Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shinryouga 10-09-06, 07:41 AM	I'm toying with the idea of an elemental lich for my campaign, first coming off of the variant liches from Libris Mortis, (notably the Good Lich with turn immunity but rebuke vunerable) and the fact that there seem to be a lot of cold type spells with negative energy laced in. So here's the basic premise: by using a small shard/piece/collected mass of elemental power from the appropriate elemental plane (or demi/para-elemental plane) (water/earth/air/fire/ooze/ice/lightning/etc) the spellcaster is able to tie his life energy to said shard, becoming more like his chosen element. This can be viewed from two angles: the elemental angle, and the undead angle. Basically, while I already have some ideas of my own, I'd love to hear if anyone else has any ideas for how, on both crunch and fluff levels, either of these ideas could be realized. I, personally, am starting my thoughts off of the Lich Template. So far I picture eliminating the fear aura and the paralysis, converting the negative energy touch to an energy touch, and dropping the standard elemental immunities for either the fire/cold subtype if appropriate, or energy resist 20 otherwise (to correspond to the immunity/+50% benefit of the subtypes). Anybody else got any interesting ideas?
Sorcen_Anenooata 10-09-06, 08:47 AM	This is an awesome idea. I do want to make sure I have this correct though, you're taking, for example, a human and turning it into a lich with elemental traits right? I also am pondering the idea of taking an elemental and turning it into a lich now. Thanks for getting my wheels turning.
Shinryouga 10-09-06, 09:16 AM	Yes, the idea is for a variant lich template using the basic lich template as a starting point, but with an elemental twist. I want to lessen the tie to the negative (or positive, if using the good lich or deathless) and put in a tie to a specific elemental plane that corresponds to the lich's elemental focus. I want to make the template easily modifiable for various energy types, as I sometimes dislike the earth=acid, air=electicity, fire=fire, but water=cold. I personally subscribe to the planescape ideas of para-elemental planes of ooze, smoke, magma, and ice, and the demi-elemental planes of steam, lightning, radiance, mineral, ash, dust, vacuum, and salt. I recognize that some of these planes present problems mechanically (Vacuum, Radiance), but I also feel there is a lot of potential for cool encounters with just such a creature. For a buttload of info on the elemental planes, go here (http://www.planewalker.com/encyclopedia/encyclopedia.php?intEntryID=72) I'm also going on the idea that while the standard lich is generally not accessible to PCs because of the evil deeds necessary to perform the rituals, an elementalich could be more "PC alignment friendly" because of the neutral orientation of the elemental planes. I like the idea both for several interesting villains and NPCS, and also for a PC sorceror focusing in cold spells in my Savage Tide campaign.
Sorcen_Anenooata 10-09-06, 09:55 AM	Oh cool thats even better than what I was imagining for this. Yeh I'd say the best way to go would be to modify it from the lich template adding elemental affinities and vulnerabilities to the opposite element. I havent really studied up on the lich recently but I'll see if I can think of anything useful to help you when I get the chance.