Low level Lich build/cheese suggestions

[Nornalhorst]

I'm probably not going to do this due to reasons others pointed out in my previous thread: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273760

But I am curious if there would be a way to make this work if I'm forced to make a lvl 1 character not counting ECL, for a campaign while the other PCs are higher level (joined 4 months late, all new PCs are level 1 by DM rules, so I'm 4 months behind in leveling).

Good thing is the DM is pretty laid back, so you can create anything as long as its not homebrew (unusual PCs are completely normal here). So explaining a lvl 1 Lich as slipping up and instead of being outright destroyed being forced to down to a low level is feasible.

Anyway I was wondering what's the best way to get the maximum amount of cheese and abuse out of the lich template (stacking templates works as well).:smallbiggrin:

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Make a Dragonwrought Kobold Dracolich instead. Dragonwrought Kobolds are in Races of the Dragon, Dracolich is from the Draconomicon. That allows you to paralyze on every natural attack, which they get two claws and a bite (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a), and you also get a paralyzing gaze attack. If you're old enough you can even take epic feats, per Draconomicon p66, so use two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) to get Epic Toughness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#epicToughness) twice. You can take whatever classes you want with that, since a Dracolich isn't necessarily a spellcaster, so go with something that's good at combat such as Warblade or Crusader.

As it turns out, the above with only one level of Warrior is a CR 1 monster.

[Nornalhorst]

Make a Dragonwrought Kobold Dracolich instead. Dragonwrought Kobolds are in Races of the Dragon, Dracolich is from the Draconomicon. That allows you to paralyze on every natural attack, which they get two claws and a bite (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a), and you also get a paralyzing gaze attack. If you're old enough you can even take epic feats, per Draconomicon p66, so use two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) to get Epic Toughness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#epicToughness) twice. You can take whatever classes you want with that, since a Dracolich isn't necessarily a spellcaster, so go with something that's good at combat such as Warblade or Crusader.

As it turns out, the above with only one level of Warrior is a CR 1 monster.

Looks really good. :smallbiggrin:

I like how Kobolds who are seemingly weak can be so powerful so easily just look at Pun-Pun.

I'll have to get that book to really look at it however.

Not sure if there is much cheese that can make a lich template viable though, besides dracolich.

[Alienist]

We need an equivalency to Godwin's Law: once someone mentions Dragonwrought, pack up and go home because the thread is over.

Knowing that, allow me to play the iconoclast and press on:

Becoming a Lich requires caster level 11

I'm going to propose something here, by way of background, since there is no way you can afford the cost of your phylactery; assume that some high level heroes and burst in and stopped a some generic evil wizard dude from becoming a lich right at the last minute. He has everything he needed ready to go, including:

Scroll of Desecrate
Scroll of Death Knell
Scroll of Consumptive Field
Some of that pain juice stuff (opposite of Ambrosia)

They're all clericy type spells, so he's gonna UMD them.

Possibly also a scroll of Suffer the Flesh (??) (it's thematic)

Now you, an enterprising young Cloistered Cleric, poking your head around in the archives/private collection of a wealthy patron (who as a philanthropist also has a hospice adjacent to the archive to ease the passing of the dying), find all this, and can't help from pressing the big red button.

As a Closited Cleric (sic), your domains are Knowledge, Truth and Oracle. That gives you a caster level of 5 (for divinations) at level uno.

Death Knell brings that up to 6, consumptive field bumps you to 9, and the anti-ambrosia takes you to 11. (Or 12 if you do it in a slightly different order?)

Excellent.

(Toss random other assorted crap in there as you like; Ankhs of ascension, beads of karma, ioun stones, rings etc) (just to pump the caster level on the phylactery)

Undt now you cast desecrate, undt now you take corpse crafter as your level 1 feat...

Shabang. You're an unkillable lich with DR 15 and 16 hit points at level uno. With +4 strength.

They discover your withered and emaciated corpse, unconscious, apparently lifeless, stunned and reeling from the ritual.

They don't know what killed you (and several unfortunates from the hospice). Not taking any chances, they cremate all the bodies, including yours.

All those expensive toys go back into the wealthy patron's collection.

Some nights later you reform in the archive, and sneak away (you can't take the expensive goodies with you because (insert $magical_protection))

------------

Note that as an undead, you 'die' when you hit 0 hit points. So even with sixteen hitpoints at level 1, you've barely broken even when compared to a standard closeted cleric with no con bonus (who also takes 16 points to kill).

This is why low level necropolitans are deluding themselves that they're so awesome, effectively they start off ten hit points behind.

For you, it's not such a bad thing so long as nobody messes with your phylactery.

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The above assumes that you take Corpsecrafter.

Abusing this:

Take the Slow trait, for more hp per level. Oh no, the unkillable thing is going to have a hard time running away. What a shame. //tear

Dump Con.
On top of that consider taking a base race that dumps con (e.g. Elf)
Alternatively, your natural weapons have a nasty attack (permanent paralysis, plus extra negative damage). Can you find something with a ranged natural weapon? :D (Bonus points if it also dumps on con)

Now you have a choice: spells or weapons.

If spells: You're immune to Cold. You heal from negative energy. Hello Lord of the Uttercold. Just don't use it on Flamestrike - that way lies madness.

If weapons: your natural weapons benefit from some of the other things in the corpsecrafter chain, but only if you take them at level 1.

After level 1, there's Necromantic Presence and Necromantic Might.

Of course, since this is 3.5, there are ways of detaching your fists and throwing them at people.

[Matticussama]

I think that Alienist wins for style; avoiding Dragonwrought Kobold whenever possible is certainly preferable IMO due to its dubious (and disputed) functionality.

[Nornalhorst]

I think that Alienist wins for style; avoiding Dragonwrought Kobold whenever possible is certainly preferable IMO due to its dubious (and disputed) functionality.

Yeah I like Alienist's idea as well, Dragonwrought Kobold is great but I lack the books and while the DM is pretty laid back the whole true dragons thing seems to be debatable so I'll have to run it by him.

I wonder if anyone else has any other cheese ideas that could use the lich template? Also any recommended races or other templates with innate spellcasting would help as well. I don't care that much for level adjustment I'm 4 months behind already so there is no way I'm catching up.

[Nornalhorst]

I wonder if I can make a Tauric Lich lesser Aasimar Lammasu :smallbiggrin:, or would that be a bad idea?

[Seer_of_Heart]

As a Closited Cleric (sic), your domains are Knowledge, Truth and Oracle. That gives you a caster level of 5 (for divinations) at level uno.

Death Knell brings that up to 6, consumptive field bumps you to 9, and the anti-ambrosia takes you to 11. (Or 12 if you do it in a slightly different order?)


I don't think that works because your CL of 6 is only for Divinations isn't it? And consumptive field isn't a divination spell is it? Since consumptive field is based off of the CL you cast it as that wouldn't work. (though stacking consumptive fields may work (use metamagic rods(or some other method) to change the spell area so that the spells don't overlap)until you get your CL to 11)