Troll Lord Games

So I am running Tegal Manor again at GenCon. Last year I used a 1e version Lich. I have reviewed the baddy in the M&T and I dont know about the party being able to survive that thing. It is the sheer terror of making the CL 18 saves vs. this thing. I get scared and I am the CK.....Mwahahahahaaaaa.....

Anyone use this baddy much?

Heh, no, I haven't. My games were much lower than what the lich-level.

I have used him in 2e. The C&C version doesn't disappoint. Vicious. The fear aura alone is a TPK-in-the-making. A Paladin, and I would rule a Knight as well, can resist it. I would possibly allow a Limited Wish suppress it, but since there's no save, Remove Fear is useless. The description states that most weapons are useless, but doesn't give any mechanics to back that up. I'd probably rule they have weapon resistances that skeletons do (1/2 damage from piercing and slashing, regular from bludgeoning). The paralyzing touch is rough, and if can maneuver to a PC that's probably doesn't have Strength prime, it's nasty.

And then, yeah, he's a caster, too.

Break out the buff spells... They are there for a reason.

-Mike

I haven't used a C&C lich, but a couple decades ago my PC moved into Tegal Manor. (It was his NPC wife's idea, and I can't image where she got it.)

Snoring Rock wrote:So I am running Tegal Manor again at GenCon. Last year I used a 1e version Lich. I have reviewed the baddy in the M&T and I dont know about the party being able to survive that thing. It is the sheer terror of making the CL 18 saves vs. this thing. I get scared and I am the CK.....Mwahahahahaaaaa.....

Anyone use this baddy much?

If you're going to use a lich then use the lich! Don't nerf the bad guy, alter it to promote the notion of suvivability, or coddle the players in any way. If the adventure calls for a lich, and the PCs are going into the critters lair to confront it, then let the dice fall where they may and so be it. PC deaths in a convention game are not a bad thing if handled fairly.

If you're really worried, have the party find some way to transform into halflings or dwarfs. The former are immune to fear, as I recall, and the latter get at least a +3 bonus against arcane magic, of which the fear aura should be considered. Plus, when a halfling backstabs a lich, well, that's just good gaming. Ask my wife.

Of course the Fear power is limited to 5th level and below....

FEAR AURA: Any creature with five or fewer hit dice or levels is subject to the horrific aura of terror that surrounds the lich.

So if you are throwing a Lich at 4th and 5th level characters, well they are dead already aren;t they ;P

-MIke

That's true on the fear aura...guess that's the henchman killer.

Figure the lich's fear aura will handle any of the small stuff while he slings spells at the larger threats.