Adjusting Lich down to be usable in an e6 game.

[jebbewocky]

I'm thinking it should have a pre-req of a caster level of 6, so only epic level characters can enter it.
Beyond that..I got nothin' so far.

[Amechra]

Off the top of my head, you can just take Necropolitan and add some stuff.

The iconic powers of a Lich are:

-Being hard to kill (phylactery woo!)
-Paralyzing touch (maybe if it isn't permanent?)
-Casting spells (A gimme.)

So go from there.

[Ir0npanda]

Paralysis is not an iconic lich power. Only the phylactery and spellcasting are.

The paralyzing touch is unique to DnD. for some reason the game creators decided to give a negative magic effect to the touch the touch attacks of every kind of Undead

[Arcanist]

Paralysis is not an iconic lich power. Only the phylactery and spellcasting are.

It depends which source you are citing as the iconic source of Lichdom. If you are going with Koschei the Deathless, and Lovecraft's "The Thing on the Doorstep" then yes, Paralysis is not an Iconic Lich power.

If you go by Gygax's original introduction of the Lich, then it does indeed have a Paralysis as an ability, however it should be noted that Gygax cites the origin of Lichdom as being inspired by "The Sword of the Sorcerer", which ALSO does not include the idea that Undead Sorcerers known as "Liches" do not have the ability to paralyze with a simple touch. Where Gygax got the original concept of Lichdom is known, but where he got the idea that Liches can paralyze with a touch is simply unknown. Perhaps he added it in as another menacing ability to arm the Lich against PC's (along with the Negative energy touch as well)?

Regardless, the E6 Lich template should, at minimum, grant a +2 LA.

The adjustments I'd make would be to require:

• a caster level of 3
• Craft wondrous items
• 1,200gp
• 480xp
• grant no ability score increase
• maintain the Phylactery, turn resistance, immunities.
• lower the DR to 5
• reduce the skill bonues to +2

Just some thoughts

[Ir0npanda]

You forgot the bonuses to Sarcasm (INT) and the ability to Scry with Picture-in-Picture!

[jebbewocky]

Honestly, re-reading Lich, and comparing it to vampire..I think I'm going to sometime soonish roll up a 6th level Human Wizard, [illegally] apply the standard Lich template to it, and compare it to a similar CR 8 monster.

Comparing to, say, Vampire, which only requires 5 or more HD and the right creature type, I don't see any reason I couldn't DM fiat the caster level requirement to 6. Lich doesn't have the weird restrictions vampires do, but also no summoning, free spider-walk, etc.

LA is irrelevant since I'm not letting my PCs be Liches, this would be so they could fight a Lich.