Writing a new PC lich, Need help

[Meierme176]

So I am given the opportunity to write a level 13 lich Wizard (unless you can think of something more potent. I like being able to cast all arcane spells). So I am a lvl 13 something (any humanoid) that takes the template at that level. Only requirement is I need to have undead leadership. My cohort is a lvl 7 wight monk. all else is fair game, I like to play chaotic evil and focus on making a large undead army. I would really like help on deciding my race, class, feats, ect. I'm pretty new and want to make the best possible lich. I plan on pursuing demilich at lvl 21.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Do you have to take the LA, or are you getting the template 'for free'? Incidentally, where are you getting the 100 000+ gp to craft a phylactery?

Now, if you're getting the lich template and 13 wizard levels at ECL 13, that's quite nice. However, if you suffer the +4 LA, it's a bad choice, and it doesn't really help you acquire an undead army.

All that said...


A good minionmancer is dread necromancer 8/horned harbinger 2/something 3. Depending on how you like your minions, you could go for CL boosters, or dip UA variant necromancer 1 for the extra hit points. I like paladin of tyranny + Practiced Spellcaster myself, but YMMV.

With this build, your bread-and-butter animate dead is boosted to crazy levels, and you can use command undead to control the minions you create past the usual cap, using Chain Spell via metamagic rods, if required.


Another classic build is the Uttercold Assault Necromancer, which uses Lord of the Uttercold, area damage spells, and a few high-power skeletal minions. You end up with a spell that heals your minions, but damages your (presumably living) targets.

[Meierme176]

Do you have to take the LA, or are you getting the template 'for free'? Incidentally, where are you getting the 100 000+ gp to craft a phylactery?

Now, if you're getting the lich template and 13 wizard levels at ECL 13, that's quite nice. However, if you suffer the +4 LA, it's a bad choice, and it doesn't really help you acquire an undead army

I am being allowed to take the template at 13 but I don't get any starting loot. I will take the +4 on top making me an ECL of 17. I do put more emphasis on being able to effectively cast all my arcane over my need for an army. So I think Wizard is better than dread necromancer.

[ExLibrisMortis]

I am being allowed to take the template at 13 but I don't get any starting loot. I will take the +4 on top making me an ECL of 17. I do put more emphasis on being able to effectively cast all my arcane over my need for an army. So I think Wizard is better than dread necromancer.
If you want to cast effectively, don't play a lich. You lose four levels of casting, and nothing can compensate for that.


Edit: take a look at necropolitans, or play a straight 17th-level dread necromancer (you get lichdom at 20), or a 17th-level death master, if you want a wizardly class (also gets lichdom at 20).

[Ortesk]

Necropoliton + standard wizard tricks.

You are level 13, if you lose all these caster levels then at the top end of the game (epic level) when people can summon angels and grant wishes, when people can turn into dragons, you are stuck down the back up route and more utility role.

[barakaka]

The Sandstorm book has a Prestige Class called Walker in the Waste which turns you into a dry lich at the end. Unfortunately, it's 9/10 divine casting, but you can get into it I believe at 4th level if you take 3 levels of cleric and both the Sand and Thirst domains (also in Sandstorm). If you want to feel inspired, watch the old 1999 movie: The Mummy. You literally fill a few canopic jars with your organs, and use those as your phylacteries (20,000gp). You really should also take a look at the sample dry lich in the book, he's super cool.

In addition, the class lets you create sand golems (for a fee) and raise the dead in the form of salt mummies for free with no action mentioned TALK TO YOUR DM BEFORE USING, fulfilling your desire for an army (the picture for the Walker in the Waste showcases this). You create a localized drought around you which causes a small amount of nonlethal damage within 100 feet of you and you can suppress it whenever you want. Drain the liquid from your enemies by touch, turn them into salt, blow sand at them and they contract the wasting, turning them into a salt mummy.

The most important thing here crunch wise, is that when you become a dry lich, you add your charisma bonus to those d12 hit dice. Normally a lich would lose any CON bonus to HP that they have, and be nearly as useless in melee as a wizard. But not you, you've got a huge charisma because you hopped into this from cleric, and are a melee god! Do as you please!

Let me know if this helps!

[ExLibrisMortis]

The Sandstorm book has a Prestige Class called Walker in the Waste which turns you into a dry lich at the end.
This is a really good idea. Note: If you don't want to be a cleric, playing an archivist is almost like playing a wizard. You only need to start the class at ECL 7 (to finish at ECL 17), so you have quite a bit of flexibility with your entry. You can even enter the class as wizard 5, with Southern Magician, because the required spells are on the sor/wiz list, as well. Ideally, you'd enter as charisma-based class, but that's tricky - dread necromancers and favoured souls don't have the spells, and adding them requires a level of Sand Shaper, which is non-casting (and arcane), or lots of Expanded Knowledge feats, which is costly. Sorcerer works, if you devote enough spells known.

[AnachroNinja]

Just to note, Walker in the waste is 8/10 casting. You lose casting at 1 and 10

[Meierme176]

Soo Here is what I'm thinking:

Race: Grey Elf; Because of the +2 on intelligence and dex

Class/ Progression:
-13 wiz
- take lich template
- 5 Lord of the dead (for the turn resistance and bonus to my skeletal army)
- 3 Arch Mage
- Demilich
- never able to level again... who cares, I'm a god :smallcool:

Feats: all for Lord of the Dead and Arch Mage plus Undead Leadership, Improved Paralysis, Improved turn resistance
cohort will be a wight monk (can duplicate himself for free so I can save on onyx)

Shopping list:
- Robe of the Archmagi
- Vest of the Archmagi
- Ring of Desecration, Greater
- Ring of Unholy Aura, Greater
- Cloak of Turn Resistance
- That's all I got for now...

Is there anything anyone would suggest different or something to add?