Hannibal Barca
First Post
Points to consider when running liches.
1) Intelligence Gathering.
By this I mean the means to aquire information about the enemy, ie, the PCs. The means are varied and can be broken down as follows.
A) Scrying.
Spells like Necrotic Scrying, Clairvoyance, Scrying, and Prying Eyes can achieve this admirably.
B) Direct Observation.
Invisibility coupled with Nondetection and Flying will foil most detection schemes and allow the lich to observe the PCs.
C) Proxy.
One of the great strengths of the lich is his minions. The Undead Leadership feat provides a slew of these. Have a few lesser minions engage the PCs while the more intelligent minions observe from a distance how the PCs deal with these lesser threats. A familiar is also an ideal spy in this regard. By doing this you can determine who the spellcasters are and plan on targeting them later with Reflex save spells, and who the melee types are and target them with Will saves.
2) Prepare the Battlefield
This is a frequently neglected aspect of creating the lairs of "supragenius" NPCs. Does the lich have dimension door ? Then create points in the lair where translocation is essential. Conversely, have points where translocation is impossible. Perhaps the lair is in an abandoned lead mine. If so, these are the points where the lich should make liberal use of traps. Make sure the traps are mixed evenly between magic and mechanical. Use caltrops from a bag of endless caltrops (A&E) to spread about the approaches to the lair. Make sure doors are closed and tightly sealed. This will hamper prying eyes spells and gaseous form incursions. Every door that the PCs spend resources on or waste precious spell duration times getting through is in favor of the lich.
Take advantage of undead inherent strengths. For example undead do not need to breathe so they cannot drown. Create a point in the lair where any further progress by PCs requires them to go underwater. You will be surprised at how fear of the unknown and the prospect of fighting in a foreign environment will bring the progress of many parties to a grinding halt.
The lair itself should be particularly well thought out. Remember liches have incredible intellects and centuries to apply them. Their lairs should reflect this. A permanent Mordenkainen's private sanctum within a permanent solid fog or stinking cloud is an idea. Other permanent spells in the lair not mentioned in the PHB may have been developed by the lich. One lich lair I constructed had a permanent wind wall at the bottom of a shaft that kept dust from several pinches of Dust of Sneezing and Choking swirling about. Be creative. When the lich chooses to engage, it should be some place where the power of the entire party cannot be brought to bear. Winding or kinked corridors serve well in this regard.
3) Soften the Opposition
If your intelligence gathering reveals heavy buffing by the PCs, a few area dispel magic spells from afar. Ideally this should be a sniping tactic prior to engagements while invisible.
4) Divide and Conquer
The usual problem a lich runs into is the PC party can generate multiple threats each round from varied sources (melee, missile fire, direct damage spells, summoned creatures, turning, etc). Limiting these attack vectors is the primary concern. Utilize choke points such as narrow corridors of doorways. When the PCs use these they are particularly vulnerable to a well placed spell like wall of force. Immediately follow this with a Stinking cloud, or cloudkill spell. This will a) force multiple saves by half the party and more importantly b) prevent the party from targeting the lich. Follow this up with glitterdust and other area effect spells that requires saves that if failed take PCs out of combat. Stinking cloud + slow , or solid fog + cloudkill are other good combos.
5) Defense Wins Championships
If the PCs are stalking the lich, the lich should presume the PCs will have the means to hurt him. Preparation for these means should include how to address turning, holy water, disruption weapons, disintegrate, etc.
6) Choose Your Spells Wisely
Assume the PCs have defense against the strengths of the lich. Choose spells the party will have difficulty defending. A Fell Weakened, empowered, Ray of Enfeeblement against the party cleric or wizard will usually spell trouble for the PCs. Use spells from varied sources such as Libris Mortis, Unapproachable East, Shining South, and other books that the PCs may not be familiar with.
7) Live to Fight Another Day
Too many DMs seem to have a fight to the death mentality. A hit and run, guerilla tactics strategy employed by the lich will make for a far more deadly adversary that will have the PCs thinking twice before they contemplate taking on another lich. The lich should have a clear exit strategy for various circumstances. If the party should somehow suddenly surprise the lich, consider egress immediately. Surprise by one side is often indicative of preparation by the that side with all its accompanying advantages. Beware the old adage "Pride cometh before the fall."
1) Intelligence Gathering.
By this I mean the means to aquire information about the enemy, ie, the PCs. The means are varied and can be broken down as follows.
A) Scrying.
Spells like Necrotic Scrying, Clairvoyance, Scrying, and Prying Eyes can achieve this admirably.
B) Direct Observation.
Invisibility coupled with Nondetection and Flying will foil most detection schemes and allow the lich to observe the PCs.
C) Proxy.
One of the great strengths of the lich is his minions. The Undead Leadership feat provides a slew of these. Have a few lesser minions engage the PCs while the more intelligent minions observe from a distance how the PCs deal with these lesser threats. A familiar is also an ideal spy in this regard. By doing this you can determine who the spellcasters are and plan on targeting them later with Reflex save spells, and who the melee types are and target them with Will saves.
2) Prepare the Battlefield
This is a frequently neglected aspect of creating the lairs of "supragenius" NPCs. Does the lich have dimension door ? Then create points in the lair where translocation is essential. Conversely, have points where translocation is impossible. Perhaps the lair is in an abandoned lead mine. If so, these are the points where the lich should make liberal use of traps. Make sure the traps are mixed evenly between magic and mechanical. Use caltrops from a bag of endless caltrops (A&E) to spread about the approaches to the lair. Make sure doors are closed and tightly sealed. This will hamper prying eyes spells and gaseous form incursions. Every door that the PCs spend resources on or waste precious spell duration times getting through is in favor of the lich.
Take advantage of undead inherent strengths. For example undead do not need to breathe so they cannot drown. Create a point in the lair where any further progress by PCs requires them to go underwater. You will be surprised at how fear of the unknown and the prospect of fighting in a foreign environment will bring the progress of many parties to a grinding halt.
The lair itself should be particularly well thought out. Remember liches have incredible intellects and centuries to apply them. Their lairs should reflect this. A permanent Mordenkainen's private sanctum within a permanent solid fog or stinking cloud is an idea. Other permanent spells in the lair not mentioned in the PHB may have been developed by the lich. One lich lair I constructed had a permanent wind wall at the bottom of a shaft that kept dust from several pinches of Dust of Sneezing and Choking swirling about. Be creative. When the lich chooses to engage, it should be some place where the power of the entire party cannot be brought to bear. Winding or kinked corridors serve well in this regard.
3) Soften the Opposition
If your intelligence gathering reveals heavy buffing by the PCs, a few area dispel magic spells from afar. Ideally this should be a sniping tactic prior to engagements while invisible.
4) Divide and Conquer
The usual problem a lich runs into is the PC party can generate multiple threats each round from varied sources (melee, missile fire, direct damage spells, summoned creatures, turning, etc). Limiting these attack vectors is the primary concern. Utilize choke points such as narrow corridors of doorways. When the PCs use these they are particularly vulnerable to a well placed spell like wall of force. Immediately follow this with a Stinking cloud, or cloudkill spell. This will a) force multiple saves by half the party and more importantly b) prevent the party from targeting the lich. Follow this up with glitterdust and other area effect spells that requires saves that if failed take PCs out of combat. Stinking cloud + slow , or solid fog + cloudkill are other good combos.
5) Defense Wins Championships
If the PCs are stalking the lich, the lich should presume the PCs will have the means to hurt him. Preparation for these means should include how to address turning, holy water, disruption weapons, disintegrate, etc.
6) Choose Your Spells Wisely
Assume the PCs have defense against the strengths of the lich. Choose spells the party will have difficulty defending. A Fell Weakened, empowered, Ray of Enfeeblement against the party cleric or wizard will usually spell trouble for the PCs. Use spells from varied sources such as Libris Mortis, Unapproachable East, Shining South, and other books that the PCs may not be familiar with.
7) Live to Fight Another Day
Too many DMs seem to have a fight to the death mentality. A hit and run, guerilla tactics strategy employed by the lich will make for a far more deadly adversary that will have the PCs thinking twice before they contemplate taking on another lich. The lich should have a clear exit strategy for various circumstances. If the party should somehow suddenly surprise the lich, consider egress immediately. Surprise by one side is often indicative of preparation by the that side with all its accompanying advantages. Beware the old adage "Pride cometh before the fall."
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