Plant-based lich?

[cmastah]

To give a simple break-down for why I'm after this concept:

There are two powerful rival gangs in the area, one run by vampire sisters (vetala, penangelan and a normal vampire (or I might run it as a surprise and have her a gorgon)), the other run by a true neutral lich who when he was alive was a friend of one of the party members.

I may end up running that the fellow was a normal lich who simply chose to animate fungi and plant creatures for minions (tome of horrors is FILLED with undead-like fungal and plant-based creatures). I'd prefer that rather than choose a vile existance as an undead abomination, he went with something more plant-like instead. If I run him as a normal lich, he'll be a lich who's good at heart, but because evil exists as a FORCE, no goodly god will ever accept that he be classified as good and evil gods take it as a blessing to be aligned as evil, hence regardless of his true nature, he always shows up as evil (which would bring in an RP aspect, since players will probably want to go with what they've always been used to, and that's that if it detects as evil, it IS evil).

But let's say I decide to go with plant-based lich, any suggestions on how to pull it off?

One thought is to use the lich stats but change undead traits to plant traits. Any other ideas?

[Peasant]

It sounds like you're after a nigh-immortal nature-based rival for some vampires that presents some interesting roleplay possibilities... not necessarily a Lich. Is that right?

You might simply consider simply giving class levels (presumably druid) to a Dryad or Boruta. The connection between the former and their tree is somewhat analogous to a Lich and its phylactery. The Boruta (a relative of the Shambling Mound) is basically Swamp Thing and is probably at least ageless. On the more evil side of the spectra, you might go with a Ghost that has possessed any of the classic plant creatures. A treant would do, or for a more premeditated option, a tree awakened for this very purpose that remains too loyal to resist the possession.

If you really just want to reskin the Lich, it sounds like you're on the right track. Make his phylactery out of rare woods and if you want to mitigate the 'evil' aspect, go out of your way to depict the opinions of local clergy to support your desired outcome. I don't really like the Paralyzing Touch for a plant based creature. Maybe replace it with a Flesh to Wood effect with similar break conditions. That could get really interesting if he wound up with Warp Wood on his spell list.

[tonyz]

Awaken a plant creature, give him 11 druid levels, apply the lich template (nothing says your caster levels have to be arcane caster levels!) Mechanically it's fairly simple, though you might have some fun calculating the CR.

[Petty Alchemy]

A worm that walks is kinda naturey.

[cmastah]

Petty Alchemy wrote:

A worm that walks is kinda naturey.

That's....actually perfect. It grasps the dark nature of the man's choices, distancing him from his humanity, while still granting him his persona.

The idea of the man was that when he was alive, he was a good man and a family friend of one of the PCs, he feared death and tried to find a way to prolong his life. He was ready to accept death ONLY if his friend would be with him in his final moments. When his friend (the PC), who he held dearly, disappeared, he couldn't handle the thought that he would die (and alone at that) and chose to further his research into dark matters to extend his life.

@Peasant and Tonyz, those were awesome ideas and I was going to go with the idea of an awakened plant that was possessed by the man, but a worm that walks brings in exactly the feel I've been looking for: a state mirroring unlife, dark, yet a living abomination.

Thanks guys for your help, I believe I found exactly what I'm looking for :)

[Weirdo]

EDIT: too slow, but still posting in case someone else finds it useful.

Interesting stuff. If when alive he was a friend of the party members they might have reason to hold back and parley rather than smite on sight.

If you have't already decided the spellcasting class, I would recommend druid, cleric with the plant domain (and maybe earth, animal, or even repose as a second domain), or verdant bloodline sorcerer. This will complement the theme.

I would make the phylactery a seed of some sort. When he is killed, the seed sprouts, growing back into his body over the normal time period of d10 days. If he regenerates normally the new body also produces a new seed/phylactery, but if the seed/phylactery is destroyed independently he must expend the normal amount of effort to make a new seed and invest it with his life force.

I'd flavour the paralyzing touch as a paralytic toxin (so poison resistance/immunity applies), and maybe make the touch deal acid damage instead of negative energy.

The natural armour and DR can be described as a tough body covered in bark and woven through with plants and fungi. You might change the DR from 15/bludgeoning and magic to 15/slashing and magic since it seems more characteristic of plants (see the treant), though I'm actually not sure which is more prevalent among plant creatures.

For type you could either change him entirely to a plant type, replacing undead traits with plant traits and ignoring channel resistance, or you could make him a hybrid type: he has undead trait immunities (which are plant immunities extended, except plants are also immune to polymorph), but he counts as both an undead creature and a plant for purposes based on type. In this case I would recommend having him heal when exposed to either positive or negative energy, but only half the amount.

[Tiny Coffee Golem]

A simple reincarnated Druid with a dark fey makeover is very close to what you're asking for.

[John Woodford]

But would you call a plant-based lich a lichen?

[blackbloodtroll]

Ghoran Oracle Lich with the Bones Mystery.

[Peasant]

Worm That Walks also opens up a broader array of minion options to the concept. As a rival to a group of vampires (and a possible gorgon), a being that commands everything which flies over, crawls upon or grows in the forest is very fitting. You also get around the whole 'animals will not willingly approach' attribute of greater undead.