Is Lichdom a new class?

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I was wondering, if you become a lich, does that count for a new class?

say a sorcerer level.. 14 becomes a lich, will the 6 rest classes be lich, or sorcerer or just something usual you can get to choose?

 

Lich is not a class. It's sort of a race change.

 

I'm interested: after one becomes a lich, does such a character continue to gain levels? I was kinda confused about that from something I read...perhaps it was that paper on how to become a lich that was floating around this forum. Can undead continue to advance in levels?

 

Under 2E rules they couldn't advance but 3E rules say that they advance as if they were still the class they were before becoming a lich,ie. sorcerer,wizard or priest.

[This message has been edited by Capt. Tripps (edited September 23, 2001).]

 

I was under the impression it is like a total character change, race, class, etc. I don't think it is an official class, but I have been in campaigns with people becoming liches late into the campaign.

 

All it really is is becoming undead, and gaining power and most importantly immortality thereby. The subject must also be and evil spellcaster. If you were an elf or dwarf or something before, you still resemble that, but it really is a change of race I think. Classes stay the same and the character may proceed as they wish.

 

Lich is not a class, it is a race templet. Like ghosts or vampires, liches retain their original class are race. The templet is in the back of the M&M. The T&B book also has rules on liches as per the prestiege class.

 

Would a halfdragon PC, be able to add the lich template?

 

Since there are so many questions about Liches here is the templet. I hope it will provide many of your answers. As for you questions about the half-dragon, I'd say no since a half-dragon is also a templet but I guess a DM could rule how ever he wants to.

Lich

"Lich" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "character"), provided it can create the required phylactery (see The Lich’s Phylactery, below). The creature’s type changes to "undead." It uses all the character’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Hit Dice: Increase to d12

Speed: Same as the character

AC: The lich has +5 natural armor or the character’s natural armor, whichever is better.

Damage: Creatures without natural weapons gain a touch attack that uses negative energy to deal 1d8+5 points of damage to living creatures; a Will save with a DC of 10 + 1/2 lich’s HD + lich’s Charisma modifier reduces the damage by half. Creatures with natural attacks can use their natural weaponry or use the touch attack, as they prefer.

Special Attacks: A lich retains all the character’s special attacks and also gains those listed below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 lich’s HD + lich’s Charisma modifier unless noted otherwise.

Fear Aura (Su): Liches are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the lich must succeed at a Will save or be affected as though by fear as cast by a sorcerer of the lich’s level.

Paralyzing Touch (Su): Any living creature the lich touches must succeed at a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (see the bestow curse spell). The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a successful Spot check (DC 20) or Heal check (DC 15) reveals that the victim is still alive. This power works in conjunction with the lich’s damaging touch (see above).

Spells: The lich can cast any spells it could cast while alive.

Special Qualities: A lich retains all the character’s special qualities and those listed below, and also gains the undead type (see page 6).
Turn Resistance (Ex): A lich has +4 turn resistance (see page 10).

Damage Reduction (Su): A lich’s undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/+1.

Immunities (Ex): Liches are immune to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks.

Saves: Same as the character
Abilities: A lich gains +2 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, but being undead, has no Constitution score.
Skills: Liches receive a +8 racial bonus to Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the character.
Feats: Same as the character

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or troupe (1 lich, plus 2-4 vampires_ and 5-8 vampire spawn)
Challenge Rating: Same as the character + 2
Treasure: Standard coins; double goods; double items
Alignment: Any evil
Advancement: By character class

The Lich’s Phylactery

An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which to store its life force. Unless the phylactery is located and destroyed, the lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death.

Each lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric of at least 11th level. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.