What Happens When You Go Lich?

[Valicor]

Hey Valicor.

Hello

Does the Paladin and the C/F know what this character is going to do?

The Paladin didn't know abotu this becase he missed last game session. The Celestial C/F knows about it and says he has no problem with it aslong as he is not evil. (Mosnter of Faerun Lich) I should hae ben specific, but I am ceartain he is only taign that lich because he knows he is not allowed to be evil.[/B][/QUOTE]

I don't think a Paladin would allow this... at least he wouldn't associate with the character after he found out about it.

I'm not sure about the paladin, more then likely he wouldn't associate. But this PC doesn't exactly liek playing a paladin, so he may use this as an opportunity to switch to a new character.

We also don't know that the fighter/barbarian/Beserker is a revenant.

 

[Valicor]

Personnaly, I would require the character to get enough XP to be a 14th level wizard (you have to be a 12th level wizard to do the ritual) but keeping him 12th level. In other words, when he has enough XP to become a 13th level character, nothing happens. When he get enough XP to be a 14th level character, nothing happen until he does the ritual. After that, he becomes a 14th level character; 2 equivalent character level of lich template and 12 level of wizard. Afterwards, he would gain XP normaly as a 14th level character. When reaching the XP cap to be a 15th level character, he would become a 13th level wizard.

I had to go through a method similar to what you suggested when I wanted to enter a prestige class (custom made) I was not allowed to level up and had to fight my way through the dungeon as a level 12, because he felt the RP requirments needed to be pushed alittle further.

I think this method is good, but I am wondering if he would even make the player do this. I have a strogn feeling that he would just walk away with the template added on, no drawbacks.

You also mentioned it get incredibaly boring and unbalancing; could you maybe relate a few experiences, so I can know what to prepare for.

 

[Alejandro]

Hmm. I'm aware that adding the Lich template also adds +2 to CR, but I didn't realize that you're supposed to add ECL to non-starting characters. I guess I equate lichdom to infected lycanthropy, or vampirism, or even a weird Reincarnation roll.

I vote with Kraedin: the PC must satisfy all the requirements of making the phylactery, and accept all restrictions of the template (such as alignment changes, unless he's using some other lich-like template).

 

[smetzger]

Well, what level is the person undergoing lich-ification? I belive that an 11th level caster has to sell all of his equipment to make the phylactery becaue of the extreme cost, right? (Don't have my MM and DMG with me.)

I'd just keep his XP and ECL the same as before, and treat lichood as a very expensive and powerful item.

Yup, me too. And I think thats actually more in line with the rules.

 

[Valicor]

So the general consenses then is that he must satisfy ecl, and not benifit free levels?

 

[mikebr99]

So the general consenses then is that he must satisfy ecl, and not benifit free levels?

That's my vote... lots more experience needed for next level.

 

[Valicor]

Thats good, I just hope if my DM reads this post, he doesn't look at it as a premtive strike to screw another player over. He often feels I pick apart characters.

 

[mikebr99]

Thats good, I just hope if my DM reads this post, he doesn't look at it as a premtive strike to screw another player over. He often feels I pick apart characters.

Unless the player is going to hide away in a tower somewhere, he is kind of screwing himself by becoming a Lich. That isn't going to be easy to roleplay.

 

[Alejandro]

So the general consenses then is that he must satisfy ecl, and not benifit free levels?

You, Crothian, Bastoche, and mikebr99 vote yes. Kraedin, smetzger, and I vote no. You have a majority, if not exactly a consensus. But hey, this is the EN Boards -- a majority is pretty darn good.

 

[Jeremy]

ECL is largely subjective and is not related at all to CR.

I don't know what the official ECL is for a lich but +6 is a conservative estimate based off of Soldarin's ECL calculator.

http://www.webspawner.com/users/enbsoldarin/index.html

Take a look at all the abilities it grants. If I was going to have this character be a PC in my campaign, I'd probably not make him wait 6 levels to gain a level, I'd probably tell him that the ritual is extremely taxing (i.e. it's going to cost him 6 levels of XP) and let him know it's his choice when (if?) he wants to do it.

That way at least he's still gaining levels and is making progress instead of being in one of those 4 year XP sinks in 2e where you needed 110,000,000 XP for the next level (minor hyperbole).

But in general, look closer at all the abilities a lich gains. Run it through the ECL calculator listed above yourself and see why it's ECL is so high.

If WotC ever assigns an ECL to it I'm sure it's going to be some outrageous number like +13 or so. (+10 for ogres, pfeh! a 10th level character with 3 hit die, that'll last long)