Urgent Help Needed. Ice-Lich build help. Any suggestions will help.

[calder_finn]

So I've started a seasonal game with my two favorite players. I got my inspiration from Penny Arcade's Acquisitions Inc. XMAS strip.
Basically, my wizard has been put on Father Winter's "Naughty List" and has to deal with the ramifications. He has about 12 days left to either get his name off of the naughty list or deal with the being responsible for the maintenance of the list. They chose to head north and deal with this "Rogue Wizard." Story details aside, I am in desperate need of a good Ice based Lich that can hold his own with a couple of lvl 10 badasses. I may have let their gear/money situation get out of hand, seeing as how they have gear comparable to a couple lvl 14's, but that's fine because I can always fudge a few numbers here and there. And honestly, I like for my players to feel like they are big movers and shakers on Oearth.

It's a Paladin of Heironeous and an Abjuration/Transmutation wizard who has foregone the evocation school. Which presents a very fun dynamic between the two players, as the wizard's only real recourse for damage is Conjuration and Necro (wands not withstanding).

So I ask you as a new member (bran' spankin' new) to give me any advice you have. Thank you in advance. I will check this post as often as I can and update when possible. I came here because almost all of our errata questions have been answered by this awesome site and it's users, and OotS is one of my favorite comics out there.

Oh! And Happy New Years everyone. I hope the coming year finds you all well geared and prepared for that next encounter : )

[Eisfalken]

Basically, my wizard has been put on Father Winter's "Naughty List" and has to deal with the ramifications. He has about 12 days left to either get his name off of the naughty list or deal with the being responsible for the maintenance of the list. They chose to head north and deal with this "Rogue Wizard." Story details aside, I am in desperate need of a good Ice based Lich that can hold his own with a couple of lvl 10 badasses. I may have let their gear/money situation get out of hand, seeing as how they have gear comparable to a couple lvl 14's, but that's fine because I can always fudge a few numbers here and there. And honestly, I like for my players to feel like they are big movers and shakers on Oearth.

If it's just the two of them, wealth makes up for the loss of other players. See, most of the game is scripted to allow for a 4-person party, so technically this duo is already fighting at a disadvantage. If you do reduce wealth, just adjust it going forward by having times when they get less or even no loot from certain missions or encounters. But seriously, if they just play as a duo, let 'em ride like they are. Wealth is a good way to overcome ECL disparity in the game.

But! On to the lich!

Base lich is an 11th-level spellcaster with Craft Wondrous Item, and becomes an ECL 15 creature. This is a pretty powerful creature right off the bat. He'll have 5th-level spells, can do negative energy and permanent paralysis with a touch (if target fails a Fort save), and is immune to cold and electricity (and everything undead are immune to, as well). Go to Manual of the Planes (it's 3.0, so get the update rules for it), and throw on the Cold template to his base race. This adds on some nat armor, some cold damage, some DR, and he can walk up ice walls/ceilings, while taking double from fire. Basic race is anything you think is nifty, but it should not penalize being a wizard.

I'm sure you know how to select thematic spells, so be sure to crawl through Frostburn and a few other books for some of the more delicious spells based on the "cold" thing.

This lich hits pretty hard, so it's pretty much perfect for just a two-on-one battle, and the wizard should definitely be encouraged to summon/call/animate minions to run alongside the pally to keep him safe. Keep a close eye on the fight, make sure they have some way to unparalyze a player if that happens (potions are perfect here: wizard can have a minion run over and pour it down the hatch, while other minions monkey-shag the BBEG to buy some time). This is the kind of fight that both of them can really shine in, but it's going to be hard without a dedicated cleric or other healer-type.

If things get a bit much, have some built-in enemies of the lich in the plot. Maybe he angered some kobolds by desecrating a dragon-shrine they revered, or maybe a tribe of uldra are enslaved in his dungeons or something. Throw in a healer-type with some armored warriors to rush to their deaths, or a few archer types to plink away at the lich from the corners.

[John Longarrow]

Secondary way you can accomplish a "Lich like" opponent with a cold theme is Elemental Savant. 10 level pClass that only adds 8 caster levels but does turn the character into an elemental. This would give you a 13th level caster with access to a lot of cold based spells.