Lich-dom

[PaucaTerrorem]

So the campaign we're in right now my wizard wants to end up as a lich. The MM only tells you that you need a phylactery and how much it costs.

So I create the phylactery, then what? Assuming I need specific spells and whatnot.

[Squirrel_Dude]

You create the phylactery, which normally involves quests (plural) of some sort, to hold the soul or whatever. Then you normally go through a ritual where you kill yourself and seal your soul in the phylactery.

Then you're a Lich, and enjoy not being able to walk around the common folk all too often.

[PaucaTerrorem]

Sweet. Thanks for the reply.

[Psyren]

So the campaign we're in right now my wizard wants to end up as a lich. The MM only tells you that you need a phylactery and how much it costs.

So I create the phylactery, then what? Assuming I need specific spells and whatnot.

There's a ritual, but it's left deliberately vague as to what the ritual entails. Basically the DM has to come up with something.

The "unspeakably evil" part seems to be non-negotiable unless you're trying to become a variant lich of some kind though.



Then you're a Lich, and enjoy not being able to walk around the common folk all too often.

Hat of Disguise :smalltongue:

[Squirrel_Dude]

Yeah, I probably should have mentioned that becoming a Lich normally also means you have to drink some kind of concoction that involves a bunch of expensive and hard to acquire materials. Lich dust, wyvern poison, dragon bone, diseased blood of a first born daughter, 120,000 gold worth of something, etc.


Hat of Disguise :smalltongue:Oh, it's not the appearance that's the problem (gentle repose, oils of age protection, etc.). The issue is the fear aura and detect evil. :smalltongue:

[PaucaTerrorem]

Oh, it's not the appearance that's the problem (gentle repose, oils of age protection, etc.). The issue is the fear aura and detect evil. :smalltongue:

Probably won't be a problem. Not doin the Lich thing till closer to the end and then it's gonna be a BBEG and minions.

[karkus]

A Necklace, Cloak, etc. of continuous Gentle Repose would be a good idea for a lich PC character.

[Humble Master]

If your going to be a Lich you should try and find some continuous source of negative energy. Shade Steel Golems work quite well.

[CRtwenty]

If your going to be a Lich you should try and find some continuous source of negative energy. Shade Steel Golems work quite well.

Or just move to the Negative Energy Plane. It's like a health spa for Undead.

[Urpriest]

Or just move to the Negative Energy Plane. It's like a health spa for Undead.

So is the Positive Energy Plane, oddly enough.

[ArqArturo]

Regardless of what kind of lich you want to become (average lich, baelnorn, etc.), I say take the Craft Golem feat, and make your phylactery either inside an Iron Golem, or better yet, an Adamantine Golem.

[Karnith]

Or just move to the Negative Energy Plane. It's like a health spa for Undead.
Funnily enough, by RAW hanging out on the Positive Energy Plane is also beneficial for undead.

EDIT: Swordsage'd. And further by RAW, the PEP actually looks better for undead than the NEP.

[BWR]

The old second edition recipe was this:
Spells needed: Magic Jar, Nulathoe's Ninemen, Trap the Soul.

2 drops pure arsenic
2 drops pure belladonna
1 quart blood from pegasus foal killed by a wyvern
1 quart vampire blood
1 heart. intact, from a humanoid killed by a mix of belladonna and arsenic
reproductive glands from seven giant moths, dead less than 10 days
venom from a phase spider no more than 30 days old
venom from a qyvern, no more than 60 days old.

These are mixed in order under a full moon, then drunk within seven days.

Any time after this you must craft the phylactery, completely within 9 days.
Cast Enchant an Item, then Trap the Soul, then Nulathoe's Ninemen on it, then Magic Jar on yourself.
At this point you lose one level of experience, and the top three spell levels memorized are wiped. You must have total rest for 1d6+1 days, during which you cannot regain spell slots.

After this, the next time you die, your soul goes back to your brand new phylactery. If there is not an available body to use, yours or someone elses, you die. Once this first death is out of the way, you are a proper lich.

[ArqArturo]

The old second edition recipe was this:
Spells needed: Magic Jar, Nulathoe's Ninemen, Trap the Soul.

2 drops pure arsenic
2 drops pure belladonna
1 quart blood from pegasus foal killed by a wyvern
1 quart vampire blood
1 heart. intact, from a humanoid killed by a mix of belladonna and arsenic
reproductive glands from seven giant moths, dead less than 10 days
venom from a phase spider no more than 30 days old
venom from a qyvern, no more than 60 days old.

Time to dust off the ole' summon monster+dimensional anchor mix.

[karkus]

So is the Positive Energy Plane, oddly enough.

Are you referring to the RAW "Temporary HP," and that it doesn't specify harming undead?

[Karnith]

Are you referring to the RAW "Temporary HP," and that it doesn't specify harming undead?
Positive-dominant planes grant fast healing, which undead benefit from without penalty, that allows a creature to get potentially unlimited temporary HP. Living creatures have to make Fortitude saves to avoid going blind or exploding while on positive-dominant planes, but undead have no such problems because they are immune to effects requiring Fort saves, unless they also affect objects or are harmless. Since the fast healing granted by positive-dominant planes does not specify that it functions differently from regular fast healing (excepting that you gain temporary HP once you have reached your full HP total), and undead are immune to the other downsides of positive-dominant planes, it's actually a pretty fun place for undead.

All of this is per strict RAW, of course. RAI is that undead will get killed in short order on a positive-dominant plane, barring an ability that gives them positive energy resistance.

EDIT: The really interesting thing to me is that, again per strict RAW, undead get basically no benefit from hanging out on a negative-dominant plane. The DMG says that living creatures on a minor negative-dominant plane take 1d6 damage per turn, but it's not called out as negative energy damage and only affects living creatures. Similarly, a major negative-dominant plane gives living creatures negative levels, but doesn't do anything to undead. So, while being an undead on the Negative Energy Plane may give you an advantage in a fight, it doesn't actually do anything else for you.