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Old 07-04-2020, 01:56 AM   #24
maximara
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Sumter, SC
Default Re: Different Liches [Magic/Horror]

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Originally Posted by SolemnGolem View Post
I was tending towards this sort of build as well, where the lich is essentially unkillable as long as its phylactery is still safe. I put this up to Unkillable 3, perhaps with a small discount since there is a workaround.

I'm also interested in how to implement the lich's ability to possess the mortal shell of any inanimate corpse (or, potentially, any corpse under its command as a zombie or similar undead). At first, I thought of doing this as an inverse Possession - one that is changed to allow undead humanoids instead of living hosts.

But then I noticed that your build makes use of the Reincarnation modifier to Unkillable - how does this differ from a Possession mechanic?
Possession expressly states "You can move your consciousness from body to body. (...) However, you cannot survive outside a living host." (sic) So per RAW undead cannot have Possession as either an advantage or an enhancement because their body is already dead. Effectively "dead body" is a forbidden trait for Possession.

Reincarnation on the other hand say nothing about your new body having to be a living body or prevents that body from actually the remains of your old body restored (somehow).

The way a lich worked in the Dragon #26 article is in a weird place between Unkillable 2 and 3 as it can possess a body other then its own per Unkillable 3 but was limited in terms of spell power and does not become unconscious as is true of Unkillable 2 though to regain its full power it must possess its original body. Unkillable 3 (Reincarnation -20%) is a quick and dirty way to model this behavior. It was not perfect but it is a relatively (keep it) simple how to article.

Yes, D&D1 liches were not only nasty but down right weird.
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Last edited by maximara; 07-04-2020 at 02:29 AM.
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