To Lich or not to Lich

[Bellberith]

I know this question has probably been answered before. But i cannot find it.

My character in a game i am playing in is a Dread Necro 8, Duskblade 3 (next levels are abjurant champion 5)

Currently i am far above the rest of the group in terms of power. So i have been trying to stay out of most fights and share the limelight with everyone else. (I don't mind watching mostly, my priority is that everyone else enjoys the game. I have been playing for a long time so its important the newer people don't have a sour experience.)

My DM is giving me the option to turn into a Lich. and i wonder if that is the best move already being above the party in power.

Or since it is a poor choice for optimization would it be the correct thing to do?

Please give opinions on this and/or other options that might be cool to shorten the gap. (that preferably wont cripple my character)

[Gildedragon]

Necropolitan if you're resolved to undeath.
Unhallowed Desecrated Ritual Space Spellstitched necropolitan

[ArendK]

A big factor to this question (to me) is can you afford the 200,000 gp to get the phylactery?
At 11th level, if the answer is "yes", and everyone else could feasibly as well, then I wouldn't worry too much about it and fire away.

Bigger question, and one that should be answered regardless; if the party is overshadowed by your power (before or after lichdom), are they having fun? If they are still having fun, then it's all good.

We can point out mechanical advantages and disadvantages here; but the concept of the game is fun, and that varies with every single player and group. The best thing you can do is talk to your fellow players and see if they'd be ok with it, both from a power and a fluff thing. If they are getting equal chances at the nice things, then it should swing things in your favor.

When running a higher tier/OP character than the rest of the party, a wise GM once told me...

"Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should."

[Zanos]

Honestly if DN 8/Duskblade 3 is powerful in your group, I doubt very many things could bring you to the point of being useless. That said the lich template has a +4 LA and costs 128k GP and a handful of exp, all of which are rather hard pills to swallow. The benefits of the template are nice but the phylactery ability isn't as great for PCs as you would think. As Guigarci mentioned the Nercopolitian template from Libris Mortis is a less costly way to get your undeadening on.

That said, if your DM isn't making you pay the costs to become a Lich, go for it.

[ArendK]

Necropolitan if you're resolved to undeath.
Unhallowed Desecrated Ritual Space Spellstitched necropolitan

You forgot Corpse Crafted!

[Angelalex242]

Lich is a classic thing to do. Knock yourself out. It does make you MUCH harder to permanently kill, assuming your phylactery is stashed somewhere with lots of convenient things to possess.

[Andezzar]

Necropolitan if you're resolved to undeath.
Unhallowed Desecrated Ritual Space Spellstitched necropolitan

You forgot Corpse Crafted!I know Necropolitan, but could you tell me where to find all those other feats/templates?

If you weren't already set on Dread Necromancer/Duskblade/Abjurant Champion, I'd say go dry lich instead of lich, 5 Phylacteries instead of one.

[Gildedragon]

Spellstitched is from CArcane too IIRC
Corpsecrafter feats are from LM
Desecrate: spell from the SRD (cleric 2), in a suitably desecrated area undead created there get +2 HP per HD
Unhallowed does nothing but seems fitting

[Erik Vale]

You forgot being made by another dread necromancer or a necromancer wizard with the ACF to boost created undead...
Or someone who's both.

[Zanos]

Fell Energy(Dragon Compendium Feat) would help as well, as long as we're stacking deadness bonuses.

[Gildedragon]

In short, I think, you can do better in terms of less LA and get close to the number of special powers.

Anyone got how a "be best Necropolitan you can be" Necropolitan looks like

[OldTrees1]

My DM is giving me the option to turn into a Lich. and i wonder if that is the best move already being above the party in power.

Or since it is a poor choice for optimization would it be the correct thing to do?

Lich is suboptimal but GREAT flavor. Since you are above par it would be a good option for rebalancing.

[MrNobody]

When running a higher tier/OP character than the rest of the party, a wise GM once told me...

"Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should."

A really wise DM, indeed... it's a thing a lot of people seems to forget!

For the topic, i think that if you are that good in controling your own pc, gaining lichdom should be a lesser problem.
Obviously, a lich is an absolute individualist, so it's not the best choice if you plan to hold your strenght (only in the matter of character's consistency), but should still be great in terms of roleplay and fighting.
The fear aura is a great roleplay/non combat option, useful to shake the enemy moral and help party talker.
This way not only you won't overshadow your buddies but will also help them shine!