Building the Uber-lich

[Ipissimus]

So, my PCs have hit Epic. They have money, they are the de-facto rulers of a free city, each of them packs more magic than can be contained in a Piers Anthony series. The wizard's stated hobby is 'becoming a Gold Dragon', the Cleric's vieing for sainthood, the rogue is the most wanted man in the world, etc. So, as a DM, my question was 'What to throw against them next?' They've done the whole Dragon's Lair bit. Looking back over my Dungeon Mags, I came across the 'Invasion' series.

My problem is that Vlaakith as written will be wiped off the face of the multiverse in less time than it takes to boil an egg. Of course, she's not written as an epic level challenge but come on! She's the ruler of a multiversal empire, she owns two artefacts, one of which allows her to drain experience points! If anyone qualifies as an Uber-lich, it should be Vlaakith.

So, upgrading Vlaakith to be a challenge worthy of 25-27th level characters. I've already had a few ideas in this department. Easiest way is to give her the Demilich template... but I'm not positive that would be the best idea. Not that they aren't powerful enough (particularly if I topped up her Wizard levels) I'm more concerned about ruining Vlaakith's flavor reducing her to a floating skull.

I'm considering changing her to a Dread Necromancer rather than Wizard, if anyone has experiences playing/DMing between the two any advice would be much appreciated. Wizard/Loremaster may also be an option, still undecided how to best approach the problem. Also considering giving her a Divine rank, though only 0 or 1.

My party's Cleric is a Perlorian who specializes in turning undead, so countering this is a major priority. Another reason the fight as written would be over before it started... Also, the wizard has the entire counterspelling feat tree.

Build optimizations and blatent munchkining welcome. I want this fight to be exceptionally harrowing. Resources are not a problem for the Uber-Lich, if she can't make it, she has hordes of 17th level Wizards who can. All books inclusive, I'm even willing to consider 3rd party material. As long as the CR comes in at around 35, believe me my players can handle it.

 

[moritheil]

While this post sounds like a very interesting challenge, I'm guessing the reason it has no responses is that most of us do not have Vlaakith's stats in front of us. Perhaps you could summarize?

 

[Quartz]

I'm going from memory, but I'm not really sure there's much you really need to do except increase the number of her minions and don't give the PCs time to rest. The point being that they shouldn't be at full strength when they meet her. You could try putting the kaiju template on the guardian to her phylactery, but better might be to have 2 of them.

Or you could be really sneaky and give her the Eidolon epic spell.

Or you could be really nasty: suppose that Vlaakith were not one person, but two demiliches - skull and hand?

 

[moritheil]

FWIW, if someone has hordes of followers that can cast 9th-level spells, you'd be negligent to not include some crazy epic rituals.

 

[javcs]

FWIW, if someone has hordes of followers that can cast 9th-level spells, you'd be negligent to not include some crazy epic rituals.

Yar, a few hundred casters giving 9th level spell slots, that will drop the DC's crazy fast.\

Criminally negligent.

 

[Rino]

I'm willing to take a shot at this lich. any other requirements that have to be met?

where can I find the current specs of Vlaakith?

btw, what is the timeframe that you will be needing her?

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

Don't let her be permakilled on any plane but her own.

Giver her DR + energy resistance / 100 - Uber artefact.

This would require a quest to find the item capable of killing her, plus forcing the PCs onto her home turf.

 

[Nail]

FWIW, I played through that Dungeon Adventure. We started at 17th level, ended at 21st (or so).

We found the Lich Queen's defences and tactics to be - well - easy to deal with. Keep in mind that she lets none of her followers get over 16th level...not even the mages.

 

[Alzrius]

Well, I was going to suggest the akalich template (akaliches are to demiliches, as demiliches are to normal liches) from the Immortal's Handbook Epic Bestiary Vol. 1, but that won't work if you want CR 35 or less, as the template itself is CR +38. I recommend that you purchase this book anyway, however, for the crazy load of new epic magic weapons and major artifacts it has. Also, by using the Automatic Metamagic Capacity feat (taken multiple times) and Quicken Spell, Vlaakith will be able to cast multiple quickened spells in a single round. This should help with your counterspell-happy wizard.

The dread lich template from the Advanced Bestiary, by Green Ronin, may work better instead, as far as templates go. A CR +3 lich template, this has quite a few more powers than a standard lich does.

Make some of her dragons who personally guard her Advanced dragons. Her other guards should similarly be at least CR 21 or higher. If you're advancing her level, then it only makes sense that she'd raise the ban on the githyanki to being higher than 16th level.

Do NOT make her a dread necromancer. That class's class abilities are geared towards being lich-like before you become a lich. Since you're building her as a lich already, those class abilities are thus wasted. Instead, I recommend you make her a gestalt character, perhaps of wizard and cleric (she can be a cleric with no god, essentially granting herself divine spells) for maximum spellcasting versatility.

Make sure to consult Libris Mortis for feats and things regarding buffing her undead state. If you ever feel that Vlaakith needs more feats than she has, take levels in the Savant prestige class in Paths of Power, by Distant Horizon Games (this book is free!). That PrC grants three bonus feats at each level (though it has quite a few restrictions, she should easily meet them all); this could be very helpful if she needs to take Automatic Metamagic Capacity multiple times (as stated above).

Take a creature that'd scare even your PCs (perhaps the Tarrasque with the Paragon template applied) and have it that Vlaakith successfully cast trap the soul on it, with her phylactery as the focus object (I can't remember if her phylactery is a gem or not, but if not, you can change it so it is). Have her tell the PCs that, so they know that if they destroy her phylactery, they'll be unleashing this massive beast immediately on top of them!

And just to be nitpicky, it's "Incursion," not "Invasion."

 

[Land Outcast]

Up to what HD can the cleric turn? I think Vlaakith will be safe.

Wizard with counterspelling feat tree? Have servants of Vlaakith counter his counters