lich phylactery

[Venger]

There are, infamously ,not a lot of rules on lichdom and associated accouterments, and as a result, I have some questions.

You'll make a phylactery and pay the 120k and 4800xp (ouch! dread necromancer, you never looked so good!) and then you have you phylactery.

I've got a couple of questions:

1) what exactly are the limitations on what shape the phylactery can take? I assume that the stats are the same (The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40) do they all have to be tiny? do they all in fact have the same stats? what materials can I make it out of?

2) if I am killed in lich form, does my body immediately crumble to dust or rot away rapidly like in mortal kombat? I "reappear 1d10 days after death" but where? at the location of my phylactery? that seems problematic since I'd probably want it somewhere inaccessible and/or remote, so it might be something of a hassle or me to find my way back to adventurin' in an expeditious manner. does this mean I'd need to put my phylactery in a place that's relatively easy to get to? that's make it easier for my enemies to get to it.

if my body disappears upon death and then slowly regenerates at my phylactery like xykon, then that makes sense. but if I am killed and my body stays where I am killed and a new one grows back at my phylactery, what happens to my other body? can I cast 'revive undead' on it and then 'awaken undead' for a sort of pseudo-simulacrum of myself?

3) if my phylactery is destroyed (and I am not killed) then can I build a new one? if so, do I have to pay that unbelievable sum again, or is it free?

I can't find rules for any of this stuff anyplace, I am reasonably certain that they do not exist. if I am wrong, I'd love to look them up.

I'd also love not to biodegrade, but that's either fluff or an eternal wand of gentle repose.

[Red_Dog]

1) what exactly are the limitations on what shape the phylactery can take? I assume that the stats are the same (The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40) do they all have to be tiny? do they all in fact have the same stats? what materials can I make it out of?

This is the only RAW-ish answer I can give you on this one=> While IMO you can't make it out of w/e you want, That doesn't mean you can't make a box around it out of adamantium, and than use Force Chest (Spell Compendium) with maybe permanency of sorts? And than suspended it over a roaring volcano on admanatium platform... Well the last bit is too far, but protection can be creative ^^

P.S. On #2 I would say out of RAI, you fade/crumble and rebuild/re-appear next to the place your soul is at [phylactery], so IMO its ill-advised to bury it 1000 feet deep or cast "Imprisonment" on it heh = )

[motoko's ghost]

3) if my phylactery is destroyed (and I am not killed) then can I build a new one? if so, do I have to pay that unbelievable sum again, or is it free?

I can't find rules for any of this stuff anyplace, I am reasonably certain that they do not exist. if I am wrong, I'd love to look them up.

I'd also love not to biodegrade, but that's either fluff or an eternal wand of gentle repose.

Dont know, but if someone's strong enough to destroy your phylactery do you really have the time to take 4 months to make a new one?
Your soul fragment has either returned to you(yes) or gone onto the afterlife(no)

[Namfuak]

It would seem to me that as long as you put in enough room for you to reconstitute yourself and warded against teleporting in, you could just put the phylactery hundreds of feet below the ground in a chamber, and simply cast teleport to get out once you were finished with the reconstitution.

[Daftendirekt]

There have been SO many threads about phylacteries. The consensus is that the best way to protect it is with divination-blocking spells, and...

by making your phylactery a single coin, and then spending it.

Nobody will ever find it.

[Douglas]

There have been SO many threads about phylacteries. The consensus is that the best way to protect it is with divination-blocking spells, and...

by making your phylactery a single coin, and then spending it.

Nobody will ever find it.
Now that is a truly diabolical scheme. Of course, it does run the risk of your phylactery being damaged, destroyed, or discovered (due to unexpected resistance to damage or destruction) at random due to various things people do with coins other than spend them - shaving coins to stretch the money a tiny bit further, punching a hole in the middle to put it on a necklace, melting it down for the metal, using it as a material component (particularly copper pieces for Detect Thoughts), and so on.

[ahenobarbi]

There have been SO many threads about phylacteries. The consensus is that the best way to protect it is with divination-blocking spells, and...

by making your phylactery a single coin, and then spending it.

Nobody will ever find it.

But you know... coins get destroyed. Accidentially (it's on unlucky orc who encountered blaster-type sorcerer and got hit with maximized, empoered and whatnoted meteor swar because said sorcerer was in a bad mood) or intentionally (let's make gold bars!).

And wouldn't it be a problem if you start regrowing in someones wallet?

[ahenobarbi]

Libris mortis (p. 151) says that:

Lich can make only one phylactery.
Lich suffers no harm if it's phylactery is destroyed, but can't make a new one.
If lich wuth no phylactery is destroyed, it's destroyed forever.
Phylactery in antimagic fieldd can't regenerate lich (but it will 1d10 days after removing from AMF).
Must contain or bear arcane incriptions (hard to do with coin...)

[Ravens_cry]

I had an idea where a Lich, an Elan, and a Warforged, would meet every hundred years or so for a cup of tea together, the tea set being the liches phylactery.
It solves a lot of problems for them,as the tea set is almost certainly never going to get broken through normal use, and if some adventurers decide to get uppity, there is two very powerful beings who will come running to help the lich.
After all, they're friends.

[Venger]

I had an idea where a Lich, an Elan, and a Warforged, would meet every hundred years or so for a cup of tea together, the tea set being the liches phylactery.
It solves a lot of problems for them,as the tea set is almost certainly never going to get broken through normal use, and if some adventurers decide to get uppity, there is two very powerful beings who will come running to help the lich.
After all, they're friends.

That's a really cute idea! I like it a lot! My game's set in eberron, so that could be an option once I level up some more.

[Rausdower]

As I pondered the idea of making a phylactery when making a dread necromancer, I had a great idea.

I would make a beautiful golden box with a crystal oval top to peer inside and inlaid crystals or flawless gems to be embedded into the gold. Inside the box will be a purely ornate dagger with more gems on the hilt. The weapon lies on a pillow of smooth royal purple silk and will serve as my decoy.

Should my box be taken and the dagger destroyed, my true phylactery would be a small bronze ring buried in the cotton inside the pillow. Short some jerk throwing the whole damn box in lava, I should be safe from total destruction :smallamused:

[Eisenfavl]

Mine would be a page, just a page, of the book of exalted deeds. It would then have abjuration be spammed on it so A. it's all but immortal (millions of hardness, immune to all five energies, etc) and B. shows up as just as magical and good as the book, so it appears to just be part of it.

Now get some random paladin to read the book. It teleports off. You never, ever have to worry again.

[BIGMamaSloth]

Mine would be a page, just a page, of the book of exalted deeds. It would then have abjuration be spammed on it so A. it's all but immortal (millions of hardness, immune to all five energies, etc) and B. shows up as just as magical and good as the book, so it appears to just be part of it.

Now get some random paladin to read the book. It teleports off. You never, ever have to worry again.

Where do you regrow when you die? I don't know the rules on the book, but where does it "teleport off" to?

[Venger]

Mine would be a page, just a page, of the book of exalted deeds. It would then have abjuration be spammed on it so A. it's all but immortal (millions of hardness, immune to all five energies, etc) and B. shows up as just as magical and good as the book, so it appears to just be part of it.

Now get some random paladin to read the book. It teleports off. You never, ever have to worry again.

what page of BoED is the book of exalted deeds on? I know it's in there somewhere, I just can't find it.

[Rausdower]

what page of BoED is the book of exalted deeds on? I know it's in there somewhere, I just can't find it.

Funny enough, it's not in the BoED and is actually on page 277 of the DMG.

[Rapidghoul]

I have a lich antagonist in the background of a campaign I'm running. Granted, this is built so that the PC's can finish it if they're good enough, so this isn't quite as good as some options above if you want to be indestructible.

The concept is around the phylactery being an item familiar.

The lich has a reanimated pet (something small, mobile, and can fly. a raven for flavor maybe) that is meant to pose as its familiar. In reality, the lich has an item familiar with all the abilities chosen such that it has full awareness of its surroundings (detect good, detect thoughts, teleportation, has abjurations on it, etc.). The item familiar is actually within the body of the reanimated pet. If the lich dies, the pet flies away with the familiaractery inside. The familiar orders the pet around, telling it how to best avoid danger and get to a safe place set aside for regenerating the lich.

[Venger]

Funny enough, it's not in the BoED and is actually on page 277 of the DMG.

Silly me :smalltongue: thank you, I never would've found that.


Mine would be a page, just a page, of the book of exalted deeds. It would then have abjuration be spammed on it so A. it's all but immortal (millions of hardness, immune to all five energies, etc) and B. shows up as just as magical and good as the book, so it appears to just be part of it.

Now get some random paladin to read the book. It teleports off. You never, ever have to worry again.

firstly, thank you for the advice. unfortunately, LM shoots that down for a couple of reasons:


"A phylactery cannot be part of another magic item, nor may additional magical properties be built into it."

This rule probably results from the designers' awareness of how hard it is to destroy magic items (especially artifacts, as you suggested) but it is unfortunately not possible for me to do RAW.

there is also the problem that the BoED is not precisely "destroyed" when the pally or whatever chump I scrounge up is done reading it, it just "vanishes" and can't be reread by the same character.

Assuming my body respawns at the location of the phylactery (assuming making it a page in a BoED were possible) this would be a pretty big problem, similar to the copper piece phylactery regarding the uncertainty of its location since it would mean that I'd respawn in the presence of a significantly powerful good-aligned divine spellcaster, maybe even a cleric. I could get turned, or maybe even destroyed.

good idea though

[blazingshadow]

make the phylactery a rock and put it in the elemental plane of earth or you can make it as the cornerstone of an important building (make sure you have enough hollow space beneath to regenerate)

another way to hide the phylactery is to make it a book and hide it in a library that you own

if you could make one that's bigger than tiny then you could make it as a coffin and bury it in a cemetery.


if my body disappears upon death and then slowly regenerates at my phylactery like xykon... you know that there was a time when ppl thought you didn't regenerate but you took another corpse/body like the dracolich does? i forgot where i found that info though

edit: there is also the whole controversial hurling the phylactery into orbit/moon

[Strormer]

Just as a side note: I always ignored the rule that a lich can make only one phylactery. I had the rules be that if the phylactery was destroyed, the lich was destroyed, but I also made phylacteries tough as hell to destroy, a la the one ring. Just how I played it though.

Incidentally, just because no one has mentioned it in this particular phylactery thread, you could make your phylactery a needle, in an egg, in a duck, in a hare, in a chest, on a distant island in the middle of an ocean. :smallbiggrin:

[Chilingsworth]

Mine would be a page, just a page, of the book of exalted deeds. It would then have abjuration be spammed on it so A. it's all but immortal (millions of hardness, immune to all five energies, etc) and B. shows up as just as magical and good as the book, so it appears to just be part of it.

Now get some random paladin to read the book. It teleports off. You never, ever have to worry again.

I'm fairly certain that trying to do this would count as attempting to read it, which iirc has nasty side affects for evil characters. Even if it didn't specifically trigger the item, it would probably piss off alot of celestials and what's worse, insure your phylactery is always in the possession of either very good-aligned characters (who want to destroy you) or evil characters (who want to destroy the book.)

[Venger]

make the phylactery a rock and put it in the elemental plane of earth or you can make it as the cornerstone of an important building (make sure you have enough hollow space beneath to regenerate)

another way to hide the phylactery is to make it a book and hide it in a library that you own

if you could make one that's bigger than tiny then you could make it as a coffin and bury it in a cemetery.

you know that there was a time when ppl thought you didn't regenerate but you took another corpse/body like the dracolich does? i forgot where i found that info though

edit: there is also the whole controversial hurling the phylactery into orbit/moon

I like the book thing, the whole "tree in the forest" deal.

really? the whole corpsetaking Judge Death thing is sort of cool. I'll ask my DM (eventually)

hurling it into orbit/the moon is fine and all, but how would I get back when it was time if I regenerated there? that's way too far to teleport (162,000 miles at the closest, and even the zaniest urpriest build can't get his CL up to 1620, much less a humble chameleon like myself) I know that word of recall takes you an unlimited distance (as long as it's on the same plane) but it has only 1 component:

verbal

doesn't the surface of the moon function as a zone of "silence" ? I didn't spec to have 7th level spells and don't plan on DMMing silent spell just to do this one trick.

or am I overthinking this? and would word of recall work on the surface of the moon despite the lack of air to transmit soundwaves? (would the universe hear me talking and would the spell work anyway?)

I'm totally cool with hiding it on the moon (build me a moonbase!) I just need to know that I'd get back, or the party would have to do without me and I couldn't do any adventures.


Just as a side note: I always ignored the rule that a lich can make only one phylactery. I had the rules be that if the phylactery was destroyed, the lich was destroyed, but I also made phylacteries tough as hell to destroy, a la the one ring. Just how I played it though.

Incidentally, just because no one has mentioned it in this particular phylactery thread, you could make your phylactery a needle, in an egg, in a duck, in a hare, in a chest, on a distant island in the middle of an ocean. :smallbiggrin:

hm. I'll ask my DM about that. 120k and 4800xp is more than anyone ever pays for anything and having that destroyed with no chnce for repair seems unfair to me.

heehee, I'll see what the topography's like. we're in eberron, so all the remote islands we encounter already have people on them.

[Daftendirekt]

Must contain or bear arcane incriptions (hard to do with coin...)
[/LIST]

Coins often have inscriptions on the edge about when and where they were minted. Could disguise the inscriptions as that, because, who really looks that closely at their money?

[Eisenfavl]

This rule probably results from the designers' awareness of how hard it is to destroy magic items (especially artifacts, as you suggested) but it is unfortunately not possible for me to do RAW.

there is also the problem that the BoED is not precisely "destroyed" when the pally or whatever chump I scrounge up is done reading it, it just "vanishes" and can't be reread by the same character.


But it isn't 'part' of the BoED. It's just placed inside the book and sovereign glued (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#sovereignGlue) to the spine so it looks like a page. If it was part of it it would be more or less indestructible. As it is a targeted dispel magic of sufficient level on the phylactery itself could render it potentially destroyable, without even harming the book. As could the numerous forms of object destroying spells (disintegrate cast on the book? likely to spare it and devastate my phylactery)

And that's the point: it teleports off, and thanks to (insert one of many teleport following abjurations, or the fact that the page is sovereign glued in) my phylactery follows. It's important to realise the distinction. I make a page phylactery, which is really vulnerable, hyper abjuration buff it, and literally glue it into the book.

Also, I second making it an item familiar. Get increased sapience each time. Craft it to be +6 of intelligence. Craft in the ability to use dimension door as a dedicated power with the special purpose of staying alive.
At level 18 this gives you an ego score of:
+7 from 24 int, + 6 from 16 wis and cha.
+4 from special purpose & power
+1 from telepathy from increase sapience.
+6 from enhancement bonus.
Suddenly, if anyone pick it (and possibly the book) up, a DC 24 will save.
Every three levels past 20 you get another increased sapience and the DC increases by 4 each time. Failure means the item compels the holder to read it, causing it to teleport off.

Edit:
Incidentally, just because no one has mentioned it in this particular phylactery thread, you could make your phylactery a needle, in an egg, in a duck, in a hare, in a chest, on a distant island in the middle of an ocean. :smallbiggrin:
Koschei (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koschei) would be proud.

[supermonkeyjoe]

The best place to keep it is somewhere completely hostile to living creatures, airless, full of negative energy, poisons, diseases and mind affecting things.

So yeah an evil moon base would do pretty well, just make sure you can prepare a silent greater teleport and you're good to go

[ahenobarbi]

As already mentioned phylactery can't have any additional properties or be a part of another magic item. So you could put it in a book or in item familiar, but it couldn't be part of item familiar.

Also security by obscurity is poor design. Especially if you want it to last forever. I think something like

Go to place you can make inaccessible (but possible to leave)
Put your phylactery there
Make it inaccessible
Leave
If you find a way to access it go, pickup your phylactery and create a new place wuth improved defences


Would work best (because it allows constant improvement as you get better, unlike "security by obscurity' which has a increasing chance of something going (accidentally) wrong).


Coins often have inscriptions on the edge about when and where they were minted. Could disguise the inscriptions as that, because, who really looks that closely at their money?

In 1000 years someone eventually finds it, and goes to study it (of pays with it to someone smarter who studies it because it might be valuable) and finds out it's magical (and eventually that it's phylactery), you're screwed.

[Demon of Death]

If you ever get to 21st level, there is the spell "Aumvor's Fragmented Phylactery" in Champions of Ruin. Every time you cast it it makes your Casting Stat Modifier more Phylacteries, and it specifically says it can be re-cast, so you can have the entire world as your Phylactery.

[DementedFellow]

How about you put the phylactery inside a tube of Chapstick? I've never seen what it looks like when you run out of the wax stuff. You could just rely on the fact that people would lose it.

[Venger]

How about you put the phylactery inside a tube of Chapstick? I've never seen what it looks like when you run out of the wax stuff. You could just rely on the fact that people would lose it.

:smallbiggrin: I like that a lot.

[Necroticplague]

If your in a modern setting, the perfect thing to do is to have your phylactery be a sock, keep sending it through the drier with the other clothes until it mysteriously disappears. You can now be the only person the see whatever plane all the socks that disappear in the drier go (probably a sub-plane of the Psuedoelemental plane of wool).

[Venger]

If your in a modern setting, the perfect thing to do is to have your phylactery be a sock, keep sending it through the drier with the other clothes until it mysteriously disappears. You can now be the only person the see whatever plane all the socks that disappear in the drier go (probably a sub-plane of the Psuedoelemental plane of wool).

heehee. settingwise, my character is a 1930s new york bootlegger that travelled back in time with his wife (another PC) and we are in eberron, specifically the Lhazaar Principalities, so the setting's eberron with the few modest modern technological additions my character's making to it (handguns, record players, etc) via craft (mechanical)

[DementedFellow]

heehee. settingwise, my character is a 1930s new york bootlegger that travelled back in time with his wife (another PC) and we are in eberron, specifically the Lhazaar Principalities, so the setting's eberron with the few modest modern technological additions my character's making to it (handguns, record players, etc) via craft (mechanical)

Chapstick was invented in the 1910s. Just sayin'.

[Venger]

Chapstick was invented in the 1910s. Just sayin'.

oh, no, I'm aware. I looked it up as soon as you suggested it to check (didn't know that) I was just telling people that my character is from 1933 so they'd feel free to suggest modernish things too (I love all the answers I've been getting so far, keep 'em up)

[Psyren]

There have been SO many threads about phylacteries. The consensus is that the best way to protect it is with divination-blocking spells, and...

by making your phylactery a single coin, and then spending it.

Nobody will ever find it.

A Tiny coin would be between 1 and 2 feet across (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm#bigandLittleCreatu resInCombat), making it roughly the size of a dinner plate. That would stand out, I think.

[fryplink]

A Tiny coin would be between 1 and 2 feet across (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm#bigandLittleCreatu resInCombat), making it roughly the size of a dinner plate. That would stand out, I think.

Well then sell 499 dinner plates and 1 phylactery to a china shop. Enchant all of them to be super tough with minor images creating patterns on them. Thus the soul-hidey-place has the runes covered with minor images, then, Magic Aura all of them to hide them to detect magic spells. Make the plates wildly popular, then unpopular. Now they are widely distributed but no longer in circulation. You regenerate in some one's pantry full of cobwebs and un-used china.

[DementedFellow]

Well then sell 499 dinner plates and 1 phylactery to a china shop. Enchant all of them to be super tough with minor images creating patterns on them. Thus the soul-hidey-place has the runes covered with minor images, then, Magic Aura all of them to hide them to detect magic spells. Make the plates wildly popular, then unpopular. Now they are widely distributed but no longer in circulation. You regenerate in some one's pantry full of cobwebs and un-used china.

I see it now. Old Lady Larson hears a noise in the middle of the night. She goes to investigate it and sees a skeleton stepping out of the cupboard. He turns to her and puts a finger to where his lips would be, "Shhhh."

[Psyren]

Why would dinner plates with 20 hardness ever be unpopular? :smalltongue:

[fryplink]

Why would dinner plates with 20 hardness ever be unpopular? :smalltongue:

Half of the allure behind china is the ease with which they break. They're only special because they aren't used often. They aren't used often because they break. I guess I undermined my defense method. ah well.

[blazingshadow]

or am I overthinking this? and would word of recall work on the surface of the moon despite the lack of air to transmit soundwaves? (would the universe hear me talking and would the spell work anyway?)
use a silent plane shift then another plane shift back to the material plane and teleport back to the party if need be. it's a lot easier if you could find a way to cast silent greater teleport or make a teleportation circle item and put it on the moon

[motoko's ghost]

Make a really obvious looking phylactery with suspiciously light protection.
Make a small unadorned box hidden behind enough traps to give grimtooth pause.

Laugh as all the meta-gamers go after the small box as your very obvious phylactery is safely holding your soul.:smalltongue:

[Golden Ladybug]

Wanna know the BEST place to hide a Phylactery? Somewhere that no one would expect and is perfect to defend against troublesome adventurers?

The Positive Energy Plane.

I am being completely serious. Think about it; The Positive Energy Plane force feeds any creatures that is on it Positive Energy, in the form of HP. If they stay there too long, or go too close to the centre of the Plane, they immolate from having too many HP. As a Lich, you don't even need to care about that, because you're both Undead, and respawn when you die. Place your Phylactery in a box shielded against Planar Effects, coat it in protective Abjurations, place it in a hostile area of the P.E.P. and when you are killed, you'll revive inside your Box. Chill for 1d10 Days (stock the Box with books and puzzles) and once you've finished reviving, Plane Shift out of there.

Any Adventurers who try and find it would need to search the Positive Energy Plane by hand, because the box your Phylactery is in is obviously immune to scrying, and doing so would put them into an area where they would explode from being too healthy.

And who would expect a Lich to hide their Phylactery on the Positive Energy Plane?

[motoko's ghost]

And who would expect a Lich to hide their Phylactery on the Positive Energy Plane?

Everyone who just read that.:tongue:

[Golden Ladybug]

Everyone who just read that.:tongue:

Well played, my friend, well played...:smallamused:

Now I need to think of somewhere even MORE ingenious to hide Phylacteries...

[Zale]

Make a really obvious looking phylactery with suspiciously light protection.
Make a small unadorned box hidden behind enough traps to give grimtooth pause.

Laugh as all the meta-gamers go after the small box as your very obvious phylactery is safely holding your soul.:smalltongue:

That is brilliant.

I love this idea.

[motoko's ghost]

That is brilliant.

I love this idea.

Thanks, the only problem with this is that it causes meta-meta-gaming and your one step from a cluster**** that will implode your player's brains.

[Ravens_cry]

Thanks, the only problem with this is that it causes meta-meta-gaming and your one step from a cluster**** that will implode your player's brains.

Whose to say that wasn't the goal all along?
In game (and possibly out of it depending on the group) however, you run into the problem of someone actually actually taking the obvious choice because it is obvious.
Hell, as an adventurer, I'd just smash both. If it's a decoy, well, it wouldn't have been worth much to sell, and we had a little fun venting our frustration on an inanimate object. If it wasn't, we just put paid to a Lich. Huzzahs all around.
Instead, rely on player greed, make it something they don't want to destroy, like a gem. Imagine how much a Tiny (the size of a housecat) size gem would be worth. You'll have every player turn Haley in no time. :haley:
And if greed doesn't work, I am sure there is other ways.

[motoko's ghost]

Whose to say that wasn't the goal all along?
In game (and possibly out of it depending on the group) however, you run into the problem of someone actually actually taking the obvious choice because it is obvious.
Hell, as an adventurer, I'd just smash both. If it's a decoy, well, it wouldn't have been worth much to sell, and we had a little fun venting our frustration on an inanimate object. If it wasn't, we just put paid to a Lich. Huzzahs all around.
Instead, rely on player greed, make it something they don't want to destroy, like a gem. Imagine how much a Tiny (the size of a housecat) size gem would be worth. You'll have every player turn Haley in no time. :haley:
And if greed doesn't work, I am sure there is other ways.

Have a spell so that if one is smashed the other teleports away.

Use the gem as leverage over the lich.:sabine: hello new servant!

Every man has his price. (http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/820)

[Ravens_cry]

Have a spell so that if one is smashed the other teleports away.

As a player? Dimensional anchor.


Use the gem as leverage over the lich.:sabine: hello new servant!

Every man has his price. (http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/820)
What is a few decades or even centuries compared to eternity?

[motoko's ghost]

As a player? Dimensional anchor.

What is a few decades or even centuries compared to eternity?

Isnt there a spell/item that blocks dimensional anchor?

Indeed, assuming you dont just kill it anyway.

[Ravens_cry]

Isnt there a spell/item that blocks dimensional anchor?

Maybe? Antimagic field is another possibility, though it makes the smashing harder.


Indeed, assuming you dont just kill it anyway.
Which 'it' are we talk about here? If you mean the lich, unless you destroy the phylactery, that's what my point about making it something they don't want to destroy was about, ithe lich is just going to keep coming back. Other common suggestions are to make it part of a living thing, like a PC. Past a certain level, when spells like Clone and True Resurrection are available, this is less viable, but for a good portion of the game, it's mean.

[Venger]

Isnt there a spell/item that blocks dimensional anchor?

Indeed, assuming you dont just kill it anyway.
well, freedom of movement would arguably circumvent dimensional anchor (they are the same level, after all)


Maybe? Antimagic field is another possibility, though it makes the smashing harder.

Which 'it' are we talk about here? If you mean the lich, unless you destroy the phylactery, that's what my point about making it something they don't want to destroy was about, ithe lich is just going to keep coming back. Other common suggestions are to make it part of a living thing, like a PC. Past a certain level, when spells like Clone and True Resurrection are available, this is less viable, but for a good portion of the game, it's mean.
are you saying the people who want to destroy the phylactery would cast antimagic field near it? wouldn't that undo all the protections on any phylactery? it would also prevent any word of recall traps or similar effects on the phylactery from going off (trigger/activation to teleport when anyone but me or a party member (so they can investigate in case they haven't heard from me 10 days after my death) gets near it) so that could be a monkey wrench in my plans.

making it part of a PC is indeed pretty mean, but that carries the same problems as carrying/wearing your phylactery on your person. if an enemy kills you, they are going to go through your stuff, appraise/identify it all and then realise what your phylactery is and destroy it or make you their bitch with it like davy jones, either of which is an undesirable option.

If an enemy is big and powerful enough to kill me, the lich, then they'll have long since filled up on the appetizers that are the rest of the party and go through their stuff too. we're a party of 6 level 9s and 10s right now (xp discrepancies) so anything that can kill all of us is going to leave us in pieces, exposing the metal plate or steel pin phylactery from inside the unwitting totally informed and complicit party member that agreed to carry my phylactery in his/her body

since wearing/carrying your own phylactery means that if something kills you, you are going to die (largely negating the point of lichdom), having someone else wear/carry it means you're putting your unlife on the odds of them being able to survive indefinitely, which, depending on the character, may or may not be wise, however, it's taking the phylactery depending on not being found and adding the extra factor of whoever's carrying it not being killed. plus, I might kill them when my body regenerates inside of them (several of my party members are small, the rest are medium)

[Douglas]

I remember someone, I think it was on these forums, relating the story of how he'd used Trap the Soul on every really powerful enemy his party defeated. He then put all the gems used for this in one big pile, made his phylactery another gem just like them, and added it to the pile.

When the first ten gems you smash each release a powerful evil creature who attacks on sight or disappears to begin some evil plots (the lich would, of course, take measures to make sure they do), how many more will you go through in search of the phylactery? Add a few dummy gems to the pile, and the adventurers won't even know if they've found the right one when they smash something that doesn't unleash a horrible evil. Oh, and add some Magic Auras and/or Misdirections at random so all detection spells are unreliable for sorting out the pile. If someone tries dispelling to get rid of them, they'll have an equal chance of dispelling the Trap the Soul.

[Venger]

I remember someone, I think it was on these forums, relating the story of how he'd used Trap the Soul on every really powerful enemy his party defeated. He then put all the gems used for this in one big pile, made his phylactery another gem just like them, and added it to the pile.

When the first ten gems you smash each release a powerful evil creature who attacks on sight or disappears to begin some evil plots (the lich would, of course, take measures to make sure they do), how many more will you go through in search of the phylactery? Add a few dummy gems to the pile, and the adventurers won't even know if they've found the right one when they smash something that doesn't unleash a horrible evil. Oh, and add some Magic Auras and/or Misdirections at random so all detection spells are unreliable for sorting out the pile. If someone tries dispelling to get rid of them, they'll have an equal chance of dispelling the Trap the Soul.
that is a very smart idea. I'm wholly impressed. However, I am working with 6th level spells (chameleon who didn't invest all his resources in getting 9ths) so casting trap the soul will be somewhat problematic.

a trap of trap the soul seems appropriate, but is really expensive (60k and 4800xp) and that's not counting the cost of the gems (don't know how that would work)

I'd thought about making the phylactery the trigger object and putting it on a pedestal like in indiana jones and then when they take it their soul is shunted to the pile, but that would cost a lot of money, and would require me knowing the names of everyone who would want to seek out my phylactery (and if I knew that, why not just scry and die?)

but your idea's very cool to my DM side, even if it doesn't work for my PC side

[blazingshadow]

i suggest that you do something simple for now and hide it in a standard hiding place until you get the resources to protect it better.

a good hiding place for now would be to take a bag of holding, cast antimagic field while holding it (suppressing the bag's magic storage) put the phylactery there then stop the antimagic field (which resumes the bag's magic storage and makes the phylactery unaccesible without an antimagic field or breaking the bag)

the problem is that if someone uses the portable hole into the bag of holding trick with it there is no telling what is going to happen and if you die you eventually need to buy/make a new bag since you will break the bag after you regenerate.

[peacenlove]

Isnt there a spell/item that blocks dimensional anchor?

Indeed, assuming you dont just kill it anyway.

There is an item in bastion of souls 3.0 adventure, called Bracers of Exit, that lets you ignore the first anti teleportation effect each day IIRC

[Clistenes]

Does a lich's phylactery count as an artifact for the purposes of casting Mordenkainen's Disjunction? because, if it's so, it would be ridiculously easy to destroy, and it's suposed to take some effort to do it (throwing it to the Plane of Elemental Fire, or something).

Edit: Upon re-reading the lich entry in the Monster Manual, it seems you can simply crush the phylactery, so I guess Disjunction works fine (but it would be unnecesary).

[Ranting Fool]

Everyone I would like to point your attention to a very important List (http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html)for all evil do-ers

and to point number 5


The artifact which is the source of my power will not be kept on the Mountain of Despair beyond the River of Fire guarded by the Dragons of Eternity. It will be in my safe-deposit box. The same applies to the object which is my one weakness.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I notice you said you're a chameleon that intends to become a lich. You have gotten your DM to okay that right? The clause in the chameleon's description that prevents you from using your chameleon spellcasting to qualify for PrC's and feats might also apply to this. "Other option" is a bit vague.

Cut a deal with a kolyarut for protection. The creature is completely incapable of breaking its word and will do everything in its power to make sure your phylactery stays safe somewhere on mechanus. Just uphold your end of the deal and you're golden.

[Clistenes]

Everyone I would like to point your attention to a very important List (http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html)for all evil do-ers

and to point number 5

Well, yes, but the adventurers who go around killing stuff tend to feel STRONGLY attracted to safes, vaults, strong chests, and everything else that seem like it could contain jewels or gold; and they also usually have spellcasters and rogues good at finding hidden stuff.

[Ranting Fool]

Well, yes, but the adventurers who go around killing stuff tend to feel STRONGLY attracted to safes, vaults, strong chests, and everything else that seem like it could contain jewels or gold; and they also usually have spellcasters and rogues good at finding hidden stuff.

True.

This thread has given me SOOOO many evil ideas :smallbiggrin: there are at the very least two liches around in the campaign the the PC's have met/defeated. But as of yet haven't gotten around to trying to rid the world of them once and for all. :smallbiggrin:


How about a Random Brick In The Wall :smalltongue: ok ok I guess the PC's/someone else could just destroy what ever building/dungeon it's part off:smallbiggrin:

The thing is you'd always want to "re-spawn" somewhere with a spell book and gold/items since odds are those pesky Heroes have gone and looted your body and/or your Tower of Evil.

[Tantaburs]

Best idea for a phylactery I saw was to make it a fine gold sphere and cast what ever you need to make it not appear evil. Attach the sphere to the pommel of a +5 Axiomatic Flaming Holy greatsword and donate it to the Church of Pelor. Have them hang it in the crypt as a holy relic.This way you have immediate access to corpses when you return and the church can protect the sword against any evil foes who want you dead which in my experience is a much bigger threat to you then the forces of good.

[Clistenes]

Best idea for a phylactery I saw was to make it a fine gold sphere and cast what ever you need to make it not appear evil. Attach the sphere to the pommel of a +5 Axiomatic Flaming Holy greatsword and donate it to the Church of Pelor. Have them hang it in the crypt as a holy relic.This way you have immediate access to corpses when you return and the church can protect the sword against any evil foes who want you dead which in my experience is a much bigger threat to you then the forces of good.

Wouldn't the Hallowed Ground interfere with your regeneration?

[Venger]

Wouldn't the Hallowed Ground interfere with your regeneration?

hallowed ground? on a church to the burning hate? what are you talking about :smalltongue:

[Clistenes]

hallowed ground? on a church to the burning hate? what are you talking about :smalltongue:

The phylactery would be in a pelorian church. Plenty of Hallow spells being thrown around, for sure.

[Emperor Tippy]

Step 1: Get a Large or Colossal Box.
Step 2: Cast Animate Object on it.
Step 3: Cast Permanency on it.
Step 4: Equip your Animated Box (henceforth known as Vault) with a Third Eye Conceal and a Ring of Invisibility.
Step 5: Create a Craft Contingent Ghost Form for Vault.
Step 6: Have Vault activate it's CC Ghost Form.
Step 7: Cast Ghost Form on yourself.
Step 8: Cast Temporal Stasis on Vault, having it voluntarily forgo it's save (and thus immunity to creature only Transmutations).
Step 9: Dimension Door inside Vault.
Step 10: Greater Teleport yourself to the center of a randomly chosen star in a randomly chosen galaxy.
Step 11: Cast Disintegrate to empty Vault of stellar matter.
Step 12: Cast Mage's Private Sanctum inside Vault.
Step 13: Make Mage's Private Sanctum Permanent.
Step 14: Furnish Vault with all the equipment you want on hand for regeneration.
Step 15: Place a Weirdstone inside Vault and activate it.
Step 16: Create a Golem ( I would go with Shadesteel) with the Rudimentary Intelligence feat.
Step 17: Place Golem inside Vault and cast a Permanent Telepathic Bond on Golem.
Step 18: Create a Permanent Teleportation Circle back to your regular area of operations.
Step 19: Rest and recover your spells.
Step 20: Order Golem to deactivate your Weirdstone.
Step 21: Use your Teleportation Circle.
Step 22: Over the Telepathic Bond order Golem to reactivate your Weirdstone.

That should keep your safe from virtually everything. The only way for anyone but you to get inside your Vault is with a Wish (and how precise your destination needs to be is a matter of DM adjudication, "Next to Tippy's phylactery" might be perfectly acceptable) and nothing else is a threat. Whenever you want to visit your Vault you simply order your Golem to deactivate the Weirdstone and teleport it (or Wish yourself in), or die.

[Ranting Fool]

Step 1: Get a Large or Colossal Box.
Step 2: Cast Animate Object on it.
Step 3: Cast Permanency on it.
Step 4: Equip your Animated Box (henceforth known as Vault) with a Third Eye Conceal and a Ring of Invisibility.
Step 5: Create a Craft Contingent Ghost Form for Vault.
Step 6: Have Vault activate it's CC Ghost Form.
Step 7: Cast Ghost Form on yourself.
Step 8: Cast Temporal Stasis on Vault, having it voluntarily forgo it's save (and thus immunity to creature only Transmutations).
Step 9: Dimension Door inside Vault.
Step 10: Greater Teleport yourself to the center of a randomly chosen star in a randomly chosen galaxy.
Step 11: Cast Disintegrate to empty Vault of stellar matter.
Step 12: Cast Mage's Private Sanctum inside Vault.
Step 13: Make Mage's Private Sanctum Permanent.
Step 14: Furnish Vault with all the equipment you want on hand for regeneration.
Step 15: Place a Weirdstone inside Vault and activate it.
Step 16: Create a Golem ( I would go with Shadesteel) with the Rudimentary Intelligence feat.
Step 17: Place Golem inside Vault and cast a Permanent Telepathic Bond on Golem.
Step 18: Create a Permanent Teleportation Circle back to your regular area of operations.
Step 19: Rest and recover your spells.
Step 20: Order Golem to deactivate your Weirdstone.
Step 21: Use your Teleportation Circle.
Step 22: Over the Telepathic Bond order Golem to reactivate your Weirdstone.

That should keep your safe from virtually everything. The only way for anyone but you to get inside your Vault is with a Wish (and how precise your destination needs to be is a matter of DM adjudication, "Next to Tippy's phylactery" might be perfectly acceptable) and nothing else is a threat. Whenever you want to visit your Vault you simply order your Golem to deactivate the Weirdstone and teleport it (or Wish yourself in), or die.

Well that does seem a rather solid defense. Though since you can be a Lich at Caster Level 11 and you don't HAVE to be a wizard or Cleric then this sort of set up wouldn't be possible (Getting someone to help you requires trust, something I don't see any person/thing going to this much trouble has):smallbiggrin:

[Blightedmarsh]

Put you phalactry inside a golem and then any of the following:

1) Dump it overboard into the deepest darkest depth of the sea.
2) feed it to a tarseresque.
3) Hide it in a tomb with an army of similar golems
4) Fit it with a spawn money trap and sell it.
5) Drop it in the trackless wastes of the largest and most desolate desert in the world. Order it to bury itself during the day and relocate itself at night.
6) Fit it with some kind of random teleport so it moves somewhere else every time its hit.
7) Cast some kind of permanent levitation spell on it so it drifts serenely around the world in the jetsteam.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Put you phalactry inside a golem and then any of the following:

1) Dump it overboard into the deepest darkest depth of the sea.
2) feed it to a tarseresque.
3) Hide it in a tomb with an army of similar golems
4) Fit it with a spawn money trap and sell it.
5) Drop it in the trackless wastes of the largest and most desolate desert in the world. Order it to bury itself during the day and relocate itself at night.
6) Fit it with some kind of random teleport so it moves somewhere else every time its hit.
7) Cast some kind of permanent levitation spell on it so it drifts serenely around the world in the jetsteam.

Assuming you've just put the phylactery in a hollow in the golemn's body, since it can't actually be part of the golemn, 1 & 2 don't work because they both result in the destruction of your phylactery, kinda the opposite of what you're shooting for. 4 has economic implications which are utterly staggering.

I like the rest of them though. I might modify 6 so that it triggers when anyone attempts to hit it rather than whenever it's succesfully hit though.

[Blightedmarsh]

Assuming you've just put the phylactery in a hollow in the golemn's body, since it can't actually be part of the golemn, 1 & 2 don't work because they both result in the destruction of your phylactery, kinda the opposite of what you're shooting for. 4 has economic implications which are utterly staggering.

I like the rest of them though. I might modify 6 so that it triggers when anyone attempts to hit it rather than whenever it's successfully hit though.


1) is contingent on your non-biological golem being able to survive the pressure of those kinds of depth; quite feasible as long as their aren't any enclosed voids in it (if its internal mechanisms have pressure holes in them to allow them to take in sea water). Some kind of abyssal ooze might be a more likely candidate.

4) That's part of the idea. This will end up being one of the most valuable, well guarded and fought over objects in the world as well as destabilizing the world economy. Not only does this protect it but it also ferments a conflicts for you to manipulate and exploit as well as acting as a distraction and a ready supply of corpses for your world conquering army.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Unfortunately, I don't think the crushing damage from deep water cares about whether there are any hollows in the structure like RL physics does. Let me check and I'll edit in a confirmation/denial.

Edit: seems I was wrong. There's a fort save to negate the damage and objects and con - creatures don't have to make fort saves unless the effect specifically says it effects objects. Oddly, this means that even if the golemn was filled with little air pockets he'd be fine. Silly RAW. :smalltongue:

Item number 2 on that list is still a terribad idea though.

[Khaelic]

I'm not the biggest spell caster, so this may be incredibly flawed. All the same, I was inspired by the chap stick idea.
It has been said that you are not permitted to make a phylactery out of an item that is magic, nor make that phylactery magic.
What if you made a box, as is mentioned before, and get an artificer to craft some sort of spell trigger for some crazy spell. I was thinking making one lose interest in the box.
Then you put the box somewhere -- anywhere -- and you don't have to worry about that box being disturbed.

Just my 2 cents.

[Venger]

I'm not the biggest spell caster, so this may be incredibly flawed. All the same, I was inspired by the chap stick idea.
It has been said that you are not permitted to make a phylactery out of an item that is magic, nor make that phylactery magic.
What if you made a box, as is mentioned before, and get an artificer to craft some sort of spell trigger for some crazy spell. I was thinking making one lose interest in the box.
Then you put the box somewhere -- anywhere -- and you don't have to worry about that box being disturbed.

Just my 2 cents.

there is a spell that does just that (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/antipathy.htm) though I'm not sure artificers can emulate it

aversion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/aversion.htm) would also work, but the save is a little low, and it too is mind=affecting.

[Arcanist]

If you ever get to 21st level, there is the spell "Aumvor's Fragmented Phylactery" in Champions of Ruin. Every time you cast it it makes your Casting Stat Modifier more Phylacteries, and it specifically says it can be re-cast, so you can have the entire world as your Phylactery.

Most people would agree with me on this, but that spell in the hands of a Lich player is effectively a "Nope, I don't die. Suck it". So if you're not allowed to play Lich's at your table, this spell is generally the "why" to that.


Just as a side note: I always ignored the rule that a lich can make only one phylactery. I had the rules be that if the phylactery was destroyed, the lich was destroyed, but I also made phylacteries tough as hell to destroy, a la the one ring. Just how I played it though.

Incidentally, just because no one has mentioned it in this particular phylactery thread, you could make your phylactery a needle, in an egg, in a duck, in a hare, in a chest, on a distant island in the middle of an ocean. :smallbiggrin:

Koschei the Deathless would be proud. :smallamused:


there is a spell that does just that (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/antipathy.htm) though I'm not sure artificers can emulate it

aversion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/aversion.htm) would also work, but the save is a little low, and it too is mind=affecting.

If it is a spell, the Artificer can make it. :smallamused:

[Marnath]

Wouldn't the Hallowed Ground interfere with your regeneration?

No. It prevents new undead from being created, but undead can enter the effect. You'll take a -4 to your turning resistance, but chances are that even if one of the good guys happens to wander down into whatever vault your sword is in, they will probably not be close enough to your level to stand a chance against your powers.

[Green Leviathan]

A Tiny coin would be between 1 and 2 feet across (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm#bigandLittleCreatu resInCombat), making it roughly the size of a dinner plate. That would stand out, I think.

it doestn' have to be that large, one of the specific examples it gives is a ring.

[Rijan_Sai]

I realize that this is a high-level option, but what about Genesis (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/spells/genesis.htm)? After reading the spell several times, it seems that this should work...:

Create a demi-plane with the following: the middle...say...60ft with the Positive-dominant trait (using Golden Ladybug's idea of a planar-trait resistant box, probably around 10-15 feet to a side, so you can regenerate comfortably, and have your extra spell books, components, etc. around.) The rest of the plane should have the Negative-dominant trait, (help dissuade enemies from being there, and 1d6 fast healing for you...)
Next, give the plane the time trait of 10 days = 1 round on Material (this is why you need the arcane/divine version, the psionic version has that annoying clause about time...)

If I'm reading it right, this should be possible, and it gives you the benefit of returning to action approximately 1 round of being "killed."

You may want to cast the spell a few extra times to make the plane larger...keeps enemies away longer...(besides, what's 5000exp/cast at high levels? :smallcool:)

[Kelb_Panthera]

I just realized there may be a huge problem with the OP's idea of a chameleon lich. Becoming a lich will disqualify you for able learner which, in turn, will disqualify you for chameleon.

This could be a huge problem if the DM rules it that way. More than before, I strongly suggest asking your DM if this is kosher.

[Arcanist]

I just realized there may be a huge problem with the OP's idea of a chameleon lich. Becoming a lich will disqualify you for able learner which, in turn, will disqualify you for chameleon.

This could be a huge problem if the DM rules it that way. More than before, I strongly suggest asking your DM if this is kosher.

This is debatable, because Complete Warrior and Complete Arcane both have contradicting statements to the fact and I haven't seen anything to point an absolute stance on the matter that supersedes either of these.

[Kelb_Panthera]

This is debatable, because Complete Warrior and Complete Arcane both have contradicting statements to the fact and I haven't seen anything to point an absolute stance on the matter that supersedes either of these.

Those contradicting statements make the exact nature of the RAW fuzzy at best, in this case.

That's why I reiterated my suggestion of discussing it with the DM.

I always advise discussing things with the DM on issues of fuzzy RAW or other highly debatable material, such as alignment.

[InsiderTrading]

Hmm, I remember reading about a phylactery hiding technique somewhere, though I can't quite remember the source. It goes a little something like this:

1: Take a 1st level sorcerer as an apprentice.
2: Train sorcerer to level 2
3: Kill the sorcerer
4: Carve the phylactery in the inside of the sorcerer's skull
5: Resurrect sorcerer
6: Continue grooming your sorcerer to be your second in command.

Now you end up with a mobile, self preserving phylactery with potent spell casting abilities. Also, doing so also ensures that your apprentice won't pull a starscream on you, since you can't be killed without the sorceror suffering a slow, painful death 1d10 days later.

[papr_weezl8472]

First, make sure you have a way to survive in an airless environment, and a way to cast spells without sound. Silent Spell at least, and you may want a greater metamagic rod of it.

Create a plane via Genesis. The plane should be airless; other than that, add whatever useful planar traits you can get away with. Then set up your phylactery-crafting workshop in there, and plaster the plane with forbiddance.

Craft the phylactery there in secret; under no circumstances allow any hands but yours to touch it.

Add plenty of protective spells around your phylactery, and include whatever equipment you'd need handy upon resurrection (basic equipment for spellcasting, at the very least). Also trap the place to taste.



A demiplane wholly covered by forbiddance cannot be entered by any means short of wish. Forbiddance only blocks travel to its interior, not leaving, so you're fine getting out after regenerating. The phylactery is near-impossible to locate; nobody can discern location it, as no one has touched it, and lesser spells can be warded against. In the event that someone does wish themselves into your plane, they will be going in blind (hopefully. Are there any other divinations I should be taking into account?). They will then find themselves unable to breathe, unable to cast spells with verbal components, and will be subject to your traps and all the planar traits of your demiplane.

This is still imperfect; someone with sufficient resources and preparedness could still wish in, defeat your defenses, and destroy your phylactery. But in nearly any circumstance there are easier ways to get rid of you than destroying you outright, and it's a better investiture of effort to try to defend against these.


On a related note: I've often given this matter thought (you might be able to tell!) but one thing I can't figure out how to properly defend against is imprisonment. While we're protecting our liches from permanent death, is there any way we can cover them against this 9th-level spell?

[EmperorNortonII]

On a related note: I've often given this matter thought (you might be able to tell!) but one thing I can't figure out how to properly defend against is imprisonment. While we're protecting our liches from permanent death, is there any way we can cover them against this 9th-level spell?

All that is needed to reverse Imprisonment is a Freedom spell.

You have 1) a Familiar, and if your DM is nice, 2) a cohort from Leadership or Undead Leadership. Either one might be able to free you, given the right magic item and/or class for the cohort (ya know, a scroll of Freedom or another sort of magical item which casts the spell). You could also get a Contingency plus Greater Dispel Magic to counter the spell.

[Golden Ladybug]

I believe there is a spell (from Libris Mortis, I think) that makes you explode to deal damage to enemies, while simultaneously making it impossible to resurrect you.

Get a contingent casting of that spell, that triggers when someone casts Imprisonment on you. You explode, regenerate at your Phylactery and also become immune to unwanted attempts to bring you back to life :smallamused:

Also, after checking the traits of a Positive Dominant Plane:


However, a creature must make a DC 20 Fortitude save each round that its temporary hit points exceed its normal hit point total. Failing the saving throw results in the creature exploding in a riot of energy, killing it.

Undead don't need to make Fort saves unless the effect specifically calls out Undead or Objects needing to make the save. So, you can hang around PDPs all you like with no problem. Hell, build your fortress on one. Just another hassle for the (probably) fleshy good guys to push through before they can even attempt to threaten you. And its so delightfully ironic.


1: Take a 1st level Elan sorcerer as an apprentice.
2: Train sorcerer to level 2
3: Kill the sorcerer
4: Carve the phylactery in the inside of the sorcerer's skull
5: Resurrect sorcerer
6: Continue grooming your sorcerer to be your second in command.

FTFY

You don't want your Phylactery holder dying on you, do you? How would it be able to use its own spells to keep you safe if it just keels over and dies from old age?

That said, I wouldn't be so naive as to entrust the secret of my immortality to anyone other than me, and even then...

[Sauron1209]

depending on whether you disintegrate (or something of the like) when you die, you could just make it your rib bone and inscribe it with invisible ink. perhaps enchant it to prevent it form giving off any magical auras?

[Toy Killer]

1) Take a few levels of Fleshwarper (Or better yet, have a Fleshwarper on staff)
2) prepare for Lichdom, Design your phylactery to be a flexible spine.
3) Kidnap princess McGuffin and perform a quick surgery on her.
4) Make sure she is healed completely and fully afterwards.
5) wait for the PCs to come in and save the day, and finalize your transformation to lichdom by letting them take that pesky mortality from you.

While their at it, why don't they take the princess and keep her safe too...


Why expend your own resources keeping a phylactery safe when you can let an entire nation do it for you. It's not like they can take out the poor girl's spine on a whim, and good luck finding a good flesh warper to take it out again safely. For extra credit, make it an Elven princess so you have a good long amount of time to find a new 'suitor' for your next phylactery, or ask your local friendly DM if the host dying counts as the Phylactery being destroyed. If not, then, Hey! Whose going to defile the grave of the long loved Queen Lijji with out a damn good reason.

Plus if you die, you'd raise up again in a royal graveyard. Go Team Evil!

[O.L.Scudmungus]

Could you find some really.

..really..

..expensive water, fashion it into a solid, possibly very cold, cube...

..do the magic stuff..

..and then throw it into the sea?

The molecules that constitute your phylactery will now spread out into the water of the world.

Hang on. It the item/object the key thing? I.E does it have to be a 'noun', which seemingly could comprise of different stuff, such as metal, stone and wood.

If can be an 'object', which could comprise of multiple materials, why not make the infrastructure - roads/aqueducts/plumbing - of your nation your phylactery?

I'm a little confuzzled to how a combination of one set of materials is being considered to be a single 'whole' while a combination of the another set of materials - on a larger scale - isn't be considered a single whole.

-.o Bugger it. I cast it on the King's bladder stone.

Then I cast Enlarge (Bladder Stone).

Because.

:smallmad:

[dantiesilva]

Go to hell steal the devils spellbook, get out of hell polymorph your soul into that book with all its texts and everything the same as before. Go back to hell act like you are trying to kill him and try reading from " the fake " spellbook, he attacks you drop it and teleport out. Lets see someone go through all the nine hells to get it. And on the plus side you have all the magic spells he has now.

[Amidus Drexel]

Hang on. It the item/object the key thing? I.E does it have to be a 'noun', which seemingly could comprise of different stuff, such as metal, stone and wood.

If can be an 'object', which could comprise of multiple materials, why not make the infrastructure - roads/aqueducts/plumbing - of your nation your phylactery?

I'm a little confuzzled to how a combination of one set of materials is being considered to be a single 'whole' while a combination of the another set of materials - on a larger scale - isn't be considered a single whole.


Well, it has to be Tiny. A city's infrastructure is probably a bit bigger than that.


The phylactery would be in a pelorian church. Plenty of Hallow spells being thrown around, for sure.

Venger's talking about the real (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19558798/Pelor_the_Burning_Hate) Pelor. A hallow spell would be a bit out of place in his church.

[333]

In a homebrew game a friend and I did, the BBEG was a powerful lich, but his ritual was interrupted, and his soul was bound in the paladin's sword.