Lich Prestige Class

[JNAProductions]

This has been moved to the Dungeon Master's Guild, as part of Magical and Other Prestige Classes.

[Morcleon]

Looks pretty interesting, and it gets most of the benefits of lichdom, except for arguably the most important part: You are not actually an undead, and are not actually immortal.

Also, you need rules for phylactery creation.

[JNAProductions]

Maybe I should add that under apotheosis.

As for phylacteries, I leave that up to the DM. Perhaps it requires murdering a friend, maybe it just takes time and money. I'll add basic guidelines, though.

[Ninjadeadbeard]

I don't see any requirement to be Evil. I suppose it's just RAI and common sense for a DM to never allow a Good-Lich but...

Great job so far! I love it!

[JBento]

I'd like to point out that this lich is impossible. A lich needs to be able to cast Imprisonment to feed his phylactery with souls, which is a 9th-level spell, so technically, you need to be a 17th level spellcaster to be one.

[Morcleon]

I don't see any requirement to be Evil. I suppose it's just RAI and common sense for a DM to never allow a Good-Lich but...

Great job so far! I love it!

Why would an alignment restriction be necessary? If someone wants to become a good lich, why not let them?

[BRKNdevil]

There is a book like that in the Craft Sequence series

He had his ?boyfriend?/husband killed as a sacrifice to the gods who where modeled after the aztec gods and went and gained power to kill or enslave them. Gave equality, capitalistic society and ruled as a benign ruler with a severe distaste for the different groups that wanted to revive the previous gods due to them you know wanting living sacrifice and such

[The_Doctor]

Did someone say "good lich?"

http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Millennial_King

[Mith]

Thank you for sharing about the Millennial King. That is a good setting.

[JNAProductions]

I'd like to point out that this lich is impossible. A lich needs to be able to cast Imprisonment to feed his phylactery with souls, which is a 9th-level spell, so technically, you need to be a 17th level spellcaster to be one.

I'd like Lichdom to be somewhat accessible, so making it available at level 12-16 seemed reasonable to me.

[Ninjadeadbeard]

Why would an alignment restriction be necessary? If someone wants to become a good lich, why not let them?

http://i.imgur.com/25Nnr2l.gif
I might be somewhat sassy today.

5E implicitly states that all Liches are evil. 99% of all Undead are evil. You wanna live forever? That's evil because it goes against the natural order. It's unhealthy, and it requires a constant stream of people being fed into your phylactery.

It's EVIL.

[Morcleon]

http://i.imgur.com/25Nnr2l.gif
I might be somewhat sassy today.

5E implicitly states that all Liches are evil. 99% of all Undead are evil. You wanna live forever? That's evil because it goes against the natural order. It's unhealthy, and it requires a constant stream of people being fed into your phylactery.

It's EVIL.

D&D has always had an obsession with making all undead evil, even when it wouldn't make sense. At this point, I've basically begun ignoring any of the WotC fluff in the sourcebook because half of it is completely silly. Plus, isn't it the job of the PCs to be that 1%?

And why should people not live forever? Aging (from a cellular perspective) is a disease, and the natural order isn't anything to be touted in its absoluteness. After all, if things were left to the natural order, humanoids would still be running around naked with barely any technology beyond sticks and stones.

Constant stream of people can be dealt with via simulacrum chaining, since they're treated as creatures (except where listed, which is "no gaining spell slots or abilities" and "half HP"), and creatures have souls.

[Ninjadeadbeard]

Constant stream of people can be dealt with via simulacrum chaining, since they're treated as creatures (except where listed, which is "no gaining spell slots or abilities" and "half HP"), and creatures have souls.

That's...that's awful! That's like, Red Fel levels of evil. I'm a little scared of you. :smalleek: Saying Red Fel three times summons him.

[JNAProductions]

But it is of yourself, not anyone else.

Red Fel Red Fel Red Fel

[Morcleon]

That's...that's awful! That's like, Red Fel levels of evil. I'm a little scared of you. :smalleek: Saying Red Fel three times summons him.

It's less awful and more "you're sacrificing a little of yourself so that others don't have to". Which is actually Good.


But it is of yourself, not anyone else.

Red Fel Red Fel Red Fel

Ah, but that's five times you two have said it. :3

[Ninjadeadbeard]

It's less awful and more "you're sacrificing a little of yourself so that others don't have to". Which is actually Good.

Alternatively you are creating sentient beings only to murder them, which is pretty evil.


['color=White]Ah, but that's five times you two have said it. :3[/color]

Curses! Maybe multiples of three still work? Or would we end up with multiple Red Fels? Red Fel Red Fel Red Fel Red Fel

[ImSAMazing]

Requirements
Able to cast 6th level spells
Must create a phylactery containing your soul

Hit Die: d6



Level
Feature
Spellcasting


1
Undead Nature, Rejuvenation
+1 Level to existing class


2
Paralyzing Touch
+1 Level to existing class


3
Frightening Gaze
+1 Level to existing class


4
Ability Score Improvement
+1 Level to existing class


5
Apotheosis
+1 Level to existing class



Undead Nature-You no longer require sleep, air, food, or anything else needed by the living. You do, however, require four hours to benefit from a long rest, where you draw on magical energies to replenish yourself. In addition, instead of entering the dying state at 0 HP, you immediately disintegrate, leaving behind nothing but ashes.

In addition, you have resistance to Necrotic damage.

Rejuvenation-If your phylactery still exists, once you die, you reform in 1d10 days with full HP. The new body appears within 5' of the phylactery.

Paralyzing Touch-A number of times per long rest equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one) you may make a Paralyzing Touch attack, that you are proficient in. It uses Intelligence as its attack characteristic, deals 3d6 cold damage, and paralyzes the target for one minute. At the start of each of your turns, it can make a DC 8+Proficiency Modifer+Intelligence Modifier Constitution saving throw to end the pralyzation.

Frightening Gaze-Once per short rest, you may make a Frightening Gaze attack. A target within 10' must make a DC 8+Proficiency Modifer+Intelligence Modifier Wisdom saving throw or be Firghtened for one minute. At the start of each of your turns, it may repeat the saving throw to end the condition.

Apotheosis-You no longer require any rest, having perfected your immortal form. Your rejuvination also now takes 1d10 hours, rather than days. You must still, however, spend two hours to regain any lost spell slots.

You have immunity to Necrotic damage.

You are fully undead and immortal.

In addition, you gain the ability to Disrupt Life. Once per long rest, each living creature within 20' must make a DC 8+Proficiency Modifer+Intelligence Modifier Constitution saving throw or take 10d10 necrotic damage, and half as much on a successful save.
I dont know why this is a Prestige Class, D&D 5e doesnt have those right?

[JNAProductions]

D&D 5E has homebrew prestige classes. Lichdom seemed to fit as a prestige class.

Assuming the existence of it is okay, do you ahve any concerns for the balance?

[FoggyLens]

Thank you so much, this is perfect for my campaign.

Also, Lichdom is not morally absolute. There are examples of deity-gifted lichdom in Forgotten Realms, and of course the Baelnorn Liches, who are always Chaotic Good.

[manny2510]

As a rule of thumb it is hard to be good and easy to be evil. If I fueled my phylactery with baby souls they wouldn't be able to put up a fight. If I scoured the earth for villains that subjugated entire cities and killed with abandon to destroy their souls so that I may continue this quest then that is good.

[JNAProductions]

The class itself has no alignment restrictions. It's up to the DM to impose any. I would, personally, be against it.

[Bellberith]

http://i.imgur.com/25Nnr2l.gif
I might be somewhat sassy today.

5E implicitly states that all Liches are evil. 99% of all Undead are evil. You wanna live forever? That's evil because it goes against the natural order. It's unhealthy, and it requires a constant stream of people being fed into your phylactery.

It's EVIL.

If you follow WotC lore as a whole and look at all the books then you will see that not all undead are evil. In fact there are good liches that are characters in the lore and there is a specific name for these types of liches aswell. The Libris Mortis in 3.5e just called them "good lich" but forgotten realms wiki calls them "Archlich", and it names Alathene Moonstar as one of them.

And then there are the Baelnorns. Elven Liches. They are almost all either good or neutral.

Not to mention there are numerous good/neutral vampires.

Most undead are inherently evil. Such as mohrgs, wights, ghouls, ghasts, wraiths, ect. But you definitely cannot discount the fact that good liches and other undead do exist.

D&D 5e even has a good/neutral lich in one of the modules. Princes of the Apocalypse. His name is Renwick Caradoon and the book says he was a hero during the troll wars that was turned into a lich by his brother, Samular Caradoon, because he was dying and his brother didn't want to lose him.

[SilverStud]

Don't forget the good mummy in Rise of Tiamat.

Also, this prestige class seems super cool. I'm also glad that you didn't impose alignment silliness, because I've always rejected the idea that a tool is inherently evil. Maybe undeath is harder to do and be good, but it obviously isn't impossible.

Finally, how does a prestige class work? I'm kinda new to the RPG community.

[Bellberith]

Don't forget the good mummy in Rise of Tiamat.

Also, this prestige class seems super cool. I'm also glad that you didn't impose alignment silliness, because I've always rejected the idea that a tool is inherently evil. Maybe undeath is harder to do and be good, but it obviously isn't impossible.

Finally, how does a prestige class work? I'm kinda new to the RPG community.

When you meet the prerequisites of the Prestige Class you can switch out of your main one and take levels in it at the expense of levels in your main one.

This PrC took the 3.5e approach and gives you +1 level in existing class at each level, so it is pretty much free bonuses if your character has the means to enter the PrC.

When you can cast level 6 spells (level 11 full caster) you become eligible for this class. So level 12 you can take the first level of Lich and the last level of Lich will end at 17. That is pretty much it.

[Mith]

A thought for basic guidelines for phylactery: what ever process it takes has to be what distances yourself from humanity. There has to be a symbolic act of inhumanity, even if you have already mentally crossed that point. For example, they given method of sacrificing a friend who trusts you. Any sacrifice of people that trust you (ex. guests under guest rights, children, subjects, etc.), but it can also be a symbol of who you are, be it a personal possession that holds great meaning to you, or a family heirloom. In this case, one could become a lich without resorting to murder. Murder should make the process much easier to pull off in some cases, but it is not mandatory. This should allow for Good liches to more easily be a thing in some settings.

[Bellberith]

A thought for basic guidelines for phylactery: what ever process it takes has to be what distances yourself from humanity. There has to be a symbolic act of inhumanity, even if you have already mentally crossed that point. For example, they given method of sacrificing a friend who trusts you. Any sacrifice of people that trust you (ex. guests under guest rights, children, subjects, etc.), but it can also be a symbol of who you are, be it a personal possession that holds great meaning to you, or a family heirloom. In this case, one could become a lich without resorting to murder. Murder should make the process much easier to pull off in some cases, but it is not mandatory. This should allow for Good liches to more easily be a thing in some settings.

It has been confirmed via module (Princes of the Apocalypse) that potions of lichdom do exist. So that is always a viable method to start.