[3.x Template] The Uberlich (Edited)

[Gem_Knight]

First note: Yes, this is inspired by the Akalich out of The Immortal's Handbook, however, as written it's in my personal opinion A) too large of a jump, B) Far to high of a level to be expected to see play in any reasonable game; and most of all C) highly over inflated, like much of Immortal's handbook the numbers are blown out of proportion and aren't nearly as powerful as they're made out to be.

All that aside, I now present to you my own take, helpful comments and suggestions welcome.

Size/Type: Becomes Incorporeal, size returns to it's original size in life.

Hit Dice: As an Undead it's Hit Die type is d12, However the Uberlich substitutes it's Charisma Modifier for it's Constitution when determining additional Hit Points each Hit Die.[/I])

Speed: The Uberlich can Fly at a speed of 360ft (Perfect Maneuverability)

Armor Class: UberLiches loses any natural armor bonus, but gains a deflection bonus equal to their Charisma modifier and an Insight bonus equal to their Wisdom modifier or their Hit Dice, whichever is higher.

Attacks: An UberLich gains an Insight Bonus on attacks equal to it's Wisdom Modifier or it's Hit Dice, whichever is Higher.

Damage: The UberLiches' Touch Attack uses Negative Energy to deal (1d10+2) for every two hit dice the UberLich possesses (Will Save DC 10+HD+Cha for half), in addition to their Paralyzing Touch below.

Special Attacks:

~Trap the Soul(Su): An UberLich can trap even an immortal spirit within its Soul Gems, To use this power it selects any Target it can see within 300 feet plus 100 per every 20 Hit Dice. The Target makes a Fortitude save with a DC of 10 plus the UberLiches' Hit Dice plus the UberLiches Charisma Modifier. If the creature saves it takes a number of Negative Levels equal to 1/5th the UberLiches' Hit Dice (Round Down, minimum eight). If the Target fails, or is killed by the negative levels anyway, it's spirit is pulled into one of the Evolved Soul Gems, if it is a lesser spirit (one without divine ranks) it creates a Shadow Soul Gem if the UberLich has one available. The souless body collapses in a mass of corruption and smolders in a single round, reduced to dust. A mortal soul is consumed over 24 hours, a soul with Divine Ranks is devoured over a number of years equal to its Divine Rank plus one day (See Devour Soul Below). If an Uberlich is overcome before the soul is eaten or devoured (See below), crushing the Gem releases the soul, after which time a mortal soul is free to seek the afterlife or be returned to it's body by the use of either Resurrection, True Resurrection, Clone, Wish, or Miracle. A divine soul that has been trapped less than 24 hours is free to reform it's body and resume it's godly status, one that has been trapped more than 24 hours is free to come back via the Rejuvenate Salient Ability, or be resurrected via the same spells as a mortal, divine ranks consumed by the UberLich return at a rate of one per year if the Deity returns to life. A potential victim protected from Death Effects (Such as by the Death Ward spell or Divinity) is not immune to trap the soul, but receives a +5 bonus on it's fortitude saving throw (this stacks with the bonus provided to all saving throws from Divine Ranks). Negative Energy Protection is effective against the level loss.

~Dread Aura(Su): The UberLich is such a potent force of Negative Energy that it broadcasts it as an aura out to 30 feet plus another 10 feet for every 20 hit dice it possesses. Undead creatures within this aura are treated as having Turn Resistance equal to one half the Uberliches' Hit Dice and Fast Healing equal to one quarter it's Hit Dice (The UberLich is within it's own aura and thus gains Fast Healing equal to one quarter it's Hit Dice) this effect is Rounded down to a minimum of Fast Healing 10 and Turn Resistance +20. Living Creature's within this aura are treated as having negative levels equal to one quarter the UberLiches' Hit Dice (Round Down, Minimum One), unless warded or immune to death effects or Negative Energy. Creatures with fewer remaining Hit Dice than the negative levels given by the aura are slain and at the UberLiches' option rise as Spectres under the UberLiches' control 1d10 rounds later. The Fast Healing provided by this ability does not stack with any Fast Healing derived from any other source (Such as the Divine Salient Ability Divine Fast Healing) in cases of multiple sources of Fast Healing the Uberlich simply uses the better value.

~Devour Soul(Su): An UberLich holding a spirit with Divine Ranks via it's Trap the Soul ability (Above) can quicken the process of devouring the divine soul to a number of effects:
`If slain it can feed on the divinity of a trapped soul with one or more Divine Ranks to immediate revive itself at full hit points. To use the ability the soul in question must have been trapped for at least 24 hours. The Soul remains in the Soul Gem but is now treated as a mortal soul to be consumed over the next 24 hours.
`Each year a soul with divine ranks is held it loses one of it's divine ranks, if this reduces the soul to 0 divine ranks, on the next day the soul is consumed as normal.
`An UberLich has Virtual Divine ranks for each Divine Soul it currently has via it's Trap the Soul Ability. These Virtual Divine Ranks count as divine ranks in all ways accept access to Divine Salient Abilities, however they allow the Uberlich access to any one Divine Salient Ability the Divine soul possessed as long as the Uberlich otherwise qualifies. Once a Divine Soul is consumed it only retains the Virtual Divine Rank for up to one year after the consumption of the Divinity is complete.

~Paralyzing Touch(Su): Any Creature touched by an UberLich must make a Fort save (DC 15+.5HD+Cha) or be paralyzed, this effect cannot be dispelled and can only be removed by a Remove Paralysis, Wish or Miracle by a caster who makes a caster level check DC the UberLiches' Hit Dice.

~Perfect Automatic Still and Silent Spell (Ex): an UberLich can cast all the spells it knows without sound or gesture.

~Spell Like Abilities: At Will-- Alter Self, Astral Projection, Create Greater Undead, Create Undead, Death Knell, Enervation, Greater Dispel Magic, Harm, Summon Monster I-X, Telekinesis, Weird, Greater Teleport, Planshift, Slay Living, Destruction, Animate Dead; 3/day-- Wail of the banshee; 2/day-- Greater Planar Ally; 1/day Ruin; 1/week-- Momento Mori, Wish. The Caster Level is the same as the UberLiches' Spells, but the DCs are all 10+HD+Cha.

Special Qualities:

~Manifestation(Su): An Uberlich as the ability to manifest on the physical Plane, this ability functions identical to a Ghost's ability to Manifest. (Probably needs clarification)

~Damage Reduction(Ex): An UberLich has Damage Reduction equal to it's Hit Dice, this ability does not stack with the Damage Reduction provided by Divine Ranks, it simply uses whichever one is better (For Example an Uberlich with 41 HD currently possessing 20 virtual divine ranks ignores 60 points of damage unless the target is hitting with an Epic weapon, in which case it only ignores 41; but the same UberLich with only 5 virtual Divine Ranks just ignores 41 damage as per a DR 41/-).

~Immunities(Ex): UberLiches are immune to Acid, Cold, Electricity and Fire.

~Immunity to Magic (Ex): UberLiches are immune to all spells, spell-like abilities, and Supernatural effects except as follows:
`An appropriately aligned Dispel spell (Such as Dispel Evil or Dispel Law for a Chaotic Evil Uberlich) deals 1d6 per spell level to the UberLich (A successful fortitude saves halves this).
`A Shatter spell deals damage as if the UberLich was a crystalline creature, but deals half the normal damage (Sonic Resistance then applies, see below).
`Holy Smite spells affect UberLiches normally.

~Incorporeal Traits

~Omnicompetent(Ex): An UberLich is so intelligent it receives a competence bonus equal to half it's Intelligence Modifier to all skills. It may attempt to use trained only skills untrained.

~Phylacteric Transference (Su): Any Items kept in close proximity (Within 1 foot per Hit Dice, minimum 30) to the UberLiches' phylactery transfer all their benefits to the Uberlich regardless of the distance between the UberLich and its Phylactery. Standard limits on types of items apply (ie one hat, one pair of boots, etc).

~Sonic Resistance(Su): an Uberlich has sonic resistance equal to it's Wisdom Modifier or it's Hit Dice, whichever is higher.

~Turn Immunity: an Uberlich is a quasi-divine being (minimum Divine Rank 0) and as such is immune to Turning or Rebuking Undead.

~Undead Traits

Saves: The Uberlich has a Profane Bonus to saves equal to half it's Charisma Modifier.

Abilities: An UberLich gains +25 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

Skills: An UberLich receives a +50 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot Checks (This overlaps with the Lich and DemiLich bonus rather than stacking).

Epic Feats: An UberLich gains the feats Blinding Speed, Tenacious Magic, and Automatic Quicken Spell (x3)

Level Adjustment: (Lich +4, DemiLich +8) UberLich +16 (for a total adjustment of +28)





~~~~~ Extra stuff mostly incomplete:
8 Evolved Soul Gems- by holding a soul in a soul gem and performing a ritual (Blah etc, tbd) the Lich can "evolve" his old soul gems, these soul gems are now powerful enough to hold otherwise immortal souls such as creatures with divine ranks. Unlike mortal souls, Divine Souls take a number of days equal to their divine rank plus one to consume rather than the usual one day for mortal souls.
Shadow Soul Gems- as the UberLich advances it's Evolved Soul Gems become so strong they can actually hold lesser souls within them without becoming full, when they do, they cast a "shadow" to hold the soul. An Uber Lich can have a number of these Shadows Soul Gems equal to one per Evolve Soul Gem per 40 Hit Dice (Round Down, minimum one each).

[Arcanist]

Why not give it Unholy Toughness? Cha to HP instead of +5/HD/10HD.

Omnipotent is just overkill since now you're Liches are also Skill Monkeys, why not just add in that it also has a BAB equal to it's HD and can cast Divine spells as well? :smallannoyed:

I honestly have VERY little too offer to this, beyond recommending that you tone it down a little :smallconfused:

[Gem_Knight]

Why not give it Unholy Toughness? Cha to HP instead of +5/HD/10HD.

Omnipotent is just overkill since now you're Liches are also Skill Monkeys, why not just add in that it also has a BAB equal to it's HD and can cast Divine spells as well? :smallannoyed:

I honestly have VERY little too offer to this, beyond recommending that you tone it down a little :smallconfused:

The point of the Virtual Stats is also for skills and saves (more for saves than skills) and not just about HP, though frankly it's not a bad idea to add anyway, if I could squeeze it in without powering it up even more.

The Omnipotent is there for two reasons, the biggest, is that generally you've got a high enough Int at this point that you probably do have more skill points than you can spend, or you're flushing your excess into Cross class skills, maybe if you have Able Learner (if you qualify) you can do something, this ability basically just makes you ignore skill points. And the second reason it's on there, is because it's one of the few things I actually carried over from the original template. Fluff-wise it stands to reason that if you're so old your bones have all turned to dust, you've spent quite a bit of time rounding yourself out in more than just the basics. Hell, you probably got so bored you started inventing your own skills...

Honestly overall I'm of two minds if it's too powerful or not enough. Granted it's a lot of power- on the flip it's intended for a character that's already level 30+ and if it's too weak then there's no reason to consider it. Bouncing back if you make it too strong why would you ever not. It's a hard thing to balance. It's especially hard to balance it given it's at a point in the game where breaking the game is- well- generally expected.

[Arcanist]

The point of the Virtual Stats is also for skills and saves (more for saves than skills) and not just about HP, though frankly it's not a bad idea to add anyway, if I could squeeze it in without powering it up even more.

Why not just give them a bonus on saves instead of just buffing them on everything that requires a constitution score? :smallconfused:


The Omnipotent is there for two reasons, the biggest, is that generally you've got a high enough Int at this point that you probably do have more skill points than you can spend, or you're flushing your excess into Cross class skills, maybe if you have Able Learner (if you qualify) you can do something, this ability basically just makes you ignore skill points. And the second reason it's on there, is because it's one of the few things I actually carried over from the original template. Fluff-wise it stands to reason that if you're so old your bones have all turned to dust, you've spent quite a bit of time rounding yourself out in more than just the basics. Hell, you probably got so bored you started inventing your own skills...

This still doesn't warrant giving the Uberlich every single skill in the game. You're Int Score is now for nothing more then to grant you floating Skill Ranks and to determine your spells DC. You will never need to use another Skill Rank again (since you can pretty much get every single Skill Trick in the game now with your massive excess in Skill Ranks).


Honestly overall I'm of two minds if it's too powerful or not enough. Granted it's a lot of power- on the flip it's intended for a character that's already level 30+ and if it's too weak then there's no reason to consider it. Bouncing back if you make it too strong why would you ever not. It's a hard thing to balance. It's especially hard to balance it given it's at a point in the game where breaking the game is- well- generally expected.

A lot of the features are really redundant or overpowered.

HD to AC + Incorporeal + Whatever other defensive buffs the Uberlich might have just by virtue of being an Epic level Spellcaster. By 30th level you are pretty much ruling over the Cosmos as an Epic level Spellcaster and adding in the option of consuming the souls and Divine ranks of Gods is just overkill. I mean if you're trying to make Epic level MORE broken here you matter as well go the whole 9 layers and all that jazz :smallconfused:

I suppose my confusion here is from not entirely being sure what you want to do with this template.

[Gem_Knight]

Why not just give them a bonus on saves instead of just buffing them on everything that requires a constitution score? :smallconfused:


because the point is buffing everything that requires Str and Con, they are old enough and strong enough to bypass their physical limitations- the limitation of no longer being physical that is.


This still doesn't warrant giving the Uberlich every single skill in the game. You're Int Score is now for nothing more then to grant you floating Skill Ranks and to determine your spells DC. You will never need to use another Skill Rank again (since you can pretty much get every single Skill Trick in the game now with your massive excess in Skill Ranks).


I hadn't considered the skill trick angle. Maybe in that case a competence bonus to all skills equal to their Int modifier?



A lot of the features are really redundant or overpowered.
what may I ask is redundant?



I suppose my confusion here is from not entirely being sure what you want to do with this template.

For one, it's supposed to represent the "final stage" of Lichdom, a being so old not one physical piece of his original body remains. For the other, it is a sort of "Boogie Man" for deities. I admit, the Divine Rank mechanic is- well- I honestly don't know if I'll ever be able to balance it out mechanically as long as there are no proper mechanics for deific ascension anyway. But it's again, part of the carry over package from the original creature's intent. And a fluff aspect I particularly like.

[Arcanist]

because the point is buffing everything that requires Str and Con, they are old enough and strong enough to bypass their physical limitations- the limitation of no longer being physical that is.

They're Incorporeal! Why do they need a Strength and why would they need a Constitution? :smallconfused:


I hadn't considered the skill trick angle. Maybe in that case a competence bonus to all skills equal to their Int modifier?

Half their Int Modifier would be better.


what may I ask is redundant?

Omnipotence to give you all skill ranks and than buffing up your Intelligence to give you more Skill ranks? Giving you HD to AC + a 50% miss chance + any other defenses the caster might have?


For one, it's supposed to represent the "final stage" of Lichdom, a being so old not one physical piece of his original body remains. For the other, it is a sort of "Boogie Man" for deities. I admit, the Divine Rank mechanic is- well- I honestly don't know if I'll ever be able to balance it out mechanically as long as there are no proper mechanics for deific ascension anyway. But it's again, part of the carry over package from the original creature's intent. And a fluff aspect I particularly like.

Make Deities lose 1 Divine Rank per year and the Uberlich keeps it for that same year. It requires them to hunt Deities for power and makes them a force to be reckoned with. There is NO balanced way to make an in game method for attaining Divinity, but giving temporary Divinity? Ehh.... Not to broken :smallamused:

[Gem_Knight]

They're Incorporeal! Why do they need a Strength and why would they need a Constitution? :smallconfused:
[\quote]

So they can interact with the corporeal world without manifesting- given that at the moment it doesn't even have a manifest mechanic... though I suppose it might be better to instead give it a manifest mechanic and just a profane bonus to all saves...


[QUOTE=Arcanist;14802465]
Omnipotence to give you all skill ranks and than buffing up your Intelligence to give you more Skill ranks? Giving you HD to AC + a 50% miss chance + any other defenses the caster might have?


in fairness while the 3rd part is to be expected it's not inherent to the template, and the first two while they overlap a bit in final effect are rather different in what they actually do.



Make Deities lose 1 Divine Rank per year and the Uberlich keeps it for that same year. It requires them to hunt Deities for power and makes them a force to be reckoned with. There is NO balanced way to make an in game method for attaining Divinity, but giving temporary Divinity? Ehh.... Not to broken :smallamused:

Maybe something like this... hmm... if I reduce it to only getting one divine rank per deity being devoured at a time (max 8; as implied by your suggestion) I'd want it to instead be able to acquire salient abilities for the duration (Probably even some built in limit that it can only take salient abilities that the devoured deity has/had). But it does make some sense- once the deity is eaten, the divinity goes away- and it loses it's fancy power- has to get up and go get it again somewhere else...

It would of course mean dropping the ability to consume them faster for smaller gains- but despite how amusing that ability is (Do I get a small amount of power right away- or do I wait and get bigger gains), I grant the whole mechanic needs an overhaul and your suggestion might be just the compromise. Of course it would keep the ability to revive itself by consuming the divinity- but perhaps it doesn't consume the whole soul, just the divinity (Thus going from years until devoured to 24 hours, and if you save the god, it's lost it's divinity and now has to go work at getting it again... or something like.)

[inuyasha]

incorporeal undead with str have been done (poltergeists from ronins advanced bestiary)
and undead with con has been done (template i cant remember the name of from sword n sorcery's creature collection 2 [although that one got a little weird with the rules and didnt always follow them])

[silphael]

There is a mistake in the DC of Trap the Soul, it should be 10+1/2 HD + Cha mod. It's already a free Suck or Die bypassing immunities, so no need to sky rocket it.

Furthermore, it's a incorporeal undead, I think it's DR shouldn't be X/-, but rather something like X/Epic or X/Epic and "Alignement based on the lich's alignement". A X/- DR should only be given on things that truly rely (fluff wise) on defense, this thing (even with its godly power) cleary doesn't qualify. Maybe just the part about the DR from Divine Ranks...

[Gem_Knight]

There is a mistake in the DC of Trap the Soul, it should be 10+1/2 HD + Cha mod. It's already a free Suck or Die bypassing immunities, so no need to sky rocket it.

Furthermore, it's a incorporeal undead, I think it's DR shouldn't be X/-, but rather something like X/Epic or X/Epic and "Alignement based on the lich's alignement". A X/- DR should only be given on things that truly rely (fluff wise) on defense, this thing (even with its godly power) cleary doesn't qualify. Maybe just the part about the DR from Divine Ranks...

The DC is calculated by reverse engineering the DC of the original Demilich, and frankly, by that level if you're not packing insane saves, you're suicidal anyway. As readily available as save buffing gear/spells is.

As for the DR, even DR/- can be bypassed, DR/Epic is a joke when the Minimum ECL for this thing will be 58 (technically nothing mechanical prevents you from doing it at lvl 20, but it's assumed you're a level 30+ caster), and even DR/Epic and Good/Evil/Lawful/Chaotic isn't much better. And while DR HD/- might be high, anything other than /- is tissue. Perhaps (1/2)HD/- or even as little as 1/3?

As for your personal opinion for what qualifies as "deserving" DR/-, that seems counter intuitive, anything at epic level is generally strong on Defense. Also look at the Epic Feat Damage Reduction, it only requires Con 25, at pre-epic yes generally you only see that in a tank, but at epic that's not that hard to generate, simulate, or bypass.

[Frathe]

After someone crushes a Gem in Trap the Soul, you might want to add wish to the list of ways to bring the released soul back.

[Gem_Knight]

After someone crushes a Gem in Trap the Soul, you might want to add wish to the list of ways to bring the released soul back.

Minor oversight, thanks. I mean, it's kind of assumed, but yeah- better to spell it out...