Hello again Paizo-goers...
I've recently dusted off several of my older characters and campaign notes and ran across an old necromancer I had never quite finished and would like to give a new coat of polish...
Basically, he is meant to be a BBEG for a campaign, but could also easily double as an evil PC. ^ ^
He's a Nezumi cleric who has taken on the Necropolitan and Spell-Stitched templates in a desperate attempt to become a lich.
My primary questions are concerning lich'dom and the phylactery mechanics...
The MM says that to become a lich you must simply be a powerful enough caster and create your own phylactery. (It also gives the requirements of creating a phylactery, but the entry makes it sound like it only works for a lich)
So... if an already undead caster were to do this?
Could he become a lich? Is it even possible?
If an intelligent undead were to make their own phylactery, does it function as it does for a lich? Or is the 1d10 day re-spawn a lich exclusive perk?
My overall goal is to dodge the +4 lv adjustment while acquiring the lich's ability to re-spawn.
Any help would be appreciated.
-Kurocyn
If you go with strict RAW, yeah, I don't think you'd be able to convert the character over to a Lich without some hand-waiving. Being a non-living creature kinda hampers that.
That being said, the idea of this villain's process to becoming a lich including these other, lesser steps is just too cool to deny!
As for the spirit of the Lich (I mean the way liches function, in game), they create for themselves a powerful receptacle for their soul. Its mainly this benefit that makes them so nasty, their apparent immortality, so long as no one destroys their phylactery.
However, I think if you were to allow the Template to be added (which I would encourage), you should adjust it slightly. Simply by the process this NPC has gone through, to me, feels like a slightly flawed method.
So adjust and tweak what abilities the NPC would get as a lich, to make it completely unique.
Now, if the only ability you are trying to gain is the Phylactery (and Rejuvenation), then I would rule it just as a simple addition for the creation of the Phylactery and the binding of it to the NPCs soul.
If this were a character on the other hand...I doubt I'd allow it. I think researching the methods and basically trying to 'reverse engineer' the lich creation process would be too time consuming for all but the longest campaigns. Not to mention that there should be a Level Adjustment for the Rejuvenation ability, it would definitely not be free.
Glad you like the idea Yasha. ^ ^
I can see how being undead would scuttle the lich template.
As a PC, I wouldn't even ask for a phylactery unless the DM brought it up. But as for a NPC, I'd really like to figure someting out...
Might just have to go with a permanent Contingency item or something...
However, I think if you were to allow the Template to be added (which I would encourage), you should adjust it slightly. Simply by the process this NPC has gone through, to me, feels like a slightly flawed method.
Well, the character is crazy. Literally. But these templates fit the character much better than just slapping the base lich template on. Perhaps I should try and create a template to turn an intelligent undead into a lich. Hmm...
Thanks for the help. ^ ^
-Kurocyn
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I've changed my opinion, just giving your BBEG a working phylactery would probably be enough for you. You wouldn't really need a Lich template for an undead creature.
Maybe he comes back as a Lich the next time he's slain?
Also, even though the MM says only humanoids can become Liches, you shouldn't feel limited by this. If you'd want to make a Rakshasha Sorcerer Lich, go ahead and have fun.
Thanks the David, but I've decided to add on the swarm-shifter (tomb dust) template and simply have him pretend to be a lich.
Although this does pose a new question. The Libris Mortis doesn't specify what to base the DC of an undead swarm's distraction on.
Standard swarms' distraction abilities are CON based, but nothing is mentioned about undead swarms and their lack of CON score.
Looking over the example swarm-shifter, the DC appears to be CHA based. I've seen several other undead abilities based off CHA as well, so I am lead to believe this is correct. Thoughts?
-Kurocyn