Khisanth the Ancient
Explorer
I don't know if this goes here or Homebrews, but I was thinking about the 2nd ed Lich and Vampire salient abilities in Ravenloft.
Here are a few 3e possibilities:
Minor - no CR mod:
Black Spell (Su): This lich is even viler than most, knowing the dark secrets of the universe. Every evil or death spell cast by this lich has a +1 bonus to the save DC.
Dread Sight (Su): This lich is a master of seeing the unseen. The lich has permanent detect magic, always active.
Major - minimum caster level 16th, CR +1
Icy Body (Su): The lich's already magically charged body has been infused with special refrigerant chemicals and frost-based potions. Any opponent dealing damage to the lich with a melee weapon, unarmed strike, or natural weapon suffers (1d12 + lich's Charisma modifier) points of cold damage (Reflex, DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Cha modifier, for half damage).
Mystic Supercharge (Su): This lich can flood its form with magic. Once per day, the lich can use this ability. It gains a +2 bonus to the save DCs of all its spells for 1 round per caster level.
Black Frost (Su): The lich's touch attack deals an additional 2d6 cold damage.
Spell-Like Abilities: The lich gains the ability to use 2 1st-level, 2 2nd-level, and 1 3rd-level spells from the wizard/sorcerer spell list as spell-like abilities at will.
Epic - minimum caster level 21st, CR +2
Compelling Aura (Su): Any creature of 10 or fewer HD within 60 feet of the lich must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Charisma modifier) each round. If it fails a save, it is affected as by charm monster at the lich's caster level. Creatures with 11 or more HD must make the same save when first within 60 feet of the lich, but if they fail, they are merely affected as if by command at the lich's caster level, and whether they succed or fail the save, they cannot be affected again by the same lich's compelling aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Dreadful Blast (Su): A lich with this power can crumble fortifications, destroy buildings, and slay dragons with pure energy. The lich can use this power three times per day. One creature or object within 300 feet suffers 1d6 damage per caster level of the lich (maximum 35d6, Fortitude save, DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Charisma modifier, for half damage).
Contagious Paralysis (Su): Any creature touching a creature paralyzed by the lich's touch attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Charisma modifier) or be paralyzed for 1d10 minutes and suffer 1d6 points of Dexterity damage.
Kobold Lich, 11th-level Sorcerer
Small Undead
Hit Dice: 11d12 (71 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/–1
Attack: Spear +3 melee (1d6-2/x3) or sling +6 ranged (1d3) or touch +3 melee touch (1d8+5)
Full Attack: Spear +3 melee (1d6–2/x3) or sling +6 ranged (1d3) or touch +3 melee touch (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spells, black spell
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 13, Con -, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 17
Skills: Craft (trapmaking) +2, Hide +14, Listen +10, Move Silently +10, Profession (miner) +2, Knowledge (arcane) +10, Search +10, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +10, Spot +10
Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Empower Spell, Scribe Scroll
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Kobolds are short, reptilian humanoids with cowardly and sadistic tendencies.
A kobold’s scaly skin ranges from dark rusty brown to a rusty black color. It has glowing red eyes. Its tail is nonprehensile. Kobolds wear ragged clothing, favoring red and orange.
A kobold is 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and weighs 35 to 45 pounds.
Kobolds speak Draconic with a voice that sounds like that of a yapping dog.
COMBAT
This kobold lich, due to its power, is much braver than ordinary kobolds. It still retains the race’s love of trickery; it prefers to use its small size and aged appearance to seem harmless.
It loves to summon monsters (especially a fiendish Large monstrous scorpion with summon monster V and a fiendish Huge monstrous centipede with summon monster III) before combat.
Fear Aura (Su): Liches are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the kobold lich must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell from a sorcerer of 11th level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same kobold lich’s aura for 24 hours.
Paralyzing Touch (Su): Any living creature a lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (see the bestow curse spell description). The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Spot check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.
Spells: As an 11th-level sorcerer, this kobold lich can cast spells (spells per day 6/6/6/6/6/4, spells known 9/5/5/4/3/2). The save DC for the kobold lich’s spells is 13 + spell level (14 + spell level for evil or death spells).
Spells Known: 0- resistance, acid splash, detect poison, detect magic, read magic, daze, dancing lights, flare, disrupt undead, touch of fatigue; 1- mage armor, magic missile, feather fall, chill touch, ray of enfeeblement; 2- fog cloud, summon swarm, command undead, ghoul touch, scare; 3- explosive runes, protection from energy, sepia snake sigil, summon monster III, vampiric touch; 4 – dimensional anchor, lesser globe of invulnerability, ice storm; 5 – dismissal, summon monster V.
Black Spell (Su): Every evil or death spell cast by this lich has a +1 bonus to the save DC
Turn Resistance (Ex): A lich has +4 turn resistance.
Damage Reduction (Su): A kobold lich’s undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/bludgeoning and magic. Its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Immunities (Ex): Kobold liches have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Skills: Kobold liches have a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking) and Profession (miner) checks, a +10 racial bonus on Search checks, and a +8 racial bonus onHide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.
This kobold sorcerer lich had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 10, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 13.
Here are a few 3e possibilities:
Minor - no CR mod:
Black Spell (Su): This lich is even viler than most, knowing the dark secrets of the universe. Every evil or death spell cast by this lich has a +1 bonus to the save DC.
Dread Sight (Su): This lich is a master of seeing the unseen. The lich has permanent detect magic, always active.
Major - minimum caster level 16th, CR +1
Icy Body (Su): The lich's already magically charged body has been infused with special refrigerant chemicals and frost-based potions. Any opponent dealing damage to the lich with a melee weapon, unarmed strike, or natural weapon suffers (1d12 + lich's Charisma modifier) points of cold damage (Reflex, DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Cha modifier, for half damage).
Mystic Supercharge (Su): This lich can flood its form with magic. Once per day, the lich can use this ability. It gains a +2 bonus to the save DCs of all its spells for 1 round per caster level.
Black Frost (Su): The lich's touch attack deals an additional 2d6 cold damage.
Spell-Like Abilities: The lich gains the ability to use 2 1st-level, 2 2nd-level, and 1 3rd-level spells from the wizard/sorcerer spell list as spell-like abilities at will.
Epic - minimum caster level 21st, CR +2
Compelling Aura (Su): Any creature of 10 or fewer HD within 60 feet of the lich must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Charisma modifier) each round. If it fails a save, it is affected as by charm monster at the lich's caster level. Creatures with 11 or more HD must make the same save when first within 60 feet of the lich, but if they fail, they are merely affected as if by command at the lich's caster level, and whether they succed or fail the save, they cannot be affected again by the same lich's compelling aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Dreadful Blast (Su): A lich with this power can crumble fortifications, destroy buildings, and slay dragons with pure energy. The lich can use this power three times per day. One creature or object within 300 feet suffers 1d6 damage per caster level of the lich (maximum 35d6, Fortitude save, DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Charisma modifier, for half damage).
Contagious Paralysis (Su): Any creature touching a creature paralyzed by the lich's touch attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Charisma modifier) or be paralyzed for 1d10 minutes and suffer 1d6 points of Dexterity damage.
Kobold Lich, 11th-level Sorcerer
Small Undead
Hit Dice: 11d12 (71 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/–1
Attack: Spear +3 melee (1d6-2/x3) or sling +6 ranged (1d3) or touch +3 melee touch (1d8+5)
Full Attack: Spear +3 melee (1d6–2/x3) or sling +6 ranged (1d3) or touch +3 melee touch (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spells, black spell
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 13, Con -, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 17
Skills: Craft (trapmaking) +2, Hide +14, Listen +10, Move Silently +10, Profession (miner) +2, Knowledge (arcane) +10, Search +10, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +10, Spot +10
Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Empower Spell, Scribe Scroll
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Kobolds are short, reptilian humanoids with cowardly and sadistic tendencies.
A kobold’s scaly skin ranges from dark rusty brown to a rusty black color. It has glowing red eyes. Its tail is nonprehensile. Kobolds wear ragged clothing, favoring red and orange.
A kobold is 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and weighs 35 to 45 pounds.
Kobolds speak Draconic with a voice that sounds like that of a yapping dog.
COMBAT
This kobold lich, due to its power, is much braver than ordinary kobolds. It still retains the race’s love of trickery; it prefers to use its small size and aged appearance to seem harmless.
It loves to summon monsters (especially a fiendish Large monstrous scorpion with summon monster V and a fiendish Huge monstrous centipede with summon monster III) before combat.
Fear Aura (Su): Liches are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the kobold lich must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell from a sorcerer of 11th level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same kobold lich’s aura for 24 hours.
Paralyzing Touch (Su): Any living creature a lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (see the bestow curse spell description). The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Spot check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.
Spells: As an 11th-level sorcerer, this kobold lich can cast spells (spells per day 6/6/6/6/6/4, spells known 9/5/5/4/3/2). The save DC for the kobold lich’s spells is 13 + spell level (14 + spell level for evil or death spells).
Spells Known: 0- resistance, acid splash, detect poison, detect magic, read magic, daze, dancing lights, flare, disrupt undead, touch of fatigue; 1- mage armor, magic missile, feather fall, chill touch, ray of enfeeblement; 2- fog cloud, summon swarm, command undead, ghoul touch, scare; 3- explosive runes, protection from energy, sepia snake sigil, summon monster III, vampiric touch; 4 – dimensional anchor, lesser globe of invulnerability, ice storm; 5 – dismissal, summon monster V.
Black Spell (Su): Every evil or death spell cast by this lich has a +1 bonus to the save DC
Turn Resistance (Ex): A lich has +4 turn resistance.
Damage Reduction (Su): A kobold lich’s undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/bludgeoning and magic. Its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Immunities (Ex): Kobold liches have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Skills: Kobold liches have a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking) and Profession (miner) checks, a +10 racial bonus on Search checks, and a +8 racial bonus onHide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.
This kobold sorcerer lich had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 10, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 13.
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