Ghost lich (No need for further help)

[Sissyphus]

Can you have a ghost Lich or are they incompatible? (we run a weird D&D game, one of the players is a half cactus)

Would Said Ghost Lich appear as a ghost skeleton or as a regular ghost with the powers of a Lich?

[mikeejimbo]

You know what's funny? There was a thread around about how ghosts might be better than liches for spellcasters, and I was just wondering "You know...what if you could stack them?"

They're both templates, so mechanically I think it would work, although the LA would be terrible.

In the end it's up to the DM.

[Mando Knight]

They are incompatible templates. A ghost can only be applied to an aberration, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or plant. The Lich template can officially only be applied to humanoids. Apply one, and it invalidates the other, since the type changes to undead.

[Sissyphus]

Thanks, just another quick question, how can characters achieve immortality?

[herrhauptmann]

True ritual in Arcana Unearthed from Sword/Sorcery. Requires 3 18th level casters, one of which gives up his life, and can never be raised/rezzed.

[holywhippet]

Define immortal. If you mean that nothing can kill you permanently ever then about the only thing that qualifies is a tarrasque. If you mean never growing old then there are ways - the simplest method is to kill yourself every few decades and have a druid cast reincarnate.

As for a ghost lich, you could flavour a lich as having spent so much time in the outer planes they aren't entirely solid anymore.

[Starbuck_II]

They are incompatible templates. A ghost can only be applied to an aberration, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or plant. The Lich template can officially only be applied to humanoids. Apply one, and it invalidates the other, since the type changes to undead.

The closest would be A Lich who took the class Psionic Uncarnate.
Level 10 lets you permanently stay incorporeal like a ghost. (though you lack the Ghost returning ability)

Though, enemies would obviously think your a ghost unless they have knowledge psionic (really how often is that). Try turning you or something.

Drawback is this require Gestalt Arcane/Psionic classes (need to be arcane for lich then Prc)
or
minimum 5 level psion, 7 level arcane (if practiced spellcaster so we get 11) and a couple levels of Psionic Uncarnate (10 gives us permanent shed body (so always incorporeal) = max about 22 levels (good thing not building a PC since they'd have that issue of LA for lich).

Shed Body sadly last for 1 minute so unless the Lich uses the move at the right moment: he will be a "ghost" not much at all. Which is why Permanent Shed body rocks.

[quick_comment]

Epic spells can do anything.

Make an epic spell that gives you the ghost template.

[Gaiyamato]

I've stacked Wraith and Lich before.
Wraiths have great ability mods for casters.
:)

Also there is a template for an ethereal lich somewhere, which might do much better. :P

[Sissyphus]

Thank you for your help everyone

[KillianHawkeye]

Just a note that Liches don't have to be Arcane casters. As written, Divine casters can work just as well. There's really no reason you can't modify it to work for Psionic manifesters instead. To create the psionic phylactery would require Craft Universal Item (instead of Craft Wondrous Item) and a manifester level (instead of caster level) of 11th. Magic/Psionic transparency FTW!