From: kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: Lich & Demi-Lich...
Originator: kjenks@gothamcity
Keywords: lich
Organization: NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 00:43:44 GMT

In article <1992Sep30.134229.19463@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>, abistak@nyx.cs.du.edu (Andrew Bistak) writes:
> Our party consists of a Paladin(lev 9)/Bard(lev 10)/Fighter-Mage ( lev
> 7 7) and a thief unfortunately.   [Here's] the problem, does anyone know
> how to defeat a damn Lich?  Some stats/weaknesses would be nice.
> regards, Andrew

Andrew, I'll try to offer some helpful advice (as opposed to the
nay-sayers who claim it can't be done).

First, you're in BIG trouble.  Liches have few weaknesses and are very,
very powerful.  If he knows you're coming, you're doomed.  Give up now 
and come back next year.  Your party is too low in level to do this
now.

A Lich is an undead Archmage (18+ level Magic-User) or, rarely, a high
level cleric.  He has a base armor class of zero, but he's had several
centuries in which to make himself a Cloak of Protection, Ring of
Protection, Staff of Power, and other devices to lower his armor class.
If he's only AC 0, you're very lucky.

Liches are immune to many magical attack forms, including poison,
electricity, insanity, enfeeblement, polymorph, cold, hold, sleep,
charm, death symbols/spells.  A favorite tactic is Lightning Bolt
in a small room, or a zero-range Ice Storm.

Sometimes, a Lich will have a "phylactery" which contains his soul.
You can't permanently kill such a Lich without destroying its 
phylactery.  But you have to find it first.

Sadly, a Lich is rarely alone.  He frequently has nasty, evil monsters
around him to soak up your spells and engage your fighters.  If you
can arrange it, catch him alone, and your chances of actually killing
him increase greatly.

There are several "usual" ways to kill really tough monsters 
(AD&D 1 rules):

  1) Transmute Rock to Mud, then change it back with reverse of spell
     or Dispel Magic.  Very effective, if your friend the Lich has
     not thought of tiling his floor with Wall of Iron spells, 1 inch
     under the stone, or has not figured out how to get a Fly spell.

  2) Hit him hard when he's alone, and keep him in a Silence spell
     so he can't Teleport or Dimension Door out.  (This is rough if
     he's made himself a Ring of Spell Storing with a decent escape
     spell in it.  No command word, just 5 segments and away he goes!)
     You might cast the Silence spell on your Paladin.  Beware of
     hand-to-hand combat, though, since a Lich's chill touch can
     paralyze you.  Resist Cold might help here, but that's the DM's
     option.

  3) Drop heavy objects on him.  This is the surest way to kill any
     really tough creature.  The DMG1 has rules for dropping boulders,
     allowing for one HP/14 pounds * number of 10-foot increments
     dropped.  Very dangerous.

  4) Hit him hard, run away fast, then come back later.  Since a Lich
     can't be affected by Cure or Heal spells (check the rules), he
     probably can't restore lost hit points as fast as you can.  This
     strategy applies to any monster who can't cure himself and won't
     chase you.  Of course, a Lich might be able to Wish his hit 
     points back.

  5) If you're lucky enough to have a Rope of Entanglement, now's the
     time you've been waiting for.  Make sure you Silence him fast,
     since neither Teleport nor Dimension Door require somantic
     components, only a verbal one.  

Since a Lich's major attack mode is magic-user spells, try to find a
Scroll of Protection from Magic, a Cube of Force, a Minor Globe
of Invulnerability, or similar magic to defend against its spells.
Use Silence and frequent magical missile attacks to prevent and
disrupt his spell casting.

If he casts an Anti-Magic Shell, run away.  Your magic weapons won't
work inside it, and he'll melee you to death.  (If he tries this,
you might arrange to have a 6+ Hit Die monster come in and beat on
him inside his Anti-Magic Shell, but it's tough to find Good help
like that.)

Liches have a special vulnerabilty: they are Undead, and they can be
turned (your Paladin can barely do it), affected by Holy Water, and
their attacks can be prevented by a Protection from Undead scroll.
You might look into the possibility of several million gallons of
Holy Water and a good, high-pressure delivery system.

Depending on your DM, your buddy may not be able to Polymorph
himself (since he's immune).  This can only be to your advantage --
you wouldn't be able to make him miss a saving throw vs. Polymorph
anyway.

However, the best way to deal with the Lich is to avoid it, possibly
convincing some high-level NPC party that they need to kill it.

I wish you the best of luck, and please tell us how it goes.

-- Ken Jenks, NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
      kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov  (713) 483-4368

      "There is no doubt; you have come to a place of ineffable Evil.
       Still, it is most certainly a place for high adventure and 
       untold treasures.  It is time to ready spells, draw weapons,
       check equipment, and set forth into the maze of peril that
       awaits you."
         -- AD&D Module T1-4, Temple of Elemental Evil, p.36