SRD Talk:Lich

Something That May DMs May Not Realize

See the Limitless Charnel Healer. —Sledged 14:18, 11 January 2007 (MST)

Question

As undead, if a cleric became a lich, could it use positive energy healing spells on others, or would channeling positive energy damage the lich? Darkseid 6-21-07

A lich becomes any evil alignment (though NE and LE seem to work best characteristically). This means they can only channel negative energy. --Aarnott 05:54, 22 June 2007 (MDT)

However, you can still heal undead. 68.55.33.112 05:37, 21 May 2008 (MDT)

Thought negative energy, yes, but negative energy damage mortal.--Lord Dhazriel 05:54, 21 May 2008 (MDT)

It seems only part of the original query was answered.

could it use positive energy healing spells on others...

This is where it gets pointed out that any cleric—lich, vampire, or otherwise—can prepare and cast healing spells. So, yes, a lich cleric can use positive energy healing spells on others without any adverse effects on the lich, but he must have the spell already prepared. Now the second part of the question.

would channeling positive energy damage the lich?

The key word is "channeling" which within the cleric description is only applied to spontaneous casting and turn/rebuke undead. Ignoring the fact that the standard lich is evil and therefore cannot channel positive energy, Monsters of Faerûn has a minor alternative that can be non-evil, and there's also other free-willed undead that can choose their own alignment. These creatures can still channel positive energy without any adverse effects to them. —Sledged (talk) 09:42, 21 May 2008 (MDT)

This greatly depends on the DMs view of positive and negative energy. What is true (though the DM can change this at a whim) is that positive energy is the stuff of life and is anathema to undead. While exposure to it harms undead, channeling it may or may not depending on the DM. The problem with this is that I'm pretty sure someone in the core rules it says that good aligned channels positive and evil aligned channels negative. This is where your view of these 2 energies comes into play. For all intends and purposes, positive and negative energy are elements. They are even a part of the inner planes. Fire is no more evil or good then the sky or the dirt but views on pos and neg energy may or may not be skewed. If these energies are not inherently evil then being undead or even being evil has no bearing on whether or not you can channel one or the other. Since undead are inextricably tied to the negative energy plane it could easily give them fits if they tried to access the positive energy plane (the polar opposite of the negative). I am going to end my rant before I type up a whole essay. I will end with what I said before, it is up to the DM whether or not an undead can channel positive energy and not be harmed. - FiddleSticks96

new question: If your alignment is to Wee Jas and you change yourself into a liche because she commands it, will you still have to become evil aligned?

That is a DM specific question. The DM can Rule Zero whatever he wants.--Dmilewski 16:19, 14 April 2009 (MDT)

Yes, it is very DM specific. The process of becoming a lich is supposedly unspeakably evil and leaves scars are you soul but this does not have to be the case. The DM can change anything they want to so if you decided (or ask your DM) that you can become a lich without doing something evil then no you wouldn't have to change alignment. - FiddleSticks96

Editing Wiki Link

Why don't you just edit the link to the actual D&D link?

one right here -- Flession 11:10, 28 June 2007 (MDT)

Thanks. I added it. I like having the generic links where possible. I think it is good if people read about where a creature came from, rather than just the D&D interpretation. --Dmilewski 11:48, 28 June 2007 (MDT)

Question

If a phylactery is destroyed while the Lich is not killed (i.e. the Lich escaped and left the phylactery behind, or the phylactery is hidden somewhere and is discovered without the Lich's presence), can it be replaced and/or what (if anything) happens to the Lich? This is a line of speculation currently going on in an order of the stick webcomic forum discussion, and I was wondering if any ruling was known for this. Random832 23:15, 31 May 2009 (MDT)

By the rules, that is left open to the DM. That's an example of a story element, rather than a rules element. Resolving it requires that you know about your players and their gaming style. --Dmilewski 14:47, 1 June 2009 (MDT)