Alchemists, Investigators, Spell-like abilities, and Lichdom

[Xuldarinar]

A few questions rather than simply one, but each to the same end ultimately.

1. Can an alchemist, or an investigator, become a lich? I recall there is an alchemist lich in one book and James Jacobs stated here that they could take item creation feats, but I noticed that FAQ disagrees with this. So.. which is it?

1b. What about investigators of the spiritualist archetype?

2. Can a character who has a spell-like ability use that to qualify for item creation feats, and can they then become a lich?

3. Can paladins become lich? I know they can technically qualify, but I also know the template changes the paladin's alignment to evil, so unless we are using one of the proposed variants for alignment, they would lose the spellcasting they were using to qualify.

[Milo v3]

1. They can't, but in that specific situation it's allowed because of two factors; it makes a nice story, and James Jacobs got the rule wrong at the time.
1b. Doesn't have spellcasting, and SLA's don't count for prerequisites anymore. But I could see someone houseruling it to be allowed.
2. I don't think so. For the same reason SLA's don't allow you to get early access to prestige classes anymore.
3. I could only see it working with antipaladins, and paladins in games with subjective morality.

[Xuldarinar]

Well, that was quick and to the point.

Just gotta say, I love subjective morality. So many more options.

[Milo v3]

Xuldarinar wrote:

Well, that was quick and to the point.

Just gotta say, I love subjective morality. So many more options.

I did have the advantage of seeing this just after leaving your gitp thread. Also, subjective morality paladins are awesome (and makes outsiders so much more interesting).

[VRMH]

Actually... with the Spell Knowledge discovery, an Alchemist can become a caster (albeit of a single spell). So after that they do have a Caster Level and can qualify for the Lich template.

[hjgz89]

An alchemist could become a Forsaken Lich. In Carrion Crown a character becomes one by drinking a lichdom potion meant for someone else. No reason an alchemist couldn't do that.

[Joesi]

VRMH wrote:

Actually... with the Spell Knowledge discovery, an Alchemist can become a caster (albeit of a single spell). So after that they do have a Caster Level and can qualify for the Lich template.

This, although in my opinion it seems silly to go by RAW with regards to this, as it seems like a feat tax.

In addition, the process of becoming a lich is largely something the GM chooses. In my opinion the craft Wondrous item and 120 000 gp requirement is more of a suggestion than any outright rule. In that sense one could require 400 000 gp and no feat, or something else. I guess it would make sense to be 100% more expensive (or maybe a bit less if desired) without that feat though, if one wanted to follow the existing rules as guidelines.

[Xuldarinar]

Might as well throw in another question for this one.

What does the Master Craftsman feat do for all this?

[Nazerith]

Xuldarinar wrote:

Might as well throw in another question for this one.

What does the Master Craftsman feat do for all this?

Let's you take the Craft Wondrous Item Feat, but Phylactery specifically requires "The character must be able to cast spells".

[LazarX]

Xuldarinar wrote:

A few questions rather than simply one, but each to the same end ultimately.

1. Can an alchemist, or an investigator, become a lich? I recall there is an alchemist lich in one book and James Jacobs stated here that they could take item creation feats, but I noticed that FAQ disagrees with this. So.. which is it?

1b. What about investigators of the spiritualist archetype?

2. Can a character who has a spell-like ability use that to qualify for item creation feats, and can they then become a lich?

3. Can paladins become lich? I know they can technically qualify, but I also know the template changes the paladin's alignment to evil, so unless we are using one of the proposed variants for alignment, they would lose the spellcasting they were using to qualify.

For all of the above, becoming a lich is a story process, not something grounded in codified rules mechanics. From what I've read, it's an individual case by case proces, with the only common element is that a crapton of evil is comitted in doing so, i.e. sacrifice of the blood of a truckload of virgins kind of evil.

3. Paladins, sure as hell no. Anti-Paladins on the other hand.....