Shevarash wrote:Liches are the last class to be finished, and to be honest they're still somewhat in flux. The basic concept is still the same - Liches are a heavily restricted class that have access to unique magic and powerful undead. In exchange for these powers, the lich will most likely have to be a Necromancy specialist in addition to banning another spell school. That hasn't been set in stone yet, and your feedback would be welcome.
Liches will likely be one of the hardest classes to balance on Toril 2.0, simply because the template for Undead is so different from any other character class. It renders a character "Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage." It changes their fundamental nature; they are driven insane or emotionally corrupted, they are granted a view toward an infinite future, and they are made a pariah from all Prime Plane societies except the most vile.
In game terms, all the benefits of undeath are physical and magical, and all the detriments are mental, emotional, and social. In a tabletop game, this is easy to reconcile, as RolePlaying will become significantly more difficult when every NPC either wants to kill you or run from you. On a mud, almost all PCs will simply ignore that issue, and group with you regardless - the point of the game is, after all, to have fun with your fellow players.
The lich itself is considered one of the most powerful beings in Forgotten Realms, possessing eons of magical knowledge and a controlling view of the world. Able to span plots across centuries, they remain in their lairs behind layers of minions and allies, rarely venturing into any danger. They possess a physical item, a phylactery, that houses the magical essence which keeps their decaying forms alive, regenerating them should their body be destroyed.
None of that works on the mud, really. Every player has a permanent phylactery - they just hit '1' to re-enter the game on death. No player has a lair or home - everyone rents at the inn. No player remains hidden, sending out minions to do their bidding - they've got to be right there standing next to the dragon to fight it. No player starts evil plots that span centuries - we've got to fit our playing hours around Heroes and when Lili or Ross want to zone (RPQ aside). And game balance demands that physical and magical power be offset by something that has a tangible impact on the character's effectiveness, which cannot be gotten through social, mental, or emotional means in a realm of pure stat-sheets.
There is virtually no material on how to play an Undead character except through a full Undead campaign due to the radically different abilities. All that being said, let's cover some of the major topics that most sources agree upon:
Game benefits might include:
- * Increased intelligence, far above the normal of their race, no longer reduction to Charisma, since it's the force of personality and will
* Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease
* Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage
* Immune to cold, electricity, polymorph (can still polymorph themselves)
* No need to eat, drink, breathe, or otherwise sustain their form
* Ability to heal using negative energy
* Numerous powerful minions and pets (summoned, constructed, dominated, or raised), such as the dozens mentioned in Libris Mortis
* Built-in feats/powers, such as chill touch (can use 'touch' when no spells are charged, damage/paralysis), undead vision, and fear aura
* Phylactery item/ability to regenerate your own corpse (self ress or revive)
* Skill bonuses as listed in the Monster Manual
- * Prerequisites for lichdom, such as Necromancy feats and specialization, evil alignment, gold/exp expenditure
* Restricted spell sets, such as giving up additional spell schools. This is more restrictive than normal D&D rules; it's one of the few ways of keeping a lich in balance on a mud. Several D&D sources, such as Van Richten's Guide to the Lich, state that Liches are the ultimate generalists, and can learn all spell schools far beyond those of mortals thanks to their infinite lifespans, or retain the same spellcasting abilities as when they were mortal, such as in Libris Mortis and the Monster Manual.
* Almost all NPCs aggro to it unless disguised or hidden, outcast from cities
* No constitution score (low Fortitude save modifier), low hps (d12 with no con modifiers)
* Death at 0 hps instead of negative
* Vulnerability to clerics and paladins, undead turning, undead destruction spells, and positive energy spells
* More difficulty gaining experience
* Inability to heal naturally (no regen)
- * Libris Mortis (WTC17924)
* Van Richten's Guide to the Lich (TSR9412)
* The Slayer's Guide to Undead (MPG0016)
* Encyclopaedia Arcane - Necromancy (MGP1002)
* Undead (AEG8504)
* Monster Manual, Revised 3.5 (WTC17755)