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NBoomer
2010-02-11, 07:15 PM
Alright. For the current happenings in the campaign i've been dm'ing, the party of level 3 characters (Ninja, Warblade, Warmage, Bard) has entered the tomb of a noble who was rumored to practice necromancy. They have been sent here by a man who knows of the evil acts; this man lost his wife to the noble and he kept her wedding band as a keepsake.

After fighting off some skeletons, dire rats, and cultists, they are bound to uncover the resting place of the noble, only to find that he has undertaken the ritual to become a lich.

The plan is to make the lich a recurring character, but I of course don't want him to teleport away at the first sign of danger. I want him to razz the players, make them think they stand a chance, and then realise they're not even worth his time. Assuming everything goes as planned, the pc's will more or less be unable to harm the lich, come out a little bruised and beaten, but wiser.

The question at hand: How do you reward pc's for this kind of encounter? What loot should I reward them with? How much xp is it worth to face a lich (CR 13) when there was little to no hope in the first place? Should I randomly generate loot, or pull it out of the MiC? suggestions for an alternate way to handle the encounter as a whole?

JoshuaZ
2010-02-11, 07:21 PM
Alright. For the current happenings in the campaign i've been dm'ing, the party of level 3 characters (Ninja, Warblade, Warmage, Bard) has entered the tomb of a noble who was rumored to practice necromancy. They have been sent here by a man who knows of the evil acts; this man lost his wife to the noble and he kept her wedding band as a keepsake.

After fighting off some skeletons, dire rats, and cultists, they are bound to uncover the resting place of the noble, only to find that he has undertaken the ritual to become a lich.

The plan is to make the lich a recurring character, but I of course don't want him to teleport away at the first sign of danger. I want him to razz the players, make them think they stand a chance, and then realise they're not even worth his time. Assuming everything goes as planned, the pc's will more or less be unable to harm the lich, come out a little bruised and beaten, but wiser.

The question at hand: How do you reward pc's for this kind of encounter? What loot should I reward them with? How much xp is it worth to face a lich (CR 13) when there was little to no hope in the first place? Should I randomly generate loot, or pull it out of the MiC? suggestions for an alternate way to handle the encounter as a whole?

No loot, or minimal amounts of loot. The lich isn't exactly just going to let them take his stuff as much as he's going to not care about them. If they do get loot it should be stuff that the lich doesn't care about (otherwise he'd come after them to get it back) so maybe scrolls or the like that the lich can't use (barred school or divine when he's arcane, etc.) Compensate by giving more xp.

drengnikrafe
2010-02-11, 07:25 PM
Level 3 party... CR 13 encounter. The exp guide suggests you must dole out experience based on what you think, because at that point it's impossible to win.

Here's what I imagine. They'll lose. They gain knowledge. They gain insight as to what their enemy is. They gain no experience. Knowledge is power, you know. Treasure? Well, the lich will beat them within an inch of their life, laugh at them, and leave, right? Why would he leave anything behind unless it meant so little to him that he either forgot it, or he deliberately left them to taunt them.

I'd say here is a nice time to give them a cursed item; a joke from the lich.

Also, this lich knows he's head-and-shoulders above the PCs. He'll probably play with them. I'd make bluff checks for him pretending to get hurt, only to come out fine in the very end. After a few rounds, when the lich grows tired of these silly games, he'll show they've made no progress, knock them all out with some sort of mass knockout spell while taunting them, and leave.

ericgrau
2010-02-11, 07:28 PM
No loot, no xp. If the party manages to kill some minions or otherwise show the lich that they can't be completely ignored, give some minor reward. May want to give them a minor reward on top of that so the PCs don't get bummed.

One thing though, this reeks of puppet master railroading. The lich is the one doing it, but... eh. Just keep the cutscene brief if you can.

Kaerou
2010-02-11, 07:29 PM
I guess a heightened sleep spell should work to finish the PC's without killing them, unless they're elves.

As for loot / reward.. i'd personally award them an equal CR encounter XP since they're meant to lose for plot reasons.

erikun
2010-02-11, 07:32 PM
One thing though, this reeks of puppet master railroading. The lich is the one doing it, but... eh. Just keep the cutscene brief if you can.
This.

The lich/wizard isn't a challange, as he's really there to just kick the players around a bit. I'd give them a level-appropriate about of XP as plot XP, just for putting up with such an encounter, but no treasure beyond what he leaves behind (which will logically include the ritual to become a lich, among other things).

Fiat Lux
2010-02-11, 07:36 PM
By the experience tables in the DMG (if memory serves correctly), there is no experience given for an EL 13 encounter when your party has a collective level of 3; the system assumes the players couldn't possibly beat the scenario without a deus ex machina on your part or some ridiculous shenanigans on theirs for which they do not deserve to be rewarded, etc.

That being said, you're planning to offer them experience for fighting the lich, or at least facing him, not defeating him. It depends on how much attention he's going to pay to them -- if he's got 6th-level spells, one, maybe two of his mid-level damage-dealing spells should wipe the party in short order. If, on the other hand, he just waltzes around and paralyzes everybody (which, of course, is permanent, barring a remove paralysis or remove curse, etc.)....yeah. I'd say if they manage to survive a combat encounter with him through sheer dumb luck, give them xp equal to a CR-appropriate encounter...bonus xp if they survive due to clever planning, tactics or smooth-talking.

Given the lich's paralyzing touch, undead immunities, DR 15/bludgeoning and magic and especially his fear aura (60ft., Will save DC 15+lich's CHA modifier...), it's highly unlikely that they'll even scratch him. I wouldn't give them loot directly related to the lich at all; maybe they could find some baubles elsewhere in his tomb (which I would recommend picking and choosing rather than randomizing -- MIC did wonders for expanding the range of pregenerated options you've got -- go with something necromancy-themed for them, like the talisman of undying fortitude), but I wouldn't reward them for getting soundly trounced by this guy unless they've earned it (snatching a magic amulet from around his neck and escaping with it, for example -- if they somehow live to make use of it, I'd say they earned it).

Their first encounter with the lich should give them an impression of a power that could wipe them off the map with a word. You might have him use something nonlethal but still effective to demonstrate both his power and his complete control over the situation -- e.g. mass suggestion, for example, to compel the PCs to simply go away and leave him alone; lasts 1hr/level, by which time he's concluded his business and is long, long gone.

Fiery Diamond
2010-02-11, 07:37 PM
This.

The lich/wizard isn't a challange, as he's really there to just kick the players around a bit. I'd give them a level-appropriate about of XP as plot XP, just for putting up with such an encounter, but no treasure beyond what he leaves behind (which will logically include the ritual to become a lich, among other things).

I agree with this assessment, but I don't think that he'll necessarily leave the ritual behind.

Thrawn183
2010-02-11, 07:39 PM
I'd say have the lich realize how weak the party is ahead of time (before the encounter). Then have him let them kill him while he's wearing cursed items. They get experience for a much lower CR encounter and he got to have his fun. It's not like he cares if he dies.

NBoomer
2010-02-11, 07:40 PM
One thing though, this reeks of puppet master railroading. The lich is the one doing it, but... eh. Just keep the cutscene brief if you can.

I wouldn't run it as a cutscene, as you put it. It would be more of him acclimating to his newfound lichdom, and toying with the interlopers. Perhaps it might be better just to have him already be gone from the tomb?

NBoomer
2010-02-11, 07:45 PM
Their first encounter with the lich should give them an impression of a power that could wipe them off the map with a word. You might have him use something nonlethal but still effective to demonstrate both his power and his complete control over the situation -- e.g. mass suggestion, for example, to compel the PCs to simply go away and leave him alone; lasts 1hr/level, by which time he's concluded his business and is long, long gone.

This is precisely what I'm looking for. Assuming they do stand up to the fear aura and charge him only to face his paralyzing touch, a mass suggestion would be fitting.

Prime32
2010-02-11, 07:47 PM
I'd say have the lich realize how weak the party is ahead of time (before the encounter). Then have him let them kill him while he's wearing cursed items. They get experience for a much lower CR encounter and he got to have his fun. It's not like he cares if he dies.Man, that is one weird lich. :smallconfused: Doesn't it hurt to get stabbed? Doesn't it hurt to die?

If you do this, give him only one cursed item. An eyepatch.

Tyger
2010-02-11, 07:48 PM
Yeah, I would go with the latter. Have the party waltzing through there, dealing with his minions and the like. Only later do they realize they were in the stronghold of a lich... like when he kills their families' as retribution for stealing from him. You still get to set him up as a bad guy, but you don't make your players feel like you are just setting them up to fail. Regardless of your intentions, that feeling is a likely consequence of the sort of circumstance you are describing.

Now, that said, some players (I have recently learned to my chagrin) actually want some railroading. If your players are of this variety, then this could be a good plan. But! Be certain of your players' expectations before embarking on something that could sour them on the campaign at a very early stage.

Prime32
2010-02-11, 07:50 PM
What if the lich's room is so heavily warded that they don't even realise it's there, and only later discover that there was a lich at all?

ShneekeyTheLost
2010-02-11, 08:10 PM
See also: Xykon vs OoTS (first matchup). No way can OoTS take out an epic-level litch. But hey, they managed to survive. The goal here is to have the PC's not be the Litch's primary thing. Which, to be honest, should be the case. A litch is not going to care about a level 3 party. Something along the lines of "Hey, it's been fun playing with you guys, but I have to be somewhere else now."

Optimystik
2010-02-11, 08:16 PM
See also: Xykon vs OoTS (first matchup). No way can OoTS take out an epic-level litch. But hey, they managed to survive. The goal here is to have the PC's not be the Litch's primary thing. Which, to be honest, should be the case. A litch is not going to care about a level 3 party. Something along the lines of "Hey, it's been fun playing with you guys, but I have to be somewhere else now."

The Order did have epic-level backup in that fight - the seal on the Gate.

Riffington
2010-02-11, 08:18 PM
What if the lich's room is so heavily warded that they don't even realise it's there, and only later discover that there was a lich at all?

Then there really wasn't any "encounter" per se.

Foeofthelance
2010-02-11, 08:46 PM
I wouldn't run it as a cutscene, as you put it. It would be more of him acclimating to his newfound lichdom, and toying with the interlopers. Perhaps it might be better just to have him already be gone from the tomb?

I pulled something similar with a group a couple of years ago. Have the lich be "tired" from having just completed the ritual, which among other things requires massive xp loss (Soul damage) and the pain of dying. It also involves an incredible amount of magic, so most of his higher level spells are burnt out. Have him cast a few curses and hexes around, nothing that will deal damage, and then when the heroes have chipped off enough of his HP have him pull out a wand of Mass Hold Person before running for the exit.

Remember, he just turned. So he's going to want to enjoy it for a few days before having to spend a couple of weeks regrowing his bones. If he's threatened, he bugs out, and fast, leaving the heroes to a monster or other minions. (They face it after he's gone and the spell has worn off, since he released it from a hidden tunnel. Make it a few skeletal undead, maybe with a few fighter feats and some shiny gear for loot.)

Dexam
2010-02-11, 09:56 PM
I wouldn't run it as a cutscene, as you put it. It would be more of him acclimating to his newfound lichdom, and toying with the interlopers. Perhaps it might be better just to have him already be gone from the tomb?

Personally I think that's a better idea. I would find it harder to justify why the lich wouldn't spend the 2-3 rounds necessary to crush them like the annoying bugs they are and reanimate them as undead minions.

Maybe have the PC's arrive at the tomb just as the lich is giving some last-minute orders to a cultist leader and then teleports away? That way you could make the cultist a CR appropriate encounter (maybe a level 5 Necromancer, Cleric, or Dread Necro plus 3 or 4 NPC Adept cultists?) and give the PCs a satisfying fight with appropriate XP and treasure, while they get to witness the power (i.e. teleport spell) of the lich.

Lin Bayaseda
2010-02-11, 10:07 PM
I agree with the above poster. They should only see a glimpse of the lich. They enter, see lich, w/some followers and pets. Followers see them.

Cultist: "Master! More slaves for the lust pits!"*
Lich: "I don't have time for this. Kill them. I'll be back to zombify them later." {Quickened Glitterdust} {Teleport}

* - extra credit if you recognize the reference.

Heliomance
2010-02-11, 10:21 PM
The Gamers II: Dorkness Rising.

JoshuaZ
2010-02-11, 10:28 PM
No loot, no xp. If the party manages to kill some minions or otherwise show the lich that they can't be completely ignored, give some minor reward. May want to give them a minor reward on top of that so the PCs don't get bummed.



Strongly disagree. XP represents experience. If they are going to get kicked about, then they should get rewarded for surviving. That's aside from the fact that getting kicked badly does represent a major learning experience.

KillianHawkeye
2010-02-11, 10:34 PM
I agree that if they don't defeat the lich or in some way overcome the challenge he represents, they shouldn't get any XP or loot from him. Merely surviving isn't actually overcoming the challenge. You may give them some quest XP, depending on what exactly happens and how they react to the knowledge of a lich being on the loose, but that's all I'd do.

Otodetu
2010-02-11, 10:46 PM
I am not sure this is a scenario that is fun for the players, and some players will question the whole situation: "Why did he not just kill us all or capture and interrogate us?"

It is bordering on this: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BondVillainStupidity

No offense but this is a very hard scenario to orchestrate, but it works if your players are all into it of course!

Beorn080
2010-02-11, 10:51 PM
I agree that if they don't defeat the lich or in some way overcome the challenge he represents, they shouldn't get any XP or loot from him. Merely surviving isn't actually overcoming the challenge. You may give them some quest XP, depending on what exactly happens and how they react to the knowledge of a lich being on the loose, but that's all I'd do.

The challenge is for the PCs to survive. Good rolls, good RP, sacrificing the party's halfling to appease the lich, that would all be overcoming the challenge of survival.For traps, do you just give them experience if the skillmonkey disables it, or does surviving the damage count?

aboyd
2010-02-12, 12:20 AM
My players have repeatedly fought (and lost) against a level 14 NPC that they really hate. They first fought him at level 2 or 3, then again at level 7. I have to say that while the idea is sound (you must have some high-level NPCs in your game to counter players drunk with power), the execution was poor. I mean, I handled the NPC very well in the sense that I played him optimally. However, you must understand how deeply un-fun it is for players to have something plopped down in front of them that is off-limits. It's like being God and saying, "Here's a shiny yummy apple tree. Don't eat the fruit, ever." The players will almost certainly be crawling all over whatever you prohibit within seconds.

So if you plunk down a lich against a 3rd level party, you had better make it clear up front that they are up against a terrible power. You had better describe the hallway leading up to the lich's chamber as awash in blood and mystic runes of power. Before they even open the door, you had better make them take a saving vs. fear that is totally fake but merely intended to convey the gravity of their situation. If you can't lead in with something similar to that, the players will assume the challenge is appropriately leveled and will not back down. And they will get very frustrated.

Also, if you make the lich seem weak at first but then somehow he's unstoppable after 2 rounds, the players will think you pulled a DM fiat and just decided on the fly that they would not be allowed to win.

These scenarios are ripe with potential to frustrate players. Be careful.

I have to say that I do like the idea of a mass suggestion or sleep/slumber. This would get the lich away but leave the players free to return/awaken and then wreak havoc, as they will surely want to do. If they can't get the lich, they'll likely tear the place apart for clues, or torture the lackey left behind. They will be hugely satisfied if they can wail on some lich minions as a consolation prize. That might help.

NBoomer
2010-02-12, 12:24 AM
Thanks everyone for the replies. After running the situation through a couple times, it makes alot more sense for the party to catch a glimpse of the lich before he takes to his agenda.

Lich: "Interlopers! Minions, deal with them!"
*Lich poofs away in a flash(or whatever better description you can give me for teleport(something evil like a puff of black smoke))

Minions: "Yes, master..."

party (hopefully) beats up minions, searches tomb for answers, adventure continues.

NeoVid
2010-02-12, 12:30 AM
You know, this lich is powerful enough that the PCs are irrelevant to him in personal combat, so he could just make them an offer of allowing them to live after interrupting him in exchange for their doing him a service to be named later.

DementedFellow
2010-02-12, 12:33 AM
Give the players a Wand of Summon Bigger Fish?

Lin Bayaseda
2010-02-12, 12:40 AM
Thanks everyone for the replies. After running the situation through a couple times, it makes alot more sense for the party to catch a glimpse of the lich before he takes to his agenda.

Lich: "Interlopers! Minions, deal with them!"
*Lich poofs away in a flash(or whatever better description you can give me for teleport(something evil like a puff of black smoke))

Minions: "Yes, master..."

party (hopefully) beats up minions, searches tomb for answers, adventure continues.Please make sure he casts some quickened spell along with the Teleport. If you want the "crap, he's what level?" factor, of course.

As for the teleport description, how about he conjures up a doorway made of bones and steps through it, to disappear in a flash of crimson?

NBoomer
2010-02-12, 12:43 AM
Please make sure he casts some quickened spell along with the Teleport. If you want the "crap, he's what level?" factor, of course.

As for the teleport description, how about he conjures up a doorway made of bones and steps through it, to disappear in a flash of crimson?

I like the teleport description... Decisions on what spell to throw at the party. Glitterdust? Fear? Maybe an enervation on a random member?

Os1ris09
2010-02-12, 12:45 AM
give them appropiate XP so that they won't be discouraged since this was a fight that was meant to be lost.

I would have the lich make some bluff check's to pretend he is hurting then just Blast them with a save or suck/Save or sleep/Save or paralysis effect that is heightened

As far as Items ask each player what minor item he/she needs/wants and roll randomly (20% of having it awarded) and if it doesn't go in their odds award them gold or minor items such as scrolls or "useless" stuff.

Lin Bayaseda
2010-02-12, 12:54 AM
I like the teleport description... Decisions on what spell to throw at the party. Glitterdust? Fear? Maybe an enervation on a random member?
Whatever gets the "see, I'm a real badass" point across, and doesn't entirely devastate the party. Dealing damage is out, on his level the damaging spells are too good. Anything that blinds, temporarily disables, stuns or scares could work. Or a small, but visible buff on his allies like Magic Circle Against Good.

Beorn080
2010-02-12, 01:31 AM
Quickened Arcane Mark onto one of the PC's foreheads.

NBoomer
2010-02-12, 09:35 AM
Should I give them clues to where he goes to? If so, how? Whether or not the pc's pursue these is an entirely different issue, but if there needs to be a hook beyond "poof he's gone now", what is it?

BobVosh
2010-02-12, 09:51 AM
Give the players a Wand of Summon Bigger Fish?

Summon Bigger Fish is too high level for a wand.

Thats the reason you didn't let him do that?


Should I give them clues to where he goes to? If so, how? Whether or not the pc's pursue these is an entirely different issue, but if there needs to be a hook beyond "poof he's gone now", what is it?

A book with a few notes of the hideous ritual that he is doing to the town. He needed to be undead to live through what it does. Notes is the typical thing. Or Igor knew, and is pissed master didn't take him with him.

Lysander
2010-02-12, 10:34 AM
Have them arrive after the lich has departed and his low-level cultist followers are cleaning up after the ritual. The PCs now have the goal of defeating the cultists and interrogating one of them to find out where he went.

Or combine this with the "post-ritual weakness" idea. Make it so the new lich is too weak to fight, so he teleports away allowing his minions to handle the intruders. After all, he doesn't know how powerful they are. It isn't like they have a sign floating over their heads that says LEVEL 3. For all he knows they are powerful enough to pose a threat, and in his weakened state he doesn't want to stick around and fight out.

hamishspence
2010-02-12, 10:37 AM
Level 11 Adept lich? Maybe of a low-power race?

Might give the lich a slightly less hard hitting power, with it still being intimidatingly powerful to 3rd level characters.

potatocubed
2010-02-12, 10:47 AM
I like the teleport description... Decisions on what spell to throw at the party. Glitterdust? Fear? Maybe an enervation on a random member?

Quickened blindness on the most wizardy-looking party member. Of course, then they've got to find a 5th-level cleric to remove the blindness...

paddyfool
2010-02-12, 10:51 AM
The smart villain

Will simply kill them. Best not go down this route.

The less smart villain

Will eliminate the threat (mass hold person or whatever), interrogate them, and see if he can use them somehow (maybe even give them a quest, tell them to bring a message to his kinsman the king, whatever, with assurances that failure to complete this will be punished etc.). A complicated choice with real railroading risk, but might be fun for some players.

The oblivious villain

Will teleport away during a cutscene without ever being aware the party were there, leaving behind only token minions etc. A safe choice.

NBoomer
2010-02-12, 10:59 AM
So i'm working up Cleric minion with with 2 warrior buddies to clean up after the lich leaves. I found the spell death knell. Hoo boy. I figured a cleric of hextor would have no problem casting it on for herself if her minions fell. Would the minions even bother to make their saving throw? It would definitely be more cinematic for the pc's to witness the cleric sap the last bit of life from her cohorts for her own personal needs. Of course, the chances of the warrior making the save are already kind of slim anyway. Thoughts?

Zen Master
2010-02-12, 11:12 AM
Alright. For the current happenings in the campaign i've been dm'ing, the party of level 3 characters (Ninja, Warblade, Warmage, Bard) has entered the tomb of a noble who was rumored to practice necromancy. They have been sent here by a man who knows of the evil acts; this man lost his wife to the noble and he kept her wedding band as a keepsake.

After fighting off some skeletons, dire rats, and cultists, they are bound to uncover the resting place of the noble, only to find that he has undertaken the ritual to become a lich.

The plan is to make the lich a recurring character, but I of course don't want him to teleport away at the first sign of danger. I want him to razz the players, make them think they stand a chance, and then realise they're not even worth his time. Assuming everything goes as planned, the pc's will more or less be unable to harm the lich, come out a little bruised and beaten, but wiser.

The question at hand: How do you reward pc's for this kind of encounter? What loot should I reward them with? How much xp is it worth to face a lich (CR 13) when there was little to no hope in the first place? Should I randomly generate loot, or pull it out of the MiC? suggestions for an alternate way to handle the encounter as a whole?

There's a good opportunity for suspense here. Something like: As the pc's delve deeper into the necromancers lair, they find more and more proof that something is absolutely, horribly wrong. Overdo it a bit, to illustrate the point - three dead bodies, obviously human sacrifices; jars with human organs, heart, liver, maybe eyes (eyes are good - since they are the necromancers own, if you give him an unusual eyecolor, you can send the message that, for whatever reason, he cut out his own eyes); finally, in the deepest, darkest chamber of the lair, they come upon the last and final stage of the experiment/transformation/ritual. The mutilated corpse of the necromancer, the empty poison vial, the skulls and other necromantic paraphernalia. He is obviously dead - but as they approach, his empty eyesockets flick open. Deadly cold emanates from his remains (slow), and a deep terror grips their hearts (fear).

And that's enough. The party can do nothing but watch as the newborn lich rises. Still weak and disoriented, he will stagger about a bit, gather some supplies and leave. As an afterthought he will grab a favourite locket or some such from one of the pc's.

Later, when the pc's recover, they will discover that the necromancer slaughtered his entire household, then left without a trace. His library and laboratory however contains much information and clues to his nature and powers.

Also, that's neither puppeteering nor railroading. That's storytelling.

Lysander
2010-02-12, 11:24 AM
You know, just because he's evil doesn't mean the lich will necessarily want to kill them for no reason. If they don't attack him maybe he'll just boast about his evil plan, tell them to spread word of his rise to power, and then leave.

Or, have there be some other kind of threat in the crypt he leaves them to be killed by. For example, it's infesting with giant spiders that the party encounters in greater numbers the deeper they go. And rather than fight them he blasts the doorway leading out, leaving them trapped in the darkness with hordes of monsters. Then they have to find some other method out.

Doc Roc
2010-02-12, 11:29 AM
This.

The lich/wizard isn't a challange, as he's really there to just kick the players around a bit. I'd give them a level-appropriate about of XP as plot XP, just for putting up with such an encounter, but no treasure beyond what he leaves behind (which will logically include the ritual to become a lich, among other things).

Agreed. I would be very careful how you go about this.

Thrawn183
2010-02-12, 11:37 AM
Man, that is one weird lich. :smallconfused: Doesn't it hurt to get stabbed? Doesn't it hurt to die?

If you do this, give him only one cursed item. An eyepatch.

Does a lich feel pain? Its soul is protected from death, so while I might expect death itself (having your soul torn from your body) to be painful for normal creatures it certainly might not be for a lich.

And as far as pain goes, pain is a small price to pay for curing the boredom inherent in lichdom. Heck I could see a lich who just blows himself up after every fight where he's severely wounded. Actually..... that'd be a hilarious BBEG. A perfect explanation for why the party has time to level up and defeat him is that he takes forever to actually kill of all his higher powered enemies because he keeps blowing himself up after each battle.

Smeggedoff
2010-02-12, 02:51 PM
You could whip up a scaled down lich to match the parties ECL and have it represent how much the Lich is willing to play around.

Give it reduced dr, hp etc and just enough of the Lich's normal abilities to make the encounter challenging, then when he "runs out of HP" it represents the Lich getting bored and deciding to finish it. (like the hopeless fights from several of the FF games, Beatrix from FF9 springs to mind)

Then give them EXP for defeating the faux Lich and some trinkets the Lich doesn't need anymore (workshop equipment, stuff that gives resistances to things the lich is normally immune to etc)