High Lich [Ascent Into The Light]

[Shadowknight12]

HIGH LICH

   
"In times of strife,
In times of war,
Surrendered life,
Our sacred star.
Seal the gate,
Shield the light,
Avert our fate,
And be our might.
Heart of a witch,
Eyes of a sage,
Soul of a lich,
And blade of our rage."
-Old nursery rhyme.

All high liches have one thing in common: they all know a terrible secret that would doom one or several innocents. A high lich is born when an ordinary person discovers a secret that would doom others, and instead of turning her back on it, instead of going back to her daily life and forgetting about it, she does something to prevent it. In so doing, in so meddling, she gains a mark of bravery in her soul, a mark that only high liches (and perhaps other powerful creatures) can see. If the prospective high lich survives the consequences of her meddling, it's not long before a high lich finds her and offers her a place in the High Order.

The ritual to become a high lich is complicated and takes several days to fulfil, starting from the creation of the fabled phylactery to the final moment where the prospective high lich commits ritual suicide. The High Order is neither unified nor has any form of official protocols for the initiation of new agents, so the details of the ritual vary greatly from high lich to high lich, and prospective initiates can easily tailor their own rituals to their personal preferences (so long as they respect the two key steps: creation of the phylactery and ritual suicide).

High liches are busy people and always on the look for new recruits. The High Order is tasked with safeguarding the integrity of the multiverse (and all its individual planes and worlds), and so it's naturally spread quite thin. High liches spend their days hunting down secrets that would imperil anything from the fabric of the universe itself to the life of a farmer's child. Then they do what they do best: they meddle. High liches are meddlesome by nature, it is not their goal to gather knowledge dispassionately. To them, knowledge is only useful when it can be applied towards the greater good (or, for some high liches, towards selfish goals). As such, high liches most often adventure to gather lore, uncover secrets or prevent some catastrophe. A high lich is always on the move, and eternity seems like a dreadfully short time for all the things they have to accomplish.

High liches vary greatly in looks, though it's usually an aesthetic choice. A high lich can choose to be as well preserved as a silver wight or warden vampire, or it can choose to look like a dessicated skeleton, rotting zombie or anything in between. They still look much like they did in life. In general, high liches find the burning of books, scrolls or any form of scripture to be abhorrent. They often go out of their way to protect such items from destruction, particularly if they are ancient. Most high liches abhor fire and consider it anathema to them, which goes hand in hand with their penchant for gathering tomes and scrolls. That said, some high liches wield fire magic precisely because they're acutely aware of its destructive nature.

High liches come from all walks of life, from mages and priests to illiterate farmers and street urchins. All it takes to succeed in the High Order is the willingness to develop one's intelligence and apply it towards averting disasters. The rest of the high lich's abilities are taught by other members of the High Order.

MAKING A HIGH LICH

Abilities: The most important ability for a high lich is Intelligence, since it governs its spellcasting, many class skills and some class features. Dexterity is important for AC, since high liches can't wear armour. And finally, Wisdom is important for the high lich's class skills.
Races: Any.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 10d4x10 (250).
Starting Age: Any.

Class Skills
The High Lich's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration(Cha), Craft(Int), Decipher Script(Int), Knowledge(Any)(Int), Listen(Wis), Profession(Wis), Search(Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Speak Language(Int), Spellcraft(Int) and Spot(Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int)x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int.

Hit Dice: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	High Lich Body, Spells, Sphere of Magic, Innate Magic, Which Can Eternal Lie, Vulnerability to Fire.	3	-	-	-	-
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Scribe Scroll, Sphere Power I, +1 Int.	4	-	-	-	-
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Sphere Ward I, Bonus Feat.	4	0	-	-	-
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Aureate Blessing, Sphere Power II, +1 Int.	5	1	-	-	-
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Aureate Flight, Sphere Ward II.	5	2	0	-	-
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Sphere Power III, Bonus Feat, +1 Int.	6	3	1	-	-
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Sphere Ward III,  Even Death May Die.	6	4	2	0	-
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Aureate Insight, Sphere Power IV, +1 Int.	7	4	3	1	-
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Sphere Ward IV, Bonus Feat.	7	5	3	2	0
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Master Magus, Sphere Power V.	8	6	4	2	1

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A high lich is proficient with the quarterstaff, the dagger and a single simple weapon of their choice. They are not proficient with any kind of armour or shields.

High Lich Body (Ex): The High Lich loses all racial traits it had previously and gains the following racial traits: Revised Undead Type (see below), Medium size, a base speed of 30 feet, Common as an automatic language and any non-secret languages as bonus languages for high Intelligence.

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* No Constitution score.
* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* Immunity to poison, disease and death effects.
* Not subject to nonlethal damage or energy drain. Immune to damage or drain to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.
* Cannot heal damage on its own, although it can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures.
* Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
* Uses its Charisma modifier for Concentration checks.
* Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed.
* Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect undead creatures. If they are willing, these spells turn undead creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming undead.
* Proficient with its natural weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
* Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
* Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep.

Spells: The high lich casts spells from special list (see School of Magic below) prepared every day from a spellbook as if it was a wizard. It uses Intelligence to determine bonus spells and save DCs. Upon taking the first level in this class, the high lich must choose if its high lich spells will be arcane or divine. Once made, the decision cannot be changed. Divine spells cast by a high lich suffer from Arcane Casting Failure. When a high lich gains access to a new level of spells, it automatically knows all the spells for that level listed on the high lich’s spell list (and they appear on its spellbook without needing to spend gold to inscribe them). Essentially, its spell list is the same as its spells known list. To cast a spell, a high lich must have an Intelligence score of 10 + the spell’s level.

A high lich may inscribe a spell in its spellbook, following the rules for doing so as though it was a wizard. Doing so allows the high lich access to spells outside the SRD, though for every spell inscribed in this way, the high lich must replace a previously known spell of the same level and school of magic. A high lich cannot inscribe spells from outside its chosen Sphere of Magic (see below). Spells that should be avoided even if they do belong within the high lich's sphere of magic: Conjuration(Calling) spells, Illusion(Shadow) spells Transmutation spells, any spell that appears in another class's list, any spell that duplicates the abilities of another class. Spells inscribed this way require DM approval.

Sphere of Magic(Ex): The High Lich gains knowledge and mastery of only one school of magic, which the high liches term "spheres". At 1st level, the high lich chooses what sphere of magic it will specialise in. Once made, the decision cannot be changed. The high lich's spell list according to each sphere is as follows:

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Level 1

Grease.
Mount.
Summon Monster I.
Unseen Servant.

Level 2

Glitterdust.
Spiritual Weapon.
Summon Monster II.
Summon Swarm.
Web.

Level 3

Phantom Steed.
Sepia Snake Sigil.
Summon Monster III.
Tiny Hut.

Level 4

Black Tentacles.
Dimension Door.
Secure Shelter.
Summon Monster IV.

Level 5

Insect Plague.
Mage's Faithful Hound.
Plane Shift.
Secret Chest.
Summon Monster V.
Teleport.

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Level 1

Alarm.
Endure Elements.
Entropic Shield.
Hold Portal.
Mage Armour.
Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law.
Shield.

Level 2

Arcane Lock.
Obscure Object.
Protection from Arrows.
Resist Energy.
Undetectable Alignment.

Level 3

Dispel Magic.
Explosive Runes.
Glyph of Warding.
Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law.
Nondetection.
Protection from Energy.

Level 4

Dimensional Anchor.
Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser.
Remove Curse.
Repel Vermin.
Spell Immunity.
Stoneskin.

Level 5

Atonement.
Break Enchantment.
Dismissal.
Dispel Chaos/Evil/Good/Law.
Mage’s Private Sanctum.
Spell Resistance.

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Level 1

Detect Secret Doors.
Detect Undead.
Identify.
True Strike.

Level 2

Augury.
Detect Thoughts.
Locate Object.
See Invisibility.
Zone of Truth.

Level 3

Arcane Sight.
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance.
Invisibility Purge.
Tongues.

Level 4

Arcane Eye.
Detect Scrying.
Discern Lies.
Locate Creature.
Scrying.

Level 5

Prying Eyes.
Sending.
Telepathic Bond.
True Seeing.

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Level 1

Cause Fear.
Chill Touch.
Deathwatch (without the [Evil] descriptor).
Ray of Enfeeblement.

Level 2

Blindness/Deafness.
Death Knell (without the [Evil] descriptor).
False Life.
Ghoul Touch.
Scare.
Spectral Hand.

Level 3

Gentle Repose.
Helping Hand.
Ray of Exhaustion.
Speak With Dead.
Vampiric Touch.

Level 4

Bestow Curse.
Contagion.
Enervation.
Fear.
Poison.

Level 5

Blight.
Slay Living.
Symbol of Pain (without the [Evil] descriptor).
Waves of Fatigue.

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Level 1

Burning Hands.
Floating Disk.
Magic Missile.
Shocking Grasp.

Level 2

Acid Arrow.
Continual Flame.
Darkness.
Flaming Sphere.
Gust of Wind.
Scorching Ray.
Shatter.
Sound Burst.

Level 3

Daylight.
Deeper Darkness.
Fireball.
Lightning Bolt.
Searing Light.
Sleet Storm.
Wind Wall.

Level 4

Fire Shield.
Ice Storm.
Resilient Sphere.
Shout.
Wall of Fire.
Wall of Ice.

Level 5

Cone of Cold.
Flame Strike.
Interposing Hand.
Wall of Force.
Wall of Stone.

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Level 1

Color Spray.
Disguise Self.
Magic Aura.
Silent Image.
Ventriloquism.

Level 2

Blur.
Hypnotic Pattern.
Invisibility.
Magic Mouth.
Minor Image.
Mirror Image.
Misdirection.
Phantom Trap.

Level 3

Displacement.
Illusory Script.
Invisibility Sphere.
Major Image.

Level 4

Hallucinatory Terrain.
Illusory Wall.
Invisibility, Greater.
Phantasmal Killer.
Rainbow Pattern.

Level 5

Dream.
False Vision.
Mirage Arcana.
Nightmare.
Persistent Image.
Seeming.

A high lich must also choose an Opposed Sphere. Choosing an opposed sphere has no effect on its own but other class abilities make use of it. A high lich may choose any Sphere it desires, including those high liches lack access to (see below). A high lich cannot choose its own sphere as its Opposed Sphere.

High Liches, although not versed in such magics on their own, refer to druidic magic as the "Verdant Sphere" (regardless of its actual school), to Transmutation magic as the "Iridescent Sphere" and to bardic and Enchantment magic as the "Rose Sphere".

If psionics are included in the game, the DM can choose to assign the different psionic disciplines to the pre-existent spheres (Clairsentience to the Pale Sphere, Metacreativity and Psychoportation to the Auburn Sphere, Psychokinesis to the Vermilion Sphere, Psychometabolism to the Iridescent Sphere, and Telepathy to the Rose Sphere), or consider it a different sphere altogether. If they do the latter, the "Alabaster Sphere" is suggested as its name.

Some suggestions for DMs who wish to incorporate other types of magic to the game: "Sepia Sphere" (Pact Magic), "Ebon Sphere" (Shadow Magic), "Cobalt Sphere" (Incarnum) and "Jade Sphere" (the supernatural aspect of Tome of Battle).

Innate Magic (Sp): High liches may cast the following spell-like abilities once per day per HD each: Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation and Read Magic.

Which Can Eternal Lie (Ex): All high liches must construct a phylactery before becoming undead. The phylactery is a Tiny item with Hardness 20, 40 HP, Resistance 20 to Electricity, Acid, Cold, Force and Sonic, and a break DC of 40. It takes double damage from Fire energy. Its weight can range from negligible to 1 pound (player's choice). Its physical aspect is up to the player (it can range from jewellery to part of another item), but it has no bearing on the mechanical stats of the phylactery itself (for example, making it part of an adamantine sword does not increase its HP or hardness, and it does not provide a bonus to conceal the item from onlookers or a bonus to AC from attacks). A high lich must always wear its phylactery on its person. If the high lich becomes separated from its phylactery, it gains a negative level (no save) that goes away on its own after 24 hours. For every hour that the high lich goes without the phylactery on its person, it must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the high lich's HD + 1 for every previously successful save) or gain another negative level that goes away on its own after 24 hours. If the high lich dies from negative levels, it does not automatically rise as a wight (it may rise as one, or as any kind of undead, if the DM so wills it). These negative levels bypass the high lich's immunity to death effects and energy drain.

Once per day per HD, when the high lich is reduced to 0 HP or otherwise destroyed, it can return to life 1d10 minutes after its destruction. The high lich may delay this effect for up to 1 hour per HD. The reconstruction takes 10d2 rounds, during which the high lich is considered to be Dazed. This effect only takes place if the phylactery has not been destroyed and if it is within the high lich's possession when it begins its reconstruction. If this effect triggers more than once per day, the second and subsequent times the high lich is reconstructed, it must make a Fortitude save (DC 20 + the high lich's HD) or gain a negative level that goes away on its own after 24 hours. These negative levels bypass the high lich's immunity to death effects and energy drain.

If the phylactery is destroyed but the high lich is not, the high lich may replace its phylactery by undertaking an elaborate ritual that lasts 24 hours and consumes an amount of XP and gold equal to (1000*HD). While the phylactery is destroyed, the high lich must make Fortitude saves to avoid gaining negative levels every day, instead of every hour.

Vulnerability to Fire (Ex): High liches are scholars, priests and mages, bonded to scrolls and ancient tomes. As they derive their power from arcane scriptures, they also share the weakness of their source of power. High liches take half as much (+50%) damage from fire energy and [Fire] effects. They also gain a penalty to saves against [Fire] effects equal to half their HD. Whenever the high lich gains Resistance to Fire, the amount gained is halved regardless of the source. A high lich can never gain Immunity to Fire. Effects that grant Immunity to Fire instead give the high lich Resistance to Fire 50 (this Resistance to Fire is not halved).

The spellbooks of a high lich gain +10 Hardness and Resistance 20 to Electricity, Acid, Cold, Force and Sonic, but take Fire damage normally. Any fire damage done to a high lich's spellbooks is done to the high lich as well (and counts as Fire damage for the purposes of this vulnerability). A high lich's spellbooks cannot gain Immunity or Resistance to Fire.

Scribe Scroll (Ex): The high lich gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat.

Ability Score Increase (Ex): At levels 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th, the high lich gains a +1 to Intelligence, for a total of +4 at level 8th.

Sphere Power (Su): The high lich swiftly grows adept at mastering the spells of its chosen sphere.

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The high lich gains a bonus on dispel checks (and on checks to avoid having its spells dispelled) equal to 1/4 of its HD (round down).

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The high lich gains a bonus on rolls to penetrate SR equal to 1/4 of its HD (round down).

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The high lich gains a bonus on caster level checks equal to 1/4 of its HD (round down). This bonus stacks with any other bonuses to caster level checks (such as the one gained earlier on dispel checks).

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The high lich gains a bonus to the DC of its spells equal to 1/5 of its HD (round down).

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Once per day per 4 HD, the high lich may automatically recover any spell that fizzles due to a failed Concentration check. It is considered as though the spell had not been expended.

Sphere Ward (Su): The high lich can inscribe sigils and glyphs on itself, wielded parchments or clothes to permanently protect itself from effects related to its chosen and opposed Spheres.

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The high lich gains a bonus on saves against effects of its chosen Sphere equal to 1/4 its HD (round down).

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The high lich gains a bonus on saves against effects of its opposed Sphere equal to 1/4 its HD (round down).

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The high lich gains a bonus to AC against effects of its chosen Sphere equal to 1/4 its HD (round down).

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The high lich gains a bonus to AC against effects of its opposed Sphere equal to 1/4 its HD (round down).

Bonus Feat (Ex): At levels 3rd, 6th and 9th, a high lich gains a bonus feat chosen from the wizard bonus feat list.

Aureate Blessing (Su): Once per day per HD, the high lich may touch a number of willing creatures equal to half its HD and pass on all its Sphere Ward abilities for a number of rounds equal to its HD. The high lich cannot pass Sphere Ward abilities it does not yet possess. For as long as the high lich has transferred its Sphere Ward abilities, the high lich ceases to benefit from them.

Aureate Flight (Su): At 5th level, the high lich gains a Fly speed of 30 feet with perfect manoeuvrability.

Even Death May Die (Ex): Once per day per HD, the high lich may touch a willing creature and transmit to them the benefit of its Which Can Eternal Lie ability for a number of minutes equal to the high lich's HD. The high lich must hand over its phylactery to the recipient of this ability. For all intents and purposes, the high lich loses its Which Can Eternal Lie ability for the duration of Even Death May Die, and the willing target gains it. Any negative levels incurred while under the effects of this ability remain do not disappear after the duration of this ability elapses.

Aureate Insight (Su): The high lich may add its Intelligence modifier to its Fortitude, its Will or its Reflex saves (player's choice) as an insight bonus.

Master Magus (Ex): As the high lich reaches the pinnacle of its ascension, they gain a +2 to its caster level for its chosen Sphere.

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So, the high lich is basically what happens when you take the specialist wizard to the logical extreme, put it on a severely weakened lich chassis and sprinkle whatever was left of the cleric after the mist wraith rummaged through it.

I removed some of the troublesome spells (such as Conjuration(Calling), Transmutation, Illusion(Shadow) and anything that duplicated what another class is supposed to be good at), which I expect to be a controversial move. If a player would rather play this class with all the SRD spells, they need only add them to the spell list themselves. I also shuffled a few spells around for the sake of balance and in order to keep each school unique and thematic (hence why I moved Mage Armour, Acid Arrow and Sleet Storm from Conjuration).

It was hard to make the vulnerability to fire relevant when there are so many ways to become immune or resistant to it. However, it's still worded in such a way that a high lich that chooses the Azure Sphere can use Resist Energy and Protection from Energy to absorb fire damage (but they gain Resistance to Fire 50 instead of complete immunity to fire).

I chose to put an arbitrary halt in the class at 10th level to get a "proof of concept" out before messing with the upper echelons of D&D madness (spell levels 6+). So far, there's no support for playing above 10th level in terms of spellcasting. Furthermore, the implicit assumption I'm making in these classes is that there are no other classes or PrCs in the campaign.

[TC X0 Lt 0X]

I just stumbled upon this through Google Search and noticed it was not in the Index and has not been commented on.
I gave it a glance over and looks interesting and balanced enough, so did this just get missed when it was posted?

[Raineh Daze]

I just stumbled upon this through Google Search and noticed it was not in the Index and has not been commented on.
I gave it a glance over and looks interesting and balanced enough, so did this just get missed when it was posted?

At a minimum, I'm going to assume we have a level 1 immortal. No requirements. At all. And non-stacking unique casting that's only ten levels...? Not good.

Also, I haven't read this, but I am going from the 'spheres' thing that we might be dealing with Netheril, which is an excruciatingly exact portion of Forgotten Realms history (and the cause for me to create something more broken than even a normal Wizard. )

[VennDygrem]

If you search the forum for the [Ascent into the light] tag the author put on this, you'll find a few others that are thematically linked. None seem to be in the index now.

[oslecamo]

Mist Wraith and Dusk Shadow have been in the index for years.

The author however went missing when we were discussing the Aes Sídhe, and hasn't shown up in the forums for a lot of time now, the reason I never got to posting a review for this.

But as Raineh pointed out, immortality at level 1, strange spellcasting system, this one would need a bunch of work to get into the index.

If someone wants to "adopt" this one, I'll review it in detail.

[ketaro]

I just stumbled upon this through Google Search and noticed it was not in the Index and has not been commented on.
I gave it a glance over and looks interesting and balanced enough, so did this just get missed when it was posted?

At a minimum, I'm going to assume we have a level 1 immortal. No requirements. At all. And non-stacking unique casting that's only ten levels...? Not good.

Also, I haven't read this, but I am going from the 'spheres' thing that we might be dealing with Netheril, which is an excruciatingly exact portion of Forgotten Realms history (and the cause for me to create something more broken than even a normal Wizard. )

Despite the name Lich, this doesn't look strong comparably to a real Lich. But reading through the fluff, this could or should likely be a Template like Lich is with a proper pre-req.

As for the Spheres thing, that's just what these creatures refer to the Schools of Magic as and picking a Sphere is like being a specialist wizard except much more restrictive in that it severely limits your spell list to only the spells in each Sphere (School of Magic).

In terms of Lichdom, it feels underpowered for something calling itself a Lich. But it's really flavorful and everything it can do at least makes sense in regards to how this monster is described. *shrugs*

[VennDygrem]

Mist Wraith and Dusk Shadow have been in the index for years.

Ah, so they are! I thought they were, but skipped completely over them just now.

[TC X0 Lt 0X]

Hmmm, on a closer look that Which Can Eternal Lie ability is a bit bonkers, and its kit is pretty strong despite the limited spell list.
Was working with no sleep for 24 hours desperately trying to get a game ready I was asked to do on short notice so I didnt get the best look. 

I 'could' adopt it, but Im still working on my dragon, or rather want to work on it but am limited on time and haven't been able to.And I got a few other things I want to build still, despite my lack of free time =P

Still if I actually got around to it, maybe move the resurrection ability of Which Can Eternal Lie to 10th level and get it a bit more on the level of the standard lich.
At first level it can instead keep him alive at negative HP like living creatures can despite being undead and destroyed at 0 then maybe at 5th level give it a auto stabilize at negative HP and a once per day prevent going below -9 HP when hit with an attack that would otherwise have killed it.
That might better represent that endurance to staying alive it wants to have without having straight up free resurrections at 1st level.

Probably remove the free bonus feats at 3rd/6th/9th, Scribe Scroll can stay.

The spells are a bit weird too and very limited. I don't think there is too much issue here for the most part though, at least compared to what a standard wizard will get to have at equal level with it's larger spell selection.
MAYBE change it to be Wizard casting limited to only 1 school instead as the Sphere of Magic ability wants for the sake of simplicity, though that might give it a bit more power then it needs.
Or perhaps keep it as is and give it the option to choose to learn 1 spell from a non opposed sphere every odd level to delimit it's spell list a bit.

It is somewhat odd as a base class, but I don't think it is too far from an alternate Dread Necromancer path into a lichdom style state, albeit it gets it undead portion pretty much immediately =P