Alkerite
2018-09-28, 02:42 PM
I would like to preface this advice with a little asterisk, this isn't how you should run all BBEGs, just intelligent villains that you REALLY want the party to hate/remember fondly.
Let's say you're setting up a high level Lich. They're intelligent undead, have infinite time on their hands, and have powerful magic R.A.W. which doesn't even account for weird phylacteries or all those spells you're going to give them. With Liches, I say design them like you're designing a player character, make a short background for them, and get why they decided that striking a deal with a god of Undeath was a good idea. After all, the path to hell is paved with good intentions.
I suggest you start building them as a first level Wizard, select their favored school of magic, and all that. Of course, Necromancy is the stereotypical field, but they could also be powerful abjurers, if you want their minions to be more demonic in nature. Illusionists are not to be trusted, and if you make your Lich to be into one, woo boy, you better be ready for mindgames, this lich is dangerous, not in a straight fight, but in the fact that his dungeon or magic tower is probably laden with enough spells to cause wild magic effects. Conjurers' every door could lead to some strange challenge, bizarre monster, or deadly plane of existence. Enchanters have likely managed to magically shmooze their way into good standing, hiding themselves in plain sight of the adventurers, in the very town they protect. Diviners see the future, and thus everything is going just as planned. You will not find evokers in some stuffy tower, no, you will find these liches on the battlefield, blazing a path of death with only the most powerful of destruction magic. Necromancers: These sadistic bastards have been preparing, sowing seeds, bringing new blood into the fold, training more Necromancers, making more Liches, those that tinker with the nature of undeath itself, likely have companions. Alchemists spent their life seeking immortality, and now after finding a solution, they seek a better one, Transmutation specialists are likely to self absorbed to be out and about, but their reckless disregard for any life but their own will surely draw them into conflict.
Hell, in which immortal tome of D&D did Gygax carve the words "Liches must be Arcane Spellcasters"? If you want things to get downright lovecraftian, set up a Lich that's basically a Warlock with a GOO pact, maybe even make a whole cult, and have them be the high priest that speaks to their Aboleth god? Or maybe a cleric that keeps their body from rotting, and slowly brainwashes the priesthood into a mindless cult? Go nuts, seriously. Liches are awesome.
Designing their Dungeon: No matter what specialty the Lich has, their Phylactery needs to be safely stored somewhere. No matter what, their dungeon needs to be designed to be passed through, safely. In the event the Lich loses their physical form, they're going to pop right back to their phylactery. Personally, I have all Phylactery chambers be dimensionally locked, sealed in an antimagic sphere, and an antilife shell around that. Have the Lich's Phylactery be staring the adventurers down, just out out their reach. Have the dungeon itself not be a tailored trap laden hellscape, but a burgeoning cult city, full of faithful worshipers, or students of the Lich. A Library the size of manhatten, full of arcane knowledge collected over the lifetimes of a high level Wizard, the spells you need to seize the Phylactery is SOMEWHERE within the dusty tomes.
Liches are my favorite Undead. Moreso than Vampires. However, I have another little asterisk. Liches are inherently fearful. The desire to escape death by any means necessary is prefaced by a fear of death. Hence Liches must be afraid. Liches were once human, so don't be afraid for your centuries old undead start trying to tug on your party's heartstrings, bargaining knowledge, items, power beyond their comprehension. Liches may be prideful beasts, but deep down, they're scared of death.
Tl;Dr: Play your Liches like a player character. Hell, draft in one of your friends that isn't playing in the party to play AS the lich, so you don't become That Guy and fudge dice rolls for you Dope Ass Original Character.
Just a bit of stream of consciousnesses, sorry if it's not too comprehensible. I'm just tired of Liches being cut from such similar cloth.
Let's say you're setting up a high level Lich. They're intelligent undead, have infinite time on their hands, and have powerful magic R.A.W. which doesn't even account for weird phylacteries or all those spells you're going to give them. With Liches, I say design them like you're designing a player character, make a short background for them, and get why they decided that striking a deal with a god of Undeath was a good idea. After all, the path to hell is paved with good intentions.
I suggest you start building them as a first level Wizard, select their favored school of magic, and all that. Of course, Necromancy is the stereotypical field, but they could also be powerful abjurers, if you want their minions to be more demonic in nature. Illusionists are not to be trusted, and if you make your Lich to be into one, woo boy, you better be ready for mindgames, this lich is dangerous, not in a straight fight, but in the fact that his dungeon or magic tower is probably laden with enough spells to cause wild magic effects. Conjurers' every door could lead to some strange challenge, bizarre monster, or deadly plane of existence. Enchanters have likely managed to magically shmooze their way into good standing, hiding themselves in plain sight of the adventurers, in the very town they protect. Diviners see the future, and thus everything is going just as planned. You will not find evokers in some stuffy tower, no, you will find these liches on the battlefield, blazing a path of death with only the most powerful of destruction magic. Necromancers: These sadistic bastards have been preparing, sowing seeds, bringing new blood into the fold, training more Necromancers, making more Liches, those that tinker with the nature of undeath itself, likely have companions. Alchemists spent their life seeking immortality, and now after finding a solution, they seek a better one, Transmutation specialists are likely to self absorbed to be out and about, but their reckless disregard for any life but their own will surely draw them into conflict.
Hell, in which immortal tome of D&D did Gygax carve the words "Liches must be Arcane Spellcasters"? If you want things to get downright lovecraftian, set up a Lich that's basically a Warlock with a GOO pact, maybe even make a whole cult, and have them be the high priest that speaks to their Aboleth god? Or maybe a cleric that keeps their body from rotting, and slowly brainwashes the priesthood into a mindless cult? Go nuts, seriously. Liches are awesome.
Designing their Dungeon: No matter what specialty the Lich has, their Phylactery needs to be safely stored somewhere. No matter what, their dungeon needs to be designed to be passed through, safely. In the event the Lich loses their physical form, they're going to pop right back to their phylactery. Personally, I have all Phylactery chambers be dimensionally locked, sealed in an antimagic sphere, and an antilife shell around that. Have the Lich's Phylactery be staring the adventurers down, just out out their reach. Have the dungeon itself not be a tailored trap laden hellscape, but a burgeoning cult city, full of faithful worshipers, or students of the Lich. A Library the size of manhatten, full of arcane knowledge collected over the lifetimes of a high level Wizard, the spells you need to seize the Phylactery is SOMEWHERE within the dusty tomes.
Liches are my favorite Undead. Moreso than Vampires. However, I have another little asterisk. Liches are inherently fearful. The desire to escape death by any means necessary is prefaced by a fear of death. Hence Liches must be afraid. Liches were once human, so don't be afraid for your centuries old undead start trying to tug on your party's heartstrings, bargaining knowledge, items, power beyond their comprehension. Liches may be prideful beasts, but deep down, they're scared of death.
Tl;Dr: Play your Liches like a player character. Hell, draft in one of your friends that isn't playing in the party to play AS the lich, so you don't become That Guy and fudge dice rolls for you Dope Ass Original Character.
Just a bit of stream of consciousnesses, sorry if it's not too comprehensible. I'm just tired of Liches being cut from such similar cloth.