Level Adjustment & PrC Templates

[Grams]

I know there has been quite a bit of debate on whether or not you adopt a Level adjustment for acquiring a granted template by a capstone.

Lets take dread necro or walker in the waste.

Their capstones grant you lich/dry lich

My question is:

Could I opt to not have to dump 10/20 class levels when I could just play a wizard or something - create my own phylactery(s) - then take on the necropolitan template?
No level adjustment and I'm effectively a lich for the price of a one level set back and the 100k for crafting. (which you have to pay anyway even if you adopt the template through the prc)

The only issues being: are the (su) or (ex) lich abilities worth a 5 level adjustment and being forced into taking 10/20 levels in a class you may or may not like.

[Urpriest]

Necropolitan and Lich aren't the same thing. And you can't create a Phylactery without becoming a Lich.

[The Viscount]

It is as Urpriest says. You could simply gain the Necropolitan template and eat the lost level and xp cost. If you do it low enough, you'll catch up quickly.

As for lich, to answer your question it is not worth the +4 LA. Lich is a largely defensive template, and as a very early template, it overvalued being undead. For comparison Gravetouched Ghoul from LM gives a bonus to every stat but Con for only +2 LA.