A lich locked in a dungeon

[Fyermind]

As a plot device I want to run a lich who cannot leave his dungeon (an abandoned salt mine). I want his mine to include a class 4 evil spell node. The Lich should have strong divination abilities. I am shooting for a level around 12 gestalt.

My questions are:
1: What are some reasonably explanations for why the lich can't leave it's dungeon, as a mid level caster it is very capable of breaking basic enchantments, removing curses, and even teleportation. What could keep it down?
2: What should the spells in the spell node be?
3: Should I run cloistered cleric or diviner (Cloistered cleric with knowledge devotion, knowledge domain, and oracle domain certainly fits the bill for divination powerhouse especially given it will be casting spells inside it's node.)
4: What should the other half be for survivability?

My best answers as of yet to follow.

Edit: Multiple PRCs at once are allowed
Edit: Current thoughts x3

Dry lich human Archivist 12 // Factotum 8 / Chameleon 2 / X 2
Obviously I want to PRC a little on the archivist side, and I don't know what to do with those last two class levels.
Feats to include: Able learner(H), Node Spellcasting (F), Metanode spell(F), Sanctum spell (1), extend spell(3), Persist Spell(6), Fell Drain(9), font of inspiration (12, floating feat)
Tricks involved:
That floating feat from chameleon 2 should get me access to almost every divine spell ever in my spellbook, the ability to make any magic item I want, and still have a useful feat when the PCs show up.

Factotum 8 lets the lich take extra standard actions to cast more spells.

I feel like this is not taking the best advantage of metanode spell. Perhaps with heighten spell+metanode spell there could be early entry

Sorcadin:
Dry Lich Kobold Sorcerer 5 / Abjurant champion 5 / Incantrix? 2 // Paladin of Tyranny 8 / Fighter 2 / Blackguard 2
Feats: Combat casting (F), Node Spellcasting (F), Dragonwrought (1), Arcane Preperation(3), Power Attack (W4), Arcane Spellstrike (6), Improved Sunder (W8), Metanode spell (9), Cleave (F1), combat reflexes (F2), Heighten spell (12), Rolibar's Gambit (W12)

Dirty tricks:
Charisma to: hit (with smite), HP (with dry lich), saves (twice, from Paladin and Blackguard)
Arcane preparation + heighten 4 (for free) sacrificed with arcane strike
Wraith striked
Power attacked
Extra feats from: Flaws (the players (ab)use them too), Wyrm of War

Spells: A mixture of divinations, buffs, and debuffs. Most of them won't be used in combat, so spells useful before combat are a must. The BBEG will (probably) have warning of the players entering, so it should have time to use minute/level + buffs freely to prepare.

Still don't feel like I am making the most out of metanode spell on this one, and it is a definite drop in versatility, but it will be a damage dealing powerhouse with very strong saves.


Dread Witch:

Drow Dry Lich
Sorcerer 5 / Dread Witch + 4 / Spellwarp Sniper 3 // Fighter (Sneak Attack varient) 4 / Dread With 1 / Paladin of Tyranny 2 / Avenging Executioner 5
Feats:
Node Spellcasting (F), Metanode Spell (F), Fell Frighten (1), Fell Drain (3), Skill focus (intimidate) (F3), Quicken Spell (6), Point blank Shot(9), Persist Spell/Craven (12), Precise Shot (SS3)

Strategies:
Open with quickened Fear to get everyone shaken, then focus on ray spells for sudden strike, sneak attack, and dex to damage against frightened opponents. 4d6+dex+spell damage + shaken + 1 negative level on all ray spells against shaken opponents is not bad at all.




Edit: potential node spells

Arcane:
Wraithstrike
Wings of cover
Divine:



Edit: Fractional BAB and Saves, the +2 bonus for a good save is capped at once per save

[Saintheart]

1. Swap it around: why should the lich want to ever leave his dungeon if it addresses all his needs and wants? If you run him like a certain end-of-level boss in Red Hand of Doom, he might just be sufficiently insane that he conducts his magical experiments in the uninterrupted peace and quiet of an abandoned salt mine.

If the lich is taking Node Spellcasting and Metanode Spell (which he must to use the node in the way you're suggesting) then he's much weaker away from the node. Add in stuff like Sanctum Spell which allows him RAW-legal magic item creation abuse, multiple Forbiddance castings all over his dungeon which prevents scry-and-die against him, and other tricks like that, and staying at home needn't bother him at all.

2. If it's a class four node, that means up to four spells of fourth level, or any combination below that. Because you're contemplating cleric, look for the most powerful arcane spells that clerics normally can't get access to, and the ones with the best synergies to metamagic feats, since the node takes the "higher spell level load" (though you still have to know the metamagic feat yourself). Or the reverse if you choose diviner, since it's arcane. On spell selection, though, look up any guide on Extra Spell abuse, because it's basically the same thing here. And remember per Champions of Ruin you generally have to link the spells by "theme", so at least come up with some questionable common link between them.

As to specific spells I don't really know since that requires more knowing the likely battlefield and the character you're building. Nerveskitter springs to mind since you must, must, must win the initiative, but but oddly enough direct damage, multiple-target spells might be handy in close quarters if you Fell Drain them for free out of the node: save-or-take less HP damage becomes save-and-suck anyway. Beyond that, anything that helps you on the action economy or debuffs meaningfully: Haste, Confusion, Glitterdust are all potent enough and are of fourth level or below. I'm sure there are many others.

3. Can't really advise on this one as such, but my instinct says a clerical class, with a few well-chosen spells from the node, probably has the advantage providing you can stay at range and you've got a way to avoid undead-unfriendly spells like the Light of Luniya line.

4. No experience with gestalts, so I'm out here.

[Flickerdart]

1) Neuroses? He could believe that going outside will kill him or something. It doesn't need to be true. Liches be crazy.

2) Dunno, never read the node rules.

3) Diviner for sure (banning Evocation). Spontaneous Divination will replace his 5th level bonus feat, after that, Unseen Seer could be an interesting direction to take him, or Master Specialist if you're a boring person. Loremaster is also an option. Cleric is the better option if the Lich spends time animating undead minions as a hobby, but if he prefers to bind outsiders then wizard is still better.

4) Warblade could be an interesting choice for its d12 HD and Int synergy. Factotum is the Int caster's go-to gestalt, but won't help much for tanking hits. Artificer gives him something to do in his spare time and takes advantage of his divinations to mitigate the awful casting time on his infusions.

[JellyPooga]

My questions are:
1: What are some reasonably explanations for why the lich can't leave it's dungeon, as a mid level caster it is very capable of breaking basic enchantments, removing curses, and even teleportation. What could keep it down?

The simple answer to this is either Epic level magic, an Artefact or Divine Will. These are also known as "GM fiat", or "because I said so". Perhaps not the answer you were looking for, but (to my mind), the most relevant when storytelling.

[Saintheart]

2) Dunno, never read the node rules.

Quick summary, because it's a nice "fixed position" route for NPC evil spellcasters:
Per Champions of Ruin -- if you're an evil spellcaster, then as long as you're within a node (read: "bad place", sort of like the Dark Side cave in Empire Strikes Back) you can make Spellcraft checks to raise the ECL of your spells.

But if your evil spellcaster take the feats Node Spellcasting and Metanode Spell, it allows you a couple of nice features while within the radius of the node:

(1) The node itself grants you any spell of up to its class level, no matter your class or that of the spell. So a Class Four node like the one described could give the spellcaster access to four spells of any level up to four, or 1x1, 1x2, 1x3, or 1x4, or any other combination therein. It's as potent as it sounds: you can give a cleric four mage spells, even four level four spells, solely because he's got these two feats and is within the node.

(2) The node also "takes the load" of higher-level spell slots which would ordinarily be consumed by metamagic. So for example, if you're a level 6 mage and wanted to Fell Drain a Fireball, and you're standing in a class 2 node, you can cast the Fell Drained Fireball out of your third level slots. You don't need fifth level slots at all. You still have to have the metamagic feat, of course.

So you can have the insanity of, say, a druid casting Fell Drained magic missiles out of level one spell slots providing he's standing in a class two node. And what we're looking at here is a class four node -- up to +4 spell levels vanished, instantly. So the question becomes: what's the most versatile fourth level and below spells, and what fourth level spells get the absolute best out of being heavily metamagic'ed.

It's a nice feature for NPCs as I say since no PC in his right mind would burn two feat slots that tie him down to one location. But for end-of-level bosses or NPC spellcasters who need a bit of RAW oomph, particularly around level 12? It's nice.

[Fyermind]

4) Warblade could be an interesting choice for its d12 HD and Int synergy. Factotum is the Int caster's go-to gestalt, but won't help much for tanking hits. Artificer gives him something to do in his spare time and takes advantage of his divinations to mitigate the awful casting time on his infusions.

Note that the lich will have a d12 HD no matter what because it is undead.

Factotum breaks the action economy more, so I might actually be able to run this boss against the players without it being out-actioned. That could be cool.

Chameleon gives access to a floating feat for item creation or learning and scribing spells as a wizard, so that could be a cool PRC.

I am thinking about the dungeon lord PRC from dugeonscape. Is it worth it for the other side of a caster?

[Xervous]

"Lich lives in an abandoned salt mine", I instantly thought dry lich. Throw in a tropical climate above the mine, perhaps flood the entrances to the mine without compromising the rest of it, slap on all the nice homely protection spells that prohibit teleportation, scyring, and all that jazz, and he can't leave without much effort.

[Draculmaulkee]

Making the lich a dual spellcaster will increase survivability. Diviner/Archivist gives you a lot more spells to play with.

[Flickerdart]

Making the lich a dual spellcaster will increase survivability. Diviner/Archivist gives you a lot more spells to play with.
At level 12, your basic Wizard has ~30 non-cantrip spell slots. Doubling that doesn't really help him much, because he can still only cast so many spells per round.

[Runestar]

A gestalt caster doesn't really help much; as mentioned above, they already get way more spells than they will ever use within the context of a 5-round encounter anyways.

If you do want to take advantage of gestalt rules, you will want to stagger the spellcaster lvs. Eg: druid on one side, fighter1/clericX on the other, in a manner which will grant full bab and maximise saves. So in your case, maybe something like wiz12/fighter1/cleric11. Anyways, complete champion has the spontaneous divination ACF, so there is really no need to go diviner.

Perhaps when the lich was still a mortal, he fled into the mines to escape from some powerful foe? However, his grievous injuries forced him to become a lich to avoid death. Though he lives on, his near-death encounter has led to an all-consuming fear that said foe is still out there waiting for him, and he is certain he faces certain death if he ever leaves the mine.

[Draculmaulkee]

It will give the lich more options to fortify itself and the salt mine, as well as fitting thematically with the concept of a lich.
Otherwise my vote goes for factotum/ int caster

[Mystra]

1.The lich is crazy, insane, mad or just lost. It might be trapped in an ''endless loop'' for example.

Also, the lich might not have escape type spells. Maybe it has all necromancy spells. Maybe the lich does not even have the spell teleport.

But the best way to ''lock away a lich'' is to give it a reason never to leave. For example hide the Tome of All Undead Power in the dungeon. The lich will never leave until it's found. It can work even better with the lich's placetry.

2.Any really. Roll at random, but pick some odd spells.

[dantiesilva]

1. I would say make it a dry lich in the salt mine and make the exit flooded so that he can not get out, but because it is so large and deep that the water has not reached all the places yet. He can only teleport so far, divination does not work against him that far. And gives him a reason to stay down their besides the ones already stated after all touching water for him deals 54d4 damage.

[Saintheart]

Couple of things that spring to mind on this:

(1) I noticed Quicken Spell isn't among the feat selections you had in mind. I'd seriously consider this since the node is a class four, and Quickens take up spell slots four levels higher, i.e. you have the perfect spot to cast twice per round. The key to casters is that they more effectively break the action economy the more spells they get in.

(2) One thought - node abuse would allow you to qualify for Dread Witch (out of Heroes of Horror) faster since that PrC demands the ability to cast Scare, which can be shunted off to the node. Maybe look at a fear-blasting build - use your Quickened spell to mess with the action economy, then Heighten fear spells by about four levels or so? Dread Witch 4 burns through fear immunity, so paladins' aurae of courage aren't much help to them.

[Fyermind]

Level 5 can be in dread witch anyway, but not before (I forgot to mention fractional BAB and saves, and the +2 for a good save is once only, I'll amend the OP)
But dread witch offers some nice effects, question though:
1) Are creatures normally immune to fear because they are mindless (such as skeletons) also effected by a dread witch's fear?
2) Are creatures that are immune to specific types of fear (Immune to the frightful presence of dragons for example) now effected by that fear effect from the dread witch? (if the dread witch were a dragon with frightful presence {bad example I know})
3) Do creatures immune to certain types of fear (cannot be shaken, but can still be made panicked etc.) lose that defense against the dread witch?

[Saintheart]

(1) Good question. The RAW wording for the Dread Witch feature is "...your fear spells are now so potent that they can even affect individuals normally immune to fear, such as paladins, although the subject still gains a saving throw to resist the spell's effect. Only a target whose HD exceed your caster level by 4 or more is immune to your mastery of terror".

The undead type confers, per RAW, "Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects)." At RAW, the immunity is not conferred because the undead are mindless - if that were so, it would say "not affected", not "immunity", I think. And not all undead are mindless anyway - liches have an INT score, and the higher order undead certainly do. By RAW, Dread Witch spells can burn through undead fear immunity.

(2) Per the wording of the feature, it's the Dread Witch's fear spells that burn through fear immunity, and the Horrific Aura feature (at D.W. 5) similarly burns through fear immunity. So if there was a specific type of fear a creature was immune to, and your fear spell hits that immunity, the DW's burnthrough applies and their immunity to that fear is no help.

I think it could also affect spell-like abilities based on fear (which some fear effects are). The SRD's wording is that "Usually, a spell-like ability works just like the spell of that name. ... In all other ways, a spell-like ability functions just like a spell." I think that's a solid foundation to rule that the DW's burnthrough feature affects spell-like abilities keyed to fear.

Would a dragon with DW 4 burn through immunity to its frightful presence? No -- because frightful presence is an extraordinary ability, not a spell-like ability, so the DW's class features don't affect it. But remember the D.W. 5 class feature is a sort-of Frightful Presence anyway, and it burns through fear immunity of any type.

(3) If the DW is using a fear spell, or its DW 5 class feature, then I'd say yes. The DW's burnthrough relates to fear immunity, and morale effects are cumulative.

[Saintheart]

Double post: also along these lines, consider Fell Frighten out of Libris Mortis. Per RAW: "You can alter a spell that deals damage to foes so that any creature subject to fear effects and mind-affecting spells and abilities that is dealt damage also becomes shaken for one minute". It's a +2 to spell level, as with Fell Drain, but consider a round as follows:

Quickened Fear will result in multiple-target frightenings at best and minimum shaken effects in a cone shape. Your standard action is then used with a Fell Drained + Fell Frightened Magic Missile, which then drains a level at least and advances the targets to panicked or frightened depending on how well they held up against the Fear spell.

Or, if you want to be a real bastard, prime up Phantasmal Killer with Fell Drain and Fell Frighten. It's a fear spell, so it burns through immunities. The spell does damage, therefore you can Fell Drain and Fell Frighten it in a class four node. Die from fear, or be dropped a level and made shaken or worse in one casting.

[JaronK]

Libris Mortis has a Tomb Guard PrC that's all about not leaving your tomb, and lets you know quite a lot about what goes on in there. That's a good reason to stay.

Plus, make his philactory something huge, immobile, and hard to destroy in that tomb.

JaronK