpse for all eternity dealing enough damage every round to keep him from coming back, throw him in a lake of acid that deals at least 1 point of damage every round so he can't get back to full, or just hit him with a Scroll of Imprisonment.

Or... y'know... just disintegrate the thing. Alethium is no longer alethium when it's a pile of dust.

Xefas
2009-06-20, 02:25 PM
Or... y'know... just disintegrate the thing. Alethium is no longer alethium when it's a pile of dust.

All disintegrate does is do a whole bunch of damage, which would then be converted to nonlethal damage and regenerated.

Also, Alethium Dragon is up.

arguskos
2009-06-23, 04:30 AM
Well, I love everything here. Like the nod to gauss flayers with that breath weapon, like how you made alethium dragons a template rather than a full progression (though that would be awesome to see), and I like the armor bit.

Is there anything more forthcoming, or is this one done? Either way, I think it's great work (as I mentioned to you earlier :smallwink:).

Xefas
2009-06-23, 04:56 AM
I'm definitely not done with this yet. Just been working on other stuff (some of it non-D&D related).

My D&D group wants to try Exalted, so I'm trying to learn an entirely new system, so I can teach it to them and DM it a few times in lieu of DMing our normal D&D sessions. Not to mention I'm trying to learn Burning Wheel and Mouse Guard just because they look interesting.

arguskos
2009-06-23, 05:05 AM
Okies then. Did you like my ideas, or at least spark off of them? You never did let me know. :smallwink:

Xefas
2009-06-23, 05:27 AM
Yes, I'm definitely going to do a few standard alchemical items that are alethium-ized. I really liked the idea of an alethium sunrod.

I just posted two specific spells that can be amplified using alethium material components. I'll do more later, but it's 5:30am and I haven't been to bed, so I may do just that and start work on it later today.

GreatWyrmGold
2009-08-11, 11:52 AM
Them not having an alignment was more divorcing them from the cosmological effects of alignment. Being "Lawful Evil", to me, says "The very real and tangible substance, Law, which I can actually summon and beat people to death with, has a stake in my soul. I am on some small level, composed of Law. Look at me use this Axiomatic weapon. Same goes for Evil." Even being True Neutral - there are Outsiders actually composed of Neutrality. It's a substance and it has a stake in you if you're True Neutral.

I wanted it to be somewhat like nothing has a stake in you. No one cares about you anymore. The Great Wheel has forgotten you exist. You're outside the cycle; you can't die, and even if you did, there'd be nowhere for you to go.

Obviously they can still act in whatever way they want. Does that make sense, or do you think I should still change it?
It makes sense.
It also sounds like TN.


Do you mean on top of the Lich's CR and LA boost? 'cause it still has the standard Lich template, and so +2 CR and +4 LA; it just loses most of the abilities granted by the Lich template, and has them replaced by different ones.

Undead -> Construct
Paralyzing Touch -> Touch of True Peace
DR 15/bludgeoning and magic -> DR 15/adamantine
Phylactery -> Immortality

Is their enough of an increase in power to justify an even higher CR and LA than the standard Lich (who I think is actually a little over-LAed)?
A. Make it clear that the DR replaces that of the lich.
B.) Being unable to be killed and healing 1 damage per round IS better than having a (destroyable) phylactery.

Edit: Also: new page!