Gaining Unholy Toughness

[PrinceOfMadness]

I've been putting together a character as a thought experiment and I'm frankly kind of stumped. The character in question is a Lich and I'm wanting to grant him the benefits of Unholy Toughness. Unfortunately, I can't find any rules-legal method of putting Unholy Toughness on a lich. The closest I was able to come to a solution was the Illithid Savant's 'Acquire Special Quality', but that would require me to be an Illithid and also burn 5 levels on a PrC.

In other words, I need some RAW method of getting Unholy Toughness (or some equivalent thereof) that doesn't fall under 'beg the DM for one.'

Some notes:

The character in question is a 30th level wizard, and therefore has access to epic spellcasting.

I can take a PrC that might grant it as long as the PrC advances arcane spellcasting.

I am aware of the existence of the Dry Lich. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with needing to treat any chump with a Decanter of Endless Water as a deadly threat, however.

Custom magic items are generally frowned upon, with one exception: a custom magic item that grants a spell or spell-like ability that grants Unholy Toughness would not be amiss.

EDIT: The character is also a Demilich, and possesses the Magic Immunity [Ex] ability. I don't want to utilize any route that would cause me to lose [Ex] abilities.

I appreciate any help and advice here!

[Psyren]

There are other undead that get Unholy Toughness, e.g. the Boneclaw (MM3.) Polymorph yourself into one of those and you gain their Ex abilities, including UT.

[Big Fau]

The Decanter of Endless Water can be countered by a rod in the MiC (there's an item in there that specifically parts the water around you, but I can't recall the name).

It only works for 7 minutes/day, but at ECL 30 you'd be able to buy enough of them to make a suit of armor from them.

[PrinceOfMadness]

I was under the impression Polymorph didn't grant [Ex] qualities?

It also gains all extraordinary special attacks possessed by the form but does not gain the extraordinary special qualities possessed by the new form or any supernatural or spell-like abilities.
So you would get [Ex] attacks, but not qualities, right?

EDIT: I also should mention (and I will edit this into the OP) the character in question is a Demilich and possesses the Magic Immunity [Ex] trait. So I don't want to utilize a route that will cause me to lose [Ex] abilities.

EDIT 2: Big Fau, that would certainly be helpful. I will take a look in the MiC and see if I can locate it.

[Zanos]

I was under the impression Polymorph didn't grant [Ex] qualities?

So you would get [Ex] attacks, but not qualities, right?

EDIT: I also should mention (and I will edit this into the OP) the character in question is a Demilich and possesses the Magic Immunity [Ex] trait. So I don't want to utilize a route that will cause me to lose [Ex] abilities.

EDIT 2: Big Fau, that would certainly be helpful. I will take a look in the MiC and see if I can locate it.

Shapechange grants Ex and Su qualities and attacks, although this isn't exactly optimal if you're a demilich since they have some rather nice Su's that you'd lose. I don't believe shapechange makes you lose your Ex qualities, so you'd keep your magic immunity, but lose your trap the soul and such. Losing your phylactery transference is probably the biggest issue though if you're going that route to equip yourself.

[PrinceOfMadness]

I can live with losing Trap the Soul and Paralyzing Touch. Phylactery Transference though, ouch. I can make it work but I wouldn't mind exploring other options.

As a side note: can the Demilich template be applied to Dry Liches? Additionally, would the epic spell Aumvor's Fragmented Phylactery (Champions of Ruin pg 37) work with the Dry Liches canopic jars?

[tyckspoon]

I was under the impression Polymorph didn't grant [Ex] qualities?
Shapechange does, but you probably get more benefit from being a Demi-lich than most anything you could transform into.

The only practical way to get the actual Unholy Toughness ability I know of would be to make your base self into a Dry Lich instead of a Monster Manual Lich. If you can't find a way to protect yourself from water as an Epic spellcaster, well, please stop embarrassing Epic spellcasters.

If you just want more HP, there's a few options available. You could craft an Epic spell to give yourself a boatload of Temp HP (wouldn't recommend this, it's a really terribly inefficient application of the Fortify Seed.) You could cast Intensified False Life (Max'd and doubled = 40 temp HP.) You could set yourself up as the recipient of a Shield Other with a big dumb sack o' HP on the other end to absorb half of all the damage you take. You could take the Faerie Mysteries Initiate feat to key your HP on Intelligence instead of Con (and maybe get a Lichloved follower or something to perform the required 'sensual rites' with.)

[PrinceOfMadness]

Actually, that Faerie Mysteries Initiate feat works pretty well. In fact, it works out even better, since my Intelligence is higher than my Charisma anyway. Thanks!

[blelliot]

There's a feat in one of the tome of horrors that grants the unholy toughness ability.

[PrinceOfMadness]

Do you happen to know which Tome of Horrors? Or what the name of the feat is?

And, since I ninja-edited it in earlier and I think it might have been overlooked: Can the Demilich template be applied to a Dry Lich? Additionally, can the epic spell Aumvor's Fragmented Phylactery be applied to a Dry Liches Canopic Jars?

[Hytheter]

Can someone explain to me how a Lich of any kind, let alone a demilich (which is just a floating skull), is able to perform the requisite sensual acts for Faerie Mysteries Initiate?
edit: Oh wait, I guess you could transform yourself in some manner.
Still seems dubious, at least flavour-wise...

[Spuddles]

Actually, that Faerie Mysteries Initiate feat works pretty well. In fact, it works out even better, since my Intelligence is higher than my Charisma anyway. Thanks!

Note that the 'Passions' ritual need only be performed once, ever, for you to always have int to hp. So just put "boned a fairy" in your backstory and you're good.

Heh, "boned".

Heh heh, "fairy".

[Zanos]

Can someone explain to me how a Lich of any kind, let alone a demilich (which is just a floating skull), is able to perform the requisite sensual acts for Faerie Mysteries Initiate?
edit: Oh wait, I guess you could transform yourself in some manner.
Still seems dubious, at least flavour-wise...

Well, back in wizard college....

[blelliot]

Do you happen to know which Tome of Horrors? Or what the name of the feat is?

Tome of horrors III, and the name is deaths blessing. Prerequisite of 13+ CHA and being undead.

[Xervous]

Tome of horrors is 3rd party though, right? I've NEVER seen it brought up before.

[blelliot]

It is third party, but my groups and I are prone to use third party material quite a bit

[PrinceOfMadness]

Can someone explain to me how a Lich of any kind, let alone a demilich (which is just a floating skull), is able to perform the requisite sensual acts for Faerie Mysteries Initiate?
edit: Oh wait, I guess you could transform yourself in some manner.
Still seems dubious, at least flavour-wise...
Well....

A demilich’s form is concentrated into a single portion of its original body, usually its skull.
Note the use of 'usually'. Technically, there are no restrictions on what part of the body you concentrate into.

And there's the spell, Spark of Life (http://dndtools.eu/spells/libris-mortis-the-book-of-the-dead--71/spark-of-life--1498/)....

I'll let you do the math. Suffice it to say, it would certainly make for a memorable BBEG.

[Hytheter]

Well....

Note the use of 'usually'. Technically, there are no restrictions on what part of the body you concentrate into.

...I don't think I like what you're suggesting here...

[Xervous]

Obviously, he's suggesting that the demilich is composed of a hand that wears the most exquisite jewels

[rockdeworld]

Obviously, he's suggesting that the demilich is composed of a hand that wears the most exquisite jewels
That's even worse :smallamused:

[DementedFellow]

Would Unholy Toughness and Faerie Mysteries Initiate allow you to get two boosts to AC? Because if that is the case, you could conceivably have a Dry Lich with over 500 HP easily.

[Urpriest]

Would Unholy Toughness and Faerie Mysteries Initiate allow you to get two boosts to AC? Because if that is the case, you could conceivably have a Dry Lich with over 500 HP easily.

I assume you mean hp. And yeah, that should work.

One thing to note: if you pick up Master Transmorgrifist (not bad at Epic levels) or do some transformation spell stacking cheese, you may be able to keep your sexy Demilich Ex abilities while turning into something that gives you Unholy Toughness. I haven't done the math on this, so someone will have to check to see if it's viable.

[Jack_Simth]

I've been putting together a character as a thought experiment and I'm frankly kind of stumped. The character in question is a Lich and I'm wanting to grant him the benefits of Unholy Toughness. Unfortunately, I can't find any rules-legal method of putting Unholy Toughness on a lich. The closest I was able to come to a solution was the Illithid Savant's 'Acquire Special Quality', but that would require me to be an Illithid and also burn 5 levels on a PrC.How about using the Dry Lich (Sandstorm) in place of the regular lich? The beast is clearly still on the drawing board...

[Raendyn]

a: Capture something that has the ability(or force it into Dry Lich, or a Thrall that takes all Walker in the Waste PrC?)

b: Cast ABILITY RIP, 7th lvl spell from Serpent Kingdoms, every morning.

c: Profit.

[Zanos]

How about using the Dry Lich (Sandstorm) in place of the regular lich? The beast is clearly still on the drawing board...

IIRC the only RAW way to become a Dry Lich is WitW 10, which requires intensive feat investment or cheese to qualify for as an arcane caster. I believe a dry lich can qualify for the demi-lich template. Demi-lich can be added to "any-lich", and a dry lich is certainly a lich.

The canopic jars would not function for Aumvor's Fragmented Phylactery(Champions of Ruin, for the curious), since they are not phylacteries. They share many traits with them, but are not compared to or are said to act as phylacteries anywhere in sandstorm. For the same reason this causes the demi-liches phylactery transferance ability to do nothing.



a: Capture something that has the ability(or force it into Dry Lich, or a Thrall that takes all Walker in the Waste PrC?)

b: Cast ABILITY RIP, 7th lvl spell from Serpent Kingdoms, every morning.

c: Profit.

Serpent Kingdoms? That just makes me feel dirty.

[PrinceOfMadness]

...I don't think I like what you're suggesting here...
Hey, you asked! :smallamused:

Obviously, he's suggesting that the demilich is composed of a hand that wears the most exquisite jewels
Obviously. :smalltongue:

One thing to note: if you pick up Master Transmorgrifist (not bad at Epic levels) or do some transformation spell stacking cheese, you may be able to keep your sexy Demilich Ex abilities while turning into something that gives you Unholy Toughness. I haven't done the math on this, so someone will have to check to see if it's viable.
Hmm. Glancing over the Master Transmogrifist, it looks feasible, by RAW. You should be able to use the 'Infinite Variety' capstone to create an imaginary creature, using Demilich as the base and Dry Lich as the secondary (for Unholy Toughness).

It's noteworthy that you cannot have a favored form of the same type as you are. The only time you can swap out your favored forms is when you take a level in Master Transmogrifist.

So what you "should" be able to do is take all ten levels of Master Transmogrifist, then select Demilich as one of your favored forms. You can then become a lich and demilich normally. By RAW you cannot have Demilich as a favored form (since it has the undead type) but you also can't switch your favored forms unless you take another level of Master Transmogrifist. That should work, right?

a: Capture something that has the ability(or force it into Dry Lich, or a Thrall that takes all Walker in the Waste PrC?)

b: Cast ABILITY RIP, 7th lvl spell from Serpent Kingdoms, every morning.

c: Profit.
Ability Rip explicitly only works to steal Supernatural Abilities. Link. (http://dndtools.eu/spells/serpent-kingdoms--24/ability-rip--3252/)

The canopic jars would not function for Aumvor's Fragmented Phylactery(Champions of Ruin, for the curious), since they are not phylacteries. They share many traits with them, but are not compared to or are said to act as phylacteries anywhere in sandstorm. For the same reason this causes the demi-liches phylactery transferance ability to do nothing.
Drat. Not worth it, then.

[Averis Vol]

if you're really afraid of water, which is really depressing, there's always the amulet of adaption from the DMG. It's like 15k and it creates a small barrier of perfectly clean air about an inch away from you; keeping out cloud attacks, water and other such things.

[PrinceOfMadness]

Dry Lich is pretty much out at this point as a substitute for regular lich. I like Aumvor's Fragmented Phylactery too much (and losing Phylactery Transference is just painful). The potential for having a dozen (or more) phylacteries kicking around is just priceless.