Few can trully argue that the powers of a master psionicist are any less than those of an archwizard. True to form, certain psionicists have managed to achieve the same state that some of the most powerful, and depraved, magic-users have reached; lichdom.
Psionic liches are undead psionics users--usually psions, but sometimes psionic monsters--who have interred their mentality into the necrotic tissue of their once living bodies, thus preserving their existence indefinately.
A psionic lich appears in some ways as it did in life: its remains pliant and soft, and warm to the touch. However, it has no heart and no blood flows through its veins--it is psionic power that animates the flesh. if you cut a psionic lich, its veins are empty of blood, though stray sparks of power flash briefly. Its eyes are always completely silvered and glow with a faint radiance. A psionic lich wears clothes for simple modesty or disguise, not to protect it from the environment. Thus, many wear only simple leggings, tunics, and sandals, if that.
Psionic liches speak Common plus any other languages they knew in life.
Creating a Psionic Lich
"Psionic lich" is a template that can be added to any aberration, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, outsider, or shapechanger (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"), provided it can create the required phylactery (see "The Psionic Lich's Phylactery," below). Following the transformation, the creature's type changes to "undead". It uses all the character's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Increases to d12
Speed: Same as base creature's
AC: Same as base creature's
Damage: Same as base creature's
Special Attacks: A psionic lich retains all the base creature's special attacks and also gains those listed below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 lich's Hit Dice + lich's Charisma modifier unless noted otherwise.
__Life-Draining Touch (Su): Any living creature the lich touches as a melee touch attack sustains 2 pioints of temporary Constitution damage (4 on a Critical hit)--the lich gains drained points as extra psionic power points on a 1-per-1 basis.
__Arcane Spell Bane (Su): The bane of arcane magic, the mere presence of a psionic lich interferes with arcane spelcasting. Any arcane spell cast within 30 feet of p psionic lich requires a successful Concentration check, or the spell is lost. The Concentration check is versus a DC of 10 + the lich's HD + lich's Charisma modifier. Even if the standard option of psionics and magic affecting each other is being used, this effect interferes only with arcane spells (not psionics, other spell-like abilities, divine spells, etc.).
Powers: The psionic lich can manifest any power it could while alive. As a psionic lich has no Constitution score, it substitutes its Charisma modifier in place of Constitution for Psychokinetic powers.
Psionic Combat Modes: The psionic lich can manifest any combat modes it could manifest while alive.
Special Qualities: A psionic lich retains all the base creature's special qualities and those listed below, plus it also gains the undead type.
__Power Point Boost (Ex): When first transforming into a psionic lich, the character receives a one-time addition of power points to its power point total equal to its current total manifester level. Thus, a 12th-level psion who becomes a psionic lich has an additional 12 power points more than it otherwise would have had.
__Turn Resistance (Ex): A psionic lich has +4 turn resistance.
__Power Resistance (Su): A psionic lich has a power resistance equal to its manifester level +5.
__Fast Healing (Su): A psionic lich's undead body is constantly revitalized by the psioic energy coarsing through it.
__Immunities (Ex): Psionic liches are immune to cold, electricity, and polymorphing attacks.
Saves: Same as base creature's after augmenting Ability scores.
Abilities: A psionic lich gains +2 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, but being undead, it has no Constitution score.
Skills: A psionic lich receives a +8 racial bonus to Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise, its skills are the same as the base creature's.
Feats: Same as base creature's
Climate/Terrain: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: Same as base creature's +2
Treasure: Standard coins; double goods; double items
Alignment: Any evil
Advancement: By character class
Psionic Lich Characters
Characters can undertake the process of becoming a lich only of their own free will. Following the transformation, the lich retains all the class abilities it had in life.
The Psionic Lich's Phylactery
An integral part of becpming a psionic lich is creating a psionic phylactery in which the creature affixes its life force to the mortal coil. Unless the phylactery is located and destroyed, a psionic lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death in an area adjacent to its phylactery.
Each psionic lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Universal Ite feat. The character must be a psion of at least 11th level(or be able to manifest at least one 6th-level power and have at least 11 HD). The phylacter costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a manifester level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
Psionic phylacteries often take the form of costly gemstones set into rings, amulets, or other adornments. A close look at such items reveals an inner glow, and phylacteries always detect as psionic powers in operation. The gemstone is Fine and has a hardness rating of 20, 40 hit points, and a break DC of 40.
This information comes from If Thoughts Could Kill, an online suppliment available at Wizards.com. It is authored by Bruce R. Cordell and copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast.
Picture of 2nd edition Psionic Lich from Monster Compendium 1.
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