Lich --- where is the Phylactery?

[drnuncheon]

I thought it would be stupid for a lich to carry there Phylactery on them.

On the other hand, carrying some other phylactery (to throw the adventurers off the trail) isn't a bad idea.

Some sort of misdirection effect is definitely called for as well. "My God...the lich's phylactery is part of the crown jewels!"

So is turning your phylactery into a cursed but powerful magic item (so if anyone does find it, they won't want to give it up).

J

 

[Darklone]

Finding a lichs phylactery with divination magic? That's lame. It should be protected against that.

Tracing his life force: Now that's nicer. But it shouldn't be possible to find him and really locate him BEFORE he reforms. Thus you have to kill him at least twice.

 

[GuardianLurker]

Phylacteries and Magic Jar

From the SRD:
Magic Jar
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft.+10 ft./level)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level or until the character returns to the character's body
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes

By casting magic jar, the character places the character's own soul in a gem or large crystal (known as the magic jar), leaving the character's body lifeless. Then the character can attempt to take control of a nearby body, forcing its soul into the magic jar. The character may move back to the jar (returning the trapped soul to its body) and attempt to possess another body. The spell ends when the character sends the character's soul back to the character's own body (leaving the receptacle empty).
To cast the spell, the magic jar must be within spell range and the character must know where it is, though the character does not need line of sight or effect to it. ...
While in the magic jar, the character can sense and attack any life force within 10 feet per caster level (on the same plane). ...
Attempting to possess a body is a full-round action. It is blocked by protection from evil or a similar ward. ...
As a standard action, the character can shift freely from a host to the magic jar if within range, sending the trapped soul back to its body.
...

I've always considered the Lich's phylactery to be (for all intents and purposes) a permanent Magic Jar.

BTW, a phylactery has those strips/bands by definition, inconvient though they may be. The only time a lich has to wear it though is probably during the "conversion" process.

This also means that a disembodied lich needs to search for a suitable host body. Mind you, there's probably a high level wizard somewhere in the area already. <evil grin> And failing that, there's always Magic Jarring various animals to transport the phylactery to convient places.

Of course, there's also nothing that says the Lich can't have researched an alternative ritual/Magic Jar with unlimited range and multiple containers. <evil grin>

 

[Henry]

One of my favorite posts of all time about a Lich's Phylactery was in this very forum.

The idea? Have the Lich-to-be use a trap the soul spell on a Tarrasque. Use the gem with the tarrasque inside as your Phylactery. Since an alternative definition of a Phylactery is an amulet or charm, there's no reason it wouldn't work - and breaking the phylactery would mean releasing the Tarrasque.

 

[AuraSeer]

The Tarrasque-in-a-box phylactery trick was originally from an issue of Dragon. It's a neat idea, if you can beat the Tarrasque's Will save... and SR... and if you can find a 48,000 gp gem anywhere on the planet.

IMC, I'd house rule that an enchanted gem (like a phylactery) can't be used as the material or focus component of a spell. But that's just me.

 

[radferth]

Of course to pull the Tarrasque (or other powerful monster) trick, you need to let everyone know, or have a note or magic mouth on the Phylactery. To paraphrase Dr. Strangelove: what good is a doomsday phylactery if you do not tell anyone?

 

[Thanee]

BTW, I just looked into Monsters of Faerûn today...

I thought it was there, but it's not...

Where is the Dracolich described!? I was quite sure, there was a monster entry somewhere... but can't find it... or is that just my imagination, and there really is only the Lich Template!?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Caliban]

BTW, I just looked into Monsters of Faerûn today...

I thought it was there, but it's not...

Where is the Dracolich described!? I was quite sure, there was a monster entry somewhere... but can't find it... or is that just my imagination, and there really is only the Lich Template!?

Bye
Thanee

It's in the FRCS.

 

[AuraSeer]

Of course to pull the Tarrasque (or other powerful monster) trick, you need to let everyone know, or have a note or magic mouth on the Phylactery. To paraphrase Dr. Strangelove: what good is a doomsday phylactery if you do not tell anyone?

Quite true. You also have to make them believe you, which can be difficult at times. Evil undead life-sucking fiends tend to have credibility problems.

On the other hand, if you can convince people that this is true, you don't even have to go through the effort of actually setting the trap. Get the Tarrasque Imprisoned, or cast it out to another plane, or just plain kill it, and then tell everyone its soul is in your phylactery. If they take a chance and bust your phylactery anyway.. well, you're dead and gone anyway, so what do you care?

 

[Thanee]

It's in the FRCS.

Ahhh... that's about the last place where I had suspected it...

Thank you very much!

Bye
Thanee