The Undying Ritual [3.5e Template]{PEACH}

[Milo v3]

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I like lich and I want to be able to play them. But as any people know, the LA makes it weak. In addition I made new rules on phylacteries.

So this is my response. You will note it is has much less powers than the normal Lich. This is because I plan on creating a PrC which will grant it much more powerful abilities while still remaining useful.

Lich are undead mages, cunning arcanists that use necromancy to become eternal. Lich's have their souls bound within a phylactery, allowing them to live on without fear of death.

Creating a Lich
“Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living Dragon, Humanoid, or Monstrous Humanoid (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead and gains the augmented subtype. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.

Speed: Same as the base creature.

Special Qualities: A Lich retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.

Damage Reduction (Su): A Lich has damage reduction 5/bludgeon or magic.

Eyes of Night (Ex): A Lich gains Darkvision 60 feet, and Low-light vision.

Grim Talent (Ex): A Lich gains +1 caster level when using necromancy spells and +1 effective binder level when making pacts with Deathborn or Undead creatures.

Resistances (Ex): A Lich has resistance to cold and electricity 5.

Sealed Death: When a Lich is reduced to 0 hit points its soul travels from its body and enters its Phylactery. While within this state, he gains blindsense to a range of 30 feet from the Phylactery.

As time passes within the Phylactery, a new body is being formed within 30 feet. Your body is shaped from flakes of skin, rotted flesh, dried blood, bone, and similiar body parts.

Once a month is complete, your may spend a full-round action to leave the Phylactery and enter your body as long as it is within 30 feet. If the body was destroyed or removed, you may spend another week forming a another.

If the Lich's phylactery is destroyed he cannot enter it and he dies.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Intelligence +2, Wisdom +1, Cha +1. As an undead creature, a Lich has no Constitution score.

Skills: Lich's have a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.

Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.

Organization: As base creature.

Challenge Rating: HD 8 or less, as base creature +1; HD 9 or more, as base creature.

Treasure: Double standard.

Alignment: As base creature.

Advancement: As base creature.

Level Adjustment: HD 5 or less, as base creature +1; HD 6 or more, as base creature.

Becoming a Lich
A spellcaster who wants to become a Lich must complete the Undying Ritual. This requires a Phylactery which functions for Lichdom, and an onyx worth at least 100 gp per HD of the spellcaster.

This ritual takes 3 hours to enact, and must be on an night with all the moons full. During the ritual, the spellcaster must cast the following spells:

• Animate Dead
• Cause Fear
• Command Undead
• Magic Jar

At the end of this ritual you will kill yourself while your blood drips onto your Phylactery, sealing your soul within. 10 hours afterward you return to life with the Lich Template, and the Phylactery henceforth can only store the soul of the Lich it is bound to.

Dying as part of the ritual doesn't result in losing a level.

[RoyVG]

I like the idea of having a Phylactery for only a very small cost (La +1) but there are some things that are a little... odd, or at least need a bit of clarification.

You change to Undead with the (augmented) subtype = totally ok

But then you say they get Darkvision 60ft and immunity to fear and morale effects. Undead (unless otherwise noted) have these by default. Undead are immune to mind affecting effects (such as Fear and Morale, but also charm and compulsion), and gain Darkvision 60ft. The SRD Lich does not mention these in its entry, they are integrated in the Undead Type

Also the odd numbers for Int, Wis, Cha and Skill bonuses are a bit... odd (doh).

You also say you kill yourself (= die) in the 'Becoming a Lich' part. Does that mean you lose a level like (almost) always?

I would like to compare this one to Necropolitan, but I dont have the books available right now. Maybe someone else can do that?

[Network]

If you don't want LA, why adding bonuses to mental abilities and skills? Look at this if it can help you. Note than this wiki template already worth +1.

Necropolitan, in a few words, make you lose a level, change you type to undead and gives you +2 against control undead and turn/rebuking attempts. Nothing really strong, not even cold resistance or DR.

[bobthe6th]

suggestion, give a bit more and make it always a +1 LA. like +2 to one of the three mental stats instead of +1 to all.

[Milo v3]

Originally Posted by RoyVG

But then you say they get Darkvision 60ft and immunity to fear and morale effects. Undead (unless otherwise noted) have these by default. Undead are immune to mind affecting effects (such as Fear and Morale, but also charm and compulsion), and gain Darkvision 60ft. The SRD Lich does not mention these in its entry, they are integrated in the Undead Type

The darkvision was written because I added Low-Light vision and to make sure people don't think you only get low-light vision.

Fear and Morale were from a previous template, I forgot to remove it.

Also the odd numbers for Int, Wis, Cha and Skill bonuses are a bit... odd (doh).

I'll fix.

You also say you kill yourself (= die) in the 'Becoming a Lich' part. Does that mean you lose a level like (almost) always?

Originally Posted by Network

If you don't want LA, why adding bonuses to mental abilities and skills? Look at this if it can help you. Note than this wiki template already worth +1.

I can't see that page because of the blocks on my computer.